DCLM Sincere Milk 8 August 2024 — Beauty For Ashes
DCLM Sincere Milk 8 August 2024 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Beauty For Ashes
Topic: Beauty For Ashes
Text: Isaiah 61:1-7
1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
4And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
5And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
6But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
7For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
Key Verse: “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;” Isaiah 61:3
Message
Beauty for ashes represents the plan God has for man from the beginning of creation. It simply means that where there is sorrow and things are not going well, God is promising beauty for ashes. In the Old Testament, ashes were always poured on the head as a sign of mourning but the Lord is saying your mourning will be turned to joy. Job was afflicted with sickness by the devil. At that point he was confused because he didn’t know what he did that led to the sickness as he was righteous before God. At the end, the Lord turned his sorrow to joy and gave him beauty for ashes as he got double of what he had lost.
Also Read: DCLM Sincere Milk 7 August 2024 — Set Apart For God’s Glory
The Lord can beautify your life today to become what He wants you to be, if only you submit to His will and obey Him . Obedience is the key to victory in life. Sorrow, sadness, crying and troubles come from the devil. But thanks be to God Who has given His children hope of deliverance. He is our loving, compassionate God Who sent Jesus Christ to destroy the works of the devil. Jesus will remove all the things that represent ‘ashes’ in your life. He will beautify you with His presence and blessings.
Further Reading: Job 42:10-13
Prayer for today: God beautify my life today and give me , beauty for ashes.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
