Joe Barnett

I will not forget you.     —Isaiah 49:15 The prophet asked, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?” Unlikely, but possible. A Pennsylvania mom dropped her two children off at school, drove away, and disappeared for 11 years. Not once in those […]

The Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.                      —Isaiah 49:13 Hymn writer Thomas Dorsey was singing at a revival in St. Louis when his wife Nettie died in childbirth. Within hours the baby also died. Crushed with grief and feeling

Do not dwell on the past.       —Isaiah 43:18 Made a mistake did you? Messed up? Knowing what you know now, you would do better if you had another shot at it. But you didn’t know then what you know now, and you don’t have another shot at it. That ship has sailed;

Do not be afraid, for I am with you.                        —Isaiah 43:5 Natural disasters—tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, fires—strike without warning and wreak devastation. So do personal disasters. A fatal accident, a life-threatening illness, a bad and irreversible business decision, a financial blow. When you are

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.                                   —Isaiah 43:1 A treasure-trove of dresses owned and worn by Princess Diana is displayed at Kensington Palace in London. The First Ladies Collection, displaying inaugural gowns, portraits, White House

Do not fear, for I am with you … I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you.                               —Isaiah 41:10 Are you traveling into new territory? A move to a new town? A new school? A new job?

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.                 —Isaiah 40:29 Are you at the end of your rope? Slogging through a rough patch with no relief in sight? Is the journey so exhausting that you’re about ready to throw in the towel?

I will trust and not be afraid.                 —Isaiah 12:2 News outlets deliver a continuous stream of wild-eyed crazies massacring school children, shooting up theaters, planting bombs where people work and play; and nut-case leaders flexing their muscles and annihilating their enemies. This endless recital of horror feeds

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.                                       —Isaiah 5:20 “There’s right and there’s wrong” said John Wayne. “You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you’re living. You

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards.   —Song of Songs 2:15 Foxes invade vineyards, eat the grapes, and trash the vines. The foxes must be destroyed or the foxes will destroy the vineyards. The little foxes of greed, deceit, and envy are more deceptive than the big foxes of