Every Age Needs Jesus

…But His hand is stretched out still.Isaiah 5:25 (NKJV)

51 Years ago on this day, January 22, 1973, just eight days before my youngest brother was born, the supreme court of the United States of America made the tragic decision to allow abortions, the murder of babies, in the case of Roe vs. Wade. On June 24, 2022, after decades of prayer and hard work on behalf of believers, the supreme court reversed that decision, giving the decision back to each state. And so the work continues in each state to protect babies and the prayer warriors pray on. With sadness I heard this past year how one state where I used to live, Ohio, had enshrined abortion in its constitution. Oh, Ohio, reverse this curse in the Name of Jesus! Let us all continue to pray for precious babies everywhere.

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. Deuteronomy 30:19 (NKJV)

January 22 is also recognized by many as Sanctity of Human Life Day, praying God will use for good a day that the enemy intended for evil. I declare that every day is a sanctity of human life day, For God says in His Word, choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19)! He proclaims that every life is so precious that He sent His One and Only Son Jesus Christ, Yeshua Messiah, to die for each of our sins (including the tragic sin of abortion) so that we can have eternal life with Him (and those babies) in heaven (John 3:16). And that little baby hand that rocked the world over 2000 years ago is outstretched still to help you with your babies, to forgive your sins, and to hold you in the palm of His hand.

He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. Luke 1:51 (NKJV)

It has been less than a month since much of the world marked the birth of our Savior Jesus with the celebration of Christmas. A few years ago, I wrote a devotion entitled “Christmas Must Be Pro-Life.” Now my thoughts turn more to the Old Testament and our Jewish heritage for we have been grafted into Abraham’s tree. I think of the babies born to Judah and Tamar in Genesis 28. As Tamar was giving birth to her twins, a midwife tied a red string onto the baby who reached out his hand (Zerah), but then the other baby broke through and was actually born first (Perez) (Genesis 38: 27-30). This Perez was in the lineage of Christ (one of Jesus’ ancestors). I imagine that when Jesus was born to Mary, His hand could have reached out first, then popped back in so He could be delivered headfirst. Because Jesus is both our scarlet thread baby and our breakthrough baby, making a way for us all to get to Abba Father in heaven. Jesus provides His scarlet blood to wash away our sins and He is making breakthrough miracles even today (like the Supreme Court reversal of Roe vs. Wade!). Those baby hands that first reached out to Mary and Joseph, then reached out to heal the sick and lame, then reached out on a cross to die. Those blessed hands are outstretched still!

Those mighty hands created the world and everything in it in six days and rested on the seventh.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. John 1:1-3 (NKJV)

Those mighty hands delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt with signs and wonders to Pharaoh and the Egyptians.

So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. Deuteronomy 26:8 (NJKV)

Those mighty hands knocked down the walls of Jericho and used Joshua’s outstretched arm to defeat the people of Ai, conquering the Promised Land.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand toward the city… Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. Joshua 8:18 & 26 (NKJV)

Those mighty hands heard the prayers of King Solomon when he dedicated the temple to our awesome God.

For they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this temple. 1 Kings 8:42 (NKJV)

Those mighty hands gave Isaiah this prophecy, we often hear at Christmas time:

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

Have you read Isaiah 9 all the way to the end? Over and over, Isaiah tells us …But His hand is stretched out still (Isaiah 9:12) …But His hand is stretched out still (Isaiah 9:17) …But His hand is stretched out still (Isaiah 9:21) …But His hand is stretched out still (Isaiah 10:4). And before he concludes, Isaiah has many more promises for that Arm and Hand:

Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand,
And His arm shall rule for Him;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him. Isaiah 40:10 (NKJV)

The Lord has made bare His holy arm
In the eyes of all the nations;
And all the ends of the earth shall see
The salvation of our God. Isaiah 52:10 (NKJV)

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear. Isaiah 59:1 (NKJV)

And the Psalmists loved those blessed Arms and Hands…

That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and hear me. Psalm 60:5 (NKJV)

Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand. Psalm 73:23 (NKJV)

You have a mighty arm;
Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. Psalm 89:13 (NKJV)

The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. Psalm 118:16 (NKJV)

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me. Psalm 138:7 (NKJV)

His Hand is Outstretched Still for the babies. My youngest brother will turn 51 next week, but 63 million people will not be having birthdays this year, those babies whose lives were taken because of Roe vs. Wade. If you are a mom of one of those babies, His hands are stretched out for you, dear one! Those nail-scarred hands that hung on the cross for all the world are stretched out for you! Be like Thomas and feel the holes in Jesus’ hands, claim the promise that His scarlet blood washes away all your sins, and let those hands carry you through today and all your tomorrows.

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. Matthew 19:14-15 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Our Joshua, our Yeshua, our Jesus, has His hand outstretched still… reaching for us, fighting our battles, stretching out His hands and giving His life for us on the cross. Reach out and take hold of that everlasting hand, dear sister. There is a verse in Nehemiah 12:43 when they are dedicating the wall of Jerusalem that says, “…God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced…” This is my prayer: May God make us all rejoice with great joy, all the women and children, mammas and babies, grandmas and grandchildren. HalleluYAH! Jesus is our salvation! His hands are outstretched still!

There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
Who rides the heavens to help you,
And in His excellency on the clouds.
The eternal God is your refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms;
He will thrust out the enemy from before you,
And will say, ‘Destroy!’ Deuteronomy 33:26-27 (NKJV)

That all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever. Joshua 4:24 (NKJV)

Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” John 20:27-28 (NKJV)

(See also Genesis 50:20, Exodus 13:3, Exodus 13:9, Exodus 13:14, Exodus 13:16, Deuteronomy 9:29. Psalm 20:6, Psalm 63:8, Psalm 74:11, Psalm 77:15, Psalm 136:12, Psalm 139:10, Psalm 144:7, Isaiah 51:5, Isaiah 53:1, Isaiah 62:8, Isaiah 63:5, Isaiah 65:2, Acts 13:11, Romans 8:28, Romans 10:21)

God is a just judge,
And God is angry with the wicked every day. Psalm 7:11 (NKJV)

Every age needs Jesus. Every age needs Jesus, not just every age of person, from babies to grandparents, but also EVERY AGE as in every time in history. Recently I was reading the book of Judges where people did “what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25). In this Bible book, God’s people continually strayed away from Him, so God sent prophets to call them back. Reading the book of Judges is much like reading a newspaper today, so many heart-breaking stories.

A long time ago, I made a list of Bible Stories I don’t like and Judges 19-21 was at the top of the list. If you want to ready the bizarre, you should read these passages. This story brings up so many questions, like why didn’t the man protect his wife? Why did he cut her up into 12 pieces? Why did the Israelites think it was okay to steal wives for the Benjaminites? These questions might spark your curiosity enough to read this Bible selection! Yet the answer for every question is the same, the people did “what was right in their own eyes.”

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
But establish the just;
For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds. Psalm 7:9 (NKJV)

Hundreds of years after Judges, Acts 25:13 shows us more wickedness. In this passage, the Apostle Paul was brought before King Agrippa and Bernice. This royal couple was another example of people doing “what was right in their own eyes” for Bernice was King Agrippa’s sister. Their marriage was against God’s law. Paul, like the prophets before him, took full advantage of his time before the king, giving his testimony and declaring, “…repent, turn to God, do works befitting repentance” (Acts 26:20).

Many times in the Bible we see where God honors the faithful and the wicked are punished. Jeremiah 35 is such a place. The Rechabites had been told by their father Jonadab to live in tents and not drink wine. They were obeying their earthly father. Jeremiah told them, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever” ’ ” (Jeremiah 35:16-19). What a blessing for this family because of their faithfulness!

Dear One, Let God’s Word reassure you. When Jesus was born, the Romans ruled that part of the world. Joseph and Mary had to travel miles to be counted by those Romans. And just at that time, the Father had His Son be born to a virgin, in a stable, because there was no room in the Inn. God sent GREAT HOPE at a time when it was needed most, to a poor couple, in a barn with animals, all living under Roman rule. That precious Baby grew to be the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ who gave His life for us on the cross and rose again on Easter morning, opening the door of heaven for all who believe in His Name.

Dear One, don’t you think He can do the same today? This certainly is another time in history when people are doing “what is right in their own eyes.” Ungodly marriages, abortion, murders, rioting, sinful leaders… As we look at the tragedy in Afghanistan, the damage of hurricane Ida, the fires and smoke in the West (shrouding our beautiful mountains daily), the continuation of vaccines and Covid, we might lose hope, but we won’t! We hold onto God’s promise to send His Son Jesus to right the wrongs and reign on high eternally! For every age needs Jesus!!!

Today’s TEA CUPP: Please pray with me…Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth we cry to You. Our hearts are overwhelmed for the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished! We claim Your promise that the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, for You are coming on the clouds. You are with us in every trial and tribulation, through every fire and storm. You are our Great Hope and Healer and Savior. Come, Lord Jesus, come. (Psalm 61:1-2, 2 Samuel 1:27, Psalm 49:14, Matthew 24:30, Revelation 22:20)

...We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22 (NKJV)

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Revelation 22:20-21 (NKJV)

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God will shine forth. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;
A fire shall devour before Him,
And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. Psalm 50:2-3 (NKJV)

My prayer friend Shannon shared this inspiring devotion from Dutch Sheets! Please check it out and find great hope for America. As we remember the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 this Saturday, there are many opportunities to join others in prayer. Check out these sites… Behold He Comes, The Return: Africa, American King Foundation, and others.

My TEA CUPP Prayers

Praying God's Word … Inviting Ladies to TEA with the King of kings!

Tag Archives: Every Age Needs Jesus

His Hand is Outstretched Still