1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,600 Today we are going to end a sermon series that we took a small hiatus from. 2 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:08,700 We're going to come back to it. 3 00:00:08,700 --> 00:00:13,740 It does connect to our scripture reading but that's not where the bulk of our discussion 4 00:00:13,740 --> 00:00:14,740 is going to be. 5 00:00:14,740 --> 00:00:16,560 That's the starting point. 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:25,300 So if you would like to turn to Isaiah chapter 55, that's where we will be discussing today. 7 00:00:25,300 --> 00:00:31,760 Before we begin though, let us say one more word of prayer. 8 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:37,280 Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you for the calling you have placed in our lives to take 9 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:44,200 up the banner, the work that Christ began that your apostles continued that has carried 10 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,800 through the centuries all the way to today. 11 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:54,480 Lord I pray that we would not languish in our understanding but rather we would continue 12 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:55,480 the work. 13 00:00:55,480 --> 00:01:00,040 And so today I pray that as we open up your word you would bring it home. 14 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:04,520 I pray that you would impress it upon us so that we can have a deeper faith in you. 15 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:14,320 This is my prayer for we pray in Jesus name, amen, and amen. 16 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:26,500 There are unfortunately lots of well-known lies, myths, or fables that we are aware of. 17 00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:31,940 If we understand that there is a spiritual conflict currently raging, sight unseen but 18 00:01:31,940 --> 00:01:40,440 still present between a loving Heavenly Father and a nasty rascal of a devil whom the Bible 19 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:48,140 says is a liar and the father of lies, then we would expect to see in a sinful world untruths. 20 00:01:48,140 --> 00:01:55,020 We would expect to hear things like from Big Tobacco a couple of years ago but repeated 21 00:01:55,020 --> 00:02:03,020 even recently that nicotine is no more addictive than a Coca-Cola or a Twinkie. 22 00:02:03,020 --> 00:02:08,140 And yes that is a quote, it's no more addictive than eating a Hostess Twinkie. 23 00:02:08,140 --> 00:02:19,620 We would expect to see lies like read my lips, no new taxes. 24 00:02:19,620 --> 00:02:22,520 Some of us maybe know what that is a reference to. 25 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:27,440 We would expect to see some things like the scandal of Watergate and what they tried to 26 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:29,660 cover up and hide and so on. 27 00:02:29,660 --> 00:02:37,460 We would expect to hear I did not have relations with so and so when in reality you didn't. 28 00:02:37,460 --> 00:02:43,780 We would expect to hear even from our little ones did you get into the food coloring or 29 00:02:43,780 --> 00:02:50,340 the cookie jar when they've got crumbs around their mouths or blue dye all over their hands. 30 00:02:50,340 --> 00:02:53,100 We would expect to see fibs and untruths. 31 00:02:53,100 --> 00:02:59,180 In fact this is a time of year when as Americans we kind of think back on some of our American 32 00:02:59,180 --> 00:03:01,140 heritage. 33 00:03:01,140 --> 00:03:06,760 The story goes that a young George Washington chopped down a cherry tree and when his father 34 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,140 asked what happened here he said father I cannot tell a lie. 35 00:03:11,140 --> 00:03:15,660 It was me and so on and his father hugged him and thanked him for his honesty. 36 00:03:15,660 --> 00:03:18,220 Did you know that's probably made up? 37 00:03:18,220 --> 00:03:21,380 I mean this is the world we live in y'all. 38 00:03:21,380 --> 00:03:25,160 It's a made up story about a man being honest. 39 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:27,500 That just seems to be contradictory. 40 00:03:27,500 --> 00:03:33,540 It seems that a biographer penned that after our first president had already passed away. 41 00:03:33,540 --> 00:03:38,660 At that time it was tough to fact check things quite like we do today. 42 00:03:38,660 --> 00:03:40,980 But our world is full of lies. 43 00:03:40,980 --> 00:03:48,020 You can read nearly any news article printed today nearly any one of them and find something 44 00:03:48,020 --> 00:03:54,200 misleading about it because the writer most the time is not purely objective. 45 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,620 They want you to come to a conclusion. 46 00:03:56,620 --> 00:04:01,480 And so the article regardless of source they're looking to bring you to a conclusion. 47 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:07,380 So we have manipulation we have lies we have falsehoods and so on. 48 00:04:07,380 --> 00:04:13,860 I don't want to dwell on that I want to talk about a statement a prominent historical figure 49 00:04:13,860 --> 00:04:20,100 that is remembered for something he said that came true and he stuck to it and he carried 50 00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:21,100 it out. 51 00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:24,860 And I think we should focus on the good at times. 52 00:04:24,860 --> 00:04:26,220 There's too much bad. 53 00:04:26,220 --> 00:04:27,700 Let's focus on the good. 54 00:04:27,700 --> 00:04:35,500 U.S. General Douglas MacArthur U.S. General Douglas MacArthur was the son of an American 55 00:04:35,500 --> 00:04:42,320 Civil War hero and he served as the chief U.S. military adviser to the Philippines before 56 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:44,960 World War Two. 57 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:52,260 The day after Pearl Harbor was bombed Japan launched its invasion of the Philippines. 58 00:04:52,260 --> 00:04:57,860 After struggling against great odds to save his now adopted home from Japanese conquest 59 00:04:57,860 --> 00:05:05,460 MacArthur was forced to abandon the Philippine fortress of Corregidor under orders from President 60 00:05:05,460 --> 00:05:07,260 Franklin Roosevelt. 61 00:05:07,260 --> 00:05:11,180 This was in March of 1942. 62 00:05:11,180 --> 00:05:17,540 Left behind on that peninsula were 90,000 American and Filipino troops who were lacking 63 00:05:17,540 --> 00:05:24,740 food lacking supplies lacking support and they would soon succumb to the Japanese offensive. 64 00:05:24,740 --> 00:05:29,980 After he left he and his family this is Douglas MacArthur traveled by boat several hundred 65 00:05:29,980 --> 00:05:35,780 miles through rough seas Japanese Navy and so on. 66 00:05:35,780 --> 00:05:41,260 During this journey he was informed that there were fewer allied troops in Australia that 67 00:05:41,260 --> 00:05:43,260 he had hoped for. 68 00:05:43,260 --> 00:05:49,180 He had hoped that some of our allies in nearby Australia would be able to quickly come to 69 00:05:49,180 --> 00:05:57,220 the defense of the Filipino and American troops that he had sadly to leave behind. 70 00:05:57,220 --> 00:06:01,260 But there were fewer allies than first thought. 71 00:06:01,260 --> 00:06:07,220 Relief of his forces trapped in the Philippines would not be forthcoming. 72 00:06:07,220 --> 00:06:12,540 Deeply disappointed he issued a statement to the press at that time in which he promised 73 00:06:12,540 --> 00:06:19,300 his men and the people of the Philippines three simple direct powerful words. 74 00:06:19,300 --> 00:06:23,300 I shall return. 75 00:06:23,300 --> 00:06:27,740 That became Douglas MacArthur's motto from that point moving forward. 76 00:06:27,740 --> 00:06:34,280 He never forgot the men and and the people and the lives that got left behind and he 77 00:06:34,280 --> 00:06:36,100 never forgot that promise. 78 00:06:36,100 --> 00:06:40,220 I shall return. 79 00:06:40,220 --> 00:06:47,740 This was a time when when a man spoke a man of character a man of of stature a man of 80 00:06:47,740 --> 00:06:55,040 importance when he said something he meant it and he would bend his energies to follow 81 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,580 through and Douglas MacArthur was that kind of man. 82 00:06:58,580 --> 00:06:59,920 I shall return. 83 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:02,740 He repeated and repeated and repeated. 84 00:07:02,740 --> 00:07:04,300 He campaigned for it. 85 00:07:04,300 --> 00:07:15,620 He asked for it he leaned all that he could towards the promise of I shall return. 86 00:07:15,620 --> 00:07:16,620 And in. 87 00:07:16,620 --> 00:07:23,740 I want to make sure I get the year correct. 88 00:07:23,740 --> 00:07:29,460 On October 20 1944. 89 00:07:29,460 --> 00:07:36,700 A few years later a few hours after his troops landed MacArthur waded ashore onto the Philippine 90 00:07:36,700 --> 00:07:37,700 island. 91 00:07:37,700 --> 00:07:45,100 I'll probably say this incorrectly but the Philippine island of late late late that day 92 00:07:45,100 --> 00:07:49,860 he made a radio broadcast in which he declared people of the Philippines. 93 00:07:49,860 --> 00:07:52,780 I have returned. 94 00:07:52,780 --> 00:07:55,220 That's an incredible story. 95 00:07:55,220 --> 00:08:04,460 I was a man faulty though I'm sure he was said something and meant it and did all that 96 00:08:04,460 --> 00:08:09,260 he could in his power to bring it to fruition. 97 00:08:09,260 --> 00:08:18,060 If a man faulty and with obstacles that he had to overcome perhaps red tape that he had 98 00:08:18,060 --> 00:08:23,920 to wade through all of the different campaigning for resources and arranging the troops and 99 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:29,580 all that goes into warfare all of that lined up in front of him. 100 00:08:29,580 --> 00:08:32,860 He was able to accomplish the one promise. 101 00:08:32,860 --> 00:08:41,660 Imagine then what the God of the universe can do when he says something. 102 00:08:41,660 --> 00:08:48,340 If a man with his faults and his shortcomings can accomplish a promise can be true to his 103 00:08:48,340 --> 00:08:56,700 word imagine what the creator and sustainer of all can do when he speaks a word. 104 00:08:56,700 --> 00:09:03,700 We've read in Genesis one that when God says let there be whatever comes after is we've 105 00:09:03,700 --> 00:09:10,420 read in the Gospels that when the Son of God says so and so rise breath enters back into 106 00:09:10,420 --> 00:09:15,260 the body and the heart starts beating and whomever was named rose. 107 00:09:15,260 --> 00:09:20,900 It has been thought that the reason why Jesus had to be so specific with the naming of the 108 00:09:20,900 --> 00:09:26,380 person is if he kept it too general grades would just start popping all over the place. 109 00:09:26,380 --> 00:09:29,860 People would just start answering the call of their Redeemer and just start rising up 110 00:09:29,860 --> 00:09:31,840 all over the place. 111 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:36,740 We know that there was a greater resurrection at Christ's resurrection but when the word 112 00:09:36,740 --> 00:09:41,620 of God comes forth something happens. 113 00:09:41,620 --> 00:09:48,020 It doesn't just fall into nothingness or end up like you're talking to an inanimate object 114 00:09:48,020 --> 00:09:49,180 and then nothing occurs. 115 00:09:49,180 --> 00:09:53,820 If God were to talk to an inanimate object you would then be animated. 116 00:09:53,820 --> 00:09:57,140 It would then do something the rocks would cry out and preach the gospel. 117 00:09:57,140 --> 00:10:05,200 The Bible says if people didn't do it themselves the word of God the Bible tells us is powerful. 118 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:11,780 It's meaningful and when God speaks something happens. 119 00:10:11,780 --> 00:10:20,020 We have been going through first John chapter four and now Isaiah fifty five the Samaritan 120 00:10:20,020 --> 00:10:26,700 woman at the well and then now Isaiah fifty five the connection between them. 121 00:10:26,700 --> 00:10:33,640 I believe is that what Jesus was experiencing and talking about and leading those Samaritan 122 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:40,820 village through and to is the culmination of what Isaiah is writing about in this section 123 00:10:40,820 --> 00:10:42,580 of scripture. 124 00:10:42,580 --> 00:10:47,660 If you read Isaiah leading up to fifty five you see a progression of God first talking 125 00:10:47,660 --> 00:10:54,260 to Israel and then expanding it into all who would listen that that expanding out to all 126 00:10:54,260 --> 00:10:59,860 the people to anyone who has an ear anyone who thirsts anyone who wants the salvation 127 00:10:59,860 --> 00:11:00,980 I have to offer. 128 00:11:00,980 --> 00:11:07,740 Come to me it might start with them but then it's going to everybody without restriction. 129 00:11:07,740 --> 00:11:17,500 What we see with the lady in Samaria is a non Jew listening to the word of God and being 130 00:11:17,500 --> 00:11:24,780 moved by it coming to repentance looking for Christ's compassion seeing what she was missing 131 00:11:24,780 --> 00:11:30,500 and drinking deeply of that living water that he offers. 132 00:11:30,500 --> 00:11:34,820 As we've gone through Isaiah fifty five we've we've touched on that and then we get down 133 00:11:34,820 --> 00:11:39,220 to verses six and seven and we read seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him 134 00:11:39,220 --> 00:11:44,040 while he is near but the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts let 135 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:49,300 him return to the Lord that he may have compassion on him and to our God for he will abundantly 136 00:11:49,300 --> 00:11:52,660 pardon. 137 00:11:52,660 --> 00:11:58,500 It is a beautiful call and a beautiful invitation that God extends to you and to me today no 138 00:11:58,500 --> 00:12:05,540 matter what it is no matter how serious it might have been or currently is the invitation 139 00:12:05,540 --> 00:12:09,900 is to return back to him and he will abundantly pardon. 140 00:12:09,900 --> 00:12:15,820 He will abundantly forgive he will cleanse you of your way he will have compassion on 141 00:12:15,820 --> 00:12:19,420 you. 142 00:12:19,420 --> 00:12:25,700 You just need to return to him that invitation is there. 143 00:12:25,700 --> 00:12:33,860 When we move on into verses eight and nine we see the reason why God can offer it and 144 00:12:33,860 --> 00:12:40,300 that's because the disparity between you and God is real and it is necessary. 145 00:12:40,300 --> 00:12:47,660 God is so far above us that we might not understand how a murderer like David and like Saul can 146 00:12:47,660 --> 00:12:52,860 be forgiven and brought back into God's family a man after one's own heart and the 13th apostle 147 00:12:52,860 --> 00:12:58,660 14th apostle the apostle to the Gentiles. 148 00:12:58,660 --> 00:13:04,700 We don't understand how a thief hanging on the cross as guilty as guilty can be. 149 00:13:04,700 --> 00:13:09,800 Christ can say today I promise you you will see me in paradise. 150 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,060 We don't understand how that works. 151 00:13:12,060 --> 00:13:21,700 I don't understand how God's grace can take a drunkard a gossiper a thief a an abuser 152 00:13:21,700 --> 00:13:28,460 I don't understand how the grace of God can take someone's character bent in that fashion 153 00:13:28,460 --> 00:13:32,260 and soften it and remake it after the fashion of Christ. 154 00:13:32,260 --> 00:13:40,400 I don't understand how that works in my shortcomings I look too many times at men and women and 155 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:45,860 I go seems like they've made their choice. 156 00:13:45,860 --> 00:13:52,260 I think we do that too often but praise God he doesn't do that he is not limited in the 157 00:13:52,260 --> 00:13:59,140 way that we are his thoughts are not our thoughts and then more importantly his ways are not 158 00:13:59,140 --> 00:14:01,860 my ways. 159 00:14:01,860 --> 00:14:08,860 He has the goods to back up the invitation in other words he has the means he has the 160 00:14:08,860 --> 00:14:14,620 ability he has the way of understanding and he has a plan for you and I that we won't 161 00:14:14,620 --> 00:14:20,940 be able to comprehend after studying it for millennia and I praise God for that. 162 00:14:20,940 --> 00:14:25,860 I don't want to put the creator of the universe into a box that I can understand and then 163 00:14:25,860 --> 00:14:28,260 say that's what he is. 164 00:14:28,260 --> 00:14:35,860 He's far above us that's a reason why he can offer the invitation for forgiveness and 165 00:14:35,860 --> 00:14:47,900 pardon and then today's focus verse 10 a secondary reasoning why he can give this invitation 166 00:14:47,900 --> 00:14:53,700 for as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth 167 00:14:53,700 --> 00:15:00,780 making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater so shall 168 00:15:00,780 --> 00:15:07,140 my word be that goes out from my mouth it shall not return to me empty but it shall 169 00:15:07,140 --> 00:15:16,640 accomplish that which I purpose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 170 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:20,900 The second reason that God gives for here's the invitation and here's why you can trust 171 00:15:20,900 --> 00:15:25,960 me as he says when I say something it happens. 172 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:31,380 When we have reason to believe this because the example that is given we can look outside 173 00:15:31,380 --> 00:15:37,980 our windows and observe in nature the cyclical effect of what God has put in place knowing 174 00:15:37,980 --> 00:15:44,820 that it has been and it will continue until Christ returns and every time we see the rainfall 175 00:15:44,820 --> 00:15:51,620 and the steam go up and the clouds form and the rainfall again harvest time comes seeding 176 00:15:51,620 --> 00:15:58,580 and planting season arrives as long as that continues to go on that is sure evidence that 177 00:15:58,580 --> 00:16:05,180 God's word will come true will come to fruition. 178 00:16:05,180 --> 00:16:09,620 The rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth 179 00:16:09,620 --> 00:16:15,120 making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater. 180 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:21,740 When I before I changed careers and started a new answered the call to pastoral ministry 181 00:16:21,740 --> 00:16:26,300 I was a landscaper I think most of you all know this where we lived in Lexington Kentucky 182 00:16:26,300 --> 00:16:35,220 had a very consistent pattern for weather every year just about you could guarantee 183 00:16:35,220 --> 00:16:39,940 ninety nine out of a hundred times it was going to behave in a certain way when you 184 00:16:39,940 --> 00:16:45,060 were there long enough you knew that you would have winters where snow was somewhere between 185 00:16:45,060 --> 00:16:51,380 six and fifteen inches every year some somewhere around there then the spring would come and 186 00:16:51,380 --> 00:16:59,380 from March to April to May you could just have torrents of rain grass would grow so 187 00:16:59,380 --> 00:17:03,700 high you couldn't cut it quick enough and people were calling saying I've got amber 188 00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:09,640 waves of grain out here when will you come by you're staying busy bushes are exploding 189 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:14,440 flowers are blooming it's a beautiful beautiful time to actually be in the bluegrass region 190 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:22,380 of Kentucky is in the spring rain comes but also there's this weird meteorological phenomena 191 00:17:22,380 --> 00:17:30,900 where every summer every summer like clockwork starting at about June July August something 192 00:17:30,900 --> 00:17:35,980 happens in that part of the state where you could have a rain system coming in from the 193 00:17:35,980 --> 00:17:41,380 west and it would hit Louisville Kentucky that's the Indiana Kentucky border it would 194 00:17:41,380 --> 00:17:46,860 split part of it would go up into Ohio part of it would come down into Tennessee and it 195 00:17:46,860 --> 00:17:52,540 would get into Eastern Kentucky and it would reform and off it would go very weird saw 196 00:17:52,540 --> 00:17:59,420 it happen more times than I can count so with certainty everything would dry up every single 197 00:17:59,420 --> 00:18:06,380 summer you could go weeks without rain the dirt would crack the leaves on the trees would 198 00:18:06,380 --> 00:18:11,860 wilt there was one year in particular I think we went seven weeks uninterrupted without 199 00:18:11,860 --> 00:18:20,060 rain I mean oak trees were starting to wilt up that's something but the Bible is saying 200 00:18:20,060 --> 00:18:26,380 is that just like the weather patterns that we can see and we can observe and they are 201 00:18:26,380 --> 00:18:33,540 consistent and they carry on life in this world so shall the word of God be so the word 202 00:18:33,540 --> 00:18:40,580 of God like rain falls and comes and is present and comes out of his mouth and extends down 203 00:18:40,580 --> 00:18:49,140 to us and it is there and it carries on but the most important part of this is that there 204 00:18:49,140 --> 00:18:57,460 is a reason to why God speaks in verse 11 we have that because the rain doesn't just 205 00:18:57,460 --> 00:19:04,060 fall just to make things wet snow doesn't just fall because the kids like to sled on 206 00:19:04,060 --> 00:19:13,180 it rain falls our weather patterns happen for a purpose and that's so we can have fresh 207 00:19:13,180 --> 00:19:20,500 water to drink animals can get what they need for nutrients and plants can grow we can have 208 00:19:20,500 --> 00:19:26,820 a harvest we can eat I'm thankful we have the rain so we can eat we need it all so the 209 00:19:26,820 --> 00:19:32,020 rain doesn't just come to make us wet but it has a purpose to it and so the second point 210 00:19:32,020 --> 00:19:39,780 for today is that God's word has a purpose my word so shall my word be that goes out 211 00:19:39,780 --> 00:19:46,380 from my mouth it shall not return to me empty it's not going to just go out and do nothing 212 00:19:46,380 --> 00:19:52,180 like when he created and he said let it be it was like when Christ promised to the thief 213 00:19:52,180 --> 00:19:56,900 we mentioned that is one man I'm sure we will see walking the streets of gold Christ said 214 00:19:56,900 --> 00:20:04,020 it he'll be there I take him at his word but God is saying that his word accomplishes that 215 00:20:04,020 --> 00:20:11,140 which I purpose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it in other words God doesn't 216 00:20:11,140 --> 00:20:18,620 just say things just to hear himself make a sound if any of us that have had kids maybe 217 00:20:18,620 --> 00:20:25,620 we can relate to sometimes they just make noise just to make noise at least mine do 218 00:20:25,620 --> 00:20:30,960 maybe mine are the only ones maybe my toddlers or my six-year-old will just kind of be riding 219 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:35,060 in the car and randomly blurt out a noise because they they think it's too quiet and 220 00:20:35,060 --> 00:20:43,180 they need to interrupt that with some sound God does not operate that way God speaks and 221 00:20:43,180 --> 00:20:55,620 he means it it's got a purpose he desires it to do something 222 00:20:55,620 --> 00:21:08,140 if we were to draw from recent events a parallel this past week we saw a horrendous event occur 223 00:21:08,140 --> 00:21:13,080 in Uvalde Texas most of us are aware of this are we aware of the school shooting in Uvalde 224 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:19,800 Texas from what I understand it's the second worst school shooting in American history 225 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:25,420 every time there is one my memory goes back to my own hometown where we had our own school 226 00:21:25,420 --> 00:21:31,420 shooting it happened just before Columbine so it was kind of overshadowed by what happened 227 00:21:31,420 --> 00:21:38,660 at Columbine our hearts do go out for that community because I do remember firsthand 228 00:21:38,660 --> 00:21:46,460 what it is like to have a school in your neighboring community have an event like that lost lives 229 00:21:46,460 --> 00:21:51,980 and it's all over the news and families are immediately torn and then you know out of 230 00:21:51,980 --> 00:21:56,880 the woodworks inside of 30 seconds people are looking for a political end while people 231 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:04,060 are still just streaming in tears as I've paid attention to what has happened to this 232 00:22:04,060 --> 00:22:10,700 past week while I have my own opinions and a lot of people are quick to offer their own 233 00:22:10,700 --> 00:22:19,660 opinions about what to do I believe that it is wiser to give some time and let things 234 00:22:19,660 --> 00:22:27,180 settle down for a moment before we just start screaming about it it is a community hurting 235 00:22:27,180 --> 00:22:35,860 these are families that in a moment had everything get turned on its head and I cannot comprehend 236 00:22:35,860 --> 00:22:42,000 really what some of those people are going through in those days that have kind of followed 237 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:50,200 especially after we've learned additional details of what happened at that time far 238 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:57,940 too many people their hot take was to shout and scream and point fingers and these were 239 00:22:57,940 --> 00:23:06,820 the words you can find them do something do something well nothing was added to the do 240 00:23:06,820 --> 00:23:12,860 something it was just a screaming do something oh what's something oh you often didn't find 241 00:23:12,860 --> 00:23:17,360 a lot of details we've got to do something we've been doing nothing do something do something 242 00:23:17,360 --> 00:23:24,020 do something well I agree that perhaps something needs to be done but shouting do something 243 00:23:24,020 --> 00:23:31,140 doesn't actually accomplish anything it is an empty phrase that means nothing except 244 00:23:31,140 --> 00:23:39,580 to continue to drum up emotions and continue to drum up attacks on people or to to point 245 00:23:39,580 --> 00:23:46,940 fingers and to lay blame and so on and perhaps there's time to wade through what do we do 246 00:23:46,940 --> 00:23:58,620 but to simply shout do something it means nothing it really doesn't and so I would rather 247 00:23:58,620 --> 00:24:04,860 when people I would rather when people suggest something or say something they have thought 248 00:24:04,860 --> 00:24:10,580 out what they're about to say so they have something substantive to add to rather than 249 00:24:10,580 --> 00:24:15,560 to say something to be saying something I believe that's a lesson we can learn from 250 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:22,420 God in this passage is when he talks there's a purpose to his words when I speak God is 251 00:24:22,420 --> 00:24:29,340 saying it shall accomplish that which I purpose I believe our lesson that we can learn from 252 00:24:29,340 --> 00:24:34,660 God's example is before we speak considers there a purpose behind it or like a toddler 253 00:24:34,660 --> 00:24:42,340 are we just making noise so there's something going on we should be speaking with a purpose 254 00:24:42,340 --> 00:24:46,520 now I am grateful that when God speaks the purpose that he intends you only look back 255 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:51,220 at the purpose that he intends is to let the wicked forsake his ways the unrighteous man 256 00:24:51,220 --> 00:24:59,180 his thoughts so that the Lord may have compassion on him and so that God will abundantly pardon 257 00:24:59,180 --> 00:25:06,420 that's the purpose of God's word in this passage God's word when he speaks it into your life 258 00:25:06,420 --> 00:25:14,860 he means it and it will accomplish it you are forgiven as not an empty phrase when God 259 00:25:14,860 --> 00:25:24,180 speaks it to you you are my son and daughter is not nothing when God lays that title on 260 00:25:24,180 --> 00:25:32,240 your name when God says you are now a part of my family adopted and grafted into this 261 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:45,100 righteous stock it means something do we believe him do we believe God when he says you're 262 00:25:45,100 --> 00:25:51,060 forgiven or do we say no God not yet I'm not forgiven yet hold on I need to ask a few more 263 00:25:51,060 --> 00:25:57,760 times I need to do a few more things hold on when God says I can change your heart and 264 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:03,280 turn you into a new person do we argue with him and say no I'm pretty stuck in my ways 265 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:08,340 I'm 30 or 50 or 70 or whatever whatever age you may be and you say I've always been this 266 00:26:08,340 --> 00:26:16,560 way this is how I'm going into the grave do we take God at his word when we read scripture 267 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:23,180 from Genesis to Revelation when we crack open the spine of the Bibles that sadly tend to 268 00:26:23,180 --> 00:26:30,940 gather more dust than creases when we crack open the word of God and we read I will make 269 00:26:30,940 --> 00:26:38,580 you a new creature in Christ's name do we believe it or do we argue against it when 270 00:26:38,580 --> 00:26:45,860 God's word says that I have a plan and a purpose for you to bless you to uplift you to clothe 271 00:26:45,860 --> 00:26:53,500 you in righteousness to install a new heart in you when I have these words for you do 272 00:26:53,500 --> 00:27:03,020 you take me at my word do we believe him or do we find an excuse do we say these words 273 00:27:03,020 --> 00:27:08,620 were penned for a different audience they don't mean it for me in the 21st century do 274 00:27:08,620 --> 00:27:15,500 we say well when Paul wrote what he wrote in the epistles he was only thinking or God 275 00:27:15,500 --> 00:27:23,740 was only inspiring him for first century Christians and not for people in the United States of 276 00:27:23,740 --> 00:27:31,220 America in 2022 we can relegate those to the past or we can re figure them in a way that 277 00:27:31,220 --> 00:27:35,820 matches what I think they know no no do we take God at his word because he has a purpose 278 00:27:35,820 --> 00:27:42,140 for that inspiration he didn't inspire it expecting it to be nothing he inspired it 279 00:27:42,140 --> 00:27:51,220 with a purpose and he intends for that purpose to be accomplished in fact God says that like 280 00:27:51,220 --> 00:27:56,920 when the rain falls plants grow so shall my word be when it goes from my mouth it won't 281 00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:07,180 come back empty I'm saying that I will have a people inevitably that will happen I'm saying 282 00:28:07,180 --> 00:28:13,820 that I will create in you a clean heart will you let me it will happen when I say it I'm 283 00:28:13,820 --> 00:28:19,820 saying all of these things the list could go on we could sit and write out the different 284 00:28:19,820 --> 00:28:27,660 things that God has told us he will do in our lives and each one of those things will 285 00:28:27,660 --> 00:28:37,900 happen God's word comes back not empty but accomplished successful I am grateful for 286 00:28:37,900 --> 00:28:43,440 that I am thankful I praise God that when he speaks things happen because I know I need 287 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:51,820 it in my life do you do you do you need your reactions to things to be tempered a little 288 00:28:51,820 --> 00:28:57,500 bit more like how Christ responds do we need to look at people the way that God looks at 289 00:28:57,500 --> 00:29:05,220 people well God can do that for you do you need to know deep down without question and 290 00:29:05,220 --> 00:29:13,660 with full assurance that whatever you've done in your past you are forgiven take God at 291 00:29:13,660 --> 00:29:20,860 his word take God at his word it is as sure as the sun coming up in the east and setting 292 00:29:20,860 --> 00:29:28,420 in the west and it is as sure as the rain falling and the sunflowers blooming it happens 293 00:29:28,420 --> 00:29:34,980 and it will be successful the last couple of verses for Isaiah 55 speak of speak of 294 00:29:34,980 --> 00:29:41,780 the blessings when when God's word enters your life and accomplishes that which he purposes 295 00:29:41,780 --> 00:29:47,260 you will go out and joy you will be led forth in peace the mountains and the hills before 296 00:29:47,260 --> 00:29:54,100 you shall break forth into singing all the trees of the field shall clap in their hands 297 00:29:54,100 --> 00:29:58,420 in other words nature is going to rejoice with you and what the creator has done for 298 00:29:58,420 --> 00:30:06,460 you and in you instead of the thorn shall come up the Cyprus instead of the briar shall 299 00:30:06,460 --> 00:30:12,940 come up the myrtle are there issues in your life that are a little thorny and rough would 300 00:30:12,940 --> 00:30:21,620 you like to see something living and beautiful take God at his word that's the end result 301 00:30:21,620 --> 00:30:32,020 it shall make a name for the Lord and an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off I am so grateful 302 00:30:32,020 --> 00:30:40,360 that when God speaks things happen and it comes to fruition because right now I look 303 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:50,640 for and I ask and I expect victory over sin in my life today today May of 2022 tomorrow 304 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:58,060 the next day I expect that because God has said I can I can hold him to his word but 305 00:30:58,060 --> 00:31:05,180 additionally just like Douglas MacArthur said I shall return I have the word of my Savior 306 00:31:05,180 --> 00:31:13,500 if I go and prepare a place for you I shall return and take you home to be with me that 307 00:31:13,500 --> 00:31:19,220 is not yet realized but if Douglas MacArthur can do it for the Philippines surely Christ 308 00:31:19,220 --> 00:31:29,460 can do it for you and for me if Douglas MacArthur faulty and imperfect and so on can walk back 309 00:31:29,460 --> 00:31:37,260 onto that beach a couple of years later surely the creator of all will be true to his word 310 00:31:37,260 --> 00:31:44,500 and one day split open that eastern sky to take us home if MacArthur can do it surely 311 00:31:44,500 --> 00:31:50,260 God can do it because remember his ways are as much higher than ours as the heaven from 312 00:31:50,260 --> 00:31:59,980 the earth take God at his word because God's word like rain will accomplish what he sends 313 00:31:59,980 --> 00:32:07,460 it out to do let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you that your word is sure we thank 314 00:32:07,460 --> 00:32:13,620 you that we have evidence all around us of its surety and so I pray that we remember 315 00:32:13,620 --> 00:32:19,060 that in moments when we are tempted to doubt when our faith might be wavering or teetering 316 00:32:19,060 --> 00:32:25,420 or tottering what I pray that we would rather grasp hold again when even if we don't feel 317 00:32:25,420 --> 00:32:32,220 like it even if it doesn't look like it we know for a fact that your word is sure and 318 00:32:32,220 --> 00:32:38,060 strong and will accomplish what you purpose Lord I pray that your purpose be realized 319 00:32:38,060 --> 00:32:45,620 in our lives forgiveness recreation restoration a close walk with you Lord realize that for 320 00:32:45,620 --> 00:33:12,420 us today as we pray in Jesus name Amen.