Scripture:
Isaiah 55:8-13 NKJV
[8] “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. [9] “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. [10] “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, [11] So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. [12] “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. [13] Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Observation:
The way my mind works is a lot different now, don’t get me wrong it has taken a lot of training. But there have been significant changes that have been made in the way that I think, it seems to always filtered through the word of GOD. That wasn’t my plan for life, it honestly wasn’t what I was thinking. “BUT GOD” had other plans, and im glad HE did. A few years ago I stumbled across these verses and the picture of how it all happened began to take shape in my mind. As I have said in the past when it comes to the prophets I would have to say it’s a toss up between Jeremiah and Isaiah as to who would be my favorite. This morning as I was flipping through my bible I was reminded of a statement that was made last night at Bible study, and felt it necessary to dive into these verses. So let’s take a look at what GOD has in-store for us today, as usual while I was studying through these verses it’s hard not to grab the whole chapter, because there is so much here and it all fits into the message. My hope is that you will go back and take a look at the first 8 verses as well. The point of what I believe needs to be said as we move forward is that GOD does not operate in the same way that we do. This is pretty clear as we look at the first verse we have been brought to this morning. The statement HE chooses to bring to our attention is exactly that. HE does not think the way we think, HE sees things differently because HIS thoughts are higher than our thoughts and HIS ways are thinking about the eternal remastered than the temporal. What I believe is being said here is we only think about what is right in front of us and GOD is thinking about what is happening generations after due to the outcome of the situation we face today. As HE continues to speak through the prophet Isaiah the desire is to encourage and shape our trust for HIM. The language used in these next two verses I simply find beautiful, “For as the rain come down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, And bread to the eater. These two words, “seed” and “bread” , are descriptive words to describe GOD’S word, as we can see in the next verse, which is a verse that has affected my life in a way that is honestly hard to fathom sometimes. It’s also the core of the message this morning, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Simply put, what GOD said will happen… it will happen. This principle is stated many times in the bible in many ways, “HIS promises are yes and amen. Bringing these verses to an end this morning, we see some of those promises spoken in verses 12 and 13, “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; the mountains shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” As you take the time to read this whole chapter and see how it’s brought to an end, it’s clear that the LORD is speaking about salvation and how that is found in HIS word. Now I know what you may be thinking….. Wait, salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone…. Yep that’s it but if you go to the gospel of John you can see how Jesus Christ is the living word of GOD….. HE is the word GOD spoke on the first day of creation. The trees clapping and the mountains singing is the celebration that takes place when one sinner turns to repentance. Verse 13 is the life change,”Instead of thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the LORD for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Application:
I remember the day that these verses started doing something in my life. It was way before I could ever understand them. In fact I didn’t even know they existed at that point, but that didn’t stop the effect they had. HE just doesn’t operate the way we do. It seems like the more I think about it, I can see how it started way before I knew much about life at all. In fact before I was placed in the womb HE knew the plan HE had for me. But the moment that I’m thinking about took place a little over 17 years ago. It was before I knew HIM as my SAVIOR. I was still chasing after the world. I was on my way to a wrestling show in Lawton. It was a TV recording. My life didn’t seem to be bad at all. I was living my dream on TV buying my first home. I had a big jacked up truck, a motorcycle, a beautiful woman next to me and a baby on the way. Life was what most would call good, yet with all that success I still felt empty. It was that day that the LORD began to draw me to him, and it was subtle something inside me said, “Maybe you should do something different.” For years I had listened to heavy metal music. But that day was the beginning of a changed life. That still small whisper that said, “Maybe you should do something different,” was the spirit of GOD. All the years of my dad sending me off to church so that he and mom could have a babysitter for 2 hours, was about to start taking the shaping GOD had intended for it to. That whisper gave me an idea. Just change the radio station. It was a simple action, and didn’t take much energy at all, but what was set in motion as I look back still blows my mind. From the rock station my radio was stuck on the dial seemed to find k-love all by itself. With Lawton 2 and a half hours away the mood was set. For 2 hours we listened to GOD’S word being sung in catchy tunes. 2 hours there and 2 hours back. Nothing but GOD’S word ringing in my ear with a pleasant sound behind it. I’m telling you today, that one decision changed my life, as HIS was filling the air in that car, it started knocking down the walls that were built around my heart. Years of being sent to church and the resentment that went with that started to steadily erode. One Saturday night on the way to that same wrestling show as I was passing a church I had passed for the last few years, that same still small whisper showed up, “Maybe you should go to church.” That desire grew and grew, until we started going. You see the seeds that were planted as a child had started to grow. A few years ago as I was reading through the bible I saw these verses and it all made sense. GOD had spoken something over my life and it was happening. Today there is a fire inside me that a lot of people have tried to pour water on but that only makes it burn brighter. My trust for the LORD is bigger than anything that can be thrown at me. Because I know that HIS promises will happen, it’s what HE has said and it will happen. Now how does this apply to you? Well, it’s simple. Some along the way has introduced you to the LORD or you would not be reading this. That introduction is going to produce fruit that you may not understand yet. Change is coming, trust me…. Or better yet trust HIM HE said it HIMSELF what HE says will happen. Look at the scripture and look at how far you have come. That’s all due to the promises of GOD, HE is drawing you…. Listen to the still small whisper.
Prayer:
Father, you are so good, you know how to make sense of what has been written here. All I can ask is that you take what has been said and place it in the hands of those who need to hear it wrapped inside of your holy spirit. The one who can bring a message from this uneducated man. We trust you and we know what you have done in our lives. All we are asking is that you would produce fruit from the seeds that have been cast in this SOAP. Your word has transformation power and your promises are yes and amen. Plant in us a desire to know your word, the obedience to sit down with it to see what you have to say to us. Help us to crave it like dry ground thirst for water give us a thirst for your word, like a seed desires nutrients to grow. Give us that sane desire we do not want to stay where we are. Change us into what you have always had in store for us to be. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen.