Come Thirsty Part Two

Coming thirsty Part two

Isaiah 55:1-11

Introduction-

Last week we looked at Isaiah 55 and about us coming to God hungry and thirsty for the things of God.

We said that many people say they are hungry for God and many say that they want God in their lives, but their words and their actions don’t match.

Let’s see what God tells us!

Let’s see what we need to do so we can come thirsty for the things of God.

Isaiah 55:1-11

You remember the background-

Israel was disobedient and they were facing consequences.

They were doing their own thing.

They blame God for what was happening, but it was their fault.

For every action, there is a reaction!

You throw a stone in the lake and you will create a wave or ripple. What we do does have an effect on what happens next.

God gives an invitation to come- He invites us to experience all that He wants us to experience, and He offers us life. Abundant life!

Why labor on what does not satisfy?

Why spend money on things that don’t enrich your life for eternity?

Don’t wait until it is too late- many play roulette, they spin the wheel and decide when and if they will respond to God’s invitation.

(3) “Give ear, and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.”

There are only two reasons people don’t obey God’s Word.

(1) They do not value the things of God-

They outright reject Him.

They think they have plenty of time to enjoy sin and at a later date they will accept His offer.

There is no urgency- they think Grace is optional and at their discretion they will make their choice.

(2) They do not understand the things of God

They do not understand God and distance themselves from discipleship and claim ignorance. (I did not know)

Discipleship is a process of teaching others the doctrine and teaching s of Scripture. It is also revealing God’s goodness and the hope He offers to us and others.

Not understanding the things of God and willing for the Lord to show you His truth is much different than ignoring God’s truth and claiming ignorance.

One is discipleship

One is disobedience.

“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

One is seeking God and wanting Him to work in their lives.

One is hiding from God, leaving options open, but also being openly disobedient.

Listen, because God is a holy God, because He is all-knowing.

He can distinguish what is in our hearts.

His mercy and His Spirit invite us to come.

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

Our natural instinct is to be drawn to the world.

We are drawn to things away from God.

Sin draws us away from God.

The Spirit of God draws us close to God

We either respond to God drawing us or we resist God’s calling and move away from God

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

When God draws us near, we need to turn from our wicked ways and respond to him.

Seeking God is a response- it is going against what is natural, and turning toward God instead of away from Him.

Seek the Lord while He may be found.

Call upon Him while He is near.

Repent and turn from your wicked ways.

That is not new!

Isaiah calls Israel to repent while they still have time.

He urged them to trust God. We only get this life to respond.

There are several ways to seek the Lord, but the first thing is to respond and draw near to Him.

Call upon the Lord

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.”

Whole-hearted devotion-

Body, Soul, Spirit. Casting you cares on the Lord. Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.”

“He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.”

Why are other countries experiencing God like never before?

Why is the Church of the Nazarene larger outside the USA?

Because they are hungry for God.

Because they are searching for God with their whole hearts.