What I really need is God
Isaiah 1:2-20, 6:1-8
Prayer- what we need more than anything is God- Jesus Christ in our lives!
Introduction-
This morning if you would turn to the book of Isaiah, we will be looking first in chapter 1 and then finish our time in chapter 6 of Isaiah.
The theme of the message is for us to find purpose and understanding in our lives and to see a glimpse of the wonderful God we serve.
If I were to ask you to finish this sentence….What I really need is… how would you finish the sentence?
Some would state the needs they have- what I really need is food, money, bills, finding a job.
Some would say that what they really need is understanding going through these tough times because they do not know what to do.
Maybe a handful would recognize that they need God.
Background-
Isaiah was called of God to bring a message of repentance to the people of Israel.
It came at a time of great troubles.
It came when people were far from God and a lot of their troubles were because of their lack of relationship with God.
Isaiah was speaking to a rebellious people
Isaiah 1:4-20
Hear me when I say this-
I am not comparing the Corona virus now with what Israel was going through then.
I am not saying that the virus was sent by God, I don’t know that.
I am saying that God has a word for us today and He does care about us.
How do we rightly know God?
How do we know what purpose we have, so we can understand it and do it?
Isaiah was talking about Israel-
Two divided kingdoms of Israel-
Two separate kings and wickedness.
V18- (NIV) - Come now, let us reason together.
Let me say this- the only true way to reason with God is; God speaks, you listen, and then you pray that God gives you understanding. Amen.
It happened in Israel and it is happening today that people have lost their reverence for God.
They care more of what others think than what God thinks.
They have watered down his word and cheapened it to say what they want it to say.
Why would God have to write the Ten Commandments?
Because man had drifted away from God-
We have to be told that it is sin to kill someone, to sleep with someone else wife, to not hate, covet, lie, cheat, steal.
To have no other God but the creator of the universe.
We were created by God to worship God- Israel didn’t get it right, we do not either. We would rather exalt ourselves. We are to lift up the name of Jesus.
We were created by God to do God’s will- we have to have it our way. You deserve it. Fight for what you want, even if it is wrong.
We were created by God in the image of God. We live like our fallen nature instead of living the redeemed life by the blood of the lamb.
After rejecting God’s Word, we claim we do not understand what He is telling us.
God is trying to speak to us. He is pointing us to life changes.
What God…I cannot hear you. I have selective hearing.
But when a crisis hits our lives…
God where are you? Why don’t you hear my plea?
(Write down this thought) You will never have understanding until you start listening to God.
If you are talking, you are not listening. Teachers teach, students listen.
Studies show that people are only listening about 25 % of the time. The other 75% of the time they are thinking of something else or waiting to talk.
There is a reason that James says in the Bible be slow to speak, quick to listen.
There are a lot of people with nothing to say. The problem is it takes them a lot of words to say nothing.
Illustration-
There are times when I am walking to my car or getting the mail at church. People going by are waving. Some I haven’t seen here for months, some even years. Waving? Going right bye.
You cannot wave and do your own thing. You cannot pick and choose what we want to hear.
I understand some things.
I understand not putting God first in your life, not listening when he speaks to us and that puts us in a tough place to understand what God wants for you and from you.
Because I have done it.
I don’t understand-
Why some attempt suicide and live, and some don’t get a second chance.
Why bad things happen to good people at times when they are really trying to serve God.
Why some people seem to get ahead and mock God their whole lives.
Oh, I understand the definitions and logic of why these things happen, I just don’t know why God puts up with it.
I know about sin in the world.
I know about the fallen nature of man.
I know that man’s heart without God is evil.
I understand free choice.
I have many times taken God up on His invitation “Come now, let us reason together” and I have turned it into “Come now, Let us argue it out” if you haven’t, I would invite you to do that.
He knows your heart, he wants you to express your hurts to Him. He lets you talk, he will be listening.
(2nd thought to write down) You will never understand God until you completely put your trust in Him.
“My ways are higher than your ways, My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.”
You have a point of view, and God has the whole view.
You are one piece in the puzzle, you will not be able to get the whole picture.
For sure not until he gives you more of the picture.
You are not smart enough
You are not wise enough.
You are not skilled enough to understand all.
I think some are too smart for their own good. They analyze everything and trust nothing.
You have to trust God.
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight.
He wants you to understand that He can see in the dark.
God knows what you are up against.
God sees the big picture and not only one piece of the puzzle
Illustration
Have you ever been in a plane and you were landing in fog? You cannot see out the window. Worst yet, you know the pilot cannot see out his window. Pilots have instruments and a control tower to safely get that plane on the ground.
We do not always have to see. Because God will safely land us where we need to be if we will let him control the circumstances.
We cannot land the plane without God- we are in the fog.
Isaiah had the privilege of experiencing God’s presence and His anointing first hand!
It will change your life! You will never be the same.
Isaiah 6:1-8
Some of us have thoughts of God being an old man with gray hair- did great things years ago, but now is out of touch. Doesn’t understand what is happening today.
Some have thoughts of God being the judge-
The one that is looking for you to mess up and the one quick to condemn you to hell without another chance.
He will be the judge one day but He is a God that loves you and cares for you and doesn’t want you to experience hell.
That I why God sent His son Jesus to die on that cross for us.
He is a God of Mercy,
A God of love and the God of second, third chances.
Let me show you some things here quickly-
God is holy-
We cannot escape the fact that God is holy! Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up and his train filled the temple. (Majestic vision of God)
The longer the train of a wedding dress, the more elegant- Princess Diana’s was said to be over 25 feet long-
The Lords train filled the temple.
A six winged Seraph;
Two covered his face because of the glory of Almighty God.
Two covered his feet because it was a sign of humility of who he was serving.
Two they were flying- in the presence of Almighty God day and night calling to one another- “Holy, Holy, holy.”
They could have said love, love, love - that would have been his character.
They could of called powerful ,powerful, powerful, yet they called holy, holy, holy, because that is what He is… there is none like Him!
At the sound of their voices, the doorpost shook!
Once Isaiah realized who he was – he says -“For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the king, the Lord Almighty.”
We are sinners- you and I are sinners-
We will never find our purpose or know God until we realize we need God.
Until we see him high and lifted up and Holy.
Sinners in need of a savior.
A Holy God reaching out to us and showing us His love and mercy and drawing us to Himself-
We have a choice
Once he understood, he made the right choice-
Here I am Lord, send me.
Send me Lord to the schools, to the work place, to the neighbors.
Let me be the one that takes your word to the guy that doesn’t have time for anyone but himself.
I repent God that I do not have the same heart for the people on their way to hell as you do.
Give me a heart for them Lord, that I will make a difference.
Give me a job Lord that will build the kingdom of God where I am a part of it.
I repent Lord for having problems that I have never brought to you.
Close-
Being a follower of Jesus sometimes causes us to have some stormy situations.
He told us that. He doesn’t say that you might, he says that you will.
The devil wants to sink your ship. Your family, your church, your marriage. Anything that is dear to you.
Pop your balloon. To get you discouraged.
Scare you to look at circumstances instead of the hope for the future.
2 Cor. 4:17:
“For the light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”
D.L. Moody:
The only way to keep a broken vessel full is to keep it always under the tap”
Understanding is hard, trusting is hard.
What do you say?
Altar call:
Some need answers, ask the Lord.
Some won’t get answers, trust the Lord.
Some need to turn their lives over to the Lord. Do that this morning.
Closing prayer-
