What I Really Need Is God

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.