Sermon Central
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Conspiracy Or Assurance Series
Contributed by T.j. Conwell on Jun 27, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: Study of the book of Isaiah, Chapter 8. God is calling out for this church, and for all believers, to put their faith and trust totally in Him and not rely on the conspiracies of this world. Otherwise our future, even our hope, will be replaced by despa
Conspiracy or Assurance
Introduction
- On Wed night, we discussed the importance of relying on God; trusting 100%
- If God is for us, who can be against us (Isa 8:10 is frontrunner to Romans 8:31)
- Even though our enemies devise plans against us, we will be victorious
- With God in our corner, the provision and supply is limitless and endless
- Today, let’s continue Isaiah’s challenge to the church and our own faithfulness
- Read Isaiah 8:11-22 / Pray
Point 1 – Rely on God! (V11-17)
- Conspiracy theories amuck (refer to the bulletin note for this week)
-- “From the Kennedy assassination to the moon landing to even the Gulf War and to the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico … conspiracy theories continue to crop up and bring us confusion and arguments across our nation and even in the faith.”
- Do not fear what you hear today; do not place stock in the news as fact
- God calls us to obey Him; to live for Him; to serve Him in everything (expound)
- God is to be called Holy (v13) – He is the one we should look to and worship
- The idols of this world have been trying to take over since the beginning
- Who do you worship? Who is your hope in? Where is your fear of the Lord?
-- Fear of the Lord = Respect; but note the additional word used: “dread”
-- Hebrew word is “yirah” means awe, reverence, respect, devotion
-- Closely related is “yare” means to stand in awe, reverence or honor
- God will get His glory; He will bring judgment upon disobedience (v14)
- Even if Jerusalem won’t obey He will still get their attention; because He’s God
- God’s calling us to pay attention today! He wants us to be in relationship …
-- 2 Cor 6:2 says, “For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” (Expound)
- (v15) We must stop stumbling because of disobedience; we must pay attention
- Our testimony is how we overcome; it gives us purpose and strength (v16)
- God calls us to have a testimony in order to witness and tell our story
- Even in the end the testimony is vital to spread the Gospel: Rev 12:11, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
- Your testimony cannot be argued with; it is what happened to you
-- Analogy of testifying in court; if you saw it as a witness – then you saw it!!
- Each of us troubles, each of us has hard times, and each of us has suffering
- But, the question today is who will you listen too?
Point 2 – Who will you listen too? (V18-20)
- Isaiah is a sign to the people that they need (emphasis) to hear and obey the Word
-- Much like pastors are today: required to pray, to study, and to preach
- Isaiah is declaring that He is sent from God to preach the Word, to be a witness
-Challenges:
-- How does this translate to us? How are we witnessing to others around us?
-- What is the impact that we are having today in reaching out for Jesus Christ?
-- Are our lives surrounded by the glory that God demands us to shine for Him?
- Isaiah has to declare to the people not to deal with spirits and mediums
- To seek your faith and your strength in Christ alone: 19b says, “Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?”
- Think for a moment of where we have heard something like that before …
- Remember the tomb? Luke 24:5, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
- Who are we putting as our #1 advisor? Who do we place as chief counselor?
-- Or, what are we turning too for our strength and to provide us with all we need?
-- Alcohol? Drugs? Illicit relationships? Addictions? Self-prophecies?
-- Perhaps its self-reliance (we’ve always done it this way and it works for me)
- God calls us to lay those things down, stop carrying around the pain & seek Him
- TRANS: If we won’t follow Him, there is an effect to this decision we make
Point 3 - The Effects of Following Ourselves (v21-22)
- Look at the effects of not allowing God to be our sole provider (v21)
- Revelation talks of this also but more than that; how many curse God now?
