Isaiah Chapter 50 - Don’t Sell Yourself Out

Thus says the Lord: “Where is the certificate of your mother’s divorce, whom I have put away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? For your iniquities you have sold yourselves...” (Isaiah 50:1)

When Israel was going through the Lord’s correction for their idolatry, some people thought “God has forsaken us…”  

Even today, it’s not uncommon for someone who’s wandered from the Lord to have the same thoughts - “Because of my sin, God has abandoned me…"

But in Isaiah chapter 50, God reveals something about His character: He NEVER abandons His people, be they the Israelites of Isaiah’s day, or the Christian today. 

No, the reality was that Israel had sold themselves into slavery by choosing to live in sin:  "For your iniquities you have sold yourselves…” 

Christian, the same principle applies today. When a Christian chooses to live in opposition to God and His word, there will be negative consequences. Sin always brings three predictable consequences:

• Sin Divides - Sin divides us from the assembly of believers, divides us from those we love, and it divides us from God. 
• Sin Enslaves - Sin seems like freedom at first, but eventually we find we’re enslaved to the sin, trapped in a downward spiral.
• Sin Destroys - Sin destroys everything it touches; relationships, careers, joy, peace, and finally lives.

Christian, God never abandons those who are His! He’s always there, available for us to return to when we’ve strayed. Even if we’ve sold ourselves out to sin, God is always ready to pay off the loan, to redeem us. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, He has provided the eternal atonement for sin.

What a great truth leading into Easter Sunday - This Sunday all over the world Christians will be celebrating the fact that through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been set free from the curse of sin! 

I think it's a message that everyone should hear - don't you?

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 49 - For I will contend with him who contends with you

But thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children. I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 49:25-26)

Relations between US and Israeli leaders have plunged to an all-time low this week. After speaking to a joint session of Congress, against the wishes of the President Obama, followed by election meddling in the Israeli elections by members of the Obama campaign team - tensions could not be higher between these two historic allies.

"I think Netanyahu has given up on Obama and vice versa; Obama has given up on Netanyahu," said Eytan Gilboa, an expert on American-Israeli relations at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies here.

At the center of these tensions is the “deal” that being negotiated by the P5+1 team, led by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Each day we read about further concessions that the US is making to Iran, which may lead to Iran eventually breaking out and obtaining a weapon. Saudi Arabia has only this week noted that they may seek to develop nuclear weapons - the beginning of a Middle East nuclear arms race.

Caroline Glick, a commentator at the Jerusalem Post, agreed that the US rapprochement with Iran could weaken the US-Israel partnership. But in a March 27 column, she accused the White House of intentionally seeking to erode bilateral bonds, writing: 

"Never before has Israel had to deal with such an openly hostile US administration. Indeed, until 2009, the very notion that a day would come when an American president would prefer an alliance with Khamenei's Iran to its traditional alliances with Israel and the Sunni Arab states was never even considered. But here we are."

When the US gives preference to the a nation that has publicly declared its intention to destroy Israel, while at the same time shuns the one nation that has the most to lose if Iran goes nuclear, then we are playing our selves into an adversarial position against Israel.

One thing the US should consider in it’s decision-making process: Israel is protected not by the US, but by God Himself. Isaiah 49:25 tells us:

For I will contend with him who contends with you… (Isaiah 49:25).

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 47 - The Ministry of Reconciliation

I was angry with My people; I have profaned My inheritance, and given them into your hand. You showed them no mercy; on the elderly you laid your yoke very heavily. (Isaiah 47:6)

Isaiah chapter 47 deals with God’s eventual judgment of Babylon, which would come 150 years after this was written, when Babylon fell to the Persian king Cyrus. 

So why did God judge Babylon? Weren’t they the tool that God used to correct His people? Yes they were, yet apparently they went overboard. The Babylonians were cruel and ruthless to the Israelites, even to the point that they put especially heavy burdens on the elderly.

I believe Christians can learn from this today - you see often God will use one of us as an instrument to bring about correction and restoration to another Christian. Perhaps we discover something about them, or the Holy Spirit reveals something. When that happens God is using us to be an instrument of restoration.

The problem is that often Christians go too far - they see themselves as judge, jury, and executioner! A few things we should remember:

We’re not perfect judges

It’s funny how personally we want grace from the Lord, but when we find out about someone else’s sin, it’s hammer time! 

The reality is that sin is a problem for all people, Christians included. 1 John 1 tells us...

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)

In other words, being a Christian doesn’t mean we never sin - it means that our sins are forgiven, and that we have the blessing of remaining in relationship with God through continual confession when we blow it. 

So before we become judgmental about another’s sin, just remember that not one of us is without sin. God is the only perfect Judge!

God exposes sin so that the person can be restored.

I believe that the reason God reveals the error of a bother or sister is not so that we can judge them, but so that we can pray for them!

See, when a Christian willingly allows sin into their life, they’re being deceived by the devil: “It’ll be fun … you’ll enjoy it … it’ll be fine, no one will know…”  But the reality it the sin is going to eventually bring pain and destruction into their life. Trust me, that the pain and destruction will be more corrective than anything we might lay on them.

As a pastor, I often find out things about people (I wish I didn’t!), and when I do here’s how I handle it:

#1 I’ll pray for the person - Begin lifting up that person in your prayer time, asking Lord to change their heart, to open their eyes, and even to allow the consequences of the sin to wake them up.

#2 I'll wait to see if and when the Lord opens a door to address it - I’ve found that if I’ll wait on the Lord, He’ll open a door of opportunity to speak to them about the issue. See, if the heart isn’t ready, the person will see our input as interference, and will pull away. 

If we'll simple pray and wait on the Lord, He'll have prepared their heart for the instruction! They’ll be more open to receiving biblical counsel. 

#3 I remind myself that I need grace, every day! When I think of how much I need God’s grace each day, it’s much easier to approach someone else with the same grace. 

Remember the end goal isn’t to punish the wayward brother or sister; the goal is to restore them. That’s why Paul, who had been a legalist all of his life before becoming a Christian, wrote by the Spirit:

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. (Galatians 6:1)

That’s part of all of our ministry - the Ministry of Reconciliation: Reconciling the unsaved to God through salvation, and reconciling the wayward Christian to fellowship through repentance. 

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18)

We can change the world, one life at a time...

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 46 - The Burden of Idolatry

Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the ground. They are being hauled away on ox carts. The poor beasts stagger under the weight. Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together. (Isaiah 46:1-2 NLT)

When we think of idolatry, we think of ancient people who bow down to statues. We think that man is too intelligent and cultured to fall for such nonsense.

But in fact, there are many idols that are worshipped today:  Money, pleasure, wisdom, appearance, substances - anything that holds a position of prominence in someone’s life could be an idol. 

Bel and Nebo, mentioned here, were the gods of fertility and abundance (Bel or “Baal”), and wisdom (Nebo), and these gods are still worshipped today, only in different ways (worshipers build mansions instead of statues.)

But Isaiah 46 points out two problem with these idols:

#1 - The idol lays a burden on the worshiper

Placing our faith and trust in an idol, say money for instance, may seem like a prudent plan. For instance, a person might think “Money will insure my well-being and comfort, it’ll give me security.” But in fact, the more a person focuses on creating and maintaining wealth, instead of being a blessing, it becomes a burden.

Time and energy must be spent managing and protecting the wealth. Wealth is subject to market and business fluctuations. People treat you different when you have money. You become skeptical of people’s motives. The thing that was supposed to set you free becomes your prison.

#2 - The idol cannot protect the worshiper

No matter how rich, popular, fit, or wise a person becomes, in the end that person will die and face God. What will be the response to the question “Why should I let you into heaven?” “I was very rich… nope.” “I was the most famous person… sorry.” I was very fit and healthy… not good enough."

See, the only thing that will matter when we meet the Lord will be “what was my relationship to Christ?” 

Sadly there will be many people on that day who would be willing to give up all that they had worked for in exchange for one thing:  A relationship with Jesus Christ. 

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20)

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 45 - "I am the Lord"

One of the main headlines of our news cycle these past few days is the eroding relationship between our current administration and the recently reelected government of Israel. Our president was quoted yesterday - "This can't be reduced to a matter of somehow let's hold hands and sing ‘Kumbaya.’”

But that may be the least of things to be concerned about - the Islamic State is spreading throughout the middle east, Iran backed rebels have taken over Yemen, it looks as though Iran will be able to keep most of their nuclear program (which will lead to a weapon), and Russia is sending threatening signals to NATO.

Looking at all of these events as a whole, one has to wonder - “What in the world is going on? Who’s in control here?"

Isaiah chapter 45 answers that question:

“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held — To subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut: ‘I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, that they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’” (Isaiah 45:1-7)

Isaiah chapter 45 is one of the most remarkable passaged in the bible, as it confirmations that God is truly the God of history.

In this chapter, Isaiah gives an amazing prediction, already historically fulfilled, of the coming of Cyrus the Great of Persia, the conqueror of Babylon. Isaiah had already foreseen and described the threat of Babylon, that great empire of the ancient world, even though Babylon had not yet come into prominence as a world power. Yet here God names Babylon’s successor:

"Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held — To subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings..."
Isaiah is describing the rise of the Persian Empire and it’s leader, Cyrus the Great, who would conquer Babylon. Cyrus is identified by name, 150 years before his birth!

“To open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut…”

This is a reference to the gates of the city of Babylon. Cyrus conquered the city by diverting the Euphrates River, which flowed under the gates protecting the city, so that his army marched into the city in the dry river bed.

"I have named you, though you have not known Me."
This is where the prophecy get cool to me… the declaration that God is in control, whether men know it or not! God guides the hands of these world rulers and empires, and they ultimately do the Lord’s bidding, even though they do not recognize it.

What an encouragement this should to be to us! As we look at the events that are surrounding us, even though they may seem turbulent and chaotic, God is in control! What looks like chaos to man is God orchestrating events to His planned end. 

We may not like the rulers of Iran, or Russia, or even our own country for that matter, but we can take comfort in this: God is in control.

"I am the Lord, and there is no other..."

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 44 - Living Water

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring; they will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.” (Isaiah 44:3-4)

All through the bible we’re presented with a metaphor of the Spirit of God being poured out like water… the prophet Joel proclaimed:

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28)

This picture is important as it helps us understand how the Holy Spirit operates in and through us a Christians. Think of the ways that flowing water impacts its surroundings...

Flowing water contains life - Nothing lives in stagnant water, but a flowing river is abundant with life.  As the Holy Spirit of God is poured out in our lives, we are living the life of Christ. Paul wrote:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Flowing water brings forth new life - When water flows to an area, plant and animal life will begin to flourish. As we live empowered by the Holy Spirit, the result is that new life will be brought forth in those that we point to Christ:

"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." (John 15:8)

Flowing water brings refreshment - When we’re hot and thirsty, there’s nothing like the cool flowing water of a stream to quench our thirst. When the Holy Spirit flows through our lives, not only are we refreshed, our lives refresh the lives of others:

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)

Flowing waters always moving - Some Christians believe that when the Holy Spirit came into them at salvation, that was it. Yet the picture the scriptures give us of the flowing Spirit of God indicates that the filling of the Holy Spirit is a continual and changing flow. There are times when the Spirit is flowing through us that we aren't aware of, yet at other times it flows stronger and we sense it's move. 

In this sense I believe it's paramount of the Christian to desire, even to ask that the Lord pour out His Spirit in our lives daily, so that we can not only be empowered to live in obedience to Him, but that the living, flowing water of our lives would bring life and refreshment to everyone around us. 

Charles Spurgeon, the British minster known as the “Prince of Pastors” said:

“I believe that, at this present moment, God’s people ought to cry to him day and night that there may be a fresh baptism into the Holy Ghost. There are many things that are desirable for the Church of Christ, but one thing is absolutely needful; and this is the one thing, the power of the Holy Ghost in the midst of his people.” (C. H. Spurgeon)

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 43 - I Will Be With You

Isaiah 43 gives us a promise of protection by the Lord:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. (Isaiah 43:2)

In our minds, we often think that perhaps the Lord should shield us from the trials of life. I for one would prefer a smooth road; No floods, no fires, no trials please!

But God in His wisdom does not do this - instead He says “When the trials come, I will be with you, I’ll carry you through them, and they shall not harm you.” 

Also note that God doesn’t say “if you pass through the waters," or “if you walk through the fire.” He says “when you pass through the waters," and “when you walk through the fire.” - in other words there will be trials in this life. There will be times when the waters rise, and we feel we’re going to be swept away. There will be times when we’re surrounded by fire, and the only way out will be to walk through it. 

Christian it’s in these times when they Lord will show Himself strong in our lives, guiding us through the waters, yet they will not sweep us away. Walking with us through the fire, yet it will not scorch us. 

And when we reach the other side, and we behold what God has done in our lives, our faith will be firmer, our hope will be higher, our trust will be truer.  Jesus said...

"In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

So the next time a flood invades your life, or a fire rages through, instead of praying “Lord, take this away…” pray “Lord, walk with me though this, and let me see your glory."

Trust Him, He won’t let you down.

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 42 - The Bigger Picture

Buried in Isaiah chapter 42 is a verse that speaks to eternity. Inverses 6-7 God reveals His purpose for the nation of Israel, and the covenant He made with them: 

“I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.” (Isaiah 42:6-7)

Do you see it? God’s intention for the nation of Israel was for them to bring light to the Gentiles! (that would be everyone that is not a Jew, including you and I.) 

See God had a bigger picture for this small nation - His purpose wasn’t only for Israel to know God, be a holy nation, and let the rest of the world be damned. God wanted to use this small, insignificant nation to be a light to the rest of the world. His desire was that they would tell people about God, open their eyes, release them from the prison of sin and death. They were to declare the goodness of God to the nations!

And that was part of Israel’s problem, they saw themselves as being holy, "God's people," and the rest of the world - well, they were on their own. 

But check this out - the same principle applies to Christians today. Jesus said:

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."(Matthew 5:14-16)

Saints, it’s easy to get comfortable in our Christian lifestyle - we go to church, we fellowship with our Christian friends, we participate in bible studies and other church activities… but are we allowing anyone outside of our Christian bubble to see our light? 

Are we aware of the sea of faces around us, that without the Lord will die and spend eternity in hell, separated from God?
Are we willing to step out and share our story of hope with someone who is hopeless?
Are we seeing the bigger picture?

See Christian, that’s the bigger picture for us. Yes we should celebrate the fact that we have a relationship with God, and our future in heaven is secure. But it’s imperative that we recognize that God didn’t save us to just sit and enjoy being a Christian - He saved us to reach out to a hurting world, so that others could experience the same life-change that we have. 

So I encourage you to begin praying TODAY - who will you reach out to? If your church is holding an easter service, I’ll bet that the pastor will be sharing the gospel message. Why not invite some of those folks to church that Sunday? You never know, they lives could be changed forever.

Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:12-14)

Pastor Clay

The Obama - Netanyahu Rift

It’s no secret that there is no love lost between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister elect Benjamin Netanyahu. I can see why - the Obama administration actively worked to unseat the Israeli Prime Minister (SEE HERE), sending operatives from his 2088 and 2012 campaigns to work with groups opposed to the Likud party, which Netanyahu leads.

While attempting to meddle in another sovereign nation’s election process (an ally no less) is egregious on it’s own the rift goes deeper than the election.

Reason #1 for division - Iran: The US is working to negotiate a deal with Iran on its nuclear program. Attempting to get an agreement with Iran is not itself a bad thing, but the way it’s being done is an affront to our strongest ally in the middle east. 

Israel is the ONE COUNTRY that Iran has singled out not only as an enemy, but Iran has consistently stated, in public, that it intends to annihilate the state of Israel... wipe them off the map. And yet the one country with the greatest threat from Iran does not have a seat a the negotiating table. The one country that has the most to lose if Iran goes nuclear is not even being consulted by our State Department on this so-called deal. The Israeli Prime Ministry could not view this any other way but this: The US is acting against the safety and security of its ally, Israel. 

Reason #2 for division - The Palestinian Issue: The Obama administration's insistence on Israel ceding land to the Palestinians. 

In its first public response to Netanyahu's election triumph, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said President Obama still believes in a two-state solution. This was after Netanyahu, shortly before the vote, reversed his stance and stated he would not allow the creation of a Palestinian state.

Earnest stressed that Obama believes a two-state solution is best. And State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki clarified that the administration "absolutely" will continue to push for this.

While one can debate the merits of whether Israel should be working towards a peace agreement with the Palestinians, one has to ask: "How is it that we feel we can dictate to other countries how they should manage their affairs?" Not only that, but once again our administration is insisting on pushing Israel towards something that will put them at risk. 

At the moment, Hamas in Gaza is aligned with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Hamas has in it’s charter that one of it’s primary reasons for existence is for the destruction of the Jewish state of Israel. Israel’s demand that it will not negotiate a peace agreement until the Palestinians agree to Israel’s right to exist is completely reasonable. How can you negotiate peace with an entity that demands that all of your people must die? (Actually, only the Jews have to die) While the Obama administration has repeatedly and publicly called for a "two-state solution," there has been no call for the Palestinians to recognize Israel's right to exist. 

Add to this the fact that Iran gives financial and military support to Hamas, and Hezbollah, the risk is only increased for Israel in that region. 

So the rift between the Obama White House and Netanyahu is real, but it isn’t based on personal dislike. The rift is based on the fact that the US is actively working to place one of our closest allies, and the only democracy in the Middle East, into a a very dangerous position. 

I would counsel the current administration to take heed to the word of God...

"I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land." (Joel 3:2)

“Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. (Isaiah 41:10)

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 41 - Who has performed it

“Who has performed and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.’”  (Isaiah 41:4)

If you do a search on “What is the meaning of life?” you’ll get 433,000,000 results. If I were to try and research all of these possibilities, allowing ten minutes to look at each one, it would only take me about 14 years! It might be a while before I get back to you on that...

But it is an important question. Who are we? Why are we here? Is there a point, a direction to human history? Is it just a random, meaningless combination of undirected events? Is it a cycle, fated to repeat itself endlessly? Or, is there a God in heaven who directs human events, always moving to a final resolution and fulfillment? 

The answer to this question influences almost everything in our lives. 

If we believe that life is just a random series of events, and that there is no larger purpose in human existence, we’ll live our life trying to get all we can out of life before we die. 

If we believe there is a God who leads and guides, then we’ll live our life seeking to be a participant in His plan for mankind. 

If you think about it, it’s the basic message of Isaiah - “I am God, I created all that you see, I know who you are, I have a plan for you, and for mankind, and My plan will come to pass - I am God.”

If you think about it, it’s the basic message of the bible. The God of heaven wants you and I to know that created us, He knows us, He loves us, and He has a beautiful plan for us. His plan includes working His will here on earth, and for all eternity in heaven. 

I don’t know about you, but I take great comfort in knowing and believing this truth. I take great comfort in knowing that no matter what I may be facing, the God of Heaven is with me, He will strengthen me, He will help me, He will uphold me. 

So whatever you may be going through today - fear not. Remember the God who hung the stars in the sky is on it...

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  (Isaiah 41:10)

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 40 - The Word of God Stands Forever

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

“To be fair, much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents, composed, revised, translated, distorted and 'improved' by hundreds of anonymous authors, editors and copyists, unknown to us and mostly unknown to each other, spanning nine centuries” ― Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

Last week I had the privilege of bringing the chapel message to a local Christian High School. The message I taught was titled “The Bible - True or False?”  Why did I feel the need to teach this message? Because I had recently ready a survey of millennials (those born between 1980-2000) that gave some startling statistics.

According to the study, 30% of non-Christian Millennials relegate the Bible to merely a “useful book of moral teachings”, nearly half of those surveyed have a negative characterization of the bible: 19% say the Bible is “an outdated book with no relevance for today.” 27% go so far as to say the Bible is “a dangerous book of religious dogma used for centuries to oppress people."

So which is it? Is the bible just a collection of dogmatic writings used to control people, or is it truly the word of God, breathed by the Holy Spirit, recorded by faithful men? I believe that history is on the side of God on this one… as critics have come and gone, yet the word of our God has endured.

The bible has survived centuries of manual transcription, of persecution, of ever changing philosophies, critics, of neglect both in the pulpit and in the pew, of doubt and disbelief - and still, the word of our God stands forever.

“Written on material that perishes, having to be copied and recopied for hundreds of years before the invention of the printing press, did not diminish its style, correctness, nor existence. The Bible, compared with other ancient writings, has more manuscript evidence than any ten pieces of classical literature combined.” (Josh McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict)

In 303 A.D., the Roman Emperor Diocletian demanded that every copy of the Scriptures in the Roman Empire be burned. He failed, and 25 years later, the Roman Emperor Constantine commissioned a scholar named Eusebius to prepare 50 copies of the Bible at government expense.

Voltaire, the French skeptic and infidel who died in 1778, said that 100 years from his time, Christianity would be swept from existence and passed into history, and that the Bible would be a forgotten book. Only 50 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society used his press and his house to produce stacks of Bibles.

“Infidels for eighteen hundred years have been refuting and overthrowing this book, and yet it stands today solid as a rock. Its circulation increases, and it is more love and cherished and read today than ever before. Infidels, with all their assaults, make about as much impression on this book as a man with a tack hammer would on the Pyramids of Egypt. When the French monarch proposed a persecution of the Christians in his dominion, an old statesman and warrior said to him, ‘Sire, the Church of God is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.’ So the hammers of the infidels have been pecking away at this book for ages, but the hammers are worn out, and the anvil still endures. If this book had not been the book of God, men would have destroyed it long ago. Emperors and popes, kings and priests, princes and rulers have all tried their hand at it; they die and book still lives.” (John Hastings, Scottish minister and editor of the Hastings Bible Dictionary)

“A thousand times over, the death knell of the Bible has been sounded, the funeral procession formed, the inscription cut on the tombstone, and committal read. But somehow the corpse never stays put.” (Bernard Ramm, Protestant Christian Evidences)

For thousands of years scholars, critics, and theologians have inspected every syllable of the bible. Multitudes of highly educated and intelligent men have attempted to find errors or contradictions, but the bible still stands as a work of bulletproof integrity.

Written over a 1,600 year span, by more than 40 authors from every walk of life (kings, warriors, prophets, a doctor, a fisherman, a Pharisee), the bible addresses hundreds of controversial subjects ranging from marriage, divorce, remarriage, sexual relations in the marriage, adultery, homosexuality, integrity, leadership, parenting. And yet from Genesis to Revelation each of these areas is addressed with harmony.

Many books have been written that speculate on what the future will hold, 

some come close, some are just funny. But the bible is unique in that it not only boldly foretells the future, it has the historical accuracy to back up it’s claims.

No other book has had greater affect on the world than the teachings of the bible. The bible presents the highest ideals known to man, and those ideals have shaped our world more than any other book in existence. Morality, law, our own constitution, interpersonal relations, charity, character, leadership, all topics that are covered with wisdom and clarity.

But the one final truth that I would point out to you this: the bible is unique in its ability to change the life of its reader. No other book has the capacity to supernaturally change the mind and heart of the reader than does the word of God. 

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Pastor Clay

Isaiah Chapter 39 - Who Do You Let In?

At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. (Isaiah 39:1-2)

Whether we realize it or not, every relationship decision we make has the potential to make a huge impact on our future, as well as the future of others. 

King Hezekiah was no exception to this fact. When he received a delegation from the king of Babylon, Hezekiah apparently felt very honored. His kingdom was a pipsqueak compared to Assyria and Babylon, and getting a kind note and a state visit from Babylon must have been very assuring.

Perhaps Hezekiah was thinking that if he were friends with Babylon, they could help offset the Assyrian threat. Hezekiah may have been thinking “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” 

The first problem with that logic is that it isn’t true. The enemy of our enemy isn’t always our friend. The second problem with that logic was that God had already promised that He would be Judah’s covering and protection - if they would simply trust Him.

So Hezekiah, apparently flattered with all of the attention of the Babylonian delegation, made the decision to show all of the treasures in his kingdom to these men. He allowed them into the inner parts of his kingdom. Big mistake, as Hezekiah didn’t realize that this was actually a scouting mission, not a friendly state visit. 

Now while this chain of events is history from long ago, it has direct application in our lives today, namely - Who do we allow into our lives? Who do we show our treasure to? Before we allow a person in to our inner life, we should consider three things that Hezekiah overlooked:

Hezekiah didn’t consider the source:  The Babylonians were not peace-keepers, they had a history of expansionism. There was a very high possibility that the Babylonians would one day use the information they gathered against Judah.

Hezekiah didn’t consider the faith: The Babylonians didn’t worship the Jehovah, the God of Israel. There could be no spiritual unity with that kingdom. 

Hezekiah didn’t consider the motive: Why would the Babylonians make nice with Judah? It certainly wasn’t to learn about the one true God.

See, when we allow someone into our inner circle, when we develop a “fellowship” relationship, we’re allowing that person to affect us. If our friend is a Christian who is seeking to grow in their faith and become closer to God, then that relationship will be a “strengthening” relationship. Our fellowship will encourage us to grow in our faith - we'll encourage one another.

However, if that person isn’t a Christian who is seeking to grow in their faith, the relationship will end up stunting our spiritual growth. We might think we’re pulling them towards God, but odds are they’re pulling us away from God.

And the impact of that choice isn’t always immediate - sometimes it takes years for the impact to be felt, as was the case with the Babylonians:

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.” (Isaiah 39:5-8)

It would be one hundred years before the Babylonians came and looted Jerusalem, but come they did.  They destroyed the city, destroyed the temple, took all of the treasure, and carried away the people into exile. Just as Isaiah said.

And as for Hezekiah, his response is so sad. As long as his life wasn’t impacted, he was fine. But what about his great-great grandchildren? 

That’s why I believe we should always be mindful of not only the decisions we make, but of the people that we allow into our lives. Yes we want to see people come to Christ - but let’s help them come to Christ before we bring them into the innermost parts of our life.

Incidentally, God did bring something good out of the mess Hezekiah created - one of the young men that were taken to Babylon was named Daniel (Daniel 1:1-5), and the Lord used him to give us some of the most powerful and far-reaching prophecies in the bible. 

Pastor Clay