Tag: God

The Road To Involvement

Neal Pollard

Recently, I asked a man about how he and his family got to be so active and faithful in their service to Christ. He said that at one time they were those members who came to church services, spoke to a few people, then left. Attendance was sporadic and they were convinced that they did not know how to elbow their way into the various works going on.

He explained how that changed for them. As their kids got older, they made themselves go to every service regularly, to every church event that was announced, and even took time off to go to Bible camp. He and his wife both started teaching and saying yes to doing things, no matter what. This was intentional. They were not happy just being those people sitting in the pews watching things happen.

At some point, he explained, people started noticing and asked them to do more. The elders started asking them to take on more. Other Christians encouraged them in different ways. Now, being busy is who they are. They could not go back and be happy, just sitting there waiting and not doing anything. Their formula was profoundly simple. Be present and available.

Church leaders have a definite responsibility to equip “the saints for the work of service” (Eph. 4:11-12). The word equipped there means ” to make fully ready” (Zodhiates, WSNTDICT, np). Elders, with the help of preachers and other members, provide ministries and works to accomplish the overall work of the church. Through various ways, they enlist the help of members to get it done. They communicate and even train.

So, what are the saints’ responsibility? Ephesians 4:16 says each individual part must be in “proper working” order. That starts by being present and available, volunteering, and saying yes to things. This family has really drawn a roadmap to involvement. Or, at least they are doing a great job of following God’s inspired roadmap. Let’s be like the very first Christians, who “were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Such a condition is so often contagious!

Isaiah: The Holy One Who Rules The World (XLIX)

“Seek The Lord…” (55:1-13)

Neal Pollard

Chapters 40-55 seem to be one long unit, devoted to the comfort God extends to His people through atonement for sin and deliverance from other nations. The NASB (95) puts Isaiah 55:12-13 in quotation marks, signaling to us that this is a hymn and ends this section. Smith identifies hymns in the book that served the same purpose in 12:1-6, 42: 10-13, 44:23, 49:13, and 52:9-10 (NAC, 493-494).  This final chapter tells us that God longs to bless His people, but His people must repent to enjoy them.

The axis point of this chapter is a call to “seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near” (6). It stands between the blessings promised (1-5) and the spiritual change required (7-11). No one accidentally grows close to God or walks obediently to His will by mere chance. Let’s notice how Isaiah highlights this way to transformation and why one would want to pursue it. 

Seek the Lord because He provides (1-2). Four items are identified–water, wine, milk, and bread. Listening to God, His people enjoy abundant provision. It is foolish to look to anyone or anything else to give what only He can give. 

Seek the Lord because He gives life (3). Listening to Him, one is promised life. While that may include physical life, the implication is eternal life shown through His “everlasting covenant” with His people. 

Seek the Lord because He gives identity (3-5). He appeals to their common heritage in David (3), but He offers an even greater identity through His name and what being His people does for them. Through the Lord’s leadership, one is glorified (5). Being a child of God exalts one’s name and purpose, not for our sake but for His (cf. Eph. 3:20-21). 

Seek the Lord because He gives forgiveness (6-7). In the middle verses of chapter 55, Isaiah makes a play on the words “thoughts” and “ways.” He begins by calling for the wicked to forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts (6). Why? Because God’s ways and thoughts are not ours, but are more exalted and important (8-9).  But by forsaking our own thoughts and ways for His, we can expect to have compassion and abundant pardon!

Seek the Lord because He gives wisdom (8-11). Not only are His thoughts and ways higher than ours, but they are fruitful and productive. He illustrates this with the cyclical nature of moisture and seed production. The rain and snow come from heaven, waters the earth, makes it bear and sprout, drops seed, and ultimately provides bread for the one who sows the seed. Isaiah says that this is how God’s Word works. He sends it, His faithful servants sow it, and it produces results (see how Paul alludes to this idea in 2 Cor. 9:10, as well as Matt. 24:35; Luke 8:11; 1 Pet. 1:23). 

Seek the Lord because He gives unexpected joy (12-13). The fruit of God’s wisdom is joy, peace, and fruitfulness. With figurative language and hyperbole, Isaiah illustrates this blessing with mountains and hills celebrating, trees clapping, and cypress and myrtle trees coming forth from the seeds of thorn bushes and nettles. God’s power takes the refuse and contemptible things of life and shows His power through His ability to make it incredibly wonderful. Remember Paul’s words? “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord'” (1 Cor. 1:27-31).

At least six blessings in this brief chapter are attached to seeking the Lord, and Isaiah says that seeking the Lord and changing from our sinful ways are imperative to receiving them. God can take the worst of situations and make them far better than we could imagine. He waits to bless us, but He is waiting for us to come to Him (Matt. 11:28-30). 

Isaiah: The Holy One Who Rules The World (XLVIII)

God’s Compassionate Promises (54:1-17)

Neal Pollard

We are not told when the promises in this chapter would be fulfilled. The details of being forsaken for “a brief moment” (7) seems to fit best with the Assyrian incursion at the time the northern kingdom is taken captive and destroyed in the last part of the eighth century B.C. But in this section that highlights the Redeemer, there are implications of a time centuries after that when Jesus is born.  Consider the beautiful promises contained in this chapter. 

God promises richness (1-3). It is a reverse of fortune from a time of barrenness, travail, and desolation to a figurative “baby boom” that requires them to enlarge, stretch out, lengthen, strengthen, and spread abroad. Their descendants would expand and conquer. 

God promises restoration (4). What had marked their past was shame, humiliation, disgrace, and reproach, from youth to widowhood. God says, “Fear not!” His promise was greater than the scars of their past or their apprehension about the future. 

God promises relationship (5-6). The further hope of these promises is the intimacy of God’s relationship with them. Their husband is the Creator and master of everything. Their Redeemer rules the entire planet. Though they were a wife without anything to commend herself, still He desires her. 

God promises redemption (7-10). Twice in this chapter, God calls Himself “Redeemer” (5,7). They had earned His rejection, but He likens His response to the way He responded after the flood in Noah’s day. His people deserve wrath and judgment for their iniquities, but He offers “everlasting lovingkindness,” “compassion,” and “peace.” Nothing on this earth can be counted on, but God’s promises can be. 

God promises reward (11-13). He illustrates this by mentioning several precious stones by which He will reinforce them. Their dwelling places would be bejeweled with splendor and majesty. John will co-opt this kind of imagery in describing heaven and the church glorified (Rev. 21:19ff). They would have superior knowledge of God’s will (cf. John 6:45), which would lead them to the best life possible (John 10:10). 

God promises resilience (14-17). Their foundation would be righteousness (14; Mat. 7:24-27). Since God is in control (15-16) and on their side, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their vindication is from Me” (17). We sing that, don’t we? The battle belongs to the Lord! If we are on His side, we will win (1 John 5:4). 

Answering An Argument Against God

Andy Wright

In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, Paul reminds his readers that, though we live in the world, we don’t fight the same way the world fights; instead, he says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…”

In that spirit, I want to share an argument that I’ve come across somewhat recently that argues against God, and how to counter it.

The argument goes as follows: First, God knows all things; therefore, He knows what He can say or do that would convince any particular person to believe in Him. Second, God can do all things; therefore, He is able to do whatever would convince any particular person to believe in Him no matter how hard it may seem by human standards. Finally, God has stated in the Bible that He wants “all men to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). However, not everyone believes in God; therefore, He either doesn’t know what can convince someone, can’t do what would convince someone, or is lying about His desire for everyone to come to the knowledge of the truth.

At first, it can seem like a strong argument, but there are cracks in its façade. First, it’s true that God does know all things. In fact, He knows more about people than they know about themselves. Richard Dawkins used to say that he would only be convinced that God was real if he ever heard that trumpet call and saw Jesus coming down from heaven with the angels and the resurrected saints on the Day of Judgment. Nowadays, he says that even if he saw that, he would assume he was hallucinating. I saw another prominent atheist, when asked if there were any evidence that could convince him of God’s reality, ultimately responded that even if he were to see the stars in the sky move and arrange themselves to spell out “Believe in me, John,” that he would more likely believe that aliens were messing with him. There are some people who will refuse to believe no matter what evidence is presented, and in those cases, God will allow people who don’t love the truth to exchange it for a lie (Romans 1:25).

Furthermore, God is interested in something far deeper than some mere mental assent. He doesn’t want people to simply believe that He exists or even believe that He is powerful or even good and just leave it at that. Adam and Eve believed that God exists and must have been convinced of His power (He had made the world) and even His goodness (He had given them everything), but did that stop them from sinning? Cain talked with God, but still murdered his brother. The Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai were convinced of God’s existence and power, but they still made a golden calf to stand in for the Lord of heaven and earth (and that against His express command). Even the demons believe in God as James tells us, but God wants more than our acknowledgment. He wants our love and He wants our faith. And He deserves it, too!

Because the second point is that God can do all things, and He has done the unimaginable just to prove how much He really loves us. He became flesh and blood. The infinite God wrapped up in a finite, mortal shell. I can’t understand any better than I could understand turning myself into an ant. And then to sacrifice Himself to save us from our own sins!

The people who demand that God prove His existence to them in some miraculous way are arrogant. It reminds me of the Pharisees who, after Jesus had done numerous miracles, still asked for a sign. God wants everyone to come to the knowledge of the truth, and He has done everything necessary to show that. The ball is now, so to speak, in your court.

Outcasts In A Field

Carl Pollard

According to Scripture, the first people to hear the good news of Jesus’ birth were shepherds who were watching their flocks in the fields near Bethlehem. You ever wonder why God told them first? 

Luke 2:10-11 says, “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” 

I wish we could have seen their response. 

Shepherds in first-century Middle Eastern culture had a reputation for being thieves and lowlifes. Jews considered shepherds to be ceremonially unclean. Perhaps these shepherds felt unworthy. The way they made a living was considered unclean. 

Maybe they felt inadequate? According to Jewish culture they could not testify in court. No one trusted shepherds. People would not buy property from them because it was most likely stolen. Some saw them on the same level as tax collectors and prostitutes. The religious leaders told others not to go near them. 

Most of all, these shepherds were not loved by the masses. The temple was strict on cleanliness, they could not enter. 

Culturally, no father wanted their daughter to marry a shepherd. And yet we read that God revealed the birth of His Son to THEM. 

The outcast, the unloved, the unworthy, the inadequate. Romans 3:22 says, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” 

You cannot earn God’s acceptance. But we are all sinners. If you accuse someone and say, “you have sinned against God” you will get push back from many people. They believe they are morally good and don’t appreciate being accused of sin. I watched a video of a preacher named Ray Comfort walk around in public and ask people certain questions. He would ask, “do you consider yourself a good person? Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever lusted before?” If you’re reading this article ask yourself those same questions. Be honest, Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything? You ever lusted after someone? If you tell a lie, what does that make you? A liar. If you steal something, what does that make you? A thief. If you’ve ever lusted after another, Jesus says you have committed adultery in your heart (Matt. 5:27-28). If you’ve ever hated someone that is considered the same as murder (1 John 3:15). 

So that means you are a lying, thieving, adulterous, murderous person. How does that make you feel? 

If you don’t see yourself as a sinner, you won’t see your need for a Savior. And we are made right with God, not by our own works, but by faith in Christ. That is why God told the good news to outcasts in a field and not to the royalty in the city, so that all would know that God wants you to be a part of His family regardless of who you are. 

But coming to Christ takes acknowledging the sin in your life. These shepherds were reminded daily that they were outcasts and sinners. I believe we sometimes fool ourselves into thinking we are better than them. Recognize your sin so that you’ll see the need for a Savior.

Isaiah: The Holy One Who Rules The World (XLVII)

“The Suffering Servant” (53:1-12)

Neal Pollard

Walvoord and Zuck observe, “This is perhaps the best-known section in the Book of Isaiah. Several parts of this passage are quoted in the New Testament: Isaiah 52:15 in Romans 15:21; Isaiah 53:1 in John 12:38 and Romans 10:16; Isaiah 53:4 in Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:7–8 in Acts 8:32–33; Isaiah 53:9 in 1 Peter 2:22; and Isaiah 53:12 in Luke 22:37” (BKC, 1106).  This chapter is the most recognizably Messianic of the entire book of Isaiah. It is the completion of the fourth Servant Poem, in which the prophet reveals three crucial facts about Him.

The suffering servant would be overlooked (1-2). Why? Given the prelude of this Servant (52:13-15), this is a surprising fact. This exalted and glorified One is described now as a tender shoot, a root out of dry ground, with no stately form or majesty, and without an attractive appearance. The message about Him and from Him is deemed unbelievable (1). He grows up among the people, who cannot but see Him only as a carpenter, Mary’s son, with younger brothers and sisters, and, thus, a cause of offense (Mark 6:3). He is “this man” (Luke 7:39). The root out of dry ground takes our minds back to Isaiah 11:1, the tender shoot of Jesse. Physically unremarkable, financially modest, and without any sort of commending pedigree, He was an average, ordinary-looking Man among men. 

The suffering servant would be oppressed (3-10a). Beyond His humble circumstances, His contemptible appearance, combined with His relentless effort to spread His unconventional message backed by undeniable miracles, led to His opponents doing all within their power to punish and silence Him. Graphically, Isaiah foretells what those among whom He dwelled dispatched of Him (or so they thought). His oppression was vicious. It led Him to experience despising, forsaking, grieving, sorrowing, and condescending (3,7). His oppression was vicarious. It led Him to experience things for us, things we deserved to experience but that He went through on our behalf (4-6,8). James Smith gives us a concise chart of this:

OUR EXPERIENCEHIS EXPERIENCE
GriefsBore
SorrowsCarried
TransgressionPierced Through
IniquitiesCrushed
PeaceChastening
HealedScourging

 Smith, James E. The Major Prophets. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1992. Print. Old Testament Survey Series, 149. 

His oppression was voluntary (7). Reading the fulfillment of this in the gospels as Jesus stands before Pilate and His many accusers, He chose not to speak to defend Himself. He knew that as a sacrificial Lamb, He had to submit to their torture and injustice. His oppression was violent, as we see from the many words associated with the death He would die (9). His oppression was victorious (9-10). It accomplished the Divine purpose, in which He played a part as God the Word. He successfully became the blood offering for our sins (10). But that last fact points us to the last major point of the chapter (10b-12). 

The suffering servant would be an overcomer (10b-12). As this was the premeditated plan of heaven, the Godhead knew that death could not keep Him down and the grave could not hold Him (1 Cor. 15:54-57). That’s why the Lord was “pleased” to allow such cruelty to occur. After being made a guilt offering for our sins, “the Lord would prolong His days” (10). Notice how the vicarious nature of the suffering Servant’s sacrifice would satisfy divine justice and solve humanity’s spiritual debt problem. 

1 Corinthians 13 (Part 2)

Gary Pollard

I Cor 13.1-3 steps on toes. A person could be truly exceptional in qualities most of us would love to have, if just barely. Without love even the most exceptional person is doomed. 

Here are some the powerhouse-qualities that mean nothing without love: 

1. The ability to speak multiple languages, with a working knowledge of the language of cosmic beings. 

This is a person intellectually talented in an extremely difficult discipline, one that requires unlimited dedication. This is someone so dedicated to transcendent words that they pursue even the language of God’s holy ones. 

This is a person who wants to know God’s word so badly that they learn Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic to get an unadulterated look at the scriptures. They may even feel an obligation to spread this knowledge to others, so they learn multiple modern languages to accomplish this. 

If not done because of selfless love, if they don’t care for their enemies, and if they don’t feed and clothe the poor, they’ve wasted their time. 

2. The ability to masterfully teach, understand the times, and give accurate social predictions, all with a genius-level IQ. 

This is a handy person to have around! They can give targeted lessons based on where their culture is and where it’s likely to go. They have an excellent grasp of first principles, and they can give just the right message at just the right time. 

This person might trust in God so completely that they place their lives wholly in his hands. They trust him to take care of them. They trust him to remove all obstacles in their path. 

But they don’t like people — ουθεν ειμι. They are nobody, they are meaningless. Their faith is pointless, their intellectual powers are useless. 

3. The portfolio and conscience compelling them to liquidate all of their assets and distribute them to anyone who needs anything. This is coupled with a martyr’s spirit, so after draining their earthly goods they willingly die gruesome, painful, slow deaths for God’s sake. 

But they don’t like people — so they threw it all away and gained absolutely nothing in return. Still doomed. 

This is difficult! We want to be like this, and we want to emulate these qualities so badly. They’re good qualities, and we can’t be good Christians without them. 

But if love isn’t what drives us to do all of those things, we might as well put our time and energy into something else. Love isn’t necessarily an emotion — we don’t always feel warm and fuzzies about other people. Love is a decision to do good things for all people, to forgive automatically, to put other peoples’ needs and feelings above our own, and to view all people (including our enemies) as being more important than self. The two most important commands are about love: for God and for other people. Without those two supporting everything we do, nothing we do matters. We’ll not get it right all the time. It’s a process that we’ll probably spend the rest of our lives trying to master! God expects us to aim at growth, and his grace takes care of the gaps. 

If God allows, we’ll start looking at the behavioral symptoms of a loving spirit starting next week. 

I was very happy to learn about some of your children. I am happy that they are following the way of truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I tell you: We should all love each other. This is not a new command. It is the same command we had from the beginning (II Jn 4-5). 

Isaiah: The Holy One Who Rules The World (XLVII)

“Our God Reigns” (52:1-15)

Neal Pollard

Chapter 52 is a dramatic call for the southern kingdom (and Jerusalem specifically) to awaken themselves at the deliverance and assurance of a God who is on their side. As we see this brief chapter, which leads in the better known 53rd chapter, there are a few significant details which build hope. Why? Because it centers around the God we serve.

God, The King, Values Us (1-5). Protectively, God calls to His people to be clothed in strength and beauty (1). It is a call to arise from captivity, having been bound by Egypt and Assyria (4). God arises like an advocate, pleading the case of His people (5). He does so from the standpoint of the personal cost He feels and the blasphemy it brings on His name (5). He does not want to see His people enslaved or humbled another moment.

God, The King, Redeems Us (6-10). This section is by far the most familiar to not only Bible readers, but those who recognize its words in a song we sing in worship. Especially note verse seven: “How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” God anticipates the day when His people would know His name and recognize His voice (6). That would be possible through the heralding of His messengers (7-8). The result would be celebration–shouts of joy (8-9), comfort (9), redemption (9), and salvation (10). But, by God’s might (10), it would be a salvation accessible to all nations (cf. Mat. 28:19; Acts 1:8). 

God, The King, Challenges Us (11-12). The call is for separation and purification. As they left captivity, they were not to take its spiritual influence with them. Despite the terror they faced going into bondage, they would come out with peace and security. God not only calls for righteousness, He pledges His help as they pursue it. 

God, The King, Visits Us (13-15). These verses actually seem to begin the fourth and final “Servant Song” that continues through the next chapter. Each song begins, “Behold, my Servant” or a similar phrase (42:1; 49:1; 50:4). While chapter 53 will focus on His suffering, the Messiah is introduced with His being “high and lifted up and greatly exalted” (13). Philippians 2:9-11 says that glory would follow suffering. Here, we are reminded of how glorious this one who came to be the Servant is. These verses are a prelude to the awful picture of suffering that follows, especially verses 14-15. Notice that this Servant will astonish many with what He suffers, just as the Jewish nation suffered in the captivity. He would be marred and disfigured beyond human likeness (14). Oh, how the gospels will portray that on the day of His crucifixion. This servant will also atone for many by His sacrifice, implying His blood by the mention of “sprinkling” (15). This servant will disclose the truth of His identity to those in high places (15). Paul quotes Isaiah 52:15 and applies it to Jesus, when he reveals in Romans 15:21 that he shared Jesus in places where he had not been. This verse is cited as biblical defense for such. The Jews rejected or minimized Old Testament passages that portrayed the Servant as sufferer rather than sovereign. But, the message of Scripture is that we must Christ, all of Him, as the one exalted but first executed, as the one triumphant but only after He was threatened, tortured, and terminated. 

Isaiah: The Holy One Who Rules The World (XLVI)

The Servant’s Words To The Weary Exiles (51:1-23)

Neal Pollard

James Smith observes, “Four exhortations to Zion follow the third Servant poem (which he identifies as 50:10-51:8, NP). Each is accompanied by promises designed to lift the spirits of God’s people during the period of their captivity” (OT Survey, 145). The first exhortation, to trust God in adversity, is found in the last several verses of chapter ten, followed by three in this chapter. First, remember their heritage (1-3). Second, listen to divine instruction (4-6). Third, take courage in God’s deliverance (7-8). This is followed by an extended call to God to “awake” and to Jerusalem to “rouse” (9-23). Verses 9-16 have been called a “wake up prayer to God,” while verses 17-23 have been called a “wake up prayer to a drunken woman” (Zion)(Smith, 147). It appears to me that there are three categories of individuals that are the subject of this “Servant song,” looking at past, present, and future. All the way through this section, the central focus is on one individual–The Servant–who is the coming Christ. 

Isaiah 51 speaks of the expectation of the righteous (1-8).  One is struck with the calls for the upright to act: “listen” (1,7), “look” (1,2), “pay attention” (4), “give ear” (4), “lift up” (6), “fear not” (7), and “be not dismayed” (7). These are calls of encouragement from the Lord. Blessed assurance fills the content of this paragraph. They could remember Abraham and Sarah, who were unlikely candidates for beginning an entire nation (2). They could remember Eden and appreciate what God was capable of, even as they found themselves in waste places, wildernesses, and deserts (3). The reason for their optimism was the character of God, from His law (4) to His deliverance and salvation (5-6,8). It was but for them to be faithful and fearless (7). 

Isaiah 51 speaks of the endurance of the Lord (9-16). Isaiah builds upon the righteous character of the Lord in assuring the godly and obedient. This prayer begins with the nation pleading with God to awake, but He declares that He is not only awake but also at work. He is the God of comfort (12), creation (13), capability (14-15), covenant (15,16), and covering (16). He declares who and what He is–“I am” (12,15) and what He has done– “I have” (16, cf. 22). To a people afraid of their enemies and lacking confidence in their deliverance, God reminds them of His limitless ability which aids them and destroys their enemies. 

Isaiah 51 speaks of the enfeeblement of the wicked (17-23). The tables are turned, and now God is calling for the spiritually drunk to wake up and sober up. They called on God to wake up, and He proves to them He is never asleep on the job. Instead, they are reeling from drinking the cup of God’s anger due to their rebellion (17). Sin has left the nation weak, aimless, unguided, inconsolable, helpless, and the object of God’s wrath and rejection (18-20). Yet, even in this condition, they are offered hope from God. He offers to take the chalice of reeling and divine anger from their hands and put it in the hands of their tormentors (21-23). Grace even in judgment! Hope even in the wake of their sin!

In the past, the people had seen God deliver them from Egypt (Rahab, 9; see 30:7). In the future, the people would see God deliver them from the Chaldeans (23; see 49:26). In the present, the people should look to the God they had ignored and forsaken, repenting and once again finding their strength and salvation in Him alone. What a timeless message! 

God’s Toolbox And Ours

Jonathan Garrett

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 says, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

How many tools do you use during the day? I own several toolboxes and each one of them contain different tools for different jobs. Sometimes we limit our understanding of tools as those we would find in a toolbox. God’s toolbox (church) contains far more tools than what can be contained in a single toolbox.


When you say tools, most people think hammer, screwdriver, and tape measure. What about the tools in the kitchen? The whisk, measuring cup, and mixing bowl. Or the tools on your desk, pen, paper, and a stapler.


God has many different tools in His toolbox. Each one is special and has a special purpose. You wouldn’t use a whisk to hammer a nail, but in the kitchen the whisk can be very useful. Most of us expect to find a hammer, screwdriver, or wrenches in a toolbox. We do the same thing when it comes to God’s toolbox,
we expect him to use the elders, deacons, preachers, or the Sunday school teachers.


God wants to use each and everyone of us. God created us unique and different. He wants us to use our gifts for him.


Think about the tools you use each day and how they could be used by God in your hands. For example, a hammer could be used as part of a missionary trip to help build or rebuild housing for those in need. A pen could be used to write an uplifting note to someone who needs encouragement.

Now think about other tools, gifts, or abilities God has given you that can be used for His glory. Maybe it’s the ability to lead singing, teach a class, or maybe it’s the ability to help someone in need.


Now hold your Bible in your hands. This is the most powerful tool that God has given us, and we need to make sure it’s in our toolbox for everyday life. The passage in 1 Corinthians 12 talks about different gifts, different services, and different activities.
Someone may have the same gift like teaching, but one may be better suited for teaching in a closed one on one setting, where the other may be better at teaching a class room of people, others may be more suited to teach by writing articles or doing on-line Bible lessons.

God has created us uniquely with our own personalities, experiences, knowledge, and abilities. He has also placed us in unique situations where we have our own area of influence. We each know and can reach people for God, that others may not know or who can’t relate to.


Each one of us matters in God’s church.

Isaiah: The Holy One Who Rules The World (XLV)

The Lord God Helps “The Servant” (50:1-11)

Neal Pollard

The first three verses of this chapter seem to better belong with chapter 49, making this an unfortunate chapter break. Isaiah 49:14 says, “But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.'” So, these three verses is His response. There is a set of questions about God’s relationship to Israel followed by a set of questions about Israel’s relationship to God (1-2). His answer to the first set of questions is that their suffering was the result of their unfaithfulness, not His (1). His answer to the second set of questions is that He was able to save them, but they had refused to turn to Him for such (2). His power is limitless and rejecting that power is ludicrous! 

From Isaiah 50:4-11, we hear the voice of The Servant again. In contrast to the faithlessness of the people, The Servant is faithful to the mind and mission of the Lord. He puts His trust in Him in at least three ways.

He credits the Lord God for His gifts (4-5). These center around His tongue (4) and His ears (5). With His words, He would sustain and encourage. With His ears, He would listen and follow the Lord God’s instructions. With open ears, He obediently followed and persevered (5). 

He credits the Lord God for His mission (6). Here, we have the first of many allusions to the suffering servant. This persecuted Servant would be struck, violated, spat upon, and humiliated. One cannot read these words without thinking about what happened to Jesus on the day He was crucified. 

He credits the Lord God for His help (7-9). Twice, He says, “The Lord God helps Me” (7,9). In the light of this assistance, He is confident (7), determined (7-8), convicted (9), and optimistic (9). 

This chapter ends with The Servant calling on men to join Him in trusting the Lord God. They should fear Him, obey Him, trust Him, and rely on Him (10). Walking by the light of their own fire would simply lead to torment (11). It is foolish to reject the Lord God who showed His loving care to His Servant, who wishes to aid all who follow Him. 

14 Tips For Voting

Neal Pollard
  • Exercise your right and privilege as a citizen of this nation to cast your vote. But, if you are convicted such is morally wrong, you would sin to violate your conscience (Rom. 14:23).
  • Pray (for wisdom, for peace, for God’s will, for the future of your family, for our leaders)(1 Tim. 2:1-2).
  • Study the many issues and thoughtfully examine each candidate’s position, making a choice that honors God more than it honors background, family, tradition, or friendships (Mat. 6:33; 10:37).
  • Remember that your decision is private and does not have to be shared with anyone else; if asked, you can always change the subject or respectfully decline to answer.
  • Take comfort in the truth that God is in control and elections do not thwart or overtake His will, but they are the result of His sovereign will (Rom. 13:1ff; Dan. 2:21; 4:17,25).
  • Do not make politics more important than relationships in the church, discerning that the diversity of the spiritual family includes new and weak Christians who might stumble as you assert your rights (Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 8:13; 9:19-22).
  • Make sure any public and/or social media comments on politics (including memes, sharing posts and articles, etc.) pass the salt and light tests (Mat. 5:13-16) and the truth in love test (Eph. 4:15; being both truthful and loving).
  • Place your devotion and allegiance to Christ above your politics, being more passionate to proclaim Him than your candidate of choice (Mat. 6:33).
  • Never forget that, as Christians, our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20); we are citizens of heaven trying to make our way through earth rather than citizens of earth trying to make our way to heaven (2 Pet. 2:11).
  • Take all campaign promises with a grain of salt, realizing candidates may say just about anything to get elected (carefully study their positions over time to get a better idea of where they stand).
  • If you experience anger (associated with politics) before, during, or after this election, do not sin in that anger (Eph. 4:26).
  • Watch your tongue (keyboard)(Jas. 3:2-12).
  • Exercise righteous judgment when seeking to insert political statements and sentiments into the public worship of our God.
  • Never let politics (whether we perceive winds as fair or foul) eclipse your view of your true identity, mission, or destiny (1 Pet. 2:9; Mat. 28:18-20; Col. 3:1-4). Elections always have consequences, but so do our actions (Gal. 6:7-8).

Through Heaven’s Eyes

Landon Bryant

Have you ever felt worthless? Or at the very least unimportant? 

These are very human thoughts and feelings. It doesn’t take very long in scripture to find numerous examples of how God values the people in his kingdom. 

Just a few examples being: 

Matthew 10:29-31, ESV “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Or Jeremiah‬ ‭31‬:‭3‬ ‭NASB2020 “The Lord appeared to him long ago, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you out with kindness.”

And last but not least, Psalm 139:13-14 NIV, NASB “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

With that in mind, I want to tell you about a movie I used to watch as a young boy. 

The Prince of Egypt is an animated children’s movie that attempts to tell the story of the Exodus. As a kid I just thought it was a good movie and never really understood the biblical aspect of the story. Watching it again with children of my own now gave me a fresh perspective. 

Here are the lyrics from one of the musical numbers in the film, and I want you to think about how this might apply to your own life. 

THROUGH HEAVEN’S EYES

“A single thread in a tapestry

Though its color brightly shines

Can never see its purpose

In the pattern of the grand design

And the stone that sits on the very top of the mountains mighty face

Does it think it’s more important than the stones that form the base?

So how can you see what your life is worth or where your value lies?

You can never see through the eyes of man. 

You must look at your life, Look at your life through heaven’s eyes

‬‬ A lake of gold in the desert sand Is less than a cool fresh spring

And to one lost sheep, a shepherd boy is greater than the richest king

If a man loses everything he owns, has he truly lost his worth?

Or is it the beginning of a new and brighter birth?

So how do you measure the worth of a man?

In wealth or strength or size? In how much he gained or how much he gave?

The answer will come to him who tries, to look at his life through heaven’s eyes

And that’s why we share all we have with you, Though there’s little to be found

When all you’ve got is nothing, there’s a lot to go around

No life can escape being blown about by the winds of change and chance

And though you never know all the steps, You must learn to join the dance

So how do you judge what a man is worth, By what he builds or buys?

You can never see with your eyes on earth, 

Look at your life through heaven’s eyes

  • Through Heaven’s Eyes: By Stephen Schwartz. 

Another way of saying this is that it’s about perspective. We all have a purpose, whether we have found it yet or not. We are made in the image of God. The alpha and the omega, the one who spoke everything, literally everything, into existence. No matter how broken this life becomes nothing in this world can take that away from you. 

Don’t count yourself out on any grounds. Just because you can’t see how you are supposed to shine in this brightly colored tapestry of Gods people doesn’t mean you aren’t as important as any other of those threads around you. 

Isaiah: Trusting The Holy One Who Rules The World (XLIII)

Listen To Me (48:1-22)!

Neal Pollard

James Smith neatly summarizes the last 27 chapters of Isaiah as an introduction of two servants of God. He writes, “One was obedient, the other disobedient. The first was an individual; the second represented the entire nation” (OT Survey Series, 128). Starting at the end of chapter 44 through the end of this chapter, Isaiah predicts the coming of Cyrus the Great well before even his birth. But Cyrus is not the point; He’s an illustration of the point. The point is about the rock solid nature of God’s Word! Twice, He calls to Israel and says, “Hear me!” (1,12). He declares and proclaims (3). He prefaces His revelation by stating, “Thus says the Lord…” (17). He admonishes them to pay attention to His commandments (18). He punctuates statements with “says the Lord” (17,22). All of this is a summons to listen to Him!

Notice God’s case for the people to hear His word.

He accurately foretells the future (3-5). From long ago, He declared things before they happened. Knowing how hardhearted the people were, He did this as a loving act to soften those hearts. Their idols could not do this (5)!

He foretells new things that had not been before (6-8). Here is proof of His unique nature. They could not compare what He prophecies with anything like it in their past. They could not have imagined it and they had no experience with it, proving God’s superlative ways. 

He acts in the defense and protection of His own character (9-11). All that He did and the things He chose not to do which demonstrated His mercy was a show of love, but even more than that it was in harmony with His perfect character. Three times, He says, “For my sake.” For His praise and glory, He did these marvelous things. 

He backs up His word with His unmatched power (12-16). He is first in time (12), best by means of creation (13), superior by reason of sustaining (13), unparalleled because of His love (14), and all of it proves what He can make and do like no one else can! 

His words have unmatched value (17-22). Notice. His words teach one to profit (17). His words lead to well-being and righteousness (18). His words leads men to pave a better road for their children (19). His word gives redemption (20). His word leads to providence and blessings (20-21).

God is about to talk to His people about the prospect of their restoration (ch. 49-55). But first, they needed to prepare their hearts and change their lives. Truly, “When people fall away from God, he will challenge them in various ways. In this case God calls for his people to listen to him, to hear him out, and respond accordingly. If they would just take into consideration who God is (the Creator, Lord of history, Redeemer, Holy One, Teacher, and Leader), then God would be able to pour out his blessing on his people” (G. Smith, NAC, 333). 

A Biblical Flood In Our Time:

Hurricane Helene’s Lessons

Brent Pollard

In a remarkable display of divine providence, a changing storm pattern guided Helene far to the east, sparing my cherished home in the north Georgia mountains from its fury. Though this may bring scant solace to those affected by the storms in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, I reflect on the profound insights that the sorrowful occurrences of late September 2024 have unveiled. Sometimes, extreme weather events’ catastrophic character justifies using terms like “biblical.” Indeed, WUNC’s Due South featured an article on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, capturing the devastation with the phrase “biblical destruction.”

Peter tells us that the great flood swept away the world existing before Noah’s days (2 Peter 3.6). Similarly, WSPA shared a segment from their newscast on YouTube, aptly titled “Hurricane Helene Geographically Changed Western NC River, Fire Chief Said.” In the report, the journalist referenced a first responder from Swannanoa, who shared that the landscape surrounding the Swannanoa River had transformed significantly over the three days of relentless rain and flooding. This change necessitated remapping the area to facilitate the rescue of individuals and the execution of other essential duties!

One might ponder how three days of rain could bring about such a remarkable transformation. Yet, Helene’s four outcomes turned the familiar into the terra incognito.

  • Channel shifts: Rivers and streams changed course, forming new channels or eroding existing ones.
  • Sediment deposition: Floodwaters transported significant sediment downstream, affecting riverbeds and water quality.
  • Landslides: Heavy rainfall created instability, resulting in landslides that blocked waterways and altered water flow. 
  • Erosion: Increased water flow has accelerated erosion, particularly in areas with vulnerable soils, altering the shape and depth of river valleys.

From September 25 to 27, Yancey County, North Carolina, got hit with a remarkable 31.3 inches of rain in just a few days. This recorded amount is the highest in the region, surpassing all others with noteworthy distinction. But what if you were to multiply that number by forty days? What wonders might forty days bring if three days can transform a place beyond recognition? Noah constructed the Ark as a refuge amidst the deluge that engulfed the earth, resulting from relentless forty-day rain and the shattering of the planet’s vast aquifers (Genesis 7.11–12).

Anyone who survived Hurricane Helene’s destructive energy will find it more difficult to dismiss the idea of an angry God using water to cleanse the world’s surface of a creation that had become too pesky with its sin. Indeed, it is not difficult to believe that God could use a flood to inundate the world, but that in so admits that there is One to whom we must all account (cf. Romans 14.12). This admission is what the skeptic and scoffer seek to avoid.

The profound effects of Hurricane Helene stand as a poignant reminder of nature’s untamed strength and our enduring fragility in the face of forces that lie beyond our grasp. Though our technological advancements allow us to monitor, assess, and occasionally foresee these devastating occurrences, nature’s power reminds us of her power to transform our world in just a matter of days. The changing landscape of western North Carolina resonates with timeless stories of divine influence woven through the fabric of nature, inviting both the faithful and the doubtful to ponder deeper truths about our connection to the world around us and, perhaps, to its Maker. As communities rise anew and adjust to their transformed landscapes, the teachings of Helene—echoing the timeless story of Noah’s flood—persist in their relevance, urging us to honor the power of nature and recognize our limitations as we journey through the challenges of our ever-changing world.

How Do You Describe His Love?

Carl Pollard

Ephesians 3:17–19 says, “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”

Looking at the context of these verses, Paul tells us that through the power of the Spirit, and because of the indwelling of Christ, we are to become established in love and being established in love, we have power to comprehend the love of Christ. 

But how do you describe such a love? Paul says, “comprehend what is the breadth, and length and height and depth.” But he purposefully left off what it is that he was describing. So what does he mean? It takes in the eternity of God. God is Love; and in that, an infinity of breadth, length, depth, and height, is included; or rather all breadth, length, depth, and height, are lost in this immensity. It comprehends all that is above, all that is below, all that is past, and all that is to come. All of this is said in reference to human beings. The love of God, in its breadth, is a net that encompasses the globe; its length reaches from the eternal purpose of the mission of Christ, to the eternity which is to be spent in his glory; its depth reaches to the lowest sinner, and to the deepest depravity of the human heart; and its height to the infinite glory of the throne of Christ.

How do you describe the love of Christ? We can’t. No one has ever shown this amount of love for this many sinful people. And yet we still act like we have power, like we are above God. Man on his own has no power. 

But God has given us the opportunity to have the power to comprehend His Son’s love. 

Comprehension is defined as “to process information, understand, grasp.” A child growing up hears from their parents that they love him. He hears it every day, but he never fully comprehends that love until he has kids of his own. A person will go through something traumatic, and the first couple of hours he is in shock. He knows what happened, but he hasn’t comprehended it yet. Sadly, we can hear about the love of Christ, and we can hear God’s Word. But this isn’t the same as comprehension. 

Growing up, I hated literature. I can remember reading the Iliad, eyes glazed over, and just seeing words on a page. I couldn’t tell you a thing about what I was reading. I wasn’t comprehending. Paul says, “And to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19). And to GNOSKO the love of Christ. A working knowledge as opposed to factual knowledge. This is comprehension, a useful knowledge of Christ’s love. As a faithful Christian, you can comprehend the love of Christ. And knowing His love is power. We sing, “Amazing love! How can it be? That you, my God would die for me.” To be powerful is to comprehend the love of Christ. And in comprehending we live out his love. That is our purpose as Christians.

Isaiah: The Holy One Who Rules The World (XLII)

Comparing Bel And Babylon To The Lord (46:1-47:15)

Neal Pollard

Isaiah: Trusting The Holy One Who Rules The World

Comparing Babylon To The Lord (46:1-47:15)

Neal Pollard

It seems plausible that the central idea in Isaiah 46-48 is given in the statement, “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me” (46:9). You will notice a decided contrast, specifically between the Lord with Bel and Nebo (46:1) and between God and Babylon (47:1). The Babylonians are associated with their gods, and God calls His people to sit in the jury and judge between both. The verdict is a foregone conclusion, if they will honestly examine the evidence. At least five pieces of evidence are brought forth in these two chapters. 

His Power (46:1-7). By contrast, Bel, Nebo, and any material god must be created by man before it can be worshipped. It cannot save (2). It must be carried to the place of worship and set up before men fall before it (7). It is inanimate, inaudible, and impotent (7). But God made us, carries us, and saves us (4).

His Perception (46:8-10). It is in this section that the aforementioned statement is made of the special, unique nature of God (9). “He declares the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done” (10). For an example, look at the previous chapters where He presents for their consideration a king who would not be born for well over a century when Isaiah writes. Our God has perfect foreknowledge. None other has that ability.

His Purpose (46:10-13). As a part of His foreknowledge, God sets forth His purpose. He declares His purpose and counsel (10), then reveals what it is. It involves using a man from a far country, whom He calls a “bird of prey” (11). It is not shown here who that is. Jeremiah and Ezekiel call Nebuchadnezzar an eagle (Jer. 49:22; Ezek. 17:3). But the main thing is not the predator, but the God who purposes to use him. He purposes what He does in order to bring about His righteousness and salvation (13). Whatever He purposes will happen (Job 42:2), and He purposes only what is good and right (Gen. 18:25).

His Perseverance (47:1-9). The attention is suddenly turned upon Babylon, with God sending this nation a message even before it rises to global prominence. Isaiah appears to look past the Assyrians and the Babylonians to the Medo-Persian rise to power as a world empire. Cyrus will humble and subjugate Babylon, a sign that God has not given up on His people. God was angry at His people for their sin and would use Babylon to punish them (47:6), but this heathen nation was foolish not to see that they could not flaunt His will and survive. 

His Purity (47:10-15). Isaiah lays out the sin and wickedness of Babylon–lovers of pleasure (8), complacent (8), wickedness (10), sinful pride (10), and sorcery (12). It would harm them and any who allied with them (15). The next chapter will vindicate the character of God, but He is not susceptible to any of these spiritual impurities. He is the antithesis of them.

A recurring theme of Scripture is something we often sing, that “there is no God like Jehovah.” How foolish to trust anything or anyone besides Him. God’s Old Testament people made that mistake to their harm and destruction. We must not follow their footsteps, in view of our Awesome and only God! 

Isaiah: The Holy One Who Rules The World (XLI)

God’s Use Of A Persian King (45:1-25)

Neal Pollard

Isaiah writes in the 8th Century B.C. about a man who would reign nearly 200 years later. He calls him by his name (4), which is a Persian rather than a Jewish name. It must have seemed strange to Isaiah’s audience given not just the man’s ethnicity but his nation’s relative obscurity at the time of the prophet’s writing. Much of this chapter is devoted to explaining how Cyrus’ rise and his benevolent actions is a clear, powerful statement about the greatness and uniqueness of God. 

DIVINE DIRECTION (1-8). Isaiah walks through God’s plan to accomplish His will through Cyrus. He calls him His “anointed” (the Hebrew word “messiah”). That He will be with and empower this Persian is graphically explained: “whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed” (1). God tells the nation what He will do through Cyrus (2-3) and that He does so for their sake and so they will know His power and love (4-8). The reason behind all of this is to turn the heart of His people back toward Him, that they would trust and obey Him. It is interesting to read the ancient historian Josephus, who writes that Cyrus read the book of Isaiah prompting him to order the rebuilding of the temple and even its dimensions (Antiquities XI.5-7; XV.386). 

DIVINE SOVERIGNTY (9-13). A natural response to what we read in the first eight verses is, “Why?” Why use a foreign king and speak so favorably of him? Why make such a plan? God explains by pointing out His sovereignty, His supreme and ultimate power. It is like clay arguing with a potter or a child questioning its parents concerning how or why it came to be (9-10). God has absolute right as Creator to do as He pleases (11-13), and the rest of this chapter demonstrates that He can be trusted to act in only righteous and perfect ways. That includes His utilization of Cyrus in His plans (13). 

DIVINE SALVATION (14-25). I like James Smith’s analysis of this plan of salvation articulated by Isaiah. Taking verses 9-25 together, Smith says:

  • God’s plan was unchallengeable in its origin (9ff).
  • God’s plan was consistent in its direction (11-13).
  • God’s plan was universal in its scope (14).
  • God’s plan was certain in its result (15-17).
  • God’s plan was rational in its design (18-25).

(Major Prophets, 134).

While the prophecy about Cyrus would be fulfilled in 536 B.C. and the temple would be completed in 520, there is with Isaiah a look at ultimate salvation. The justification and salvation Isaiah writes of in this more specific sense would be brought about through the God whose character and nature would be most perfectly shown in the coming of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Isaiah is looking forward, not just a few hundred years but over 700 years to the coming of the Savior. Do you see glimpses of this is statements like, “To me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance” (23b; Phil. 2:10-11)? 

Isaiah’s audience trusted in Assyria and Egypt to be their Savior. They could not pick for themselves a deliverer better than God could. Cyrus would prove this point, but Jesus would be the ultimate demonstration of this truth! 

Bread And Circuses

Neal Pollard

An early second-century Latin satirist named Juvenal is credited with giving the world the phrase, “bread and circuses.” In context, he wrote, “They shed their sense of responsibility long ago, when they lost their votes, and the bribes; the mob that used to grant power, high office, the legions, everything, curtails its desires, and reveals its anxiety for two things only, bread and circuses (Book 2, lines 10.56-89). The predominant idea in this now-famous line is that the populace lost its interest in political freedom and civic responsibility, being numbed and lured most by physical satisfaction and entertainment. In modern times, the phrase has been used to speak of food and entertainment being used by the government to keep people happy and submissive.

What makes this such an effective strategy? Perhaps it is a human tendency to favor pleasure over hard work and laziness over critical thinking, among other things. A love of ease and the illusion of peace can cause a person to surrender things of far greater value to keep them. Those things might be absolute truth, God-given moral values, personal sacrifice, care of and connection to community, charity, and similar building blocks of society. When we reduce our existence to placating our baser desires, we let go of what is much more valuable and this is to our ultimate harm. 

No doubt we see this increasingly in our national political environment, but can we succumb to the mindset of yearning for “bread and circuses” in the religious realm? Apparently so. Paul warned about “difficult times” when men would be “lovers of self, lovers of money…and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1,2,4). In such times, they would “not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:3-4). It seems easier to follow the flesh than to live by faith, but it is spiritually fatal. It is described as going from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim. 3:13). In the first letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, “But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives” (1 Tim. 5:6).

This isn’t to suggest that being a foodie or that watching TV shows and movies is sinful. That misses the greater point of Scripture. It is possible to let life become more about gratifying our bodies and putting our greater focus on the things of this world, and that is sinful. Paul tells us how to put all of that in its proper place, urging, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). “Bread and circuses” can be legitimate ways to build connections with people whose never-dying souls will live somewhere, but they can never become an end in themselves. We were created for infinitely more! 

Isaiah: The Holy One Who Rules The World (XL)

God Vs. Gods (44:1-28)

Neal Pollard

God calls to His chosen people, reminding them that He formed them and set them apart for Himself (1). Everything He promises in this chapter is built upon the foundation of that truth. They were perpetually guilty of aiming infinitely too low in what to place their trust in. As we read, we can relate to that. We doublecheck our investments, log a great many minutes in our workout routines and dietary plans, expend a lot of passion and energy into political matters, and engage our hearts in other earthly things while ignoring and neglecting the God who made us and set us apart by Christ. Because He has given His Son, we have even less reason to misplace our trust today. Walk though this powerful chapter and make the comparison the prophet leads Israel to make.

Recognize You Belong To God (1-5). Just as He chose them (1), He speaks of all He has provided for them as their God. He mentions water (3), His Spirit (3), and fruitfulness (4). Consequently, His discerning people would say, “I am the Lord’s” and revel in being claimed by Him (5). This came with blessings for them and their descendants. 

Trust In The True God (6-23). God sets Himself apart by who He is–Lord, King, Redeemer, and Lord of hosts (speaking of military might)(6). He proves Himself trustworthy by His unique nature, calling on them to compare Him to the gods of the nations around Him. Gary Smith provides a great chart which shows the contrasts stated and implied in the text here: 

What was said?What contrast was implied?
1. Men “form” idols (44:9)God “forms” the world and his people
2. Idols do not help; give no profit (44:9)God strengthens and helps his people
3. Their witness does not see, know (44:9)God’s witnesses see and know
4. Idol makers tremble in fear (44:11)God’s people need not fear
5. Idol makers will be ashamed (44:11)God’s people will not be ashamed
6. Idol makers get tired and weary (44:12) God’s strengthens so people are not weary
7. Idol makers measure on  wood (44:13)God measures out the heavens with his hand
8. Idols are images of humanity (44:13)God made man in his image
9. Idols are wood and metal (44:14)God made the wood and the metals
10. People worship what they make (44:15) The Maker/Creator should be worshipped
11. People seek divine deliverance (44:17)Only God can bring real deliverance
12. Idols blind people’s eyes (44:18)God opens people’s eyes
13. Idols give no understanding (44:19)God gives wisdom and understanding
14. Idolatry is a deceptive lie (44:20)God reveals the truth
15. Idols lead people astray (44:20)God calls people to turn from lies

(NAC, 239).

Isaiah presents the case, showing how utterly ludicrous it is to trust in a god that one has to make, who is useless, who is mindless, who is powerless, and who after he has crafted it worships it. He writes, “he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it” (15).

Instead, by discerning who God is, the people appreciate how fully He has forgiven them (22). Their right-thinking response is to praise Him for being a God without rival (23).

Understand That We Are Restored By God (24-28). He is our Creator and Sustainer (24). He has the ability to do what He promises and determines. This God is the One who promises to rebuild, to even do so by the hands of a foreign power who is hundreds of years from being born (28). A God without limits of power and who sees the future as if it is the past is the God who promises to restore His people.