Psalm 2:1-4 - Psalm 2:1-4 (NIV)

1Why do the nations conspire

and the peoples plot in vain?

2The kings of the earth rise up

and the rulers band together

against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,

3Let us break their chains

and throw off their shackles.

4The One enthroned in heaven LAUGHS;

the Lord scoffs at them.

Are you disturbed by world affairs. Don’t be. No one is getting away with anything. The world is acting so foolish that God laughs at them. This is not a humorous laugh, but a dismissive laugh like thinking “you have to be kidding me”. The Creator of heaven and earth sees the nations conspire and plot out their human solutions. God sees the rulers band together against HIS Anointed, Jesus. They throw off anything that restricts their fleshly desires. God sees all this foolishness and HE is almost in disbelief thinking, “you have to be kidding me”. We are secure because we know that God is fully aware of the world situation and our situation. Therefore, we depend on God to guide and protect us based on truth.

Isaiah 48:10 - Isaiah 48:10 (NIV) See, I have “refined” you, though not as silver; I have “tested” you in the furnace of affliction.

We are God’s witnesses on this earth. God’s standard is perfection which was demonstrated by Jesus Christ. Therefore, God moves in our life to remove the impurities that hinder our ministry to HIM. We are saved by God’s Grace. We are totally forgiven and accepted by God just the way we are. Just as the old hymn says, “Just as I am, O Lamb of God I come.” So true but God loves us so much that HE will not leave us in our state of impurity. God will refine us to be pure silver and gold.

Isaiah 66:2 - Isaiah 66:2b (NIV) These are the ones I look on with favor:

those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who TREMBLE AT MY WORD.

Humble – I can’t but God can. Contrite – Crushed – Void of any personal strength. These are the people who recognize God as the creator of all things who holds all things together. These are the people that recognize that God’s Word is eternal and has the power to create and the power to destroy.

Amos 7:14-15 - Amos 7:14–15 (ESV) 14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman (cattle tender) and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”

Over the years, I have known some powerful men of God. Three of those men sincerely believed that there would be a great move of God before Jesus returned. They believed this latter day move of God would “not” start with the well-known and famous but would be a grass roots Holy Spirit empowered move of God. Amos is an example of this. God chose Amos to carry HIS message to the nation. Yet he was not famous, nor did he claim to be. He wasn’t a prophet or the son of a prophet. He was a farmer who took care of the cattle, sheep, and trees. Amos was one of the Least in society in a rural area, yet God chose him. Even in the NT we see that Jesus didn’t choose the famous to proclaim HIS message.

Deuteronomy 4:7 - Deuteronomy 4:7 (ESV) For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?

There was never a nation that could call upon God as their God. Then God called on Abraham and he believed God and God grew the nation of Israel from him. This na1on had the Privileged Position of being called the apple of God’s eye. Jesus’ human lineage came through the na1on of Israel. Although this nation failed in many ways, Jesus fulfilled all

that God desired. Now today we hold the Privileged Position of being called the people of God, the Holy Nation as stated in 1Peter 2:9. The church and individual believers have proven to fall short of God’s intended purpose.

John 14:26 - John 14:26 (ESV) The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, HE WILL TEACH YOU all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

There was a good book written serval years ago by Francis Chan by this title. Also, I gave a message under this title 10 years ago. Hopefully I have learned a few things since then. Before I share my thoughts, we need to acknowledge the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. The Trinity is the word to identify God who embodies three persons who each are fully God yet are one in unity and purpose. For the Christian, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit make up the one God. As a third graded explained it to me, it is like an egg. An egg is made up of the yoke, white, and the shell. While each part is equal and necessary, all three must be present to have an egg. As Christians we most often call upon andinvoke the names of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son; as in Dear God help me or Sweet Jesus answer my prayer, etc. Last week we correctly acknowledged that the Bible is the revelation of Christ and the redemption of man. This is true because without Jesus, we do not have a Savior or salvation. However, we also see in this verse that God the Father will send us the Holy Spirit to enable us to live life here on earth. Therefore, the Holy Spirit, the Helper, as crucially important.

Isaiah 52:13-15 - Isaiah 52:13 Behold, Jesus shall act wisely; HE shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.

The Bible is the unfolding revelation of Christ and the redemption of man. This should be always on our lips. In Isaiah, 800 years before the birth of Jesus we have a detailed

prophecy about Jesus and the redemption of man. As a heads

up based on my own understanding, I have paraphrased in

places for clarification. Also, I added Jesus’ name where it was

clearly talking about the Messiah. Plus, I have used various

Bible translations, and some commentary references.

However, I am confident that each one of you through your

own Bible study of the inerrant Word of God will determine if

these things are accurate.

Here we see that Jesus will be high and lifted up and shall be

exalted. But before Jesus is exalted, He had to suffer terribly

being beaten and then crucified on the Cross as described.

Ephesians 5:31-32 - In Ephesians, Paul tells us that it is a profound mystery - that the relationship between a husband and wife is parallel to the relationship between a Believer and Christ!

Isaiah 40:13 - Isaiah 40:13 (NIV) O/H

Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD,

or instruct the LORD as HIS counselor?

If we think we can comprehend the greatness of God, we have

a weak limited God that cannot be fully trusted.

Isaiah 50:4 - Isaiah 50:4 (NIV)

The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue,

to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

This is a follow up from last week’s message on Each One is to

be a shield from the wind and a stream of water in the desert.

We comfort the distraught in the chaos surrounding them.

This morning we see that God is asking us to be ready with

words for the weary. This means that in the chaos of life we

are not the ones complaining, but through Christ we are the

ones who have words of truth, hope and power. We are the

light of the world. However, to have words to sustain the

weary, we must receive from Jesus the before we can offer any

comfort to others. By examining this verse, we see how we

can fulfill our God given ministry to those who are struggling.