Last week, we learned about trusting God from Hezekiah.  I love that even when we lose some battles, even when we give in to fear and doubt and begin to compromise, even if we give to our enemy that which belongs to God, there is still hope for us!

If we lay everything out before the Lord and surrender it into His hands, no matter how much of a mess it may be, He is able to redeem our situation.  God is able to give us a victory and restore to us that which has been lost.

There isn’t a whole lot in this life that we can trust, but the Lord is certainly One who is always trustworthy.  He is the only constant in this ever-changing life.

We recently completed a Bible study going through the book of Isaiah.  We learned the heart-breaking and painful result of not trusting God and walking in rebellion and sin against Him.  When God removed His covering over His people, their enemies came rushing in to overcome and destroy them.

Even in the midst of this correction and discipline, God still pursued His people and reminded them of His promises to them.  If only they would return to Him and place their trust in Him once again, He would deliver and restore and bless them.

Still, the people would not listen to God.  They refused to admit that they had sinned, refused to admit that they had done anything wrong.  God used Assyria as a tool of discipline to correct His people in hopes that they would turn their hearts back to Him, that they would repent.

Isaiah was faced with a decision.  He had to either go along with the rest of God’s people, believing and trusting what they say and do, or, trust in the Lord.

Isaiah 8:11-13;17;19-22

11 This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people:

12 “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. 13 The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.”

This word of the Lord to Isaiah is just as relevant and impactful today to us now as it was to him then.

12 “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. 13 The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.”

What is the difference between conspiracy and prophecy?

Conspiracy connects the dots of facts in such a way as to paint a picture that usually leads us to distrust and fear and anger and many of the other fruits of the flesh.  Conspiracies can even contain the word of God and be mislabeled as prophecy, which can make it tricky to discern at times.  Its source is ultimately man’s imagination planning and scheming.

Biblical prophecy has the goal, even when it is a word of warning, of this:

1 Corinthians 14:3

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

Prophecy connects the dots of facts in such a way as to paint a picture from God’s perspective that leads us into His promises.  Prophecy causes us to place our trust in the Lord, to possess peace that surpasses all understanding, and to have hope and many of the other fruits of the Spirit.  Its source is God, Himself.  Therefore, it speaks and reveals truth.

Isaiah responded to God’s warning to him with a commitment.  It is a commitment that we should all make here and now as well.  Isaiah committed not to trust people, not to trust conspiracies, and not to trust the bad reports spreading throughout the nation.  Isaiah said:

17 I will wait for the Lord,

    who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob.

I will put my trust in him.

He went on to encourage God’s people to do the same.  He encouraged them to seek after God for themselves and reminded them again of the dire results of failing to do so.

19 When someone tells you to consult mediums and sp