|
Ho, every one
that thirsteth,
|
|
Ho, every one
that thirsteth,
|
How can one buy without money?
If one doesn't have money, what can one buy without money?
Foremost, we must stop to listen to what God want to say to us! "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David" (Isaiah 55:3). We need to hear the Word of God. God desires to make a new covenant with us. God has given David as a witness to us. "Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people" (Isaiah 55:4). God want to prosper us before other nations. "Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee" (Isaiah 55:5). God wants to put some of His GLORY upon you that will attract others to you.
What must we do? "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near" (Isaiah 55:6). However, HOW does one seek God??? One will not and can not seek God apart from the Word of God. "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:14-17). Again, one can only seek and find God through HIS WORD!
To seek after God, one must give up his own thoughts and own ways. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:7). WHY??? God say, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9). Now I have always heard preachers interpret this to mean that one can never attain to thinking God's thoughts or to walk in God's ways. However, that is NOT the context! Remember the the enemy is the accuser of Believers (Revelation 12:10). The devil takes the words and twists them to condemn us.
O.K. Then how can we attain to thinking God's
thoughts and to walk in His ways? First, God give us a natural illustration.
"For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven,
and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring
forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:"
(Isaiah 55:10).
|
We should understand that natural man can not make it rain or snow, neither can he stop the rain or snow from falling. Both the rain and the snow come down from heaven from God. It has the purpose to bring fruitfulness to the earth. Once, my wife and I camped in the desert. That night it rained. The next day I stood in amazement looking at the desert flowers that bloomed overnight. The rain had cause the flowers to bloom in a matter of hours. Furthermore, the rain cost us nothing. It is free! However, the rain and snow are symbols of the Word of God that God has sent to us.
Like the rain and snow, God says, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11). You may not be financially wealthy, but if you have the Word of God you have something for more of value. Why? Look at the following scripture:
"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward" (Psalms 19:7-11).God's Word can bring fruitfulness in our lives. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7). The Word is like the precious seed that the sower sows. "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:5-6). If a person continues to sow the seed of the Word in his life, God will cause it to bear fruit.
The bread is another symbol of the Word of God. "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Peter speaks of the Word being like milk, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (I Peter 2:2).
The way that God's thoughts become our thought is through the Word. The way that God's ways become our ways is through the Word. "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2). We are not to allow the world to pour us into a mold, but we are to renew our minds. How are we to renew our minds? We are to renew our minds with the Word of God.
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8).In fact, we are to bring every thought captive. "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:5). We do this by comparing the thoughts to the Word of God. Furthermore, we are to test the spirits. "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). The major way that we do this is though the Word of God."Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalms 1:1-3).
"Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all" (I Timothy 4:15).
Here will be the results: "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands" (Isaiah 55:12). Through the Word we find can find JOY ... PEACE... and rejoicing.
"Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off" (Isaiah 55:13). Those who don't have the Word are like the thorny tree. They are critical, going around poking people and hurting people. However, those with the word are like the fir tree which is a symbol of dignity, usefulness, and of refinement. Those without the Word are like the crooked, ugly briar that often gives a bad aroma. Those with the Word are like the myrtle tree which is leafy and gives off an sweet aroma. The myrtle is often used in decoration for celebrations. The myrtle was also an evergreen tree that stayed alive all year. What kind of tree are YOU?
 |
