WEBVTT 00:00:04.227 --> 00:00:08.554 If you would grab your Bibles and let's go back to Isaiah 40. 00:00:08.554 --> 00:00:11.147 We're going to start in verse 21. 00:00:11.147 --> 00:00:15.964 Do you not know? 00:00:15.964 --> 00:00:18.091 Do you not hear? 00:00:18.091 --> 00:00:21.088 Has it not been told to you from the beginning? 00:00:21.088 --> 00:00:24.530 Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:41.667 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to dwell in, who brings princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. 00:00:41.667 --> 00:00:49.362 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth. 00:00:49.362 --> 00:00:59.344 When he blows on them and they wither and the tempest carries them off like stubble To him, then will you compare me? 00:00:59.344 --> 00:01:02.988 That I should be like him, says the Holy One. 00:01:02.988 --> 00:01:03.969 I should be like him, says the Holy One. 00:01:03.969 --> 00:01:18.361 Lift up your eyes on high and see who created these, he who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name. 00:01:18.382 --> 00:01:22.450 By the greatness of his might and because of his strong in power, not one is missing. 00:01:22.450 --> 00:01:26.316 Why do you say O Jacob and speak O Israel? 00:01:26.316 --> 00:01:33.590 My way is hidden from the Lord and my right is disregarded by my God. 00:01:33.590 --> 00:01:36.555 Have you not known, have you not heard. 00:01:36.555 --> 00:01:41.468 The Lord is everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. 00:01:41.468 --> 00:01:44.013 He does not faint or grow weary. 00:01:44.013 --> 00:01:46.817 He does not faint or grow weary. 00:01:46.817 --> 00:01:48.301 His understanding is unsearchable. 00:01:48.301 --> 00:01:51.643 He gives power to the faint and to him who has no might. 00:01:51.643 --> 00:01:52.924 He increases strength. 00:01:52.924 --> 00:01:58.007 Even you shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted. 00:01:58.007 --> 00:02:02.691 But they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. 00:02:02.691 --> 00:02:05.793 They shall mount up with wings like eagles. 00:02:05.793 --> 00:02:08.155 They shall run and not be weary. 00:02:08.155 --> 00:02:09.936 The word of God. 00:02:10.015 --> 00:02:23.376 For the people of God, you may be seated. 00:02:23.376 --> 00:02:27.027 Excuse me, get a little bit of ring up here. 00:02:27.027 --> 00:02:36.256 If I can fix that before I get into this, that would be fantastic. 00:02:36.256 --> 00:02:59.382 Check 1-2, 1-2, 1-2. 00:02:59.382 --> 00:03:00.804 Well, the strongest of men and women eventually grow weary. 00:03:00.843 --> 00:03:22.439 65 million people tuned in several days ago to Netflix to stream the epic fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, and this is a vast understatement, but it didn't quite live up to the expectations. 00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:27.401 Matter of fact, when I tuned in, all I saw was the circle trying to load Netflix. 00:03:27.401 --> 00:03:33.943 But I went back and watched clips and I know that many say it was rigged and there's reason to believe that. 00:03:33.943 --> 00:03:40.222 But regardless, here's what I know Mike Tyson today is not the fighter that I remember. 00:03:40.222 --> 00:03:44.234 He's not even the fighter that was on Mike Tyson's punch out. 00:03:44.234 --> 00:04:00.989 All right, some of you remember that it was obvious that as the fight went on, that Tyson, this once great heavyweight champion and hall of fame boxer, was getting very weary. 00:04:00.989 --> 00:04:04.484 He's weaker than he used to be, though I still wouldn't mess with him. 00:04:04.484 --> 00:04:11.743 You know, life often feels like a boxing match, doesn't it? 00:04:11.743 --> 00:04:20.706 Fight after fight, one opponent after another, you survive one round, you go exhausted. 00:04:20.706 --> 00:04:24.567 Sit in the corner, drink some water, get some encouragement. 00:04:24.567 --> 00:04:33.149 It seems like you've been there mere seconds when you hear the bell ring again and you're called back to the canvas. 00:04:33.149 --> 00:04:41.752 Life, the flesh and the devil have a way of draining us, depleting our strength. 00:04:41.752 --> 00:04:46.512 Both, you could say, say emotionally, spiritually and physically. 00:04:46.512 --> 00:04:50.826 Anybody weary today? 00:04:50.826 --> 00:04:57.451 I came today as we continue our series through Isaiah, chapter 40. 00:04:57.451 --> 00:05:26.504 I came with a word for the weary and if you're not weary this morning, if you don't feel weak, I would suggest you still tune in, because in one phone call, with one call into the boss's office, with one diagnosis, with one conversation, everything can change and you will realize how frail you really are. 00:05:26.524 --> 00:05:31.514 In Isaiah, chapter 40, isaiah is writing to a generation. 00:05:31.514 --> 00:05:33.899 He begins. 00:05:33.899 --> 00:05:34.862 This is a transition chapter. 00:05:34.862 --> 00:05:46.899 He moves from addressing his contemporaries to writing to a generation who, at the time of his writing, had not even been born yet, who at the time of his writing, had not even been born yet. 00:05:46.899 --> 00:05:52.831 It anticipates the future people of Judah, god's people, the Hebrews, who would find themselves as exiles in Babylon. 00:05:52.831 --> 00:06:05.454 And by the time they received these words from Isaiah, they are weak and weary and tired and frustrated. 00:06:05.454 --> 00:06:16.889 But Isaiah, in chapter 40 and on to the rest of the book Gives encouragement to the weary exiles. 00:06:22.702 --> 00:06:34.055 In verse 9, that's kind of been our theme verse for this series Isaiah challenges the exiles to behold their God. 00:06:34.055 --> 00:06:42.269 In other words, the exiles were looking at their problems and Isaiah says look to your God. 00:06:42.269 --> 00:06:44.269 They were looking at the strength of their enemies and Isaiah says look to your God. 00:06:44.269 --> 00:06:48.709 They were looking at the strength of their enemies and Isaiah says look to your God. 00:06:48.709 --> 00:06:56.230 They were looking at their own weakness and Isaiah says look to your God. 00:06:59.221 --> 00:07:07.401 At the end of this chapter we find one of the most familiar passages in the Bible, verse 31,. 00:07:07.401 --> 00:07:10.968 They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. 00:07:10.968 --> 00:07:14.774 It's a word for the weary. 00:07:14.774 --> 00:07:19.230 Somebody ought to smile at me this morning, because this is better news than you're letting on. 00:07:19.230 --> 00:07:21.925 They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. 00:07:21.925 --> 00:07:24.250 They shall mount up with wings like eagles. 00:07:24.250 --> 00:07:26.254 They shall run and not grow weary. 00:07:26.254 --> 00:07:28.569 They shall walk and not faint. 00:07:28.569 --> 00:07:29.964 Oh, what a promise. 00:07:32.223 --> 00:07:39.733 See, the problem with the exiles is this God promised them as they were in Babylon. 00:07:39.733 --> 00:07:42.428 He said I'm going to bring you back to the Holy Land. 00:07:42.428 --> 00:07:44.127 I'm going to bring you back to Jerusalem. 00:07:44.127 --> 00:07:56.269 And then the book of Isaiah anticipates another and greater promise that there would be a Messiah who would come through the line of Judah and would ultimately deliver and save his people. 00:07:56.269 --> 00:08:07.221 The problem with that is, I mean, they had this great hope, this great hope. 00:08:07.221 --> 00:08:10.730 But the problem is, as one pastor said, there's a lot of time between isaiah until you get to matthew, mark, luke and john. 00:08:11.833 --> 00:08:14.819 So the question becomes what do you do in the meantime? 00:08:14.819 --> 00:08:17.884 Beloved, we have a promise, don't we? 00:08:17.884 --> 00:08:28.673 We christ has come and he has died for us, and we are saved in christ, and the promise of the lord is that he's going to return again. 00:08:28.673 --> 00:08:29.665 Can I get a witness? 00:08:29.665 --> 00:08:36.730 He's going to come in glory and bring justice to the earth, renew his creation and we shall forever be with the Lord. 00:08:36.730 --> 00:08:38.105 Oh, what a promise. 00:08:38.105 --> 00:08:39.188 Oh, what a hope. 00:08:40.623 --> 00:08:43.792 The question becomes the same as what the exiles faced. 00:08:43.792 --> 00:08:46.188 But what do we do in the meantime? 00:08:46.188 --> 00:09:04.270 You see, there are some people who masquerade themselves as preachers, telling you that if you come to Christ and you have enough faith that you will never be sick and you will never struggle and you will always be successful. 00:09:04.270 --> 00:09:06.302 But that's not what the bible teaches. 00:09:06.302 --> 00:09:15.482 Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come, and that continues even through the christian life. 00:09:15.482 --> 00:09:22.869 And god does not promise us that he will get us around every problem, though sometimes he does bring us out. 00:09:22.869 --> 00:09:27.964 But, but often what God does and the promise here is I'm going to bring you through. 00:09:27.964 --> 00:09:32.153 If you wait on me, I will give you strength. 00:09:32.153 --> 00:09:35.163 Listen, you shall walk and not faint. 00:09:35.163 --> 00:09:38.250 This is a walk, day by day by day. 00:09:38.250 --> 00:09:39.133 It's a grind. 00:09:39.133 --> 00:09:43.991 And he says you'll walk, you'll walk, but you will not faint. 00:09:43.991 --> 00:09:47.062 You'll walk, you'll walk, but you will not faint. 00:09:47.082 --> 00:09:55.691 So we've been looking at this idea of beholding our God, reorienting ourselves to who God really is. 00:09:55.691 --> 00:10:02.076 We want to be reminded, people of God, of the majesty of the Lord, the greatness of God. 00:10:02.076 --> 00:10:09.508 We want to be reacquainted with the true and living God. 00:10:09.508 --> 00:10:13.025 And so we've looked in past weeks at the omnipotence of God, as Jerry said earlier, and the omniscience of God. 00:10:13.025 --> 00:10:21.546 But today, as we consider a word for the weary, I want to consider in this passage, the strength of God. 00:10:21.546 --> 00:10:27.519 How many know he is almighty, he is almighty, he is almighty. 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:34.350 The Lord says I will give you strength. 00:10:34.350 --> 00:10:37.303 That's the promise. 00:10:37.303 --> 00:10:39.571 Who is the you? 00:10:39.571 --> 00:10:43.960 Well, in verse 27 he says O Jacob, and then O Israel. 00:10:43.960 --> 00:10:45.647 He's talking to his people. 00:10:45.960 --> 00:10:57.629 So I want to say first off usually this would be at the end of the message, but I want to just go ahead and tell you that the only way you get the strength of God in your weariness is if you belong to God. 00:10:57.629 --> 00:11:06.414 And just in case you don't know how to do that, let me just take you to Ephesians, chapter 2, and read for you verses 12 and 13. 00:11:06.414 --> 00:11:13.049 Paul writes remember that you were at the time, at one time, separated from Christ. 00:11:13.049 --> 00:11:23.423 That was, all of us alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 00:11:23.423 --> 00:11:37.642 But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off, have been brought near by the blood of Christ Beloved. 00:11:37.642 --> 00:11:39.769 Without Christ, there is no hope for strength. 00:11:39.769 --> 00:11:51.913 As a matter of fact, in Philippians 4.13, another famous verse, paul says I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. 00:11:51.913 --> 00:11:57.111 Strength in the Lord does not come apart from faith in Christ. 00:11:57.111 --> 00:11:59.179 So just wanted to get that out of the way. 00:11:59.179 --> 00:12:02.927 If you don't know, jesus, today is the day of salvation, amen. 00:12:02.927 --> 00:12:07.193 So let's consider the strength of the Lord. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:18.501 Look at verses 21 through 24. 00:12:18.501 --> 00:12:19.143 Isaiah writes do you not know? 00:12:19.143 --> 00:12:19.543 Do you not hear? 00:12:19.543 --> 00:12:20.565 Has it not been told to you from the beginning? 00:12:20.565 --> 00:12:22.548 Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 00:12:22.548 --> 00:12:24.772 And what Isaiah is saying here? 00:12:24.772 --> 00:12:53.153 He's saying listen, surely you've heard the stories of old, the way that God parted the Red Seas and brought your ancestors out of Egypt, Delivered them from slavery, took them through the wilderness, gave them the law, showed himself faithful, showed up in the tabernacle and then, in the temple, brought them safely into the promised land. 00:12:53.153 --> 00:12:57.365 He said you do not serve a puny God. 00:12:57.365 --> 00:13:00.793 Haven't you heard how excellent and mighty your God is? 00:13:00.793 --> 00:13:04.708 And Isaiah is encouraging these exiles, like I would encourage you, to remember your God is. 00:13:04.708 --> 00:13:08.682 And Isaiah is encouraging these exiles, like I would encourage you to remember your God. 00:13:08.682 --> 00:13:13.653 You've heard about him for a long time, but sometimes we forget just how powerful he is. 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:25.831 Verse 22, it is he who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain. 00:13:25.831 --> 00:13:27.822 Listen, do you know? 00:13:27.822 --> 00:13:29.727 The universe is always expanding. 00:13:29.727 --> 00:13:30.811 We can't even keep up with it. 00:13:30.811 --> 00:13:36.250 And to the Lord, it's like us just stretching out a curtain. 00:13:36.250 --> 00:13:40.624 Our God is so mighty, amen. 00:13:42.527 --> 00:13:47.274 So he says the inhabitants of the earth are like grasshoppers, he said verse 23,. 00:13:47.274 --> 00:13:52.238 It's him who brings princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. 00:13:52.238 --> 00:13:57.351 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth. 00:13:57.351 --> 00:13:59.442 And when he blows on them, just a poof. 00:13:59.442 --> 00:14:04.265 These leaders who are so great, they're gone. 00:14:04.265 --> 00:14:09.971 They wither and the tempest carries them off like stubble Again. 00:14:10.032 --> 00:14:12.594 Judah in their exile. 00:14:12.594 --> 00:14:14.495 They were looking at the great Babylon. 00:14:14.495 --> 00:14:15.956 Who could conquer Babylon? 00:14:15.956 --> 00:14:20.221 How could we ever get back to the promised land? 00:14:20.221 --> 00:14:25.149 And God just reminds them those people, everyone on the earth. 00:14:25.149 --> 00:14:27.975 Compared to me, they're like grasshoppers. 00:14:27.975 --> 00:14:35.150 Any leader who thinks they're untouchable, listen. 00:14:35.150 --> 00:14:39.928 They're here, but for a moment, in a breath, god can take them out. 00:14:42.461 --> 00:14:44.307 God alone is almighty. 00:14:44.307 --> 00:14:47.679 His kingdom alone shall stand forever. 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:48.940 God is eternal. 00:14:48.940 --> 00:14:50.110 You know. 00:14:50.110 --> 00:14:53.457 He was there from the beginning and he'll be there to the end. 00:14:53.457 --> 00:14:55.120 Amen, for all eternity. 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.360 God's throne will never be abdicated. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:00.157 It's the only kingdom that shall never fall. 00:15:00.157 --> 00:15:00.539 Amen. 00:15:00.539 --> 00:15:07.573 So God is amazingly strong. 00:15:07.573 --> 00:15:08.414 He is almighty. 00:15:08.936 --> 00:15:15.590 So over the last few weeks we've been praising God for what he can do, who he is and what he can do. 00:15:15.590 --> 00:15:17.840 But I want to do something a little odd this morning. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:20.443 I want to praise God for what he can't do. 00:15:20.443 --> 00:15:23.648 I got your. 00:15:24.708 --> 00:15:29.716 There's three things in the text that God, that I see that God cannot do. 00:15:29.716 --> 00:15:32.345 Number one God cannot lie. 00:15:32.345 --> 00:15:34.528 God cannot lie. 00:15:34.528 --> 00:15:45.394 In verse eight I don't have this on the screen, but you'll remember a few weeks ago, isaiah tells Judah that the word of the Lord is sure. 00:15:45.394 --> 00:15:48.004 God cannot lie. 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:54.845 As a matter of fact, in verse 25, isaiah writes To whom, then, will you compare God? 00:15:54.845 --> 00:15:55.366 That? 00:15:55.366 --> 00:15:57.605 Or the Lord speaks through Isaiah. 00:15:57.605 --> 00:15:59.465 To whom, then, will you compare me? 00:15:59.465 --> 00:16:01.350 That I should be like him. 00:16:01.350 --> 00:16:03.985 And here's what the Lord says Says the Holy One. 00:16:03.985 --> 00:16:05.440 Isaiah Says the Holy One. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:08.990 Isaiah calls God the Holy One. 00:16:08.990 --> 00:16:12.187 You know what it means to be holy? 00:16:12.187 --> 00:16:14.527 It means to be separate. 00:16:14.527 --> 00:16:17.066 God is not like us. 00:16:17.066 --> 00:16:22.779 He transcends us, he transcends creation. 00:16:22.820 --> 00:16:30.188 As a matter of fact, in this text it calls God creator, and there's a theological assumption there. 00:16:30.188 --> 00:16:40.863 It's why we've got to hang on to a biblical creation account that God in fact did speak and the heavens and the earth were created by his word. 00:16:40.863 --> 00:16:51.452 Because God created everything, it assumes that he is above that which created the thing Is greater than the creation itself. 00:16:51.452 --> 00:16:55.697 That's why you don't worship the moon and the stars, because they're not worthy. 00:16:55.697 --> 00:17:00.768 It is the Lord who created those things, who is worthy. 00:17:00.768 --> 00:17:09.069 So God is holy, he transcends us and in Numbers 23.19, that's unpacked God is not a man that he should lie. 00:17:12.461 --> 00:17:19.113 You might remember, a couple of weeks ago I argued why it is God alone who is able to keep a promise for sure. 00:17:19.113 --> 00:17:22.628 He's the only being we can absolutely trust. 00:17:22.628 --> 00:17:26.288 And here's why there are some people who tell you something. 00:17:26.288 --> 00:17:33.323 Hopefully this is not true of any of you but some people tell you something and they have no intent of keeping the promise. 00:17:33.323 --> 00:17:36.789 That's an integrity issue. 00:17:36.789 --> 00:17:38.913 But our God is holy, he's a God of integrity. 00:17:38.913 --> 00:17:44.270 He's going to, he says what he means and he means what he says and he's going to keep his word. 00:17:44.270 --> 00:17:48.519 He says what he means and he means what he says and he's going to keep his word. 00:17:48.740 --> 00:17:53.059 But there's another issue with people and making promises. 00:17:53.059 --> 00:17:56.646 Let's take a politician. 00:17:56.646 --> 00:18:05.997 We just got through the election, I know, listen, politicians make promises. 00:18:05.997 --> 00:18:15.171 Now let's just imagine, let's just dream and say a politician, pick one, that that politician has every intention of keeping a promise. 00:18:15.171 --> 00:18:18.781 But you can't take that promise to the bank. 00:18:18.781 --> 00:18:29.888 And here's why because that politician does not know what obstacle will come his or her way and that politician is not all powerful. 00:18:29.888 --> 00:18:37.810 So who's to say that that politician can carry out a promise when they don't even know the obstacles that they're going to face? 00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:40.422 But see God. 00:18:40.422 --> 00:18:42.586 Not only does he have integrity, he has all power. 00:18:42.586 --> 00:18:45.696 Right, you say well, god doesn't know. 00:18:45.696 --> 00:18:49.140 First of all, he does know every obstacle that's going to come His way. 00:18:49.140 --> 00:18:51.718 Secondly, god has no rival. 00:18:51.718 --> 00:18:55.378 There's no problem too big for our God. 00:18:55.378 --> 00:18:58.916 God cannot lie. 00:18:58.916 --> 00:19:00.636 He is trustworthy and I'm grateful. 00:19:00.636 --> 00:19:02.997 Secondly, god cannot forget. 00:19:03.569 --> 00:19:04.494 Look at verse 26. 00:19:04.494 --> 00:19:08.380 Lift up your eyes on high and see who created these things. 00:19:08.380 --> 00:19:11.759 He's calling us to look to the heavens on a clear night. 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:13.576 Who created all these things? 00:19:13.576 --> 00:19:15.693 He who brings out their host. 00:19:15.693 --> 00:19:19.782 This would be the stars by number, calling them by name. 00:19:19.782 --> 00:19:26.683 By the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one star is missing. 00:19:26.683 --> 00:19:30.423 Now get a little nerdy again this week. 00:19:30.423 --> 00:19:38.519 Do you know that there are an estimated 200 billion trillion stars in the observable universe? 00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:42.576 Did you catch what Isaiah said? 00:19:42.576 --> 00:19:44.181 God knows each one by name. 00:19:44.181 --> 00:19:48.590 He hung them, he named them and he knows them. 00:19:48.590 --> 00:19:52.057 Not one is forgotten. 00:19:52.057 --> 00:19:54.943 God cannot forget. 00:19:55.809 --> 00:20:01.011 You're going to argue with me and say well, the Lord says that he doesn't remember our sins when we confess them. 00:20:01.011 --> 00:20:02.576 He doesn't remember our sins anymore. 00:20:02.576 --> 00:20:04.461 Okay, well, fair enough. 00:20:04.461 --> 00:20:05.371 What does that mean, though? 00:20:05.371 --> 00:20:09.501 God does not have divine amnesia when it comes to our sins. 00:20:09.501 --> 00:20:14.471 When it says that he doesn't remember our sins, what it means is this he doesn't count them against. 00:20:14.471 --> 00:20:16.655 You Are you grateful for that? 00:20:17.416 --> 00:20:18.900 There's a song it's really pretty. 00:20:18.900 --> 00:20:22.273 You go to the Lord what sin, what sin? 00:20:22.273 --> 00:20:25.803 You know that song that you ask the Lord about sin and the Lord says what sin? 00:20:25.803 --> 00:20:32.715 Well, he remembers what sin, but he also remembers the blood of Christ, in which our sin is covered. 00:20:32.715 --> 00:20:35.261 So here's what happens in verse 27. 00:20:35.622 --> 00:20:40.564 There's a question that Isaiah asked why do you say oh Jacob and speak oh Israel? 00:20:40.564 --> 00:20:59.906 My way is hidden from the Lord and my right is disregarded by my God Beloved, have you ever been through something and you felt like God had forgotten you? 00:20:59.906 --> 00:21:00.489 Maybe you're there. 00:21:00.489 --> 00:21:00.630 Today. 00:21:00.630 --> 00:21:02.674 You're going through a tremendous trial. 00:21:02.674 --> 00:21:18.084 I pray that some people would come today that need to hear this message, and you're struggling and you feel like God has forgotten you, and Isaiah's words for Judah are the same words for us today. 00:21:18.084 --> 00:21:20.067 He knows the stars. 00:21:20.067 --> 00:21:21.270 He hasn't lost one of them. 00:21:21.270 --> 00:21:29.025 God has not forgotten you, the one who is created in his image, the one whom he loved, the one whom Christ died for. 00:21:29.025 --> 00:21:32.220 God has not forgotten you. 00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:40.479 God cannot forget One more divine inability God cannot faint. 00:21:40.479 --> 00:21:43.212 God cannot faint Verse 28,. 00:21:43.997 --> 00:21:44.740 Have you not known? 00:21:44.740 --> 00:21:45.383 Have you not heard? 00:21:45.383 --> 00:21:46.750 The Lord is everlasting. 00:21:46.750 --> 00:21:52.865 Have you not known? 00:21:52.865 --> 00:21:53.688 Have you not heard? 00:21:53.688 --> 00:22:00.804 The Lord is everlasting, the creator of the ends of the earth. 00:22:00.804 --> 00:22:01.650 He does not faint or grow weary. 00:22:01.650 --> 00:22:04.613 His understanding is unsearchable. 00:22:04.613 --> 00:22:06.394 The Lord doesn't get tired. 00:22:06.394 --> 00:22:10.898 You might have prayed 300 times this week and asked the Lord for help. 00:22:10.898 --> 00:22:12.220 He's not tired. 00:22:12.220 --> 00:22:14.061 So don't go to Him and go. 00:22:14.061 --> 00:22:15.682 I've asked Him for a lot this week. 00:22:15.682 --> 00:22:17.924 I've asked for His help and His strength a lot this week. 00:22:17.924 --> 00:22:19.527 The Lord does not weary. 00:22:19.527 --> 00:22:21.972 He will not faint. 00:22:21.972 --> 00:22:23.394 The Lord has never aged. 00:22:23.394 --> 00:22:27.963 The Lord has never grown weaker, nor has he grown stronger. 00:22:27.963 --> 00:22:39.954 He has had perfect in all might and all power, forever, for all eternity. 00:22:39.954 --> 00:22:42.381 The Lord does not faint. 00:22:42.381 --> 00:22:55.461 And it says here His understanding is unsearchable. 00:22:55.461 --> 00:22:58.145 You may not understand what you're going through right now. 00:22:58.145 --> 00:23:04.917 You may see no good reason for what's happening in your life and Judah didn't understand their exile. 00:23:04.917 --> 00:23:07.577 But his ways are unsearchable. 00:23:07.577 --> 00:23:07.920 God's got a plan. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:08.423 Can I just encourage you? 00:23:08.423 --> 00:23:08.765 God's got a plan. 00:23:08.765 --> 00:23:09.589 Can I just encourage you? 00:23:09.589 --> 00:23:22.374 God's got a plan and I really believe Romans 8, and this is only true for the people of God that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. 00:23:22.374 --> 00:23:27.503 Beloved God hasn't forgotten you and he's got a plan. 00:23:27.503 --> 00:23:29.692 Beloved God hasn't forgotten you and he's got a plan. 00:23:29.692 --> 00:23:31.055 He's strong enough to help you. 00:23:31.055 --> 00:23:32.115 He hasn't forgotten you. 00:23:32.916 --> 00:23:40.145 There was a story that I heard of a young boy who his mother paid. 00:23:40.145 --> 00:23:48.344 This was years and years ago, but his mother paid someone else to walk him to school. 00:23:48.344 --> 00:23:54.114 She paid, like an older kid, to walk him to school every day he was in first grade 15 cents. 00:23:54.114 --> 00:23:58.584 The older boy would get paid every single day. 00:23:58.584 --> 00:24:09.563 The year went by and the next year the boys you know he's growing up and he said mama, I don't need somebody to walk me to school anymore, I'm big. 00:24:09.563 --> 00:24:13.479 She said, baby, I'd really feel better if somebody just walk you to school. 00:24:13.479 --> 00:24:14.490 No, mama, listen. 00:24:14.490 --> 00:24:19.722 He said you give me a nickel, keep the other 10 cents and I'll walk myself to school. 00:24:19.722 --> 00:24:23.218 So finally she said okay, she gave in. 00:24:23.218 --> 00:24:27.862 So all year he walked to school without that older kid. 00:24:27.862 --> 00:24:32.165 All year he walked to school without that older kid. 00:24:34.690 --> 00:24:40.843 Well, soon after there was a family dinner and the boy was bragging about how big he was and he was showing a little bit of pride and saying I don't need anybody to walk me to school, I'm big. 00:24:40.843 --> 00:24:47.584 And his mama chimed in and said baby, I hate to burst your bubble, but you didn't walk to school alone. 00:24:47.584 --> 00:24:59.824 She said, when you would leave in the morning, I would just wait till you got a few steps and I would walk behind you so I could watch you and see that you safely made it to school. 00:24:59.824 --> 00:25:07.560 And before you would leave the school building, she said I would hide behind a tree and I'd let you get a little ways ahead and I would follow you. 00:25:07.930 --> 00:25:11.800 Baby, you thought you were alone, but I want you to know you were never alone. 00:25:11.800 --> 00:25:22.000 So you may not perceive God on your right or your left, in front of you or behind you, but I want to tell you you may not feeling, but you are never alone. 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:25.099 His promise is I'll never leave you nor forsake you. 00:25:25.099 --> 00:25:30.557 We have a God who cannot lie, he cannot forget and he cannot faith. 00:25:30.557 --> 00:25:32.570 Praise God for what he can't do. 00:25:32.570 --> 00:25:34.615 Amen, amen. 00:25:34.615 --> 00:25:36.699 Somebody's happy about it All right. 00:25:37.901 --> 00:25:40.030 So how do we find strength in this God? 00:25:40.030 --> 00:25:43.595 That's the God, the one that doesn't faint, who offers you strength. 00:25:43.595 --> 00:25:47.599 How do we find strength in God Number one? 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:49.142 You've got to admit your weakness. 00:25:49.142 --> 00:25:54.271 Verse 29, he gives power to who? 00:25:54.271 --> 00:25:56.295 To who? 00:25:56.295 --> 00:25:57.596 The faint. 00:25:57.596 --> 00:26:04.792 He gives power to the faint and to him who has no might, he increases strength. 00:26:04.792 --> 00:26:12.412 Beloved, if you listen, let me say it like this there is no room in the kingdom of God for pride. 00:26:12.412 --> 00:26:18.403 If you want to inherit the earth, you've got to be poor in spirit. 00:26:18.403 --> 00:26:24.221 If you want to be exalted, you've got to humble yourself in the eyes of the Lord. 00:26:24.221 --> 00:26:29.838 If you want to be forgiven, you've got to confess, admit your sin. 00:26:29.838 --> 00:26:35.396 And if you want strength, you've got to admit to the Lord and to others. 00:26:35.396 --> 00:26:36.760 I can't do it alone, god. 00:26:36.760 --> 00:26:40.991 I can't believe. 00:26:41.031 --> 00:26:52.538 I'm using two boxing illustrations in one message, but I read there's a popular story about Muhammad Ali and Muhammad Ali was on an airplane and they came into some turbulence. 00:26:52.538 --> 00:27:02.182 And the flight attendant approaches the champ and she says sir, she said you need to take a seat and buckle up. 00:27:02.182 --> 00:27:08.259 And the story goes that Ali looked at this flight attendant and said do you not know who I am. 00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:18.318 I'm the greatest, I'm the champ. 00:27:18.318 --> 00:27:18.480 He said. 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:19.724 I'm Superman, and Superman don't need no seatbelt. 00:27:19.724 --> 00:27:29.921 The flight attendant looked at him and said champ, superman don't need no airplane. 00:27:30.060 --> 00:27:32.265 Beloved, we're not as strong as we think we are. 00:27:32.265 --> 00:27:38.082 If you want strength, you've got to admit your weakness to the lord. 00:27:38.082 --> 00:27:40.211 Say, lord, I need your help. 00:27:40.211 --> 00:27:46.359 We receive, not because we ask, not number two you want strength in God. 00:27:46.359 --> 00:27:51.226 You've got to recognize the exhaustibility of human resources. 00:27:51.226 --> 00:27:53.413 They'll eventually run out. 00:27:54.015 --> 00:27:54.877 Look at verse 30. 00:27:54.877 --> 00:28:03.718 Even youth, young people shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted. 00:28:03.718 --> 00:28:06.522 Don't misunderstand me. 00:28:06.522 --> 00:28:07.644 Here we need one another. 00:28:07.644 --> 00:28:10.032 Don't misunderstand me here we need one another. 00:28:10.032 --> 00:28:10.575 I preach it all the time. 00:28:10.575 --> 00:28:12.560 God uses us to bear one another's burdens. 00:28:12.560 --> 00:28:19.296 We serve one another, we help one another, we use our resources to to bless one another. 00:28:21.199 --> 00:28:25.525 But the point is, human resources only go so far. 00:28:25.525 --> 00:28:36.343 There are going to be times when your money can't buy you out, when your intellect cannot think you out and your people cannot pull you out. 00:28:36.343 --> 00:28:42.796 Human resources eventually dry up. 00:28:42.796 --> 00:28:44.699 Beloved, you need the Lord. 00:28:44.699 --> 00:28:48.471 I don't care how much money you have or how many friends you have. 00:28:48.471 --> 00:28:56.833 You need the Lord and you need to see that your human resources are not enough to strengthen you in this life. 00:28:56.833 --> 00:29:00.440 So we've got to find strength. 00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:01.942 We've got to admit our weakness. 00:29:01.942 --> 00:29:06.613 We've got to recognize the exhaustibility of human resources. 00:29:06.613 --> 00:29:11.758 And you're not going to like this last one the exhaustibility of human resources and you're not going to like this last one. 00:29:11.758 --> 00:29:12.357 We've got to wait. 00:29:12.357 --> 00:29:12.798 We've got to wait. 00:29:12.817 --> 00:29:13.838 Look verse 31 again. 00:29:13.838 --> 00:29:14.480 I just love it. 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:20.505 They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. 00:29:20.505 --> 00:29:31.951 They, the ones who wait, only the ones who wait, will mount up with wings like eagles. 00:29:31.951 --> 00:29:33.314 They, the ones who wait, will run and not grow weary. 00:29:33.314 --> 00:29:37.480 They, the ones who wait, will walk and not faint. 00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:43.807 We don't like to wait. 00:29:44.489 --> 00:29:51.102 I ordered something a couple of weeks ago and it said it was going to take six or seven days and I thought that's an eternity. 00:29:51.102 --> 00:29:51.824 I got mad. 00:29:51.824 --> 00:30:06.023 You know, when the Lord doesn't respond when we want and how we want, we tend to try to take things in our own hands. 00:30:06.023 --> 00:30:09.318 We'll pray and if God doesn't answer us in five minutes, we're done. 00:30:09.318 --> 00:30:12.458 I'll take it into my own hands. 00:30:12.458 --> 00:30:16.538 You know, god's timing is not our timing, but it's perfect. 00:30:17.829 --> 00:30:22.090 I was listening to a great preacher, hb Charles, preach on this and he said you know what? 00:30:22.090 --> 00:30:29.363 God showed up 100 years before it rained to Noah, but he was right on time. 00:30:29.363 --> 00:30:36.496 When Shadrach, meshach and Abednego were in the fire, god waited till they were in the furnace to show up. 00:30:36.496 --> 00:30:47.986 And he waited to show up to Mary and Martha after Lazarus had been dead four days stinking, but he was still right on time. 00:30:47.986 --> 00:30:49.271 Had been dead four days stinking, but he was still right on time. 00:30:49.271 --> 00:30:50.394 You remember that old song? 00:30:51.395 --> 00:30:52.759 He's an on-time God. 00:30:52.759 --> 00:30:55.703 Yes, he is, he's an on-time God. 00:30:55.703 --> 00:30:56.871 Yes, he is. 00:30:56.871 --> 00:31:00.461 He may not come when you want him to, but he'll be there right on time. 00:31:00.461 --> 00:31:02.174 He's an on-time God. 00:31:02.174 --> 00:31:06.211 Yes, he is the Lord. 00:31:06.211 --> 00:31:11.143 I hate to tell you this, but he doesn't work by your calendar. 00:31:11.143 --> 00:31:14.218 He doesn't look for your open appointments. 00:31:14.218 --> 00:31:21.740 The Lord is outside of time and space and His timing, though it may not be, your timing is perfect. 00:31:21.740 --> 00:31:25.416 So we have got to wait on the Lord. 00:31:25.416 --> 00:31:29.781 And to wait on the Lord, by the way, doesn't mean you sit back idle and do nothing. 00:31:29.781 --> 00:31:35.915 A farmer can wait all he wants, but if he doesn't sow seed he's not going to get a harvest. 00:31:35.915 --> 00:31:44.502 So you do what the Lord says, you seek Him. 00:31:44.502 --> 00:31:53.621 And the Bible said the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord, but you wait on the Lord to move for strength. 00:31:53.621 --> 00:31:59.250 They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. 00:31:59.250 --> 00:32:04.102 They shall mount up with wings like eagles. 00:32:04.210 --> 00:32:14.536 Now I want to talk about two different birds as I bring this to a close, two different birds my wife and I have. 00:32:14.536 --> 00:32:22.138 In due season we put out little red bird feeder, one on the front and sometimes one on the back porch, because we love to watch the hummingbirds. 00:32:22.138 --> 00:32:24.938 They're fascinating, these little small birds. 00:32:24.938 --> 00:32:30.776 They can hover, like in midair, they just hover. 00:32:30.776 --> 00:32:32.019 It's amazing. 00:32:32.019 --> 00:32:36.780 Now listen to this, don't go to sleep on me, because you need to hear this. 00:32:38.569 --> 00:32:44.530 A hummingbird flaps in normal flight, so they're not trying to get anywhere quickly, just normal flight. 00:32:44.530 --> 00:32:49.498 70 times a second their wings flap. 00:32:49.498 --> 00:32:54.566 When I watch them I get exhausted just looking at them. 00:32:54.566 --> 00:33:01.829 An eagle, on the other hand, they flap their wings very infrequently. 00:33:01.829 --> 00:33:08.962 They flap just enough to get to the air current and sometimes to catch prey. 00:33:08.962 --> 00:33:13.354 Otherwise they just spread their wings and soar. 00:33:13.354 --> 00:33:20.480 Now hear me, I want to ask you are you a hummingbird, are you an eagle? 00:33:21.190 --> 00:33:26.623