The Word of Our God Stands Forever

Isaiah 40:6 NASB95

A voice says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

A voice says, “Call out”

some version say cry out, and some say shout out

the point is, put some urgency on this truth

emphasize this truth

get the people’s attention and tell them this truth

What is this truth?

The truth is that All flesh is grass!

flesh meaning people

flesh meaning our lives

Call people’s attention to the truth that our lives are just like grass

tell them that human life is fragile

tell them that All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field

What is the loveliness of a flower in field like?

they can be lovely, beautiful, inspiring, captivating

but that loveliness/beauty/their inspiring qualities quickly fade

their loveliness doesn’t last long

Isaiah 40:7 NASB95

The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it

when the wind blows (breath of the Lord), grass withers, and flowers fade

in other words, it doesn’t take much for them to wither, it doesn’t take much for them to fade, just a stiff breeze or a good gust of wind

you blow on a dandelion and its beauty is gone in an instand

Surely the people are grass

and likewise, everything wonderful and beautiful and captivating about people withers and fades away quickly, just like grass and flowers in a field

your looks fade

your strength withers

talents fade

your gifts withers

accomplishments fade

alive today, dead tomorrow

here today and gone tomorrow

we wither like grass and fade like flowers

surely the people are grass

but this doesn’t just happen in death, you can see it happening within life

rich today, bankruptcy court tomorrow

healthy today, sick bed tomorrow

in your right mind today, losing it tomorrow

another scriptures says “man born of a woman is but a few days and full of trouble”

in other words, life is short and difficult

you will go to bed at 21 and you wake up one day and you are 51, take a nap and you’re 81

where did the time go

surely the people are grass

another scripture says it this way, life is a vapor, life is like smoke: no lasting substance; life floats away quickly, can’t hold onto it no matter how hard you try

just like wind causes the grass to wither

just like the wind causes the beauty of flowers to fade away

your life span can be within a mere breath from God

you can look at it like this, in the time it takes for God to take one breath, your life has come and gone.

surely the people are grass

This reminds me to be thankful for every day God gives me

thankful for this day

life, health, strength

I have my wife this day, I have my son this day

I shake hands and hug my church members this day

I can smile at the youth this day

we get to sing together, worship together this day

I need to enjoy, be thankful, be present in tis day . . . This is the day that the Lord has made . . . because surely the people are grass

Isaiah 40:8 NASB95

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

it says it AGAIN, God is trying to make sure we get it

The grass withers, the flower fades

humanity withers, humanity fades

apart from God, everything associated with humanity withers and fades

apart from God, everything associated with humanity is flimsy, fleeting, unstable, frail , shaky, just a vapor, just grass, here today and gone tomorrow

and the warning is don’t build your life on something as unstable as humanity

don’t base your beliefs on something so flimsy

don’t base your decisions on something so shaky

don’t depend on something that is here today and gone tomorrow

don’t become a fool by putting all your trust in

human thoughts

human plans

human feelings

human morality

human intuition

human experience

human knowledge

let me break it down - don’t become a fool by putting all your trust in

what the liberals say

or what conservatives think

in what me-maw said

in what your circle of friends say or think

I am not saying that you have to throw all humanity away . . .

human knowledge, human experience, human thought can be helpful

but they better not be the foundation of your life . . . because if we are talking about your life, you need something that’s not flimsy, fleeting, frail , shaky, here today and gone tomorrow

you need something that stands for ever

and what stands forever is the Word of God

The word of our God stands forever

not any god, but this God, God of the Bible

the God that sent Jesus to save us

in other words, use what me-maw told you, but if something me-maw said goes contrary to the word of our God, then understand that in that area, me-maw didn’t know what she was talking about

use your intuition, but if your intuition is telling you to do something that is contrary to our God’s word, ignore your intuition

use what you have learned through experience, but if your knowledge through experience is contrary to the word of our God, then your knowledge has holes in it

use your your intelligence

use what you have figured out

use what you think is right . . . but when they diverge from God’s Word, you better choose to believe God’s word

for the word of our God stands forever

houses should be built with concrete, steel, bricks, stone . . . no one with any sense wants a house built with flowers and grass

a house of flowers and grass might be unique, might look pretty, might be fun to walk through

but what will you do when the wind blows

when the storm clouds rise

God’s word is that concrete, steel, bricks, that rock . . . but so many people choose to live with grass walls, straw ceilings, foundation made of sand

Here’s what you should do

Build your life’s house on the word of our God

let everything else, the grass and the flowers be curb appeal . . . who doesn’t like a nice lawn and a pretty flowerbed?

that way when the storm comes, it might affect your yard, but not your house

when the summer heat comes, it might affect your yard, but not your house

when an enemy comes, he might trample your yard, but he won’t be able to knock down your house

So why should I trust in the word of God?

Why should I believe our God’s word stands forever?

good question, let me give you an answer.

You should Trust God’s word because of who He is

I will listen to a lawyer about law

doctor about medicine

athlete about sports

plumber about plumbing

engineer about science

teacher about education

And I am going to listen to the Creator about his creation.

I will listen to the giver of life about life

I will listen to the source of truth about truth

I will listen to the one with all knowledge about knowledge

I will listen to the judge of the earth about right and wrong

I will listen to someone who is eternal about what stands forever

That’s why I listen to God and his Word

I am going to let the Bible speak to you about who we should listen to

I will just read the end part of this chapter, and let it speak to you about who you should listen to and trust

Isaiah 40:12–31 NLT

Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him? Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice? No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand. All the wood in Lebanon’s forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worthy of our God. The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing— mere emptiness and froth. To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him? Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains? Or if people are too poor for that, they might at least choose wood that won’t decay and a skilled craftsman to carve an image that won’t fall down! Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand? Are you deaf to the words of God— the words he gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant? God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them. He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing. They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff. “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing. O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

notice the THOSE and the THEYS

THOSE who trust in the Lord will find new strength . . . They will soar . . . They will run . . . They will walk

but those who do not trust in the word of God:

will NOT find NEW strength

will NOT soar

WILL grow weary

WILL faint

There IS a rule book for life, rules meant to help: living day to day, marriage, children, family, purpose, money, relationships, giving

I don’t want to let anyone off the hook, so let me ask it this way

Where are you on the spectrum when it comes to the word of God that stands forever . . . what’s your . . . .

Knowledge of the Word

How much do you actually know?

actual knowledge

stories & narratives and lessons from them

psalms, proverbs

grasp of the prophecies

know what Jesus actually taught, principles

know what his apostles explained to us

“in this situation, I should do this because the Bible says” . . . and you can tell me where or quickly find it

how many scriptures you have memorized

or are there just vague Sunday school lessons in your mind

you remember something a preacher said in a movie.

somebody at the barber shop said

Seeking the Word

hopefully, if you don’t know much are you trying to learn

hopefully, if you know quite a bit, are you still trying to learn

paying attention the Sermons

attending Bible Study or watching the videos

studying on your own

but some are quite satisfied where they are

don’t really care to add any more

don’t care to get a better understanding of what they already know

Some search instead of seek

search - looking to use the word as a tool to prove your point, make the scripture say what they want it to say

seek - seeking the truth, whether it validates what you think or shows you that you’re wrong

Doing the Word

Are you trying to follow it? All of it?

Trying to ignore it? Ignore the parts that will change your lifestyle?

or are you one of those, “it’s not that serious!”

Or are you mad about it?

“don’t want anyone to tell you what to do or think”

determiend to stay in grass house

The Word of our God Stands Forever

count on it in this life

count on it for eternity