I please almighty God to bless
us together this evening as we meditate in his holy word. Let's turn to the prophecy of
Isaiah chapter 55 and we'll read verses 8, 9, 10 and 11. The prophecy
of Isaiah chapter 55 and reading verses 8, 9, 10 and 11. 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 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, 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 whereunto
I sent it. There are many glorious words
in the prophecy of Isaiah. We should be very thankful for
it and praise God within his great love and mercy he sent
these glorious truths for the eternal good of our souls. And so we read these words this
evening. And perhaps we'll start at the
end, the 11th verse. Because the 11th verse tells
us, 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 whereunto
I sent it. I'm sure it is a fairly familiar
verse, and so often people quite glibly make a statement that
the word says, it shall not return unto me void. And people find
it a great strength and a great comfort. Nothing wrong in that. But we should just realise that
it doesn't stop there. because the word says but, there
are a lot of buts in the word of God and here's one, but it
shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing
whereunto I sent it. Very often I'm sure we say well
the Word of God says that such and such will not return unto
him void and therefore we look perhaps for direct answers to
those requests and we fail to realise that the Word of God
tells us but it shall accomplish that which I please. Depends
with all great almighty God as to whether those things which
would not return unto him void will indeed be accomplished and
also whether it shall prosper. And we should recognize really,
we need to come and confirm that all these things it's that the
will of the Lord might be done. I often think in our lives we
have plans and our prayers often follow a pattern like this, perhaps
not outwardly but perhaps inwardly, that we've got a plan, we think
it's a good plan, we want God to work to it and we may pray
to God that he will work to it and again in one sense there's
nothing wrong in that but we just need to realise that in
fact God has a plan and you and I are to work to God's plan and
God's plan may be very different from ours but let's be quite
sure and convinced about this, that God's plan is the best. That's why in the eighth verse
we read this, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. See, we have our plans,
we have our situations in our lives, look around and we we
plan things and in one sense there's nothing wrong in that
and yet you know the word of God tells us where to take no
thought for the morrow that means no unreasonable thought for the
morrow and to realize that God's ways are the right ways and therefore
not be left, as it were, to dictate to God. It's very easy, you know,
to have prayers which really dictate to God. We want this
and we want that. And yet, you know, we're on this
earth for one purpose, to carry out the will of Almighty God. And that will is often very different
to our will. we can be sure of this it'll
be best and so what a mercy it is to be able to come and to
submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God and so the prophet
tells us and how true it is my thoughts God's thoughts are not
your thoughts our thoughts often sinful, sadly. We may think sometimes
they're good desires, we may think sometimes they're pure
desires, but it's good sometimes if God gives us grace to examine
ourselves as to what our thoughts are. If they are for God's honour
and glory, if they are to please ourselves, perhaps make our life
a bit easier, perhaps make our life a bit more pleasant, we
think, but how wrong we can be. And so we should be very thankful
that the Lord has given statements like this to encourage us to
come to Him, acknowledging the great truth of such words, that
God's thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. And then the Lord gives a good
reason. He tells us, for as the heavens
are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways. my thoughts than your thoughts. We can very easily consider that
in this way. Our thoughts mostly refer to
the things of time, the comforts of time, and yet God's thoughts
are towards us for our soul's eternal good. And if we ponder
that truth, we'll realise there's a great difference. And what
a blessing therefore to realise that we have a God who takes
his people in hand and deals with them in love to their souls. Sometimes we may think perhaps
the Lord is dealing harshly with us, we should realise God's Word
tells us, the Apostle Paul tells us, and we know that all things
work together for good to those who love God and to those who
are called according to his purpose. And sometimes, bless God, the
Holy Spirit directs us to realise that the Lord's ways are higher
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways. And the great truth is this. God will direct us to the glorious
plan of salvation. And in doing such, he directs
us to the wonderful work of the Savior. And my friends, this
will do us eternal good, because these are heavenly blessings,
these are spiritual blessings, these have eternal ways with
them, whereas the poor things of time so quickly will pass
away. What mercy therefore if God in
his love to us takes us in hand and brings things into our lives
to show to us the reality of such great and wonderful truths. We're often not very good learners,
but the Lord is very patient to teach us and to understand
this great truth, for as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways. What a mercy to realise
we have a God who is compassionate, a God who's patient toward us.
You know, if God gives us grace to look into our lives, we'll
see how God has not dealt with us as our sins deserve. He hasn't cast us off. He's been
very merciful and very compassionate we're brought to that position
where we understand those words and he led them forth by the
right way that they might go to a city of habitation. Left to ourselves we would go
the wrong way because our fleshly heart, our carnal heart would
lay hold upon the poor things of time direct us into that broad
way which leads to destruction, but how wonderful and compassionate
it is to realise we have that compassionate God who does not
leave us and he doesn't forsake us, he brings us in the right
way, in the narrow way that leads to eternal life. The path of
the true believer is not an easy path and you may say well why
is that? Well quite simply, this world
is not our home. We're passing through this world,
it's just a lodging place, just for a very short time. And then eternity is before us,
which has no time. And it's impossible for us to
really evaluate eternity. And yet to think that almighty
God, in his great love toward us unworthy sinners, is preparing
us day by day for our eternal home. That's why our little plans
are sometimes thwarted and perhaps we are sad and upset because
of it. It seems perhaps that God's hand
is against us, well it may well be, because he has better plans
for us and he has higher plans for us because his ways are higher
they have that glorious eternal element that you and I should
not lose sight of because we should realise we're passing
through this world all of us are passing through this world
one day we should have finished our journey on this life in this
world and what a mercy then if we then are taken home to glory
to be with Christ as the apostle Paul tells us which is far better
and that's a lesson that by God's grace he teaches us He shows
us the fruitility of all the poor things of this world. And
we come to that conclusion like Solomon did when he said, all
is vanity of vanity and vexation of spirit. He did all that he
could to find happiness in this world. And that was his conclusion. What a good thing it is if it's
our conclusion. And to realise as God may enable
us to come to that conclusion, to be able to confirm the reason,
for here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Well, I hope all of us here are
seeking that heavenly city, that glorious place where the Saviour
is, where there is no sin, where there is no sorrow, a place of
eternal happiness. Again because of our finite minds
it's impossible for us to really visualize what it would be like
to be there. Indeed the Word of God tells
us, I hath not seen nor ear heard of things which God has prepared
for those that love him. It's the unknown, but it's a
glorious unknown. And what a great mercy it is
therefore to realise that we have a God who is gracious and
mindful of us. So we shouldn't therefore complain
when things don't appear to be working out well. In reality,
to God's people, they are working out well. Things are working
out well. And we should bless God for it.
the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than
your ways and my thoughts and your thoughts our thoughts are
earthly our thoughts are fleshly god's thoughts are heavenly god's
thoughts are eternal and to think that that almighty god looks
upon us and deals with us as his children, his sons and daughters. For our children, what do we
do? We want the best for our children, don't we? We endeavour
to give them the best that we can. We just think of that in
glorious heavenly terms. God looks upon us as his children
and that's why He leads us in that right way and brings us
at last to our eternal habitation. God doesn't make any mistakes. Sometimes it may seem so. We
may wonder why we're having to walk a certain path, but we should
never really question that. We should always be willing to
submit ourselves unto the mighty hand of God and be very thankful
that he's dealing with us as his children, as sons and daughters
of the Most High God. Isn't it humbling to think that
God should look upon such unworthy sinners and take them in hand
and lead them on safely led them forth by the right way, David
says, that they might go to a city of habitation. And that's why
we can recognize such a statement as this, my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways, my ways saith the Lord. Whereas the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts
and your thoughts and really if we consider these things in
a right way and we have a right perspective of them it puts things
in a right order isn't it and it makes us willing to walk the
path that God has ordained for us willing in the day of his
power when his power comes into our hearts and changes us, and
directs us, and guides us, and blesses us. What a kind and gracious
God we have. And to look back and think that
we were ordained in eternity past. As the Lord spoke to his
disciples in the upper room when he said those wonderful words,
ye, have not chosen me, naturally we wouldn't, but I have chosen
you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit
and that your fruit should remain. That's because of the kindness
and the love and the mercy of Almighty God. how truly wonderful it is to
think that we have such a God. And Isaiah then goes on, he tells
us four, we've had two fours already in the eighth and ninth
verses and now another one, four, 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. So shall my word be that
goeth forth out of my mouth. How necessary it is that the
earth has the rain and the snow from heaven to water the earth.
And my friends, how necessary it is God's Word goes forth out
of His mouth to direct us, and to correct us, and to encourage
us, and to strengthen us. This is not the Word of man,
it's the Word of God, and it's wonderful when the Word applies
His Word to our souls. Yes, we may find that the Lord
speaks to us perhaps in strange circumstances, in difficulties,
but it's the evidence of God's love and mercy toward us to realise
that so shall his word be that goeth forth out of his mouth. Well, we can ask ourselves the
question, can't we? Have we heard God's word speaking
to our souls? Has it come out of his mouth
into our hearts? And what has it done? Perhaps it's changed our life. Perhaps it's changed our attitudes. perhaps has produced different
desires, perhaps has granted us true humbleness,
true prayer to God, pleading for his mercy, as his word has
spoken to our heart. Oh, what a gracious God we have. to think that he hasn't left
us to ourselves. He hasn't left us to carry on
in this world, just as we wanted to, but he's taken us in hand. And he's taken us in hand very
simply because he's loved us. What a mercy, when the Holy Spirit
shows us how wretched we are by nature, how undeserving we
are of any favour and any mercy, and yet to realise we are partakers
of his amazing love, because that love is an everlasting love,
was from everlasting and it's to everlasting. What a blessing
that is to realise this word is so very true, so shall my
word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. His word comes into
our heart and touches our heart just like the rain and the snow
comes down from heaven and waters the earth that it may bring forth
and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the
eater. So shall my word be, it goes
forth out of my mouth. Well, we have a wonderful analogy,
don't we really? The Lord uses simple analogies
for us so that we can understand the great truth of scripture.
And what it brings us to is to recognize the sovereign grace
of God, a free unmerited favour. It's a lovely word, grace, rejoices
our heart. I hope it does, that sovereign
grace we can be very thankful for it. The hymn writer really
sums it up in 766 and this is what his hymn writer says, sovereign
grace or sin abounding. It overcomes all our sin. It's very humbling. And then he says, ransomed souls,
that souls blessed by God, that souls that have had their sins
ransomed through the glorious death of our Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ. The tidings, well, it is good
news. We're very backward, aren't we, in speaking. of the good news
of the Gospel. He tells us, "'Tis a deep that
knows no sounding, who its breadth or length can tell.' It is. Grace is a depth, it's beyond
our comprehension, we look at ourselves and consider ourselves
to realise how wonderful and gracious our God is. And so John
Kent goes on to say, on its glories, on its glories, don't pass it
by, don't forget it, let my soul
forever dwell good isn't it to dwell on the great and wonderful
blessings that God grants to us, to realise that his word
has gone forth from his mouth and touched our hearts and changed
our lives. And then he goes on to say what
from Christ that soul can sever, you see, once in Christ my friends
there's no separation they can't be no soul in Christ is lost
they're forever safe bound by everlasting bands once in him
in him forever thus the eternal covenant stands none shall pluck
thee from the strength of Israel's
hands, safe in the arms of Jesus. It's a wonderful consolation,
isn't it? And then he goes on, John Kyn
had a wonderful sight, didn't he, of the glory of God and the
truth of it, and he's able to say, heirs of God joined heirs
with Jesus. sinners of the earth, heirs of God, joint heirs with
Jesus, long ere time its race begun, to his name eternal praises. Oh what wonders love has done,
one with Jesus, by eternal union one. And then the last verse
sums it up really when He says, on such love, my soul. See, real religion is
personal. We come to this, my soul. On such love, my soul. Still ponder. Think on these
things. Meditate upon them. So shall
my word be. go forth out of my mouth say
whilst lost in holy wonder why oh lord such love to me hallelujah
grace shall reign eternally well john kentbury had a very clear
view didn't he of the glory of god and the wonder of salvation
and may you and i also have a clear view of the greatness of our
god and desire to honour and glorify his great and holy name,
to praise his name, to sing hallelujah, because the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth. So shall my word be that goeth
forth out of my mouth. And so says Isaiah, it shall
not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which
I please, It won't accomplish that which perhaps you and I
expect it to achieve, but it will accomplish what pleases
Almighty God. What a good thing it is then
to be able to rest in the arms of Jesus and realise that what
he's planned for us is best. And it's superior to anything
that you and I could think or do. One of the reasons is this. God knows the end from the beginning. All you and I know is our life
up to the present time. We don't know what's before us.
But God knows. And God's planned our life in
every detail. What a wonderful blessing that
is. And so to be able to realise
that it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish
that which I please. And my friends, in the providence
of Almighty God, this will be a path that will bring you and
me safe home to glory. left ourselves, we wouldn't go
in that path which God has planned. But you see, we would choose
the broad way which leads to destruction, because all we would
be able to see is with those eyes of our natural life. But when God gives us spiritual
eyes to look beyond things of this life, we then have a little
glimpse, and it is only a little glimpse, of Emmanuel's land. And so we can then rejoice that
it is God that does accomplish that which I please, not what
you and I please, what God pleases. And so what a wonderful thing,
when God gives us grace, which he does to all of his people,
he gives grace to submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God. And we have to look beyond our
little life, to realize it is as nothing compared with eternity. And that puts things in a right
perspective. And so says Isaiah, it shall
not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which
I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I send
it. What does that mean? It means
this, I believe, that you and I, by God's grace, will indeed
grow spiritually, grow in grace, in the unmerited favour of God
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. What a wonderful blessing that
is, isn't it? To be prosperous in the knowledge of the Saviour,
to rejoice in what the Saviour has done, to rejoice in his wonderful
love toward us, the way, in the path that we're being led. And don't forget, He led them
forth by the right way. He leads you and me forth by
the right way, with the purpose that we might go to that eternal
city of habitation, to be found with the whole family of Christ
in glory, not for time, but for eternity. I believe as the Holy
Spirit gives us a right understanding of these things, it does put
things in their place and we're willing to walk the path and
to understand therefore The great truth that Isaiah is able by
the Spirit of God to write for my thoughts and not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. This is the Lord,
you see. It's not puny man. It's not somebody
with some ideas about what you should do and how you should
act and what you should say. This is Almighty God. thoughts of love, thoughts of
peace toward us. Isn't it wonderful to think that the great God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit all unite together to
look upon us and to bless us and to bring a safe home to glory. Well may we realise the great
truth of these things and just to understand as I commence this
evening's sermon with this great truth that God's word will not
return unto him void but it should accomplish that which I please
and just to confirm it may not always be accomplished in the
way that you and I think it will be accomplished in the way which
is best for us and the way which will bring honour and glory to
his great and holy name and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto
I send it. We have two shells there and
we should recognise the wonderful truth of it because God's way
is and it shall come to pass and so but it shall accomplish
that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto
I sent it. Well may we thank God for his
great and glorious truth. Amen.