Sermon(Is 40:27-31): Jehovah gives you new strength

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/50025253083

 

 

 

Scripture reading: Is 40:27-31

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>> 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hid from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God"? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. he does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they (those) who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. <<

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The biblical text is the word of God that God gave to Israel who lived in captivity in the gentile nation and were crying out to God for suffering. Prisoners can not save themselves. Israel was destroyed by and taken captive to a gentile nation, and was suffering all kinds of hardships. Losing a war, the people must be taken captive and become slaves. The conquerors tend to be apathetic to the circumstances of the conquered. Israelites, having spent about 70 years of captivity, realized this deeply: 'How hard it is for the people of God to live in a foreign land! It is rather better to live as servants of God in homeland Israel. It is really painful to live as servants of gentiles who don't know God!' Yes, my brethren! It is a great blessing for the people of the merciful God to live as his children and servants. If you renounce the God since you are tired of his love and concern, you'll become a servant of ruthless people and live with sigh.

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The captives become frustrated when they look only at themselves because the captors are stronger than themselves. People who are in trouble complain easily. They cry out complaint to heaven. “My God, why are you indifferent to my circumstances? Why do you pretend that you have not seen me being treated like this? (v. 40:27)” Many of you may think that you live an unfair life. Do you think that God really does not know your miserable situation and unfair treatment?

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The Bible says that he does know it. “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. His understanding is unsearchable. (v. 28)” Brethren, God has been from eternity. God knows all about you from the moment you were born to the present. God is the Creator of the ends of the earth. Even if you are at the end of the earth, God knows all about there and your situation. He is wise beyond measure. He knows everyone's deepest heart. So do not worry at all whether he is aware of your circumstances and your bitterness or not. The question is not (the possibility of) God's inability and ignorance, but whether I deserve to be free from the pain.

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Instead of complaining that God does not know our situation when we fall into the pit, we should first think of our mistakes and reflect on our life. The problem is that I know about me too little. The wicked are like those who walk in darkness and do not know what they stumbled on. You must realize what caused you to fall and what caused you to be a slave. I need to find out in my past life why I failed in business, why I failed the test, and why I was kicked out of the company. Why was Israel destroyed by the gentiles to become their slaves? They betrayed the God. God blessed them so that they could be liberated from the slavery of Egypt and become a kingdom, but when they ate much and lived well, they forgot the grace of God and betrayed him. They worshiped idols and treated the weak members of the people as slaves. Israelite did so for hundreds of years, so God made them destroyed and banished them to a foreign nation that worshiped idols, so that they might serve idols as they wanted, and work like slaves there. Not to love God and neighbors was the grave sin Israelites committed. Are you in trouble? Then pray to God, "Holy Spirit, please enlighten me and help me understand what was my fault in my past. Give me the spirit of repentance and make me repent of my sins!" We should not judge ourselves to be righteous by our own subjective judgment. We should not judge ourselves righteous in accordance with the world customs. Reflect your life on the basis of the Bible and your pastor's statement.

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Not recovery but forgiveness is the first. There must be the tears of repentance for your sins first before the tears of joy of recovery. A wicked man gnashes his teeth at the misfortunes that come upon him, and protests to heaven. But a righteous man reflects on his life. Of course, I can not say that all of my misfortunes have come about because of my sins. Misfortunes may come to me because of others' sins. If parents are guilty, their children may meet with a disaster. If the children sin, the parents may be punished by God for they haven't disciplined their children aright. If the whole nation festers with corrupt culture, punishment may come upon Christians who have neglected the mission of light and salt. God doesn't bring disasters upon human beings for no reason. Whatever the reason, you should be humble when you meet with a disaster. How could the blessing of restoration from God come to those who defy God? It's impossible! And can I complain to God of the disaster that has come upon me not due to anybody's sins but due to my weakness or inability? No! God is without sin. Is a man complaining to God not a rude man, because he is treating God as a sinner?

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Therefore the moment of the recovery and reversal of my life is not the time of grudge and complaint but the moment of repentance and thanksgiving. God is good. Everything that comes from him is good. Even if it is punishment, it is good. This is the right faith. If I really thank God about my situation now, it is the moment when the gate to the solution of my life problem is opened at last. When my heart is overflowing with repentance and thanksgiving, the grip of the Devil who held us is loosened, and all of the ropes that have bound us are cut off. A man complains and despairs in his difficult situation because the Devil is still holding fast his heart. When we acknowledge our sins and inability, look at the God, thank him who has allowed us such a hard situation, and yet believe him to be a good one, the Devil can have his place in us no more. At that moment we are completely changed from the slaves of the Devil to the children of God. Children can be infinitely helped with father's power and ability. That is the right of the children. They have the right to their father's love and help. They have the right to bother their fathers if they pretend not to know their children's situations. If your father is asleep, you have the right to shake him to wake him up.

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“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. (v. 31)” Brethren, cry out loudly to God for help. “Heavenly Father, help me. Save me from this plight!” “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. (v. 29)” Are you tired as you, going here and there, have sought for help and means to live so far? Are your soul and body tired? God will strengthen your spirit and body to make you energetic. Have you ever experienced frustration with your own limitations of wisdom, knowledge and power? God gives powerful intelligence and strong muscular and mental strength to the incompetent men. If you love God and earnestly seek his help, you will have a new strength. God will pour the Holy Spirit into you so that a new thing you don't have may be with you. When Samson received the power of the Holy Spirit, he tore a lion to death. The apostles received the Holy Spirit and revived the dead. Of course, they could cure the sick by imposition of hands. Joseph interpreted dreams by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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My beloved brethren, walk boldly in the way of faith! “They shall walk and not faint. (v. 31)” Please do not go any other way but the way that you have heard from God in prayer. It is the way to save you and to restore you. When you keep walking, you may face shortage of food and water. Do not worry about it! The Bible says that you will not be tired when you walk with God's power. God promises that he will prepare water and food for you on the way you go. When Elijah was tired on his long journey, God sent an angel to give him water and food.

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Do you see the goal while you go on? Then run. “They shall run and not be weary. (v. 31)” God gives you the goal of your life and helps you look at your blessings with the eyes of faith. Run hard to get it. If God has shown you a great vision, do not be afraid of getting tired out from getting it. God gives you holy goals and gives you the ability to achieve them as well.

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Don't be frightened when you see the people around you fall. “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. (v. 30-31)” If someone who's more capable than you fails in business, don't be afraid. Never fear when someone who is more knowledgeable and powerful than you or has better helpers than you have breaks down on his way or goes bankrupt. Even though people may fall and fail to rise again, God will keep hold of you to the end. Even though you have fallen for a while, it is God who raises you up again. My brethren, do not be afraid that you will fail while living in God. Just love God and expect his help.

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Is there an obstacle like a high, big mountain before you? Never worry! God gives you strong wings. “They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles. (v. 31)” Sometimes God uses extraordinary methods to help you. When the Red Sea was in front of Israelites, God divided it and made a dry highway for them. When Paul and Silas were put in jail, the door of the jail opened of itself. The dead Lazarus was wrapped up in cloth, but Jesus our Savior raised him and loosened everything that tied him up. God raised a new king Cyrus, who destroyed the nation the Israelites served, and who liberated them from bondage. God breaks all obstacles before you if you are a child of God. Just pray to God when you run into an obstacle. And if you experience miracles, be glad because you are certainly a child of God.

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Brethren, God says he does not faint or grow weary. No matter how long and much and annoyingly you ask God for help, he will never be mentally tired. He'll never get irritated with you. I pray that God the Father who has much love and mercy have mercy on you and save you from all tribulation and persecution, in Jesus' name, amen!

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Chong Tack Kim

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                                  - Dongtoma Sunshine Church -

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