Isaiah 40:12-31

We have a lot to go through today.

I'm going to really try and move fast.

But if you get to the 30-minute mark and you really got to go to the bathroom,

or your child really needs something, I'm not going to be offended.

But we need to, as the old King James language says,

gird up the loins of our minds this morning for all that we need to go through.

But just join me in a quick word of prayer.

Father, we offer up this time to you.

You would be pleased.

Help us to focus.

Help us to listen to your word.

It would take deep root in our hearts and have your desired effect upon our lives.

Work in and through us during this time.

Use me, a broken man, a broken vessel, to accomplish this in Christ's name.

Amen.

Amen.

So we've been, we started last week walking through the monumental chapter,

Mount Everest chapter of Isaiah 40.

So I encourage you to go back and listen to the message from last week

because it lays sort of the historical background, historical context for everything going on,

to which you may be a little lost.

But I'll try to summarize in a couple minutes because that's all we have, maybe one minute.

But the first part of Isaiah from chapter 7 to 39 is mostly pictures and pronouncements of divine judgment

against the people of Israel and then later on Judah.

And so a very grim, hard words to God's people.

He had been patient with them.

He had sent them prophets.

He had done all kinds of things to show them, like his love and his forbearance.

But now that time had passed and he said, judgment is going to come.

And eventually the northern kingdom comprised of 10 different tribes were destroyed by Assyria.

And then 100 and I think 35 years later, Judah and Jerusalem were eventually destroyed by the new superpower, Babylon.

And so Isaiah lived though during the time of Assyria.

And when he gets to chapter 39, it ends with King Hezekiah.

And so, but if we jump into chapter 40, in the blink of an eye, Isaiah is sort of transported into the future.

So he's speaking to God's people in the context of their future exile in Babylon.

It's one of the cool things that Bible prophets do, what God does through them.

So he knows that they're in the future going to be in Babylon, in exile, even though they currently are not while he's saying these things.

He knows that it will happen.

And so God speaks through him a word of comfort and assurance and certainty in their future exile,

kind of projected by the Holy Spirit into the future, much like John was in Revelation.

But he knows the questions that they're going to be asking while they're in exile.

Has God failed? Has his promises failed?

Does God even want to deliver us?

And if he wants to, can he deliver us?

And if all those things are true, will he actually do it?

Will he actually make the decision to do it?

Especially since they don't deserve it, just much like we don't deserve the grace of God.

And so in their darkest moments, this call of prophecy goes out into the future to speak a word of comfort.

So we broke up this chapter into three sections.

Last week, we just did one of them.

And that was the glory of God is the comfort of his people.

That's what we talked about up until this week.

So this week, I'll summarize really quickly what we covered last week.

But some of the images of Christ that we see in the first part of this is the comfort to Jerusalem prefigures the comfort that is found in Christ Jesus.

And that's verse three.

And then later on, John the Baptist uses those words to announce the coming of the Lord in person.

Verse five, we see that the glory of the Lord is revealed through Jesus Christ.

Right?

Then later on in verse five, that the fading of human lives is contrasted with the eternal salvation in Christ.

And then verse eight, which is getting close to where we ended.

Jesus is the incarnate tendered shepherd who carries his helpless people.

Okay, so just a few connections to last week.

But today, we're going to do part one and part two or part three.

So let's just dive into it.

And just, excuse me, just for time's sake, we're just going to walk through this Bible study style.

I'm going to break the preaching rule and not read it all because it'll take four or five minutes for me to read it all.

So we're just going to walk by it and eat it kind of piecemeal.

But part two is the uniqueness of God is the assurance of his people.

The uniqueness of God is the assurance of his people.

And so we'll start in verse 12.

All right?

We see God transitioning to a focus on his sovereign power and executive rule as the creator of all things.

Last week, we saw the attractiveness and tenderness of the shepherd and the promise of comfort.

And today, we see God's irresistible power to make what he said come to pass.

Therefore, it's impossible for such a great God to forget his people or neglect his people.

So I hope we're going to break this up into a few different pieces under this.

But number one, verses 12 through 14, it says,

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span,

enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in its scales, and the hills in a balance?

Number one, God is the ever-wise creator.

That's what we see here in verses 12 through 14.

God is the ever-wise creator.

So it always helps to magnify the Lord by thinking about what was going on before creation.

But God existed eternal and immutable.

He needed nothing.

He was independent.

He didn't choose to create the world or us or anything else because he was lonely and needed company,

or he just, you know, wanted to pick up a hobby.

He wasn't needy or dependent on anything.

When Paul was in Athens, Greece, he said,

The God who made the world and everything in it, being the Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,

nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything.

So the next time you have a weak view of God, just have that in mind that he needs nothing.

He's not served by us.

Since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

That's Acts 17, 24 through 25.

So, Yahweh, the living God, gloriously and freely reigned before anything else in creation.

Perfectly satisfied and happy in himself.

Something that we don't understand.

Therefore, he chose not to create because he lacked something,

because it was an expression or an overflow of his greatness.

Revelation 4, 11.

Worthy are you, our Lord and our God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

because you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.

So, God is the Creator.

He's holding all creation.

So, if you look at verse 10 of chapter 40,

the translation really is sovereign Lord.

So, he asked a series of rhetorical questions

to demonstrate how God is the sovereign Lord.

He established creation and he is uniquely powerful and wise.

His omnipotence, his wisdom,

he spoke all things into being before there was anything made at all.

Psalm 33, verse 6,

Psalms 33:6

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

and by his breath, the breath of his mouth, their host.

God is all-powerful, therefore his word is all-powerful.

Our word doesn't really accomplish a whole lot,

but his, as you can read in later chapters,

I think chapter 55,

talks about how his word does not return to him void.

It accomplishes all he desires.

And so, we see a proclamation here.

He looks at creation, different parts of creation.

The waters of the world.

You see this?

He says,

The oceans, the seas, the lakes, the rivers are held

like a tiny drop,

a tiny pool

in the hand

of Yahweh.

Crazy.

The heavens are marked off.

I love this.

The Hebrew means to adjust.

To adjust a thing to its proper place

or function.

And it means,

you see the word span that's used there.

He marks off the heavens with a span.

So, the outstretched thumb

and the pinky.

So, it's like God's going,

that's like what he's doing

with the universe

or with the heavens.

And he positions them there.

He said,

You will go here

and this will be your function.

And we know how well

finely tuned the universe is

and how finely tuned earth is

and one little change

there would be no life here.

Perfect.

He measured it out

by his outstretched thumb

and pinky.

The span.

He is so supreme

that he positioned the heavens

and the earth

saying,

This will go here.

An old Puritan said,

Remember,

a long time ago,

Can we,

when we behold

the starry theater

of heaven and earth,

conclude other?

But that finger

and arms

and wisdom of God

has been there.

God is so vast

that he holds

all the dust

of the earth

in a small basket

or pen pot.

Now this is cool.

This astounds me.

It says he holds

the dust in a measure.

You see that?

The phrase,

in a measure?

It means a third.

Anybody know

how much

land makes up

on the earth?

Maybe 30%.

So a third.

He holds the dust

of the earth

on a scale.

That's where water

covers about 70%.

The dust makes up

30.

A third.

In a measure

is what in a measure

means.

A third.

Pretty crazy.

I double checked

on that one.

I kind of found that

on my own,

which I was kind of like,

Wow, that's really neat.

Then,

it makes mentions

of the mountains

and the hills

of the earth

saying,

God is so mighty

and powerful

that he can pick them up

and move them

with no problem.

With ease.

With no problem.

He can put them

on a pair of scales

and weigh them

in the balance.

So he takes

all of creation

at a glance

and says,

Who else but the Almighty

could weigh these things

and measure them,

determine its boundaries

with perfect precision?

So,

the point is,

any of this

is too big for us.

This is stuff

that we can't conceive,

something that we have

no ability

to do or comprehend.

It's just an overwhelming,

overpowering thought.

And it's meant to be

because it's meant

to make us small

and God enormous.

So,

if God can do this,

He alone

is worthy

of His people's trust

and love.

Go to verse 13.

It says,

Who has measured

the Spirit of the Lord?

Or what man

shows Him counsel?

Whom did He

consult

and who made

Him understand?

Who taught Him

the path of justice

and taught Him

knowledge

and showed Him

the way of understanding?

So,

to ask some

very intensely

humble questions.

So,

just as Yahweh

can easily measure

with perfect precision

all creation,

all created things,

can any created thing

do that?

Can any created thing

do what He

just talked about?

The answer is no.

Can anyone

fathom or comprehend

the mind of God

that created

all these things?

No.

What puny mortal

like me

or you

would dare

look at the face

of God

and try to give Him

counsel

or teach Him

what's right

or wrong?

That's what it says.

right out of

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 32 · chapter mention

chapter 32.

It says,

the rock

about God.

His work is perfect

for all His ways

are justice,

a God of faithfulness

and without iniquity.

Just

and upright

is He.

God's knowledge

is perfect.

1 John 3.20

He knows

all things.

Psalm 147

Psalms 147:7

verse 7.

Great is the Lord

and abundant in power.

His understanding

is beyond

measure.

So all this

is meant

to humble us,

meant to dwarf us

and make us feel

small and insignificant.

Sin makes you

want to feel

significant.

Sin makes you

want to feel

big and powerful.

Puts us in the wrong

position

before God.

So God is saying,

is it you?

Would you

dare

compare yourself

to me

or would any

man at all

compare himself

to me?

So what

a great God.

Paul

in Romans

actually

cites this,

quotes this,

providential plan

of salvation,

of surety

for redemption

for the Jews

and the Gentiles.

And he

cites this

and he breaks

side

and prays.

And he says

in Romans 11

Romans 11:33

verse 33,

Oh the depth

and riches,

wisdom and

knowledge of God.

How unsearchable

are his judgments

and how inscrutable

his ways.

For who has

known the mind

of the Lord?

Right?

700 years later

he's quoting this.

For who has

known the mind

of the Lord

or who has

been his

counselor?

Or who has

given him a

gift that he

might be repaid?

For from him,

through him,

and to him

are all things.

To him be glory

forever.

Amen.

So that's

number one

under this

first title.

Number two,

God is the

immense Lord

of the nations.

The immense

Lord of the

nations.

You see this

in verse 16.

Behold,

the nations

are like a

drop from a

bucket and

are counted

as the dust

on the scales.

Behold,

he takes up

coastlands

like fine

dust.

Lebanon

would not

suffice for

fuel,

nor are its

beasts enough

for burnt

offering.

The nations

are as

nothing

before him.

They are

accounted by

him as

less than

nothing

and emptiness.

So,

to further

magnify the

uniqueness of

God,

Isaiah says

that the

nations are

like a

drop from

a bucket

before him.

A very

humble

imagery.

How many

of you ever

carried a

big bucket

of water

in your

yard to

do something?

Wash a

car,

water a

plant,

and you

accidentally

bump something

and one

little drop

goes flying

out?

That's

like what

the nations

are like

to God.

You wouldn't

like go back

and refill

the bucket.

You would

just say,

just a

drop,

doesn't

matter.

And that's

what the

nations are

before God.

And that's

not to say

he hates

the nations

or despises

them.

It's just

saying in

comparison,

they are

nothing.

They are

little.

They are

insignificant

compared to

God.

God does

love the

nations.

He sent

them a

savior.

He desires

praise from

the nations.

But they

rage against

him.

They rebel

against him,

much in the way

our own nation

is in many

ways.

But the

whole point

is this is

not a

vexing

problem to

God.

He's not

concerned.

He's not

threatened by

any nation

whatsoever.

Or the sum

total of

them.

He is not

threatened.

He has no

issue, but he

governs them as

he chooses.

Right?

They present

no threat.

But to us,

they seem

big.

They seem

insurmountable.

But to

Israel, the

nations around

them seemed

overwhelming.

But they're

not.

And the

same is

true for

us.

Then he

mentions

Lebanon

here in

verse 16.

Without further

ado, really

quickly, Lebanon

just had these

big cedar

forests and a

lot of animal

life.

And basically

saying, like,

you know, wood

is used to

build the fire

to have a

burnt offering.

So you have

all the wood

of Lebanon

laid down.

And then on

top of that,

put down all

the animals

that are

there for

a sacrifice.

He would

say, not

enough.

Like, even a

burnt offering

that big would

ultimately fall

short of what

God truly

deserves.

But the

best of human

worship will

always fall

short.

God only

accepted fully

and was

pleased with

one sacrifice.

That's 2,000

years ago on

the cross.

Number

three.

Very simple.

God alone

is God.

God alone

is God.

Verse 18.

To whom

will you liken

God?

Or what

likeness

compare with

Him?

An idol?

A craftsman

casts it.

A goldsmith

overlays it

with gold

and casts

it for silver

chains.

He who is

too impoverished

for an offering

chooses wood

that it will

not rot.

He seeks

out a

skillful

craftsman

to set

up the

idol

that it

will not

move.

And so

God offers

a challenge

here.

Verse 18.

I dare

you to

find anything

else in

all creation

to compare

with me.

Simply put,

God alone

is God.

And so

this is

sarcasm

on God's

part.

Look at

these idols

made of

silver,

gold,

or wood.

Right?

And they have

to be propped

up because

they'll fall

over.

And like,

you're going

to give

your worship

to these

things?

Compared

to the

ancient of

days?

Before we

like laugh

at ancient

culture,

we do it

all the time.

What idols

do you have

in your life?

What do you

look to for

comfort,

for meaning,

for protection,

and assurance?

I went

to a Hindu

temple a long

time ago

and there

was all

these little

gods inside

the room.

And,

you know,

they're just

statues.

But people

were going

up to them

and putting

food in

their hands

to feed

them.

And you

would look

at that

and just

think,

that's nuts.

That thing

is not going

to eat that

stuff.

But we do

that every

week.

we feed

our little

idols to

give us

comfort,

meaning,

and assurance.

We go up

to them

and keep

them going.

And they

fall over.

They'll

fall over.

Right?

So God

is saying,

will you

dare compare

me to

such as

that?

I am the

immortal

God.

Number

four,

God is

the active

Lord.

Verse

21,

He says,

do you

not know

do you

not hear?

Has it

not been

told you

from the

beginning?

Have you

not understood

from the

foundations

of the

earth?

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.

Scarcely

are they

planted,

scarcely

are they

sown.

Scarcely

has their

stem taken

root in

the earth.

When He

blows on

them,

they

wither,

and the

tempest

carries

them off

like

stubble.

So,

here,

He says,

if a person

has not

heard,

they should

have heard.

Isn't that

interesting?

Like,

because of

His resounding

glory throughout

the earth,

He says,

if you

haven't heard,

you should

have heard.

He sits

transcendent,

enthroned above

the circle of

the earth.

There's one of

those scientific

things.

A lot of

people think

the earth was

flat for

centuries,

but it

actually says

here,

God's

knowledge of

what He

made,

the earth,

is a

sphere,

a circle,

right?

Actually,

it says that

in Job 22,

Job 22:14

verse 14,

as well.

And He

looks at all

the people

on it as

small,

insignificant,

like grasshoppers,

using the

language of the

day,

like nothing.

Such greatness

is incomparable.

And He pitches

out the heavens,

the universe,

like a tent,

and stretches

them out for

a place to

dwell in.

And it also

says in

Revelation that

He'll roll up

that same tent,

like start over,

cleanse,

new,

right?

This one

particularly is a

great comfort to

anybody who's

aware of what's

going on in our

country or the

world,

but He rules

effortlessly,

over all

world leaders,

good or bad,

Christian or

non-Christian,

fools and

wise,

powerful and

weak,

He rules over

them all.

There's much

trouble in our

world today of

nations plotting

war and rumors

of war,

world leaders

seeking their

own advancement,

power,

control,

riches,

even at the

expense of their

own people,

east being set

against west

once again.

It can cause a

great deal of

anxiety if you

watch the news

too much,

but just be

aware.

But it says

here that

Yahweh brings

the princes,

which actually

means just

people of

importance,

people of

importance,

to nothing,

and makes the

rulers of the

earth as

emptiness.

That word

means meaningless.

It actually

implies He

makes them of

no further

significance.

The glory that

they thought they

had is gone,

and they're

forgotten.

All He has

to do is

just blow on

them.

He gets

back to that

imagery of

they are like

grass.

They're planted,

they're sown,

they grow,

the Lord blows,

and they're

gone.

That's like how

it is.

Some of you

have lived

longer than

the rest of

us, or

people who

just know

history,

some of the

greatest leaders

in the world,

you know where

they all are

now?

Gone.

And in a

time they

will be

forgotten,

and such as

it is with

anyone else

today, all

God has to

do is just

blow on

them.

Minimal

effort.

Daniel said

of God,

it is He who

changes times

and seasons.

He disposes

kings and

raises up

others.

So God

controls, you

see in our

text, He

controls the

tempest and

carries them

off.

Right?

So trust

Him completely.

This is not

meant to

scare, it's

meant to

say, that's

our God, our

God does

that.

So take

hope, right?

Trust Him

completely.

And then

five, number

five under

this first

part, God

is the

watchful

creator.

Verse 25,

He issues

that challenge

again, to

whom will

you compare

me that I

should be

like Him,

says the

Holy One.

Lift up

your eyes

on high and

see who

created

these, who

brings out

their hosts

by number,

calling them

all by

name, by

the greatness

of His

might, and

because He

is strong

in power, not

one of them

is missing.

So He

offers that

challenge again.

So you see

the title,

the Holy

One.

Isaiah

uses that

title a lot

for God.

And if you

read chapter

7, you'll

know why he

uses that

title for

God.

When he

was called

by God,

and he

heard the

seraphine

crying,

holy, holy,

holy is the

Lord of

hosts.

So, holy

is a very

profound word,

but just for

our sake, it

means that God

is in a

category of

His own.

He is

unique, He

is separated

from all

His created

things,

undefiled,

perfect,

and pure.

So, He

calls us to

go out on a

clear night,

which you can

do up here

in the mountains,

and look at

the stars,

look overhead,

look and

behold what

I have made,

is what God

is saying.

Many of the

pagan religions

of the ancient

Near East

people,

they had

astrological

phenomena that

they looked

to, and

they foolishly

worshipped the

creation rather

than the

Creator,

because God

is the one

who controls

the stars.

The starry

constellations,

they believed,

were controlled

by God.

Thus, only

God is

worthy of

worship.

He controls

the things

that the

pagans are

worshipping,

which sounds

foolish, and

it is.

Read Romans

1 and 2.

He says,

not one of

them is

missing, so

God creates

and sustains

the stars.

All inspiring.

I'll spare you

all the science

behind that.

Just go check

it out.

All kind of

stuff.

The galaxies,

the stars,

the Milky

Wave,

etc.

But whoever

he goes on,

he says he

doesn't just

create them,

but he names

them.

They got

names.

And that

ensures that

not one of

them is

missing.

Psalm 147,

Psalms 147:4

verse 4,

it says,

God determines

the number

of stars,

and to all

of them he

gives them

names.

Psalm 147,

Psalms 147:4

verse 4.

So,

the whole

point is to

teach us some

astronomy lesson,

the answer is

no.

So,

what's the

catch?

God is

trying to

teach Israel

and trying

to teach

us something

about himself

that we don't

need to

miss.

If God

can create

the stars

and name

all of them

and not

lose any

of them,

surely he

will not

forget his

people who

are so much

greater,

those that he

died to

save.

He will

not forget

his promise

to them.

So,

if he

manages the

universe,

do you

think he

will lose

track of

you?

And the

answer is

no.

He keeps

his promise.

Alright,

part three,

really quickly.

Part three,

the greatness

of God is

the renewal

of his

people.

The greatness

of God is

the renewal

of his

people.

And this

starts in

verse 27,

so break

this up into

three little

separate parts.

Number one,

our immense

despair.

Verse 27,

Why do you

say, O Jacob,

and speak,

O Israel,

my way is

hidden from

the Lord,

and my right

hand is

disregarded

by my

God?

So he

knows that

the Jews

in the

future,

in exile,

in Babylon,

are going

to feel

like,

has God

forgotten

us?

Has he

grown

ignorant of

our hard

conditions?

Is he

so busy

that he

can't take

note of

us?

It's that

complaint.

But,

remember

though,

God is

always true

to his

covenant

people.

Despite our

unbelief,

despite our

lack of

faith at

times,

he stays

true to

us.

So when

we're at

our weakness

and our

darkness,

God intervenes

to bring

us comfort

and to

strengthen

us to

that end.

So,

what weighs

heavily on

your mind

that you

need comfort

and encouragement

for?

Are you

wondering

if your

job is

going to

be enough

to take

care of

your family

in the

coming years?

Are you

worried about

our economy?

Are you

worried about

the chaos

in the

world?

The

certain

political

parties'

agendas

against the

unborn?

For

illness or

loss of a

family member?

God

weighs you

down?

What do

you need

encouragement

with?

Don't

repeat what

they're

repeating.

Like,

does our

God even

notice us?

Because God

is telling

you,

yes,

I see

you.

I care.

Then He

answers,

right?

This is

number two,

God's

greatness.

This

starts in

verse 28.

He answers

that.

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.

He gives

power to

the faint

and to

him who

has no

might,

he increases

strength.

So,

he draws

this sharp

comparison

between

mortal,

weak

mankind

and

himself.

The

Lord is

the

everlasting

God,

meaning

He is

eternal.

He

always

has

existed.

He

exists

and He

will

always

exist.

In

Revelation,

Revelation 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1,

he says,

you hear

them crying

out,

the Lord

God

who is,

who was,

and who

is to

come,

the

Almighty.

Revelation

1.8.

So,

God is

saying,

no one

created

me,

no one

had the

power to

bring me

into being

or shape

my personality.

I had no

beginning and

I will have

no end.

Alright?

So,

further,

He is the

creator of the

ends of

earth and

He does

not grow

faint or

weary.

Right?

So,

He spoke

all things

into existence

by the

power of

His

word.

In His

understanding,

His

knowledge is

omniscient,

unsearchable.

And then

lastly,

our renewal,

number three,

our renewal.

Verse 30.

One of those

well-known

coffee mug

verses that

get abused

a lot.

Verse 30.

Even

youth shall

faint

and be

weary,

and young

men

shall fall

exhausted.

But,

they 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 be

faint.

And so,

we see that

it's not

our strength

to endure

these things,

but God's

strength.

He is the

source of

our strength

and not

our physical

abilities.

So,

look at

verse 30.

It says

young men.

It actually

means picked

men.

So,

picked men,

those who

are picked

out for

their prowess,

the prime

of their

strength,

the guys

who are

the best

of the

best,

like pick

those men

to be on

your team

to win

kind of

idea.

Even

those men

are going

to fall

flat,

utterly

exhausted.

Right?

So,

you may

think if

I was a

little

stronger,

I could

handle

everything.

Nope.

God will

still find

a way

to humble

you.

But,

he,

he never

tires or

grow weary.

He cares

about his

people.

Right?

Even in

our greatest

despair.

So,

then,

secondly,

look at

this.

It says,

we must

learn to

wait for

the Lord.

That same

word can

be translated

hope in

the Lord.

So,

those who

expect God,

those who

hope for

Him,

those who

look to

Him,

as believers

in Christ,

we can see

with

unprecedented

clarity

exactly

what it

is to

wait for

the Lord.

So,

are you

willing to

wait for

God?

Or,

are you a

control freak

who wants

to tell

God the

pace is

set?

It has

to be

this way.

It has

to look

that way.

I must

know.

Or,

are you

okay with

God's

timing,

His terms,

allowing Him

to set the

pace?

There's

freedom in

surrendering

that.

In God,

we can

discover

reservoirs

of strength

we had

no idea

about.

When we

ourselves

are exhausted,

we can

continue not

to look to

our own

resources,

but God's.

Right?

He doesn't

faint or

grow weary.

He gives

power to

the faint.

So,

the more

we learn

to appreciate

our

smallness,

our

insignificance,

and accept

our own

limitations,

the more

we will

glory in

the power

of God.

Right?

I'll mention

the eagles

because people

want me to

mention the

eagles,

not the

football team.

It says,

they shall

mount up,

meaning to

arise,

to ascend,

to climb

with wings

of eagles.

Eagles are

pretty darn

cool creatures

that God

made.

Finely

tuned.

I think

they're like

eight times

more acute

than we

are on

everything.

They can

see twice

the distance

that any

human can

see.

They

actually don't

run away

from storms.

They fly

at storms.

Isn't that

crazy?

Like,

come on.

So,

they fly

up above

storms.

Isn't that

nuts?

Actually,

the storm is

below them

and they're

up here.

They can fly

at altitudes

of close

to 10,000

feet.

And so,

the point

is,

the point

is,

if we put

our trust

in God

and allow

Him to

renew our

strength,

He will

lift us

up above

the storms

on trials

of life.

So,

not to

fret about

the future.

Accept your

limitations

and allow

Christ to

be your

strength.

And finally,

in closing,

I didn't ask you

to turn

anywhere,

but look,

in closing,

2 Corinthians

4,

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 4:16

4,

verse 16,

in closing.

So,

if we will

accept our

limitations

in our

own

strength,

knowledge

and wisdom,

we will

have

God's.

In Christ

Jesus,

we have

all we

need

and more.

And so,

Paul picks

up on this,

just like how

weak and

insignificant

we are.

It would

be hard