GOD Said - “Incline Your Ear, And Come To Me”  - Isaiah 55

Isaiah 55, let's read. Come everyone who thirsts,

come to the waters. And he who has no money,

come buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without

money and without price. Why do you spend your

money for that which is not bread and your labor

for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently

to me and eat what is good and delight yourself.

Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,

a leader and a commander for the peoples. Behold,

you shall call a nation that you do not know.

and a nation that did not know you shall run

to you because of the Lord, because of Yahweh

your Elohim, and of the Holy One of Israel, for

he has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he

may be found. Call upon him while he is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous

man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord

that he may have compassion on him and to our

God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts

are not your thoughts, neither are your ways

my ways, declares 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 and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed

to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall

my word be that goes out from my mouth. It shall

not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish

that which I purpose and shall succeed in the

thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out

in joy and be led forth in peace. And the mountains

and the hills before you shall break forth in

singing. And all the trees of the field shall

clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall

come up the cypress. Instead of the briar shall

come up the myrtle. And it shall make a name

for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall

not... be cut off. Lord, I want to thank you

for your word. Help us, Lord, as we open, continue

to go through Isaiah 55, that you would give

us clear understanding of what you're saying

concerning your word. How you are calling your

people to listen diligently, to incline, to hear,

to come, to know, to be obedient. Help us, Lord,

to really understand that we must know your word

and know you more that we may have favor with

you. Lord, we praise you and thank you in Jesus

name. Amen. So five basic principles. Are we

connected? I'm going to try one more time. Hey,

we're connected, man. Let's go. All right. It

says we were connected. I don't know why it stayed

connected that time, but I'll go with it. First

one, are you hungry and thirsty? Come, he does

satisfy. So when you think about your life, what

are you hungry and thirsty for? Are you hungry

and thirsty for the thing that fills the belly?

It satisfies the grumblings. Are you hungry and

thirsty for the true bread and the true water?

Come, he does satisfy. John 6, 35. Jesus said

to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes

to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes

in me shall never thirst. Do you hear that? The

very one that Isaiah 55 is talking about, the

king who sits on the throne of David, everlasting,

the one who will completely and totally satisfy,

he is the one who quenches our thirst and takes

away our hunger. But how does he do it? Because

he fills your cabinet full of food and goodies?

No, he does it through his word. In Isaiah 55,

one through two way. Come. Yolak is the word

here. Yolak means, refers to a starting point

or summons you to start here. Where do you start?

If you aren't seeking out God in his word, he's

telling you start here. This is your starting

point. The word. Oh, it went out again. I don't

know. I'm still connected, bud. Says I'm connected.

It's the system. Don't worry about it. Don't

worry about it. Put up the God said and that's

it. So my question to you, are you willing to

start at the word? At the thing that gives everlasting

water and manna, spiritual manna? Are you there?

In the word, are you getting something daily?

You have to eat and drink daily. Start here.

Start where your hunger and your thirst begin.

There. Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.

Everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters.

And he who has no money. Come and buy and eat.

How can you buy anything with no money? Because

this is free. It's a marketplace, a free marketplace

of everything you need for life and godliness.

As a matter of fact, he says, come buy wine and

milk without money and without price. Come and

take, come and get. Why do you spend money for

that which is not bread? And your labor for that

which is not satisfied. The word satisfy here

is soba. And the word soba means to be filled

or fulfill. Where do you get your fill? Do you

get your fill on all the things that are around

you in life? Do you get your fill on your family?

Does that fill you? Or do you get your fill on

the thing you love the most when it comes to

goodies? Mine's Lindor truffles. Okay. Or peanut

butter balls. I do have a tendency to get my

fill on. I shouldn't. But that really doesn't

satisfy. It's temporary. But real true satisfaction,

real fill comes from Christ. Or are you just

working? To fill or to be filled with the things

of this earth. Number two, how does he satisfy

his people? If we want to be satisfied, how does

God satisfy our hunger and thirst? He gives us

the answer here. Listen diligently. Incline your

ear. Hear what he's saying. He has glorified

his people. John 8, 45 through 47. But because

I tell you the truth, and I want you to pay attention

to this. This is so huge. I wish the church in

America grabs this truth. But I tell you the

truth, Jesus says, you do not believe me. Jesus

came, preached the truth. And the scripture says,

you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts

me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not

believe me? They know he tells the truth. Whoever

is of God hears the words of God. You hear that?

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The

reason why you do not hear them is that you are

not of God. Do you get that? We live in a world

where there are people that are of God and many

more that are not of God. And the reality is

they don't hear the word of God or the truth

of God because they're not of God. How did I

ever come to know the gospel, to know the Christ

of the gospel, to know the God of the gospel?

Because I belonged to him. When? Before the foundation

of the world, the scripture says. I was written

in the Lamb's book of life. It happened to be

on that day at that particular time in his wisdom

and goodness and mercy. He has shown me the truth

because I belonged to him. But there are many

who don't hear because they don't belong to him.

Jesus makes this very clear. Whoever is of God

hears the words of God. My sheep know me and

they know my voice. The reason why you don't

hear them is that you are not of God and you

are not of my sheep, Jesus also says. In Isaiah

5, 2b through 5, he says, listen diligently.

Here is what the people of God do. So my question

to you is, are you thirsty and hungry? How are

you getting the word? He doesn't tell you how

to get it. He just tells you to get it. You can

get it through reading your Bible. You can get

it through listening to the Bible. You can get

it through some of you guys like your little

digital Bibles and little notices and stuff.

Get it that way. Get the word. Listen diligently.

Salma. Hear intently. Act in your hearing. Act

in what you hear. Be obedient. Do what God says.

That is what hearing or listening diligently

means. Do what God says. Listen diligently to

me. That's what God's people do. So if I am thirsty

and hungry and I come to the water, I must listen

diligently. Do what God says. Don't just hear

it. but do it. Then he says, and eat what is

good and delight yourself in rich food. Psalm

119 is all about the word. Delight yourself in

the word. How can a young man keep his way pure

by living according to your word? I have hidden

your word in my heart that I might not sin against

you. I memorized those when I was a young lad

in the Lord. My challenge to you is, do you delight?

in his word as rich food. The scripture also

says that his word is as sweet as honey. It's

greater than gold and silver. Then he tells us

to incline, nolta. This word incline means to

turn to obedience. Incline, repent, turn to obedience.

Am I turning to be obedient? Am I inclining my

ear? To obedience. Do you see that? Listen diligently.

Do what I say. Incline your ear. Turn to obedience.

Same thing, isn't it? And then he says, and come

to me. See, if I'm listening diligently and I'm

doing what I'm hearing, and then I incline my

ear, I'm turning and moving towards obedience,

then I will come to him. And I will hear him.

Soma. Why? That my soul or that your soul may

live. You want life? You want to live life? You

want to feel alive? You don't want to feel defeated

every single day of your life? You don't want

to feel like every day is a struggle? In this

world, you're going to have struggle. You're

going to have trouble. Jesus promised it. But

can you? Can you feel alive in the struggle?

Yes. My soul may live if I listen diligently,

if I incline my ear, if I come to him, if I hear.

Look what it says next. It says, and I will make

with you an everlasting covenant. Who is our

everlasting covenant? Jesus. He says, I give

you a new covenant in my blood. We have an everlasting

covenant. This is what he's talking about here.

Why? My steadfast, sure love for David. What

did he say to David? David, your throne will

be a throne forever. Who sits on the throne of

David? The king of kings and the Lord of lords,

Jesus. He is our everlasting covenant. And he's

calling us to listen diligently, to incline our

ear, to hear and to come. Behold, I made him

a witness, aid, a testimony, an evidence. Who's

the evidence? David. Why is he the evidence?

Because he is the proof that God is a God of

promises. And he keeps his word. What is the

witness? David was a witness to the peoples.

A leader and a commander for the peoples. Behold,

you shall call a nation that you do not know.

Isn't that interesting? How has there been a

nation that has been called that they do not

know? It's called the nation of Gentiles. God

has called us. And then look what it says. And

a nation that did not know you shall run to you.

Isn't that beautiful? Because of Adonai, your

Elohim. Because of Yahweh, your Elohim. Of the

Holy One. That's actually Yahweh. I don't know

why. transferred to lowercase O -R -D, but it's

actually all capitals, Yahweh, your Elohim, and

of the Holy One of Israel. Who is the Holy One

of Israel? Christ. Because for he has glorified

you. How has God glorified us? Because he has

made us a people. So, Do you as a people seek

the Lord and have you called on his name? He

hears and forgives and he does not forsake those

who truly seek him. I want you to notice in Psalm

9, 9 through 10, the Lord is a stronghold for

the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

And those who know your name put their trust

in you for you, O Adonai. Have not forsaken those

who seek you. God will not forsake you if you

seek him. He is faithful to continue to care

for you. He will preserve you. Look what it says

in Isaiah 55, 6, and 7. Seek the Lord while he

may be found. Call upon him while he is near.

This word, call upon, is the word to summon for

help or to repent. Seek the Lord while he may

be found. Repent while he is near. This implies

something that we'll get to in a minute. I want

you to think about that. While he may be found

and while he is near, let the wicked forsake

his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts.

Turn to him. Let him return to the Lord that

he may have compassion on him. Repent. Turn to

Jesus. Repentance is not turning away from sin.

Only. Repentance is turning to Christ. And as

a result of turning to Christ, you turn from

your sin. You forsake the thing you love the

most. for the one you want to love the most.

And how does that happen? The work of God, through

the work of regeneration and transformation of

the heart. Look what it says, that he may have

compassion on him and to our Elohim, for he will

abundantly pardon. So what do we notice here

in these verses? There's the idea and understanding

that repentance is necessary. Repent. When? Now.

Now. Because there will be a day when it will

not. He will not be found. And he will not be

near. But you're like, well, he's omnipresent.

Yes, he is omnipresent. Doesn't mean he's not

going to be present. He's just not available

for you. I want you to understand something.

This term, seek now while he may be found and

while he is near, implies while, implies there's

a day, the day, when you will not be able to

seek him and no one will find him because he

will not be near to be found. Why? Because the

great day of judgment and wrath, when you feel

like coming, you'll never feel like coming. That's

important. No one feels like coming to Jesus.

John 3. Just read that. John 3, 16 through 21.

The reality is that there is a day, the great

day. When God will pour his judgment and wrath

on the earth and upon everything here, and that

he will not be found for repentance. It's too

late. Now, number four, God's word does. accomplish

that which he purposed and shall succeed in the

thing in which he sent it. Now this is important

because we just read the reality that there's

going to be a day when you're not going to be

able to find Jesus. The Lord's not going to be

found. He'll be present, but not in the way you

want. It's not going to be the lamb that's like,

hey, I want you to come to me. He's going to

be like, I'm the God of war and I'm going to

destroy everything that's contrary to me. But

I want you to understand something. That doesn't

mean that everything that God doesn't plan or

set, that it will never happen. It will always

happen. He will always complete what he started.

Deuteronomy 8 .3 says it this way. And he humbled

you and let you hunger and fed you with manna,

which you did not know, nor did your fathers

know. Now think about that. God leads his people

out of Egypt, places them in the wilderness,

and lets them go hungry on purpose. Well, that's

mean. No, it's not. Because you're going to find

out why. God let them go hungry. He didn't let

them die. He let them have some stomach pains.

So they understood that, you know, it's not what

you put in the belly that satisfies. Look what

it says here. Let's keep reading. That he might

make you know that man does not live by bread

alone, but man lives by every word that comes

from the mouth of the Lord. The reason why you

didn't die in the wilderness is because I said

so. Not because you were hungry. That's what

he's saying here. That's power. Now I can understand

why some dudes just don't eat for 40 days. Of

course, they probably look all nice and trim

or really, really sick looking. But not really.

Can you imagine? Moses didn't. He fasted for

40 days. It's kind of wild, actually. Look what

it says in Isaiah 55, 8 through 11. Why? Why?

Does God say, man does not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of

God. It's because he's different. For my thoughts,

this word thoughts is the word plans or devices.

My plans, my devices are not yours. Man plans

his ways, but God ordains his steps. Man thinks

he's got it all figured out. But then God throws

a monkey wrench in and says, that's not my plan.

So my plans and my devices are not your plans

or your devices. Neither are your ways of living,

my ways. Neither are my ways, neither are your

ways, my ways, he says here. This idea of the

word ways means the way of life. The way you

want to live is not the way I'm commanding you

to live. My ways of living are way different

than your ways of living. For as the heavens

are higher than the earth, so are my ways of

living higher than your ways and my devices and

my plans than your plans. For as the rain And

the snow come down from heaven and do not return

there, but water the earth, making it bring forth

and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread

to the eater. Here it is. So shall my word be

that comes out from my mouth. It shall not return

to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which

I purpose. That's sovereignty. That's providence.

And shall succeed. Notice. Succeed. Accomplish.

Win. Every single time. Never to lose. It will

always succeed in the thing in which I sent it.

That's power. So though your life may not look

like you planned it, it's not your plan, it's

his. The question is, are you going to get in

line with his plan? Are you willing to settle

in behind him and trust him as a chick does to

the eagle? Number five, blessed are those who

come hungry and thirsty, who listen diligently,

who incline the ear and hear. To hear his word,

who seek the Lord with all their heart, who call

upon him for they lack no good thing, who know

fully that his word will accomplish and succeed

in which he sent it. Do you know? Are you that

confident in God's word? Do you live with that

kind of confidence, that kind of victory? You

know why Christians don't win? Because they want

to win on their terms, their way, with their

thoughts and their own ways. And you wonder,

why am I still struggling? Because you ain't

willing to get in line. You're not willing to

be obedient. You want it your way. You want the

cake and eat it too. Lord knows I'm not a big

cake guy. Lindor truffles. Matthew 6, 33. Here's

the answer. It says, but seek first the kingdom

of God and his righteousness and all these things

shall be added to you. There it is. What's the

kingdom of God? Christ and his word. And his

righteousness. Which is righteousness? Live his

ways. Seek him and his word. Live his ways. It's

the same thing Isaiah says. Jesus does it masterfully.

just does it in this really simple way. Now,

Isaiah 55, 12 through 13. For you shall go out

in joy and be led forth in peace. Oh, you guys

know this song. I know you know this song. If

you've ever went to a Christian retreat or a

camp, you get behind the fire. I know fire, you

know me. Far. About to get that s'more on. Little

hot dog on a stick. And then you start singing

this song. I know, Carol knows this song. You

might. I might make you sing it in a minute,

Carol. I shall go out with joy and be led forth

in peace and the mountains and the hills shall

sing. You guys know it. Right? They shall break

forth out into singing and the trees of the field

shall clap their hands. You know. But that's

not what this means. That is what it means for

us. But we take anything, make it a song. We

even put it on our wall. But understand, this

is about those who are in Christ. You see, we

who have trusted him and his word. who believe

in his name, who have inclined and have lived

with purpose, obediently with his power and his

strength, we can and shall go out in joy and

we shall be led forth in peace. When? When it's

all done. Because the mountains and the hills

shall break forth into singing and all the trees

of the field shall clap their hands. When? The

earth moans and groans for the day of the saints.

Instead of the thorn shall come the cypress.

No more thorns and thistles. No more weeds. Instead

of the briar shall come up the myrtle. Oh, thank

God. I don't know if there's going to be hunting,

but I'm sure you'd love to hunt without some

briar. It'd be really nice. Why? Because this

day, this moment, shall make a name for Yahweh,

an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Who is that? Jesus. He is the way, the truth,

and the life. So what does Christ say? He says,

if you love me, you obey my commands. That's

his word. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

And all your needs will be taken care of. Doesn't

mean that you're not going to go through struggle

and hardship during him providing the needs,

but he provides the needs anyway. But the problem

is that in America, because we have not preached

the word, and we have not been consistent with

the word, we have developed this softness. And

we want... What God has without the suffering

required. And the only way to get through suffering

is through his word. You have nothing else to

stand on. So my challenge to you is, are you

hungry and thirsty? Then come to the water. Eat

some manna. Be satisfied. How do I get satisfied?

Listen diligently. Incline your ear. Hear the

word of the Lord. Come to him. Know the word

of the Lord that you may know him. He will satisfy.

And he will give you all good things. That's

the word of the Lord. So my encouragement to

you is, may this year, 2026, be a year that you

commit to knowing the word. Because that's what

we're going to be on all year. So we talked about

biblical manhood, biblical womanhood. Now that

you know what it means to be a biblical man and

a biblical woman, it's time for you to be a biblical

man and a biblical woman in the word. Know the

word. Be ready to give an answer for the hope

you have. Because the days that are coming are

going to be very difficult. We'll talk more about

a lot of that stuff in the future. Thank you

so much. Father, I want to thank you so much

for your word. Thank you that your word is living

and active, sharper than a two -edged sword.

You have given us your word to teach us, to train

us, to rebuke us, and to discipline us. Or train

us in righteousness. We do praise you and thank

you for your word. We thank you that man does

not live by bread alone, but by every word that

proceeds from your mouth. And you have purposed

and that you have succeeded. It will succeed

in everything that you have sent it out to do.

We praise you that you are our God, our King,

and our Savior. May your reign continue to be

proclaimed throughout the earth as is promised.

And may us as your people be willing to proclaim

it loudly. We praise you and thank you in Jesus'

name. Amen.