(The Word for Today) Isaiah 25:9 - Part 2 — Chuck Smith

To the word for today. The word for today is a continuous study of the Bible taught by Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California. Pastor Chuck is currently teaching from the Old Testament.

And for those of you following along in your Bibles we'll be continuing today in Isaiah chapter 25 beginning with verse 9 as we continue with an in-depth message entitled the praise to God.

Waiting for the Lord's Salvation

Now with today's study here's Pastor Chuck. It shall be said in that day lo this is our God and we have waited for him and he will save us he is the Lord and we have waited for him and we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Oh can you imagine what it's going to be we have been waiting still waiting. Lord come, come quickly Lord come and establish your kingdom. We've waited and we continue to wait but one day it's going to be.

You know there are those special days out of the year that you are anticipating, you look forward to them, you wait for them and it seems like they'll never arrive. Christmas used to be that way with me when I was a kid every year I would wait I would read in the paper and follow it every night.

29 shopping days till Christmas. 28 shopping days till Christmas. Man I'd watch that waiting for Christmas to come counting the days. And then the day the magic day would finally arrive and all of the excitement we can never sleep the night we our family always open presents Christmas morning and we never slept.

Christmas Eve wake up every little while and and wonder is it morning yet just couldn't wait. The longest night of the year was Christmas Eve always and yet the day would come and oh what joy what excitement.

And imagine the joy and the excitement when the day of the Lord does come. We've been waiting we've been anticipating we've been planning we've been praying. And that day when it comes oh Lord we've waited save us we've waited on him and now we will be glad and we will rejoice in his salvation.

The Lord's Victory Over His Enemies

For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest and the enemies represented by Moab shall be trodden down under him even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill and he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreads forth his hands to swim.

The enemies of the Lord will try to survive but they're gonna sink and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoil of their hands. And the fortress of the high fort of the walls shall he bring down and lay low and bring to the ground even to the dust our Lord shall reign and all opposition will be put down.

Worship, Salvation, and Perfect Peace

Now we get to the worship. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah. The lyrics we have a strong city salvation will God appoint. For walls and bulwarks open ye the gates. That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.

So the glorious song in that day of God's strength and God's protection and God's deliverance. And then that beautiful verse for thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trust in thee.

Jesus said to his disciples peace I leave with thee my peace I give unto thee not as the world giveth give I unto thee. Paul in one of his benedictions said and made the peace of Christ keep your minds and your hearts.

And then the Bible speaks of the peace of Christ which passes human understanding. Now it is one thing to have peace with God and that is established the moment you surrender to God. That makes sense doesn't it.

As long as you're fighting God as long as you're at war with God as long as you're running from God you can never have peace with God. The first consciousness that a person has when they ask Jesus Christ to come into their life they they repent of their sins.

They say Lord I'm sorry for my sins please forgive me Lord come in and take over my life. The first consciousness that a person has is that of peace. Just suddenly there's a real beautiful peace. I'm no longer at war with God.

I'm no longer fighting with God. I'm no longer running from God. God I now belong to you. You know man it feels good such peace. But there is also the peace of God. That's peace with God. There are a lot of people who have peace with God who don't have the peace of God.

Their life is still in a turmoil. There's still a lot of anxieties. There's still a lot of fears and trepidation about things around them and uncertainty. And and you see people who are Christians it's not really questioning the fact that they are born again or a child of God.

But it is possible to be born again and be a child of God and not have the peace of God. The peace of God comes when you rest your case fully in his hands. When you say well Lord it's in your hands and you just look at him.

You don't look at the situations anymore. You don't look at the problems. You look at the Lord now. It's amazing thing when I look at my problems in the light of my strength. And then I look at my problems in the light of his strength.

Very small things can overwhelm me if I think I've got to handle it. But I'll tell you when you figure Lord take care of it. There's nothing that God can't handle that I am facing. And if I keep my eyes on him then I have that peace that perfect peace.

Trusting God With Circumstances

As as most of you know the church has a avocado and citrus farm up in Santa Paula that was given to the church a few years ago and we're holding it and and anticipating to sell it before too long because development is finally moving up that way.

And last year was the first year that we were sort of able to break even we had a disastrous fire a few years ago that destroyed most of the avocado trees. We've replanted them in citrus and and last year was a good year for the farm and we just about broke even.

But that frost two nights ago was disaster wiped us out. Both our citrus and avocados seem to be gone. The fellow in charge of the farm called me up yesterday. His voice was filled with gloom and discouragement as he told me of the tremendous frost damage that we sustained in that disastrous frost.

And I said well it's the Lord's belongs to him. And I suppose if there's anybody that can afford to lose a crop of avocados he can you know not gonna worry about it. It's his belongs to him. And so you have that peace the Lord you know you control the weather you can control whatever and and and so if you wanna wipe out the avocados and oranges that belong to you that's fine.

You're smarter than I am. Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee. That's the secret. Don't let your mind get all caught up in in in these things. Maybe I'm getting maybe I'm getting old.

I'm getting old. It used to be nothing could disturb my sleep. I was a counselor for years in the summer camps and the the guys you know in in a cabin in your you got these 20 guys in there you know and they're out for a great time.

They're up there just to have fun and all. And and they don't want to go to sleep at night. They don't want to get up in the morning either. But they don't want to go to sleep at night. There's all this talking all this you know fooling around playing tricks on everybody short sheeting in you know rating the other cabins in the whole thing.

I mean it's all there. And as I was counseling them I'd say no. Look guys give me a break. Just be quiet long enough for me to go to sleep. And then you guys can do anything. Because once I'm asleep I just don't wake up.

I mean I'm gone. I mean I sleep soundly and and so just let me get to sleep. Just stay quiet long enough for me to get sleep. Then you guys can you know do whatever you can rip the camp. I mean I'll never know it.

The interesting thing by the time they were quiet long enough for me to get to sleep they were usually asleep too. You know they'd all vibe down. But usually there's hyper vibes in that kind of a situation.

Now days I do wake up at night. And sometimes there are nagging thoughts where you seek to sort of solve the problem. The problem will come to you and and and it'll start sort of nagging on you. Just pray commit it to the Lord and he will keep you in perfect peace if your mind is stayed on him.

Get your mind on the issues on the problems. And man you have sleepless nights and everything else. Trust ye in the Lord forever. For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. All you need it's there.

Trust in the Lord. Thou will keep him in perfect peace. His mind is stayed on him because he trust in the and then just the commandment. Trust you in the Lord forever. For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

God's Judgment and the Triumph of the Just

For he brings down those that dwell on high the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground and he brings it even to the dust. The foot shall tread it down even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.

For the way of the just is uprightness thou most upright dust way the path of the just. So trust in the Lord. God will take care. But he will bring down the high ones. He will exalt the needy the poor the just will triumph.

Yay in the way of thy judgments. O Lord have we waited for thee. The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee. And so Lord we've waited for your judgments. Have you ever been in that position where you want to get even because they are wrong.

They've done wrong. And you want justice in this matter. And it appears they're getting by with it. That's the thing that gets under my skin. They seem to be getting by with their evil. Now we know the Lord is just and we know that in the end justice is going to triumph even over the injustices of our justices.

You know I read some of the the judges today and some of the decisions and some of the things they are doing. And I think that is not justice that is not right. That's not even sane Lord deal with them and I wait for his judgments.

But one day as we wait God will be just and we will see true judgment come forth with my soul. Have I desired the in the night he said yay with my spirit within me. Well I seek the early Lord through the night.

Early in the morning I long for you. I seek you I seek your fellowship. For when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness right. Now you see evil causes can triumph through corrupt judicial systems.

Men can get by with evil and thus they don't really learn righteousness. The whole idea of the judicial system is is to cause people to live right lives to do the right things. But when the judicial system breaks down then you have chaos because people can get by with evil.

But when God judges it will be righteous and the people will really learn what righteousness is when God's judgments are in the earth let favor be showed to the wicked. Yet he will not learn righteousness.

And that's the problem the justices today showing favor to the wicked. And thus people are not really learning what righteousness is in the land of uprightness. Will he deal unjustly and he will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

And and thus is the the condition of our land today people on dealing unjustly forgetting God leaving God out blaspheming God upholding every rotten cause the Lord. When your hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people.

Ye the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also has brought all our works in us. So the day is coming when God will bring his true judgment on the earth and God is ordained peace for you.

I love that God wants you to live in peace. He wants you to know his peace. For God has wrought his work in us. I love that God is working in you both to will and to do. He's wrought his work in you that work of righteousness he is doing in you.

Rejecting Former Masters and Desires

O Lord our God other Lords beside thee have had dominion over us. The acknowledgement that I have served other interest other desires. But by thee only will we make mention of thy name. For these other things are dead.

They shall not live. They're deceased they shall not rise. Therefore has thou visited and destroyed them and made all their memory to perish. Look back in your life and those things that ruled over your life at one period that those desires that were all consuming when I was in high school I lusted after a beautiful little black 36 Ford three-window coupe that was parked on South Main Street in Santa Ana.

Smitty mufflers twin spotlights. The Buick emblems on the fender skirts. Man what a beautiful car. And I lusted after that car. I drive by and just look at it get off my bike and and just go around and just admire that car and lust after it.

And and that's all I could think of ways by which I might make that car mine what I could sell and what I could do in order to buy that car because it did have a for sale sign in the window. All how I desired that car.

That's all I could think. And those thoughts ruled over me for a period of time. But as he said those things that once were lords in our minds in our hearts are dead. That little car is probably long long long gone.

It'll not rise. God is destroyed. The memories perish. Esther Chuck Smith will return with a few closing comments.

But first I'd like to remind you that today's message is available in its unedited form on cassette or CD simply write or call. Ask for ordering details on tape or CD number C 3253. Again that's tape or CD number C 3253.

Christian Family Relationships and Marriage Resources

Well as the holiday season is approaching we'd like to bring to your attention a very helpful resource for families. Knowing it's the time of year when families gather together undoubtedly one of the most glaring signs that our society is in trouble is the breakdown at the family unit.

Marriages just aren't making it today and kids are suffering as they watch the breakup of their homes. The word for today would like to present Pastor Chuck Smith's marriage and family Bible study. In this series Pastor Chuck discusses basic principles designed to keep your family's love alive.

Each member of the family has a different set of needs and responsibilities. And when you know and apply God's principles everyone in your family can experience real peace real joy and unconditional love.

And when you call and order Pastor Chuck's marriage and family series the word for today would like to bless you with a resource entitled Christian family relationships taken from the books of Ephesians and Colossians.

This study reveals the secret to a solid and biblically based Christian family relationship. And right now you can get it for free when you order the marriage and family series and remember the word for today would like to assist you this Christmas in spreading the gospel of Jesus to your family friends and co-workers.

Please call our customer service department to help you in finding that perfect gift that will reflect the true meaning of Christmas. And if you call right now and mention this radio ad the word for today will give you a 20 discount on any resource carried by the word for today.

So call the word for today at 1 -800 -272-WORD. Or write to us at P .O. Box 8000 Costa Mesa California 92628. Once again that number to call is 1 -800 -272 -9673. And for those of you that would like to visit our website you can do so at www .TWFT .com.

Or if you'd like to email us you can do so at info at TWFT .com. Well coming up next time on the word for today Pastor Chuck will be continuing his fascinating study through the book of Isaiah that's coming up next time on the word for today.

Closing comes here is Pastor Chuck and may our hearts be open to the work of God and to the call of God and to the promptings of God upon our spirit. And I pray that God will raise up from among this body people who will get desperate before God in intercession that it will not be said of God concerning our day and our city that there was no one to intercede that he sought for a man to stand in the gap to fill in the hedge but he found none and thus the judgment proceeded.

May God really call us unto prayer and may we obey and respond to that call of God. And may each of us spend time this week in prayer for our city for our state and for our country that we might see a real spiritual awakening a move of God's Spirit and a return unto the Lord.

This program is.

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