Spiritual Message on August 5, 2007

“God Beyond Compare”

“… but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary.”

Isaiah 40:31 

This Sunday we learned that the materialist only sees the physical world and disregards the spiritual world. However, if we belief in being in touch with the Creator of the universe and it’s spiritual side, we will have a better understanding of how man was intended to interact with the universe and live a wholesome life. This idea can be learned from the Bible.

In Isaiah 40:12, we learned that God holds everything in his hands. We know that God can measure the water in the hollow of His hand or mark off the heavens. He can hold the dust of earth in a basket and weigh the mountains on a scale. We are able to see the real picture of our universe.

For a mere human it is impossible to know how many stars are in our universe. Scientists have guessed and the number is constantly changing based on new facts uncovered by scientists. Currently, Australian astronomers have estimated that there are 70 sextillion stars in our universe. That is the number 7 followed by 22 zeroes. In the Milky way alone there are 100 thousand million stars. There are 10 times as many stars as grains of sand on all of the world’s beaches and deserts.

Your God our Lord knows exactly how many stars are in the universe and He does not have to guess. He even has a name for each one of them.

The Lord's power and wisdom are seen in his acts of creation and in his sovereignty over it. His power and wisdom are shown as superior to others with claims to power and wisdom: the nations, pagan religions and the rulers of the world. Through poetic imagery, both the nations and its rulers are shown to be "nothing" and "meaningless" in the face of the Lord. Pagan religions are shown to be dependent on mere human ingenuity, effort and finances. The rulers and judges of the earth are also shown to be "nothing" and "meaningless".

We don't need to fear the nations, their religions or their rulers. Conversely, neither should we trust in the nations, their religions or their rulers. The powers are nothing and meaningless before the power and wisdom of the Lord.

Consider the universe. Consider its immensity and its complexity. Take a few moments from time to time to look at the mountains, the ocean, the heavens. They are speaking of their creator.

"The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of his hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge" (Psalm 19:1-2).

The universe is telling us of the power and wisdom of its creator and is begging us to worship him.

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?  The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come.

When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm.  While the storm rages, below the eagle is soaring above it.  The eagle does not escape the storm, it simply uses the storm to lift it higher.  It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us ... and all of us will experience them ... we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God.

The storms do not have to overcome us, we can allow God's power to lift us above them.  God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment into our lives.  We can soar above the storm.

Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.

In conclusion, Our God is beyond compare. He is the hope of His people, their strength in time of trouble and in time of victory. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of His people. God is beyond comparison in His power… In His wisdom… In His Sovereign rule over planet earth and the affairs of men. God is the Hope of those who believe in him. May you be encouraged this day by your God.

If you are a Christian, you now have a choice. There is great power and wisdom in Isaiah 40. If you do not run your life in God’s strength but in your own, Isaiah 40 will fade from your memory and leave you cold when disaster hits. All of us face disaster at some time in our lives. We will need the hope of Isaiah 40 to get through it. Do not wait; be prepared; live Isaiah 40 now.

Be encouraged by your God today and live in Him in the days to come.

Pastor Conrad