How to Satisfy your thirst How to Satisfy your thirst for God for God

Isaiah 55Isaiah 55

A man in A man in the desert the desert

• He is thirsty, dying He is thirsty, dying of thirst.. of thirst..

• He thinks he has He thinks he has found water…found water…

• He kneels down…He kneels down…

• Takes a hand full…Takes a hand full…

• It is only sand…It is only sand…

Life is like Life is like that…that…

• We are created to desire We are created to desire God (living Water)God (living Water)

• Many are seeking to satisfy Many are seeking to satisfy that thirst…that thirst…

• But all they have found so But all they have found so far is sand…far is sand…

• The mirage of sex, drugs, The mirage of sex, drugs, alcohol, money, power, alcohol, money, power, other religions..other religions..

In our text today, God tells us In our text today, God tells us how to satisfy our thirst…how to satisfy our thirst…

Isaiah 55:1-13 NIVIsaiah 55:1-13 NIV(1) Come all you who are thirsty, (1) Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; come to the waters; and you who have no money, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.without money and without cost.(2) Why spend money on what is not bread, (2) Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

(3) Give ear and come to me; (3) Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with I will make an everlasting covenant with

you, you, my faithful love promised to David.my faithful love promised to David.(4) See, I have made him a witness to the (4) See, I have made him a witness to the

peoples, peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.a leader and commander of the peoples.(5) Surely you will summon nations you know (5) Surely you will summon nations you know

not, not, and nations that do not know you will and nations that do not know you will

hasten to you, hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."for he has endowed you with splendor."

(6) Seek the LORD while he may be found; (6) Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.call on him while he is near.(7) Let the wicked forsake his way (7) Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have

mercy on him, mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.and to our God, for he will freely pardon.(8) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, (8) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.declares the LORD.(9) "As the heavens are higher than the earth, (9) "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.and my thoughts than your thoughts.

(10) As the rain and the snow (10) As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, come down from heaven, and do not return to it and do not return to it without watering the earth without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and so that it yields seed for the sower and

bread for the eater,bread for the eater,(11) so is my word that goes out from my (11) so is my word that goes out from my

mouth: mouth: It will not return to me empty, It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent and achieve the purpose for which I sent

it.it.

(12) You will go out in joy (12) You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.will clap their hands.(13) Instead of the thornbush will grow the (13) Instead of the thornbush will grow the

pine tree, pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."which will not be destroyed."

ComeCome

(1) all you who are thirsty, (1) all you who are thirsty,

come to the waters; come to the waters;

and you who have no money, and you who have no money,

come, buy and eat! come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without cost.without money and without cost.

(2a) Why spend money on what is not bread, (2a) Why spend money on what is not bread,

and your labor on what does not satisfy? and your labor on what does not satisfy?

First, to satisfy your thirst, you must First, to satisfy your thirst, you must

comecome to God… to God…

CC God for who He isGod for who He is

OO mit the idea that you can cure your own thirst mit the idea that you can cure your own thirst

Quit trying to find love in all the wrong places… Quit trying to find love in all the wrong places…

MM eekness in Spirit eekness in Spirit

E E xperience Godxperience God

Recognize the fact that God wants you to come Recognize the fact that God wants you to come to HIM!to HIM!

Listen and HearListen and Hear

(2b) Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, (2b) Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.fare.

(3) Give ear and come to me; (3) Give ear and come to me;

hear me, that your soul may live. hear me, that your soul may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with I will make an everlasting covenant with you, you,

my faithful love promised to David.my faithful love promised to David.

Just don’t Just don’t listen, but hearlisten, but hear

To the 7 Churches in Rev. Christ said…To the 7 Churches in Rev. Christ said…

““He that has an ear, let him hear…”He that has an ear, let him hear…”

And then, John re-emphasizes it in Revelation 13:9And then, John re-emphasizes it in Revelation 13:9

(9) If any man have an ear, let him hear.(9) If any man have an ear, let him hear.

Too many people say they are listening, but are they Too many people say they are listening, but are they actually hearing Godactually hearing God

Do you take the time to hear God?Do you take the time to hear God?

SeeSee

(4) See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, (4) See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,

a leader and commander of the peoples.a leader and commander of the peoples.

(5) Surely you will summon nations you know not, (5) Surely you will summon nations you know not,

and nations that do not know you will hasten to and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, you,

because of the LORD your God, because of the LORD your God,

the Holy One of Israel, the Holy One of Israel,

for he has endowed you with splendor."for he has endowed you with splendor."

Pay attention to what is going on Pay attention to what is going on around youaround you

• Watch God work in His worldWatch God work in His world

• World affairs (Specifically the mid-east)World affairs (Specifically the mid-east)

• Your communityYour community

• Your church… Your church…

• Your friendsYour friends

• Your familyYour family

• YOUYOU

Seek and Seek and RepentRepent

(6) Seek the LORD while he may be found; (6) Seek the LORD while he may be found;

call on him while he is near.call on him while he is near.

(7) Let the wicked forsake his way (7) Let the wicked forsake his way

and the evil man his thoughts. and the evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn to the LORD, and he will Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, have mercy on him,

and to our God, for he will freely pardon.and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Ask, seek, and Ask, seek, and knockknock

• (Mat 7:7) Ask, and it shall be given you; (Mat 7:7) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: be opened unto you:

• Seeking is a little bit more involved than Seeking is a little bit more involved than asking… asking…

• seeking implies actively looking for seeking implies actively looking for something… something…

• In Other Words, don’t just ask… seek! In Other Words, don’t just ask… seek!

Also repent..Also repent..

(7) Let the wicked forsake his way and the (7) Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn to the LORD, and he will Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.will freely pardon.

Too many want Christ with no repentance… It Too many want Christ with no repentance… It doesn’t work that way.doesn’t work that way.

ThinkThink

(8) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, (8) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways," neither are your ways my ways,"

declares the LORD.declares the LORD.

(9) "As the heavens are higher than the earth, (9) "As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Control your thoughts, keep them on Control your thoughts, keep them on Christ…Christ…

Heb 3:1Heb 3:1

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.confess.

TrustTrust

(10) As the rain and the snow (10) As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, come down from heaven, and do not return to it and do not return to it without watering the earth without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for

the eater,the eater,(11) so is my word that goes out from my mouth: (11) so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Trust what God says will happen, Trust what God says will happen, will happenwill happen

• When God says something, it will not come When God says something, it will not come back void, but will accomplish his back void, but will accomplish his purpose…purpose…

• ……but recognize His purpose may not match but recognize His purpose may not match YOUR purpose.. YOUR purpose..

• What do you do when this happens?What do you do when this happens?

• You have to trust HIM that He knows what You have to trust HIM that He knows what He is doingHe is doing

Go and be Go and be satisfiedsatisfied

(12) You will go out in joy (12) You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.will clap their hands.(13) Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, (13) Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."which will not be destroyed."

Don’t just sit around and whine Don’t just sit around and whine about being thirsty..about being thirsty..

• GO… get active, and put these principles to GO… get active, and put these principles to use… when you do you will have use… when you do you will have

• In Verse 12: joy, peace, rejoicing, In Verse 12: joy, peace, rejoicing,

• In Verse 13: new life, everlasting protection, In Verse 13: new life, everlasting protection, and life and life

When you do the following you will not When you do the following you will not be thirsty in your Christian life…be thirsty in your Christian life…

1.1. ComeCome to the Living Water to the Living Water2.2. ListenListen and Hear: Pay attention to God and Hear: Pay attention to God3.3. SeeSee: Look at God working in your life: Look at God working in your life4.4. SeekSeek: Don’t just ask for righteousness, : Don’t just ask for righteousness,

pursue it.pursue it.5.5. ThinkThink: Keep your thoughts on Christ: Keep your thoughts on Christ6.6. TrustTrust God, Knowing he has a purpose God, Knowing he has a purpose

for you.for you.7.7. GoGo, become active in God, become active in God