“The Lord of hosts has sworn. As I have planned so shall it be, as I have purposed so shall it stand. For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:24, 27).

Who amongst us is not naturally wired to resist the sovereignty of God? It’s in our DNA to want to believe that we are in control over every facet of our lives. Am I right? Why do you think that’s the case?

Well, as I’ve considered that, I’ve come to see something unpleasant about us.  First, it’s hard for us to trust anyone, especially when unpleasant things come our way. We like to think we’re in control, thereby able to solve our problems on our own, using our abilities. And second, at the core, at the very center of our lives, is us. We have a natural bent to worship ourselves, part of which is the assumed idea that we are in control.  Hence, anyone or anything that threatens that becomes an enemy. Yes, for some the thought of God’s sovereign control over everything becomes an enemy to be fought against. How foolish!

This is where the words of Isaiah speak to us. Isaiah’s words shatter any idea that we are in control over the events of our lives. Here is what Isaiah wants us to be very clear about. The purposes, providence and plans of God will stand; not to be turned back by our false assumption that we are the ruling force in our lives. For some that represents a source of deep discouragement. For others it brings deep peace and confidence.

The more I meditate on this, the more I’ve come to see that the sovereignty of God is not a source of discouragement, but rather a fountain of great blessing, peace, and security. It boils down to this. He is in control; he always seeks my best. When unpleasant things come upon us, either suddenly or gradually, there is great peace in repeating that phrase; He is in control; He always seeks my best.

Make this very personal. What situations are you facing right now that stretch your ability to trust God? I speak with people every week who are fighting for faith in the midst of unpleasant and unexpected things. It does not matter what form it takes; we all know what it means to feel powerless in the face of life circumstances. It can cripple us in a moment or discourage us over time.  Does that describe you? If so, I have a word from Isaiah; “As I have planned so shall it be…His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” At such times, the simple reality is that He is in control; He always seeks my best. Can you say that with deepening faith and trust?

“Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress” (Judges 10:14).

The above passage represents something God said to the people of Israel after they had been sold into the hands of the Philistines. The people rebelled against the Lord. He delivered them into captivity for 18 years as judgment against them. As a result of 18 years of harsh treatment, they did what most people do when calamity and distress come. They cried out to the Lord saying, “We have sinned against you because we have forsaken our God.” That’s when God said, “Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen. Let them save you.”

As I’ve meditated on this passage, I’ve come to see that we are not much different than they. The sad truth is that we have many “gods” we cry out to. Further, much of the calamity that enters our lives is as the result of the “gods” we have cried out to. There is a very important point of application in this observation, and it’s this. Any “gods” we cry out to can never satisfy, deliver, or substitute for the one and true God.

As I’ve interacted with people over the years, I’ve come to see that the “gods” that enter our lives come in a variety of forms. For some, it’s money. For others, it’s position and prestige. Still others look to the “gods” of pleasure, leisure, possessions or other dangerously addictive things. Can I tell you quite honestly, I’ve never seen any of these other “gods” bring true and lasting satisfaction into the lives of those who cry out to them? What’s even worse is that the pursuit of these “gods” generally brings calamity and distress; emptiness and despair; pain and confusion; hopelessness and gloom. There’s a reason for that. These other “gods” are not gods at all. They are the passions of the flesh that never bring satisfaction or contentment. They do the opposite; they rob us of it.

Here’s now where this becomes personal for each of us. Are there other “gods” in your life? What have you been pursuing; what have you been crying out to? Are you satisfied by these “gods”? Of course you’re not! They can’t bring satisfaction, only a brief and deluding sense of pleasure.

What’s the solution? There is only one solution to the mistaken pursuit of other “gods”. Later in the same chapter we read, “So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord.” There’s the answer we need. We must put away our “foreign gods” and serve the Lord. Ask God to show you if there are any other “gods” in your life. If so, do what the people of Israel ultimately did. They “put away” their foreign “gods”. Some of us may need to do the same.

“Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit” (Deuteronomy 29:18).

There are a number of interesting points of similarity between plants and sin. Here’s what I mean. Plants can’t survive without roots. Neither can sin.   Plants and weeds don’t grow from the top down. They grow from the root up. Sin works the same way. Some plants are capable of fast growth, taking over a garden or yard. Sin has the potential of taking over as well. Further, the only way I know to permanently kill weeds is to kill them at the root. To do otherwise invites their return. It works the same way with sin.

Take a close look at the above verse spoken by Moses to the entire nation of Israel. He was reminding them of the blessings and curses present in their covenant with God. Moses’ point was clear. Even the smallest root can result in a poisonous and bitter fruit.

Can you see how this principle comes to bear in your life? The smallest inroad of sin has the potential, if not killed at the root, to overtake your life. I’ve seen this at work far too many times not to know the danger inherent in a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit.

Let’s make this personal. Is there a root, however small, of sin in your life right now? Is there a hint of dishonesty, pride, lust, lying, anger, selfishness or some other sin buried deep in your heart? Has the root taken hold, thereby increasing the danger of poisonous fruit? Be brutally honest with yourself in this regard. If what I’ve just described is true for you, I have a three-word piece of advice; kill the root. Once the root is killed, the likelihood of the poisonous root returning is greatly lessened.

Now, to be sure, there are some roots that die hard. Old thought patterns, recurring struggles with sin, or harboring difficult thoughts or desires can take time to die, but die they must. I don’t know your situation, but I do know that killing the root takes work.

In that light, here are some helpful suggestions. First, stop secretly watering the root. Plants die without nourishment; so does sin in large measure. Whatever poisonous root you may find in your heart, one helpful suggestion is to starve it to death. The presence of the Holy Spirit will enable you to starve it.

Second, once it’s dead, be careful not to replant it. By God’s grace, never go back to it, never.

Third, make yourself accountable to another person. Roots need other roots to gain strength. That applies to our battle against sin. We need others to fight.

Finally, confess, confess, confess! As soon as a root appears, speak of it to God, asking for his forgiveness and power to deal with it.

I see the bitter fruit of poisonous roots in people’s lives. It doesn’t have to be that way. By God’s grace, you and I can eradicate the poisonous roots and bitter the fruit that typifies sin. Start now!

“For He satisfies the longing soul and the hungry soul He fills with good things.”
(Psalm 107:9)

There is a significant difference between being satisfied with God and being satisfied with the good things he gives. Far too many of us are satisfied only when he gives us good things.  As John Piper said, “The weakness of our hunger for God is not because he is unsavory, but because we keep ourselves stuffed with so many other things.” I am learning that the greatest enemy of our hunger for God is not his enemies, but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. Good things can do great damage. The greatest competitors for our hunger for God are some of his most precious gifts.

All of us know what it means to be hungry.  For the vast majority of Americans, hunger is something that we do not worry about on a daily basis. When we are hungry we eat; simple. Yet, what is the status of our hunger for the Lord? The Psalmist learned a significant truth that many of us would benefit from as well. He learned that the longing and hungry soul is always filled, filled with the only thing that truly satisfies the deepest hunger of our souls, with the Lord.

Yet how do we best determine the degree of our hunger for the Lord? Well, for me it relates to a simple examination of the things that I submit to again and again. I have learned that the things I submit to on a regular basis are an accurate barometer of my hunger for God. What are some of the things we submit to? For some it is leisure activities, television, lack of personal discipline, worry, self-pity, discouragement, or any number of things. If we find ourselves succumbing to these things again and again, it is certain that our hunger for God is far too small.

The strongest and the most mature Christians I have met are the hungriest for God. And the more deeply we walk with Jesus Christ, the hungrier we get for him.  If we do not feel hunger for God, it is because we have snacked on the things of this life in place of filling ourselves full of him.  We nibble on small things at the expense of the one great thing that will fully satisfy our soul – God himself.

I believe with all my heart that God is committed to rewarding our hunger for him. The Psalmist said that “He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills. . .”  Join with me in asking God to fill us with the only thing our souls are truly satisfied with - God, not simply his gifts. There is a difference, and it will make all the difference our lives.