Scripture
How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help! How terrible for those who depend on horses! They trust in how many chariots they have. They trust in how strong their horsemen are. But they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel. They don’t ask the LORD for his help.
~Isaiah 31:1, NIrV
Quote
If Jesus is all you have then Jesus is all you need.
~John the Apostle
Everyone needs help but unfortunately not everyone will acknowledge their need for help. Mental disorders require professional help. Physical illness requires professional help. If I can make it until January 6, I will have gone a year without surgery. I hope I don’t have to have any more but there are times when we have to have professional help. Of course we need help in every area of life and that includes the spiritual.
The ancient Israelites were a proud and stiff-necked people. They were prone to look in every direction for help except up. They constantly went to Egypt {type of the world} for help. The Northern Tribes even turned to Assyria and a butcher by the name of Tiglath-Pileser. The Israelites were also bad about turning to idols. Isaiah told them the truth: “The men of Egypt are only human. They aren’t God. Their horses are only flesh and blood. They aren’t spirits. The LORD will reach out his powerful hand to punish everyone. The Egyptians who offer help will be tripped up and people of Judah will fall down with them.”
The One to whom we should fear the most is the One we should turn to for HELP! Isaiah used the illustration of a LION. The lion is not intimidated by a host of shepherds. He does not fear their presence or they shouts. He stays over his prey and gives a loud roar. Isaiah’s point is: going to Egypt and Assyrian is not going to help. Gathering more shepherds will not work. Israel has a spiritual problem and Yahweh is their primary threat, He is the LION. What Israel needs to do is to acknowledge their sin, repent and turn to God for help. A pagan idol is no match for Yahweh and neither is Pharaoh.
America is in deep trouble but like Israel of old, we refuse to acknowledge that our problem is spiritual in nature and that God is the only One who can help. Printing more money is not going to solve our problem neither will a Republican House and Senate. We tried both and both have failed. There is a LION standing over us and we are pretending that HE is not there. We are about to find out.
- SUNDAY SCHEDULE: Deacons Meeting @ 8:15, Breakfast @ 8:30, LIFE CHANGING BIBLE STUDY @ 9:15, CELEBRATE JESUS @10:15, AWANA and Visitation @ 5:30, Evening Worship @ 6:15.
- Bill Harrison Update. Joe David called this morning. They are keeping Bill due to his heart. Joe David is on the way to Nashville now [9:00 am]. Please pray for Cassie and Bill.
- June and I have watched the weather channel a lot the last 48 hours. It appears that Matthew is going to stay out at sea which helps. The coast is getting a lot of rain but the damage has not been as bad as they expected. I just want some of the rain but we don’t have any in sight.
- I mentioned my depression yesterday I think: someone must have prayed. I came home Thursday night and did two projects and one was moving a Piano. Every man dreams of getting to move a piano when he comes home from work. Then yesterday I got four or five more done.
- NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE: I am a Cleveland Indian Fan or a Believeland Indian Fan as they are calling us these days. We faced the two best pitchers in the American League and won both games. Vegas lost a lot of money on these two. To be honest, I didn’t think we had a chance. Of course, it is not over, we have to go to Boston for game three. We are still the underdog even though we are up 2-0.
- OCTOBER EVENTS: [1] We host the MBA Annual Meeting on Monday night October 24th. [2] Our FALL STEW is on Wednesday night October 26. The kids will also do hay rides on this night. [3] Trunk-A-Treat is on Sunday evening October 30 [5:00-6:30]. We have 35 venders signed up. This is the most in over a decade.
- Todays slides come from Finland.
