With the flood of drama that seems to fill our lives constantly, we sometimes may allow ourselves to get too involved in the issues of humanity that stress us, that irritate us, that depress us, that frustrate us and confuse us. So today, instead of dwelling on the negativity and despair we may feel from these assaults, I want to talk to you about an invitation to something different. Something that is, simply speaking, wonderful. An invitation that starts with one word. And that word, found in Isaiah 55, is “HO!” Translated as “come,” this invitation continues as follows, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isaiah 55: 1)
This beautiful bidding to blessedness is extended to all of humanity as an offer of rest, relief and reward to any soul that has become uncomfortably aware that something critical is missing from its existence. Maybe it’s you who has never known the Lord and are being drawn by His goodness. Or maybe it’s you who has departed from fellowship and are trying to find your way home. Maybe you’ve become discouraged and unfruitful because of the crushing trials that come with this life on earth we lead. Or maybe you’ve just simply drifted out of your lane in your service to the Kingdom.
If any of these apply, I speak to you. But I also speak to encourage those of you who are fighting the good fight of faith daily, reminding you that the persistent pursuit of intimacy with God will cause your spiritual fountains to flow with ever-increasing rivers of living water. But regardless of your personal situation, the invitation remains unchanged as our Father continually beseeches us all to stop and pay attention to His loving offer of life. That is why He sent his Prophet Isaiah who, with one powerful word stops us in our tracks as he bellows out with great confidence and divine authority a robust and sustained “HO!” A glorious, awe-inspiring and holy proclamation coming directly from the throne of God that reverberates and resonates to the core of our very being!
Because God recognizes the needful nature of our humanity, He uses it as an example to illustrate the more needful nature of our spirituality. Everyone wants and needs to have their natural hunger and thirst satisfied, but blessed is the one who looks to have their spiritual hunger and thirst satisfied. “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5: 6) So what do you do when you’re physically hungry and thirsty? You roll up to a store, restaurant or fast-food joint, hoping that it’s open, and you pull out your money. But what if your hunger and your thirst is spiritual? To obtain what you need to satisfy spiritual hunger and spiritual thirst scripture says money is useless. There is no price tag because these things are priceless and can’t be purchased in the same manner as we do with other worldly personal or business transactions.
So here’s the question. Isaiah is telling us to come and buy what we need even though it’s priceless and it’s free. Hmmm. Buy what’s priceless and buy what’s free. This seems to be a contradictory statement that makes no sense. But actually it does when you recognize that the context of the word “buy” is focused more on the act of “obtaining” than the act of “purchasing.” And that’s because you will never be able to accumulate enough money or have anything worthy enough to “purchase” the relief, redemption, serenity and soul satisfaction we’re speaking of. But, you can freely “obtain” these divinely incomparable gifts by understanding what the Lord is talking about. You see, the primary reason we can’t purchase these things is because they’ve already been purchased. But by who? By Jesus Christ, the Holy One of God who has already redeemed, or literally purchased our salvation and made it available to all of us. As the Apostle Paul said in his 1st epistle to the Corinthians, “For ye are bought with a price…” (1 Corinthians 6: 20) And with what? The Apostle Peter completed the explanation when he wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed (or purchased) with corruptible things, as silver and gold… But with the precious blood of Christ…” (1 Peter 1: 18-19)
This redemption is so precious that even the thought of us being able to purchase God’s glorious, heavenly favor in a carnal sense is abominable. We see a perfect example of how this was dramatically played out in the 8th chapter of Acts when God allowed the disciples Peter and John to go to Samaria to pray for and lay hands on new believers there to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That’s when a local sorcerer named Simon offered them money to be able to do the same thing. But Peter was well aware of his evil intentions and, to Simon’s surprise, Peter responded to his unethical, self-serving request like this: “…Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” (Acts 8: 20-22)
If you’ll notice, this wicked sorcerer incredibly didn’t ask for, or even appear to want to receive the precious gift of the Holy Ghost. Say what? But true to his witchdoctor’s roots, he just wanted the power and the notoriety of being able to dispense the Holy Ghost for his own glory. A blasphemous and obstinate display of rebellion against the sovereignty and authority of God! “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. ” (1 Samuel 15: 23) Therefore Peter told him, “For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.” (Acts 8: 23)
So since we don’t “buy” the gift of salvation, then what do we use to “obtain” it with? Praise God that we don’t need cash. Cash is not even allowed, but what we do need is capital ...... spiritual capital. And what is capital? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a literal definition of capital is “a supply of useful assets and advantages.” Applying this to Isaiah 55, your spiritual capital or “useful asset and advantage” is the inner disposition of your heart. Or as scripture puts it, it’s “…the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” (1 Peter 3: 4)
You see, the Lord wants to break that aggressive, boisterous, impatient, selfish and arrogant portion of our sin nature and bring it in line with His holy nature of which He says, “I am meek and lowly in heart.” Knowing that provocation is no excuse for sinful response, He wants our worldly passions to disintegrate to the point where our hearts are not overly troubled about our outward man but where our inward man is renewed day by day. His plan is to put us in a place that is perfectly positioned in His presence where there is fullness of joy. This is when the light of Jesus can shine radiantly from us as we fulfill our obligation to represent Him well as His personal ambassadors here on earth.
In order to do this we must come to where He lives. “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isaiah 57: 15) And it is in His presence and nowhere else that we find salvation. “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34: 18)
And so, armed with this knowledge, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4: 16) Notice that this scripture says we come before God boldly not to “buy” but to “obtain” the mercy and grace we need that is so essential to our eternal survival. In the Book of Deuteronomy the Lord also instructed His people at that time to come into His Holy Presence to willingly worship, honor, adore and receive from Him. But a sacrifice was also required as confirmed when He stated that “…none shall appear before Me empty.” (Exodus 34: 20)
Oh yes, come as you are, but don’t come empty. Our response to the glorious invitation in Isaiah 55 is not to come empty-handed, but to come with the spiritual capital necessary to “obtain” what is being so generously offered. As John the Baptist told those Pharisees and Sadducees who showed up at the Jordan River to be baptized, but came with evil hearts, "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance." (Matthew 3: 8) And so, once again, the spiritual capital we need to come boldly before the throne of grace is faith in God, humility, sincerity, an honest assessment of our own human frailty and brokenness, and a godly sorrow for our own wrong-doing. This is an acceptable sacrifice to God. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51: 17) The sacrifice of total self. Or as the beloved hymn states, I Surrender All.
Now recognize that the carnal aspects of our being have no bearing on our spiritual intimacy with God. In fact they can be distractions so the Lord tells us to, “…take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6: 31-33) This is another marvelous promise from God that He will not only provide for your physical needs, but He will that much more provide for your spiritual needs. So, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4: 6)
Well, well, well. The Lord has given us quite a mouthful! But oh such a delightful, inspiring and satisfying mouthful when you speak about the Word of God! But that’s the nature of His Word. It’s a treasured, anointing oil and a nourishing, healing stream that is likened to the wonderful state of loving unity that the body of Christ shares with one another. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” (Psalm 133: 1-3)
And since God is love, this is that state of love which only God Himself can provide and does so willingly when we submit to His righteousness, His autonomy, His sovereignty and His authority. You know the deal: “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7: 14)
And speaking of love, let us return to Isaiah 55 which is a love letter to everyone in the entire world that has ever lived and will ever live. It beckons all people to accept God’s invitation to come and truly experience the wholeness, peace and restoration that only comes from Him. And when the Lord says all people, He means all people. For “The Lord is not slack (or hesitant) concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3: 9)
So whether you’ve never known the Lord, been sluggish in your service to His Kingdom, departed from fellowship or just desire a closer walk with Him, Jesus continues to speak directly to you, issuing this holy and glorious invitation of intimacy with Him, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30)
Back in the Old Testament when God’s people got stuck straddling the fence between who they were going to serve, the Prophet Elijah asked them, “How long halt ye between two opinions?" (1 Kings 18: 21) In other words, how long will you be disabled from or hesitate in making this critical, life-altering decision. Now is the time to take heed to God’s heavenly invitation to everlasting life. Today, if you hear His voice, harden not your heart. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3: 20) And this supper costs you nothing because Jesus will bring the supper with Him for He is the supper and this supper is free. “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6: 51) And when you are able to obtain and consume that which is free, it will make you free. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8: 36)
When Isaiah said “HO!”, he was not only trying to get our attention but was also signaling to us a sense of urgency. He knew the truth. And the truth is the day is coming when this offer will expire and no amount of crying, wailing, begging or bargaining will do any good. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Peter 3: 10) This is why he tells us to “Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55: 6) The Lord has been extremely patient and longsuffering with us all. He is holding back destruction giving us all an opportunity to take advantage of His invitation. "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (2 Peter 3: 7) Therefore we must do our work and take advantage of this opportunity while it is day, for when the night comes your chance will have passed and no one will be allowed to toil. As John has told us, “…the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John 9: 4)
Let us be like the 10 wise virgins in the Book of Matthew who were prepared and waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom, looking ahead anxiously for what was going to be a great day. And conversely, let us not be like the 10 foolish virgins who were unprepared and caught off-guard for what turned out to be a terrible day. They hesitated and procrastinated until it was too late and their last minute efforts were met with rejection. “…and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25: 10-13)
And so beloved ones, if you have never known the joy of salvation and the peace that surpasses all understanding, you can know Him for yourself today. If you’ve known the Lord and walked away, today you can be restored to a right relationship. Be as King David who said, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.” (Psalm 51: 1-3 & 10-12).
And even if you serve Him but want to be more stable and effective in your walk with Him, today you can be strengthened and empowered by examining yourself and continuing to live holy and humbly, making your calling and election sure. “Who can understand his errors? cleanse Thou me from secret faults. Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19: 12-14)
And always remember that our salvation is a gift. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2: 8) And if it’s a gift, then by definition it has to be free. So we can’t “buy” it but we may freely “obtain” it when we come to God with our spiritual capital which if you’ll recall begins with faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11: 6)
So come unto our beloved Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God who has been resurrected from the dead with all power and sits on the right hand of God making intercession for us all at this very moment. And not just intercession, but intervention as well. Jesus will get involved in any situation that plagues you and intervene on your behalf. So come and He shall give you everlasting rest, free of charge. “…He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21: 6)
The heavenly invitation is ringing out right now saying “HO! So come today to confirm your destination and reservation for eternity. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22: 17) Come to be released from bondage and immersed in peace. Come to be strengthened and encouraged. Come to be saved and sanctified. Come, for tomorrow may be too late. Come, for today it's free.
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15: 13)
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