Do Not Believe
So I made a mistake….I googled the words conspiracy theory…
About 77,800,000 results in 0.68 seconds.
Yeah I know, I should have known better….but I was curious, and curiosity kills the cat….ehhhh
Punches the preacher
Spoils the sermon
Ruins the reverend
Corrupts the Christian. Yeah that’s the one.
The Bible speaks of a conspiracy several times actually. The one I want to look at this morning is found in Isaiah chapter 8. It goes like this:
11 For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14 And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”
16 Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples. 17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19 And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. 21 They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. 22 And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.
The people were facing the Assyrians. Not just facing in battle, but facing likely destruction. When bad things happen we often seek explanations. How? Why? Suddenly become important questions.
God speaks bluntly. Quit running to things outside of the faith, outside of Scripture and outside of your control. And although the times may change and titles may be different the source is still the same. You may not go to mediums instead you turn to your money. You may not be consulting necromancers, instead you are relying upon your newsfeed.
Anything you turn to outside of the words of a Living God is taking advice from a dead thing.
If you are feeling out of control, it will be ok. We have been here before. God is still King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Trust him!
People of God….why do you seek the living among the dead?
Those are the Words of God, not mine. But as a good friend constantly reminds me; trust the promises
-Pastor Dan