Isaiah 40:12-31 New Living Translation

The Lord Has No Equal

¹² Who else has held the oceans in his hand?
    Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?
Who else knows the weight of the earth
    or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?
¹³ Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord?^[a]
    Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
¹⁴ Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice?
    Does he need instruction about what is good?
Did someone teach him what is right
    or show him the path of justice?

¹⁵ No, for all the nations of the world
    are but a drop in the bucket.
They are nothing more
    than dust on the scales.
He picks up the whole earth
    as though it were a grain of sand.
¹⁶ All the wood in Lebanon’s forests
    and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough
    to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.
¹⁷ The nations of the world are worth nothing to him.
    In his eyes they count for less than nothing—
    mere emptiness and froth.

¹⁸ To whom can you compare God?
    What image can you find to resemble him?
¹⁹ Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold,
    overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?
²⁰ Or if people are too poor for that,
    they might at least choose wood that won’t decay
and a skilled craftsman
    to carve an image that won’t fall down!

²¹ Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand?
    Are you deaf to the words of God—
the words he gave before the world began?
    Are you so ignorant?
²² God sits above the circle of the earth.
    The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
    and makes his tent from them.
²³ He judges the great people of the world
    and brings them all to nothing.
²⁴ They hardly get started, barely taking root,
    when he blows on them and they wither.
    The wind carries them off like chaff.

²⁵ “To whom will you compare me?
    Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.

²⁶ Look up into the heavens.
    Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
    calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
    not a single one is missing.

²⁷ O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
    O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
²⁸ Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
²⁹ He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
³⁰ Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
³¹ But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

What is equality?

To be equal is to be as great as, alike in quantity and quality, evenly proportioned and balanced, and uniform in operation.

Equality is correspondence in all aspects and the slightest deviation results in an equivalent.

God has called you, me, the church, to be equally yoked which requires a clear separation from the sin and darkness to maintain all aspects of His Likeness.

The world has called for us to lower our standards to be equal.

As believers, we are in this world but not of this world.

We are to love all mankind as Jesus Christ did but not become entangled in civilian affairs.

No matter what our political viewpoints may or may not be, we are foreigners in this land called the Kingdom of God with a heavenly home far, far away.

We live in a somewhat democratic society that has skewed our understanding of God’s Sovereignty and our own self-worth.

We are called to be joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

This requires a transition from this world to a place of consecrated holiness – mind, body and spirit.

Just because society has decided everything in life is either good or bad, equal and unequal, to call sin ‘equality’ – does not mean is holy acceptable to God.

Just because God decided to extend grace, mercy and love to His People did not change His Mind on His Way and Word.

We must be very careful that in growing in the love and admonition of Jesus Christ that we do not lower our standards and worth to make sin acceptable and okay as a lifestyle or social status – ever.

We are called to unequally yoked to this world and to be wholly acceptable to God which is our living sacrifice, willing reasonable service. (Romans 12:1-2)

The Way of God is Jesus Christ. He came, died and rose again so that we could be transformed not to be conformed to the sin darkened image of this world.

We must each evaluate our life according to balanced and equal measure which comes from the Word of God which wrapped in flesh is Jesus Christ. Everything in our life should be compared to His Glorious Standard which never changed.

Isaiah 40:25-26Authorized (King James) Version

²⁵ To whom then will ye liken me,
or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
²⁶ Lift up your eyes on high,
and behold who hath created these things,
that bringeth out their host by number:
he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might,
for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

Who can compare to God?

Who is His Equal?

Good question.

Isaiah 40:12-31 tells of the unsurpassable Greatness and Power of God.

If we the people – meaning you, meaning me, meaning the Body of Christ would only look past the present days comprising their daily life to forever, they would see the true Glory of God and His Sovereignty that makes earthly pursuits futile.

Whose standard of living?

Whose standard of Glory is the correct measure of the “righteous, correct” life?

With our Idolatry as the “great I am” or with His Equality The “GREAT I AM”?

If we could each bring ourselves to a place of God’s Shalom and not our own, to see it definitely doesn’t matter what anyone thinks about the Lord in terms of His Power – He is still All-Powerful – His Authority is not comprised by doubt!

There is no other god ever noted in history that is like our God. (2 Samuel 7:22)

Our inability to comprehend His Being or our refusal, our own unwillingness to accept only His Dominion, His Sovereignty, His Authority, does not change His Identity or Character – it does have any impact on our future and well-being.

Humanity has decided that there is no God or placed the Lord in a fairytale status that is a great story but is not real.

There is absolutely no equal to God. (Psalm 40:5)

A life that is lived in contradiction to this Truth is perceived as rebellion against God and His Kingdom.

On Judgment Day, this will become very real to people which is heartbreaking considering the freedom we have to know and worship God. (John 14:1-14)

God has deemed you and me of great worth.

He sent His Son as a payment for your sins so that He could re-establish a connectional relationship with you and re-establish a relationship with me.

His Holy Spirit lives inside of those who call on His Name as a guide and compass to consecration and citizenship in Heaven. (John 14:15-17)

Yet few take the time to know and understand the Lord and His Great Worth.

Oh, that we could all understand the Greatness of God and His Power – it would change, transform the way we live, act and communicate as we each strive to be His People rather than blending in “equally”, “in our equality” with the crowd.

Isaiah 28:10-13New Living Translation

¹⁰ He tells us everything over and over—
one line at a time,
    one line at a time,
a little here,
    and a little there!”

¹¹ So now God will have to speak to his people
    through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!
¹² God has told his people,
“Here is a place of rest;
    let the weary rest here.
This is a place of quiet rest.”
    But they would not listen.
¹³ So the Lord will spell out his message for them again,
one line at a time,
    one line at a time,
a little here,
    and a little there,
so that they will stumble and fall.
    They will be injured, trapped, and captured.

God does not change. (Malachi 3:6)

Let not our hearts an souls be troubled, Jesus is the only Way, only Truth and only Life! Nobody, but nobody gets to God but through Him. (John 14:1-6)

The Lord hates sin.

Always has and He always will.

His Word has not changed and will never be void. (Isaiah 55:10-13)

It will continue to circle the earth until its purpose is accomplished.

Believers love the part of this truth that pertains to blessing, favor, increase, prosperity and promises.

However, when it comes to transforming their life into a holy, consecrated vessel that houses the Spirit of the Living God and is fully committed to His Kingdom – we call out for God’s forgiveness, God’s mercy and God’s grace.

Grace is not an excuse or exemption.

It is an extension of God’s Hand to assist us when we inevitably fall.

It makes way for a quick apology when we accidentally step on God’s “Toes”.

Please understand it does not change God’s Expectation of us.

He expects us to come out of the darkness because we are now Children of the Light.

The Lord expects us to separate our lives from sin to be like Him.

We are to hate sin like God does.

He expects us to love others equally, but not their sinful habits and inclinations.

God loves every sinner, every single “life cheating” one of us.

God desires relationship with everyone – without exception!

It doesn’t matter one iota if we are male, female or unsure, where we live, work and play, what color our skin is, whether we are heterosexual, homosexual or asexual, or whatever political affiliation is upon our voter registration cards.

Isaiah 55:1-3New Living Translation

Invitation to the Lord’s Salvation

55 “Is anyone thirsty?
    Come and drink—
    even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk—
    it’s all free!
² Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
    Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
    You will enjoy the finest food.

³ “Come to me with your ears wide open.
    Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
    I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.

Jeremiah 29:10-14New Living Translation

¹⁰ This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² In those days when you pray, I will listen. ¹³ If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

This invitation, these promises from God extend to quite literally everyone – without exception, without judgment, without our biases or even prejudices!

He Created Us all! He knows us inside out. His Love provided grace so we could each step out of the social circles and/or sin of this world and into His Presence where there is peace, fullness of joy and pleasures evermore. (Psalms 16, 139)

Grace did not lower His Standards or Expectations of His People.

Rather than taking a stand for a political cause, it is time for Christians to take a stand for a righteous call beginning in their own life.

False teaching is rampant and the only way to escape these lies and deceptions is to know the Truth.

God loves everyone.

He hates everyone’s sin.

Now is a good and acceptable time to ultimately know God and His Authority and Power to align our lives with His Kingdom and stop living as betrayers of His Grace and Glory accepting less than God’s Very Best and calling it “equal.”

Philippians 3:1-11New Living Translation

The Priceless Value of Knowing Christ

3 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters,^[a] rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

² Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. ³ For we who worship by the Spirit of God^[b] are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, ⁴ though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

⁵ I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. ⁶ I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

⁷ I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. ⁸ Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ ⁹ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.^[c] For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, ¹¹ so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

We cannot assume equality with God because of His Grace.

He is giving us an opportunity to reestablish a relationship with Him.

Jesus Christ is the Way, Truth and Life – the ONLY WAY.

We cannot make up our own rules or pick a doctrine that suits us the best.

He gave us His Spirit so that we could rightly divide the Word of God and pray an apply it to our life – our Ignorance of His Word is no longer anyone’s excuse. (2 Timothy 2:14-18, 2 Timothy 3: 10-17, Hebrews 4:12-13)

God expects you, me, the church to know because we called His Name First.

We are to have the same attitude as Jesus Christ. (Philippians 2:1-11)

He came to do His Father’s Will.

He gave up divine privileges so that we can regain them.

He humbled himself in obedience to God – even to death on a Cross.

What gives us the ‘privilege’ to think God would expect anything less from us?

God elevated Jesus Christ because of His Obedience, wants to do the same for us.

We must use accurate scales to measure our life. (Proverbs 16:11)

God calls for honest measures.

His Word is the most solid measurement of our life and man’s interpretation should always be evaluated next to HIS TRUTH and never as from the Source.

God finds false weights and unequal measures detestable and grace did not change His Opinion. (Proverbs 20:10)

Exactly right now is the good and acceptable time for us to discover our true worth and maximum value to God and make it our “daily cross,” live up to it.

We must each experience Jesus Christ to discover what God expects from us and do IT, rather than constantly trying to lower the bar for our own guilty pleasure.

Instead, constantly raise the bar, Continuously advancing the standard of God!

Ephesians 3:14-21New Living Translation

Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth

¹⁴ When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,^[a] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.^[b] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ²¹ Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

I believe the Apostle Paul was using all the possible adjectives he could think of, all the dimensions he knew, in order to give us all a ‘glimpse’ of the love of God.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made;
were every stalk on earth a quill,
and every man a scribe by trade;
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry;
nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky.

If we know Jesus, the Son of God who became man to die for my sins and yours, as God deeply desires we know Jesus Christ as our Savior, we would truly agree.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Creating God,

it has been told to us since the very beginning

that you are truly the Lord of all that is and ever shall be. 

You are the God of both the prince and pauper,

of feast and famine,

of the mighty and the weak —

and yet, you do not favor the strong over the powerless. 

Remind us of your unsurpassable love as we read the scriptures,

O God of True Justice. 

You have no equal ….

We cannot strive enough to be Your equal ….

Yet, We do try too hard …. Open our eyes – open our hearts –

that we may be strengthened and renewed by your Word.

In Jesus’ Name …. In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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