"The Voice In the Political Fire"

  I want to say something about our political fire that is going on at the present. I can understand how an unbelieving society has so much fear and anxiety over what is happening in our nation. Lines are drawn, political writings are thrown around, and people are calling on others to step in and do something.

  "For thus the Lord has spoken to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people." (Isaiah 8:11) Assyria was the world power and headed for Judah. The people were in a frenzied state and what could they do? Syria and Israel had plotted also against Judah because Judah refused to join forces to fight the Assyrians. On every side Judah was in trouble and the people were in fear as to what would happen to their nation. 

  God grabs Isaiah by the arm, so to speak, and tells him not to walk in the way these people were walking. Stop the panic, the fear, and the hysteria. "You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!' In regard to all that this people  call a conspiracy, and you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it." (Isaiah 8:12) What do you do when everyone is running around with their ideas and theories speaking as if it is all a fact? Where do you turn to find help when a nation seems headed into hysteria? "It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread." (Isaiah 8:13) The ones going crazy and driven by all this panic were the people of God. They were running to one another passing fear upon fear and God told Isaiah don't walk with them.

  Standing in the midst of this situation, there was no assurances coming from the people, nothing visible. All Isaiah had was a word from the Lord God and his faith. FAITH! Isaiah had to believe, respond, and trust His God and be in fear of Him. Don't let the people control your thoughts.

  We fast forward today. Look at our nation under all these politics. People running here to there, putting out information from one source to counter the information from the other. Panic, division ,and even hate is being stirred. It's hard not to get carried away when people around us are calling upon our fears to do something. People are polarized by it and news outlets feed information to us at alarming rates. Maybe that's why the true people of God should step back and see that following in the steps of everyone around is not the correct move. Maybe it's time like these that we can glorify God and let Him shine in the midst of all this darkness and despair. We need to make it clear in our nation that our God can be trusted and He will bring everything about us under His control. This is a great time of outreach when there is so much panic and despair. Have you every thought about that?

  God knows how things look. God knows what nations are doing and will do. God's counsel will stand and will always do the best for His children. The unbelievers can't see it. Are we siding with them and listening to them? Maybe that's why the church is failing? The door is open before us to reach out with the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ and stop fearing what everyone else fears. Listen closely and you can still hear His words: "Don't walk in the way of this people!"
  "Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings." (Daniel 2:20-21)