On his way out of the foreman's office, the guy looked back and said: "It's not my fault. Each day I got farther from the paint can."

The people of Israel were like that. They kept getting farther and farther away from God. The people of Israel were living in Judah at the time and following after false gods. They are just coming back from exile and they are continuing living like their pagan captors. They are living in sin idolizing false gods. In their ungodly living, God calls Isaiah into ministry to give them God’s message concerning their lifestyle.

Isaiah is said to be the greatest of all prophets. He has more Messianic prophetic words than any other prophet. As God's special messenger to Judah, Isaiah's words brought both words of judgment and words of hope and expectation. Prophets were never very popular. They brought words of warning and condemnation to the people if Israel and Judah. Isaiah was no exception. However, in this portion of Isaiah, Isaiah has something different to speak. He has an invitation to join in a covenant that will give them a life of abundance. A life that only the leaders who needed special anointing would have. But now God is calling them all to come into this special life.

Isaiah gives them a message from God. Isaiah is excited. This is different than anything God has proclaimed. God calls to them in a direct manner.

God says to the Hebrew people:
Come, come, come, God calls to them three times in verse one. I am offering something that you have never experienced before. God calls them. Come back from your pagan lifestyle. I have something better.

Incline our ears - lean down low, be in a place where you can listen and hear what is being said to you. I am giving you an everlasting covenant. You won’t want to miss what I have to say.

See what I did for David, remember what I did for Him, He is my witness. The promises I made to Him, they are all yours. The whole community will be a part of the promises.

See how all the nations will see what I have done for you. They will see my glory in you.

Seek me with all that you are. Seek it for it is the truth. It is my word and it doesn’t leave void. Trust me and know me that these words are for you.

Come, listen and see for yourself. As sure as the rain and snow fall down and water the earth, my word is good and doesn’t return void. There is a purpose in my words. This is no joke.

When you experience and understand, then you will go out with joy and peace and all creation will join in - even the leaves on the trees will clap their hands.

I bring something new and good. Come near to me. I have something to say.

You know this is an evangelism message. We can use this today for the whole world to come. All of the world can have what God is calling the people of Israel to. This is a new covenant. A new way of understanding who God is.

This is a prophetic message of Christ. This is one of Isaiah’s Messianic prophecies. A salvation message for the whole world. Come and save your soul. Come and enjoy life abundantly.

An older gentleman was having a hard time seeing, so he was about to give up golfing. His friend said he knows an older guy who has perfect vision and he knows he would go out golfing with you. So he said GREAT! They go out golfing and he tees up his ball and hits it! He looks at the guy and says did you see it? The guys says yep! Well where did it go? The guy scratches his head and says, "I forget."

Sometimes we forget that this Isaiah message is for us. A message of abundant living for us. Sometimes we need reminded. Sometimes we need reminded that everyday God call us out of the world to Him. Sometimes we need reminded that our salvation is now and we live in the richness of His glory today.

We need reminded that God continually calls us to come.

How close do you want to be to God? You are as close as you want to be. God is as willing to get as close to you as you are willing to get close to Him. When you take one step closer to God, you actually get two steps closer to God, for James 4:8 tells us, "draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

A woman once wrote to Ann Landers: "I'm forty-four, husband same age. We get along okay - no drinking, no gambling, no skirt chasing. He has a good job and our home is paid for. Our four children are healthy and normal. They do well in school and the three older ones have never caused us any trouble. So why am I writing? Because my life is blah. Something is missing. It's like stew without salt. I feel a certain emptiness. What is it?"

Many of us are like that. Like the Easter chocolate bunnies - hollow inside.

God places in each one of us a spiritual hunger. A hunger that the world cannot satisfy. A hunger that can’t be satisfied with so many things that the world tries to give us. Our spiritual hunger can’t be satisfied with drugs, alcohol, clothes and things. It can’t be satisfied with money or power or authority. It is a hunger that only God can satisfy.

God tells us today. God calls us to come to be near to Him Draw near I have a different food for you. Yes, You need food but You need spiritual food. The food that only Jesus can give. Come feed your souls. God wants to have a relationship with us. God awaits us daily to give comfort and to give peace. He offers a place of solace. Come and get ready for the day. Come and sit with me. I have something for you. Come, I know what you need more than you do.

We need reminded that God is waiting for us to come.

A couple was celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and at their party the husband got up and began a toast to his wife. He said “After fifty years I have found you tried and true.” She said, “What? I didn’t hear you.” He said it louder this time, “After fifty years, I have found you tried and true.” She said, “I am sorry could you repeat it again, I still couldn’t hear you.” He said it even louder, “After fifty years, I have found you tried and true.” “Hmm!” she said. “Oh yeah fat boy, after fifty years I am tired of you, too.”

Sometimes we need reminded that God has something to say and we need to draw near so we can hear. God says, come and draw near and incline your ear. Lean in to me, be attentive, I am speaking to you. Be alert and expect a word from me. This is important. I want to help you solve your problems, I have the answers you are looking for. Come in out of the cold and hear my words of comfort and peace. Come in out of your business and listen. Turn off the noise of your life and hear my words of assurance and rest. Come closer, draw near. I want to indulge you in the mystery of who I am. Come closer, incline your ear.

Sometimes we need reminded that God has so much to say. That we are living out our salvation.

Many people are searching for a spirituality that makes them feel good and that’s fine but we need a spirituality that feeds us the truth. The world confuses what God is saying. We have to listen and seek the truth and we can only find that in our nearness to God. A nearness that we have in our devotion time. He says His word doesn’t come back void. As the rain and snow fall to the ground for a purpose so does what I have to say.

Now I am not talking about the Word of God only, the Bible, but I am talking about what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you too. We don’t always find truth in the most obvious places and ways. You know even God says today, “your ways are not my ways and your thoughts are not my thoughts.” It is so important to seek out the truth so we know what God is trying to tell us.

I shared this with the Book study a few weeks ago. We were speaking about the truth or about anger. I remember when Pastor Byrl and I were just dating and we were in seminary together and he was so angry with me over something I was doing. And there wasn’t any thing I could do or say that would settle it. We could not seem to come to any understanding of the others point of view. He really thought he was right and I thought I was right in what I was doing. So, I remember sitting there wondering what was I to do. We were in an impasse. All of sudden, I prayed, “Lord speak truth into this situation.” Lord, speak truth into this situation.” It was instantaneous. Byrl’s entire demeanor changed. I could see it and he said, “Never mind. It is ok. It’s not going to be a problem.” To this day I do not know the truth that God spoke into Pastor Byrl’s spirit. I just know that I praised God for it.

What is it that your heart is saying? What is the Spirit speaking to you about what is going on in your life? A truth that you know in your knower. I love that we can know in our knowers, to know in our Spirit, the Spirit that God bestows upon us.

We are to seek truth in our nearness to God. You know it isn’t always instantaneous as it was that day with Byrl and me. It wasn’t for the Hebrew people. This messianic prophecy was given over 600 years before Christ came.

However, we are to be reminded that today Christ is ours for the taking. We are to be reminded that we have the same anointing that David had. As David was a living witness, we are too the living witnesses of Christ. That we have all the spiritual blessings that God bestowed upon David. He was anointed with the Spirit, we are anointed in the Spirit of Christ and it doesn’t go away.

That is the joy. The joy that even creation is clapping for. The joy that our salvation is locked in as the Spirit of Christ has made a home in our souls and dwells and gives to us all of the Fruit of the Spirit. Not just joy, but love, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

We have it all. We have to be reminded to draw near to experience the blessings and anointing in their fullest.

God call us today to come to me, to listen for my voice, see what I have for you and seek the truth in all that you do. God spoke this salvation message over 2,000 years ago but it is alive today. It is ours, sometimes we need reminded.