Let the Rains Fall by Brother Curtis Hansen

        We are going to turn to the book of Isaiah chapter 55. We are going to read verses 6 to 11.

        6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

        7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

        8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

        9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

        10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

        11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

          Let's establish context on the scripture. Isaiah was receiving a word from God much like Jeremiah, of the pending capture of Judah from Babylon. Isaiah is trying to warn the king of Judah and the people to prepare themselves. Isaiah was imploring some to seek the Lord. You can see the Lord when he is not near if you are not diligently seeking him.

    

          Verse 7 hints at the word revival. You cannot have revival without repentance which the country of Judah was nowhere near. "My thoughts are not your thoughts" (v8) God is not man made. Man's thoughts are evil. God is the opposite of man's thoughts. You can prove God's ways by acting them daily.

        We are going to speak about thought processes. We have to learn and practice God's thoughts and ways. God divides more than he unifies. Just having some knowledge of his word will not override your thought process. God is never going to overtake your goals or intentions. Not only is God's thoughts not mans, God is infinitely wiser than man.

        The word of God is like how rain fall. Rain nurtures and grows the land. Our thought process is like the land. God's word can transform your thoughts and your will. You can have all the supply in your life, but, until you apply God to your life daily, that supply is wasted. In the scripture, God's word is categorized as meat, honey, bread, milk, because our mind will immediately connect to those things as sustenance. How we consume and process it is key. The food can sit and rot if it is not consumed. The function of the Bible is not as a band-aid for your life. The word is like a lamp unto thy feet. Not a spotlight or a floodlight. The lamp shows you where you are standing and where you can step next. It circles backup you and your choice as where you step is next. Ask yourself this; What is the purpose of my words in conversation day in and out? Is it edifying? Does it build up and encourage?

        Now turn to Matthew chapter 7 verses 21-29.

        21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

        22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

        23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

        24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

        25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

        26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

        27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

        28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

        29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

        The verses in this scripture is toward the end of Jesus sermon on the mount. Jesus refers to the rain as trials where Isaiah refers to rain as truth. What Jesus presents here is that the rain will reveal how solid and good your personal foundation is, the quality of the soil you have built your house upon. God will test you, push you into a direction that your flesh may not like, and it is our choice in how we handle it. You truly do not know how sturdy your foundation is until the storm comes by trails or temptations. Your mindset is what you believe and place your faith into.