IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

"i Am He Who Will Sustain You"

Date: Feb. 12, 2018

Passage

Isaiah 46:1-13 (ESV)

  Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
    their idols are on beasts and livestock;
  these things you carry are borne
    as burdens on weary beasts.
  They stoop; they bow down together;
    they cannot save the burden,
    but themselves go into captivity.
  “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
    all the remnant of the house of Israel,
  who have been borne by me from before your birth,
    carried from the womb;
  even to your old age I am he,
    and to gray hairs I will carry you.
  I have made, and I will bear;
    I will carry and will save.
  “To whom will you liken me and make me equal,
    and compare me, that we may be alike?
  Those who lavish gold from the purse,
    and weigh out silver in the scales,
  hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
    then they fall down and worship!
  They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,
    they set it in its place, and it stands there;
    it cannot move from its place.
  If one cries to it, it does not answer
    or save him from his trouble.
  “Remember this and stand firm,
    recall it to mind, you transgressors,
    remember the former things of old;
  for I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me,
10   declaring the end from the beginning
    and from ancient times things not yet done,
  saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
    and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
11   calling a bird of prey from the east,
    the man of my counsel from a far country.
  I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
    I have purposed, and I will do it.
12   “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,
    you who are far from righteousness:
13   I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,
    and my salvation will not delay;
  I will put salvation in Zion,
    for Israel my glory.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 46:4

  even to your old age I am he,
    and to gray hairs I will carry you.
  I have made, and I will bear;
    I will carry and will save.

1. Idols burden; God rescues (1-7)

Bel and Nebo were Babylonian idols. Made of stone, they were heavy and had to be transported, burdening their worshipers. Enemies attacked, and the idols had to be protected by the people, but they could not rescue them from captivity. In contrast, the Lord sustains his people. He does not burden us, but carries us. Those who cry out to idols will hear no answer; an idol cannot save us from trouble. But the Lord promises: "I will sustain you and I will rescue you."

2. "I will do all that I please" (8-13)

The Lord has proved himself in history, so we should remember all he has done. All that has happened he has foretold, indeed he has planned it. His purpose will stand; he will do all that he pleases, bringing about his plans on the earth. He planned salvation for all people in Jesus, and just as he planned, so it has happened. Let's trust in him.

Prayer: Father, you are the one who sustains me. Let me trust you even when I'm old and gray.

One Word: There is none like God

Daily Bread

Repent of Compromise with the World

Revelation 2:12-29

Key Verse: 2:16

Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

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Intro Daily