ISAIAH 26

4 Outlines

 

 

Isaiah 26:3 Etc.

SONG FOR ALL SEASONS

(I have used this message for graduates, but it can be used at any time.)

 

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

Words – Horatio Spafford

Music – P.P. Bliss

 

This hymn was writ­ten af­ter two ma­jor trau­mas in Spaf­ford’s life. The first was the great Chi­ca­go Fire of Oc­to­ber 1871, which ruined him fi­nan­cial­ly (he had been a wealthy bus­i­ness­man). Short­ly af­ter, while cross­ing the At­lan­tic, all four of Spaf­ford’s daugh­ters died in a col­li­sion with ano­ther ship. Spaf­ford’s wife Anna sur­vived and sent him the now fa­mous tel­e­gram, “Saved alone.” Sev­er­al weeks lat­er, as Spaf­ford’s own ship passed near the spot where his daugh­ters died, the Ho­ly Spir­it in­spired these words. They speak to the eter­nal hope that all be­liev­ers have, no mat­ter what pain and grief be­fall them on earth.

 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

Refrain:

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

 

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

 

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

All of the above information came from: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/itiswell.htm

 

This is a great hymn.  It is a hymn which, I feel is a hymn for all seasons.  As you rely on the Scriptural truths behind this hymn, you will find this to be a hymn that will help you get through each part of your lives.  This hymn will also assist each of us in this room, as we make the truths of this hymn real in our own lives.

 

As we consider this hymn for all seasons, we want to see,

THE PARTS OF LIFE

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When trials lie sea-billows role

The opening words of this song remind us that life is a mixed bag.

There will be various parts of life. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 

THE PROBLEM WITH SIN

 

Thou Satan should buffet, tho trials should come...

 

You have an enemy!

Your enemy is the Spirit being who rebelled against God, Satan, and his forces of evil. 1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 11:14

 

Satan is, however, not your biggest problem, or your biggest enemy. Neither are the trials that will come to your life.

The biggest problem is the result of Satan's temptations, and the cause of trouble in the world.

The problem is sin.  Sin is failure to please God. Sin is going my own way, and doing my own thing, disregarding God. Sin is disobedience against God.  We have all sinned! Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:10-18, 23

 

Ezekiel 18:4 says in part - The soul that sinneth it shall die;

 

Death is separation. Because of sin we are separated from God now.

In the future there is eternal separation which is referred to as "hell"/.

Israel was told in Isaiah 59:2,  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.

 

THE PROVISION OF CHRIST

Please notice what the hymn writer says in the second stanza:

Thoug Satan should buffet, tho trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed his own blood for my soul

 

Here we see the love of God at work.

Here we are reminded of the work of the Lord Jesus.

Here we are told of the forgiveness that is available in Christ. 1 John 4:10,

Isaiah 53:2-6

 

The price for your sin was paid in full on the cross.

What you couldn't do, atone for your own sins, Jesus did for you on the cross.

All that is required of you is faith in Christ!

 

My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought:

My sin not in part, but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, oh my soul.

 

If you already know the Lord as your Savior, you also know that you continue to sin.

 

God is not pleased with you sin.

But, it is paid for on the cross.

It is covered by the blood of Christ.

This does not mean that you should take sin lightly.

Any sin against God is a sin against the Savior who gave his all for you.

That indeed is serious!

 

But there is still forgiveness.

There is forgiveness that means you will be in Heaven in spite of any new sin.

There is forgiveness which restores communication with God.

We must remember that sin grieves God, and hinders the fellowship, peace, and answered prayer that come from him. 1 John 1:8-10, Psalm 32:5

 

Please keep short accounts with God.

Confess your sins. Remember, the price has been paid. They've been nailed to the cross. Apply the cleansing blood to your account through confession.

 

THE PEACE OF SOUL

 

The chorus is what speaks of peace for the soul.

It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

The only thing a person needs to do is to turn to Christ in faith and put trust in Him. Romans 5:1

To be justified is to be declared right with God.

When you turn to Christ and place your faith in Him at a specific moment in time, you become "born again" by the Spirit of God.

You become a member of God's family. John 1:12

 

As a member of God's family, you now have peace with God.

You are no longer God's enemy because of sin, but you are God's child!

So, indeed you can sing "It is well with my soul!"

Is it well with your soul?  If not, turn to Christ in faith this morning.

But wait, there's more!

 

When Horatio Spafford wrote this song, It Is Well With My Soul, he was already a Christian.  He already had peace with God.

But through the trials of financial reversals and dead children, Spafford was experiencing the peace of God.

 

Please turn to Isaiah 26:3 - Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.

 

My Christian friend. part of life is sorrow.

My Christian friend, part of life is great distress.

My Christian friend, part of life is going to hurt.

The problems do not go away.

 

Many facts, like death, incurable illness, family problems, lost wages, and lost jobs, and misunderstandings do not always change.

But God has promised peace for the Christian through the difficulties.

What is the secret to a Christian's peace?

Keep you mind "staid" or focused on the Lord.

Bring the trials to Him!

Trust Him! Matthew 11:28-30, 1 Peter 5:7

 

THE PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE

 

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

 

There is hope beyond this life.

You and I who know Christ are looking forward to a glorious day, when He is coming again!

John 14:1-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

And if you are looking forward to the Lord's coming, please remember that we are to live a certain way. Titus 2:11-13

 

 

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Isaiah 26:3-4

THE MESSAGE WE NEED

 

Introduction - Read Mark 4:35-41.  Just as the disciples had a need for peace in the middle of a terrible storm, we need peace as we face so many troubling circumstances of life.  We need to hear Jesus saying "Peace, be still" during our storms of life.  Isaiah 26:3-4 gives us the message we need for troubled times.

 

THE KEEPER - "Thou", "In The Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."

 

THE KEEPING - "PERFECT PEACE"

 

THE KEPT - "Whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee."

                      "Trust ye in the Lord forever."

 

 

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Isaiah 26:3-4

THAT'S PERFECT!

 

PERFECT PEACE -  "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace..."

God is the one who gives us a peace which the world just can not give.

 

PERFECT PERSPECTIVE - "...whose mind is stayed on thee..."

We will have perfect peace and the perfect interpretation of our problems and our responsibilities as we stay focused on the Lord.

 

PERFECT PLACEMENT (of trust) - "...because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the LORD for ever,,,"

As we seek the Lord's face, and focus on Him, we are also to trust Him.

 

PERFECT POWER - "... for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:  See Ephesians 1:18-23, and Philippians 4:13

 

 

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Isaiah 26:7-9

THE JUST

 

THE WAY OF THE JUST – Vs. 7

The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

 

THE WAIT OF THE JUST – Vs. 8

Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

 

THE WATCH OF THE JUST – Vs. 9   

Isaiah 26:9 - With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

 

 

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