come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, buy grain and eat;
Come, buy grain without money,
wine and milk without cost!
Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what does not satisfy?
Only listen to me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Pay attention and come to me;
listen, that you may have life.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
the steadfast loyalty promised to David.
As I made him a witness to peoples,
a leader and commander of peoples,
So shall you summon a nation you knew not,
and a nation that knew you not shall run to you,
Because of the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.
Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their way,
and sinners their thoughts;
Let them turn to the LORD to find mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Yet just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
Yet just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me empty,
but shall do what pleases me,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
Yes, in joy you shall go forth,
in peace you shall be brought home;
Mountains and hills shall break out in song before you,
all trees of the field shall clap their hands.
In place of the thornbush, the cypress shall grow,
instead of nettles, the myrtle.
This shall be to the LORD’s renown,
as an everlasting sign that shall not fail.
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me empty,
but shall do what pleases me,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
Yes, in joy you shall go forth,
in peace you shall be brought home;
Mountains and hills shall break out in song before you,
all trees of the field shall clap their hands.
In place of the thornbush, the cypress shall grow,
instead of nettles, the myrtle.
This shall be to the LORD’s renown,
as an everlasting sign that shall not fail.
Isaiah 55
why do religion's "professionals" presume to speak for God? arrogance?
God's Word should be the test.
God speaks to each individual through His Word and each individual's soul.
it is inappropriate for any religious professional to speak for God.
religious "professionals" should not "embellish" God's Word.
religious "professionals" should not "pontificate" their thoughts on what God thinks.
religious "professionals" should not "interpret" God's Word for others, unless it's "one-on-one" with another believer who asks for their help in interpreting God's Word. even then, the religious "professional" should stick to God's Word and refrain from injecting their personal "interpretations" into God's Word.
God's Word, and only God's Word, should speak for God.
why do religion's "professionals" presume to speak for God? arrogance?
God's Word should be the test.
God speaks to each individual through His Word and each individual's soul.
it is inappropriate for any religious professional to speak for God.
religious "professionals" should not "embellish" God's Word.
religious "professionals" should not "pontificate" their thoughts on what God thinks.
religious "professionals" should not "interpret" God's Word for others, unless it's "one-on-one" with another believer who asks for their help in interpreting God's Word. even then, the religious "professional" should stick to God's Word and refrain from injecting their personal "interpretations" into God's Word.
God's Word, and only God's Word, should speak for God.
image by Zach Stern
labeled for noncommercial reuse
it would be better during religious services to have ten minutes of quiet reflection on the Word of God rather than ten minutes of a religious "professional" speaking for God. however, that won't work, because routinely people who should know better violate the sanctity of our sanctuaries for quiet prayer and worship by talking during religious services. may God have mercy on us all.
faith
hope
love
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