How Satan Tests Your Faith (Isaiah 36)

Titles for Isaiah 36: The Ultimatum. How Satan Tests Your Faith. How Satan Makes You Give Up. Satan's Attack: Give Up and Surrender.

Isaiah 36-39 appears to have been designed to act as a bridge between its two halves (1-35 and 40-66). The issue in these chapters is absolutely central to the book's total message--the issue of trust and where that trust is placed. The Assyrian invader puts the issue most succinctly: "On whom are you depending?" (Isa 36:5, NIV) This is the question which the book of Isaiah forces us to ponder again and again, and with good reason, for our response to it will determine the whole shape of our lives.

SHUT UP (Proverbs 17:27,28)

Speech: Everybody thinks that others talk too much. "If only they would shut up and listen to me!" The book of Proverbs favors silence by far, or the very spare use of words by the wise. Prov 17:27,28 say, "A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue." So, even fools who imitate the wise in their silence may appear wise! Can I learn self-restraint and self-control in my speech, emails, blogs and body language? This is an excellent and painful question!