Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Isaiah 34-39, and I’m calling the episode “The Self Made Man”.  Comments on Isaiah 37 and 38 Thoughts on Isaiah 37  You know that there’s no such thing as a self made man, right? Whatever heights a person ascends to, God enabled. Nothing comes into our lives but that He either allows them or causes them. Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that God causes every calamity that happens to people. We do live in a world cursed by the effects of sin. But when an apparently evil person accumulates great wealth or power, it is because God allowed it. He would be a pretty weak God if that were not so.  In the case of Sennacherib, who boasted that he had routed every other king, God said, ““Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone.” Sometimes those who seem to have the most power really have the least. This Assyrian king thought there was no one who could stop him. He thought he was in control of all he touched. But in reality, he was God’s pawn.  As we look at the people clamoring for wealth and power, let us remember that God has a plan, and He uses the proud and arrogant to bring it about.  It is up to those of us in the trenches to do as Hezekiah did and pray to God, acknowledging Him for who He is. “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.” And when the world attacks us, let us remember what God said to Sennacherib, “Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! 24By your messengers you have ridiculed the Lord.” It’s not you and me they attack. It is God. And He will deal with them justly. Your thoughts? Thoughts on Isaiah 38  I am so happy that God saw fit to include the contents of chapter 38 in the Bible. Here is this good king Hezekiah, whom God had given a victory over the proud and arrogant king Sennacherib. He’s in the prime of a well lived life, and he falls deathly sick. And the Lord sent Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that he would not get well. Now, I don’t know about you, but if a prophet came to me with that message, I would probably just resign myself to preparing myself to meet God. I mean, come on. God sends a prophet to tell me that I’m not going to recover. I’m going to figure that it’s a done deal.  But not Hezekiah. He rolls over in his death bed to face the wall, and he begins to pray. Without any boasting, without trying to bargain with God, he just says, “Don’t forget that I have been faithful to you, Lord. I have obeyed you with all my heart, and I do whatever you say is right.” And then he sobbed. And what does God do? He tells Hezekiah that he will give him fifteen more years to live, and during that time He (God) will protect him (Hezekiah) and Jerusalem from the Assyrians.  Friends, here is a perfect example of one reason that living your life for God is a good thing. We can pray, and God will listen. It’s not that we gain points with God so that we can manipulate or bargain with Him. But when He sees that we have been faithful to keep our heart pure, through the blood of Christ, He hears our prayers when we cry out to Him. Of course He may not see fit to give us healing like He did H