"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever." ISAIAH 55:8-13

     There is a good reason why God says My ways are not your ways, and My thoughts are not your thoughts. One of the contrasts that help frame man's comprehension of the constant tussle for man in choosing from which of the two trees he will feed, and in which tree he will place his trust, is the contrast of the "kingdom of the world" and the "kingdom of God". The contrasts here are also polar opposites, just like with all the dualities throughout the Bible. For the “kingdom of the world”, the currency and motive is “mammon”. The culture is "to take”. The principle is “for me, myself, I” (non-relational). The sovereignty is “self”. For the “kingdom of God”, the currency and motive is “love” (relational). The culture is “to give”. The principle is “for us”. The sovereignty is “God”. When a culture is based on "what I can take for myself", and the currency is the love of mammon, it is not surprising that God says My thoughts are not your thoughts, and My ways are not your ways. For those are NOT His ways or His thoughts. His ways are not for self, nor are His thoughts of Him alone. As a father is mindful of his children, the Father's thoughts and ways are forever inclined to expressing and accomplishing His love for His children. God's motives and thoughts are "to give". And His ways demonstrate this through His perfect model of love, which is to first fill our cups to overflowing with His love, through "communion and fellowship", and to then pour out that love, through "community" by "loving our neighbour as ourself" (MATTHEW 22:37-39).

     What God also says in the same scripture in Isaiah is that His word "goes out". Which is to release or to give, not to hold onto. He says it will not "return" to me empty. It cannot be in a position to "return" if it hasn't first been fully released, which is to be "given". The thinking of the world, on the other hand, is to not let what one has "go out" from the hand. But to "hold on to". It's to accumulate more and even more for self. Which is the opposite of faith. It means that you don't trust outside of what is in your hand. It places your trust in money and self (being the means to money). But God says it is impossible to please Him “without faith”. For an absence of faith believes that if I release it from my hand or mouth, it will "not return". It will leave me with lack or less, not more. It believes that such thinking will leave man's hand completely "empty". And in thinking like that, its thinking is diametrically opposite to the blueprint of the Father's thinking. And since “our ways” are a function of “our thoughts”, the ways of the world are also polar opposite.

     Yet the Father says quite clearly that what goes out from Me will not return to me empty. In other words, in giving, it prospers and provides not only for the one to whom He gives, for He says "it will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it", but it will also return to Him. In other words, in returning, it means His hand will be filled again, and by being filled again, He will be able to repeatedly let it "go out", again and again, to the benefit and gain of all. Which is what He means when He says "so that it yields seed for the “sower” (returns to the hand of the giver) and bread for the “eater”” (it is received by the one who for whom it was given). Which is "completely contrary" to the thoughts AND the ways of the kingdom of the world. This principle of giving and returning so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater fulfills the scripture of "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." ROMANS 11:6.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." - HEBREWS 13:5

Now to the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen. (1 TIMOTHY 1:17).