During our conversationwhich lasted two hours and was both cordial and very frankI told him that his religion could not save him. All of it happened according to Gods plan. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. A) We bow in submission before the mysterious ways of God. We might make Jim Collins proud, but God yawns at our leadership abilities. Now and then we advance to Easter morning where we discover Gods purpose in our pain. Im not a founder, innovator, CEO, or visionary of any company. Which caused the church to grow rapidly. Grace be with you. All of these people are unlikely choices to be used by God since they didnt truly know or believe in Him. WebAnd then they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the Devil, who had caught them and made them obey his will. Yet, Solomon turned away from God (1 Kings 11:4, 912). your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. God himself had foreordained every detail surrounding the death of his Son. That pagan nation was struggling against Egypt for dominance. Thats generally the way life is for all of us. 1:37). His plan in doing so was to bless all people. Psalm 69:25Reputation destroyed forever. But sometimes we forget that when God ordains a particular end, he also ordains the means to that end. But what they do is not going to bring them true blessing. They heap judgment on themselves. There is no better example of Gods providence at work through the actions of a sinful man. He has many means to accomplish that holy purposeincluding some that are difficult to understand. shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. That is what moving forward would require, or so it seemed. I didnt attend an Ivy League school. He told the people that Pharaohs army would be wiped out, though he did not know how. You are going to need it as we search the Scriptures to answer these two questions. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. God was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. His words imply that all the torment will be tolerable. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. Jesus waved him off by declaring, All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled (Matthew 26:56). Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. The new Pharaoh saw the Israelites as a plague in the land. But now, the grief of the Egyptians had subsided and was replaced with anger and regret. When Judas kissed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter impulsively grabbed his sword and started swinging. The Lord said to Moses, How long will this people spurn Me? God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. He used sinners to accomplish His sovereign will. The gospels writers emphasize that although the Jewish leaders earnestly sought for witnesses who could testify against Christ, they found no one willing to come forward. Literal Standard Version. Our prayers do not alter Gods eternal decree. God scoffs at any attempt by me or you to prove our worthiness. During this period, foreign powers invaded Israel again and again, and inside the nation known as Gods people, evil and immorality raged. Be encouraged Christian, God intends to use you in all your multifaceted weakness and obscurity for his glory. For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.. These lessons simply teach us that God can take that which is evil and use it for his own good purposes. Steven Lee is the Pastor of Preaching & Vision at. That doesnt lessen his guilt, but it does increase our appreciation of Gods sovereignty over the affairs of men. At my own local church, and everywhere else I go, faithful men and women record my sermons in audio and sometimes video. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. Habakkuk learned that the material success of the ungodly is not a reliable measure of their true success. Everything fits into Gods plan. I, the Lord, have spoken, surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. Were they to voluntarily all drown? Our accolades cannot merit us any greatness. Judas solved their problem by volunteering to betray the Lord. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. Nothing that happened to Jesus that night or later on Good Friday made sense when it happened. This brings us face to face with the doctrine of Gods providence, which means, A) God has a plan that includes everything that happens in the universe, and, B) Gods plan extends to the tiniest details of life, and. That literally means, I find no basis for any of the charges brought against this man. In modern terms, you might call it a Summary Judgment in favor of Jesus. How beautiful! For who resists His will?, For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.. Egypt and the Neo-Babylonians were competing for world dominance. God even gave prophecy through Isaiah that this very thing would take place. Before the Apostle Paul wrote his letter he was known as Saul. Yet both declare His awesome glory. Will we show forth Gods glory in our obedience and in our receiving of His covenant blessing? But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. But all of them come from the hand of the Lord. But the fact of the matter is it wasnt me! Jesus says much the same thing in his famous prayer just before Judas arrives: None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that the Scripture would be fulfilled (John17:12b). Really, its just fine. The gospel writers record many Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Do not lament your insufficiency. The unbeliever has made an exchangethe truth for a lieand the devil is happy to facilitate the swap by presenting the sinner with a wide array of lies from which to choose. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. He was ready to die for his Master and intended to take a few of the bad guys with him. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Judas didnt know itand doesnt get any credit for itbut his dastardly deed actually fulfilled predictions given by the Holy Spirit hundreds of years before he was born. Because God is utterly unimpressed by my rsum. God uses the overwhelmed and disheveled mother to nurture her children into spiritual giants. Everyday Apostolic 2019 | All Rights Reserved, Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers, Canceling Church On Christmas Removes Christ From Christmas, Great Resources On Baptism In The Name Of Jesus, A Diluted Christianity: Oneness, Trinitarian, Or Is It All Just Irrelevant, Youre Not David Pastor Raymond Woodward, The Walking Bible Pastor Raymond Woodward, Wait On The Lord by James Wilson NAYC 2019, If I Shout/Lets Testify Medley FAC Sanctuary Choir. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. First, the people of Israel were for the most part leaderless. If not, we have reason to question whether our faith is real. He is working all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. God asks us to do things we cant do, because it makes us trust IN HIM, not ourselves. The mind of evil changes from bad to worse being taken in by successes in conquest. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. But we learn that over time a new Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph or respect what Joseph had done (Ex. In spite of all this they still sinned And did not believe in His wonderful works. They had no weapons to fight Pharaohs army, no experience in war, no ability to defend themselves, and no way of escape. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! I am a preacher and Bible teacher. Causing him to not let the people go. When God does something completely different and unexpected (Numb. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. 1 John 5:14. And Jesus said, For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind. Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, We are not blind too, are we? Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, We see, your sin remains. From the earliest days of Jesus life we find the Jewish leaders conspiring against him. Though used by God for his purposes, the ungodly are still evil. God has sinners pray and answers the prayers of sinners that are according to His will, getting glory for himself. Judas didnt know it, and neither did the disciples, but Gods fingerprints were all over his act of betrayal. It was the tech team, the web master, the secretary, or whoever posted my sermon on line. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. God could have had the earth swallow up the Amalekites. They looked to themselves for their power. Were they to march into the sea holding their little ones, driving their cattle, and pushing their elderly? so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. Many believed they were going to die and complained to Moses (Ex. When they offered him 30 pieces of silver, he readily accepted even though that was the going price for a slave. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives.
