1:21). Grace be with you. Eventually, Pharaoh decided to use the Jews for slave labor. We live most of our days in Good Fridayenduring confusion, opposition, disappointment and the many tragedies of life. The evil nations God was raising up to judge his rebellious people were self-centered. Romans 8:28 says, For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. All things includes both good and bad things. Israel as a nation had rejected the promises of Moses and the Prophets culminating in the demand for the death of Jesus, Gods Messiah. It even included the price Judas would receive for his act of treachery30 pieces of silver. The book of proverbs also gives us insight into this. (1 Corinthians 1:2629). Were they to march into the sea holding their little ones, driving their cattle, and pushing their elderly? Do not lament your insufficiency. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. When we do that we become His instruments to accomplish His sovereign will. This week I ate lunch with a man who has recently become an acquaintance through an e-mail correspondence. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. The purpose of www.drivennails.com is to help train expository preachers in sermon construction and delivery, to train inductive Bible study writers and teachers, and to edify the saints with the Word of God. A third reason God had Moses raise his staff and hands before dividing the Red Sea is that God delights to use sinners to accomplish His sovereign will. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. I have received no honorary doctorates. He told Moses, Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. But how? I dont speak on any circuits, have given no TED talks, and have been the keynote speaker less than once. One of the most remarkable things about the Scriptures is how they preserve for us what we regard as our highest dignity, which is the right to exercise our own will. Verse Concepts. After God redeemed Israel from Egypt through a series of ten miraculous plagues, he had Moses lead the people of Israel out of Egypt near the shore of the Red Sea. WebGod also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. Egypt and the Neo-Babylonians were competing for world dominance. No buildings, streets, or hospitals have been named in honor of me. Scripture even points to the fact that God used Cyrus even though he didnt know God. This truth about Judas illustrates Gods control of every event in the universe. 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. God ordains the means and the ends of life. When God does something completely different and unexpected (Numb. 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). Habakkuk learned that the material success of the ungodly is not a reliable measure of their true success. Paul, in writing to Corinth, corrected the Churchs misuse of speaking in foreign tongues. Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers. We have one life to use, and the usefulness of that one life depends not on our rsum or even how much we know. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.. In 609 Judahs King Josiah was killed in battle against Egypt. 10:14-15). In the process, we will also find an answer to a third question, Who are the sons of God in Gen. 6? If you like solving mysteries, you will love this, "Churches are going apostate inside their comfortable church buildings! Though used of God to complete his plan, those who crucified our Lord were still personally wicked and godless in what they did. He had great trust in the truth of God. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. The new king was deposed after three months. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. or will we in our rebellion demonstrate the just curse of His covenant warnings? It was their God, or at least the God of Moses, that just killed all the first born of Egypt. God Himself said that He used Pharaoh so that His name would be known on all the earth. Christianity is not about religion, its about a life-changing relationship with the Son of God. How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? The unbelievers, become confused, not remembering ever having the opportunity to serve Jesus. And goes on to say, How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? Because they did not believe in GodAnd did not trust in His salvation. It is a warning to Israel that if they should break Gods covenant, calamity will come upon them revealing the wrath of the offended God. That is what moving forward would require, or so it seemed. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 Those who were rebelling against God had become apathetic. For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son for those who believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). Summary They were in an impossible situation with no way out. Because God is utterly unimpressed by my rsum. A nation would come to judge them speaking in a language they did not understand (Deuteronomy 28:49). But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. His plan in doing so was to bless all people. According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your guilt a year, even forty years, and you will know My opposition. What does it mean that God came from Teman (Habakkuk 3:3). We are here and gone again. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. Going to church wont make you a Christian any more than sleeping in a garage makes you a caror going to a donut shop makes you a cop. All of these people are unlikely choices to be used by God since they didnt truly know or believe in Him. Wisdom didnt guard him against a wandering heart. But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it. God asks us to do things we cant do, because it makes us trust IN HIM, not ourselves. It doesnt matter if you have theology degrees or mothered a dozen healthy, happy children or started several 501(c)3s to feed the poor and end trafficking. The glory of His nature and attributes will be made known in full. If God did the miracles without Moses, amazing things would have happened, but the people would not have known what was going on or what to do. Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? We are called to be among his faithful people. Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, It is enough! Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say,read more.Because the Lord could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness. But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations. Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. So the Lord said, I have pardoned them according to your word; but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. Romans 8:28 says, For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. All things includes both good and bad things. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. But among the leaders of the nation, only a few followed Christand they became secret believers for fear of persecution by their brethren. If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience sake. Is that a contradiction? When God desires to save someone, He raises up Christians to preach the gospel. They had fast horses and were more fierce (more alert, fierce, and sharp) than the hungry wolves that come out to hunt in the evening. I dont have any letters after my name. Here are some examples: Peter told the early Christians that the Scripture had to be fulfilled. He meant that the betrayal had to happen the way it did. God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. Eternity will reveal how your faithful service was used by the Lord in amazing ways. Judas served Gods purposes even though what he did was wrong and he ended up in hell. When Isaiah 53:1 speaks of the future coming of the Messiah, literally it says, who would have believed the thing reported? His birth as a baby who would grow up, suffer and die was most unexpected. 1 And Saul approved of his execution. The sad story of Judas stands as a warning to religious people not to trust in their religion. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. Here are some examples: Verse Concepts. We all understand that God intended that Jesus would die for the sins of the world. 1:15-16), later to be thrown in the Nile (Ex. Jump to Previous Do not lament your insufficiency. He wants us to trust in Him, to rely on Him, to cry out to Him, and then give Him glory for delivering us. He clings to his sin like a drowning man to an iron life preserver. So continue to trust in Him and you wont be disappointed. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent. Then the Lord said to Moses, Why are you crying out to Me? Even Jesus cannot save a man who claims his sin is not really sinful. As with the raising of Moses hands by Aaron and Hurt, sharing the gospel, or praying, God delights in and receives glory for himself, when we submit to His will, live by faith, and obey His Word. New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. In the eyes of the Jews, Saul would be seen as a warrior of the faith. As they plotted how to murder Jesus they had no idea they were accomplishing Gods will. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. We see this all the way through the Bible. I cant charge an exorbitant hourly fee for my time. He was a brilliant poet, a skillful songwriter, a genius botanist, and a first-class biologist. Habakkuk 1:5, Look among the nations and watch Be utterly astounded! even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. As the persecution he inflicted was just the jump-start the early church needed to start taking the Gospel to the rest of the world. But Moses said to the Lord, Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. WebThe one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. He even turns wicked hearts to serve his Sovereign purpose. That leads me to ask a simple question: Are you a professor or a possessor? Do you merely profess Christ and trust in your religious habits to save you, or do you possess Christ in your heart by faith? Through one mans treachery, Jesus proves himself a man of peacenot a man of war. The Lord did it, but He did it through Moses. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. Jesus responded to the false testimony by saying nothing at all. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. They have heard that You, O. 10 people that God used to accomplish his purposes I. Paul: The one with a shameful past and challenging present (4:18) Colossians 4:18 - I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Anxiety, worry, anger, never help remedy the situation, they are emotions that compound our trials and betray that in our hearts we dont believe God, dont trust God, and dont think He is good. Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness. When we pray, we strive to pray according to Gods will (I Jn. Though Israel was many, only the remnant will be saved (Romans 9:27). Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. Causing a sacrifice to take place that would open salvation up to all people. When God determines where we will end up, he also determines how we will get there. Are we becoming more like Jesus by the power of the Spirit? Summary The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. This warning was made clear in the ancient covenant revealed long before through Moses in Deuteronomy 28. Compared to you or me, King Solomon had it all wisdom, wealth, fame, power. You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. Everything fits into Gods plan. 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Embrace your weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon you to reveal Gods surpassing greatness (2 Corinthians 12:9). So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. The story of Judas teaches us that nothing happens by accident. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. But they feared to do it during the Feast of Unleavened Bread because of the crowds that thronged Jerusalem. Do not begrudge your weakness. I find it remarkable how consistently the New Testament writers see the hand of God in the events surrounding the death of Christ. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. His story is unique in that he claims to be a Christian even though he has chosen a way of life that God calls an abomination. Do not lament your insufficiency. They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. But he chose instead to allow himself to be arrested, knowing that this would fulfill Gods plan. God is still using unlikely people to accomplish His will on earth today. I also answer yes. They move ahead as a determined army spreading violence. Here we see that when believers are doing the will of God, obeying the Word of God, and serving even the least of the Saints, they are Gods instruments, doing Jesus will, ministering to Jesus people, His body, His bride. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. We see this all the way through the Bible. I believe that t he Lord is here suggesting that the eternal torment that unbelievers will experience will be on a scale from more tolerable to less tolerable. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. But we can find hope in knowing that God is in control, He works all things for our God, and no suffering we face know will even be able to cast a shadow on the glory we will receive in Heaven. WebJohn 3:16. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. Here are five specific prophecies that were fulfilled when Judas betrayed Jesus: Psalm 41:9Close friend will betray Christ (see John 13:18). In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. It appears that between 11 PM Thursday night and 7:30 AM Friday morning, Jesus underwent six different hearingsone before Annas, two before Caiaphas, one before the Sanhedrin, and two before Pontius Pilate. I am not a rising star in any field, industry, or arena. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. They were afraid. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask 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. Its something we can clearly see within the pages of our Bible. But God gave the command, Moses obeyed the command, and in a sense Moses divided the Sea, as the Lord commanded, and in a more ultimate sense God did the miracle and divided the Red Sea. 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. Many believed they were going to die and complained to Moses (Ex. At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. 10:17 Paul writes, So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ. When we preach the gospel to someone and they come to saving faith, we dont boast that we have saved them but that God has saved them, though we were the instruments of Gods saving work. Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). God blesses those in whom he stirs to obedience, and judges disobedience. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. 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. He has but one endto make us like Jesus. Moses was sent by the Lord multiple times to Pharaoh asking for the release of the Hebrews. If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience sake. In heaven, each mans praise will come to him from God, and God will be glorified for sovereignly using sinners for His good purposes (I Cor. The people of Jacob were trapped. God will surely judge all rebellion, secret and open. Remember my imprisonment. The greater the pain, the harder it is to see Gods fingerprints. When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. Be encouraged, child of God. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. A man who lived in a time in which only Jews served the one true God. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. During his ministry his greatest opposition came from the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes and the teachers of the Law. It forces us to live by faith, which is how He wants us to live all the time because it gives Him glory. In this period of Judahs last kings, the Prophets warned of the fulfillment of this covenant promise. Paul also made this clear in Romans 9-11. He uses believers and unbelievers. 21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man.
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