We pray because God is sovereign and all powerful. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts Because God created all He can use anything in creation. Were on a mission to change that. He has not brought us this far to cause us to fail. 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. 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.. If so, did he have a choice? The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts We turn now to consider how the sin of Judas served many good purposesnone of which were seen that night and none of which diminish his true moral guilt. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. 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. Showing us that our God can and will use anyone even though they dont know Him. Verse Concepts. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. Our accolades cannot merit us any greatness. But our God is mightier than any office or country. 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. All of it happened according to Gods plan. He dealt with his doubts and confusion in the right way, he turned to God, not to his own understanding. Do not begrudge your weakness. I dont speak on any circuits, have given no TED talks, and have been the keynote speaker less than once. His covenant is always enforced. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. 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. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 Nothing that happened to Jesus that night or later on Good Friday made sense when it happened. The story of Judas teaches us that nothing happens by accident. My ministry is small locally, but gigantic because of the faithful service of others. 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. 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. God was rejecting their national privilege, and turning to the Gentiles to populate his Covenant Nation on Earth. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. He told Moses, Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. But how? Embrace your weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon you to reveal Gods surpassing greatness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He may for a time use the ungodly to bring deserved chastising upon the hypocrites among His own people, and to show his uncompromising wrath upon those left to what we all deserve aside from the work of his grace. Steven Lee is the Pastor of Preaching & Vision at. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. or will we in our rebellion demonstrate the just curse of His covenant warnings? 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. Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. Soon they will be raised up from that struggle to full power. No buildings, streets, or hospitals have been named in honor of me. Those who turn in humble trust to the Lord, who rest in His work of redemption, who seek to walk in his ways, and who turn in humble repentance when they fail, will receive His righteousness, and blessing forever. Here are some examples: He is working all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. WebWhat if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. All four gospel writers agree that three times Pilate rendered the same verdict regarding Jesus: I find no fault in him (John 19:6 NKJV). First, we see the faith of Moses. Moses was sent by the Lord multiple times to Pharaoh asking for the release of the Hebrews. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12: 3). the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will. When we do that we become His instruments to accomplish His sovereign will. Literal Standard Version. 1 John 5:14. He was a brilliant poet, a skillful songwriter, a genius botanist, and a first-class biologist. Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. He uses believers and unbelievers. The new king was deposed after three months. It will be a most terrible judgment. I have not written a New York Times Bestseller, and no one has publicly endorsed, recommended, or vouched for me. Do not lament your insufficiency. 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. But sometimes we forget that when God ordains a particular end, he also ordains the means to that end. Gods plan included the time of Jesus deathPassover, the placeJerusalem, the opposition by the Jewish leaders, and the betrayal by Judas. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. Being a creative, innovative or highly effective leader is insufficient. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). Jesus responded to the false testimony by saying nothing at all. But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. Which is why they completely missed the Messiah when they stood right beside Him. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it. Everything fits into Gods plan. Providence means that God is in charge of the entire universe at all times and nothing happens outside his control. I am a preacher and Bible teacher. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 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. We are here and gone again. He had great trust in the truth of God. Your children, however, whom you said would become a preyI will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. C) We place our confidence in Gods ultimate purpose for us. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven, will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. Everything was planned by God down to the tiniest detail. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. God picks the scrawniest little girl to lead off on his kickball team. Click here. 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. Grace be with you. The total number of prophecies is well over 100. It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say. . It even included the price Judas would receive for his act of treachery30 pieces of silver. That is what moving forward would require, or so it seemed. Be encouraged, child of God. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? We pray because we believe God, because we want to trust in God, praise God, ask God for things we cant do ourselves. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? I have not been named most influential, listed as most attractive, or voted most likely to succeed. Wisdom didnt ensure obedience. He uses believers and unbelievers. God is unimpressed. Training for Preachers and Teachers of God's Word, Want to know what an RSS feed is and how it works? In the providence of God, the betrayal by Judas actually advanced Gods purpose in the world. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. God will use it even if you do not understand how. Do you merely profess Christ and trust in your religious habits to save you, or do you possess Christ in your heart by faith? 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. WebWhat if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. The trials that were meant to establish his guilt ended up establishing his innocence for all the world to see. Another unlikely person used by God was King Cyrus of Persia. It doesnt mean everything will also go perfectly or the way we hope. He could have rained fire and brimstone down on them. Im not a founder, innovator, CEO, or visionary of any company. God could have had the earth swallow up the Amalekites. Literal Standard Version. 14:11). That doesnt make us anything more in Gods eyes. It was a period of apostasy and violence. Wisdom didnt guard him against a wandering heart. In spite of our slownessand even sinGod will bless and use us to fulfill His purpose of blessing all nations through Christ, because of our relationship to the Father through the Son. It becomes all the more bold in lawlessness. 10:14-15). Questions? They were the ones who asked for valuables from the people of Egypt, who were so fearful and stricken with grief that they gave the departing Israelites their riches, literally paying the Jews to leave Egypt (Ex. In those moments we often feel alone in the chaos of circumstances as life tumbles in around us. Moses was a by-product of the Egyptians attempts to hinder Gods blessing upon them, was placed in pitch covered basket and set adrift in the Nile, but rescued, weened by his own mother, adopted into Pharaohs house, and educated in all the learning of Egypt (Acts 7:22). WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). The people of Jacob were trapped. Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, gave the parable of the sheep and the goats. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12: 3). Even Jesus cannot save a man who claims his sin is not really sinful. 13:17). Lesson 7 The Interpretation of Scripture, Lesson 5a Boundaries of the Doctrine of Creation, Primeval Chronology by Dr. William Henry Green, Lesson 8 Gods Special Providence & Miracles, Lesson 10 Assurance of Grace and Salvation, Lesson 2 Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience, Lesson 3 The Regulative Principle of Worship, Lesson 4a The Elements of Regulated Worship, Lesson 4b The Elements of Regulated Worship, Lesson 1 An Overview of Special Eschatology, Lesson 2 -The Great Tribulation of Matthew 24, Lesson 3 The Millennium of Revelation 20, A Guide for Small Group Bible Study Leaders, Defending the Biblical Faith by what God Shows Us, Lessons in the Westminster Shorter Catechsim, The Inspiration of the Treasured Word of God, Summary of the 45th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America, The Holy Spirit In the Ministry of the Word, The Necessity of Biblical Love in the Believers Life, Keep Your Bible Skills Sharp and Ready (part 2), Keep Your Bible Skills Sharp and Ready (Part 1). Even those who have a very low view of Gods sovereignty, if they pray, pray because God is perfectly sovereign, otherwise prayer would be an exercise in futility. The fact that we cant conceive of free choice coexisting with Gods predestination simply reminds us once again that he is God and we are not. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. From the earliest days of Jesus life we find the Jewish leaders conspiring against him. God scoffs at any attempt by me or you to prove our worthiness. They make a joke out of those who dare to not submit to them. Compared to you or me, King Solomon had it all wisdom, wealth, fame, power. 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. 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. In the beginning Satan challenged Gods right to rule. At first he ordered the Israelite babies to be killed at birth by the midwives (Ex. 28 who says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built,, and of the temple, Your foundation shall be laid. . Do not begrudge your weakness. His words imply that all the torment will be tolerable. We might be a life-hacking, productivity guru. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask When Judas kissed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter impulsively grabbed his sword and started swinging. but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Summary 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. The new Pharaoh saw the Israelites as a plague in the land. God ordains the means and the ends of life. The people of Israel, were backed up against the Red Sea with Pharaohs army charging at them. Fourth, Gods command seemed impossible to obey. And that is okay. But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. One swing of his sword whacked off the ear of Malchus, servant to the High Priest. We all understand that God intended that Jesus would die for the sins of the world. 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. But he chose instead to allow himself to be arrested, knowing that this would fulfill Gods plan. But this much is clear: He never believed that Jesus was guilty of any crime. 46:10). Thats where the judgment will come from. The ungodly show the futility of their rebellion, the awful penalty of sin, and the just wrath of God. 1 John 5:14. A second reason, related to the first reason, is that God knew that by doing His miracles through Moses, Moses would then in turn give glory to God. Really, its just fine. Until finally it came to the Red Sea where the Egyptian army was destroyed and the tale spread across the world to the glory of God. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. Dont mistake temporary material victories for true success. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. 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.. Suggestions? 1:21). Why would God allow his Son to suffer such indignity at the hands of one who claimed to be his friend? Today, the weapons of force have improved, yet all the more they take whatever they want, and give only when it serves their purpose. 14:16, God, who is all powerful and infinitely sovereign, tells Moses, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. Why didnt God just part the Red Sea? If your rsum is sparse, your intellect feeble, your skills unimpressive, and your wisdom just average, fret not.
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