god uses unbelievers to accomplish his will
All rights reserved. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). The gospel writers record many Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If your rsum is sparse, your intellect feeble, your skills unimpressive, and your wisdom just average, fret not. During this period, foreign powers invaded Israel again and again, and inside the nation known as Gods people, evil and immorality raged. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). For this reason God purposefully led the wondering multitude to a place where there was no possible way of escape from Pharaoh and his army, humanly speaking. The mind of evil changes from bad to worse being taken in by successes in conquest. The way of the wicked is like darkness;They do not know over what they stumble. WebThe Scripture teaches that God achieves His purpose in unbelievers. ", Writing & Teaching Inductive Bible Studies. Be encouraged, child of God. This seems to be one of the reasons God had Moses lift up his staff and hands to divide the Red Sea. Before the Apostle Paul wrote his letter he was known as Saul. And, "Who Are The Sons of God in Genesis 6? God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. Many that people can plan to do much but is God that will always have the final say. So He brought their days to an end in futility And their years in sudden terror. Our prayers do not alter Gods eternal decree. Be encouraged Christian, God intends to use you in all your multifaceted weakness and obscurity for his glory. God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. (Video #2), Lesson 2: Gods Use of the Ungodly Habakkuk 1:5-11. This could be the begging of a time of great growth for the church. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Email Jack. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. We need to be reminded again and again that we are like grass disposable, temporary, fleeting, momentary. God chooses the custodian with a heavy accent to share the gospel and save lives. Lest he misunderstand, I also told him that going to Calvary Memorial Church cannot save anyoneor help save anyone. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. 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. Able to do exceedingly and abundantly using unlikely people to further His plans. An unlikely person to be used by God. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. During his ministry his greatest opposition came from the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes and the teachers of the Law. (1 Corinthians 1:2629). 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. but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. In the beginning Satan challenged Gods right to rule. Moses didnt have any power to divide the Red Sea. At first he ordered the Israelite babies to be killed at birth by the midwives (Ex. Providence means that God is in charge of the entire universe at all times and nothing happens outside his control. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. Each time Moses would perform a mighty sign to convince Pharaoh of Gods power but each time God would harden his heart. As for you, 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. God will bring ultimate and final judgment upon all ungodliness. 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. Nothing is ever left to chance with God. God even gave prophecy through Isaiah that this very thing would take place. Then we read this in Exodus 14:13-16: But Moses said to the people, Do not fear! We when we dont know if something is Gods will, we pray, Yet not my will but yours be done (Mt. 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. WebGod never does evil Himself. In Jeremiah 13:20 it said, Lift up your eyes and see Those who come from the north . Jeremiah 25:32 says, Behold, disaster shall go forth From nation to nation, And a great whirlwind shall be raised up From the farthest parts of the earth., Habakkuk 1:6, For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.. Our accomplishments do not justify our existence. They had been in Egypt under Egyptian task masters for 400 years. He has not brought us this far to cause us to fail. Third, it is necessary for us to remain silent, to not fret, grumble, or complain, while we wait for the Lord to deliver us from whatever trial we are suffering. Remember my imprisonment. WebGod never does evil Himself. 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). Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. Jesus immediately restored the ear and told Peter to put down his sword. But most of the time we wont see it fully until we finally arrive in heaven. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. The evil ones believe pridefully that their own imagined gods have blessed them. So continue to trust in Him and you wont be disappointed. Psalm 69:25Reputation destroyed forever. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 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. They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. Peter told the early Christians that the Scripture had to be fulfilled. He meant that the betrayal had to happen the way it did. When we pray, we strive to pray according to Gods will (I Jn. Habakkuk 1:5, Look among the nations and watch Be utterly astounded! Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. In the healthiest churches, we find a holy conspiracy between pastors who gladly care for the sheep, and sheep who do what they can so that the pastors might serve joyfully. And it is just like God to ask us to do hard things, things that seem impossible, that we know in our hearts we cant do. 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). Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. 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 whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 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. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. He had great trust in the truth of God. Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out to the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? Yet both declare His awesome glory. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. Wisdom didnt guard him against a wandering heart. Causing him to not let the people go. This week were looking at the other side of the equation. 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. 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. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. God Himself said that He used Pharaoh so that His name would be known on all the earth. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. 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. Wisdom alone, though, is insufficient. 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 is not finished with you yet, so dont give up on him. It was all the Lord. From the earliest days of Jesus life we find the Jewish leaders conspiring against him. It only made sense on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead. 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. 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. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. 1:37). His plan in doing so was to bless all people. 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. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? They were afraid. Showing us that our God can and will use anyone even though they dont know Him. 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. How can I believe in the goodness of God when there is so much evil in the world? Our prayers aline us with Gods eternal decree. 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. B) We entrust our lives to the God who cares for us. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. Moses give the Israelites specific instruction and visible representation from the invisible God. 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. He has many means to accomplish that holy purposeincluding some that are difficult to understand. I find it remarkable how consistently the New Testament writers see the hand of God in the events surrounding the death of Christ. The Lord did it, but He did it through Moses. They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. Your children, however, whom you said would become a preyI will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. In 609 Judahs King Josiah was killed in battle against Egypt. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. In Acts 1:16 Peter declared that the Scripture had to be fulfilled. He meant that the Old Testament predictions (he cites Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8) regarding Judas were bound to come true. Zechariah 11:1230 pieces of silver (see Matthew 26:15). 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But all of them come from the hand of the Lord. 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 is unimpressed by our collection of readers, likes, retweets, friends, connections, or admirers. 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. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. Solomon was DaVinci, Einstein, Bach, Jordan, Augustus, and Shakespeare rolled into one superior man. But sometimes we forget that when God ordains a particular end, he also ordains the means to that end. He could have just caused them to drop dead. I think we can learn some great lessons by answering these questions. Even his enemies played into Gods handthough they did not know it at the time. In the beginning Satan challenged Gods right to rule. Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice. 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. Here are some examples: 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. C) We place our confidence in Gods ultimate purpose for us. But if anyone says to you, This is meat sacrificed to idols, do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience sake; I mean not your own conscience, but the other mans; for why is my freedom judged by anothers conscience? Were they to march into the sea holding their little ones, driving their cattle, and pushing their elderly? 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. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 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. "Equipping and encouraging people to keep believing in Jesus", Copyright 2020 Keep Believing Ministries. When Judas kissed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter impulsively grabbed his sword and started swinging. 1:8). 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. They thank me for posting my sermons on the internet. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 10:14-15). Remember my imprisonment. 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. Did Jesus Descend Into Hell? The Israelites and the church did face some tough times and we may too. 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. Joseph made Egypt phenomenally wealthy during the years of the famine. This is the grace of God as revealed in His merciful covenant. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. In the beginning Satan challenged Gods right to rule. And He *said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. When we reach a dead end in our own resources, God can part the sea of the impossible and get us through, but I digress. And he was an exalted and successful king. And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? They wanted him dead and used Judas as a convenient means to that ugly end. We live most of our days in Good Fridayenduring confusion, opposition, disappointment and the many tragedies of life. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. Jesus point is clear, The King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.. Pastor, Expository Preacher, Author, Trainer of Preachers and Bible Teachers. International Standard Version. 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). If we lack wisdom, we should ask God for it (James 1:5). WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. Im not a founder, innovator, CEO, or visionary of any company. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. 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. . 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. He uses believers and unbelievers. Believer, dont think that your faithful service to your local body of believers is insignificant or accounts for little or nothing. You have entered an incorrect email address! Because they did not believe in GodAnd did not trust in His salvation. Recent events may not have gone how you hoped and the signs may seem bleak.
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