god uses unbelievers to accomplish his will

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. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. God ordains the means and the ends of life. Even today there are those who are arrogant and have no honor for God as He reveals Himself in Scripture. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. So while many American Christians worry about what will take place in the coming years I find peace in knowing that God can use even the most unlikely candidates to accomplish His will. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. Do not begrudge your weakness. We see this all the way through the Bible. Matthew 26:3-5 informs us that the leaders of the Jews were looking for an opportunity to arrest Jesus and put him to death. Each time Moses would perform a mighty sign to convince Pharaoh of Gods power but each time God would harden his heart. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. 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. 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. Do you merely profess Christ and trust in your religious habits to save you, or do you possess Christ in your heart by faith? 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. When God determines where we will end up, he also determines how we will get there. Because God does miracles by His own power. Be encouraged, child of God. The greater the pain, the harder it is to see Gods fingerprints. Summary The Lord even tells Moses to do it, divide it! God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. 17:8-13). But now, the grief of the Egyptians had subsided and was replaced with anger and regret. 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 To say it another way, there is a man in hell today who has been there for 2000 years even though what he did advanced Gods plan to save the world. 16:30), when he uses you or others, delivering you from your trials, be sure to praise, thank, and give Him all the glory for sovereignly using sinners. Here are some examples: Steven Lee is the Pastor of Preaching & Vision at. Do not begrudge your weakness. 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). But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. Causing a sacrifice to take place that would open salvation up to all people. In many cases without them even realizing that they were being used by God. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. He betrayed the Lord but ended up vindicating him. Jesus is truly the lamb without blemish who died for the sins of the world (John 1:29). As they plotted how to murder Jesus they had no idea they were accomplishing Gods will. Two questions stand out: 1) Did Jesus actually descend into hell? 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? Nothing will ever be able to affect Gods will. I have received no honorary doctorates. Later Pilate gave in to pressure and ordered Jesus crucified. When God does something completely different and unexpected (Numb. 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. The Bible says, God was well pleased through the message preached to save those who believe (I Cor. But it does mean everything will happen as God sees fit. 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. 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. Causing him to not let the people go. It was a period of apostasy and violence. Thats where the judgment will come from. He was a brilliant poet, a skillful songwriter, a genius botanist, and a first-class biologist. Finally, they suborned perjury by putting forward false witnesses who produced contradictory testimony. In Acts 2 God poured out His Holy Spirit on the disciples who spoke on the streets of Jerusalem in the languages of the Gentiles who were present. We might make Jim Collins proud, but God yawns at our leadership abilities. They mock authority and law, and believe that might makes right. They still look to their own strength and ability as if they were divine and answer to no authority above their own. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. In Acts 2 God poured out His Holy Spirit on the disciples who spoke on the streets of Jerusalem in the languages of the Gentiles who were present. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. Then we read this in Exodus 14:13-16: But Moses said to the people, Do not fear! The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. All of these people are unlikely choices to be used by God since they didnt truly know or believe in Him. 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. Here are some examples: He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:7). Everything else in the story fits into Gods plan: The crown of thorns, the scourging, the trials, Pilates testimony, his verdict of death, a man to help carry the cross, the place of deathGolgotha, and the moment of death3 PM, the time when the Passover lambs were sacrificed at the Temple. They wanted him dead and used Judas as a convenient means to that ugly end. Fourth, Gods command seemed impossible to obey. So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. 14:11). God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). 4:5). Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? I cant charge an exorbitant hourly fee for my time. The new Pharaoh saw the Israelites as a plague in the land. However, he had Aaron and Hur hold up Moses arms and had Joshua lead the armies of Israel. They have heard that You, O. The Israelites and the church did face some tough times and we may too. C) God uses all eventsgood and badto accomplish his purposes. 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. B) We entrust our lives to the God who cares for us. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. We return now to the original question: Why did God allow Judas to betray Jesus? Judas solved their problem by volunteering to betray the Lord. 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.. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. No buildings, streets, or hospitals have been named in honor of me. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. 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. 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. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). Jesus waved him off by declaring, All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled (Matthew 26:56). Pentecost was a sign to the unbelieving of Israel that they had broken the covenant and stood deserving of Gods judgment and wrath. and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. 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. God was rejecting their national privilege, and turning to the Gentiles to populate his Covenant Nation on Earth. It only made sense on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead. Habakkuk 1:5, Look among the nations and watch Be utterly astounded! His silence spoke more loudly than the foolish claims of his lying accusers. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat. Yet, Solomon turned away from God (1 Kings 11:4, 912). If we lack wisdom, we should ask God for it (James 1:5). 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. We have one life to use, and the usefulness of that one life depends not on our rsum or even how much we know. Fifth, and the point I want to focus on, is that the Lord 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. I find this very interesting and encouraging. (see Matthew 27:5). Eventually, Pharaoh decided to use the Jews for slave labor. These lessons simply teach us that God can take that which is evil and use it for his own good purposes. Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. 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? Their end will be most awful. 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. Jump to Previous 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. 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? God picks the scrawniest little girl to lead off on his kickball team. As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land, even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the. WebJohn 3:16. 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.. Our accomplishments do not justify our existence. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. 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. To put the matter that way raises several other questions: Was Judas predestined by God to betray Jesus? 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. God didnt want to lead the people around the Red Sea by the way of the Philistines knowing they might get scared and run back to Egypt (Ex. Their horses also are swifter than leopards, And more fierce than evening wolves. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. Though there were still many who had remained faithful, others no longer followed the words of the Prophets. But He is unique and who can turn Him?And what His soul desires, that He does. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. 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. 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. We see this all the way through the Bible. They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. Those who were rebelling against God had become apathetic. Nothing is ever left to chance with God. The story of Judas teaches us that nothing happens by accident. Paul used this verse from Habakkuk to warn the foolish despisers of the gospel. Those who look to themselves, will eventually and always reap their just punishment. 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, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. He dealt with his doubts and confusion in the right way, he turned to God, not to his own understanding. God will surely judge all rebellion, secret and open. Covenant judgment was about to be poured out upon Israel. Believer, dont think that your faithful service to your local body of believers is insignificant or accounts for little or nothing. God has already determined the end from the beginning (Isa. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts 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. Christianity is not about religion, its about a life-changing relationship with the Son of God. When Judas kissed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter impulsively grabbed his sword and started swinging. Do not begrudge your weakness. But they feared to do it during the Feast of Unleavened Bread because of the crowds that thronged Jerusalem. God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.. A God who can bring something good out of betrayal can be trusted to accomplish his work in your life. The people of Israel, were backed up against the Red Sea with Pharaohs army charging at them. 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. 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. If youd like an interesting Bible study, take a look at the trials of Jesus. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. Summary God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. 10:14-15). Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Why? WebGod never does evil Himself. Were they to voluntarily all drown? Just as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things! (Rom. 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. . 55:8-9). Jump to Previous In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. Solomon was DaVinci, Einstein, Bach, Jordan, Augustus, and Shakespeare rolled into one superior man. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. "Equipping and encouraging people to keep believing in Jesus", Copyright 2020 Keep Believing Ministries. Email Jack. When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. Literal Standard Version. 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. Your children, however, whom you said would become a preyI will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Our accolades cannot merit us any greatness. I have an unimpressive family background and do not come from a long line of important people. 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. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. Being a creative, innovative or highly effective leader is insufficient. Because God is utterly unimpressed by my rsum. During our conversationwhich lasted two hours and was both cordial and very frankI told him that his religion could not save him. A) We bow in submission before the mysterious ways of God. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Wisdom alone, though, is insufficient. Lest he misunderstand, I also told him that going to Calvary Memorial Church cannot save anyoneor help save anyone. 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. Literal Standard Version. 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. Wisdom didnt ensure obedience. I am a preacher and Bible teacher. They live as if there was no Creator, no moral law, no accountability. There are so many amazing things in these few verses. Here is my answer: He allowed Judas to betray Jesus so that Jesus could become the Savior of the world. Many believed they were going to die and complained to Moses (Ex. What does it mean that the righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4)? The evil nations God was raising up to judge his rebellious people were self-centered. This doesnt erase tragedy or transform heartache, but it gives us a divine perspective on the hard times of life that enables us to keep on going when wed rather give up and quit. Then his mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god.. 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. 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! 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. Through one mans treachery, Jesus proves himself a man of peacenot a man of war.

Is Mutual Of Omaha Owned By Berkshire Hathaway, Tiffin, Iowa Obituaries, Is Wings Hauser Related To Rutger Hauser, City Of Laredo Health Department Laboratory, Articles G