Until that man turns from his sinwhich in his case means acknowledging his behavior as sinand runs to the Cross of Christ he cannot be saved. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. It is not our responsibility to determine how God will use us, but it is our responsibility to be faithful to obey the Word of God. Does God Accomplish His Purpose in Our A lesson worth considering, but not the main lesson I want to focus on, is that God often put us into situations where only He can deliver us. 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. The thing he values the most is dragging him down to eternal damnation. verses about Unbelievers 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.. 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 Uses Two questions stand out: 1) Did Jesus actually descend into hell? Moses didnt have any power to divide the Red Sea. Zechariah 11:1230 pieces of silver (see Matthew 26:15). God sometimes use evil to accomplish His plans (Habakkuk Our accomplishments do not justify our existence. International 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. Prayer is one of the means God uses to accomplish His sovereign will and get glory for himself. Holman Old Testament Commentary: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah by Trent Butler. Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. It was the tech team, the web master, the secretary, or whoever posted my sermon on line. 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. God can use even you even me. 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. 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. Does God Accomplish His Purpose in Our WebThe Scripture teaches that God achieves His purpose in unbelievers. Eventually, Pharaoh decided to use the Jews for slave labor. 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. At first he ordered the Israelite babies to be killed at birth by the midwives (Ex. C) We place our confidence in Gods ultimate purpose for us. God was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. God will surely judge all rebellion, secret and open. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts Believer, dont think that your faithful service to your local body of believers is insignificant or accounts for little or nothing. I, the Lord, have spoken, surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. Their horses also are swifter than leopards, And more fierce than evening wolves. 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. Which caused the church to grow rapidly. Zechariah 11:13Judas would give the money back. His plan in doing so was to bless all people. 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 live most of our days in Good Fridayenduring confusion, opposition, disappointment and the many tragedies of life. I find it remarkable how consistently the New Testament writers see the hand of God in the events surrounding the death of Christ. Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Its okay to be a nobody, if in all you do, you serve Somebody. God even gave prophecy through Isaiah that this very thing would take place. They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. We when we dont know if something is Gods will, we pray, Yet not my will but yours be done (Mt. How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? The mind of evil changes from bad to worse being taken in by successes in conquest. If your rsum is sparse, your intellect feeble, your skills unimpressive, and your wisdom just average, fret not. Later Pilate gave in to pressure and ordered Jesus crucified. He reminded Peter that he could call for 12 legions of angels72,000 highly trained, heavily armed members of the Angelic Defense Leagueto come to his rescue at any moment. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? If we lack wisdom, we should ask God for it (James 1:5). So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. A nation would come to judge them speaking in a language they did not understand (Deuteronomy 28:49). 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. We see this all the way through the Bible. shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. Verse Concepts. 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. 28:36, The LORD will bring you and the king whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods wood and stone. But He is unique and who can turn Him?And what His soul desires, that He does. The story of Judas teaches us that nothing happens by accident. They intend to be their own god. God Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus But our God is mightier than any office or country. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. 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. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! You are going to need it as we search the Scriptures to answer these two questions. 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 Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives. We concluded that the Bible doesnt give us a final answer regarding why Judas betrayed Jesus Christ. 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. The sheep representing believers who did Gods will and the goats representing unbelievers who do not do Gods will. The way of the wicked is like darkness;They do not know over what they stumble. Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, Why does this generation seek for a sign? Scripture even points to the fact that God used Cyrus even though he didnt know God. 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. 14:11). His Bible Hub 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? The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. God commissions the invalid retiree to uphold dozens, even hundreds of missionaries on the field. Judas didnt know it, and neither did the disciples, but Gods fingerprints were all over his act of betrayal. The Prophet Habakkuk wrote during the troubled times before Judahs captivity. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. He uses believers and unbelievers. 10:14-15). Wisdom didnt guard him against a wandering heart. In spite of all this they still sinnedAnd did not believe in His wonderful works. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. When God does something completely different and unexpected (Numb. 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. Including those who dont believe He exists. 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). For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? They probably said things like, See, God isnt doing anything no body ever gets punished, it cant be very serious. They had forgotten the longsuffering of the True God who made all things, and who rules as King over all kings. 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. 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. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). 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 people of Jacob were trapped. Eternity will reveal how your faithful service was used by the Lord in amazing ways. He told the people that Pharaohs army would be wiped out, though he did not know how. He even turns wicked hearts to serve his Sovereign purpose. 1:15-16), later to be thrown in the Nile (Ex. When Judas actually betrayed Jesus in the Garden, Peter immediately sprang to his defense. 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. Things may seem impossible, and for men, they might be impossible, but nothing is impossible with God (Lk. He used sinners to accomplish His sovereign will. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). The sad story of Judas stands as a warning to religious people not to trust in their religion. That doesnt lessen his guilt, but it does increase our appreciation of Gods sovereignty over the affairs of men. 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. God answered him. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.. He could have rained fire and brimstone down on them. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. He uses believers and unbelievers. but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Why would God allow his Son to suffer such indignity at the hands of one who claimed to be his friend? In the words of a 19th century writer, hatred, treachery and deceit will not prevail against the church of God. WebGod never does evil Himself. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. They do whatever they want. 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. This seems to be one of the reasons God had Moses lift up his staff and hands to divide the Red Sea. Impatience and failing to trust God is never helpful. I sit on no boards. This week were looking at the other side of the equation. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. and be astounded! Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. WebJohn 3:16. They make a joke out of those who dare to not submit to them. There are so many amazing things in these few verses. Grace be with you. 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. . Causing a sacrifice to take place that would open salvation up to all people. My ministry is small locally, but gigantic because of the faithful service of others. They were in an impossible situation with no way out. Jump to Previous Were on a mission to change that. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. I dont speak on any circuits, have given no TED talks, and have been the keynote speaker less than once. 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. 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 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Questions? God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 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. During this period, foreign powers invaded Israel again and again, and inside the nation known as Gods people, evil and immorality raged. 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. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. 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. He didnt accept evil apathetically, he was appalled by it. He has but one endto make us like Jesus. But God did just that and used a sinning Gentile to begin the process of restoring Israel. We should never presume to say to an unbeliever, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. We cant know that. Jesus immediately restored the ear and told Peter to put down his sword. They thank me for posting my sermons on the internet. Jesus Sends Out the But before his salvation took place God was still using Him. The trials that were meant to establish his guilt ended up establishing his innocence for all the world to see. What does it mean that God came from Teman (Habakkuk 3:3). Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (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. First, the people of Israel were for the most part leaderless. The greater the pain, the harder it is to see Gods fingerprints. And that is okay. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The gospel writers record many Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Really, its just fine. 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. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. Israel stumbled at the stumbling stone, the suffering messiah (Romans 9:31-33). 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. 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. A prophecy we can imagine would have seemed quite improbable to those who heard. Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, Why does this generation seek for a sign? The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. verses about Unbelievers God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. There he said in 1 Corinthians 14:21, With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me, says the Lord. He directly quoted the covenant warning of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Deuteronomy. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. Herod the Great tried to kill him in Bethlehem. Paul, in writing to Corinth, corrected the Churchs misuse of speaking in foreign tongues. This truth about Judas illustrates Gods control of every event in the universe. 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. 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. God wanted the people of Israel to look to Moses as their God appointed human leader and deliverer. By his treachery he established the very cause he set out to destroy. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. If not, we have reason to question whether our faith is real. As Christians, we have nothing to fear or worry about because we know that God is in control. 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. C) God uses all eventsgood and badto accomplish his purposes. I dont have any letters after my name. God Works His Will God Uses Many People to Accomplish His Purposes All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. That pagan nation was struggling against Egypt for dominance. or will we in our rebellion demonstrate the just curse of His covenant warnings? God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. I have an unimpressive family background and do not come from a long line of important people. His son Jehoahaz became king. But through the lens of the New Testament, he is seen as a wicked man. The Lord said to Moses, How long will this people spurn Me? This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask God use unbelievers to accomplish his will God use unbelievers to accomplish his will 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. Here are the two great texts to keep in mind regarding Gods providence and our own personal experience: The first is the famous statement by Joseph to his brothers in Genesis 50:20, You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good. The second comes from the familiar words of Romans 8:28, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. These verses teach us that God is able to take the worst things that happen in life and turn them for our good and his glory. God Uses Many People to Accomplish His Purposes 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. 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. Strategically, this appeared to be a very unwise move, unless you are God. God 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. A complete answer is impossible for who has known the mind of the Lord (Isa. 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. Their end will be most awful. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die. 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 Lord. 46:10). And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. 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). 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.