Able to do exceedingly and abundantly using unlikely people to further His plans. They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. God could have had the earth swallow up the Amalekites. In the beginning Satan challenged Gods right to rule. How will they preach unless they are sent? 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. As they plotted how to murder Jesus they had no idea they were accomplishing Gods will. But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all;read more.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. The manner of the judgment would be unexpected. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. God will use it even if you do not understand how. 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. An unlikely person to be used by God. verses about Unbelievers Yet He was still able to accomplish His will through them. We concluded that the Bible doesnt give us a final answer regarding why Judas betrayed Jesus Christ. How does this truth apply to Judas? 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. God Himself said that He used Pharaoh so that His name would be known on all the earth. Bible Hub Bible Hub And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. Verse Concepts. He recognized what was evil because he believed Gods law. 17:8-13). I, the Lord, have spoken, surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. Causing a sacrifice to take place that would open salvation up to all people. At first he ordered the Israelite babies to be killed at birth by the midwives (Ex. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts As Christians, we have nothing to fear or worry about because we know that God is in control. Im not a founder, innovator, CEO, or visionary of any company. No, its a mystery. Fit to be Used 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. Do not begrudge your weakness. 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. Egypt and the Neo-Babylonians were competing for world dominance. Wisdom alone, though, is insufficient. So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. No buildings, streets, or hospitals have been named in honor of me. 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. Another unlikely person used by God was King Cyrus of Persia. The very first verse my daughter ever memorized was Isaiah 40:8, The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. It seemed like an odd one to begin with, but now in retrospect it might have been the best one. 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 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. I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. Moses didnt have any power to bring the ten plagues upon Egypt either. I am a preacher and Bible teacher. ", Writing & Teaching Inductive Bible Studies. 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). God Uses 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.. Jesus immediately restored the ear and told Peter to put down his sword. Moses was sent by the Lord multiple times to Pharaoh asking for the release of the Hebrews. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask That leads me to ask a simple question: Are you a professor or a possessor? They intend to be their own god. All of these people are unlikely choices to be used by God since they didnt truly know or believe in Him. Why would God allow his Son to suffer such indignity at the hands of one who claimed to be his friend? verses about Unbelievers Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. God had not yet told Moses what He was going to do, but Moses knew the Lord did not redeem the Israelites from Egypt to have them slaughtered. Why does God allow deception A nation would come to judge them speaking in a language they did not understand (Deuteronomy 28:49). Do you merely profess Christ and trust in your religious habits to save you, or do you possess Christ in your heart by faith? I dont have any letters after my name. C) God uses all eventsgood and badto accomplish his purposes. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For he sees that even wise men die;The stupid and the senseless alike perishAnd leave their wealth to others. Though used by God for his purposes, the ungodly are still evil. God can use even you even me. There are so many amazing things in these few verses. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. Nothing will ever be able to affect Gods will. The Bible says, God was well pleased through the message preached to save those who believe (I Cor. He sent His son to pay a most costly price for the sin of His people, for those who trust in Him. Do not lament your insufficiency. 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.. 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. 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 uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. 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 have no respect for the leaders of other nations. Why? 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. The glory of His nature and attributes will be made known in full. My ministry is small locally, but gigantic because of the faithful service of others. WebJohn 3:16. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. I am sure God has many reasons for doing the things He does in the way and timing of His choosing, but lets consider some likely reasons He used Moses, a sinner, to be the instrument of His sovereign, miraculous work of dividing the Red Sea. Eventually, Pharaoh decided to use the Jews for slave labor. 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. 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). He uses believers and unbelievers. God God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. God Summary WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. 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? Just as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things! (Rom. They were in an impossible situation with no way out. Everything fits into Gods plan. What an honor to serve the King of kings. But before his salvation took place God was still using Him. Moses had great faith! 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. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. Soon they will be raised up from that struggle to full power. The book of proverbs also gives us insight into this. We see this all the way through the Bible. The trials that were meant to establish his guilt ended up establishing his innocence for all the world to see. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). It was the tech team, the web master, the secretary, or whoever posted my sermon on line. 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 articles posted on this website are here to provide information about the Bible and specific topics related to the Reformed Faith along with it's application in our daily thoughts and activities. Many believed they were going to die and complained to Moses (Ex. and be astounded! 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. Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, We see, your sin remains. I run into people in different countries or am contacted by those from different countries who have been blessed by my preaching. God Uses Many People to Accomplish His Purposes For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. Strategically, this appeared to be a very unwise move, unless you are God. God use unbelievers 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 Jesus said, For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind. Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, We are not blind too, are we? Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, We see, your sin remains. God didnt need to have Moses lift up his staff. Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. He could have just caused them to drop dead. We see this all the way through the Bible. 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. 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 learn that over time a new Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph or respect what Joseph had done (Ex. Will we show forth Gods glory in our obedience and in our receiving of His covenant blessing? 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. 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.. Judas didnt know it, and neither did the disciples, but Gods fingerprints were all over his act of betrayal. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. Thats generally the way life is for all of us. What does it mean that God came from Teman (Habakkuk 3:3). That doesnt make us anything more in Gods eyes. So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. That pagan nation was struggling against Egypt for dominance. The evil ones believe pridefully that their own imagined gods have blessed them. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. Jump to Previous 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. The total number of prophecies is well over 100. 55:8-9). 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. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. When he went before Pilate, the Roman governor received an urgent message from his wife: Dont have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him (Matthew 27:19). Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, Why does this generation seek for a sign? 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. Jump to Previous WebGod never does evil Himself. Remember my imprisonment. Why? If so, did he have a choice? You will say to me then, Why does He still find fault? 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. Pentecost was a sign to the unbelieving of Israel that they had broken the covenant and stood deserving of Gods judgment and wrath. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Our accolades cannot merit us any greatness. During our conversationwhich lasted two hours and was both cordial and very frankI told him that his religion could not save him. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. His 1 John 5:14. Steven Lee is the Pastor of Preaching & Vision at. God Works His Will These lessons simply teach us that God can take that which is evil and use it for his own good purposes. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. I might preach to 100 people on Sunday morning in my own little church, but I preach to thousands over the internet. Amen. Causing him to not let the people go. 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. I answer yes. C) We place our confidence in Gods ultimate purpose for us. Psalm 109:8Replaced by another manMatthias (see Acts 1:20). Are we becoming more like Jesus by the power of the Spirit? Here are five specific prophecies that were fulfilled when Judas betrayed Jesus: Psalm 41:9Close friend will betray Christ (see John 13:18). 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. God sometimes use evil to accomplish His plans (Habakkuk 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. They do whatever they want. The Israelites and the church did face some tough times and we may too. It doesnt mean everything will also go perfectly or the way we hope. And how will they hear without a preacher? He betrayed the Lord but ended up vindicating him. God Uses Many People to Accomplish His Purposes At the beginning of their sojourn, Joseph was ruler of Egypt, a son of Jacob, and watched over his own. for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Their end will be most awful. Your children, however, whom you said would become a preyI will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). Because God created all He can use anything in creation. God picks the scrawniest little girl to lead off on his kickball team. God may ordain to use their wickedness, but this does not make it morally right. God used this unlikely group of people to accomplish His greatest work and they had no idea. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. God is unimpressed. At my own local church, and everywhere else I go, faithful men and women record my sermons in audio and sometimes video. God Works His Will Email Jack. Gods plan included the time of Jesus deathPassover, the placeJerusalem, the opposition by the Jewish leaders, and the betrayal by Judas. 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. 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. God Although Judas appears to be acting solely on his own initiative, it is clear that his betrayal fits into a larger pattern of eventsone that is orchestrated by the unseen hand of the Living God. We when we dont know if something is Gods will, we pray, Yet not my will but yours be done (Mt. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.