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. 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. 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?. 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.. Soon they will be raised up from that struggle to full power. When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. When we do that we become His instruments to accomplish His sovereign will. But most of the time we wont see it fully until we finally arrive in heaven. When Judas actually betrayed Jesus in the Garden, Peter immediately sprang to his defense. God used this unlikely group of people to accomplish His greatest work and they had no idea. They have no respect for the leaders of other nations. If not, we have reason to question whether our faith is real. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. 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? Acts 2:23 tells us that Jesus was delivered up, by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. We see the same thing after the Israelites cross the Red Sea and are attacked by the Amalekites (Ex. 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. 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. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Many that people can plan to do much but is God that will always have the final say. The new king was deposed after three months. Our accomplishments do not justify our existence. He dealt with his doubts and confusion in the right way, he turned to God, not to his own understanding. 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. . God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. Herod the Great tried to kill him in Bethlehem. Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. B) We entrust our lives to the God who cares for us. We might be a life-hacking, productivity guru. It will be a most terrible judgment. All rights reserved. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 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. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say. That leads me to ask a simple question: Are you a professor or a possessor? Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). This week were looking at the other side of the equation. Which caused the church to grow rapidly. My ministry is small locally, but gigantic because of the faithful service of others. They were in an impossible situation with no way out. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. God can use anyone and anything. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. WebGod never does evil Himself. When God does something completely different and unexpected (Numb. Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, Why does this generation seek for a sign? Judas solved their problem by volunteering to betray the Lord. 4:5). The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. WebJohn 3:16. Were on a mission to change that. He had great trust in the truth of God. Rejoice that Christ is all-sufficient and always dependable. It becomes all the more bold in lawlessness. Does God sometimes use evil to accomplish His plans (Habakkuk 1:5-11)? 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. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. That is what moving forward would require, or so it seemed. The repentant show Gods unmerited grace to undeserving sinners, and reveal the merciful blessing and goodness of God. Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. God may ordain to use their wickedness, but this does not make it morally right. He mustered his army and went after the Jews in hot pursuit. For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.. As a place to begin, consider three verses dealing with Judas. A) We bow in submission before the mysterious ways of God. Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, We see, your sin remains. Even his enemies played into Gods handthough they did not know it at the time. The mind of evil changes from bad to worse being taken in by successes in conquest. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears 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. 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.. Remember my imprisonment. And did not believe in His wonderful works. Get your Bible. 17:8-13). Were they to march into the sea holding their little ones, driving their cattle, and pushing their elderly? God could have had the earth swallow up the Amalekites. While not all became believers, many felt a strong attraction to his message. We live most of our days in Good Fridayenduring confusion, opposition, disappointment and the many tragedies of life. They sweep through like the strong winds from the East gathering up captives that number like the grains of sand. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; Immediately the boys father cried out and said, I do believe; help my unbelief.. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. Recent events may not have gone how you hoped and the signs may seem bleak. Verse Concepts. But this much is clear: He never believed that Jesus was guilty of any crime. You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 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. Why? In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. We concluded that the Bible doesnt give us a final answer regarding why Judas betrayed Jesus Christ. Through one mans treachery, Jesus proves himself a man of peacenot a man of war. They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. He has many means to accomplish that holy purposeincluding some that are difficult to understand. His son Jehoahaz became king. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.. Which is why they completely missed the Messiah when they stood right beside Him. Stating that the plans of men are many but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 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? 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. 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. Do not begrudge your weakness. The Bible says, God was well pleased through the message preached to save those who believe (I Cor. The gospel writers record many Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He betrayed the Lord but ended up vindicating him. 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. He has not brought us this far to cause us to fail. If youd like an interesting Bible study, take a look at the trials of Jesus. The unbelievers, become confused, not remembering ever having the opportunity to serve Jesus. 1:22). But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. When God desires to save someone, He raises up Christians to preach the gospel. Say to them, As I live, says the Lord, just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; 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. Questions? Every evil in the world must somehow serve Gods purpose. God commissions the invalid retiree to uphold dozens, even hundreds of missionaries on the field. But it does mean everything will happen as God sees fit. Visit Justins personal website Here. They do whatever they want. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? But he chose instead to allow himself to be arrested, knowing that this would fulfill Gods plan. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. They were afraid. Pharaohs heart was hardened again. Summary So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. For he sees that even wise men die;The stupid and the senseless alike perishAnd leave their wealth to others. 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 asks us to do things we cant do, because it makes us trust IN HIM, not ourselves. They make a joke out of those who dare to not submit to them. Those who read my words are in many different situations: May I repeat what I just said: He has not brought us this far to cause us to fail. 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. 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. 1:21). A nation would come to judge them speaking in a language they did not understand (Deuteronomy 28:49). Nothing will ever be able to affect Gods will. A God who can bring something good out of betrayal can be trusted to accomplish his work in your life. God Himself said that He used Pharaoh so that His name would be known on all the earth. Judas served Gods purposes even though what he did was wrong and he ended up in hell. I have an unimpressive family background and do not come from a long line of important people. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. So continue to trust in Him and you wont be disappointed. C) We place our confidence in Gods ultimate purpose for us. Eternity will reveal how your faithful service was used by the Lord in amazing ways. You will say to me then, Why does He still find fault? Jesus said the unbelievers failed to give him food, drink, nurse him in His sickness, or visit Him in prison. This New-Babylon marched through Canaan and took hostages (one of them was Daniel). Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts It even included the price Judas would receive for his act of treachery30 pieces of silver. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation., Truth Of God Is denied by Unbelievers, the Truth of God Is denied by Unbelievers, Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world, Unbelievers Will be classed with outbreaking sinners in eternity, Unbelievers Their lifetime spent in vanity, Unbelievers Shall be judged by God's word in the last day, Will be classed with outbreaking sinners in eternity, Shall be judged by God's word in the last day. That pagan nation was struggling against Egypt for dominance. So He brought their days to an end in futility And their years in sudden terror. Yet He was still able to accomplish His will through them. 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. It was the tech team, the web master, the secretary, or whoever posted my sermon on line. 1 John 5:14. They will be held guilty. 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. Nothing that happened to Jesus that night or later on Good Friday made sense when it happened. The Prophet was told to look around him and see what was going on among the nations, observe! But sometimes we forget that when God ordains a particular end, he also ordains the means to that end. Understanding God in Troubled Times We pray because God is sovereign and all powerful. We are saved by living faith in the Son of Godnot by outward religious observance. 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. 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). 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. Able to do exceedingly and abundantly using unlikely people to further His plans. International Standard Version. His covenant is always enforced. 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. But what a privilege it is to be used by God!