god uses unbelievers to accomplish his will

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. The Neo-Babylonians were dominated by Chaldean kings. You are going to need it as we search the Scriptures to answer these two questions. Paul also made this clear in Romans 9-11. This is the attitude of the evil heart in all ages. Egypt and the Neo-Babylonians were competing for world dominance. But most of the time we wont see it fully until we finally arrive in heaven. During our conversationwhich lasted two hours and was both cordial and very frankI told him that his religion could not save him. 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. Through one mans treachery, Jesus proves himself a man of peacenot a man of war. I have not written a New York Times Bestseller, and no one has publicly endorsed, recommended, or vouched for me. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. or will we in our rebellion demonstrate the just curse of His covenant warnings? His silence spoke more loudly than the foolish claims of his lying accusers. Two questions confront us as we consider the story of Judas: Last weeks sermon dealt with the first question. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. You truly never know God could be doing something right that we wouldnt understand even if He told us. 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. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. But the fact of the matter is it wasnt me! Your children, however, whom you said would become a preyI will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. That doesnt lessen his guilt, but it does increase our appreciation of Gods sovereignty over the affairs of men. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. So continue to trust in Him and you wont be disappointed. It can be fairly said that the common people by and large respected Jesus and responded positively to his message. 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. 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. How does this truth apply to Judas? That is what moving forward would require, or so it seemed. They sweep through like the strong winds from the East gathering up captives that number like the grains of sand. As Christians, we have nothing to fear or worry about because we know that God is in control. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. Click here. In the beginning Satan challenged Gods right to rule. In many cases without them even realizing that they were being used by God. His plan in doing so was to bless all people. (Bible quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.). And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. 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. God himself had foreordained every detail surrounding the death of his Son. Zechariah 11:1230 pieces of silver (see Matthew 26:15). But it does mean everything will happen as God sees fit. 14:11). The total number of prophecies is well over 100. Israel as a nation had rejected the promises of Moses and the Prophets culminating in the demand for the death of Jesus, Gods Messiah. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. If youd like an interesting Bible study, take a look at the trials of Jesus. 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. 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.. Their horses also are swifter than leopards, And more fierce than evening wolves. Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? Jump to Previous 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. 1:15-16), later to be thrown in the Nile (Ex. The Bible says, God was well pleased through the message preached to save those who believe (I Cor. 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. God will surely judge all rebellion, secret and open. 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. It even included the price Judas would receive for his act of treachery30 pieces of silver. Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, We see, your sin remains. 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. The new king was deposed after three months. We are called to be among his faithful people. At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. Another unlikely person used by God was King Cyrus of Persia. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. I find it remarkable how consistently the New Testament writers see the hand of God in the events surrounding the death of Christ. One swing of his sword whacked off the ear of Malchus, servant to the High Priest. Questions? A) We bow in submission before the mysterious ways of God. God didnt need to have Moses lift up his staff. The unbelievers, become confused, not remembering ever having the opportunity to serve Jesus. Grace be with you. It was a period of apostasy and violence. 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. 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. 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. The sad story of Judas stands as a warning to religious people not to trust in their religion. Christianity is not about religion, its about a life-changing relationship with the Son of God. Our prayers do not alter Gods eternal decree. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. For I work a work in your days, a work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you., Jeremiah also spoke of the same thing about which God warned Habakkuk. God use unbelievers to accomplish his 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. God used this unlikely group of people to accomplish His greatest work and they had no idea. And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 His purpose in creation will stand. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for 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. Do not begrudge your weakness. The thing he values the most is dragging him down to eternal damnation. 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.. 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. I am the trustee of nothing more than my personal belongings. 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. 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? He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. A God who can bring something good out of betrayal can be trusted to accomplish his work in your life. Habakkuk 1:5, Look among the nations and watch Be utterly astounded! 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. Do not lament your insufficiency. God Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus God use unbelievers to accomplish his will In 609 Judahs King Josiah was killed in battle against Egypt. It doesnt mean everything will also go perfectly or the way we hope. 1:21). 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. 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). 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. Nothing will ever be able to affect Gods will. We should never presume to say to an unbeliever, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. We cant know that. We when we dont know if something is Gods will, we pray, Yet not my will but yours be done (Mt. WebGod never does evil Himself. Grace be with you. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). 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. Why does God allow deception The sheep representing believers who did Gods will and the goats representing unbelievers who do not do Gods will. and be astounded! 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. 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. He uses believers and unbelievers. But what they do is not going to bring them true blessing. Is that a contradiction? 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. 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. God sometimes use evil to accomplish His plans (Habakkuk The Prophet was told to look around him and see what was going on among the nations, observe! Remember my imprisonment. Our accomplishments do not justify our existence. But this much is clear: He never believed that Jesus was guilty of any crime.

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