The Ways of God Part 3: The Things God Uses

Supporting Scripture: Jonah 1:1-4, 2:1-10, 3:4-9; 4:8-11; 1 Samuel 17:34-50; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 5:1-11; John 5:33-34, 6:1-14, 19:17-18.
Exodus 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

The closer we get to God, the better we understand Him. There is awesome beauty in the fine detail of God’s work.As a photographer, I can take a wide angle shot of a field of flowers, and make a nice picture. However, I enjoy an extreme close-up of one bloom even more because it reveals the wonderful intricacy of the Creator’s design.

If I asked you to describe some of the fine details in the nature of God and His works, what would you say? Have you studied Him up close?

We learn about Him through His ways. For example, we can observe the kinds of things He uses, and we can notice how He uses them. It’s often very surprising for us to discover what vessels He chooses for performing His mighty work in the world.


Scriptural Principles:

1 God uses simple things.
You would probably expect God to make use of mighty things and mighty people, but the truth is quite the opposite. For example, the story of Moses, which begins in Exodus 1:8, shows how God could use a simple wicker basket to change the course of a nation’s history. Moses was placed in the river in a small basket, where he could be found by Pharaoh’s daughter. God used a simple, hand-woven container to protect the child who would be the liberator of his nation.You may feel as flimsy as a wicker basket, but it’s what the basket holds that counts. God can place something of supreme value inside the vessel of your life.

2 God uses imperfect attitudes.
Jonah was a man who would go to great lengths to disobey God.The Lord assigned him a mission and Jonah ran away, but God used him anyway. Not only that, but as we read in Jonah 2, God used a great fish to rescue Jonah from drowning. In Jonah 3, God used a withering plant to teach Jonah a lesson. God will use plants and animals, and He will use servants like Jonah even when they are imperfect. Have you refused to give yourself to God and His purposes because you felt unworthy? He can use Jonah; He can even use a fish.Why not you? Surrender your life to God just the way you are.

3 God uses unequipped people.
In the book of 1 Samuel we read about David, the young shepherd boy who wanted to challenge Goliath. There were many Israelite warriors, and none of them wanted to face the giant. David would not even wear the armor of King Saul, because he depended only on the strength of the God who had helped him defeat a bear and a lion. David brought down the giant with a simple stone such as anyone could find in a creek.The smallest pebble can perform the most powerful deed in the hands of almighty God.

4 God uses surrendered lives.
David may have seemed too small to be a mighty warrior, but he understood the secret to victory in life: he was totally surrendered to God. He was available for whatever task God might have for him, and he was bold enough to step forward and ignore those who doubted God’s power and protection. Does God need great armies or weapons? Does He need anything at all? He does not, but He uses those who are willing to surrender themselves to His service. Have you come to that point of surrender? Are you willing to trust Him for whatever plan He might have, knowing that He loves you and that His plans are best?

5 God uses willing sacrifice.
In Mark’s Gospel we find the account of a poor widow who made a contribution of two small copper coins, the equivalent of a single cent. Jesus told His disciples that “this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury” (Mark 12:43). Why? Because it was all she had. What matters is not the size, but the spirit of our gift. God wants us to give all our effort, all our dedication, all our creativity, and everything we have toward His service. The dollar value is what the world notices, but God ignores all that; He sees the heart. God uses a willing and generous gift. Are you giving of yourself with a generous heart?

6 God uses simple obedience.
Jesus was teaching a great crowd in Luke 5:1-11. In their eagerness to hear, they nudged Him right to the edge of the water. Jesus asked Peter for the use of a fishing boat, and God used that boat for the teaching of the Word. Then He used it for a miraculous catch. Peter was an experienced fisherman, and he must have wondered what a carpenter from Nazareth would know about fishing. Peter obeyed, however, and enjoyed the greatest fishing trip he ever had. Our problem is generally not in knowing God’s will for our lives, but in our willingness to be obedient. How about you? Will you do what God is calling you to do?

7 God uses whatever may be in your hand.
In John 6, another crowd of people pressed Jesus and His disciples. There were five thousand men, as well as many women and children. Where would their meals come from? The disciples were worried, but a boy was found who had five barley loaves and two fish. Surely that wasn’t enough food to feed such an army! Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed the fish and bread to everyone there. Every man, woman, and child had a feast. This miracle was given in order to show that Jesus was the Son of God, and all that was needed was the simple lunch in a boy’s hand.What is in your hand? What should you offer to Christ?

8 God uses everything for our eternal good.
What other simple thing could God use? He used a tree for the benefit of the whole world. John 19 gives us the account of the crucifixion of Jesus.Why a cross, made from a tree? Why not a sword, for example? The cross made it possible for everyone to see how Jesus gave His life for us. God prepared that very wood for the awesome sacrifice of His Son, so that the blood of Jesus would pay the price for our sin. God used a common tree for His eternal purposes, and we know that He uses all things and all events for our good, as we love Him. There is nothing in this world He cannot and will not use.


Conclusion:

It’s written across every page of your Bible that God can use all that you have and all that you are. All He wants is you. He is calling to you right now, and His desire is for you to understand that full surrender means blessings greater than all the riches in the world.

If He can use a wicker basket, the stomach of a fish, a simple stone, a boat, or a tree, what might He do with your mind, your gifts, your time, and your treasures? What miracles might He accomplish for His glory through you?

Are you willing to commit to the following statement? “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.”

The Ways of God Part 2: He Keeps His Word

Supporting Scripture: Deuteronomy 28:1-2; Genesis 2:16-17; 6:7-8, 18; 7:1, 5, 21-24; 12:1-3; 17:15-17; Exodus 3:10-12, 4:12, 21; 6;1; 12:30-32; Joshua 1:1-5; 6:1-2; Matthew 16:13-23; Revelation 22:3-5; Psalm 103:1-7


Who is this God whom you and I serve and worship? He is a God who loves us, and has saved us. Could you give a good description of Him, if you were asked?

Many people lack the understanding of who He is.To understand Him, it is necessary to know His ways. How does He think? What does He do in this world? We cannot know much about the God of creation until we begin to learn about His awesome ways. Psalm 103 lists some of them. It tells us that “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel” (v. 7).


Scriptural Principles:

1 The promises of God are either absolute or conditional.
It is important to begin with the understanding that God makes two kinds of declarations. First, there are absolute declarations of the actions He will take.This means that whatever we may do or not do, God will still act as He has promised.Then there are conditional declarations, such as the one in Deuteronomy 28:1-2, that are promises which are conditional upon our behavior.

2 The promises of God are always kept.
Whether a promise of God is an absolute statement or a conditional offer, one matter is consistent: He always keeps His promises. Many people today read or hear the promises of God, but fail to realize their seriousness. He plays no games, and He never changes His ways.When He says,“I will,” you and I have a promise upon which to build our future.Throughout the Bible there are countless examples of how God’s promises are kept.

3 The promises of God are always clear.
Not only are God’s promises absolutely dependable, but they are always clear enough for every one to understand. In Genesis 2:16-17, God told Adam and Eve that they could eat from any tree in the garden except one. He said that in the day they ate from it, they would surely die. Disobedience meant death for Adam and Eve.There was no “if,” no “maybe,” nor any other qualification. God makes every promise clear enough for us to decide whether we will be obedient or disobedient.

4 The promises of God always involve consequences.
While God’s promises are clear and certain, they also carry dire and significant consequences. In the case of Adam and Eve, who ate from the tree God forbade, we see what happens when we refuse to follow God’s path. First, there was separation as Adam and Eve hid from God. Second, there was shame in the guilty knowledge of sin.Third,Adam and Eve expressed pride.The final consequence, of course, was death.

5 The promises of God are always complete.
God’s absolute declarations carry no conditions, but are complete in every way. In Genesis 12:1-3, God offered such a promise to Abraham. He said, “I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great” (v. 2). He declared that all the families of the earth would be blessed by the name of Abraham.This same covenant would also include Abraham’s son Isaac.

6 The promises of God defy the impossible.
Many times we fail to believe the promises of God because they seem unlikely. God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would become the parents of a child, even though they were far too old by human standards.“Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” (Genesis 17:17) We need to remember that nothing is impossible for Him.

7 The promises of God don’t divulge all the details.
God requires our absolute obedience to His absolute promises, but He expects us to obey without knowing all the details.We must walk in faith and watch Him work, leaving the details to Him. At the Red Sea, God promised Moses and the Israelites that He would handle the chariots of Egypt. He does not owe us all the information, but we owe Him simple obedience because we know that He always keeps His promises.

8 The promises of God are independent of human logic.
Many people fail to take God’s promises seriously because they depend upon what makes sense from a human point of view. Joshua could have doubted God when he was given his instructions to attack Jericho by simply marching around the walls and blowing trumpets. After following the leadership of Moses, Joshua knew to trust God and watch Him work, leaving the circumstances to His power and wisdom.

9 The promises of God offer hope for the world.
When we follow His declarations, we find they lead to hope for the world. When Peter acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of the living God, Jesus offered the promise that He would build His church upon that truth of His Sonship. (Matthew 16:13-23) The Great Commission also offers hope for the world, because Jesus has promised us that we would carry the hope of the Gospel to every corner of the globe.

10 The promises of God extend to every facet of daily life.
It is clear that God’s promises can be seen from Genesis through the Gospels, but how do they relate to our daily lives? First, we can act upon His promise that if we confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.Then we can claim the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Finally, He promised to send His Holy Spirit to live within us and guide us.

11 The promises of God demand our faithful obedience.
He always blesses us through His promises.Are we wise enough to trust Him, walk in faith, and live in obedience? If we know that when He says, “I will,” we can obey Him and look forward to the day when He raises us and brings us to heaven.Then we will see His face, and finally reign with the Son of God, as promised in Revelation 22:3-5.


Conclusion:

I wonder whether you are willing to believe that He keeps His promises? If I asked you whether you believed it, you might quickly say yes. If I asked you to show it in complete obedience and submission to Christ, however,would you hesitate?

God has offered us so many promises through His Word and in our daily lives, if only we will listen. Every single promise is given for His glory and for our blessing. Every single one will bring us joy, fulfillment, and the adventure of walking in faith.

The Ways of God Part 1: The Best Way

Supporting Scripture: Exodus 33:13; Deuteronomy 10:12; Psalm 81:10-16; Deuteronomy 32:3-4; 1 Kings 2:1-3; Isaiah 55:8-9; Psalm 25:1-5


If I told you a few facts about God, could you say you knew Him? You would probably agree that it wouldn’t be enough merely to know some facts or doctrines about God. In order to say you really knew Him, you would need to have intimate knowledge of Him. We know about God by His acts, which are His deeds. The ways of God, however, tell us about how He thinks and the nature of His heart. David, the psalmist, writes, “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths” (Psalm 25:4).The ways of God run deeper than His actions, and they provide us with a path to know Him more deeply.

As you and I begin to understand the ways of God, we become more able to enjoy an intimate relationship with Him. That is what He desires above all things, and what we should desire as well.


Scriptural Principles:

1 We should know the ways of God because it is essential in knowing Him.
Why should we care to learn the ways of God? First, because knowing His ways is essential to knowing Him.We read, “Let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight” (Exodus 33:13). The heart of God can be known through the ways of God, which leads to life’s greatest pleasure of knowing Him personally and intimately.

2 We should know the ways of God because He requires it.
God commands us to know His ways. Deuteronomy 10:12 tells us that God requires that we should fear Him,walk in all His ways, and love Him. Since He requires us to know these ways, He will help us understand them. How will He do so? We will learn His ways one at a time, as we ask Him to show us.

3 We should know the ways of God because it is the yearning of His heart.
All through the pages of the Scriptures, we learn that the heart of God deeply desires our fellowship. This fact alone should motivate us to seek Him more passionately. He wants us to know Him in a deep, meaningful way. In Psalm 81:10, God says to His people, “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it,” much like a mother bird with her babies. He is saying, “Trust Me and expand your faith.”

4 We should know the ways of God because He loves us.
He offers us His way, the wisest way, because He is an all-wise God who loves us and desires the best for us. He wants each one of us to realize that His way is so much better, and if we could only discover it and follow it, we would be so much happier. Just as every parent tries to guide his or her child in the best way, out of love, God wants the best for us.

5 We should know the ways of God because it is the best way.
No matter what situation we may be facing, no matter how difficult a choice it may be, we can be certain that God’s way is the best way, even if it is a difficult and painful one. Deuteronomy 32:3-4 tells us that “For all His ways are just . . . righteous and upright is He.” We struggle with decisions sometimes, needing to realize that the secret is to find out His way in this situation.

6 We should know the ways of God because it is the pathway to success.
The truth is that God’s way offers the most success. What is real success? The world’s definition involves wealth and power, but true success is godly living. When we do that, He blesses us above and beyond our circumstances. We discover that wealth cannot compare to the joy we receive. According to 1 Kings 2:1-3, we should keep His commandments so that we may succeed in all we do.

7 What does it mean to walk in the ways of God?
We can say many wonderful things about walking in His ways because it is the best way. For example, it is the way that builds our faith, as we observe the consequences of our obedience, as well as our disobedience.

His way is the most rewarding way, though not necessarily the easiest way.The ways of God also demonstrate His awesome power in our lives.

8 The ways of God are beyond us, unless He reveals them.
The Bible tells us that His ways are beyond us, so how can we know them? God says,“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts,” (Isaiah 55:9). Even so, we can know Him because He reveals Himself to us through the Holy Spirit.

9 What are the benefits of walking in His ways?
The benefits of walking in His ways are many. When we experience intimacy with God, we understand Him better, and we enjoy our prayer life as we realize that we are communicating with almighty God. Since He hears and answers our prayers, we have the benefit of receiving His viewpoint and learning to wait on Him.

10 What happens when we walk in His ways?
We learn to experience victory in life as we walk in His ways because they become an anchor in the storm. Instead of growing weary or discouraged, we have hope and anticipation because we have learned to wait upon the Lord. As we observe His faithfulness, He begins to pour His love and devotion into our lives, and we begin to have a strong, positive impact on the people around us.

11 How do we walk in the ways of God?
If you yearn to follow His path, ask God to forgive your sins through the sacrificial gift of Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. Trust Him as your personal Savior. Seek His guidance, keep in step with the Spirit, and grow in His Word. The Lord will begin to change your destiny as you obey Him and leave all the consequences to Him.


Conclusion:

What is the nature of your knowledge of God? Do you know some facts about Him, some acts by Him, or perhaps some doctrines about Him? Can you really say that you know Him intimately in the way He yearns to know you?

The path toward that kind of relationship is to walk in His ways. He will not hide them from you. His deepest desire is to have your daily friendship. He loves you, and He has established a path for your life that is available in His Word and through the guidance of His Spirit.

Learn His ways,walk in them, and know the abundant life, joy, and peace of your Lord.