The Bible Speaks - God is not against you

[00:00:00] Welcome to the Bible Speaks with Elgin Carelock. The Bible Speaks is a weekly ministry of harvest international. Our prayer is that the Bible speaks for encourage you in your study of God's Word.

[00:00:38] You will be able to contact Elgin at the address given at the end of this broadcast. And now here's Elgin. Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of our risen Savior Jesus the Christ.

[00:00:52] And we say happy Father's Day to all of the fathers and men who stand in the gap to help raise and support our children. May God bless you and keep you on this day. Normally it would be an expectation that the discussion would be about Fatherhood.

[00:01:17] And it is about Fatherhood. But I want to talk to you from the position of a Father, our Heavenly Father. And the title of the discussion is God is not against you. Our scripture will, inspiration comes from judges chapter 6 verses 12 through the 13 which reads,

[00:01:49] and the angel of the Lord appeared to Him and said to Him, the Lord is with you Almighty Man of valor. And getting in said to Him, please my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?

[00:02:06] And we're all His wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us saying, did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Median. When God can't reach you through inspiration, he reaches you through demonstration.

[00:02:30] We may not like how that process is laid out, but if we take the time to read the word and actually Holy Spirit to reveal what we are to learn through those times, we grow. And when we grow, God can use us more.

[00:02:47] Of course as humans, we wonder why God doesn't just tell us what He wants us to do instead of taking us through trials. But I'm here to say, He already has. The word of God contains every solution to every problem, trial and course for our lives.

[00:03:10] But if we don't use it, then it is only natural that situations arise, that challenge us in our faith. I want to illustrate my point through Luke 12 verse 48, and reading from the amplified

[00:03:29] version, it reads, but the one who did not know it and did things worthy of a beating will receive only a few lashes. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and to whom they entrusted much of Him they will ask all the more.

[00:03:53] This is a wonderful illustration of spiritual growth. As we first give our lives to Christ and begin our journey, the challenges are there, but consistent with where we are. In other words, God takes the time to lead us more directly because we are new creatures

[00:04:14] and require nurturing and familiarity with the voice of God through His Word and Holy Spirit. We receive more grace during this time, and the chastisements we receive are not very severe, even though it may feel that way at times.

[00:04:31] However, as we move toward spiritual maturity, God expects us to use the tools He has given us in the forms of the Word and the Holy Spirit. That is what is meant by to whom much is given.

[00:04:47] God expects us to understand the depth of power that is available to us through the Holy Spirit living inside of us. As a matter of fact, Ephesians 3 verse 20 refers to what I'm saying as, now unto Him that

[00:05:04] is able to do exceedingly abundingly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. God is the one who gives the increase, but there are many things He will allow us to

[00:05:20] do on our own because He trusts us and knows that if we're being led by the Holy Spirit, we will be in His will and do things His way. So is the surprise that when we are out of line or have allowed the world or our flesh

[00:05:37] to act outside of God's will that we receive chastisement? In our anchor text, getting in the estrashing wheat in a wine press, He was hiding from the Midianites who were who had been plaguing them by taking their food and livestock.

[00:05:55] In the angel of the Lord approached Him, He called Him a mighty man of valor, which signifies how God saw Gideon even though Gideon did not see Himself that way. Even though Gideon did not see Himself that way.

[00:06:10] This is another way we know God is not against us. The angel of the Lord was coming with a mission and the fact that Gideon was the one chosen to carry out the mission, so as Gide believed in Him and knew He was fully capable.

[00:06:26] Another thing it shows is that Gideon did not believe God was able to change the situation they were facing, which is why He was hiding. He may have been praying to God for relief and since none had come, He was trying to hand-load Himself.

[00:06:44] What we have to be careful about is not letting our current situation cause fear that results in us not allowing God to deliver His promises. In Jeremiah 29, verse 11, Gide tells us, before I know the plans I have for you, the Clairs of Lord.

[00:07:04] Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. But we have to realize, is sometimes these plans come with trials. The trials are there for our growth and to expand our effectiveness in doing kingdom work.

[00:07:23] A great example of what I'm describing is Job. Job was so faithful to God and God so certain of Job's faithfulness that He allowed Satan to put Job through trials that were unimaginable. Job did not turn his back on God, but He did complain.

[00:07:43] As we see with Gideon, if you ask my opinion on what Job was to learn through all of the hardships He endured, it would be that He was a devout man of God. But obviously did not make sure that those in His inner circle, including His wife, knew

[00:08:01] God at the same level that He did. Otherwise, Elefas would not have made the accusations that He did in terms of why Job was going through those trials and Job's wife would not have told Him to curse Gideon died.

[00:08:17] So God took the situation and used it as a teaching moment. In addition to showing His faith in Job as an upright and loving man of God, in verse 13 of our spiritual texts, Gideon said to the angel, but now the Lord has forsaken us and

[00:08:37] given us into the hand of Median when we are going through trials that seem insurmountable. We sometimes forget or fail to realize how we got there. The children of His world had continually disobeyed God and fallen into the hands of oppressors at various times.

[00:08:57] In fact, to the point of Gideon, there had been four other judges that delivered to children of His rule from the hands of oppressors and they were Ophenial, Ihu, Shamgar and Deborah. As a parent, I would not allow my children to continually disobey without their being

[00:09:21] some sort of consequences. So why should it be any different with our heavenly Father? I want to go back to Luke 12 verse 48 for a moment because it really underscores what God is asking from us and how we can avoid some other trials we face due to disobedience

[00:09:41] and sin. Luke 12 and 48 serves as both a warning and encouragement. Teaching people to consider carefully how they handled the resources, knowledge, responsibility, bestowed upon them. It highlights that greater privilege entails greater responsibility and accountability, especially in the eyes of God.

[00:10:07] This first encourages living a life that is conscious of our obligation to others and to God, particularly through the just and charitable use of the blessings that we receive. For Father's this message is about understanding that the trials that we go through as

[00:10:27] we are trying to provide for our families as we are trying to be ahead of our household are not because God is against us but because He loves us. Let's love for us is profound and encompasses both nurturing and correction, which

[00:10:44] like you as a father disciplines your child. God's chest, measurement, is aimed at our spiritual growth and development, not punishment for punishment. Description, particularly Hebrews 12 verses 6 to 11, explaining that whom the Lord loves He chases and scourges every son who He receives.

[00:11:09] This divine discipline is a testament to God's active involvement in our lives, intended to mold our character and steer us away from past that lead to spiritual decay and towards righteousness. Father's insistence I thank you for joining me on today and I look forward to our conversation

[00:11:30] on tomorrow. Until then, God bless. This program is cared for by listeners who care, your prayers and financial investment in this ministry helps to keep the good news on the air. We look forward to hearing from you and invite you to write us at harvest international

[00:11:58] post office box 66090 O'Cala Florida 3448. Again, that's harvest international post office box 66090 O'Cala Florida 3448.