WHEN GOD BRAGS
MEMORISE: I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: Isaiah 45:5
READ: Romans 9:17 -24
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
MESSAGE
Once in a while, God likes to brag. At such times, you would hear Him say things like:
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; l am the first, and l am the last; and beside me there is no God
Isaiah 44:6
Whenever God brags, it is because He want to teach someone or a group of people a lesson. God was going to deal with Pharaoh normally, sending Moses to him to free His people, but the king challenge the Almighty God in Exodus 5:2 and the Lord hardened his heart. This led to the destruction of Pharaoh and his army without God lifting a sword. This incident made every nation fear the God of the Israelites.
God still brags today. If anyone or nation tries to belittle Him, He still shows them that He is the Almighty, that He is still sitting on His throne.
Some years ago, my children were organizing a programme to dedicate a new Church building in a foreign country and l was to preach there. When they applied for permission to hold the programme, a government official decided to do everything he could to ensure that it wouldn't hold. When it was close to the set date, this government official tripped while trying to, put on his trousers and landed in the hospital. He eventually died with the two legs still in one trouser hole. The man himself dug his own grave when he decided to contend with God and the Lord showed His greatness through him.
I recall another incident that occurred in a town in Nigeria. The king of the town had given his life to Christ, so he made a decree that they would no longer hold a particular festival in which they worshipped idols. The chief priest got angry at this decree and decided to hold the festival. One week to the festival, he died. The person appointed in his place wanted to go ahead with the festival but also died a week to the new date. When they appointed someone else to take his place, that one obeyed the king's order and said, "l don't want the God of the king to kill me". If you want to live long, don't challenge the Almighty God, because He will use you to teach others lesson.
KEY POINT
Anyone who challenges God and refuses to repent will end up as lesson to others.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 9-13
HYMN 19: O WORSHIP THE KING ALL GLORIOUS ABOVE
1 O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love:
our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
2 O tell of his might and sing of his grace,
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.
3 Your bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
4 Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in you do we trust, nor find you to fail.
Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!
5 O measureless Might, unchangeable Love,
whom angels delight to worship above!
Your ransomed creation, with glory ablaze,
in true adoration shall sing to your praise!
