But God Prepared A Worm

BUT GOD PREPARED A WORM

Jonah 4:7 "But God prepared a worm…..and it smote the gourd that it withered."

• (God and a worm….How amazing)

1 Cor 1:27-29

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

• There are some who tell me from time to time that God is to great to be interested in the affairs of individuals.

• The universe after all is so big…. how can I be very significant and important

• Listen God is very interested in you and the affairs of your every day life

1. God prepares for the events that happen in your life…. they don't just happen

• In Jonah 1:17 God prepared a fish

• In 4:17 God prepared a gourd

• In 4:6 God prepares a WORM

• In 4: 8 God prepared the wind

• God is always preparing

How many ate a piece of bread this week. (God had a hand in preparing that bread)

• Last winter He sent the snow

• In the spring time he sent the rain

• In the summer He sent the sunshine

• God was working a full year before you buttered the toast that you ate this morning

God promised way back in Noah's day God said Seedtime and harvest would not cease (Gen 8:22)

• The bread you eat daily depends on that promise

2. The same principal applies in your salvation

• Sin didn't take God by Surprise

• Your redemption was planned…GOD ORDAINED from before the foundations of the world.

• The entire History of the Israel has been in preparation for the coming of His son

• Abraham and Isaac….Jacob, Judah, David, and Mary and others were all carefully selected

3. Bethlehem was selected as His birthplace long before the calendar was changed from BC to read AD

• Yes God moved on Augustus Caesar and the Machinery of the Roman Empire moved

• The when the fullness of time had come…when preparation had been made…

• God sent forth His son born of a virgin

4. God said in Isaiah 65:24 “Before they call, I will answer"

• Listen…. Every answered prayer is a testimony of God's PLANNING

• That's why when we go through great trial and tribulation we can say:

Rom. 8:28-31

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to

them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did

foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called,

them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What

shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

• Do you believe this today…? That all the things that happen to you that seem bad are working together for your good

II. Not only does God prepare but He often uses humble instruments

1. God prepared a WORM…. a simple worm

• A common thing despised by everyone

• I Cor. 1:28 says that God uses the BASE things of the world, and the things that are despised …To bring to nothing the things that are

2. Jonah was pouting…. a pouty preacher….isn't that amazing

• But God prepares a worm to humble his prophet

• God used a runt shepherd boy to humble the giant Goliath

• Jeremiah was a young person who lacked an education and God sent him to Judah

• Amos was a herdsman and God sent him to the court of Israel

• A farmer used an ox goad to bring a great victory

• Jesus chose fisherman and tax collectors to stand before kings and important dignitaries

• An illiterate shoe clerk was won to Christ by his Sunday school teacher

• D.L. Mood became one of the greatest preachers of all times

• He was despised by educated teachers and preachers of his day

• Many unknown names are behind the Great bible characters and their success.

• An unnamed little boy gave Andrew his lunch and Jesus used it to feed 5,000

• Unnamed disciples lowered Paul over the wall in a basket to save his life

• An unnamed servant slave girl told Naaman the Syrian general who was a leper about Elijah

• But God knows every one of their names