NOBODY LIKES A WISHY WASHY GOD
1 Sam. 15:29; Ex. 32:14
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. JOKE. Two convicts were working on a chain gang. "I heard the warden's daughter up and married a guy down on cellblock D," the first con says to the other. "The warden's mighty upset about it too."
"Why?" asks the second prisoner. "Because she married a con?" "No. Because they eloped."
2. JOKE. Nicholas Banks tells that his dad was summoned to the hospital, where he is an anesthetist. As he raced toward the hospital, a police patrol car sped up behind him—lights flashing, siren blaring.
So Dad hung his stethoscope out the window to signal that he was on an emergency call. Within seconds came the policeman's response: a pair of handcuffs flapping outside the police car window.
B. TEXT: Does God change His mind?
“The Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man that He should change His mind.” 1 Sam. 15:29.
Exodus 32:14 – “So the Lord changed his mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.”
Seems like a contradiction, but it’s not. What’s the explanation?
C. THESIS
1. People today want to make God over into an image like themselves. The Bible says that when people invent their own God, they fashion it after things they are already accustomed to.
2. Rom. 1:23 says that day "changed the glory of the un-corruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things."
3. So it doesn't come as a surprise that when people think of God, they want him to be like them: fickle, congenial, compromising, cooperative, compliant.
4. So when they hear verses which says "God relented" (32X), they think God changed his mind.
5. Be honest, NOBODY WOULD REALLY WANT A WISHY WASHY GOD ANYWAY. WHY?
a. Because most everybody likes honesty, being straight forward, telling it like it is. We like it in people, and of all beings, we would expect it from the true and Living God.
b. Do we want a God who is afraid of US or who is really worried about what WE THINK of Him? How ridiculous! God, the creator of the universe and self-existent, wouldn’t pander to a rodent creature of time.
c. He would speak the truth. He would be the one voice that stood out above the rest and was impartial and absolutely truthful.
d. The true God would not be like a windsock politician who has no backbone or moral compass. God’s not that way.
6. Does God change His mind? Yes, in two ways.
a. He can be moved by pity to not carry out His sentence on those He loves. “And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite” 1 Chr. 21:15.
b. He can be persuaded to change a decision He’s made, if a favored one intercedes. King Hezekiah was told to put his house in order, because God had determined that he it was time he died. Hezekiah interceded with the Lord and was given an additional 15 years of life; Isa. 38:1, 5.
7. Since God does change His mind, how can we influence Him to do so?
I. HOW CAN YOU INFLUENCE GOD?
A. NOT BY PHYSICAL FORCE
1. We have power with God, not against God.
2. No creature has any power against God.
3. The strongest men or angels, or confederations, cannot touch God.
4. We are foolish if we resist Him. You can’t possibly prevail against God; It's crazy to think you can.
B. NOT BY STEPPING OUT & ‘OBLIGATING’ GOD TO BAIL YOU OUT
1. Some people think that they can force God’s hand by putting themselves in a place where they have to have His help or disaster will happen. God will somehow be obligated to rescue them.
2. Churches take out big loans and expect God to make the payments! Christians can marry a non-Christian and expect God to save their spouse afterward.
3. If we do something without the direction of God or against the direction of God, how can we expect God to be obligated to intervene?
4. This is no different than when the devil set Christ on the pinnacle of the Temple and encouraged Him to jump, because the Scriptures promises that God would dispatch His angels to catch Him. What did Jesus answer? That that was “tempting God” or “putting God to the test.”
5. In such situations, God is not obligated to help us; it’s tempting God!
C. NOT BY DOING SOME GREAT SACRIFICE
1. SUCH AS:
--Giving large sums of money to charity;
-- Working for a rescue organization, mission, or soup kitchen.
-- Giving up something important in their life.
2. I have heard of many instances where people thought that if they gave a large sum of money to a charity, it would gain God’s favor; a pay-off or bribe. But God’s favor is not purchased that way. God is not for sale.
D. NOT BY CRYING OUT TO GOD…
…FOR AID, WITHOUT FIRST DOING WHAT GOD ASKED YOU TO DO.
1. Non-Christian people frequently get in terrible predicaments – marriage trouble, problems with kids, financial trouble, health problems, etc. – and begin screaming to God to help them.
2. The problem is, if they are currently living in disobedience to God, the only prayer He is obligated to hear is a prayer of repentance. If they aren’t repenting, just wanting help, God will probably ignore their prayer, no matter how loud and fervently they pray.
E. NOT BY BEING EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD
1. "If I attain a certain level of merit, then I will receive heaven's blessings.
-- If I say a certain number of prayers,
-- if I am a good citizen,
-- if I am a good father/ mother, husband/ wife,
-- if I live an exemplary life, then God will bless me.”
2. The truth is, God says in Isaiah 64:6 that our best righteousness is as filthy rags in His sight!
3. Paul said (Phil. 3:8) that he counted his religious righteousness as “dung,” as something to be thrown away, so that he might gain the perfect righteousness God offers through Jesus Christ! That’s what you need.
II. WHERE CAN WE GET LEVERAGE WITH GOD?
A. FROM THE GREAT MEDIATOR!
1. There’s someone in heaven who has direct access to the throne of God; who’s related to God the Father; who’s interceding on behalf of men and women – Jesus Christ!
2. The patriarch Job knew this Advocate; “Even now my witness is in heaven; my Advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend” Job 16:19-21.
3. Paul said, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” 1 Tim. 2:5.
4. Apostle John, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” 1 Jn. 2:1. The writer of Hebrews
adds, “Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them” (7:25).
5. Our Lord Jesus Christ is our greatest access to the throne room of God. He sits at the right hand of God the Father and pleads to the Father in our defense. He says, “You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it” Jn. 14:14. Jesus is our best access to the throne of God!
B. FROM THE VERY CHARACTER OF GOD
1. WE MAY APPEAL TO GOD’S MERCY
a. Have you ever seen people in abject poverty? Ever seen the commercials showing starving children? Haven't you felt -- if confronted personally -- that they had a certain claim/power on you? You feel urged to help them.
b. How much more is our heavenly Father moved to pity by the misery of His children. If we have grave needs, we have power with God.
c. It's not what WE are, but what GOD is -- compassionate.
2. WE MAY APPEAL TO GOD’S PROMISES
a. God has spoken some things He will do. Before He spoke, He was free to do as He wished, but now He is bound to do as He promised.
b. God has put himself in the power of those who know how to plead His promises!
c. Haven't you ever told your kid, "I will do this for you/ with you next Tuesday." The kid comes back and reminds you. Your memory is a little fuzzy; "I don't remember it just like that."
d. But your kid reaches in his pocket, pulls out a piece of paper with your promise in black and white, with your signature. There's no getting away from it!
3. That is just the way with God's Promises. He has given us power with Him by giving us His promises in black-and-white.
C. GOD’S CHILD HAS A RELATIONSHIP OF GRACE
1. God chose you, adopted you and regenerated you! From that moment, God gave us power with Him.
2. Don't we know (ourselves) the power of a child over his Father or Mother? There are some children who have too much power!
3. Like the story of the kid who ruled his mother, and his mother ruled his father, and his father ruled over Athens, Greece. So the little boy ruled over all Athens!
4. God, being a real/good Father, will not deny any of his children what is theirs by right. How many of us would not listen and help our own kids?
5. This is an invincible plea. Some fathers don't deserve the title. But God our Father does -- more than any earthly Father.
D. GOD’S PAST ACTIONS
1. God has done so much for us in the past -- Jesus suffered and died -- will He now refuse to do a little thing for us? As Paul said, "He
who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Rom. 8:32.
2. If God has already demonstrated His generosity by giving you $1 million, won't He give you $10 more?
III. HOW THIS POWER CAN BE EXERCISED
It is exerted through prayer, but not all who pray, wield this influence.
A. THOSE DEEPLY AWARE OF THEIR WEAKNESS
1. Paul, "When I am weak, then am I strong" 2 Cor. 12:10.
2. Jacob wrestled hard with the Angel; he never won the victory with the Angel until the Angel touched his thigh and his sinew shrank.
a. As Jacob fell, he held onto the Angel, threatening to pull it down.
b. This moment of weakness became his strength/victory.
3. Don't go to God as worthy (self-righteous) of his help, but as a humble sinner, penitently requesting aid.
B. WE MUST HAVE A SIMPLE FAITH
1. Heb. 11:6, "He that comes to God must believe that He is &..."
2. All things are possible. Pray the prayer of faith.
C. PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORD OF GOD
1. You can't expect God to listen to you if you won't listen to Him.
2. Sin stops prayer (Isaiah 59:2).
3. If you confess your sins, and are willing to do the will of God, "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believing, you will receive."
D. TEARS AND EARNESTNESS
1. Hosea 12:4-5 adds that when Jacob prevailed he had been weeping. [“He struggled with the angel and overcame Him; he wept and begged for His favor. He found Him at Bethel and talked with Him there — the LORD God Almighty, the LORD is His name” Hos. 12:4-5.]
2. Not only did He physically exert himself, but his heart was broken -- the tears on the Angel's hand caused Jacob to prevail.
3. It's the same with Christ in Gethsemane; Hebrews 5:7, "During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”
4. You will prevail if you are passionate and earnest.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: Assaulted at Sundown. Missionary story.
1. Some years ago, while working at the Inca Union, church headquarters in Lima, Peru, I was advised one afternoon that our computer order had arrived by sea, and was requested to immediately pick up the equipment. My car would not start, so I got some friends to give me a push, and off I went. Arriving at the port just before closing time, they loaded my station wagon full of computer parts.
2. The port of Callao in Lima is known for being in a rough neighborhood. As I turned into the section of town I most dreaded, I noticed that most of the businesses were closing. A rusted-out bus from the 50s sat in front of an abandoned building. The streets were nearly empty. As I approached the bus, my engine began to run rough and then died. I came to a complete stop, pulling over by the rusting bus.
3. Forcing back fear, I took off my suit coat and tie and stepped out of the car to look under the hood. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the fear level in my stomach rose one more notch. I was a well-dressed foreigner with a broken down car in a known criminal area, with a fortune of computer equipment in my car.
4. As I stood there bending over the engine, I noticed two men step out of the old bus. I watched as each of them picked up a large rock. One headed around the back of my car and the other to the front. I knew exactly what they intended to do. I clearly remember praying, “Lord, I have no way to protect myself or the equipment. The equipment is yours. Please intervene!” I noticed that each of the men had raised their rock as if preparing to throw them at me. I took a step back to leave.
5. “Excuse me,” said a nicely dressed, black-haired gentleman, speaking quietly in Spanish as placed his hand on my shoulder; “Can I help you?” Surprised I stared into his perfect face. “Your life is in danger”, explained the stranger. “I know each of these men. Four of them live in that bus. They just assaulted some people on the next block and now they want the equipment in your car. Your life is in danger! Get in the car and leave now.”
6. I explained that the car wouldn’t start. “Get in. I will push,” He insisted. I tried to explain that the car was too heavy. “Get in now and I will push,” he ordered. I obeyed, shaking my head. I was certain by himself he could never push this heavy car uphill in the gravel.
7. The assailants were still standing there, holding their rocks, with an odd expression on their faces. Then the car started to move. I let out the clutch and was extremely surprised to hear it come to life. My benefactor rushed up to my window and insisted I leave immediately. When I had gotten to a good area of town, my car died again, so I coasted into a gas station. I suddenly realized how God had answered my prayer by protecting both me and his equipment by undoubtedly sending an angel.
8. The world is a very dangerous place to live in today both physically and spiritually. We cannot afford to be in a position where sin and worldliness separate us from God's presence and divine protection. This can be achieved through repentance and faith in Christ, followed by daily prayer and Bible study, and through carefully guarding what enters our mind.
B. ALTAR CALL
Let’s: a. Call on our Advocate!
b. Appeal to God’s mercy;
c. Claim His promises;
d. Appeal to Him as our Father;
e. Remind Him of His past actions and claim them for ourselves.
[The idea for this message is from Troy Luttrell, but all the content, except texts, is mine]
