‘OOPS!’ IS NOT IN GOD’S VOCABULARY
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: BIG ARCHEOLOGICAL FIND IN TEXAS
1. After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year, New York scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion, that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.
2. Not to be out-done by the New Yorkers, in the weeks that followed, in California an archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet, and shortly after, headlines in the LA Times newspaper read: 'California archaeologists have found traces of 200 year old copper wire and have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the New Yorkers.'
3. One week later, a local newspaper in Texas , reported the following: After digging as deep as 30 feet in his pasture near Cut-n-Shoot, Montgomery County, Texas, Bubba Rathbone, a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing. Bubba has therefore concluded that 300 years ago, Texas had already gone wireless.
B. TEXT & THESIS
1. “Oops” defined: “an exclamation of surprise, as when a person falls over, or of apology” (English Collins Dic.). It is commonly used when a person makes a blunder or a mistake.
2. Christians will seldom ever articulate it, but many when something bad happens in our lives, we often experience an inner theological conflict: God either didn’t have the power to stop it, or wasn’t loving enough to stop it, or God slipped up – somehow made a mistake. Could this be true?
3. I actually got this message because a person pointed out what looked like an impossible contradiction in 1 Sam. 13:13.
4. Samuel told King Saul that if he had been faithful God would have established his family on the throne for all time. That’s impossible, because Judah, not Benjamin had already been prophesied as the family through whom Christ would come & reign.
5. It looked like an “Oops.” But the answer is that Saul’s daughter Michal, if obedient, could have born a son to David which would have united both families in the line of Christ & the throne. No ‘Oops’ after all!
I. FREQUENT ‘OOPS’ SITUATIONS
A. DIRE SITUATIONS
Many times in Scripture there are situations which defy our walk of faith with God. Like God failed. Examples:
1. God promised Abram a son when he was seventy-five... but 24 years passed and no son was born to Sarah, and they both passed child-bearing range. ‘Oops!’
2. A widow and her son had prayed and prayed. Their food finally ran out. So they went out to collect a few sticks to cook their last meal before they died.
3. Lazarus became ill. His two sisters sent for Jesus, but Jesus never came. Lazarus finally died and was put in the tomb. Jesus finally arrived four days later. It was too late.
4. Moses felt called to deliver Israel (Acts 7:24-25). He struggled with an Egyptian and ended up killing him and becoming a fugitive from justice for 40 years. ‘Oops!’
5. Joseph was given dreams that he would become a ruler. Instead, his brothers sold him into slavery and imprisonment for 13 years. ‘Oops!’
6. Samson was supposed to fight the Philistines, but because he messed up he was blinded. So how could a blind man fulfill his calling? ‘Oops!’
7. A father brought his son to Jesus’ disciples. Instead of getting better, the boy grew worse and the disciples couldn’t do anything to help him. ‘Oops!’
B. LOOKED LIKE A ‘OOPS!’
1. For every one of those Bible people, they probably all wondered if they or God had somehow gotten off track. We have the benefit of knowing that God eventually came through for everyone of them, but they couldn’t see it at the time.
2. Many times in life, it looks like God has not come through for us. His plans for us, if He had any, faltered.
C. SOME OF YOU FEEL LIKE:
1. I just don’t see any hope for my situation.
2. God has forsaken me; doesn’t care about me.
3. I can’t face these circumstances any more.
4. I feel like quitting.
D. IT MAY COMFORT YOU TO KNOW:
1. Many of the greatest Bible characters became discouraged.
a. Moses - In Sinai desert
b. Elijah – when Jezebel sought his life
c. David – When Absalom rebelled against him.
2. The same feelings you feel they also experienced.
a. Paul – Acts 27:20; “We gave up all hope of being saved.”
b. Isa. 49:14; “Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me”
c. Elijah – “O Lord, Take away my life, for I am no better than my Fathers” 1 Kgs. 19:4
II. THE GOD WHO IS BIGGER
A. KNOWS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING
1. “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” Isa. 46:9-10.
2. “Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God’? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom” Isa. 40:27-28.
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” Isa. 40:29-31.
B. REASON FOR THE SAINTS’ SUCCESS?
1. Our life and accomplishments will never be greater than our vision of God.
2. If we’re not thoroughly convinced that God is good and loving, and that He is FAITHFUL TO KEEP HIS PROMISES TO US, then we will be offended, discouraged, we may feel that God doesn’t keep His Word, or feel like giving up.
3. The question is, Do you have that kind of confidence in God, that no matter what happens, you know you can still trust Him?
C. THERE’S MORE THAN ONE ANSWER
1. God's delays are not God's denials. God has three answers to prayer: yes, no, and wait. We must give God the freedom to work out the timing.
2. TRYING TO WEAR GOD’S SHOES. I am reminded of how my grandson, Gage, frequently put on my shoes. He would walk around thinking how grown-up he looked, when actually he looked ridiculous. As I watched him, I’d think that must be how God sees us as we try to impersonate Him.
D. NOT SURFACE, BUT ETERNAL WORK OCCURRING
When a surgeon operates, he messes up the exterior to get to the interior. God does the same thing. He messes up our temporary circumstances in order to remake our spiritual and soul-ish nature's to complement or be in conformity to our future heavenly environment.
III. PERSPECTIVE ON THE ‘OOPS’
A. OUR TROUBLES ARE ONLY TEMPORARY
1. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” 2 Cor. 4:16-17.
2. God only has to flip a switch in your spirit so that you look at things differently than you did before – your trials/ afflictions are temporary. And because you perceive it differently, it is to you.
3. Secondly, Your trials are “WORKING FOR YOU.” This means that there is some greater purpose God in what God is doing.
B. GOD IS FAITHFUL
1. I’ve been to the edge of the cliff so many times…thus I can attest that “God is faithful”.
2. A guy’s car got wrecked; He said, “I took it to the body shop. The body man beat on it. He poked a long pick into the dint, punched a hole, and pulled it out. “Hey, don’t do that, you’re hurting my car!” He, like God, answers, “Son, I know what I’m doing”. (Us and God)
3. 1 Cor. 10:13 testifies that God doesn’t do something unless He has to, and even then He won’t do any more than absolutely necessary.
C. MIRACLES WITH MESSES
1. Hell may have started this mess but God is going to finish it.
2. The same material that was a mess on the Potter’s wheel, is the same material God will use to make a miracle out of.
3. God is going to do wonderful things with your life. Have faith!
D. WHEN YOU FEEL OVERWHELMED BY LIFE’S CIRCUMSTANCES
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Cor. 10:13
E. THE COMFORT OF PREDESTINATION
“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.” Romans 8:28
IV. HOW TO RESPOND TO ‘OOPS’ SITUATIONS
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-36.
A. DON’T THROW AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD
1. How can you cast your confidence away? By...
a. Changing it for self-confidence.
b. By giving way to sin, worldly company.
c. By changing your aim in life.
d. By sinking into unbelief.
2. If you feel like throwing something, throw an ashtray or a beer bottle, but don't throw away your confidence, your faith in the God who loves you.
B. KEEP DOING THE WILL OF GOD
1. Part of the prescription for prosperity and success, even in the natural, is to keep working despite unfavorable circumstances. In the spiritual realm, this means to keep doing the will of God whether you see the results or not.
2. James explains it like the farmer, who keeps planting seed, because he knows the natural laws will cause at least some of the seed to produce a harvest. So it is in the spiritual; keep sowing and you will reap.
C. EXPECT A RICH REWARD
1. The struggle is worth the reward.
2. THE ‘OOPS’ ARE WHERE GOD SHOWS UP!
a. Moses at the Red Sea (trapped btw Sea & Egyptians)
b. Jonah thrown overboard – great fish
c. The 3 Hebrews protected in the fire
d. The widow & son provided for
e. Gideon saw a vast army defeat itself
f. Man’s extremities are God’s opportunities
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: DON'T TRUST FEELINGS.
1. A helicopter pilot who flew from an aircraft carrier in the Pacific told this story. He said,
2. "I was flying the helicopter back to the ship when a blinding fog rolled in. Flying at a low altitude, I knew that a single mistake would plunge my crew and me into the ocean.”
3. “Worse yet, I was experiencing a complete loss of balance -- which is common for pilots flying by instruments. It was so bad, that despite the instrument readings, I was certain I was flying the helicopter sideways.”
4. “For 15 minutes I flew the helicopter by its instruments, fighting the urge to turn it according to my feeling.
5. When we finally broke safely through the fog, I was deeply thankful I had been trained to rely upon my instruments rather than on my feelings."
6. That’s what people going through trials have to do – keep going in faith!
B. LET’S TAKE POWER AWAY FROM HELL!
1. We take power away from hell when we believe that God’s in charge, He knows what He’s doing, & that God's Word will come to pass exactly as He prophesied it!
2. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Rom. 8:28.
C. THE CALL: IT’S YOUR TIME
1. Are you sick and tired of being down and out and want to be up and at it? You’re ripe for a miracle!
2. Are you ready to put some devils to flight in your life? Are you ready to ransack the kingdom of darkness?
Are you ready to let some strongholds fall?
3. Look fear in the face and declare: It’s my time.
Look failure in the face and declare: It’s my time.
4. “It’s not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit saith the Lord.” I challenge you to forget about the troubled waters around you. Invoke the name of Jesus Christ over the difficulties that have set you back.
