SERIES: LIMITING THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL (PART 1 - AN INTRODUCTION - CAN WE LIMIT GOD'S MOVE IN OUR LIVES?)
PSALM 78: 19 Yes, they murmured against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? 20 Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?” 21 Therefore the Lord heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel, 22 Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation. 23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven, 24 Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven. 25 Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full. 26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; And by His power He brought in the south wind. 27 He also rained meat on them like the dust, Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas; 28 And He let them fall in the midst of their camp, All around their dwellings. 29 So they ate and were well filled, For He gave them their own desire. 30 They were not deprived of their craving; But while their food was still in their mouths, 31 The wrath of God came against them, And slew the stoutest of them, And struck down the choice men of Israel. 32 In spite of this they still sinned, And did not believe in His wondrous works. 33 Therefore their days He consumed in futility, And their years in fear. 34 When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought earnestly for God. 35 Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer. 36 Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, And they lied to Him with their tongue; 37 For their heart was not steadfast with Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant. 38 But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath; 39 For He remembered that they were but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again. 40 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, And grieved Him in the desert! 41 Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy, 43 When He worked His signs in Egypt.
INTRODUCTION: SERIES - LIMITING THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL (INTRO) Teach
The Chief Questions This Series Will Project Are: In What Ways Do We Limit God? In What Do We Limit God? Why Do We Limit God? How Do We Take Off The Limits? The Results Of A Life Without Limiting God. Some Examples Of From Scriptures And Even In Our Own Lives.
Psalm 78:41 Is An Astounding Statement. We are told that by their sins and foolishness, God’s people actually ‘’limited the Holy One of Israel’’. But can man limit God? Can the church limit His purpose & intention? Yes! Within the context of this psalm we see that these people did limit Him –- and you and I may do the same. Two Great Principles In Psalm 78:41:
1. God Is Ready And Longing To Do Great Things For And Through His People. The whole psalm demonstrates this: God is waiting to be our sufficiency and to use us in blessing to the world.
2. God Is Frequently Prevented From Proving His Sufficiency In The Lives Of His People. Why? Because of How they see him.
WHAT IS A LIMIT?
What Does It Mean To Limit Something? A limit is a point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass. The terminal point or boundary of an area or movement; the furthest extent of one's physical or mental endurance, a restriction on the size or amount of something permissible or possible, etc. E.g. The limits of presidential power; the city limits, trying someone’s patience to the limit, etc.
CONSIDER WHOM IT IS WE ARE LIMITING.
We Are Limiting God The Creator, Sustainer And Redeemer Of Mankind, The Sovereign God. Matthew 19:26 We are limiting the One with whom all things are possible. Genesis 18:14 We are limiting the one with whom nothing is too hard. Hebrews 13:8 His power is just the same today as it was yesterday.
EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE GOD USES AND ENABLES
The Bible Harbors The Record Of God Using Ordinary People: David, Joseph, Little Maid of Israel (2 Kings 5 – Naaman), Daniel & His Friends, Boy with His Lunch (John 6), Peter, Paul, Gideon, Jepthath, Moses, Esther, Elisha, Jacob, Samuel, Elijah, Mary, etc.
We Read All These Wonderful Passages And See All These Great Examples But Still Maintain: I am a failure so God can never use me (Peter). This other problem God cannot solve. We have so much minuses and still wonder if God can use us. 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. The story of the entire Bible is God using ordinary people in extraordinary ways. We forget Ephesians 3:20 Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. God placed gifting in each of us so that He could use us in His own ways. God takes broken people and makes them whole. He Is Awesome:
1. Jeremiah 32:17 I am the Lord, the God of all people. Nothing is too difficult for me.
2. Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
3. Psalm 8:3-4 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
4. Deuteronomy 10:17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and does not take a bribe.
5. Job 11:8 The sky is no limit for God, but it lies beyond your reach. God knows the world of the dead, but you do not know it. 9 God's greatness is broader than the earth, wider than the sea. 10 If God arrests you and brings you to trial, who is there to stop him? 11 God knows which people are worthless; he sees all their evil deeds.
6. Job 36:22-24 God's power is unlimited. He needs no teachers to guide or correct him. Others have praised God for what he has done, so join with them.
7. 1 Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!
WHO IS LIMITING THE POWER AND WORK OF GOD HERE?
In Psalm 78, It Was Israel. Today, It Is The Church –- Christians. NOTE: God’s problem is not with the world; it is with His own people. These are days of spiritual indifference and apostasy - but these conditions are inside the church, and God says in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. God’s problem is not with the atheist, the agnostic, the infidel, the devotees of modern godless & political movements. God’s problem is with His own people who limit Him. He addresses us in Psalm 78:1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.
HOW DO WE LIMIT GOD? JUST FROM PSALM 78 ALONE?
The Israelites Limited God And Displeased Him Many Ways. Here Are Few:
1. We Limit God By Our DISOBEDIENCE. Psalm 78:10 They did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law. The one fundamental condition of blessing in the lives of God’s people is obedience, which simply means gladly and unquestionably doing what God says. How do we stand with regard to this? Are we disobedient Christian? John 15:7, 10, 14: 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 1 John 3:21-24 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. Disobedience limits God’s blessing in & through us. Jeremiah 11:6 And the LORD said to me, "Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, 'Hear the words of this covenant and do them. Matthew 7:24 Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Luke 6:46 Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' but not do what I say? Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the Law who will be declared righteous.
2. We Limit God By Our FORGETFULNESS. Psalm 78: 11 They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. 12 He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. 13 He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand up like a wall. 14 He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. 15 He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas; 16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. 17 But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. How Many Mighty Things God Has Done For Us! He has delivered us (12); guarded us (13); guided us (14); answered our prayers. Then, as the days have gone by we have forgotten Him again! True? Forgetfulness limits God’s blessing in us and through us.
3. We Limit God By Our UNBELIEF. Psalm 78:19,20,22,32: 19 Yes, they spoke against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? 20 Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out, And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?” 22 Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation. 32 In spite of this they still sinned, And did not believe in His wondrous works. We are guilty of committing this sin! Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Mark 6:5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. Jesus explains: Matthew 17:19-20 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Unbelief is a paralyzing sin; it not only paralyzes us, but it limits God. Mark 9:23 ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
4. We Limit God By Our Constant MURMURINGS & COMPLAINING: Psalm 78:40 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, And grieved Him in the desert! Jude 1:5 So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. Their murmurings were in what they said and what they did against God and his servants. 1 Cor. 10:7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did - and in one day 33,000 of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did - and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did - and were killed by the destroying angel. Psalm 78: 19 They murmured against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
5. We Limit God By Our WORLDLINESS & SIN. Psalm 78:33 So he ended their days in futility” - and surely a modern word for this could well be worldliness. Many of us are worldly! We fail to realize that our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20), that the Lord has called us out of the world (John 17:6,14,16), and has forbidden us to love the world (1 John 2:15-17). What is your answer to Psalm 4:2? How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods. Worldliness limits God’s blessing in us and through us. Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and God and your sins have hidden His face from you that He will not hear." Jeremiah 5:25 Your sins have withheld good things from you. God will fill and empower with His Holy Spirit any vessel: A small vessel, a large vessel, a twisted vessel, a young vessel, an old vessel, an educated vessel, an uneducated vessel, but never a dirty vessel!
6. We Limit God By Our INSINCERITY. Look at the serious charge made in Psalm 78:36-37 36 Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, And they lied to Him with their tongue; 37 For their heart was not steadfast with Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant. We are often guilty of this sin. It is so easy to sing our favorite hymns - but do we mean what we sing? Matthew 15:8-9 8 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. The Lord calls such people in Matthew 15:7: You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. Insincerity means inconsistency in our life and testimony before the world. Insincerity limits God’s blessing in us and through us.
7. We Limit God By Our INGRATITUDE. Read Psalm 78:42-72, and notice how they describe the love, patience and compassion of the Lord in spite of His children’s sins and follies. How ungrateful and how unappreciative they were of His Hand (verses 42 & 54), His Signs (verse 43), His Interventions (verses 44-51), His Guidance (verses 52-53), His Provision (verse 55), His Chastenings (verses 59-72)! Ingratitude limits God’s blessing in us and through us.
8. We Limit God By Our IDOLATRY. Psalm 78:58 They angered him with their high places; they aroused his jealousy with their idols. Example: Numbers 25: At Shittim, Moabite Women invited Israeli men to their sacrifice. Phinehas killed them both in tent having sex. An idol is anything that comes between us and the Lord; anything that we put in the place of God. A habit, a friend, a possession, a hobby or a sport could become an idol. Idolatry limits God’s blessing in & through us.
CONCLUSION
Let Us Pray David’s Prayer: Psalm 139:23-24 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
God Said, “Don’t Ever Say, ‘Can God?” Rather, You Should Shout, “God Can!” I don’t know what you face today. I do not know what needs you have; but don’t limit God by ignorance, doubt and unbelief. We have a great God. He made the world. He flung the stars from His fingertips. He keeps everything in order by the word of His mighty power. He is the great I AM and He’s a God of love and mercy who wants to provide for all of your needs.
Are you discouraged? Are you downcast? Does it look as though no one can or ever will help you? Does it look like there’s no help on any side wherever you look? Well, stop looking around you and instead look up. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think. Many people miss significant opportunities in their lives because they have grown accustomed to the status quo. They refuse to make room in their own thinking for the new things God wants to do in their lives. When a great opportunity comes along, rather than launching out in faith, they say, “Well, that could never happen to me. That’s just too good to be true.” It’s time to quit limiting God. Remember: God is your source and His creativity and resources are unlimited. 2 Kings 7: Elisha’s prophecy in Samaria – tomorrow by this time…
Summary: God is infinite. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-capable. There are no limits restricting God. Yet despite this, we His followers tend to minimize God's unlimited power by erroneous thinking. We will look at some promises of God’s word that will dispel that anti-biblical thinking and open us up to receiving the unlimited, immeasurable blessings of God.
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS: THAT THE LIMITS WOULD BE REMOVED.
1. Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
2. Matthew 19:26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
3. Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You
