THE WAYS OF GOD by Wm. H. Cash, Jr. 1983
LITTLE CHURCH IN THE VALLEY
HEMLOCK-STABLER, CARSON, WA.
WM. HENRY CASH, JR. 1927 - 2012
TEXT: PSALM 103: 7 - 13
7. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever.
10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward the that fear him.
12. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13. Like as a father pitieth his children; so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
GOD WANTS TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR US.
WE ARE TO FOLLOW THE WAYS OF THE LORD ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE PRINCIPLES IF WE WANT GOD TO BLESS US AND USE US FOR HIS HONOR AND GLORY...GOD HAS OFTEN GIVEN US A VISION TO DO SOMETHING GREAT.
DISCOURAGEMENT COMES ALONG AND OUR VISION DIES....VERY OFTEN DURING THE DEATH OF OUR VISION, WE ARE TEMPTED TO FOLLOW UNSCRIPTURAL METHODS.
WHEN WE FOLLOW THE WAYS OF THE LORD, WE CAN EXPECT HIM TO DO THE MIRACLE OF FULFILLING THE VISION THAT HE GIVES TO US.
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WE CAN EXPECT RESULTS
WHEN WE FOLLOW GOD'S WAYS
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LET US CONSIDER SOME EXAMPLES IN THE BIBLE OF THIS TRUTH.
ABRAHAM living in UR of the Chaldees
As a little boy growing up, he was familiar with the sacrifices to the moon god there in Ur. In Genesis 12: 1- 3 we find God giving him a VISION.
GENESIS 12: 1 - 3
1. Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house unto a land that I will shew thee:
2. And I will make of thee a great nationm and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
So Abraham left Ur.
He and his wife and nephew Lot.
He went out not knowing WHERE HE WAS HEADED.
GOD PROMISED.
HE BELIEVED GOD.
In all of what he did, Abram knew God had promised him.
The death of his vision was very much upon
his heart.
He and Lot have parted ways now, and
Abram still continues, believing that it all
will belong to him.
But where ? is a son ?
His servant Eliezar is to inherit his estate if he has no son.
God tells him to look to heaven.
Genesis 15. 5 "Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars,
If thou be able to number them; and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. v.6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
D E A T H OF THE VISION
CONTINUES
GENESIS 16:1
His wife is getting older. She talks him into doing what "custom" is in that land at that time - to let a son be born by her maiden Hagar.
Now Ishmael, who has been indeed named by God,
but who is NOT the son of the promise,
is growing up.
GOD COMES TO HIM AGAIN.
Genesis 17th chapter
God changes Abram's name to Abraham.
"a father of many nations have I made thee." 17.6
[at 90 YEARS OLD, God changes Abram's name.]
He gives Abraham the command to circumcise himself, Ishmael, and all his servants born in his household, and all that were bought.
Then God tells him Sarai is to have her name changed also,
for she shall have a son.
v. 15,16.
"And God said unto Abraham, As for Sa'rai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sa'rai, but Sa'rah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her."
v. 21
"But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sa'rah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year."
GOD HAS A NEED FOR A DEATH OF A VISION SO THAT HE CAN ILLUSTRATE HIS WAYS TO US.
DEATH OF A VISION MEANS HOPE - it gives birth to the expectation for GOD to work out His promised will when it seems humanly impossible.
TO CONSIDER
Satan's building program during the DEATH OF A VISION IS TO TEMPT US TO WORK IN THE ENERGY OF THE FLESH TO DO IT OUR WAY, NOT GOD'S WAY. II COR. 11:14 "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
IN THE CASE OF ABRAM AND SARAH, HAGAR AND THE BIRTH OF ISHMA'EL AS NOT GOD'S PROMISED SON. It is quite tempting "to consider" something WE CAN DO - but it only results in added frustration and difficulties.
Supernatural Fulfillment of the original vision - can come only by God's doing - not ours. In Abraham and Sarah's life still more occured.
The LORD God kept his promise. Before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he came to Abraham, and specifically promised AGAIN that "I will return unto thee according to the time of life, and, lo, Sa'rah shall have a son."
Gen. 18.v. 10.
When Sarah (in the tent) laughed - God said "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to thee, according to the time of life, and Sa'rah shall have a son." Gen. 18.v. 14.
GOD'S LOVE IS REVEALED TO US IN THE FOIBLES OF OUR FALTERING FAITH. The LORD miraculously closed all the wombs of the household of King Abimelech of Ge'rar - and so when they came to the "appointed time" God visited Sa'rah and she conceived. When he was born, Sa'rah named him Isaac ('Itzak) which means "laughter" for God, she said, "has made me to laugh, and everyone that hears will laugh with me." Gen. 21:6.
JOSEPH IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A VISION GIVEN.
Joseph was born to Rachel who "was barren" also. His brother Benjamin and Joseph were particularly nurtured by Jacob when Rachel died at Benjamin's birth. Joseph and his brother were responsible to their father, not to anyone else.
Genesis 37.5 and Genesis 37.9 Two dreams - two indications that HE WOULD SOMEDAY RULE HIS FAMILY WELL....
His dreams given to him by God, put hope in his heart. His brothers were jealous when their father showed such favor to Joseph. And jealous of the dream. No, they did not want him to rule over them.
The death of the dream was signified by his being sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. In all the time that he was growing up away from his father, he stayed true to the HOPE THAT GOD HAD GIVEN HIM and kept his ways right before the Lord.
When he was tempted by Potiphar's wife, he stayed true to God. He could have yielded, but did not. When put in prison, he stayed true to God. He could have yielded to self-pity and resentment, but he did not. Genesis 39.v.21 "and the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison"
In Chapters 39 - 41 of Genesis God gives Joseph an opportunity to help his father, determine if his brothers are serious in their commitment to their father, and to God, and miraculously puts Joseph in a position to do it.
Chapters 42 - 50 of Genesis show that God favored him because he was willing to work through the HOPE OF THE VISION with the DEATH OF THE VISION and kept his ways right before the LORD, and was able to save his family because of it.
Joseph himself states "God meant it unto good" and that everything was such that God used the evil intended against him for all their good.
Gen. 18.v. 10.
When Sarah (in the tent) laughed - God said "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to thee, according to the time of life, and Sa'rah shall have a son." Gen. 18.v. 14.
GOD'S LOVE IS REVEALED TO US IN THE FOIBLES OF OUR FALTERING FAITH. The LORD miraculously closed all the wombs of the household of King Abimelech of Ge'rar - and so when they came to the "appointed time" God visited Sa'rah and she conceived. When he was born, Sa'rah named him Isaac ('Itzak) which means "laughter" for God, she said, "has made me to laugh, and everyone that hears will laugh with me." Gen. 21:6.
JOSEPH IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A VISION GIVEN.
Joseph was born to Rachel who "was barren" also. His brother Benjamin and Joseph were particularly nurtured by Jacob when Rachel died at Benjamin's birth. Joseph and his brother were responsible to their father, not to anyone else.
Genesis 37.5 and Genesis 37.9 Two dreams - two indications that HE WOULD SOMEDAY RULE HIS FAMILY WELL....
His dreams given to him by God, put hope in his heart. His brothers were jealous when their father showed such favor to Joseph. And jealous of the dream. No, they did not want him to rule over them.
The death of the dream was signified by his being sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. In all the time that he was growing up away from his father, he stayed true to the HOPE THAT GOD HAD GIVEN HIM and kept his ways right before the Lord.
When he was tempted by Potiphar's wife, he stayed true to God. He could have yielded, but did not. When put in prison, he stayed true to God. He could have yielded to self-pity and resentment, but he did not. Genesis 39.v.21 "and the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison"
In Chapters 39 - 41 of Genesis God gives Joseph an opportunity to help his father, determine if his brothers are serious in their commitment to their father, and to God, and miraculously puts Joseph in a position to do it.
Chapters 42 - 50 of Genesis show that God favored him because he was willing to work through the HOPE OF THE VISION with the DEATH OF THE VISION and kept his ways right before the LORD, and was able to save his family because of it.
Joseph himself states "God meant it unto good" and that everything was such that God used the evil intended against him for all their good.
THE LAST EXAMPLE I GIVE TO YOU IS OF THE DISCIPLES OF THE LORD JESUS.
A. The VISION of establishing and being a part of and bringing in the Kingdom of God.
B. The DEATH OF THAT VISION .
1. Jesus died. John chapter 19. Matt. 26-27, Luke 22,23 and Mark 14,15.
2. They returned to their old business. John 21.
3. They were severely persecuted.
C. TEMPTATION of S E L F - E F F O R T.
1. They misunderstood the mission of Jesus to go by the way of the cross.
2. In the TRANSFIGURATION in which he was with Moses and Elijah - talking over things - they were looking for the KINGDOM, even though he told them 4 separate occasions of the Cross and what would happen. He also told them of His resurrection. Yet their focus was on THE VISION. In the TRIUMPHANT ENTRY - FULFILLING SCRIPTURE - their focus still was on the Kingdom. Jesus answered their questions in the Olivet Discourse, and then promptly goes to the matter of the PASSOVER and that he is going to the CROSS. Matthew 26.2.
3. Seeking GREATNESS in the Kingdom, their focus still was not on the CROSS. Jesus again and again pointed this out to them. Mark 10.44,45 Jesus points out to them that whosoever shall be the chiefest, must be servant of all, and that "even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
GOD MIRACULOUSLY INTERVENES TO BRING
ABOUT THE VISION FULFILLED.
THE LORD JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD,
AS HE SAID.
HE MIRACULOUSLY
USED HIS DISCIPLES FOR THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL BY THE GIVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS HE PROMISED.
HIS PROMISE TO RETURN FOR THEM
STANDS INTACT John 14.1 - 3.
HIS KINGDOM WILL BE SET UP WHEN HE COMES AFTER THE TRIBULATION TO RULE
AND REIGN FOR 1000 YEARS.
TEXT: PSALM 103: 7 - 13
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward the that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth his children; so the LORD pitieth them that fear him
GOD WANTS TO DO GREAT THINGS IN YOUR LIFE, AND IN MINE. WE MUST SEE THE VISION, AND LET HIM DO IT IN HIS OWN WAY IN OUR LIFE.
JOHN 3: 16 FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.
Acts 2.21 AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS SHALL BE SAVED.
