The One Gods Seeks
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30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
I. I sought for a man among them!
I. I sought for a man among them!
a. God has chosen to us human instruments to do His work.
a. God has chosen to us human instruments to do His work.
i. He created man in His image and gave man charge over the every living thing upon the earth.
i. He created man in His image and gave man charge over the every living thing upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
ii. As a vessel created to do His work we get to partake in the rewards or blessings that are a result of His accomplishments.
ii. As a vessel created to do His work we get to partake in the rewards or blessings that are a result of His accomplishments.
b. God seeks for and responds to men that have answered the call.
b. God seeks for and responds to men that have answered the call.
i. Even though God was judging the people of Israel because of their wrong doing Aaron took a censor and ran into the congregation and made atonement for them, or rather worshiped the Lord and stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stopped!
i. Even though God was judging the people of Israel because of their wrong doing Aaron took a censor and ran into the congregation and made atonement for them, or rather worshiped the Lord and stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stopped!
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.
47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
ii. Abraham interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 18)
ii. Abraham interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 18)
iii. Moses kept God from destroying the people. (Exodus 32)
iii. Moses kept God from destroying the people. (Exodus 32)
c. God does not always seek a qualified man.
c. God does not always seek a qualified man.
i. David was a shepherd yet God anointed him King!
i. David was a shepherd yet God anointed him King!
ii. Amos was a farmer, God called him to speak/prophecy on His behalf!
ii. Amos was a farmer, God called him to speak/prophecy on His behalf!
iii. Ruth was a Moabite and served other God’s, but David came of her seed and Christ came of her seed!
iii. Ruth was a Moabite and served other God’s, but David came of her seed and Christ came of her seed!
d. God always qualifies those He calls for the task that He calls you to!
d. God always qualifies those He calls for the task that He calls you to!
II. The man God seeks is not just any man, but he must have some certain characteristics.
II. The man God seeks is not just any man, but he must have some certain characteristics.
a. He must be a man of faith.
a. He must be a man of faith.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
i. Little confidence in self.
i. Little confidence in self.
ii. Great confidence in God!
ii. Great confidence in God!
iii. You will face impossible odds.
iii. You will face impossible odds.
iv. You will encounter impossible situations.
iv. You will encounter impossible situations.
1. Just have faith in God as Jesus said, because no matter what comes before you, you can overcome!
1. Just have faith in God as Jesus said, because no matter what comes before you, you can overcome!
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
v. Paul said, “If God be for us, WHO can be against us?”
v. Paul said, “If God be for us, WHO can be against us?”
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
vi. In our text God needed a man to “fill up the hedge, to stand in the gap.”
vi. In our text God needed a man to “fill up the hedge, to stand in the gap.”
b. He must be a man not seeking self-glory.
b. He must be a man not seeking self-glory.
i. Inherent danger of being used by God.
i. Inherent danger of being used by God.
1. People seek to glorify the vessel.
1. People seek to glorify the vessel.
2. Paul said it this way:
2. Paul said it this way:
14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
ii. Pride will destroy your ability to be used to fill in the gap!
ii. Pride will destroy your ability to be used to fill in the gap!
iii. We must be men and women that have come to the cross & reckoned themselves dead.
iii. We must be men and women that have come to the cross & reckoned themselves dead.
c. He must be a man of the Word of God!
c. He must be a man of the Word of God!
i. We must understand God’s purposes.
i. We must understand God’s purposes.
ii. The ignorance of God’s Word is astounding, I’d say rather alarming!
ii. The ignorance of God’s Word is astounding, I’d say rather alarming!
iii. We are going to be bombarded with false doctrines!
iii. We are going to be bombarded with false doctrines!
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
1. Some of these teachers will sound so right.
1. Some of these teachers will sound so right.
2. They will use Scripture to reinforce what they are teaching!
2. They will use Scripture to reinforce what they are teaching!
d. He must be a man of prayer.
d. He must be a man of prayer.
i. Communication with headquarters is vital!
i. Communication with headquarters is vital!
ii. Just like soldiers in the field.
ii. Just like soldiers in the field.
1. We seek the advice of headquarters!
1. We seek the advice of headquarters!
2. They have advantage of cumulative reports from other units & recon.
2. They have advantage of cumulative reports from other units & recon.
3. God looking down on the scene of man know where and how we can be most effective!
3. God looking down on the scene of man know where and how we can be most effective!
a. His ways far exceed our ways!
a. His ways far exceed our ways!
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.
e. He must be filled with the Holy Ghost!
e. He must be filled with the Holy Ghost!
i. We must walk in the Spirit in order to be in tune with God!
i. We must walk in the Spirit in order to be in tune with God!
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
ii. In order to walk in the Spirit we must be born of the Spirit!
ii. In order to walk in the Spirit we must be born of the Spirit!
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
1. You cannot walk in something that you aren’t a part of!
1. You cannot walk in something that you aren’t a part of!
iii. We must have the love of God abiding in us if we are to fill in the gap!
iii. We must have the love of God abiding in us if we are to fill in the gap!
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1. When we have the love of God in our lives we give God glory!
1. When we have the love of God in our lives we give God glory!
2. If the world is going to see God it is going to be through those in which He abides!
2. If the world is going to see God it is going to be through those in which He abides!
III. But He found none.
III. But He found none.
a. The sad part to our text today is that God told His people that He could not find anyone who would fill in the gap!
a. The sad part to our text today is that God told His people that He could not find anyone who would fill in the gap!
30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God.
b. As I pointed out in the beginning of this message God DOES respond to those who fill in the gap!
b. As I pointed out in the beginning of this message God DOES respond to those who fill in the gap!
i. This world we live in is a complete and utter mess, and God is looking for someone that will fill up the hedge, stand in the gap. Because there are still a lot of people that need us to intercede on their behalf. There are people that need GOD and we are the ones He is depending on! I don’t want God to look down in this church today and say I am looking for someone, but I can’t find them!
i. This world we live in is a complete and utter mess, and God is looking for someone that will fill up the hedge, stand in the gap. Because there are still a lot of people that need us to intercede on their behalf. There are people that need GOD and we are the ones He is depending on! I don’t want God to look down in this church today and say I am looking for someone, but I can’t find them!
Are you the one that God is seeking?
Are you the one that God is seeking?