I AM WHO I AM, PART 2 (2)
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8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts
God’s thoughts do not align with your thoughts, they’re different
You and God are not thinking the same thing
God is thinking one thing, you are thinking another
God’s reasoning is different
God’s perspective is different
God’s conclusions are different
My wife and I can see the same thing, hear the same thing, experience the same thing, and yet sometimes her thoughts are sometimes completely different from my thoughts
I’ll say, that made you mad?
she’ll say, That didn’t make you mad?
our thoughts are different
your thoughts are different from God’s thoughts
Nor are your ways My ways, declares the Lord
since God’s thoughts are different, then it stands to reason that God’s ways are different
your way of doing things, is different from God’s ways of doing things
your method of doing things, is different from God’s method of doing things
whatever plans you can naturally come up with, God comes up with different plans
your approach is different from God’s approach
your system is different from God’s system
My wife and I can be facing the same situation, but come up with different ways of handling it.
She’ll say say, “You believed that was the best way to handle that?
every husband knows that means, “I don’t agree with the way you handled that”
our ways are sometimes different
different thoughts, different ways
Well . . .how different are our thoughts, how different are 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.
our thoughts and ways are very, very, very different form God’s thoughts and ways . . .
my wife’s ways and my ways are different, but our ways and God’s ways are very, very, very, very, very, very different
not even in the same ball park
not even in the same atmosphere
verse 9 says they are as different as the distance between the heavens and the earth, they are not even close enough to make a comparison
which is understandable because if WE as fellow humans have trouble matching our thoughts and ways with one another, imagine the difficulty of having the same thoughts/ways as God!
A God knows everything
He knows every living creature on the whole planet
He knows the big overall picture, and God knows the smallest details that we would never notice
He knows what’s in every heart, in every mind, there are no secrets from Him
He knows the outcome and repercussion of every single action and decision
God can look so far back, that He can see when he laid the foundation of the World
God can look so far ahead, that he looks into eternity
He is the all wise God!
so yes, God’s thoughts and ways, God’s ways are very, very, very different . . . vastly different
This explains why God went left, when you think he should have gone right
This explains why God didn’t step in, when you THOUGHT he should have stepped in
This explains why God pushed you into a situation when you felt you were not ready
This explains why God kept you from an opportunity that you thought you WERE ready for
cause his thoughts and ways are vastly different from ours
But they are not just different, they are higher!
Gods thoughts and ways, when compared to ours are next level . . .better . . . . wiser . . . smarter . . .superior . . . more advanced
that means that when we get mad with God, we literally don’t get it
like honking your horn at a car that won’t go when the light turned green . . . only to realize that they were waiting for an ambulance to pass by
His ways and thoughts are so much higher that when we when question God, it’s doubtful that we are even asking the right questions
in the Bible, Job had some disagreements with God, wanted to question God, had plenty to say to God because of what God allowed to happen in his life
by the time God finished with him, Job said, “I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things are too wonderful for me . . .and Job said, “I take back everything I said, and I repent”
God’s thoughts are very, very, very different and higher
God’s ways are very, very, very different and higher
So, where does that leave us?
Seek God and Trust God
seek God’s thoughts, and seek God’s ways,
Lord, what are your thoughts/ways?
How? Through his word, through prayer
Then we trust God’s thoughts, trust God’s ways
whatever he reveals through his word and prayer . . . . trust that . . . . go with that
let me give you one example of how God’s thoughts are different and one example of how God’s ways are different
God’s thoughts: you are not in trouble
God never thinks that you are in trouble, thinks you are about to lose
despite all the things you are facing, God doesn’t think that you are in trouble, about to go down
he knows that YOU THINK you are in trouble
but God is never, “Oh no!” . or. . . . “oh my”
in fact, God’s thinking is so different, that God starts to get upset when we think we are in trouble
he made the the people of Israel wait 40 additional years to get into the promised land because they were afraid of the Canaanietes and thought they were in trouble
when the disciples were on a sinking ship in a storm, Jesus copped an attitude and said, “O ye of little faith”
my interpretation, “a storm? really? You thought I didn’t care because of a storm?
You thought you wouldn’t make it because of a storm”
God’s thoughts on your trouble are different
We’ve got align our thinking with God’s thinking, “I’m not in trouble!”
there are plenty of troubles, but I’m not in trouble
Oh I am facing problems, but God will solve them
there are weapons formed against me, but they shall not prosper
it looks real bad, but I have God on my side
that’s why the apostle Paul could write . . .
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
it’s rough out here for an apostle, but I’m not in trouble! I am not about to lose
there may even be a time of trouble, but I’m not in trouble
Psalms 27 says for in the time of trouble, he shall hide me (protect me, take care of me)
and that same Psalms starts off with the “Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear”
the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid
the Psalmist is agreeing with God, there are some evildoers, adversaries, war, . . . but I’m not in trouble . . . no need to fear or be afraid
We need to start thinking like God . . . despite it all everything is ok, I am not in trouble
keep my peace and joy
God’s ways: tells stories backwards
God gives the ending first
The scripture reveals in Isaiah 46:19, “he declares the end from the beginning”
God gives the ending first, and life’s story will end up just exactly where and how he said it would
God told Abraham that all the families of the earth would be blessed through his descendant (though Abraham old and had no children)
God revealed the ending first, then we walk through the story
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, kings, prophets, exile . . . next thing you know the angel Gabriel is speaking to a Mary, “you will have the son of the Most High God” . . . and Jesus (the descendant of Abraham) is the blessing to all the families of the earth
God tells the story backwards
Before the Jewish people were defeated and exiled, God revealed to the prophet Isaiah that the Jews would be defeated and exiled, but eventually a king named Cyrus would be born, and we would allow them to return home
well . . . the jews were defeated and exile, and about 150 years after Isaiah’s prophecy, a man named Cyrus became king of the Persian empire, and let the Jews return home, and helped them return home with provisions and ordinances
God gives the ending first!
we have to get used to that way of doing things, and trust that way
His word says, all things work together for good . . . that’s the ending
your story will end with all things working together for your good
trust that
His word says that if you seek him first, he will supply all your needs . . . that’s the ending
if you put God first, your story will end with all your needs being met
trust that
His word says many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all . . . God has given away the whole story
you are going to have a lot of problems, issues, situations
but I will deliver you from every one of them
trust that
you already have the end to the story, and this flows right into another of God’s ways
God is different
I’m glad that God’s thoughts and ways are different from mine
There would be no amazing grace, if God thought like me, if God did what I would do
My salvation system would be like the other religious systems of the world
weight your good deeds vs your bad deeds, and the results are the results
the problem is our thinking, our thoughts
we think we are not that bad
we think we might could do enough good deeds
we have a decent shot at it
God’s thoughts . . . he understand that his righteousness, holiness, and requirements are so high . . . you have no shot through your own works/deeds . . . we all fall short of the glory of God
we can’t imagine such perfection . . . but it is revealed through the word
back to Isaiah, God gave him a glimpse into heaven, and this man of God, this good man by all accounts, immediately said, “woe is me, I am undone”
with just a glimpse of God’s majesty . . . Isaiah realized that I am ruined, I am doomed
in my system, weighing the good vs the bad, we would all end up doomed!
But God had his own way . . . He sent his son to pay the price for our sins, faults, weaknesses, stubborness, wickedness, evil motives, selfish actions
he took on it all on, so that when we see God, we won’t have to say, I am doomed
but instead will hear God say, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant
That type of grace makes no sense to me . . . God’s way of making things right is not how I would have done it
but I tell you what, I’m glad to go with God’s thoughts on this one
I’m glad to accept God’s way
I’ll willingly accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior
Yes, Lord . . . let’s go with your plan
Yes Lord . . . let’s do it Your way
God is different! . . . and we should be thankful and glad that God is different
different gave us salvation
different gave us a heavenly father
different gave us a savior who will never leave us nor forsake us
different put us on the right path
different guaranteed us a spot in paradise
Praise the Lord! God is different