Submit to the Destiny of God
MANCHESTER BAPTIST CHURCH
Rev. Oscar Ramirez
November 1, 2008
PRELIMINARY PAGE
TEXT: Jeremiah 33:1-9 (KJV)
C.I.T.: The Word of God determines our destiny.
THESIS: We must submit ourselves to God’s destiny.
PURPOSE:
M.O.: Supportive
S.O.: Today, submit to God’s destiny for you.
Submit to the Destiny of God
I. Your health is in submitting to the Word of God. Vv. 1-3
II. The Word of God submits us to judgment. Vv. 4-6
III. The judgment of God brings health. Vv. 7-9
INTRODUCTION:
TEXT: Jeremiah 33:1-9 (KJV)
C.I.T.: The Word of God determines our destiny.
THESIS: We must submit ourselves to God’s destiny.
S.O.: Today, submit to God’s destiny for you.
Submit to the Destiny of God
I. Your health is in submitting to the Word of God. Vv. 1-3
A Portrait Painted
It was 1898 and Ben had left the East 8 years ago to head out West in hopes of making his fortune. Well he wasn't rich, but he had accumulated over 300 acres of good land and built a comfortable farm house on it. He raised wheat, corn, and all of his vegetables. He had managed to build his herd of cattle to over 200 head. Having accomplished all of this in only 8 years, he decided that it was now time.
The ad that he placed in the New York newspaper said, "Wanted: A good woman willing to be a pen pal. Marriage is a possibility for the right woman." Before long, he began receiving letters from Molly. Their correspondence soon turned into love for each other. Now, here he stood in the Kansas City train station waiting to finally meet her.
When the train arrived, there were a lot of women getting off. Suddenly, he yelled, "Molly -- over here!"
She looked his way, walked over to him, smiled and held out her hand. He took it for a moment, then let it go. She said, "How did you know who I was?"
He then reached into the back pocket of his overalls and said, "From these here letters."
"But there are no pictures in them."
He dropped his head a bit and said, "Oh yes there are! There are lots of pictures in your words." You see, he had spent hours reading every word -- looking for every little clue that would tell him who Molly really was. He had fallen in love with her words -- words that had painted her portrait.
God's precious word paints a vivid portrait of who he is. We as his bride should fall in love with his word so that we can then fall in love with its author.
From: Many A Tear Has To Fall by Wayne Hudson, Padon Press
1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
The Word of God is not captive.
2 Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name;
Man proposes but it is God that disposes.
3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Why look in other places when we can go directly to God.
II. The Word of God submits us to judgment. Vv. 4-6
Embraced By the Light
The idea of hell and judgment are nowhere to be found in Betty Eadie’s bestseller, Embraced By The Light, on the N.Y. Times bestseller list for more than 40 weeks, including 5 weeks as #1.
In November 1973, Eadie allegedly died after undergoing a hysterectomy, and returned five hours later with the secrets of heaven revealed by Jesus. Eadie says that Jesus “never wanted to do or say anything that would offend me” while she visited heaven.
Indeed, Jesus seems to be relegated to the role of a happy tour guide in heaven, not the Savior of the world who died on the cross.
Richard Abanes, in Christianity Today, March 7, 1994, p. 53
Poll
More than four out of every five Americans agree that “we all will be called before God at judgment day to answer for our sins,” says a poll conducted for the Times Mirror company.
National and International Religion Report, quoted in Signs of the Times, August, 1993, p. 6
4 For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;
Judgment is for all both big and small.
5 They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.
There will be judgment. If God did not spare his own, what of everyone else?
6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.
After removing the diseased, then comes healing.
III. The judgment of God brings health. Vv. 7-9
Quotes
- The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like and do what you’d druther not. - Mark Twain
- Be careful about reading health books. You might die of a misprint. - Mark Twain
- Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. - Erma Bombeck
Sources unknown
7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.
Restoration is the promise of God.
8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
God cleanses. We do not cleanse.
9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.
The place of judgment will be converted to a place of praise and honour to all the nations of the earth.
CONCLUSION:
Who is our Judge?
It was the woman 10 miles walk event of the Olympic Game. The Chinese woman was leading the other athletes coming into the last phase of the competition. She had been training hard for the last few years. The distance that she covered in training was enough to go round the globe a few times. A gold medal was in view. While she was entering the stadium, she noticed that another athlete was coming from behind, in a very fast pace. She wanted to go faster to avoid being over taken but was unable to do so without having both her feet leaving the ground. By the definition of the game, having both feet leaving the ground at the same time is considered as running, which is against the rule. Anyone who violated this rule for three times will be disqualified. She remembered that she had violated this rule twice in the past nine over miles. She was tempted but persisted in keeping her feet down. She saw the other athlete over took her. A gold turned silver. A while later, another athlete came from behind. Similarly, unable to go any faster, she saw this other athlete over took her. A silver turned bronze. The first athlete past the finished line and the crowd roar. The second athlete past the finished line there was a big applause. The Chinese athlete finished third with much disappointment. All these years of hard work only to end with a bronze medal. When the official of the game announced the winner, to everyone's surprise, the gold medal went to the Chinese athlete because the two athlete before her had violated the rule of against running in a walk event. Who is our judge in life? Who set the rules of our lives? Others may be receiving the applause of the world, but should we admire? Shouldn't we Christians follow the laws of loving God and loving man which are given to us and set by God, who is the judge of our lives?
S.O.: Today, submit to God’s destiny for you.