What Does the Lord Understand? conclusion

A continuation of excerpts from Dr. Jay Wimberly's sermon notes of a message delivered September 7, 2003 to The Main Street Baptist Church in Auburndale, FL.

The text is from Micah 4:12: But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.

Conclusion

It's a dangerous thing when men seek to justify their actions with, "Oh, I think the Lord understands."

Micah 4:12. But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they His counsel: for He shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.

Isaiah 55:9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Psalm 14:2-3. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that does good, no, not (a single) one.


Better it is that a man say, Let me understand the Lord!

Psalm 119:27. Make me to understand the way of Your precepts: so shall I talk of Your wondrous works.

Isaiah 55:7-8. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD.


Understand this, O man:

Leave your way for the better way, God's way.

Come to Christ, and you will find mercy (God will not meet out to you your deserved judgment).

Come to Christ and you will find abundant pardon, more than enough to cover all your sins.


What does the Lord understand, O man?

"Come every soul by sin oppressed,
There's mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest
By trusting in His word." John H. Stockton 1813-1877

random thoughts

The kindness of God:

God is good!!!! He is kind! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Like you need me to tell you that? It is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. Hear the apostle Paul on this subject; "...Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"



Man's duty:

Man the creature is obligated to God the creator. He, the Holy One, made us, therefore, we are duty bound to Him. He is the potter, we are the clay. It is no wonder we invented the theory of evolution, it gets us off the hook, so to speak, with God. However, I read in the scriptures, "In the beginning God created.....". Oh how thankful we are for the word of God!

Back to our duty; what is it? What does this holy God require of man? We are to obey Him, we are to do as He commands, we are to submit our lives to Him! My friend, we are to do it perfectly too. In the gospel of Mark we read this exchange between the Lord Jesus and a scribe:

"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

So there it is, our primary duty is to love God with all our being. Have you loved God with all your being? with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? The quick answer is NO.

"There is none righteous, no, not one:" "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"

Therefore, you have breached your duty to God. You have not met your obligation to your creator. You have fallen short of God and His glory. You have not met His holy requirement. So what now? What is the person to do who realizes this serious infraction of the holy law of God? What is a person to do when they realize they have disobeyed the holy and righteous God?

I hear the apostle Paul say; "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." God provided a Savior, He sent His only Son into the world. Jesus Christ came and perfectly did the will of His Father. He obeyed God perfectly, he loved God with ALL His heart, soul, mind, and strength. He lived perfectly in this world. Man however; hated Jesus, he rejected Him, man said we will not have this Man rule over us, man condemned Him and hung Him on a cross. Their on the cross God laid on Him the iniquity of a world of sinners. On that tree He who knew no sin became sin for us. He bore the wrath of almighty God. He substituted in the place of sinners, in the place of those who did not obey God perfectly. He fulfilled man's duty, Jesus met the holy requirements of God's justice. Man took His dead body down from the tree and buried Him in a cave but God, on the third day, just as He promised, RAISED Him up from the dead. God approved the work of His Son. God is well-pleased with His Son. Jesus Christ satisfied God!

So I ask the question again, in light of the person and work of Jesus Christ; what is sinful man's duty? Repent ye and believe the gospel. Submit your self to God, believe His Son. This is the duty of all.