The Danger of Wavering Between Two Opinions

The Danger of Wavering Between Two Opinions Exodus 8.1-15 The LORD told Moses what was going to happen. 7.2-4 God knowing what would happen yet giving Pharaoh opportunity to obey. I cannot reconcile the two in my finite mind. However this is what is happening. It is happening today. God knows everything. Yet He still gives us a choice. Isaiah 55. 8  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,     neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,     so are My ways higher than your ways. Pharaoh is case study in waffling, ambivalence, wavering between two opinions: Do I let the Israelites go or do I keep them as slaves? Do I obey the LORD or do I do what is seemingly economically beneficial? Do I serve God or money? We see the two powerful forces at work here. Riches and power. That was the situation with the rich young ruler. Money/ riches cannot determine obedience yo God. The China Inland Mission and To Haiti With Love and every other Faith Mission would have never been launched if we allowed money to determine it. In a move of God… Pastor Chuck Smith, “What am I obligating these people to?” The dump trucks with the rocks in Haiti… gulp. Here is a struggle that many go through in obeying God, believing God and not leaning on their own understanding. It is ongoing decision in our journey. We face it often… these trying times, each day! It is dangerous to not do what God says. In His Word. We are warned about destruction. I believe many are self deluded, thinking they will escape. Hebrews 2:3-4 KJV How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the LORD, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will? Through godly counsel. Pharaoh did not consider this. He was given the way of escape but he chose to reason things out. He was seeing everything from his own selfish perspective. Proverbs 3.5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Do not lean on your own understanding. In all you do acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Several decisions this past week. Asked pastor friends to pray with me. God spoke as they prayed. He was bringing Scripture to my heart. Words of Wisdom. Galatians 6. 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Truths: * We are all sowing. * We will reap what we sow… eventually. * If you sow to please yourself you will see destruction. * If you sow to please God you will reap eternal life. * You will reap in proportion to what you sow. Luke 6. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” The Danger of Wavering Between Two Opinions… The LORD always does what He says He will do. vs.6 2 If you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs on your whole country. 3 The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs. 4 The frogs will come up on you and your people and all your officials.’” 6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land. God said this was going to happen and it did. Some people mock God and say the Bible is a myth. I am living the way I want and nothing is happening to me. To those poor souls I say, “Wait.” God has a loving way of working, not wanting any to perish but for all to come to Him. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14.1 The good news for us today is if you are obeying God, keeping in step with His Spirit He will take care of you. You may have to endure hardship but that ship brings blessings on the other side! One of those blessings is encouraging others to get to the other side. Hebrews 12:7-11 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. God will provide for you. He did it with Manna. He does it now. The Danger of Wavering Between Two Opinions… Because of urgency of need people turn to prayer. v.8 I have seen atheists who are in desperate situations ask me to pray for them… and I have. Same with agnostics. Because God has placed eternity in the hearts of men (Ecclesiastes 3.11) it is an automatic response to urgent need for them to cry out, “Oh my God”. Interesting how suddenly He becomes “their” God in their time of trouble. If you are in trouble today and you don’t know Him, I have Good News! Whoever calls upon the Name of the LORD will be saved. Now you would think that everyone who prays will become a believer. They don’t, even if they are healed. The Ten Lepers in Luke 17. 11-19 The Danger of Wavering Between Two Opinions… Tomorrow is Procrastination v.9 Procrastination is the thief of time. The lack of swift decisive response when God is speaking is not a good thing. We cannot put off what God is asking today. Delays end up being disobedient. First let me bury my father… Matthew 8.21 Yet God has grace for all… Matthew 21. 28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Thank God for the ability to change our minds! Is there something today you need to change your mind about… Maybe the one thing you lack The Danger of Wavering Between Two Opinions… The End Result Is Not Good If You Go Back and Forth v.12-15 Something stinks Something is rotten in Denmark. Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. Proverbs 29.1 I Kings 18.21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. Joshua 24. 14 “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” God is speaking to souls in the Valley of Decision. Maybe you are holding back. Make Him LORD today! I Peter 3.15 But in your hearts revere Christ as LORD.