Limiting the Holy One of Israel

The Scriptures refer to our Heavenly Father by a number of names. He's called El Shaddai, basically meaning the Almighty God. He is called the Lord God in the New King's name, when the word Lord is in all capital letters. It generally denotes that it comes from the Tetragrammaton or the YHVH. Some pronounce it Jehovah, generally thought more like Yahweh, Yahweh, meaning the Eternal. So he's referred to as being the Eternal, ever existing one. He's called our healer. From Genesis 1, he's introduced as our Creator.

He is the Sovereign and the Holy One of Israel. In our English language and speaking of God, we often times will use terms like omnipotent, meaning all-powerful, or omniscient, meaning all-knowing, or omnipresent, because God is everywhere. Now, do we realize that when we use those names or use these words in reference to God, we are essentially proclaiming our belief that God is infinite, that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and that there are no limits that restrict this great being?

As you may have seen in the bulletin, the title today is Limiting the Holy One of Israel. And that comes from a scripture we will look at shortly. And I believe that we are all guilty of that, but I can only speak for myself. I have limited God's desire to work in my life many, many, many, many times. And I suspect you have too. We have limited the Holy One of Israel. This is something that has been done by human beings for 6,000 years. We are not the first people to do so. First chapter of Romans talks about the human tendency to want to form or fashion something that is their representation of God.

You could just make a note of Romans 1 verses 20 through 23. And that sometimes human beings have formed their image of God after some four-footed creature of the earth or some bird of the air. You know, the Egyptian eagle later seemed to be the same as a Roman eagle. And you had four-footed creatures. Of course, think of what Israel did there in the wilderness when Moses was up on the mountain for too long. And they got the gold.

And then that most phenomenal statement that Aaron told his brother, I threw it in the fire and out popped this bowl. But something they could worship to limit God to something that we humans could make with our own hands. I think we need to be reminded, probably more than we are, of the power of God by looking at some of the promises of God's Word that remind us of the unlimited blessings that God desires to pour out upon us.

So let's go to Psalm 78. This is a Psalm of Asaph. In Asaph, as you remember, David, he was one of the men. David set aside. He had great musical talent. And he was kind of over the Tabernacle Choir, so to speak, setting out order, the music, and the praise, and the worship of God.

And I believe it is, it's either 10 or 12, somewhere around a dozen of the Psalms were written by this man, Asaph. So Psalm 78, a contemplation of Asaph. And let's just make a survey. It's a beautiful Psalm. And it relates an eloquent story of how Israel repeatedly limited or restricted or constrained God's ability to work through them.

It tells over and over how many times Israel forgot about the wonders of God and devolved into a petty group who made demands of God and made promises to God and lied to God and tried to flatter God and many times completely turned and walked away from God. Let's pick it up in verse 5 to just see where Asaph is weaving this story. He begins in verse 5 with this time when God established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them.

The children who would be born. You will remember back in Deuteronomy 6 how the Israelites were instructed that as far as this law, the previous chapter, it repeated the Ten Commandments, but you will talk of them when you get up, when you go through your day, when you lie down, you will diligently teach them to your children, it says. Verse 6 of the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God and not forget the works of God.

And we see that phrase, the thought repeated throughout this psalm, that there is the gravest danger. And we find similar statements back in Deuteronomy. Beware lest you forget the Lord your God who has led you. And here it says, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation.

Well, let's skip a little, go to verse 10. They did not keep the covenant of God. They refused to walk in His law and forgot His works and His wonders, that He had shown them marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt. In the field of Zoan, we don't know much about Zoan. There's another scripture that would seem to indicate that was one of the places where, as they were leaving Egypt, and yet again, God from one miracle after another was leading them out. And ultimately, that time when verse 13, He divided the sea and caused them to pass through and made the water stand up like a heap.

And then it speaks of those wandering years. In the daytime, He led them with a cloud and all the night with a light of fire. He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink and abundance, like the depths. He brought streams out of the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers. Verse 17, But they send even more against Him. Which Ron Davenport recently went through a sermon about some of these lessons we can learn by looking back at ancient Israel.

And they rebelled against the most high in the wilderness. They tested God in their heart by asking for the food of their fancy. Yes, they spoke against God. They said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Well, you remember the story of the striking of the rock, Moses in anger, and how the waters gushed out, the streams overflowed? Can He get bread also? They wondered. Can He provide meat for His people?

It didn't take long after they were given the manna, the food of their affliction. It didn't take long that they complained about it. And remember the time when they wanted meat to eat? Well, God sent them meat to eat, even out in the middle of the desert, the wilderness.

Verse 21, The Lord heard this and was furious. So if I was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel, because they did not believe in God. And that's a thought that is repeated in this psalm as well. They did not believe in God. And that's really the question that comes down to us today. Do we believe God? Do we believe that God is the all-powerful omniscient great God? Then if so, why don't we always live life as though we believe that?

They did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation. Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven, and rained down manna on them to eat, and given them of the bread of heaven. Men ate angels' food, referring back to that manna.

Verse 26, He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens, and by His power He brought in the south wind. And He also rained to meet on them like the dust-feathered fowl. We remember the story of the quail that fell, and of how the people reacted. And now they ran out and grabbed, and they even began eating it before it was even cooked. And He let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings, so they ate and were filled, for He gave them their own desire. They were not deprived of their craving, but while their food was still in their mouths, the wrath of God came against them, and slew the stoutest of them, and struck down the choicemen of Israel. Verse 32, In spite of all this, they still sinned, and did not believe in His wondrous works. Therefore their days He consumed in futility, and their years in fear. Then when He slew them, then they sought Him, and they returned and sought earnestly for God. Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High their Redeemer. Nevertheless, they flattered Him with their mouth, and they lied to Him with their tongue. For their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful to His covenant. But He, God, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away. There's a place in Numbers where it mentions where God says, These ten times have you tested Me.

Powerful story is told here, but I want to focus on some of the words written here in verses 40 through 43. Verse 40, How often they provoked Him in the wilderness. Marginal note, how often they rebelled against Him, and grieved Him in the desert. Yes, again and again, they tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel. And that's our title. They did not remember His power the day when He redeemed them from the enemy, when He worked His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the field of Zoan. They limited the Holy One of Israel. I checked a few other translations, and they read similarly, carry a similar thought. Modern King James says they pained the Holy One of Israel. From the Bible and basic English, they gave pain to the Holy One of Israel. Revised Standard, they provoked the Holy One of Israel. The Jewish Tanakh translation, they set bounds to the Holy One of Israel. And the New International, they vexed the Holy One of Israel. Limited. I looked up the word on dictionary.com, and it offers this definition. Limited means confined within limits. Restricted or circumscribed, such as a limited space or having limited resources. Israel confined within limits their God. The surrounding verses, they limited God. Verse 42, they did not remember His power. They did not remember the times when He redeemed them from their enemies. They did not remember the signs that He worked for them and the wonders that He performed. And like Israel of old, we far too often limit God. We do not necessarily do it deliberately, but we still often diminish our expectations of the unlimited power of God that He is willing to use in working in our lives. And in so doing, we consider Him less than omnipotent, less than omniscient, because we don't trust Him to work in our lives in the way that He knows His best.

We can doubt God's willingness to bless or to guide or to provide or to intervene for us. We can forget His power, His miraculous signs, His wonders, as we just read. We can forget that He makes the statement that, I am the Eternal, I change not. As He said back in Malachi 3 verse 6, I am the Lord God, I change not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob are not consumed.

We can easily forget that God is forever the same all-powerful God who delights in pouring out His blessings upon His people. Too many times we live life as though we think we have a lot more answers than we really have, and we forget to realize that we so often simply do not have a clue as how to direct our own steps of life. We forget that God is love and that God is all knowing. You know, at times I think in prayer, I look back on my life, I suppose we can all relate to this, so we look back and in prayer. So many times I remember telling God how I wanted Him to solve my problems. I was trying to box God in. I have a problem, I need your help, I need your intervention, and here's how you do it. And you know, a lot of times He said, no!

You need to learn a few things there, lad. We pray to Him, we pray to God to intervene in a certain way instead of leaving the situation to Him, to handle in accordance with His own mercy and wisdom and love. And God help us to learn, to trust God, and to let God bless us and intervene for us in the way that He knows is best rather than what we want. He gives us what we need.

They limited the Holy One of Israel. I like to consider some areas of life with you. Look at some of these areas of life with you and consider how often we may be guilty of the same, limiting God's ability to work in our life. Let's take the area of healing. Now, if we go over here to Mark 1.

Mark 1, again, the area of healing, physical healing.

We find the most remarkable stories in the Gospels and on through the book of Acts. Remarkable stories of God intervening for His people. Mark 1, verse 29.

As soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. Earlier in the chapter, this was a Sabbath day. Actually, a parallel account tells us that. This chapter as well does. Verse 21, it was a Sabbath. Verse 32, at evening. So as the Sabbath is ending, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed, and the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many. It's interesting to me that there are places where you read a statement like that, and it says He healed all who were brought to Him. And here it says He healed many. And then there were times when He... It's like He said, you know, I'm tired.

Getting a boat and crossing the Sea of Galilee. And, you know, good and well people following Him, thronging around Him. Many of them were seeking physical healing. But again, that gets into the area of the sovereignty of God. He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons and didn't allow the demons to speak because they knew Him. Well, many, many times, just scores of times, we have healings in a physical sense during Christ's ministry. And it didn't end there. We go on to the book of Acts. And of course, in chapter 3, we have a story of Peter and John, the lame man who was there, the area outside the temple, begging for donations, begging for alms. And Peter and John or Peter said, we don't have any gold or silver, but what we have, we'll give you in the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk. And we have a story a bit later, that there were those who would be in a position where Peter's own shadow would come across them. And God worked in a powerful way in that situation and healed. There were times such as a little later, you have Philip. He was one of the original beacons that were introduced to. Later in the book of Acts, he's called Philip the Evangelist, but he went down to Samaria and he was preaching the kingdom of God. But it says that these great miracles, the healings were performed through his ministry. That God worked through him in a powerful way. We have the Apostle Paul being used to raise somebody from the dead. So we have these remarkable miracles that took place over and over. God's servant Ananias laying hands on this man named Saul and asking God to give him his sight. And what a remarkable tool Saul or Paul became for God.

And so I ask you, do we limit God to having healed only when Jesus walked the earth or was it something only in the days of the early church? Do we limit God by thinking that he no longer heals among his people today? And I know we all puzzle over that and we ponder that. It does seem that 30 and 40 years ago, we had more stories that we heard of people who were healed in God's church.

And we do live in a society that's self-destructing in so many ways. We have so many pollutants that we breathe or are in our water or in our foods. There are so many things over which we do not have control. But do we limit God by thinking that he no longer heals his people today? Do we limit God by blaming him for not healing us in the way that we tell him he ought to? Yeah, been there, done that.

I've had some eye surgeries when I think beforehand in prayer I told God what he needed to do.

And you know it does say of Jesus Christ that he learned in obedience by the things that he suffered. And I think we sometimes forget that, that there are times God allows us to suffer because we learn things on occasion in no other way than by hurting. And there are things that man can do. But do we blame God for not healing the way we think he should?

Do we remember what an honor, what a privilege it is.

Now let's look at the end of Mark. Mark 16, that Jesus left with the disciples, some of his parting words, at least in this book, the fact that you'll lay hands on the sick and they'll recover.

Mark 17 speaks of signs that will follow those who believe, casting out of demons and new languages and taking up serpents. We won't comment on that one. And by no means hurt them. At the end of verse 18, they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.

Do we do our part? We're all different as human beings.

Sometimes we think, well, I did this to myself, so I deserve this. I deserve to suffer.

And then there are times when we go and we ask, as James tells us, if you're sick, call elders of the church and it speaks of the prayer of faith and in other places, the anointing with oil to heal the sick. He said it, lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Do we believe what God says? Or was that just for back in Bible days, so to speak? Let's go back to Exodus 23. Exodus 23. And let's read verses 25 and 26. Verse 25. But you shall serve the Lord your God and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.

No one shall suffer miscarriage or rebearing in your land. I will fulfill the number of your days.

Now, this was a promise made early on to Israel as they're there at Mount Sinai area still. And yet, we realize that there are times when we are sick. And there are times when we're injured. There are times when we just have parts that wear out.

And there are times when our hearts cry out for God's intervention in certain areas.

But God says, I will take away sickness from among you.

So for those who believe in God, He says that He is a God who will take sickness away.

And that is one of the great blessings that He holds out. It's one of the great benefits. We'll look at a place in the Psalms very shortly along that line. Or do we let all your diseases mean something else? Do we limit God in His desire that we prosper and be in health?

You know, the one piece of information God never gives us is when? He absolutely promises to take sickness away. He promises that He is the God who heals us. Let's back up to chapter 15.

Chapter 15, one of the times when they... Oh, Israel was so quick to complain.

They had just walked through walls of water, passed through on dry land.

But then when the water was a bit bitter to taste, they began crying out. First, there was no water, and then the water that was there was bitter. Exodus 15, verse 23, the place is Mara, because Mara is the Hebrew word that means bitter. Remember when Naomi came back to Bethlehem area?

She told her friends, don't call me Naomi, which means pleasant. Call me Mara, because the Lord has dealt bitterly with me. But the water was bitter. Verse 24, and the people complained against Moses, saying, what shall we drink?

He could have said, we'll drink the bitter water. Stiff-necked Israelites.

But he cried aloud to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree, and he cast it into the water, and the waters were made sweet. There he, God, made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there he tested them and said, if you diligently heed the voice of the Lord.

If. And that's a message to us today, because you see, sometimes we go and we tell God what we need to have healed and how he needs to do it, and when he needs to do it like right now.

But God says, if. And we need to remember these promises. God does what is the very best for us at a given time, and he doesn't make mistakes. And so that's a qualifying point there. If we diligently listen to the voice of God and do what is right. There's another one. If we listen to God and if we obey God, do what is right in His sight. Not our sight, but His sight. Give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes. I will put none of the diseases upon you which were brought on the Egyptians, for I am the eternal who heals you. And we'll look a little later at some of these Yahweh or Jehovah names of God.

Yahweh Rofika, the God who heals you.

And so God promises, but there are conditions. But what God tells us is that He is not the afflicter with diseases. He is the healer from diseases.

When Christ walked the earth, a leper came to Him. Excuse me. A leper came to Him one day, crying out to Him, Oh Son of God, have mercy on me. And asking about being healed. And He asked Christ or made a statement that if you will, you can. And Christ said, I am willing.

And Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And God is a God that changes not. He still says that to His people. I am willing. I am willing. So let us beware. And we do not limit God in the realm of healing. He is willing.

But we also realize there are times when God may wait because He wants us to learn there are things that we need to take care of for ourselves.

We as a country.

I don't remember being this way 20-30 years ago, but I walk into a Walmart and I feel like a little guy anymore. I mean, there are some big bruisers walking around out there.

We are, I mean, it's known around the world. So you leave this country and you see people who are not so overweight as we are as a people.

And there are things that we can do for ourselves. Maybe God wants us. There are things that God may allow us to suffer to teach us lessons. And like Paul said, he besought God for whatever that thorn in the flesh was that he had. He besought God three times, but God said, no, no, my grace is sufficient for you. And he allowed him to have that physical equalizer to humble him. And that's when Paul said that he had learned that out of weakness, he was made strong. Physically being weak, he was stronger spiritually because of what God was working in his life.

Let's consider the area of miracles. Do we also limit God by thinking that miracles were only for back in those Bible days? Or do we believe that God is still the same and that Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever? And that miracles are for the people of God today as well. If neither God the Father or Jesus Christ has changed, then we should realize that they continue to work miracles in our lives.

And we should never limit God's miraculous acts to days gone by.

And we should never limit the extent of what God can do for us. In fact, let's look in the days of Elijah. Let's look at 2 Kings 4, the story of Elisha and of a widow. A widow with two sons who needed to be taken care of. I think it's interesting the way that it is worded here and perhaps a message for us as well. 2 Kings 4, verses 1-7, and we'll notice just portions of it.

2 Kings 4, verse 1, A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, Your servant, my husband, is dead. Therefore, she is a widow. And you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.

They were in debt.

Different day and age, but the creditor was coming to find a couple of young men to work off the debt.

Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house? And she said, Your maidservant has nothing but nothing in the house but a jar of oil.

Then he said, Go borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors. Empty vessels do not gather just a few.

How many times are we skimpy in what we may ask of God?

How many times do we limit blessing God may pour out on us?

We'll look in a minute at a statement the apostle James made. You have not because you ask not. And so Elisha tells her, Go borrow vessels. Go to all your neighbors. And don't get just a few, because the Almighty is about to pour out a remarkable blessing upon you.

Well, verse 4, When you have come in, you shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour it into all those vessels. So she had the jar of oil, and all of these empty jars, vessels, bowls, pots, jugs, whatever was, all that they could find, close the door, take the jar of oil, and start filling the other ones.

And so she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, and who brought the vessels to her, and she poured it out. It came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, Bring me another vessel. But he said to her, There is not another vessel, so the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God, and he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt, and you and your sons live on the rest. But I think it's interesting, the phrases that were used. She asked, Ask of all your neighbors.

And she was told, Don't ask for just a few.

And when you start pouring, fill each one till it's full.

Perhaps this tells us that we should not limit God's ability to provide for us supernaturally. God is sovereign.

And God does not live in fear of a fiscal cliff.

The Psalm says, what was it say? He owns a cattle of a thousand hills or ten thousand anyhow. A lot of cattle. He's not worried about a shortage of gold.

And he doesn't need U.S. dollars. Don't ask for just a few.

Because you see, Elisha understood God's unlimited, unrestrained ability and His immense love and willingness to care for His people.

And God miraculously filled every vessel to the full. And when everyone was full, that's when the oil stopped.

Do you need a miracle in your life today?

I wonder how many times when we do, we ask God and we only ask for a little.

Or we're skimpy on our requests. And perhaps we can be guilty of limiting the extent to which God wants to bless us.

Let's go to Matthew 14.

Mr. Robin Weber, of course, writes a series there for the Good News magazine. Follow me. I've always appreciated what Mr. Weber has to write. I've told him before. I said, I think God has given you a gift of being able to write in such a way to reach out and speak to people's hearts. And he said, you know, I prayed for that. And God's fulfilled that prayer. But I'd love to read what he writes. And here we have in Matthew 14, this story of the disciples out in the boat. The storm that came up, verse 24 of the boat, was now in the middle of the sea. Tossed by the waves for the wind was contrary. I know some people who are contrary, so it must have been a really difficult wind blowing.

Well, you know the rest of the story. Fourth Watch. And they look and their Savior was walking on the sea.

Verse 27, immediately, Jesus spoke to them saying, Be of good cheer it is I, do not be afraid.

Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, hedging his bed a little, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. And so he said, Come. And you know the rest of the story. You know the rest of the story. Too many times we use our human eyesight.

And we look and we see what is. The Israelites did that and they looked and they saw a sea on one side, mountains on the other, Pharaoh's army coming behind, and they lifted up their eyes and wept.

And Moses said, Stand still, see the salvation of the Lord.

And Peter did fine as long as he used eyes of faith.

But then when he shifted to the physical eyesight and saw the storming waters around him, he began to sink.

Whenever we encounter a dangerous situation, or the need for an intervention, or the demonic influence, God asks us to ask. James 4. James 4, verse 2.

James 4, verse 2. You lust and do not have, you murder and covet it and cannot obtain. You fight in war, yet you do not have because you do not ask.

And it goes on speaking of how you ask, but it's for the wrong reasons. Because those are selfish reasons. But just that phrase is instructive to us. Oftentimes, we do not have because we do not go to God and ask. And I think sometimes, maybe we need to remember what Elisha told the widow.

Don't ask for just a few.

You're going to need lots of jars to fill up with oil that you'll sell so you have the money to support you and your boys. So let us not limit God as far as what He can and what He is willing to do through the likes of us. Provision. Provision. You know, Jesus taught the disciples there. When they ask Him, Lord, teach us to pray. One of the things that He told them was to pray for our daily bread. Give us this day our daily bread.

So do we. Do we. There were times when Christ had great multitudes following Him. One time 5,000, another time 4,000. But with the one story, it was pointed out that these people need something to eat. And so, the story of the fishes and the loaves and the miracle of passing those around and the feeding of that multitude and there were basketfuls left over. As God poured out His provisions for literally thousands. And if He is the same yesterday, today and forever, is He not willing to provide for us when we ask? And Genesis 22. Genesis 22, we have that awe-inspiring, this remarkable story.

Tremendous insight into the character and the mind of the man named Abraham. The man who had waited so long for that son of promise.

And then God says, take that son, go to the land of Moriah, and you're going to sacrifice him to me there.

Genesis 22, verse 3, so Abraham arose early in the morning. I wonder how much a sleepy God as a parent that night before.

But the next morning, he arose and he left. He took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son and split the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Verse 4 tells us they traveled three days. This is an Old Testament type forerunner for Abraham playing the role of God the Father, Jesus Christ, Isaac playing the part of Jesus Christ who was dead and in the grave three days and three nights. And you know in Abraham's mind, he was going to do this. Isaac was as good as dead because Hebrews 11 tells us that he counted God was God had to resurrect him even if he went through with it. Because Isaac was the one he had been told you're going to be blessed through him.

Verse 5, Abraham said to the young men, Stay here with the donkey and the lad and I will go yonder and worship and we will come back to you.

We will come back. Well, you know how the rest of the story plays out, but down to verse 13, Abraham lifted up his eyes as after God had stopped him.

And there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place the Lord will provide. You may have a marginal note that says Yahweh Jireh The God will provide. The God who provides.

As it is said to this day, in the Mount of the Lord, it shall be provided.

Philippians 4 Philippians 4, Paul was commending highly this wonderful congregation at Philippi.

He told them there in the latter part of verse 15, Philippians 4 verse 15, latter part, No church shared with me concerning giving and receiving, but you only. And they said, even in Thessalonica, you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Now, to verse 19. Philippians 4 verse 19, and my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

All your need.

It does not say all that you want, but all that you need. God will supply all of our needs.

And we should let all mean just that. All.

And be very careful that we do not limit God in the realm of providing for us what we need. His bounty is unlimited.

And he teaches us to pray, give us day by day, give us this day what we need.

All right, what about protection? Protection, because the Bible abounds with examples of God's supernatural protection and deliverance of His people. We can read of the three friends of Daniel who were thrown in a fiery furnace.

We can read of Daniel being in a lion's den overnight. We can read of Peter being in a jail and an angel setting him free and leading him out and going and knocking on the door. And they didn't believe it was Peter. And they're inside praying for Peter's release. And they didn't believe Peter was there. Is that an example of limiting God? Maybe.

We have stories of Paul and Silas in jail. And around midnight, singing praises to God, an earthquake breaks up the jail.

We have a story of one angel. The days of King Hezekiah. One angel killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. So the stories are throughout the Bible. Let's go to Psalm 34 and look at a basic promise that we have here. Psalm 34.

And let's read verse 7. Psalm 34 verse 7. One of the Psalms of David. Verse 7, The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

Let's go to Psalm 91.

Psalm 91.

And reading verse 7. Verse 7, A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand. But it shall not come near you.

Speaking about pestilence and terror and destruction and the verses above.

A thousand may fall at your side. I've got a book at the house, and that's the title. A thousand may fall.

It's written by...

She was a young girl.

An Adventist family in Germany during World War II.

Her father was conscripted for the army. He thankfully was assigned clerical duties.

They required that he carry a weapon, which was against his conscience.

He first took wood and carved and painted something that he could put in his holster that looked like he was packing heat. But it was a piece of wood. He took his pistol, and he threw it out into a lake.

He worked for the Nazis all the war. It was never asked to be in a combatant role. Meanwhile, the wife or his wife with the children, and they were trying to survive. It's hard to imagine how tough times probably were there in Germany for your average person who's not a part of the war effort, just trying to live. And the stories that she wrote, the little girl, that someone would have some extra potatoes and someone would have extra this and how they just... it was kind of day by day. But God took care of what they needed. And so she used that as a title, A Thousand May Fall. Let us not limit God's ability to provide for us and for our family.

And we live in a society, increasingly, seems to be people are trusting their security in weapons, in a society that is becoming ever increasingly an armed camp.

And they look in the wrong places. Because we should ask, we should pray, we should expect God's protection day by day and use common sense. There are places we have no business going to.

Use wisdom, but ask God for protection and for a way of escape, just like Jesus did many times during His ministry. But about forgiveness, it's another area here in which we can limit God. It seems that Satan has had tremendous success in getting us to carry around a lot of guilt, carry around a lot of doubt as to whether God has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west. Let's just go forward a few pages to Psalm 103.

Psalm 103.

Verse 3. Who forgives all your iniquities? Who heals all your diseases?

Isaiah 1. Let's go to Isaiah 1.

Isaiah 1, verse 16. Isaiah is inspired to write to Israel and say, Wash yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Put away the evil of your doing from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. Give them a call to repent. Change. Turn around. Go the right way. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Rebuke the oppressor. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.

Come now. And let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool, if you are willing and obedient.

Forgiveness.

John the Baptist saw Jesus Christ there in John 1. I think it's verse 29, but he said, Behold the Lamb of God who bears away the sins of the world. The Apostle Paul is a fascinating study to me in this area of a person who has been forgiven. We were introduced to Paul, and you have men laying down the garments at the feet of Saul.

And they're picking up stones to kill God's servant, Stephen.

And then a bit later in Acts, it tells us that this Saul wreaked havoc upon the church. And we had those in the church who were fearful of him, and he was getting letters of authority from the religious leaders, and he was going and finding Christians and bringing them in.

And that's where we find him on the road to Damascus one day. And suddenly a light was shining, and his whole life was changed.

Three days of blindness, the Spirit of God was given to him. His past was washed away, and anything I ever have read where Luke recorded his words or what he did through the rest of Acts or through all of his epistles, we do not find one hint that the man was burdened down by guilt.

And it marvels me because Satan oftentimes will bring up in our minds something we did that was so terribly wrong.

Years earlier.

And use it to limit us.

And we limit God in using us. But you know, Paul stood there before... I forget if it was Agrippa or Felix or Festus or one of those other gunsmoke guys, but he stood there at the beginning, and he was Acts 23 right at the beginning, and he said, I stand here before God with all clear conscience unto this day.

Because when he was baptized and given the Spirit of God and his sins of a lifetime were washed away, that ended it. As I say, I marvel at that because probably most of us struggle with, we remember things we said or did. It would be nice if we could roll back the old cassette tape and erase certain parts, but life isn't that way. And if we do get burdened down with guilt, and there are times we do wrong and we do feel guilt, but there are times when guilt just comes along. And I ask, do we limit God? Do we limit God's ability to forgive us and to remove our sins as far as the east is from the west when we do that?

Companion Bible, appendix 4 in the back.

Divine names and titles.

Names of God. He calls them the Jehovah titles. Jehovah-Zireh. God will provide, like we saw in Genesis 22. Jehovah-Rofica. God our healer, as we read there the story at the waters of Mara.

Jehovah-Nissi. Jehovah or God my banner. The one that goes out and leads the way that we follow. Jehovah-Shalom, the God of peace.

Jehovah or Yahweh, Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts. Jehovah-Shama. God is there. Jehovah-Elion. Jehovah Most High. Jehovah-Roei. God my shepherd.

These are names we use in reference to God.

I think it would be good for all of us to start a list if we haven't already. A list of times in our life when God has intervened and performed a miracle. Times when He has healed. Times when He is forgiven. Times when He is provided. Because unless we keep a list, it tends to get a bit fuzzy and a bit blurry, and we read in Psalm 78 how many times they would forget. They would forget and they no longer believed God.

I think it would be good for us, maybe even here today after church.

Think of a story of a time when God worked in your life.

The unlimited God worked in your life. Maybe share that story with others before we leave here today. And think about that. I think it's important we do that because Romans 10 verse 17 tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. And we read these stories from the Word of God, but we also have each other's stories. And these things strengthen our faith.

And we live in a society that's trying to destroy the holy people. Trying to destroy the faith of God's people, which is why Jesus said at that one time when the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?

Let's go to Matthew chapter 9 and we'll wrap it up here. Matthew 9.

In this story, two blind men came to Jesus. They cried out for mercy. Matthew 9 beginning in verse 27. When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, Son of David, have mercy on us.

And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. Jesus said to them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? And they said to Him, Yes, Lord. Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith, let it be to you.

I think that pretty much sums up what I'd like for you to get out of this sermon.

We're being asked to believe the promises of God. And God is presented as being all-powerful, omniscient, ever-present, working in the lives of His people.

There is no need for us to limit God.

Whether it be healing, miracle, provision, forgiveness, protection, He is willing, He is able. But we are asked, Do you believe God?

And we are told, According to your faith, these things and more will be done to you. But we first must believe God. So do we believe God's promises? If we do, then trust in Him. Depend on Him. Believe Him to keep His many promises. Remember that as Jesus told the disciples at one point, fear not, little flock, for it is my Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. And let us never, never limit the Holy One of Israel as He leads us on toward the eternal family of God.