Date: 2024-07-26

AO: 3rd-f

Q: Web

PAX: Schnitzel, Pinto, Dipstick, Frodo, thriller, Mr Rogers

FNGs: None

COUNT: 7

Yielding to the Spirit Isn’t Always Comfortable or Within Cultural

Is there anything off limits for the Holy Spirit/God to ask us to do?

Instances in the Bible where God asked people to do things that were not went against what was taught at the time:

Jonah

The proclamation of destruction for Nineveh:

“Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Jonah 3:4″The relenting of the destruction:

“When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Jonah 3:10 – 4:4″Why might Jonah be saying that it is better for him to die than to live?

– He is tired and exhausted

– He did not want the Assyrians to be saved from the disaster

– Now his prophecy will go unfulfilled

What it means for prophecy to not be fulfilled:

“You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.

Deuteronomy 18:21 – 22″That person is labeled as a false prophet.

Hosea

“When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

Hosea 1:2 – 3″What was Hosea asked to do?

He was asked to marry a prostitute/harlot/etc.

How would that make you feel if you were in Hosea’s shoes?

I know I would be reluctant to do so. I would also feel very uncomfortable about this.

Ezekiel

“”Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it. Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the people of Israel. “Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the people of Israel. “After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the people of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year. Turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her. I will tie you up with ropes so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have finished the days of your siege. “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. Weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. Also measure out a sixth of a hin of water and drink it at set times. Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement for fuel.” The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.” Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.” “Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.”

Ezekiel 4:1 – 15″What was Ezekiel asked to do?

He was called to cook his food with dung (at first human dung and then it is changed to cow dung).

Peter

“About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Acts 10:9 – 16″What has Peter so disturbed here?

He thinks he is being asked to eat of unclean food.

We know that Peter is being called to minister to a group of Gentiles. Why would this be a problem for Peter?

“While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

Acts 10:27 – 29″Under the Law, Peter was not to associate or visit a Gentile. This seems to be more of an issue of being in a place that is considered unclean rather than being a straight prohibition of being around Gentiles or in their abodes.

Ananias of Damascus

“The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight. “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

Acts 9:11 – 14″What does God want Ananias to do?

He wants him to go and minister to Saul.

What is Ananias’ apprehensive about?

He is not too keen on being in front of Saul who has been persecuting Christians.

Conclusion

– Yielding to God is uncomfortable and can even be outside of what we think is culturally acceptable.

– There are things that we cannot do if we stick inside of what we think is culturally acceptable

– We need to be careful not to break things down to a list of do’s and don’t’s