"7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.
38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
(Psalm 78: 7-41)
Pay special attention to verses 19-20. "Can God...?" was stated with a great unbelief or mocking of God's ability.
God CAN!!! We need to be found guilty of having tremendous faith. You can actually limit God by your own disbelief.
God wants to help you.
- "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)
- "Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men." (Psalm 12:1)
- "But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me." (Psalm 22:19)
- "Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation." (Psalm 27:9)
- "Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield." (Psalm 33:20)
- "Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation." (Psalm 38:22)
- "Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha. Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified. But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God." (Psalm 40:13-17)
- "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)
- "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings" (Psalm 17:8)
- "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." (Psalm 27:5)
- "Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity" (Psalm 64:2)
- "Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me." (Psalm 143:9)
God wants to hold you.
- "Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not." (Psalm 17:5)
"Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great." (Psalm 18:35)- "Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand." (Psalm 73:23)
- "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually." (Psalm 119:117)
- "Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Psalm 139:10)
**Notes taken from the sermon titled "Christians Who Think God Can't For Me" by Preacher Paul Deal on 01/27/2008
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