God of the Hills and of the Valleys - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Lord known comes to you under the direction of Elder Lucero Bradley Junior, pastor of the Cincinnati primitive Baptist Church will and this is share Bradley Junior inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace and him and him and him and will and in a in a in a a and a and thank each of you taking time to write, which in recent days, let us know that your hearing the program that the messages are being a blessing to you, particularly during these trying times. Always reassuring to remember that the God we worship the shopper and he found the throne.

He's ruling and reigning according to the pleasure of his will. Got there. Some of you that listen regularly but have never written this, I encourage you to do that.

Our address is the Baptist Bible. Our box 17/37, Cincinnati, OH 45217. If requested, will send you a copy of our publication.

The Baptist witness their articles in it that I believe will be particularly helpful and comforting during these challenging times say they believe in God have a distorted view of God. They have not accepted the testimony that God gives of himself and his word and to make a mistake about what a person believes concerning God can have serious consequences. Looking at example of that. Turning to the book of first Kings chapter 20 and verse 28 and became a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel and said, thus saith the Lord because the Syrians have said the Lord is the God of the kills but not the God of the valleys therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord, Israel's small army had defeated the larger army of the Syrian and sold. The Syrians concluded, it must demand that Israel's God fought for them and made it possible for them when, but they assume that God was like their God. They had many God's their gods were local God's. They didn't envision that anyone God had authority and power over all the earth. They had gods of the mountains God to the rivers gods of their field gods of their own houses and so they concluded that since this battle that they lost was in the hills that they got a beer was the God of the hills, but not the God of the valley now because of this blasphemy. This incorrect conclusion.

These words that were rightly in error God as offended God is a jealous God and he's not going to allow his name to be trampled and so because of their sin. God now declares that Israel will again defeat them and it says this Israel pitch before them like two little flocks of kids, but the Syrians filled the country. Look at that scene. It appears that Syria is going to win the Syrians of the country. There were thousands in their army and Israel's group looked like two little flocks of kids, but because God said I'm going to give my people victory because they're such outstanding people a lot of things wrong with them and their King Ahab was deplorable, but God sends word. It's not because Ahab was a great King because of what the Syrians had said God says I'm going to give you victory. And so it was cold on the site of the children of Israel slew the Syrians and hundred thousand foot man in one day.

So this smaller group looked like there was no possibility they could succeed didn't succeed because of their numbers was because of their strength. It was because they were deserving it was because God says to defend my own name and then the rest flipped a fit into the city and their wall fell upon him. 20 and 7000 of the man that were left. God gave them a notable victory in this passage would only consider three things.

First of all, a wrong view.

Secondly, a right attitude and certainly a great outcome. First, we think about the wrong view the idea that the true God is very much like the gods that are man-made. God, this is addressed in Psalm 115 verse two wherefore should the Kievan say where is now their God, but our God is in the heavens.

He had done whatsoever be vastly that's a wonderful declaration we could stop right there and talked for a good while. How reassuring it is how encouraging it is to know that the God that we worship is in the heavens and he is doing whatever he pleases. The Vatican, hindering the body can give them advice or counsel. Nobody can correct them. He does whatever he pleases.

Now he says, in contrast, their items are silver and gold. The work of men's hand. They have mouths, but they speak not eyes but they seem not to goes on to describe various things about them saying that in each case, they are incapable of functioning. Of course, because they are made out of silver made out of gold or they are these little local gods that they have envision in their own minds. Verse eight says they that make them are like them.

So is everyone trusted in them people it made them major conflict is empty and meaningless and the people learn very much like them drawing the wrong conclusion about the true and living God. So he says oh Israel trust now in the Lord. He is their help and their shield trust in the Lord, don't be distracted by the items in the empty vein gods that others have recognize how might be said, surely we don't know people who are worshiping a God made out of gold or an idol made out of silver but the fact is that all across the land. Today people design a God, according to their own preferences. I've heard people say well I know God wants me to be happy and generally when they make that declaration.

They intend to follow that by saying here's what would make me happy is what I want to do so.

Since God wants me to be happy. I'm sure it's all right for me to do it. Yes, God does want his people to be happy, but true joy and happiness does not come by charting our own course setting our own standards making our own rules, but by bowing in submission to God so but it was a wound. God would never impose his rules on me. He lets me decide what works for me I'm own person.

I have a right to decide whether this is something that is good or bad. I don't want to be encumbered with these rules and laws that come from an ancient book with a very independent spirit. They want to make their own choices and at the idea that a God who would try to impose his rules on the is not not the God that I worship and again that God did not. I worship they say would not want anything bad to happen. Pictures think of the book by Rabbi person a few years ago. Talked about why bad things happen to good people. First of all, he misted in the title because there are no good people. We are all sinners, but he drew the conclusion that there are things God would like to do. He like to give you a better deal with.

You just can't pull it off. Well, that's shorthand distortion of the truth about the living God that we worship and then they like to think about God being nice. I like to have a little nice God that operates the way I wanted to operate the does what I wanted to do and I actually people say to my God would never punish anybody that's not the God of the Bible may soon chapter 1 verse three the Lord is slow to anger, and great in power and will not all the wicked Lord have his way in the whirlwind and in the storm and in the cloud are the dust of the street verse six who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger, his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by others is a description God gives of himself as the prophet.

These words he was writing them under the direction and inspiration of the Holy Spirit and what we learned that about the true God is, he will not at all with the wicked are any of us say well it's obvious or not, because God says I'm just going to overlook sin attend is not there, but it's only because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, so that the justice is the just demands of the law are met. But that mercy then can be bestowed upon us through what Jesus Christ has accomplished and then as we think about the error. The wrong view that people have the idea that God will ignore any of the bolts stand the actions of unbelievers that are not what they are to be but let's look at Psalm 94. The fourth verse, how long shall they honor and speak hard thing and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves sinuses, questioning how long can this go on the workers of iniquity boast in themselves. They break in pieces night people, Lord, and afflict divine heritage.

Verse seven yet they say Lord, the Lord shall not see leaders of the God of Jacob idea that we can say what we want to say and God will pain what we can do what we want to do. God will not see what a mistake idea about the God of the pipe verse 23 and he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness gave the Lord our God shall cut them off from the idea that God would just turn his head and not give any attention to what the wicked are doing is totally erroneous. Now we apply that to the wicked, those who are bold and speak words against the true and living God. But there's an element of that that will need to apply other times that we forget that God observes us that he knows exactly where we are but were doing what we say what we think, what our motives are to have the idea that he will not see 23%.

I think the Lord shall not see the God of Jacob forgot. Let us be mindful that God knows all about us.

He observes us. He knows deep secrets of our own heart. Everything that motivates us all the reasons behind we do so, and Paul came to Mars Hill and he saw those various factors to the gods that they worshiped and saw the one of the unknown God should I want to tell you about acts 17 verse 30 in the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given him. Given assurance on the Allin and that he has raised him from the day.

Paul says you may have taken comfort in the fact that no judgment has immediately fallen, God has been merciful and gracious, but at this point he's commanding all men everywhere to repent of the reason is there's coming a day of judgment, Jesus Christ, that he race of the dead will be that church. So the great error of the Syrians the right mistake was to say that God can only work and bless in the mountains. Well Santa women that not that I worship Chicago's sovereign power.

He is omnipotent he can work anytime, anyplace, anywhere but has been moments when you struggle with down you were in the family. You are in the low place you are going to difficult times. You didn't have the piece of the comfort that you desired. Maybe you were questioning Scott to be with me in this dark day but here's the promise Isaiah chapter 43 verse two when thou passes through the waters, I will be with the and through the rivers, they shall not overflow the when I walk us through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon the here's God's promise can be with you in the valley just as much as in the hill country. I can be with you in the difficult times. Just as well is in those days when all may be falling out in pleasant places. Psalm 46 verse one, which we looked at recently, says God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. According to that passage. Even the mountains are carried into the sea and the earth is removed, God is still our refuge. Never let us slip into that questioning mode is God going to forget me in this difficult time. Is God going to be with me in this day of trouble. He is a present help in trouble. He will be with us when we pass through the waters, and then it is an incorrect conclusion when some assume that nothing good can come out of trials and suffering may use this very crisis to convict many of their need of him. Just keep in mind, God is an absolute control. God's not surprised that this crisis God's in charge. God controls it all and it may well be that he is using this time to awaken people to a lot of things. The fact that we are fragile creatures that life is uncertain � assure that we are in great need of him and of his is promise in certain times to raise up a standard of truth Isaiah chapter 59 verse 19, so shall they fear the name of the Lord from the West and his glory from the rising of the sun when the enemy shall come in like a flood, and truly would have to say that's the case of the day in which Woodley the enemy is coming like a flood. How many we here speak disrespectfully of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

How many we hear that deplore the commandments clearly given his word and are determined to go their own way and have the attitude expressed by Pharaoh long ago who is the Lord that I should obey him, but he says when the individual come in like a flood the spirit of the Lord to lift up a standard against him. Maybe that's what he's doing today in this time of crisis. In this time of the whole world is trouble in multitudes are filled with great anxiety. He's looking up a standard we want to be faithful in lifting up that standard of truth in preaching the gospel preaching the truth about God's sovereignty gives purpose how he uses trials and sufferings even to the glory of his name. It may be that is teaching all of us to stay focused on serving him easy to be distracted. Much time has gone the way's with some of the entertainments and frivolous activities that are there to distract us Psalm 90 verse 12. After saying that we spend our years, has a tail that is told, it says so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto understanding that life is short at best. Here's a lesson to be learned. Lord we want to number of a company to Vatican Today to know exactly how many you have left. Number them from the standpoint that we know it best, they are but few. Therefore, we want to use every day in the best possible manner to serve God apply our hearts unto wisdom.

The apostle writes in Colossians chapter 3 verse to set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Maybe a lot of things that people have loved and treasured.

They sent their affection on it.

Then, in the midst of this crisis could be some dramatic changes every people losing their businesses. Maybe some losing their life savings.

A lot of things are going to be different. All that may come about so that we change our focus that we are setting our affection on things not on the earth but on things above on things that matter on things that count on things that pertain to God and his kingdom with me assure this. Whatever God is doing whatever his purpose at this particular time is going to be ultimately to the glory of his name and for the good of his people at familiar texts we've quoted time and time again that all how meaningful it is even at the present. Romans 828 and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God made to everybody. Click By the let God something to believe in God. Some people have a distorted view of God. There were some of the God of their own imagination. The one that they themselves have design but for those that love God, the true God, the God who is the creator to them that are the called according to his purpose. Ones that love God and the ones of the called according to his purpose. Because we love him because he first loved us so she wrong approach that the Syrians made wrong idea about God that we certainly want to reject rings ascent to think about a right attitude right attitude, we need to recall those former times that are described so often in Scripture, clearly indicating that God is not only the God of the kills, but the God of the family, and we must believe that these the same today. I think about Elijah when he was on Mount caramel wholehearted payback walks bailed cried and cooked themselves, but to all kinds of ceremonies, hoping that there God would rain down fire upon the sacrifice today pass. There was no answer because it was no hot Elijah praise Lord rained down fire from heaven, that this people may know how I'm servant in the fire look down out of the sky burned up the sacrifice burned at the altar and licked the water out of the ditch of the crime of the Lord he is God damn trial.

All oil must effectively indeed on top of the mountain is with us today, God is blessing God is lifting up his name.

God is glorified himself.

So in keeping with the law that idolatry should be put to death. Elijah had to profitably and then Jezebel sent word this time tomorrow you be day had a light lunch for his life goes some distance and lays down under the juniper tree and says it is enough. Lord, take my life.That a family he puts in a deep place a dark place is very man who had such triumph. On top of Mount caramel staff is down on the little Lord I just know no need to go on is God the God of the balance. Indeed, he was. He sent an angel to touch, woke him up and said, arise and eat. He gave him something to eat, to sustain he was there not only with the latch on the mountain but with Elijah in the Elijah had glorious consummation to his whole life that you could say was a mountain peak experience because it says the whole there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Talk about a great departure.

Yes, God protected his servant Jezebel didn't kill them and he went to heaven with a chariot of fire being caught up in the world be easy. The Scriptures abound with many clear evidences that God is the God not only of the kills but also of the bouts.

Sure, you can testify in your own experience that's been true. Along the journey of life yes will rejoice when the Lord lifts us up to the high places.

But when were traveling in the dark regions of the family. He is promised never to leave us to be with us even there. I hope that you will like this until next week.

At the same time with the Lord richly bless you all will and and and and Baptist Bible hour is come to you under the direction of Elder Lucero Bradley Junior, pastor of the Cincinnati primitive Baptist Church address all mailed to the Baptist Bible are Cincinnati, OH 45217. That's the Baptist Bible are Cincinnati, OH 45217 and will and in