God's way is not methodological

DIOCESE OF MINNA

CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. PETER, MINNA

Sunday, Trinity X, August 24, 2014

Preacher:  Prof. Job N Nmadu

Theme: Doing God’s work God’s own way (2 Timothy 2:5)

“An athlete who runs in a race cannot win the prize unless he obeys the rules.”

God deals with us in an individual, specific way and not by any way which we can easily repeat, replicate, retry or modify in doing his work. Therefore we need to go back to God to receive instruction at each step, each day. Note that God’s way is:

1.           Not general

2.           Not historical

3.           Not a formula

4.           Not methodical (PCC: Parochial or Parish)

5.           Not be experience

6.           Not by common sense

7.           Not problem-solving approach

8.           Not demand-driven

9.           Not trial and error

10.        Not accidental discovery

Examples

Billy Graham and Kenneth Hagin in praying for people.

Abraham went to Egypt Gen. 12:10 and Gerar Gen. 20:1-2, Isaac sojourned in Gerar Gen. 26: 1-12,

Jacob receives blessings and in Laban’s farm Gen. 27-33.

Battle of Jericho, Ai: Joshua 6; 7

Feeding of 5000 by Jesus Matthew 14: 14-21and then 4000 Matthew 15:32-39

Giving to God and receiving from Him Luke 6:38, Matthew 14:20, 15:37

Hezekiah and the Babylonian ambassadors 2 Chronicle 32:31

2Ch 32:30-31 “It was King Hezekiah who blocked the outlet for Gihon Spring and channeled the water to flow through a tunnel to a point inside the walls of Jerusalem. Hezekiah succeeded in everything he did, and even when the Babylonian ambassadors came to inquire about the unusual event that had happened in the land, God let Hezekiah go his own way only in order to test his character.”

Crossing of the red Sea by Moses in Exodus 14 and crossing of the Jordan by Elijah then Elisha in II Kings 2