Devoting themselves to the Will of the Father. In trials, God humbles his people and teaches them to depend solely on himnot their gifts or abilities. These accounts are in the Bible to bring home to us the danger that we ourselves are in. He was in prison because Christ allowed itChrist was his captor. First Peter 4:3-4 says. The power of this demon had created doubt in the hearts of the disciples, and therefore they didnt really believe God could work through them. Grace will be taken for granted. When Jobs camels were kidnapped by raiders, he didnt blame them. This is also true of every faithful servant of the gospel. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Ephesians 3:2-3 in the ESV says, assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of Gods grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation. The NIV calls this stewardship an administration. Paul calls himself a steward of this mystery and later a servant of the gospel (3:7). And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also. The angels understood Gods righteousness, holiness, and wrath. Are you sharing the Word of God with everybody? In Ephesians 2:6-7 Paul says. If our honest answers to these questions reflect the definition of love we find in 1 Corinthians 13, then we are truly servants of God. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. Some here today have known Gods love, but you have been lulled to sleep by Satan. This is true for all who humble themselves before God and others; they receive grace. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the. This is important because if Gods servants dont see him as sovereign, they often become bitter when bad things happen. Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations!For you have played the harlot, forsaking your God.You have loved harlots earnings on every threshing floor. Your silver has become dross,Your drink diluted with water. In order to grow in humility, we must practice humility by submitting to others and putting them first. You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord drives you. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against the Lord, and that person is guilty. Our focus is on what we can give to others, not what were trying to get for ourselves. In verse 1, he says, For this reason. Then, almost abruptly, he explains his authority as a steward and servant of the gospel, as if some were not aware of it. In the book of Acts, we see God begin to reveal this mystery.