Wouldn't it be nice if everything was perfect? Wouldn't it be nice if life was stable and constant, and you always knew what was coming and what to expect? We all know that life isn't this way but wouldn't it be nice if it was?
At first glance, this would seem to be true. However, if life was perfect and predictable, we would have no need to develop our relationship with God. If our lives were perfect, we would have no need to rust God with important decisions, because there would never be any uncertainty.
Difficult situations full of uncertainty force us to trust God, and to believe that He really does know best. So when God takes us through trials, we learn that we really can trust God.
Dave Harvey suggests, "God delights to put us in this position because it postures us to depend on Him and to exercise faith towards Him. It's how He rescues us from the misplaced security that is such a consuming distraction in the postmodern world."
God is greater than we are, and He is capable of far more that we will ever be able to accomplish. However, we will never know this is true of God, if we aren't to accomplish. However, we will never know this is true of God, if we aren't allowed to experience it. The world will always try to convince that we do not need God. It offers sources of knowledge, entertainment and pleasure, power and money, and even security. The world offers everything from sex, drugs, money, friends, flat screen TVs, to civil rights groups, animal activists, music, art and theater. Yet the world cannot out match God. God offers something of more value than all the money in the world: grace, and an all-powerful capability to rescue us.
Living Life
Thursday, June 16, 2011
God Must Be All-Powerful
To be God requires being all-powerful. If God were not all-powerful, it would mean that there are events outside of His control. It would mean He wouldn't have absolute power to always and absolutely save us from our sins.
If God were every truly limited in power, it would have drastic consequences for all of creation. But as we walk in fellowship with God, we realize who He is. Furthermore, we realize the importance of declaring God as the All-powerful One. Arthur Pink says, "We cannot have a right conception of God unless we think of Him as all-powerful, as well as all-wise. He who cannot do what he will, and perform all his pleasure, cannot be God. As God has a will to resolve what He deems good, so has He power to execute His will."
God's power is evident in all of creation. Creation ranges from the incredibly complex to the wonderfully simple. God created plants, animals mountains and rivers, and He called it all good. God's power is evident in his preservation of his creation. Forests could not exist if God did not tend after them. He not only created the Universe and everything in it, but he allows it to continue to exist. If everything was randomly created, then it would follow logic that everything could randomly cease to exist. But God is in control, and this universe was not created by random chance. Good shows His divine power in our own lives through our testimony. Good continuous demonstrates His Almighty Power, so that we might glorify Him.
Living Life
If God were every truly limited in power, it would have drastic consequences for all of creation. But as we walk in fellowship with God, we realize who He is. Furthermore, we realize the importance of declaring God as the All-powerful One. Arthur Pink says, "We cannot have a right conception of God unless we think of Him as all-powerful, as well as all-wise. He who cannot do what he will, and perform all his pleasure, cannot be God. As God has a will to resolve what He deems good, so has He power to execute His will."
God's power is evident in all of creation. Creation ranges from the incredibly complex to the wonderfully simple. God created plants, animals mountains and rivers, and He called it all good. God's power is evident in his preservation of his creation. Forests could not exist if God did not tend after them. He not only created the Universe and everything in it, but he allows it to continue to exist. If everything was randomly created, then it would follow logic that everything could randomly cease to exist. But God is in control, and this universe was not created by random chance. Good shows His divine power in our own lives through our testimony. Good continuous demonstrates His Almighty Power, so that we might glorify Him.
Living Life
Omnipotent Holy Spirit
God is a jealous God. He proclaims that there is no other God but Him, and He will not tolerate the worship of other gods. Doesn't this idea of one God contradict the doctrine of the Trinity? The idea of the trinity is better understood in the context of water. Ice is a solid, water is a liquid, and water vapor is a gas. But in each phase or form, they are all still H2O. Their forms, properties and attributes change, but their chemical makeup does not. At their core, they all remain the same. Just as water is still water is whatever form it takes, God is still God in whatever form He takes.
God exists in three forms, which make up the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Of the three person of God, the Holy Spirit often comes under attack for not only being God, but being alive at all. Some cult prefer to think of the Holy Spirit as the magical power that God wields; or God's superhuman ability.
The Holy Spirit is not only alive, but He is God as well. Winfield Bevins lists some attributes of the Holy Spirit: "1. Omnipresent: The Holy Spirit is everywhere at all times (Psalms 139:7-10). 2.Omnipotent: The Holy Spirit is all-powerful (Luke 1:35). 3 Omniscient: The Holy Spirit has all knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). 4. Eternal: The Holy Spirit has no beginning and no end (Hebrews 9:14). 5 Holy: The Holy Spirit is wholly pure, perfect and sacred."
God may exist in different forms, but if God is omnipotent in one form, He remains omnipotent in another. After all, God makes it clear: God doesn't change who He is.
Living Life
God exists in three forms, which make up the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Of the three person of God, the Holy Spirit often comes under attack for not only being God, but being alive at all. Some cult prefer to think of the Holy Spirit as the magical power that God wields; or God's superhuman ability.
The Holy Spirit is not only alive, but He is God as well. Winfield Bevins lists some attributes of the Holy Spirit: "1. Omnipresent: The Holy Spirit is everywhere at all times (Psalms 139:7-10). 2.Omnipotent: The Holy Spirit is all-powerful (Luke 1:35). 3 Omniscient: The Holy Spirit has all knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). 4. Eternal: The Holy Spirit has no beginning and no end (Hebrews 9:14). 5 Holy: The Holy Spirit is wholly pure, perfect and sacred."
God may exist in different forms, but if God is omnipotent in one form, He remains omnipotent in another. After all, God makes it clear: God doesn't change who He is.
Living Life
I AM WHO I AM
When you meet someone for the first time, how do you introduce yourself? Do you prefer to be known by the job or position that you hold at work? Are you typically known for your academic prowess, your organization skills, or perhaps a dry sense of humor?
When God visits Abraham in Genesis 17:1, He describes Himself as God Almighty to signify that He is fully equipped to provide Abraham with a natural son through his wife, Sarah, even though they are both well past the age of having children. Later, God declares, "I AM WHO I AM" or "I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE" (these are pronounced as YAHWEH in Hebrew) to Moses to reaffirm His might in Exodus 3:14.
John Piper argues that God revealed His different names in this order for a purpose: "The name YAHWEH is a greater name than the name GOD ALMIGHTY... If Israel learned the first-grade lesson that their God is I AM WHO I AM, they will be all the more courageous." This is a lesson still applies to us today. Long ago, God declared that He is the Almighty One. In our daily lives, God is the Almighty One. When things are difficult, stressful, painful, or impossible, God is the Almighty One. The reassurance that we take from this, is that God is fully capable and fully powerful in any circumstance. The statement where God says He is I AM, should remind us, that God will not change. So take this heart: God says, "I am Almighty God, and I AM WHO I AM." Or in other words " I am Almighty God, and I act like it."
Living Life
When God visits Abraham in Genesis 17:1, He describes Himself as God Almighty to signify that He is fully equipped to provide Abraham with a natural son through his wife, Sarah, even though they are both well past the age of having children. Later, God declares, "I AM WHO I AM" or "I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE" (these are pronounced as YAHWEH in Hebrew) to Moses to reaffirm His might in Exodus 3:14.
John Piper argues that God revealed His different names in this order for a purpose: "The name YAHWEH is a greater name than the name GOD ALMIGHTY... If Israel learned the first-grade lesson that their God is I AM WHO I AM, they will be all the more courageous." This is a lesson still applies to us today. Long ago, God declared that He is the Almighty One. In our daily lives, God is the Almighty One. When things are difficult, stressful, painful, or impossible, God is the Almighty One. The reassurance that we take from this, is that God is fully capable and fully powerful in any circumstance. The statement where God says He is I AM, should remind us, that God will not change. So take this heart: God says, "I am Almighty God, and I AM WHO I AM." Or in other words " I am Almighty God, and I act like it."
Living Life
The Almight Alpha and Omega
How do you know God? How do you feel that relate with Jesus? Would you be most likely to describe Him as your friend, father, or provider? There are many titles that are associated with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; one name for God that is more readily brushed off (possibly because we find it harder to relate to) is Alpha and Omega.
The terms alpha and omega come from the ancient Greek alphabet. Just as the English alphabet beings with A and ends with Z, so the Greek alphabet beings with alpha (A) and ends with omega (Ω). Jesus Christ claims the title for Himself in Revelation 1:11 and again in Revelation 22:13. Mike Bickle argues, "We can't just take Revelation 1:11 and separate it and just study 'Jesus: the Alpha and Omega.' It's in the context of the prophecy He's giving to John. He's saying, 'John, you have to know I am the A to Z of love. I am the A to Z of power. I am the A to Z of strategic of wisdom. I am the A to Z of what it means to be God.'"
Dictionaries list every word in English from A to Z. Obviously, not every language uses the same alphabet, but the point remains the same. If a word exists, it will be in a dictionary. Dictionaries, in a sense, house the complete lexicon of a language. Jesus Christ is then painting in a very vivid picture that all things, ALL things, being and end with Him.
Living Life
The terms alpha and omega come from the ancient Greek alphabet. Just as the English alphabet beings with A and ends with Z, so the Greek alphabet beings with alpha (A) and ends with omega (Ω). Jesus Christ claims the title for Himself in Revelation 1:11 and again in Revelation 22:13. Mike Bickle argues, "We can't just take Revelation 1:11 and separate it and just study 'Jesus: the Alpha and Omega.' It's in the context of the prophecy He's giving to John. He's saying, 'John, you have to know I am the A to Z of love. I am the A to Z of power. I am the A to Z of strategic of wisdom. I am the A to Z of what it means to be God.'"
Dictionaries list every word in English from A to Z. Obviously, not every language uses the same alphabet, but the point remains the same. If a word exists, it will be in a dictionary. Dictionaries, in a sense, house the complete lexicon of a language. Jesus Christ is then painting in a very vivid picture that all things, ALL things, being and end with Him.
Living Life
Finite needs, Infinte God
We need many things to survive. Without some source of food, water, shelter, warmth, and air we will die. Humans also, at some point or another, need community, money, joy, sleep and love. We require many things - some tangible and other intangible - in our lives in order to simply exist. We need much more in order to thrive in our lifetime.
In order to thrive, we require a relationship with God. We require healthy relationships, and meaningful work or experiences.
Trying to have all our needs and wants met can be very stressful. Everyone wants to have a full, if not meaningful life. However, we are not always blessed with a good job, nor are we always blessed with shelter. These are physical needs, and some may argue that our spiritual needs are more important than our physical needs. But our God does not diminish our needs, be they mental, physical, emotionally or spiritual. God desires to meet all our needs. John MacDuff says, "Your need is great. From the humblest crumb of providential goodness, up to the richest blessing of Divine grace, you are hanging from moment to moment a pensioner on Jehovah's bounty! But, fear not! 'I am the Almighty God!' Finite necessities can never exhaust infinte fullness. 'My God shall supply all your needs!'"
Of all our great needs, we need to realize that our list is still finite. We will only ever need a certain amount of food in our lifetime. We will only ever have a set amount of experiences. But however our needs manifest, they will never outweigh nor surmount what God is capapble of giving us.
Living Life
In order to thrive, we require a relationship with God. We require healthy relationships, and meaningful work or experiences.
Trying to have all our needs and wants met can be very stressful. Everyone wants to have a full, if not meaningful life. However, we are not always blessed with a good job, nor are we always blessed with shelter. These are physical needs, and some may argue that our spiritual needs are more important than our physical needs. But our God does not diminish our needs, be they mental, physical, emotionally or spiritual. God desires to meet all our needs. John MacDuff says, "Your need is great. From the humblest crumb of providential goodness, up to the richest blessing of Divine grace, you are hanging from moment to moment a pensioner on Jehovah's bounty! But, fear not! 'I am the Almighty God!' Finite necessities can never exhaust infinte fullness. 'My God shall supply all your needs!'"
Of all our great needs, we need to realize that our list is still finite. We will only ever need a certain amount of food in our lifetime. We will only ever have a set amount of experiences. But however our needs manifest, they will never outweigh nor surmount what God is capapble of giving us.
Living Life
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