"Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters." Psalm 114:8
According to the laws of nature and the laws of physics it is impossible to turn a rock into water or flint into water. A rock has a solid form and water is a liquid. A rock is unbending, unyielding, firm, substantial. Water is free flowing, it's shapeless taking on the form of whatever it comes in contact with, very yielding, fluid. They are two completely opposites. It is also impossible for water to "stand up". It doesn't take an educated person to know this- even children know this is impossible. The only way it could ever happen was if the God who can do the impossible steps into the picture. And when He does- nothing becomes impossible.
The Lord wants to encourage you this morning by reminding you that it doesn't matter how impossible the situation you are going through looks, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He turned a rock into water once, He can do it again. He did it in the past to meet the need of His people, He can do it again to meet your need. He can do it--- there is nothing impossible for Him!
Have a great day. He can turn your rock into water.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
"It's Amazing"
"What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Psalm 8:4
We know that God, because He is God, is more awesome and amazing than we can truly fathom. But this morning I want to tell you what's "THE" most amazing thing about God.
It's not His mighty power or His ability to do the impossible. It's not His great strength. It's not the fact that He can speak into nothing and create everything. It's not the fact that He rides upon the wings of the wind, or uses the earth as a footstool, or causes the small hills to leap and jump at His presence. Neither is it the fact that He calls all the stars in all the galaxies by name. The most amazing thing about God is not that He knows the number of hair on my head and keeps a running total because each day the number changes. It's not because God can see so far ahead into the future that He knows the day of your death before you were even born. The most amazing thing about Him is not His miracle working power. It's not even the fact that He is present everywhere all at the same time.
The most amazing thing about God is the fact that He loves me!!! That is more amazing than anything that He is or does. The fact that God would even notice me, that He would love me, and care for me- I who am made lower than the angels- is more than I can comprehend. I am totally amazed when I think of how sinful, how rebellious, the enemy I was to God, how I fought against Him, how I am the least of the least, wretched man that I am, so undeserving of this wonderful God to even look in my direction, much less love me- yet He does. That is the most amazing thing you will ever realize about God.
The fact that He loves this unlovable person is amazing in and of itself, but that He would go further than that by giving His life for me- it's not only amazing, it's mind boggling! We may never be able to figure it out, we know we certainly don't deserve it, we may never understand it, but God who is Omni, who is the Creator, the King of glory, the True and Living God, the one who is worshipped and adored by all the host of heaven...takes note of me and pushed everything out of the way to reach me with His love.
Have a great day. I have used the word "me" this morning, but it includes "you"- it's amazing that He even wants to have anything to do with us but He does! That's the most amazing thing about God.
We know that God, because He is God, is more awesome and amazing than we can truly fathom. But this morning I want to tell you what's "THE" most amazing thing about God.
It's not His mighty power or His ability to do the impossible. It's not His great strength. It's not the fact that He can speak into nothing and create everything. It's not the fact that He rides upon the wings of the wind, or uses the earth as a footstool, or causes the small hills to leap and jump at His presence. Neither is it the fact that He calls all the stars in all the galaxies by name. The most amazing thing about God is not that He knows the number of hair on my head and keeps a running total because each day the number changes. It's not because God can see so far ahead into the future that He knows the day of your death before you were even born. The most amazing thing about Him is not His miracle working power. It's not even the fact that He is present everywhere all at the same time.
The most amazing thing about God is the fact that He loves me!!! That is more amazing than anything that He is or does. The fact that God would even notice me, that He would love me, and care for me- I who am made lower than the angels- is more than I can comprehend. I am totally amazed when I think of how sinful, how rebellious, the enemy I was to God, how I fought against Him, how I am the least of the least, wretched man that I am, so undeserving of this wonderful God to even look in my direction, much less love me- yet He does. That is the most amazing thing you will ever realize about God.
The fact that He loves this unlovable person is amazing in and of itself, but that He would go further than that by giving His life for me- it's not only amazing, it's mind boggling! We may never be able to figure it out, we know we certainly don't deserve it, we may never understand it, but God who is Omni, who is the Creator, the King of glory, the True and Living God, the one who is worshipped and adored by all the host of heaven...takes note of me and pushed everything out of the way to reach me with His love.
Have a great day. I have used the word "me" this morning, but it includes "you"- it's amazing that He even wants to have anything to do with us but He does! That's the most amazing thing about God.
Friday, September 26, 2008
"Personal Application"
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Romans 15:4
When you read the Bible, don't just read it from a historical point of view. Don't read it as a story or an account that just happened to someone else. Read it with you in mind. All the accounts that were written, all the events that took place, all the things that happened to it's characters were written for personal application as well.
Take the story of Peter walking on water. We all "walk on water"- living in victory above the circumstances of life. Then there is a point in our lives where we may take our eyes off of Jesus, when we do we start sinking no longer walking on top of them. How does this account in the life of Peter further apply to me? It shows me, through example, that if Jesus will lift Peter up when he called on Him, He'll do the same for me. That's one of the messages from the Lord that He was wanting to get to us. "When you fall, if you call, I'll be right there and save you."
When you read the story of the prodigal son, through this example the Lord is saying to you and me today that if we wander away, if we will repent and return He will receive us. He won't reject us, He won't turn His back on us, He won't condemn us, He won't scold us for doing it to ourselves and getting ourselves in that mess.
The story of David at Ziklag. When David and his men returned home, they discovered that the enemy had been there and stolen everything and had taken their families prisoner. The loss was so heart wrenching that David's men talked about killing him. David encouraged himself in the Lord- even in his time of deep grief and pain- and went to God for counsel. God told him what to do. God had not abandoned David- even in his greatest time of need. This was written for our benefit so that we would have a something to give us hope in our times of grief and sorrow. God shows us through this account that He is faithful and will be there for us.
The Bible is full of these examples from Genesis to Revelation. And they each one could easily have mine and your name of them. So when you read them, apply them personally to your life. If God showed mercy, if He showed grace, if He gave strength, if He gave victory, if He saved, those whose names are written on it's pages, then you can trust and know through them that this is the same thing He will do for you and this is your answer in those times.
Have a great day. The things that happened to them happen to me today, so the way God responded to them is the way He will respond to me- He shows me that through their example.
When you read the Bible, don't just read it from a historical point of view. Don't read it as a story or an account that just happened to someone else. Read it with you in mind. All the accounts that were written, all the events that took place, all the things that happened to it's characters were written for personal application as well.
Take the story of Peter walking on water. We all "walk on water"- living in victory above the circumstances of life. Then there is a point in our lives where we may take our eyes off of Jesus, when we do we start sinking no longer walking on top of them. How does this account in the life of Peter further apply to me? It shows me, through example, that if Jesus will lift Peter up when he called on Him, He'll do the same for me. That's one of the messages from the Lord that He was wanting to get to us. "When you fall, if you call, I'll be right there and save you."
When you read the story of the prodigal son, through this example the Lord is saying to you and me today that if we wander away, if we will repent and return He will receive us. He won't reject us, He won't turn His back on us, He won't condemn us, He won't scold us for doing it to ourselves and getting ourselves in that mess.
The story of David at Ziklag. When David and his men returned home, they discovered that the enemy had been there and stolen everything and had taken their families prisoner. The loss was so heart wrenching that David's men talked about killing him. David encouraged himself in the Lord- even in his time of deep grief and pain- and went to God for counsel. God told him what to do. God had not abandoned David- even in his greatest time of need. This was written for our benefit so that we would have a something to give us hope in our times of grief and sorrow. God shows us through this account that He is faithful and will be there for us.
The Bible is full of these examples from Genesis to Revelation. And they each one could easily have mine and your name of them. So when you read them, apply them personally to your life. If God showed mercy, if He showed grace, if He gave strength, if He gave victory, if He saved, those whose names are written on it's pages, then you can trust and know through them that this is the same thing He will do for you and this is your answer in those times.
Have a great day. The things that happened to them happen to me today, so the way God responded to them is the way He will respond to me- He shows me that through their example.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
"For This"
"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised..." Psalm 48:1a
There is a song that most of you are familiar with, it's entitled, "For Every Mountain". There is a line in the song that says, "For this I give you praise". I want to talk about the "this" this morning. What is "this" that you give God praise for?
I have a long list of "this". For waking me up this morning- for "this" I give Him praise. For waking me up with a sound mind, with a roof over my head, with food in my cupboard- for "this" I give Him praise. For writing my name in the Lamb's book of life, for forgiving all my iniquities, for healing all my diseases, for choosing me, for loving me, for dying for me, for rescuing me, for redeeming me from the curse of the law, for paying the ransom for my sins-- for "this" I give Him praise! For His loving-kindness, His tender mercies, His grace, His faithfulness to me, His peace that settles my heart and mind, His joy that is my strength, His strength that is made perfect in my weakness- for "this" I give Him praise. For hearing my prayers and answering them, for never leaving me nor forsaking me, for wisdom, for revelation knowledge, for the indwelling Holy Spirit, for an ear to hear what the Spirit says, for making me an heir and joint-heir, for allowing me the privilege of serving Him- for "this" I give Him praise. For my family, for my friends, for those that encourage me in the faith, for those who hold my hands up, for those who put an arm around me, who pray for me when I am cast down- for "this" I give Him praise. For being the glory and lifter of my head, for daily loading me with benefits, for being my shield and buckler, for not letting any weapon formed against me prosper, for the victory that overcomes the world, for making me more than a conqueror, for His word, for His armor, for every good an perfect gift- for "this" I give Him praise.
I have to stop, there is not enough space on this note or time to tell of all that I give Him praise for. My "this" turns into "these" with no problem. Think about the "this" in your life and take the time to give Him praise for it. My "this" praise list far outweighs my "this" problem list. As a matter of fact, when I start making my "this" praise list, the "this" problem list automatically begins to shrink because it will never be bigger than my God's ability to take care of that list.
Have a great day. For "this" I give Him praise!!
There is a song that most of you are familiar with, it's entitled, "For Every Mountain". There is a line in the song that says, "For this I give you praise". I want to talk about the "this" this morning. What is "this" that you give God praise for?
I have a long list of "this". For waking me up this morning- for "this" I give Him praise. For waking me up with a sound mind, with a roof over my head, with food in my cupboard- for "this" I give Him praise. For writing my name in the Lamb's book of life, for forgiving all my iniquities, for healing all my diseases, for choosing me, for loving me, for dying for me, for rescuing me, for redeeming me from the curse of the law, for paying the ransom for my sins-- for "this" I give Him praise! For His loving-kindness, His tender mercies, His grace, His faithfulness to me, His peace that settles my heart and mind, His joy that is my strength, His strength that is made perfect in my weakness- for "this" I give Him praise. For hearing my prayers and answering them, for never leaving me nor forsaking me, for wisdom, for revelation knowledge, for the indwelling Holy Spirit, for an ear to hear what the Spirit says, for making me an heir and joint-heir, for allowing me the privilege of serving Him- for "this" I give Him praise. For my family, for my friends, for those that encourage me in the faith, for those who hold my hands up, for those who put an arm around me, who pray for me when I am cast down- for "this" I give Him praise. For being the glory and lifter of my head, for daily loading me with benefits, for being my shield and buckler, for not letting any weapon formed against me prosper, for the victory that overcomes the world, for making me more than a conqueror, for His word, for His armor, for every good an perfect gift- for "this" I give Him praise.
I have to stop, there is not enough space on this note or time to tell of all that I give Him praise for. My "this" turns into "these" with no problem. Think about the "this" in your life and take the time to give Him praise for it. My "this" praise list far outweighs my "this" problem list. As a matter of fact, when I start making my "this" praise list, the "this" problem list automatically begins to shrink because it will never be bigger than my God's ability to take care of that list.
Have a great day. For "this" I give Him praise!!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
"Positioning You - Part 3"
"... from glory to glory..." 2 Corinthians 3:18
For the last couple of days we have been talking about some lessons that we can learn from the life of Abraham. This morning I would like to continue. As I was thinking about God telling him to leave his home and travel to an unspecified place and how he had obeyed God, I thought about a greater test of obedience that laid before him in the future--- the sacrifice of his son. If Abraham had not passed this first test he would not be ready for this test involving his son.
God's plan for us is a plan that involves process. We want everything now, we don't want to wait, we want to jump right to the top, we want the big first. That is not the way God operates in our lives. He starts us off at the bottom and we start the process of moving to the top. He starts us with small then He gives us bigger. He gives us milk to drink before He gives us meat to eat. He starts us low and goes high. He starts us off slow and then goes faster. He starts us with baby steps before we start running. He starts us off with little before He moves us to more. He starts us with few before He gives us many. "...thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things..." (Matthew 25:21)
Moses' first encounter with God was on the desert floor, then he went up the mountain and met Him. Joseph started off as a slave in Potaphar's house, then he was promoted to the palace to rule Egypt. David faced a lion and a bear, then he was ready to face the giant. The three Hebrews faced the trial of leaving their homeland before they faced the furnace trial. Daniel set as a student in the king's palace as a prisoner before he sat as a ruler in that nation. Esther was a captive before she became a queen. Are you getting the picture?
We are all in a process. If you will remember that it will help you when you get frustrated that you aren't seeing bigger, more, better, much. Remember that God's process goes from down to up, small to large, little to much, less to more.
Have a great day. Don't get discouraged in the process. We all have to start somewhere and God's somewhere to start starts us low.
For the last couple of days we have been talking about some lessons that we can learn from the life of Abraham. This morning I would like to continue. As I was thinking about God telling him to leave his home and travel to an unspecified place and how he had obeyed God, I thought about a greater test of obedience that laid before him in the future--- the sacrifice of his son. If Abraham had not passed this first test he would not be ready for this test involving his son.
God's plan for us is a plan that involves process. We want everything now, we don't want to wait, we want to jump right to the top, we want the big first. That is not the way God operates in our lives. He starts us off at the bottom and we start the process of moving to the top. He starts us with small then He gives us bigger. He gives us milk to drink before He gives us meat to eat. He starts us low and goes high. He starts us off slow and then goes faster. He starts us with baby steps before we start running. He starts us off with little before He moves us to more. He starts us with few before He gives us many. "...thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things..." (Matthew 25:21)
Moses' first encounter with God was on the desert floor, then he went up the mountain and met Him. Joseph started off as a slave in Potaphar's house, then he was promoted to the palace to rule Egypt. David faced a lion and a bear, then he was ready to face the giant. The three Hebrews faced the trial of leaving their homeland before they faced the furnace trial. Daniel set as a student in the king's palace as a prisoner before he sat as a ruler in that nation. Esther was a captive before she became a queen. Are you getting the picture?
We are all in a process. If you will remember that it will help you when you get frustrated that you aren't seeing bigger, more, better, much. Remember that God's process goes from down to up, small to large, little to much, less to more.
Have a great day. Don't get discouraged in the process. We all have to start somewhere and God's somewhere to start starts us low.
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