RESTORED TO USEFULNESS

We seem to hear increasingly of some well-known pastor who has fallen. For those who don’t make national headlines, there are others in small churches who resign in disgrace.  Is it more rampant, or more publicized? I suspect the former.

Be that as it may—how does it happen and can such a man ever be restored to usefulness?  2 Kings 6:1-7 gives us some guidance.

Consider, THE USEFULNESS THAT IS REQUIRED.   “And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, ‘See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us. Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.’ So he answered, ‘Go.’ Then one said, ‘Please consent to go with your servants.’ And he answered, ‘I will go.’ So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.” (v.1-4).  We need servants of God who are usable for there is much to be done. Our usefulness for God requires vision and vigor.

There was VISION (v.1-2).  They saw the need and were moved to meet it. Do you have a burden for the work of God to progress? They called upon Elisha to oversee the project (v.3-4a). Leadership is pivotal for progress to be made.

There was VIGOR (v.4b).  The vision is pursued with vigor! There comes a point when inspiration must give way to perspiration. You need a dream, but a dream isn’t enough. Daydreamers never accomplish anything.

Then, we find THE USEFULNESS THAT IS REMOVED.  “But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, ‘Alas, master! For it was borrowed.’” (v.5).  There will be no success without activity, but activity alone doesn’t insure achievement.

Ponder THE LOAN OF OUR ABILITY, “it was borrowed.”  The ability of the man to chop the tree wasn’t his own, but it was borrowed. Every now and then I’m listening to Rush Limbaugh and he says of himself, “Talent on loan from God.” Well it is. We are stewards—our gifts and abilities are on loan from God. We are going to give an account one day.

Then comes THE LOSS OF OUR ABILITY  “the iron ax head fell into the water.”  He became lax. He didn’t notice that the head of the ax was loosening. His laxity led to looseness and his looseness to loss. We can get so busy working that we stop watching. Jesus warned, “Watch and pray lest you fall into temptation.” If we are so busy in the work of God that we neglect the worship of God we are headed for a fall. Little by little this leads to loose living and loose living eventually leads to lost usefulness.

Thankfully there is THE USEFULNESS THAT IS RESTORED,  “So the man of God said, ‘Where did it fall?’ And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. Therefore he said, ‘Pick it up for yourself.’ So he reached out his hand and took it.” (v.6-7).

Restored usefulness requires A REPENTANT CONFESSION  (v.5b-6a).  He mourned over his loss. He confessed and acknowledged the place where it was lost. There is a godly sorrow that leads to repentance. After Peter denied Jesus, his bitter tears were the seeds of fruitful restoration. You get back on the road of righteousness where you took the devil’s detour. Where did you fall? Confess it to God with sincerity.

Then there follows A RENEWED COMMITMENT (v.6b-7). The stick causes me to think of another piece of wood—the cross. That cross is the source of our cleansing, but it is also the standard of our commitment. You must die to self to be useful for God.

We can be restored also. Where did you fall? How did it happen? Will you repent and seek God’s forgiveness? Come to the cross and you can be restored.  It might be a difference place or a different position, but you can yet make a difference IF you will do DIFFERENTLY.

THE SHOWING OF MERCY AND LONG-SUFFERING

“However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.” (1 Timothy‬ ‭1:16‬‬)

Paul was overwhelmed by the thought that God would be merciful to him.  He described the way he was in 1 Timothy 1:13,15, “although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ...This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”

Imagine, this great defender of the faith had once been a denier of it.  He who became an apostle had been an antagonist. Paul identified himself as the biggest sinner in the world. That’s how he felt. But God had shown him mercy and had been long-suffering with him. None in the church would have suspected what their enemy would become,  but God changed him. That’s what He does—and He transformed me too!

How much God put up with in suffering so long with me!  I did virtually everything I could to die and go to hell, but He pursued me relentlessly!  God spared me and saved me.

He is patient and merciful each day. But, even though God is slow to anger, the flood of wrath building day by day will eventually burst through. None who have not cried out for mercy will then be spared.

What do we need to do about this truth? As a sinner without Christ, I must repent.  I must cry out as the wicked tax-collector, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18:13). As one saved by Christ, I ought rejoice.  I must proclaim with Paul that God has spared the chief of sinners!

Then, to us who have been shown mercy, we must show mercy.  We cannot expect God to give mercy to us, if we fail to grant mercy to others.  Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt.5:7). I ought to be able to suffer long with others like me, when a holy God has suffered long with me.  If I cannot express mercy and long-suffering, it means that I have not experienced it!

THE SUPPLY OF MERCY AND LONG-SUFFERING

David declares in Psalm 86:15 that God is “Long-suffering and abundant in mercy and truth.”  As there is a difference between grace and mercy, there is a difference between God’s long-suffering and His mercy, too.  Mercy has pity for the sinner while long-suffering has patience with the sinner.

Long-suffering does not arise from God’s lacking ability to judge us, but in loving power to restrain that ability.  Consider, Nahum 1:3.  “The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.”  Sin will eventually be judged if there is no repentance—usually delayed, though not ultimately denied.

Scripture is replete with examples.

Think of how patient God was in dealing with the first sinners, Adam and Eve—how He sought them and clothed them and though they were sentenced with death, that death was 930 years later for Adam. God endured the wickedness of the population during Noah’s day for 120 years, before sending the flood. The vile citizens of Sodom had occasion to turn to God, and Lot the opportunity to flee, because God responded to Abraham’s intercession. Pharaoh went through a season of plagues to pressure him, 10 in all, God being patient with Pharaoh’s obstinence. The iniquity of the Amorites meant Israel was enslaved for 400 years, until their “cup was full,” and God brought Israel out and then up into the land to judge the people of Canaan.  Jonah preached, “Yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be destroyed.”  Those pagans merited judgment, but a long-suffering God gave them opportunity to repent. They did and were spared, until they backslid. Over and again, God restrained His wrath upon Israel—the repeated condition of that nation throughout its history until the present day—and still God is not through with them.

God warns and waits and works so that when people repent then He extends mercy.  How patient God has been to me!  We should all praise Him that He is long-suffering!

THE SOURCE OF MERCY AND LONG-SUFFERING

“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.”
(Ps.86:15)

Out of the infinite fullness of a long-suffering God—from the bottomless well of His compassion and grace—flows the abundant mercy we must have.

Why would God be merciful?  Why would He be long-suffering?

You know what “long-suffering” is, don’t you?  Turn the word around—it is to suffer long with a problem or a person—and in this case God finds the problem is with the person—our sinful heart!  We are stiff-necked, stubborn, self-willed and self-absorbed.  Thankfully, Almighty God is patient with us.  He endures that we ignore Him, or worse deny Him, or even worse hate Him.

Why?  Because that is His nature.  God is love, and His love reaches out to those who merit His wrath.

Christ’s nail-scarred hand reaches out to lift us from our sin and deliver us from judgment, and what do we do?  We slap it away.  Then He reaches out again, and we jerk back.  Still, His long-suffering mercy is extended—for how long?

Not forever.  If we insist on our own way, there will come a time that even the patience of God reaches its limit and in holiness, compassion gives way to condemnation.

How does grace compare to mercy?  Think of it this way—grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve—heaven—while mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve—hell.

Thank God for His mercy and long-suffering!

THE MERCY AND LONG-SUFFERING OF GOD

“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” (Psalm 86:15)

I heard a story about a notorious criminal who was behind bars.  His trial would begin the next day.  He asked the prison guard to summon the chaplain.  Arriving at the prison cell, the chaplain was surprised to see the man reading his Bible. The preacher commented on that and the man behind bars replied, “I’m looking for a loophole!”  The convict, then asked the chaplain to pray for him.  The preacher asked, “Do you want me to pray for justice to be done?” Horrified he yelled, “No!  Pray for mercy!  I need mercy, and not justice!”  That’s true for all of us.  Thankfully, the God of justice is also a God full of mercy and one who is long-suffering.

That is what I need.  It is what you need. It is what we may have if we will repent of our sins and seek the Lord.

MENTORS FOR MEN OF GOD

Mentor was the elderly friend and adviser of Odysseus, hero of Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey. When Odysseus went to fight in the Trojan War, he made Mentor the guardian of his son, Telemachus. From this name, we get our English term for a faithful and wise counselor. Mentoring is the process where the teacher’s life and teaching is poured into the disciple. We recognize it in the relationship of Moses and Joshua, of Elijah and Elisha in our text, of Jesus and the Twelve, and of Paul and Timothy.

Let’s consider first THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MENTORING PROCESS (2 Kings 2:1-11).  The Great Commission is about mentoring—reaching people and teaching people.

GOD HAS A SET TIME FOR HIS PEOPLE (v.1,11).  Elijah had a deadline he was going to keep. So do we. Therefore we must redeem the time and make our days count. The greatest thing we can leave behind is a heritage of faith that has been embraced by another generation.

GOD HAS A SUSTAINED TASK IN HIS PURPOSE (v.9).  God’s people come and go, but God’s purpose remains fixed. The mentor cultivates an understanding of the work to be done and develops a desire in the one mentored to continue that work. The bond between mentor and pupil is crucial (v.9-10).

Then, there is THE INTENTION OF THE MENTORING PROCESS (v.12-18).  The intent of the mentoring process is that the work continues undisrupted by the absence of the mentor.

Note THE SEVERING OF THE RELATIONSHIP (v.12).  The tearing of his garments was not only a sign of his dismay, but also a symbol of his dividing asunder from Elijah. The test of a successful mentor is whether the one mentored can stand alone.

Next we have THE SEIZING OF THE RESPONSIBILITY (v.13-15).  Elisha takes up the mantle and ministry of Elijah. An important part of that ministry was mentoring, so he will assume that role also. He will mentor the sons of the prophets. Paul told Timothy to take that which he taught him and commit it to faithful men who could teach others also (2 Tim.2:2).

We’ve seen the importance and intention of the mentoring process, and conclude with THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE MENTORING PROCESS (v.19-25).  There are profound implications when true mentoring occurs.

One of the unmistakable results is THERE WILL BE MINISTRY(v.19-22).  These people had a problem and turned to the man of God for a solution.  Anyone can spot problems, but good leaders solve problems.

THERE WILL BE AUTHORITY (v.23-25).  Those who mock God will mock us—we can expect it. But heavenly authority rests upon us. God will settle the scores.

Have you matured to the place where you can be a mentor? If not, are you being mentored so you can mature?

There is no success without a successor. God help us to become like Christ and be able to say with Paul, “Follow me in the same way I follow Christ.”

GOD IS JUST TO PUNISH THE SINNERS WITH WRATH

We are all sinners. It is the nature with which we are born and is reinforced by the rebellious choices we make in disobeying God. All of us deserve the wrath of God and He would not be unjust to condemn us all. God in His grace and mercy, however, has made provision in the cross of Christ for sinners to be saved.

Who will be condemned?  “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess.1:8)

They are “those who do not know God.”  Now, they may know about God, but do not know Him personally. Here is how Jesus described the saved, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (‭‭John‬ ‭17:3‬)

The condemned are also “those who do not obey the gospel.” The Gospel is faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ that will save us.  We obey when we receive Christ as Lord and Savior.

Some think God will not cast sinners into hell because God is love.  But, His love means He hates sin.  Love cannot be coerced, so a loving God will not force us to love Him back.  A good judge must punish criminals or he is evil.

What is the punishment?

There will be painful tribulation, “since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,” (2 Thess.1:6). Even as they have made the people of God suffer, the wicked will reap what they have sown. The punishment fits the crime.

There will be infernal retribution, “in flaming fire,” (2 Thess.1:8a). This is hell—the Lake of Fire.  “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev.20:15‬).

There will be eternal destruction, “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,” (2 Thess.1:9). A million years later, the wicked will still be in hell, and a trillion trillion, and forever.

But, you don’t have to go there. Call upon the name of the Lord, and you will be saved (Rom.10:13).

RETRIBUTION OR REST?

“since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:6-8‬‬)

We are going to spend eternity somewhere—heaven or hell. We can receive retribution, paying the price for what we have earned as we experience the justice and wrath of God, or we can enter rest, because Christ paid the price for us in suffering the wrath and justice demanded in His death on the cross.

What is the “rest” Paul mentions here?  This is how it is described in Revelation 14:13, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.“‘ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’”

This eternal rest is heaven—the everlasting home of the saints.  It is the place where we will abide in the presence of God in the fullness of His glory, where we will worship Christ and see Him face to face, where we will be united with loved ones gone before us, and where there will be no sin, no sorrow, no sickness—no more.

What a day that will be!  Give praise to God who sent His Son to die that we might live, to suffer the punishment we merit so we can have His merits by faith and enter His rest!

SAINTS SAVED FROM WRATH

The saints do not have to fear the day they stand before God, as Paul speaks of that time, “when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:10-12)

There is a difference between saints and sinners. God distinguishes between those who are delivered from wrath and those who are destined for it.  As the old song says, “Oh Lord I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in!”‬‬ So, who are the saints?  Let’s look to 2 Thessalonians 1 for answers.

They are all those in the church. Paul writes to those “in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (v.1). We are doomed if we are judged for what we do. Our deliverance is based in what Christ has done and our identification with Him and His righteousness imputed to us by faith.

The saints have experienced ”grace” and “peace” (v.2).  It is not our goodness, for we have none. It is the grace of God that brings us peace with God.

Saints are people of “faith” and “love” (v.3). If the root of salvation rests in the love of Christ and His gift received in faith, then there will be the fruit of a genuine experience with God—namely a growing faith and abounding love.

They are given grace to persevere with “patience and faith in all your tribulations that you endure,” (v.4).  We are not saved because we endure, but we endure because we are saved.

The saints have taken up the cross. “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer” (v.5).  God makes us worthy as we die to sin and live to God.  Our sufferings at the hands of sinners are evidence of God’s righteous judgment—using evil for good in our lives now—a temporal fire of refining—and storing up wrath for the wicked who seem to get by now—an eternal fire of retribution.  The former purifies saints for heaven and the latter punishes sinners in hell.

Furthermore, saints glorify God. Twice in verses 10-12, Paul mentions Christ being “glorified” in His people. Saints have found the chief end of man, “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”  Therefore, we anticipate His coming in glory with delight and not dread!

I remind you that these are not qualities possessed by a select group of Christians as contrasted to your “run of the mill” bunch of believers. The saints are all those who are saved. Saints are saved sinners. Will you be in that number?

GOD IS JUST TO PRESERVE THE SAINTS FROM WRATH

The greatest mystery is not that some will be sentenced to hell, but that any are saved into heaven.  God would be just to condemn all sinners and that is what we all are.  The saints, however, will be saved.  Notice what Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7:

“which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,”

These sinners who are saved have become “saints,” as the Apostle designates them in verse ten. The word means “set apart,” and suggests that those who are saved are different from others.  But, “saints” does not mean a special class of Christian, as some false teaching, especially Romanism states.  The New Testament is clear that all the saved are saints.  We are sinners set apart from other sinners.  God has set us apart in election—calling us in sovereign grace unto Himself.  We are set apart from the world and unto the Lord.

The issue is, “How can a just God justify unjust sinners without compromising His justice?  How can those deserving wrath be delivered from wrath and God maintain His righteousness?  How can those fit for hell be fitted for heaven without God sullying His holiness?”

There is only one answer. God has poured out His righteous judgment that we deserve on His Son, Who freely took upon Himself that condemnation I deserve, “to demonstrate...His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”  As John Newton penned, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!”

THE JUSTICE AND WRATH OF GOD

“in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)

What percentage of sermons yesterday focused on the wrath of God? Less than 1%? That is just a guess, of course. One thing I am confident of—there were not many.

Among books written for the church world, you will find many categories devoted to favorite authors, best sellers, family life, Bible study, spiritual growth, and such. Rightfully so. But, you are not going to find many books on the wrath of God.

If you are listening to popular Christian songs, how many even mention the wrath of God?  A few, but they are the exception.

Candidly, it is not something I enjoy thinking about. I find no pleasure in preaching on the subject. But, if I am going to be faithful to Christ and to my call, I cannot neglect the topic. Did you realize that Jesus said more about hell than He said about heaven?

Yet, most preachers shun the topic and many Christians are uncomfortable discussing it.  If we are going to have a proper understanding of God then we can’t avoid it.  So, the justice and wrath of God will be our focus in this week’s study. May God use this truth to drive us to our knees in repentance and disturb us concerning those without Christ, so that we share the Gospel with them.

THE CONTEST ON CARMEL

“And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.” (1 Kings‬ ‭18:21‬)

1 person + God = a majority. God told one man, Elijah, to go on the offensive and challenge the devil’s crowd to a duel. That is the kind of faith that forges victory. Too often, God’s people have a fortress mentality. We view ourselves as outnumbered and outgunned, just hoping we can hold on. Yet, Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt.16:18). The church is to be militant and triumphant, as we storm the gates of hell!  We are meant to confront the vile values, vain philosophies, and virulent deceptions of our day.

When I was young, I recall the Ali-Frazier boxing match, “The Thrilla in Manila,’ and the Foreman-Ali bout, “The Rumble in the Jungle.”  1 Kings 18 gives us a ringside seat for “The Contest on Carmel.”

There was A CHALLENGE TO A DUEL (v.1-19). The wicked King Ahab and his demonic Queen Jezebel were in power.  The false worship of Baal permeated Israel. Here we encounter the god-fearing Obadiah, who was holding to faith in God, even while serving in the polluted palace of Ahab and Jezebel. Of course, there stands stalwart Elijah—one prophet challenging 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah to a duel!  God always has a people who will stand up and speak out. Will you?

Then, there is A CALL FOR A DECISION (v.20-40). There is no place for fence-straddling. God wants us hot or cold, but not lukewarm. It nauseates Him. Elijah would repair the altar. That is the place of consecration. We need to go all in!  He would prepare the sacrifice. That is the place of expectation. We need a faith that overcomes our fear. Then followed prayer. That is the place of intercession.  An ordinary prayer can bring extraordinary results!  The response of the people was to worship God, when the fire fell!

The saga closes with A CRY FOR A DOWNPOUR (v.41-46). Elijah had prayed and the heavens were shut. He prays again and the heavens open. James tells us this, ““Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” (James‬ ‭5:16-18‬). Only a praying church is a powerful church. We stand strongest when we kneel weakest.

LOVE DEMANDED

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:11-16).

Those who are saved love God and love those made in His image.  Jesus summed up all the demands of God in that.

Love is about giving—of ourselves—our time, talent, and treasure.  Without this our claim is contradicted.

When I got saved, nobody had to beg me to attend worship, read God’s love letter—the Bible, converse with the Lover of my soul in prayer, tell others about Him, get busy serving Him, and give my tithes and offerings in response to His gift of love. How could I not after all God had done for me, and the love that Jesus showed?

The power of love will transform you, your church, and your community!  Nothing is more important!

LOVE DEMONSTRATED

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

Our ideas of love often involve words—saying, “I love you,” writing a love note, sending a card, or singing a love song.  God has said that He loves us, but it goes beyond words.

Often we think of love as a special feeling we have—and doubtless God has an incredible feeling of compassion towards us, but it goes beyond a feeling.

Love is an action.  God did something—and the  giving of His Son is the indescribable demonstration!  We may be tempted at times to doubt God’s love, when we face trials and tragedies, but I ask you to look at Calvary and you cannot question God’s love!

That love was not given to the deserving, but to the damnable.  He loved us when we did not love Him!

Many try to make Allah the same as Yahweh.  They are not.  Islam’s god loves those who love him.  He gives his love to those who earn it.  Christianity’s God loves all—even the infidel.

He has paid the price for our sins. That is the meaning of “propitiation.”  It declares God’s wrath that we merit has been appeased because of Christ’s death in our place.

Although God loves all people, those who are His children receive a special love.   “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John‬ ‭3:1-2‬)

LOVE DEFINED

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8).

Since the world doesn’t really know what true love is all about—what they usually call love is actually lust—we need to be sure we understand it.  There were three basic Greek words used in the first century to define love.

The first was eros—from which we get the word “erotic,” which has to do with sensual, sexual expressions of love.  While it is true that our world often engages in this kind of love in an impure and self-centered way—it is not something dirty, but was the gift of God for a husband and wife to enjoy intimacy with one another.

Another word for love is phileo—from which we get the name of our city “Philadelphia”—meaning city of brotherly love.  This is seen in friendship, loyalty and charity—and to that extent it is a good thing.

The word used here, however, is “agape” and that is God’s kind of love—unselfish and sacrificial—given for the sake of another.  Only the believer can know and give such love.  It is the presence of the Spirit of God within the child of God that enables him or her to exhibit the fruit of love.

May it be abundantly seen in our lives today!

THE LOVE OF GOD

“You’d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs
I look around me and I see it isn’t so
Some people want to fill this world with silly love songs
And what’s wrong with that?  I’d like to know.”

So sang Paul McCartney in 1976.  He should know about silly love songs because one of the first ones he did with the Beatles had these brilliant lyrics,

“She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves you yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah.”

It was released one day before my eighth birthday, and was the Beatles best-selling single—and they sold a lot of records!

Love songs will continue to be written and recorded because love is a fundamental human desire.  All of us want to give and receive love.  Though sin has twisted and warped love’s meaning and expression, love—in its pure form—is nevertheless connected with our Creator.  Plainly, Scripture says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8b).

That was a radical concept in the ancient world.  Their gods were full of hate, jealousy, lust, and deception—taking advantage of and toying with humans for their own selfish whims.  The Bible shouts, “No!  God is nothing like that!”  This week, we will learn more of the love of God and see the difference that makes in our relationship with Him and with others.

AGAINST THE FLOOD

“And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.’” (I Kings 17:1)

God promised, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him” (Isa.59:19). Ahab and Jezebel unleashed a flood of evil upon the nation of Israel, and seemed to be washing away the culture in a tsunami of idolatry. Yet, true to His Word, God raised up Elijah as His standard-bearer. The prophet was waiting in the wings and bursts onto the scene dramatically. We know virtually nothing about his background. The strategic point is he was God’s man for the hour, with a message from God and miracles from God to attest to his calling. He serves the Living Lord who created man and not a dead idol whom man created. He serves the God of Israel and not Baal of Canaan. God confirms the call of Elijah by sending a drought, showing He is sovereign over nature, and not the fertility gods of the heathen. Drought was one of the ways God said He would chasten His people when they sinned.  “And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron. The LORD will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.” (‭‭Deut.28:23-24‬). God can bring a nation—no matter how powerful they think they are—to its knees. He is looking for those who will carry the standard of Scripture and stand against the flood of wickedness. Will you be one?

HOLY FIRE

“For our God is a consuming fire.” (‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:29‬‬)

Seven simple words—and yet they have such profound implications.  Fire is to be respected. It is a powerful force that can create comfort or cause catastrophe.  Thus, it serves as a graphic image of the holiness of God.

Several years ago we had devastating fires in several areas of these western North Carolina mountains I live in. Yet, the amazing thing is that when the fire passes, it leads to the regenerating of the forest.  New green shoots push up through the gray ash and past the blackened embers. God will do that someday as He brings the final judgment on this old world order, and from that establish the eternal one.  Peter speaks of it:

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter‬ ‭3:10-13‬)

The holy fire of God should have a refining effect on us—consuming the dross from our life, so that only the purest gold of faith remains. It ought to compel us with urgency to seek to reach those threatened by the flames of wrath to come.

God appeared in the fire of burning bush, a pillar of fire in the wilderness, in the fire that glowed between the cherubim in the ark of the covenant, and in the fire that fell at Pentecost. In each case that fire conveyed the holy comfort of God’s presence among His people. As fire warms the home in winter, so the heart-warming presence of God abides with us.

But, there is also the fire that fell on Sodom, destroying that wicked city and its perverse populace. Consider, also, the holy fire that consumed Nadab and Abihu.  They put an unholy fire in the censers as they ministered as priests—rebelling against God’s clear direction and profaning His worship.  You can read of it in Leviticus 10. Most horrible of all is the Lake of Fire—the final state of the wicked.

Have you repented of your sins and received Christ by faith?  If you have not, there is no more urgent matter.  If you have, then you know others who have not—reach out to them in love!

THE TRANSFORMATIONAL ASPECT OF GOD’S HOLINESS

“as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”  (1 Pet.1:14-16)

Believers are already holy positionally—that’s who we are in Christ.  Peter spoke of that previously. “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (v.2-3).
‭‭
We will be holy perfectly—that’s what we become when we see Jesus.  Again, not the Apostle’s words, “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”(1:4-5).

What Peter is calling us to in v.14-16 is to be holy progressively—that’s our response to the grace that saves us and the glory that secures us—the godliness that sanctifies us.  We are not to live as we once did, for we are not what we once were!  The Holy Spirit indwells us to purify us.  Peter speaks of “obedient children” who take on the Father’s likeness.  We are not to be conformed—our conduct shaped from the pressure of our peers, but be transformed—by a renewed mind (see Rom.12:2, as contrasted to “your ignorance.”)

We have discovered the liberating power of truth!  The Psalmist said, “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. ” (Ps.119:11). The more we get the Word into us, the more it will get the world out of us.

THE FUNDAMENTAL DEMAND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:” (Heb.12:14).

Here God sets the fundamental demand for a relationship with Him.  Yet, we recognize that we fall far short of that standard—unless we try to deceive ourselves and make ourselves better than we are.

Heaven is the holy habitation of God and none can dwell there without holiness.  “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.” (Matt.5:8). Yet, I find my heart is desperately wicked!  Jesus demands, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt.5:20). How hard it would be to measure up to the religious standard of the Pharisees, and yet Christ says we must exceed it!

How good do you have to be to get to heaven?  You must be as good as God and as perfect as Jesus Christ!  There is only one way that can be—the righteousness of Christ being imputed to us.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.... For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” (Rom.5:1-2, 6-11).

A holy God hates sin and it must be punished.  God visited His wrath upon His Son so that we sinners might be forgiven—and Christ’s righteousness given to those who place their faith in Him!  We can never measure up to God’s absolute standard by our own religious zeal.  We don’t have to.  For this I have Christ!

THE ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTE OF GOD

“‘Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?’” (Exodus‬ ‭15:11‬‬)

The holiness of God is beyond our imagination and human vocabulary.  Any type of false god—the product of man’s thought—no matter how great, cannot compare to the greatness of the true and living God. He is uniquely holy.  It is His chief attribute and the pinnacle of perfection—absolute purity.

There can be no comparison—the holiest of people have a holiness that is given to them by God’s grace and the holy angels have a holiness that was created in them by God’s design.  God’s holiness, however, is the essence of all He is and the ultimate expression of Himself.

God’s holiness neither increases nor diminishes—without it He would not be God.  In Isaiah 6:3, the seraphim encircle the throne and continually cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts.” Though holy beings relative to us, in relation to God, they cover their face, such is the holiness of His person. The seraphim do not sing, “Omnipotent, omnipotent, omnipotent,” or “Eternal, eternal, eternal,”—though they might.  Instead, they are overwhelmed by this most glorious holiness.

God does not measure up to a standard of purity—He is the standard!  It is the crowning glory of all God’s perfections.  His power is a holy power or God would be a tyrant.  His wisdom is a holy wisdom or God would use it to plot our destruction.  His patience is a holy patience or it would be indulgence.  His wrath is a holy wrath or He would be a monster.  Holiness is all God is and does—the essential attribute of God.

To be in awe of His glory is to be amazed at His grace—that we could ever approach Him and abide with Him.  Yet, that is the very thing Christ, in His holiness, has attained for us!

THE HOLINESS OF GOD

“The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!’” (Revelation 4:8)

When I say the word, “Holy,” what is your first reaction?

For many it will be a negative.  They will think of someone, “holier-than-thou,” as in a self-righteous person.  Another negative response would be if someone was out of what we would call a “holiness” denomination that is legalistic—with a lot of rules and regulations—many do’s and don’ts—with most of them don’ts.

But, all that is a distortion.  When I say the word holy, your first thought should be, “God.” The word means, “set apart.”  Thus God is set apart from us absolutely in His person and His practice. This is the holiness of God. He is “other than,” above and beyond all—incomparable.

This is the subject of our study in this week’s devotional.  I hope you will join us each day. This can be life-changing!

FAITHFUL TO THE CALL

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,” (I Timothy‬ ‭1:12‬‬)

In Gospel ministry, it is easy for the pastor to be focused on fruitfulness. He looks for results—with a twofold temptation. He may be discouraged when the numbers of people professing faith and attending worship are in decline. He is tempted to give up. If, on the other hand, it is a season of growth—more bottoms in the pews and more bucks in the plate, he may be tempted to puff up.

It isn’t that fruitfulness is unimportant. Jesus said that the Father is glorified when we bear much fruit (John 15:8). The key to such fruitfulness is abiding in Christ—a vital and vibrant connection to His life within us (John 15:1-7). Yet, our ability to discern how fruitful we are is not always easily measured here and must await the judgment of Christ hereafter. A congregation may increase numerically through carnal means—a mile wide and an inch deep—or, the soil may be rocky, shallow, and weed-infested in the main (Matt.13:3-7) with small numbers growing spiritually (v.8) in ways hard to detect—such as in love (John 15:9, 17), obedience (v.10), joy (v.11), devotion to Christ (v.12-15), answered prayer (v.16). The church may not attract a lot of people, but be scorned by the world (v.17-25). The rejection of the world may indicate their connection to Christ!

So, yes, seek to be fruitful in ministry, but focus on being faithful. Our fruitfulness, as God evaluates it, will rest in our faithfulness. A farmer may be faithful in a season of drought and see little fruit. There are some things beyond his control. What is always within his control is faithfulness to the task. Thus, God is looking for faithful men. Paul rejoices in our text that God had “counted me faithful.”

Although we must surrender ourselves in sacrificial service to the Lord, nonetheless this is an indicator of God’s grace at work in us and through us, so that even in this we must give Him glory and not claim it for ourselves. Paul speaks of how God employed him—“putting me into the ministry”—and enabled him—“Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me.”  As the Apostle was grateful for the grace of a call to Gospel ministry, so must we, who have such an assignment, be filled with awe that God would choose us!

So, as a pastor facing another Lord’s Day tomorrow, let us prepare our souls spiritually in seeking the Spirit of God and prepare our sermons dutifully in studying God’s Word. Then, let us be faithful to preach the truth in love, without fear or favor, trusting in God to make us fruitful.

THE RESULTS OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS, Part 2

God’s faithfulness is for His glory, but also for our good. Yesterday, we learned that His faithfulness results in God saving and sanctifying us (1 Cor.1:9; 10:13; 1 Thess.5:23-24)

Today, we will note three additional results.  Because He is faithful:

• GOD SHAPES US.

“I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.” (Ps.119:75)

The troubles that come our way are not meant to harm us, but to help us. These problems are the pressures of life that the Potter uses to shape our human clay into the image of Christ.

• GOD SECURES US.

“Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” (Lam.3:22-23)

We can be secure in knowing that God is faithful to extend to us mercies every morning. We are not consumed with the condemnation we deserve, because God is consumed with the compassion He desires. We may fail, but He will be faithful.

• GOD STABILIZES US.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb.10:23). This does not mean that our faithfulness is insignificant, but that it grows out of God’s faithfulness to us. We can hold fast to our confession because God holds fast to His children. We may be unwavering in our stand for God is unmoving in His stability—and our feet rest on that Rock!  God’s faithfulness is the root of which our faithfulness is the fruit.

How wonderful is our Mighty God!  Great is His faithfulness. Again this morning I find mercies for the multitude of my sins. Compassions are abundant for my need is great. As the sun rises, God’s faithfulness dawns anew for me!

THE RESULTS OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS, Part 1

What a precious truth this is—a source of joy and peace.  The results of the faithfulness of God means:

• GOD SAVES US. “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor.1:9). If we are saved it is because God is faithful to call us by the Gospel, convict us by the Spirit, and convert us through faith in Christ—nothing we have done, but because of what He has done.

• GOD SANCTIFIES US. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor.10:13). God is faithful to provide us the way to escape sin’s appeals and the will to endure Satan’s attacks. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” (1 Thess.5:23-24). God not only sets us apart from sin, He separates us for Himself.

Here are two results of the faithfulness of God. Tomorrow, God willing,  we will explore three more. Let us praise our faithful God today and give thanks that He saves and sanctifies us!

THE REVELATION OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

From the beginning of the Bible, we read the revelation of the faithfulness of God.  Here are a few examples that we can see in our day that have been present since the dawn of time.

The faithfulness of God is revealed IN THE SEASONS.

“‘While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.’” (Gen.8:22)

As I write this, some of the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn. The changing of the seasons illustrates God’s faithfulness.  It happens every year just as He promised.

The faithfulness of God is also revealed IN THE SIGN.

“‘Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ And God said: ‘This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.’”(Gen.9:11-13)

Every time you see a rainbow it is a reminder of the faithfulness of God to His promise—a reminder of His wrath and mercy.

Then, the faithfulness of God is revealed IN THE SEED.

“Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’” (Gen.12:1-3)

There are many “ites” in the Bible—Midianites, Girgashites, Edomites, Hittites.  You’ve never met them for they are no more.  One group remains—Israelites!  God is faithful to His covenant though the Jews have been unfaithful to Him, and have faced genocide repeatedly.  Still they remain, while the mighty empires opposing them have crumbled—Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and Nazi Germany.

Should you be tempted to doubt the faithfulness of God to His Word, look at the changing of the seasons, the presence of the rainbow, and the existence of a small nation surrounded by foes in the Middle East.

THE ROOT OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS

God’s faithfulness is rooted in His unchanging nature. Note how the Psalmist contrasts the changing conditions in earth with the changeless character of Eternal God.

“Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.” (Psalms‬ ‭102:25-27‬‬)

 Everything about us is changing.  It has been said there are only two certainties in life—death and taxes.  I would add a third: change.  Our bodies change—just get out some old pictures!  The stars and the earth are more stable than many things, yet even they are said to change.  Creation changes, but the Creator cannot.

His faithfulness is rooted in His immutability—He does not change. If you use the prefix “im” it means, “not.” So, if something is immovable—it is not movable.  To mutate means to change, so if you put im in front, “immutable,” it means not mutating—not changing.

The unchanging nature, character, and attributes of God are bound up with His faithfulness.  The hymn we sang testifies to this,

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD

Did you know a broken clock is right twice a day?  Here are the words of a false prophet that are true. “‘God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?’” (Numbers‬ ‭23:19‬‬). Balak, king of Moab, tried to hire Balaam, a false prophet, to curse Israel.  God would not permit it for His intention was to bless His people. So, instead of lies emerging from his lips, truth was told.  We affirm the faithfulness of God that Balaam decreed.

The late J. Robertson McQuilken was a wonderful man of God who served as President of Columbia International University for twenty two years.  In 1990, he resigned his position that he might care for his wife who had Alzheimer’s.

 Here is what McQuilken wrote about the faithfulness of his wife and why he would be faithful to her:

The board arranged for a companion to stay in our home so I could go daily to the office. During those two years it became increasingly difficult to keep Muriel home. As soon as I left, she would take out after me. With me, she was content; without me, she was distressed, sometimes terror stricken. The walk to school is a mile round trip. She would make that trip as many as ten times a day. Sometimes at night, when I helped her undress, I found bloody feet. When I told our family doctor, he choked up. “Such love,” he said simply. Then, after a moment, “I have a theory that the characteristics developed across the years come out at times like these.” I wish I loved God like that—desperate to be near him at all times. Thus she teaches me, day by day.

If you have time check out the audio of his resignation here:

.

That touches us at a profound level because we realize that such a display of faithfulness is rare among humans. Yet, as inspiring as this is, it is but a shadow compared to the incomparable faithfulness of Almighty God.

God is always faithful. He is perfectly and preeminently so. That is what we will expound and exult over in our devotional series this week.

THE DUTY OF DEACONS

“Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.” (‭‭I Timothy‬ ‭3:8-10‬‬)

Notice how Paul concludes his qualifications for pastors by seamlessly transitioning into a discussion of the deacons. The qualifications are virtually the same. It isn’t that Scripture commands of deacons to be of a moral character different than other Christians, but rather exemplary in it. Church leaders model their faith. That’s how they lead.

It is servant leadership that is the duty of deacons. The Greek word translates, “servant” and the Greek word, or a form of it, is so rendered elsewhere. Literally, it means, “through dust,” and is a picture of a faithful servant kicking up dust in his pursuit of his labor. The deacon is a man who rolls up his sleeves and isn’t afraid of doing the dirty work, the sweaty stuff, that is required for a ministry to be sustained and strengthened.

He sees himself as a partner with his pastor—freeing him to fulfill his call to minister the Word and prayer. Acts 6, many believe, shows the origin of deacon ministry, and the need for preachers to fulfill their responsibility then demanded Spirit-filled, faithful men to handle the needs of a growing congregation.

They are models in their marriages, showing leadership skills in how they guide their family. They are active in their church, displaying character and conviction. They are respected in the world, giving no cause for accusation that is justified.

Such men are to be commended. “For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim.3:13). Thank God for good deacons!

FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHURCH

“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:24-29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The church will not rise above the level of commitment expressed by her leaders.  Paul was passionate and productive, “for the sake of His body, which is the church” (Col.1:24).  I want to challenge every leader—myself included—to elevate their effort for the sake of Christ’s body, the church.  I want to challenge those who are not in positions of leadership to pray for and encourage those who are—and to consider getting busy yourself!

There are several imperatives for us to follow in Colossians 1:24-29.

1. SUFFERING FOR THE CAUSE (v.24)   Why did Paul joyfully suffer?  It was for the cause of Christ; for “you,” he says—meaning the church.  We are familiar with the physical fitness mantra, “No pain; no gain.”  That is true spiritually, as well.  Every leader God uses has been forged in the fire of difficulty.  This wasn’t theoretical to Paul.  Note the word, “now,” and be reminded that as he was writing it was from a prison.  He was suffering in jail—his only crime being faithfulness to Christ.  But, he rejoiced!

2. STEWARDSHIP OF THE CAUSE (v.25-27)   Mark the word, “stewardship.”  It’s about more than money.  Paul was called to be a “minister.”  That word has to do with service.  Each of us has a work to do for God.  A steward was a household manager who took care of his master’s assets.  That’s what we do in the House of God.  Paul was a minister of the Word—a mystery he was unveiling.  The Apostle was part of a great movement to spread the Gospel around the world.

3. SUCCESS IN THE CAUSE (v.28)   Paul was a man of focus!  Benjamin Disraeli said, “The secret of success is constancy of purpose.”  D.L. Moody stated, “Give me a man that says, ‘This one thing I do,’ not ‘these fifty things I dabble in.’”  Paul had a laser-like intensity in his mission—to proclaim Jesus!  This is the church’s mission and is to be the leaders’ passion.  We cannot allow anything to distract us.

4. STRENGTH FOR THE CAUSE (v.29) Spiritual responsibilities demand supernatural resources. We are not smart enough to lead the church properly. We are not strong enough to lead the church productively. God wants to work in us and through us. This work is the work of God and He alone can do it, but remember this lesson I heard from John Maxwell years ago, “Apart from God, we cannot, and apart from us, God will not.”

THE MEANING OF GOD’S OMNISCIENCE

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ‘For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?’” (Romans‬ ‭11:33-34‬)

Understanding the meaning of God’s omniscience leads to rest and wisdom for us. The practical implications of this on our earthly pilgrimage are many.

When there are things that I cannot understand of the ways of God, I am confronted with the truth that He knows what I do not.  I can rest in His perfect knowledge.

There are things I can learn, but did you know God has never learned anything?  God is not seeking our advice.  Listen, though, to how we pray at times—and I’ve done it too—“Oh God you know Bill is over there in the hospital…” to which God does not respond, “Thank you!  I had no idea!”

Often my prayers are attempts to persuade God that I know best.  We may become petulant and peevish—even bitter.  God knows what He is doing—and always does what He is knowing!  This means that even though He doesn’t need my direction, that I can learn to listen to His!  Seeking the mind of God is where to find wisdom.

Before time began, God knew this day in your life would come.  He knew you’d be reading this because it wield speak to you.  God knows fully all and you need and has already planned to provide it.  When a need arises, it is merely God’s way of telling you that He already has the provision waiting!

This is what it means for us that God is omniscient.

THE MAJESTY OF GOD’S OMNISCIENCE

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ‘For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?’” (Romans‬ ‭11:33-34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Considering the majesty of God’s omniscience leads to rejoicing and worship.  Paul’s attitude see in this passage is that of rejoicing and worship in response to God’s omniscience.  This man had seen things none of us have ever seen and heard things that none of us have ever heard.  He was caught up into the third heaven (2 Cor.12) and had things revealed that he was forbidden to tell.  Still, his breath is taken away and he is left reeling, overwhelmed by the majesty of God’s omniscience!

Listen—the experience of genuine worship grows out of the contemplation of God’s greatness.  Most of what we call worship is superficial—rooted in emotion alone.  A lot of what happens in churches today is man-centered fluff.  It’s about my preferences, my style, what floats my boat, and makes me feel good.  True worship is being captivated with God.  It is an encounter with Him that flows from our grasp of truth, awakens our emotions to love and adore Him, and brings us our knees in commitment to serve Him.

The omniscience of God is but one part of God’s majestic being, and yet that alone should be sufficient to ignite rejoicing and worship as we consider it!

THE MAGNITUDE OF GOD’S OMNISCIENCE

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ‘For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?’” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭11:33-34‬)

 Meditating on the magnitude of God’s omniscience leads us to reverence and wonder.  Paul uses the word, “depth” here to measure the magnitude of God’s wisdom and knowledge.  As soon as I begin to think about this subject I realize that I am out of my depth—that God’s knowledge far exceeds not only my understanding but even the ability  to understand how great is God’s understanding.  I don’t even know how much I don’t know—and neither do you!

God’s judgments are described as “unsearchable”—that is, begin today and make it your lifetime pursuit—combine that with the knowledge of every man and angel—and you will not even have scratched the surface of what God knows!  We will never know all that God knows. The Scripture speaks of God’s omniscience as, “His ways past finding out!”  We will have all eternity to relentlessly pursue knowing all God knows and never know it all!

This should fill us with reverence and wonder—to be in awe of such a God.  Worship Him today. Let Him direct your path. He already knows the end of your day before you take a step!

THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ‘For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?’” (Romans 11:33-34)

Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?  I first heard one of our former staff pastors, Terry Hollifield, say this, and it has stuck with me.

God has all knowledge.  This is what we mean by omniscience—omni “all” and science “knowledge.”

Last week we saw that God is omnipotent—all-powerful.  Today we begin to ponder the fact that He is omniscient—all-knowing.

He knows our steps before we take them.  God knows our deeds before we do them. He knows our words before we speak them, and our thoughts before we think them.  Let’s stretch our minds by exploring this attribute of God—an exploration of a Subject that will never end—not even for eternity—as God is an infinite being!  We can know more, yet can never know all He knows,  but will still be better in the knowing of what we may know.

THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD: THE TRIUMPH WE CAN EXPERIENCE

“and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” (Eph.1:19-21‬)

If we could have our eyes opened to the power that is ours. Paul knew and would proclaim, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”(Phil.4:13).

This is power to carry out the Great Commission—that’s what Jesus promised, the early church experienced, and is ours if we would claim it!  This is power to drive back the darkness.  Demons shrieked in fear of Jesus and were driven out by Him.  Paul said in Rom.16:20, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.”  But, it is not in our strength, but in our weakness, that we know God’s power.  Paul records this in 2 Cor.12.  Read the whole text, and note this truth, “And He said, ‘My strength is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (v.9)

You may feel very tired today. I can identify. Here is a promise from Almighty God to lift you:

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isa.40:28-31‬)

THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD: THE TRUST WE CAN HAVE

“For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37)

When God gives a promise, He delivers!

TRUST HIM TO SAVE YOU.  “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Heb.7:25). He lifts us from the “gutter-most” and saves us to the uttermost!  You are never so bad, He cannot cleanse you; never so far gone, He cannot reach you. Call on the Savior!

TRUST HIM TO SANCTIFY YOU. “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”  (Heb.2:18). The old boy said, “I can overcome anything except temptation!”  You may not, but God can. He will come  to your aid and fend away the foe, if you will cry to Him.
‭‭
TRUST HIM TO SECURE YOU. “concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” (Heb.11:19).  Death is our gravest fear, and yet death is not match for the Lord of Life!

What do we have to worry about?

Our faith is too feeble because we do not meditate on the magnitude of His might.  Our prayers are too puny because our faith is too feeble to dare ask big things.  Our work is too weak because our prayers are too puny.  Consequently, the church today whines instead of wins, and has a siege mentality instead of a storm the gates of hell spirit.  Remember and rest in the assurance that nothing is impossible with our omnipotent God!

THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD: THE TRUTH WE CAN KNOW

Scripture is quite clear—from Genesis to Revelation—that God is omnipotent.  In Genesis, He speaks and by the sheer power of His Word, He calls all that we see into existence.  In Revelation 19:6, we find the only use of the word omnipotent, “Alleluia!  For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”  70 times, God is identified as the Almighty.  God is so identified with power that the two words are used interchangeably. “Jesus said, ‘I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” (Mk.14:62).

Whatever God wills, He works. “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,”(Eph.1:11).  We cannot ask for anything too large and cannot think of something that would strain Him.  “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” (Eph.3:20).

This is a basic attribute—and harmonizes with God’s other attributes.  For example, God is eternal—so it is impossible for Him to age and die; He is holy—so it is impossible for Him to sin; He is all-knowing—so it is impossible for Him to be mistaken; He is faithful and true—so it is impossible for Him to lie. That doesn’t contradict the truth—each attribute complements all.

HIS POWER IS SEEN IN CREATION.  “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance?” (Isa.40:12).

HIS POWER IS SEEN IN GOVERNANCE.  “Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.” (Isa.40:15-17).  Even Satan is under His control (as seen in the book of Job).

HIS POWER IS SEEN IN SALVATION.  “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken....  O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.” (Isa.40:3-5, 9-11).  God did the impossible in a virgin bearing a child—God made flesh.  Jesus wrought miracles, bore the sins of all, conquered death, ascended to heaven and will return in power and glory!

HIS POWER IS SEEN IN JUDGMENT.  “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.” (Isa.40:22-24).

And so I join the multitude in heaven exclaiming, ““Alleluia!  For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”

THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD

“‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You....Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah‬ ‭32:17, 27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Is anything too hard for the Lord?  Of course not!  God has all power.  That is what the word omnipotence means.

Probably the most powerful force in nature I have ever experienced was Hurricane Hugo.  It roared onto shore near Charleston, SC on Sept.22, 1989.  The storm had lost none of its fury when it reached our home near Charlotte, NC.  Transformers exploded as power lines fell. In the darkness, you could hear the windows creaking as the winds pushed against the glass.  Then, massive trees were uprooted, shaking the house as they fell.

Yet, that was one storm.  God sent a storm to arrest a fugitive named Jonah who was fleeing the will of God.  Jesus spoke to a storm on the Sea of Galilee and demanded it to hush—and there was instant calm.

Is anything too hard for the Lord?  No matter what your need, despite the lack of resources you have, there is infinite power in the God you call upon. Rest in that!