It is my belief, that you can limit God with the unbelief in your life.
My first example, is when Moses sent 12 (church leaders) spies into Canaan. Read the whole story in Numbers 13 and 14, here are the highlights:
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.”
25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.
27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” (Read unbelief)
30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” 6 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.”
(Read faith in God)
The congregation chose to believe the bad report and it cost them their lives in the wilderness. Their families had to wait 40 years for the Word of God to come to pass.
28 Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: 29 The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. 30 Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. 31 But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. 32 But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection. 35 I the LORD have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’”
36 Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, 37 those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
Now I want everyone reading this to understand, I am not saying God's word will not come to pass or we can limit what God says in His word. As you know, Israel entered the Promised Land 40 years later. My point is, you can limit God in your life. If you choose not to believe, it can cost you your life as well.
I believe it is the individual believers that limit God in their own life, but the word of God has no limits and will come to pass. Because of your unbelief, God might not be able to use you to bring His word to pass in your life. Your unbelief can also negatively affect the lives of those around you.
Know this, I am not saying you can stop the word of God from coming to pass. I am saying you can limit its power in your life.
Here is one last scripture, to make my point.
40 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness,
And grieved Him in the desert! 41 Yes, again and again they tempted God,
And limited the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember His power:
The day when He redeemed them from the enemy, (Emphasis mine)
They limited God by their forgetfulness and unbelief. I have much more to say but this looks like a good stopping point. Meditate on these until tomorrow.
Can you Limit God?-Part 1
Showing posts with label Sovereignty of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sovereignty of God. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
If Jesus is Sitting, Someone needs to Stand
If the Bible is the truth, and I am sure it is. Then Jesus Christ is sitting at the right hand of the Father, right now.
He is making intersession for us but He (Jesus) is finished with all He was sent here to do. I covered this on Friday, but now someone (read the church) needs to stand.
What does that mean exactly? It means when Satan starts spreading all of his lies and deception in your life, use the authority Jesus won back at Calvary, to stand against him. The Bible is clear on this, read James 4:6,7:
6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
How do you win against Satan in your life? It is right here; humble yourself before God, submit yourself to God, then resist the devil and he will flee from you.
The word says resist, which means to actively stand against or withstand. This means to do more than say, "I need you to leave me alone devil." I read this as saying after you have humbled yourself and submitted to God's word, you than have the power to overcome the devil.
Why would Jesus leave this world and sit down in heaven, if He did not give you the power to overcome the enemy? He did and you can, but it takes effort on your part. That is where many get tripped up, they think God and Satan are some how working as a team to "make you stronger" by allowing Satan to pound you. That does not happen.
Satan is defeated and only has the power over you that you give him. I know that puts the responsibility on you but it is your life, your free will and so God is counting on you to choose His truth over Satan's lies.
So my post reads if Jesus is sitting someone needs to stand. Read what Paul says in Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Emphasis mine)
Do you think Paul is talking to you? If you are part of the body of Christ, you are exactly who he is talking to. So humble yourself and admit to yourself that without Jesus you are nothing. Next, submit yourself to God's word. (Learn it and live it.) Then take your stand against a defeated enemy. I have covered this before but notice it says "wiles" of the devil. Not power of the devil but lies, deception schemes etc.
Wow, I wasn't even going to post anything today but this is what was on my heart, I hope it speaks to yours.
He is making intersession for us but He (Jesus) is finished with all He was sent here to do. I covered this on Friday, but now someone (read the church) needs to stand.
What does that mean exactly? It means when Satan starts spreading all of his lies and deception in your life, use the authority Jesus won back at Calvary, to stand against him. The Bible is clear on this, read James 4:6,7:
6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
How do you win against Satan in your life? It is right here; humble yourself before God, submit yourself to God, then resist the devil and he will flee from you.
The word says resist, which means to actively stand against or withstand. This means to do more than say, "I need you to leave me alone devil." I read this as saying after you have humbled yourself and submitted to God's word, you than have the power to overcome the devil.
Why would Jesus leave this world and sit down in heaven, if He did not give you the power to overcome the enemy? He did and you can, but it takes effort on your part. That is where many get tripped up, they think God and Satan are some how working as a team to "make you stronger" by allowing Satan to pound you. That does not happen.
Satan is defeated and only has the power over you that you give him. I know that puts the responsibility on you but it is your life, your free will and so God is counting on you to choose His truth over Satan's lies.
So my post reads if Jesus is sitting someone needs to stand. Read what Paul says in Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Emphasis mine)
Do you think Paul is talking to you? If you are part of the body of Christ, you are exactly who he is talking to. So humble yourself and admit to yourself that without Jesus you are nothing. Next, submit yourself to God's word. (Learn it and live it.) Then take your stand against a defeated enemy. I have covered this before but notice it says "wiles" of the devil. Not power of the devil but lies, deception schemes etc.
Wow, I wasn't even going to post anything today but this is what was on my heart, I hope it speaks to yours.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
What so Good about Good Friday?
It took me almost 30 years to confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart God raised Him from the dead. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior but I have not always been a follower. With that said, I sometimes have a different perspective on Biblical teachings and events.
I always wondered why the church called if Good Friday if Jesus died. What was so good about death, I thought. To an outsider, it sure seemed silly but I didn't mind Easter because we had lots of chocolate and a big dinner.
But now Good Friday is special to me. After watching the Passion of the Christ I have a new visual playing in my head. Reading and meditating on Isaiah 52 and 53 I believe Mel Gibson went light on the way Christ looked. Mr. Gibson even said so in an interview. So what does this all mean?
Good Friday is followed by Easter and that is when the celebration begins but Jesus' sacrifice on Good Friday paid for everything. When I say everything I mean a complete work, lacking nothing. Read 1 John 2:2
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
All sin past, present and future were paid on Good Friday. What about sickness? Great question, Isaiah prophesied about this before it happened in 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (Emphasis mine)
Peter wrote about this in a different tense in 1 Peter 2:24
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (Emphasis mine)
Isaiah wrote "You are healed" and Peter wrote "You were healed", same stripes, the only difference is one man saw into the future and the other looked back in the past. Why would God write this in His book? Because you are healed! It is a done deal just like salvation.
All sickness, like all sin, was also taken care of past, present and future. Jesus paid it all Good Friday. There is so much more He accomplished for you and I but time and space do not permit me to continue.
Meditate on Isaiah 52 and 53, and watch the Passion of the Christ. Jesus died for the whole world. This is the Atonement, it is the completed work. What a great God we serve.
I always wondered why the church called if Good Friday if Jesus died. What was so good about death, I thought. To an outsider, it sure seemed silly but I didn't mind Easter because we had lots of chocolate and a big dinner.
But now Good Friday is special to me. After watching the Passion of the Christ I have a new visual playing in my head. Reading and meditating on Isaiah 52 and 53 I believe Mel Gibson went light on the way Christ looked. Mr. Gibson even said so in an interview. So what does this all mean?
Good Friday is followed by Easter and that is when the celebration begins but Jesus' sacrifice on Good Friday paid for everything. When I say everything I mean a complete work, lacking nothing. Read 1 John 2:2
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
All sin past, present and future were paid on Good Friday. What about sickness? Great question, Isaiah prophesied about this before it happened in 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (Emphasis mine)
Peter wrote about this in a different tense in 1 Peter 2:24
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (Emphasis mine)
Isaiah wrote "You are healed" and Peter wrote "You were healed", same stripes, the only difference is one man saw into the future and the other looked back in the past. Why would God write this in His book? Because you are healed! It is a done deal just like salvation.
All sickness, like all sin, was also taken care of past, present and future. Jesus paid it all Good Friday. There is so much more He accomplished for you and I but time and space do not permit me to continue.
Meditate on Isaiah 52 and 53, and watch the Passion of the Christ. Jesus died for the whole world. This is the Atonement, it is the completed work. What a great God we serve.
Traditions of Man or the Word of God
Yesterday I opened a big ol' can and got some people stirred up. I am not saying I have all this figured out about the "Sovereignty of God" but where does it say in the Bible, God controls everything?
In Mark 7, Jesus teaches on defilement mostly, but I believe His teaching fits with what I have been saying.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
My question to you is this, "Is Sovereignty (total control) a truth or tradition of man?
Hear what Jesus said next:
13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
Remember a stronghold is a rigorously defended position. There are good and bad strongholds in your life that you defend daily. Some are traditions of man and not the truth of God. I am asking you to revisit where you heard the "Sovereignty of God" teaching and why you believe it.
Ask yourself this question, "Is this from God or man?"
In Mark 7, Jesus teaches on defilement mostly, but I believe His teaching fits with what I have been saying.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
My question to you is this, "Is Sovereignty (total control) a truth or tradition of man?
Hear what Jesus said next:
13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
Remember a stronghold is a rigorously defended position. There are good and bad strongholds in your life that you defend daily. Some are traditions of man and not the truth of God. I am asking you to revisit where you heard the "Sovereignty of God" teaching and why you believe it.
Ask yourself this question, "Is this from God or man?"
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Passion Week and the Sovereignty of God
This is Passion week. Christians will celebrate Easter Sunday all around the world.
Part of me is excited and part of me is solemn. I am excited because the grave could not hold my Lord and Savior! I am solemn because I am reminded of everything Jesus did for us.
What a great God we serve. I have been in a discussion with other Christians about why God would allow suffering to go on in this world. My response was God is bound by His word and He gave dominion and authority to Adam.
He did not tell Adam if you mess this up I will take it back. No, He gave Adam the right to mess it all up. Adam did mess up, he gave his authority to Satan and Satan is now the prince and power of this world. God did not create suffering, Satan did.
Satan, in my opinion, is the one who deserves the credit for all of the bad. Satan is the one who tempted Jesus. Satan is the reason Jesus had to die on the cross. By dying, Jesus made a way for everyone to live.
He paid the price for the whole world. Read 1 John 2:2
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Jesus paid the price, but the individual must accept by faith the grace of God. Jesus did more than redeem us from sin, He totally freed us from the power of Satan. But like salvation we must appropriate it to our lives.
He became poor so we might become rich, by His stripes you were healed, the chastisement of peace was upon Him. He bore it all on the cross, but we must accept it by faith.
That is where many struggle, they don't feel worthy. Let me let you in on a secret, you are not. None of us are, but Jesus completed His work anyway. When He said, "It is finished." The price was paid in full. You name your problem in the flesh; Jesus paid the price.
I know many people think this is over the top but I think anyone who would assign bad things to God after the New Covenant, is not honoring all Jesus did at Calvary.
Why do people suffer? Because sin entered the world. The spiritual law of sowing and reaping did not get turned off, so many suffer because of the sins committed by others. It is as simple as cause and effect. Jesus paid the price, but you must use your faith to appropriate the grace of God for your life.
So what about the Sovereignty of God. It is easier to blame God, than to blame of ourselves. We don't come right out and blame God, instead, we use a (lazy) teaching like the Sovereignty of God to do it for us.
My definition the Sovereignty of God is:
God is supreme, the absolute top, answering to no one. God is everywhere, knows everything and can do anything without getting permission. God is not subject to time, He is the Beginning and the End. God has no limits in heaven.
God's word will come to pass but God can be limited here on earth. (This is for another post, this is way too long already.)
Jesus said, "Be of good cheer I have overcome the world." The war has been won but the battle is still raging here on earth. I believe it is up to His body (the church) to make His enemies His footstool.
The whole concept of One Drop of Blood is we (the church) defeat Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11) It is all about what God has done for us and through us, but we must open our mouths and tell others.
Remember, your life is all about giving God the Glory. How much glory can God get from giving you cancer? What kind of sick God would give you cancer to show you how much He loves you? That is where the extreme Sovereignty of God teaching takes you. If God controls everything, then He picks and chooses who gets cancer, who gets rich, who gets saved, etc. Not much for you to do except praise God, go to church and hope God does not "bless" you with a disease or calamity.
Sorry, The God I serve does not use bad things to "bless" me. And if He won't do it to me, God will not do it to you.
Romans 2:11 For there is no partiality with God.
That is not to say that God does not correct me, He does, like any good father would. But He does it in love and uses things other than cancer, disease, etc. (God actually uses His word most of the time to get my attention and get me back on track.)
So Rejoice this week and again I say Rejoice, because Jesus arose from the dead. Meditate also on all Jesus did for whosoever believes in Him. It will make you rejoice even more.
Part of me is excited and part of me is solemn. I am excited because the grave could not hold my Lord and Savior! I am solemn because I am reminded of everything Jesus did for us.
What a great God we serve. I have been in a discussion with other Christians about why God would allow suffering to go on in this world. My response was God is bound by His word and He gave dominion and authority to Adam.
He did not tell Adam if you mess this up I will take it back. No, He gave Adam the right to mess it all up. Adam did mess up, he gave his authority to Satan and Satan is now the prince and power of this world. God did not create suffering, Satan did.
Satan, in my opinion, is the one who deserves the credit for all of the bad. Satan is the one who tempted Jesus. Satan is the reason Jesus had to die on the cross. By dying, Jesus made a way for everyone to live.
He paid the price for the whole world. Read 1 John 2:2
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Jesus paid the price, but the individual must accept by faith the grace of God. Jesus did more than redeem us from sin, He totally freed us from the power of Satan. But like salvation we must appropriate it to our lives.
He became poor so we might become rich, by His stripes you were healed, the chastisement of peace was upon Him. He bore it all on the cross, but we must accept it by faith.
That is where many struggle, they don't feel worthy. Let me let you in on a secret, you are not. None of us are, but Jesus completed His work anyway. When He said, "It is finished." The price was paid in full. You name your problem in the flesh; Jesus paid the price.
I know many people think this is over the top but I think anyone who would assign bad things to God after the New Covenant, is not honoring all Jesus did at Calvary.
Why do people suffer? Because sin entered the world. The spiritual law of sowing and reaping did not get turned off, so many suffer because of the sins committed by others. It is as simple as cause and effect. Jesus paid the price, but you must use your faith to appropriate the grace of God for your life.
So what about the Sovereignty of God. It is easier to blame God, than to blame of ourselves. We don't come right out and blame God, instead, we use a (lazy) teaching like the Sovereignty of God to do it for us.
My definition the Sovereignty of God is:
God is supreme, the absolute top, answering to no one. God is everywhere, knows everything and can do anything without getting permission. God is not subject to time, He is the Beginning and the End. God has no limits in heaven.
God's word will come to pass but God can be limited here on earth. (This is for another post, this is way too long already.)
Jesus said, "Be of good cheer I have overcome the world." The war has been won but the battle is still raging here on earth. I believe it is up to His body (the church) to make His enemies His footstool.
The whole concept of One Drop of Blood is we (the church) defeat Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11) It is all about what God has done for us and through us, but we must open our mouths and tell others.
Remember, your life is all about giving God the Glory. How much glory can God get from giving you cancer? What kind of sick God would give you cancer to show you how much He loves you? That is where the extreme Sovereignty of God teaching takes you. If God controls everything, then He picks and chooses who gets cancer, who gets rich, who gets saved, etc. Not much for you to do except praise God, go to church and hope God does not "bless" you with a disease or calamity.
Sorry, The God I serve does not use bad things to "bless" me. And if He won't do it to me, God will not do it to you.
Romans 2:11 For there is no partiality with God.
That is not to say that God does not correct me, He does, like any good father would. But He does it in love and uses things other than cancer, disease, etc. (God actually uses His word most of the time to get my attention and get me back on track.)
So Rejoice this week and again I say Rejoice, because Jesus arose from the dead. Meditate also on all Jesus did for whosoever believes in Him. It will make you rejoice even more.
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