Truth for Life

 

The spiritual gift of teaching is about gathering information and passing it along to others. Those with this gift determine to make sure that the information gathered is accurate. This applies to spiritual matters, but also works its way into ordinary life.

For instance, I know a person gifted this way who, when purchasing something ordinary, like a toaster, will spend weeks, even months, looking for the very best toaster to be found, and at the fairest price. This same person is a superior source of information on many things because his nature is to research and discover truth.

Another trait of those gifted as information gatherers is that they are what I call a ‘hard sell’ meaning they are slow to accept a sales pitch without checking it out. For them, sales claims are worthless unless proven.

This is one reason that I love to read and study the Bible. It makes its claims, but instead of relying on the claim, knowing that God is true means I can trust what He says to be true and prove it to my heart by doing what He says and experiencing the results. The greatest example is that faith in Christ results in a life change and along with it, incredible assurance:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13, italics mine)

I know this is correct and true. My life has changed and keeps changing. Also, He makes Himself known to me. As Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

This morning, the devotional writer points to other claims. These will not convince people who do not know Jesus, but are of great assurance to those of us who do, and who battle with the enemy who tries to convince us that God is lying. In biblical order, God says:

But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation. (Jeremiah 10:10)

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5)

Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. (John 3:33)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13)

Sanctify (believers) in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began (Titus 1:1–2)

By two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. (Hebrews 6:18)

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

PRAY: Oh Lord Jesus, our world is uncertain now more than ever with wars, rumors of wars, increased earthquakes and all sorts of indications that You could be coming soon. Rather than focus on those huge, God-sized issues, help me live each day for Your glory. Along with the psalmist I pray: “Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies, I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” (Psalm 119:12–16) Please remind me each hour, even each moment, that You are the One who is true even though lies and liars abound. I can trust You and what You say, even the parts that I don’t understand or seem contradictory. Fill me with the Spirit of truth that gives me assurance and hope, and convinces me that all Your words and promises are true. I am certain that whatever You say is totally reliable for this life and the next.

PONDER: Jesus is the Living Word of God, the way and the truth. He is my guide and teacher who knows all things without needing research into any other way to discover what is best for my life!

 

 

Nothing is too hard for God

 

 

 GOD IS ABLE. Able is an adjective describing that someone has the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority (to do something). Certainly, this is true of God.

The basic meaning “to be able” is biblically used primarily of people, particularly in a negative sense. We are not able in the areas of self-control, or the control of circumstances, or in the ability to overcome our sinfulness by ourselves. Just a quick look through Scripture, my ability contrasted with God’s ability makes me feel humble and very small. The power of God is described in many terms, the overall one being that nothing is impossible for Him.

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

I planned on listing some of the things that God is able to do but that list is too long. It’s easier to list what He cannot do, a very short list; it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18). This means when He says He will do a thing; He will do it. He is able to keep His promises.

Daniel’s three friends knew it. When they were about to be thrown into a furnace, they said, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17–18)

Jeremiah and the psalmist knew God’s ability in creation and in sustaining the world by His voice alone:

It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. (Jeremiah 10:12)

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. (Psalm 29:1–4)

God is also able to give us what we need to live for Him:

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Romans 16:25–27)

And to preserve us even though we err and stumble and undergo great trials:

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment . . . . (2 Peter 2:4–10)

He is also able to do more than I can imagine . . .

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20–21)

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Some of God’s attributes are transferable because we are created in His image and when sin is dealt with, those attributes can shine, at least in a small way. However, His ability to do anything He pleases rightfully belongs to Him only. I am called to be like Jesus — who gave up His equality with God to become a servant. I am not called to be like God — that was the lie that led Adam and Eve into sin. Godliness is not about omnipotence. Instead, as I gaze at the remarkable ability of God to do all things, it produces worship — I am in awe of Him.