Category: God’s omnipotence

The Great LORD God #2

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

“Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears” (2 Samuel 7:22 KJV).

As King David of old praised his LORD God, so do we!

The prophet Nathan has just relayed God’s Word to King David, the Davidic Covenant (verses 12-16), God’s promise to make one of David’s descendants an everlasting King of Israel. Today’s Scripture is a portion of a prayer that David offers to the LORD, thanking and praising Him for what He has done for him and Israel thus far, and what He will do for them in the future (verses 18-29).

David, once a lowly shepherd boy (1 Samuel 16:11), is now the mighty king of Israel. Moreover, his “house” (royal lineage) will transcend the eons of eternity: Jesus Christ, David’s descendant, will establish His earthly kingdom at His Second Coming, and He will reign over Israel forever (Luke 1:31-33).

Israel, once a group of about 75 people (Exodus 1:5), left Egypt being at least two million strong: when viewed from a distance, the Jews “covered the face of the earth [horizon]” (Numbers 22:5)! In David’s day, about 500 years after departing Egypt, they have multiplied even further.

Notice the verse following today’s Scripture: “And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?” (verse 23).

Moses told Israel: “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people” (Deuteronomy 7:6,7).

Lowly David, weak Israel, made mighty by the great LORD God.

A Miraculous Escape

Thursday, August 30, 2012

“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (Acts 12:5 KJV).

Evil King Herod has imprisoned the Apostle Peter, but the saints are praying to God for him, and those prayers will be answered!

It is nighttime. Peter is firmly imprisoned: guards are protecting the prison doors, and he is sleeping between two Roman soldiers, bound with two chains (verse 6). The Lord must intervene, or Herod will soon execute Peter!

As the angel of the Lord appears, he illuminates the prison, and strikes Peter on his side. Waking Peter, he commands, “Arise up quickly,” and Peter’s chains instantly and literally fall away (verse 7)! Can you just imagine this? It was not some “miracle” (sham) of a televangelist or magician; it really happened. But there is more!

The angel instructs Peter, “Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals,” which Peter does, and then the angel commands Peter, “Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me,” and Peter obeys (verse 8). “And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision” (verse 9). Peter is so overcome that he believes this is a dream!

They pass the first and the second ward, and come to the iron gate that leads to the city—“which opened to them of his own accord” (verse 10)—and soon Peter is freed from prison and the angel has immediately vanished. Imagine that: God’s Word says the gate opened by itself! “And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews” (verse 11). Amazing!

Brethren, while we should not be expecting these miraculous demonstrations in this the Dispensation of Grace, we can study them in the Scriptures and appreciate how God performed them for His “signs and wonders” people, Israel, in her program (John 4:48; 1 Corinthians 1:22). Saints, praise the amazing God we serve!

Refuge in the Storms of Life

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 KJV).

Whether in life, or in death, our refuge is Jesus Christ our Lord.

Later today, here in south-central Louisiana, we are expecting a category 1 hurricane, Isaac. Its sustained winds of over 74 miles per hour (119 kilometers per hour) and its potential flooding have many residents worried, especially considering the damage Hurricane Katrina inflicted here along the United States Gulf Coast exactly seven years ago today. But, as during every “storm of life,” we rest in Jesus Christ!

Life is unpredictable. It has its good times, and its bad, and we never know which type will come when. Considering, almost nothing in life is certain… almost….

What is certain is that, regardless of our circumstances, God our Father has equipped us in Christ Jesus to handle them all: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:11-13).

We as saints of the Most High God have within us the resurrection life of Jesus Christ. When we live by walking by faith in an intelligent understanding of God’s Word to us, it is literally Jesus Christ living in and through us (today’s Scripture). Our Lord Jesus Christ is our refuge, and His strength enables us to handle all of the troubles of life (our flesh is too weak).

Additionally, we have comfort that even if one of these “storms of life” causes our physical death, we will still have refuge in Jesus Christ. We will still be secure in Him, in perfect peace and free from this life’s troubles: “to be with Christ… is far better” (Philippians 1:23; cf. today’s Scripture). However, saints, until then, hang in there. God still has work to be done on Earth! 🙂

A Miracle of Astronomical Proportions

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

“Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon” (Joshua 10:12 KJV).

“For the Jews require a sign” (1 Corinthians 1:22a). Signs, miracles, and wonders are Israel’s national heritage. From their beginning (Abraham) until the early Acts period, Israel witnessed God’s miraculous demonstrations. In today’s Scripture, Israel literally saw “a miracle of astronomical proportions.”

When Israel under Joshua’s leadership came into the Promised Land, the Amorites (Gentiles) inhabited the area. In today’s Scripture, Joshua and Israel’s armies are engaged in warfare with the Amorites. Joshua, wanting to demonstrate God’s power to the Amorites, and to remind Israel of her God’s supremacy, commands the Sun and the Moon to stand still. What happens?

“And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel” (Joshua 10:13,14).

The scientific and even religious communities deny these verses. How could the Sun and Moon remain motionless, without altering the delicate balance of the solar system (and universe)? We cannot comprehend such a concept of stationary celestial bodies, but we confess, “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee” (Jeremiah 32:17).

If God could speak the heaven and the earth into existence, from nothing, and establish natural laws to govern their movements, He could certainly manipulate those laws to produce extraordinary events. Joshua 10:13,14 does not need scientific confirmation. By faith, we understand it happened just as Scripture declares. We rejoice in the power of the great God whom we serve!

To Us, It is Venomous Doctrine

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

“And these signs shall follow them that believe;… they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, they shall recover…” (Mark 16:17a,18ab KJV).

Today’s Scripture demonstrates that dispensational Bible study is literally “a matter of life or death….”

Recently, a charismatic minister failed to “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The penalty? It cost him… his very life. Although he was scriptural, he was not dispensational. He, like so many before, actually believed that he could follow today’s Scripture without dire consequences. His denominational bias convinced him that he could handle snakes, and it misled him to “handle the word of God deceitfully” (2 Corinthians 4:2). This individual literally died after a venomous snake bit him.

Mark 16:15-20 is one of the most confused Bible passages in Christendom. Nearly every group follows one or more of these verses, but no one obeys the whole passage. Most Protestant Evangelicals only enjoy verse 15 (fearing verses 16-18). Roman Catholics especially like verse 16. Only a small class of religionists dare attempt to “follow” (read that take and fake) verses 17 and 18 (today’s Scripture). Religionists today who enjoy handling snakes ignore the rest of verse 18—consuming poison! Who follows that and lives? Today, who drinks the poison and “recovers?” No one! (Hypocrisy thus exposed.) Is the Bible is error? NEVER!

Why the “odd” teachings of Mark 16:15-20? Firstly, none of it is spoken to us. Jesus Christ was speaking to Israel’s apostles and Jewish kingdom believers, not us (Matthew 15:24; John 4:22; Romans 15:8). Never does our Apostle Paul command snake handling: it does not belong in our Dispensation of Grace.

But, why snake handling in Mark chapter 16? During the seven-year Tribulation, God will give believing Israel the ability to guard herself against the animal kingdom (cf. Exodus 4:1-5). Wild beasts will become more vicious after our dispensation closes (at the rapture), and they will actually kill millions (maybe billions) during the Tribulation period (Revelation 6:8). We are not living in Israel’s prophetic program, so Mark chapter 16 does not work today. To us, it is venomous doctrine… physically and spiritually….

*For more information, see our larger Bible study “How to Handle Mark 16.” It can be read here or watched here.

A Wall, a Walk, and a Win

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?” (Joshua 5:13,14 KJV).

God is going to give Joshua some strange, almost ridiculous, battle plans for overthrowing Jericho. Nevertheless, Israel’s victory is imminent… but not because she is strong.

The LORD tells Joshua, “See, I have given into thine hand Jericho…. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat….” (Joshua 6:2-5).

Joshua then relays God’s instructions to Israel (verses 6,7). God’s Word sounds silly, but Israel, by faith, obeys Him. Jericho’s inhabitants watch (and probably laugh) as Israel peacefully and quietly walks around the city once a day for six days (verses 8-14). On the seventh day, they walk around the city seven times. After the priests blow trumpets, Joshua declares, “Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city” (verse 16). The Jews shout and “the wall fell down flat” (verse 20).

God taught Israel she did nothing to defeat Jericho—she had merely walked. It was His strength and brilliance that led to her victory!

Furthermore, no matter how silly God’s Word sounds, always believe and obey it.

Four Small, Yet Exceeding Wise, Creatures

Sunday, May 20, 2012

“There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:” (Proverbs 30:24 KJV).

What are these four creatures? The context names them: ants, conies, locusts, and spiders. Let us learn from these “exceeding wise” creatures.

  • ANTS (verse 25): “The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;” Ant societies are extremely complex. In the colony millions of ants cooperate with one another to forage for and store food. Although ants are mere specks to us, these “weakly creatures” teach us to adequately prepare for the future (in their case, lack of food in winter). Prepare for eternity by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ today for salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).
  • CONIES (verse 26): “The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;” Conies? They are a type of rock-hare or rabbit (rock-hyrax?). Other than biting, their defense is retreating to their houses… in the rocks (Psalm 104:18). Never be ashamed to admit you need God’s protection: you are weak without Christ (2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; Philippians 4:13).
  • LOCUSTS (verse 27): “The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;” If locusts (swarming grasshoppers) can organize themselves into bands without a king (leader), then how much more unity can we have with a leader? We need to follow the Apostle Paul as he follows the Head of the Body, Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1; Colossians 1:18).
  • SPIDERS (verse 28): “The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.” While a spider may live in a king’s palace, a luxurious mansion, she does not loaf or mooch. The diligent spider catches her own prey, binding it in her webbing. Your Christian life should not consist of sitting around and doing nothing. We have been ordained to good works, so let Christ do His good work in and through you (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:8).

These puny creatures have more sense than us humans! Indeed, they are four small, yet exceeding wise, creatures. 🙂

I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ

Thursday, May 10, 2012

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16 KJV).

What is the Gospel of Christ, and why is the Apostle Paul not ashamed of it?

When we study the Bible dispensationally, we understand that the Apostle Paul has a unique ministry, one that is completely separate and distinct from the ministries of men whom God had previously commissioned (including the twelve apostles). One of the special aspects of Paul’s ministry is that the ascended Lord Jesus Christ committed to him a “mystery,” a secret program (our Dispensation of Grace) that God had kept hidden in Himself until He first revealed it to Paul (Ephesians 3:1-11; cf. Romans 16:25,26).

At the heart of this “mystery” ministry God committed to Paul, we find “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). Paul wrote, “the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was to committed to my trust” (1 Timothy 1:11). Paul also called it “my gospel” (Romans 2:16; Romans 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8), and in today’s Scripture, Paul referred to it as “the gospel of Christ” because this “good news” belongs to and originates from the ascended Lord Jesus Christ Himself! What is Paul’s gospel? “How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Our Apostle Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ in the sense of not being shy or embarrassed. He is not ashamed of it “for [because] it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” Paul knows that the Gospel of Christ is so powerful, for it is God Almighty’s power, that it can literally reach into the depths of sin and death and eternally save anyone and everyone who simply believes (trusts, has faith in) it! See, no works are needed for salvation: “to everyone that believeth” (no water baptism, tongues, tithing, et cetera).

333’s 333rd: The Triune Godhead

Saturday, April 28, 2012

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 KJV).

We dedicate our 333rd devotional to the triune Godhead.

In Bible numerics, the number three (3) is the number of God, mainly because God is three Persons. The Bible says, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7). Sadly, modern English “bibles” omit this verse (the Johannine Comma), which is undoubtedly authentic and inspired of God (cf. Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18).

By noting the wording of today’s Scripture, we learn that Jesus Christ, “the Word” (cf. Revelation 19:13), is God. According to John 1:14, “the Word became flesh:” unquestionably, that refers to Jesus Christ (God’s incarnation, His indwelling a human body). In the beginning Jesus Christ “was with God” (indicating He is a Person separate from God the Father), and Jesus Christ “was God” (indicating He is one with [equal to] God the Father).

The best way to comprehend the Godhead is to consider that we are all equally human by nature, but we are also individuals. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all individuals, but they are all equally God by nature and in essence (all three are omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, righteous, just, holy, et cetera), thus making all three “one” (1 John 5:7).

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit live for each other. They fellowship with one another, and they want us to fellowship with them! God became a man in order to restore our fellowship with Him. We cannot see all three Persons of the Godhead. However, God the Son stepped out of eternity and entered time, and “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9; cf. John 14:9). Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, so He can take God by the hand and man by the hand and link them (1 Timothy 2:5)!

The invisible triune Godhead has been made visible via the God-Man, Jesus Christ!

The LORD, He is the God

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

“And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God” (1 Kings 18:39 KJV).

Is the LORD of the Bible (JEHOVAH) one of many gods, or is He the only God? Today’s Scripture and its context definitively answer this question.

King Ahab and Queen Jezebel are some of the most notorious rulers in the Bible. Reigning over Israel (the northern kingdom) from approximately 874–853 B.C., Ahab and Jezebel introduced Baal worship among God’s people Israel, angering God and misleading the Jews (Baal was a pagan god of the neighboring Canaanites) (1 Kings 16:29-33). Jezebel also killed many of the LORD’S prophets, who were speaking out against her and Ahab’s wickedness (1 Kings 18:4,13).

Ahab and God’s prophet Elijah meet, and Elijah instructs Ahab to gather Baal’s 450 prophets and the 400 grove (pagan shrine) prophets and bring them to Mount Carmel (verses 17-20).

When Israel and Baal’s prophets are assembled at Carmel, Elijah tells Israel, “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him” (verse 21). In the succeeding verses, Elijah proposes a test to see who is God: if JEHOVAH rains down fire and consumes the animal sacrifice, He is God, but if Baal rains down fire and devours the sacrifice, then he is God (verses 23,24).

Baal’s prophets present an animal sacrifice and repeatedly call to Baal from morning to evening, but neither fire nor voice came from Baal, and the sacrifice remains untouched (verses 25-29).

Elijah then lays out an animal sacrifice, and calls on JEHOVAH: “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel… that this people may know that thou art the LORD God….” (verses 36,37). Immediately, fire rains down from heaven, consuming the wood, the water, the dust, and the burnt sacrifice. After Israel saw that, Israel knew that pagan idols were not God, and they responded with today’s Scripture, “The LORD [JEHOVAH], he is the God!”