Intent And Effect (Nah. 1:2-6)

Read Nahum 1:2-6.

Don't confuse God's intent with the effects of His actions.  When God, in a self-controlled manner, releases a judgment or a remedial discomfort, people do suffer.  That is the effect, but watching people suffer is not God's intent -- that is, if you believe "The Lord is good" (Nah. 1:7).

What is God's intent?  That mankind should repent (2 Pet. 3:9)), that they would return to Him. God's taking pleasure in the negative effects of His intent is ruled out (Ezek. 18:23 - The question demands a "no" answer.).  See also Ezek. 18:32.

The Uniqueness of God (Ex. 15:11)

Most likely, your sermon is done for tomorrow.  In case you've had an extremely busy week and haven't started, here is a "built-in" sermon outline.  Since it is about God (crazy topic, I know), it should be easy to preach.

Title:  "The Uniqueness of God"
Text:  Exodus 15:11, NIV84
Introduction:  "It's a one of a kind." (Explain)  We serve a "one of a kind" God.
Points:
1.  God alone is holy.
2.  God alone is glorious.
3.  God alone works wonders.
Conclusion:  Jesus is God.  Jesus is holy.  Jesus is glorious.  Jesus works wonders.  Jesus is your "one of a kind" God.  After all, no other god claims to have been raised from the dead.

Who Is the Lord? (Psa. 145:8)

Years before this verse Pharaoh asked, "Who is the Lord?" (Ex. 5:2).

Psalm 145:8 is a summary that partially answers that question.  I say partial because one verse cannot summarize God's being.  This one is a good start, though.

God is...

• Gracious.  He gives you what you don't deserve (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9).  He doesn't give you a little grace.  Rather, He lavishes it upon you.  God enjoys blessing you!
• Merciful.  He doesn't give you what you do deserve (Rom. 6:23; Tit. 3:5).  What's deserved is eternal death, separation from God's presence, insertion into the Lake of Fire.
• Slow to anger.  He never responds to you with the purpose of vengeance.  (It doesn't say God cannot be angry, only that He doesn't do evil when He is angry.).  God is not mercurial.
• Great in lovingkindness.  He loves you and expresses that love through kindness (Tit. 3:4; Lam. 3:22-23).  His kindness is great in both quality and quantity.

The Magnificat (Lu. 1:46-54)

Luke 1:46-54 is called "The Magnificat."  That title is not in the original text, but is an editorial insert.  "Magnificat" reminds me of the words "magnify" and "magnificent."

In this high-praise utterance, Mary explains why God is worthy to be magnified.  He is worthy to be magnified because of Who He is.  He is "The Mighty One."  He is the Savior (not just "the" Savior but "my" Savior, my Deliverer).

He is worthy to be magnified because of what He has already done.  "The Mighty One has [already] done great things for me."  It isn't that God hasn't been at work.  Rather, it is that you haven't disciplined your mind to recall His work.  Everything Mary claimed about God is Word-based.  These great claims are recorded in the Bible.  There you will find not just one example for each claim but many.  The evidence is overwhelming. 

He is worthy to be magnified because of His attributes.  God's attributes are not what He does but Who He is.  He is great.  He is holy.  He is merciful.  He is faithful.  To be less, He wouldn't be God.

Praise God, for He is truly magnificent!  It's okay to be excited.  It's alright if you get carried away celebrating Him.  Discover what He's done and then tell everybody.  You can say it, sing it, shout it, or write it.  Just tell someone.

Don't Restrict God (1 Kin. 20:28)

Where do you restrict God? The Arameans were convinced He was only God in the mountains. He wasn't God in the valleys. Where do you have trouble believing God is present? What "valley" causes you to doubt Him?

To continue believing God isn't there is to assault His omnipresence, casting a shadow on Psa. 139:7-10. Read those verses. There is nowhere God is not. Say out loud, "God, you are here." Believe it.

"Lego God" to Begin 9.16.12

Series Title:  "Lego God"
Series Text:  Exodus 20:3-5a
Series Question:  Do we worship the God of the Bible or the god of our fabrication?
Series Quote:  "If God created us in his own image, we have more than reciprocated." (Voltaire)
This Sunday:  the therapist god
That's all.  I've already told too much.


God Can't Wait to Answer You! (Psa. 18:6-15)

What an awe-inspiring passage!  Here we have raw power on display -- nature showing God's heart and obeying His directives.

Why such dramatic appearance?  What's the urgency?  Why does God seem so worked up?  The answer is found in verse 6.

David was in severe trouble.  He prayed, knowing only God could help.  God responded with urgency, immediacy and power.  Why?  God can't wait to answer prayer!  He's not out to postpone everything as long as He can.  He's the near God, easily moved by what troubles His people.  Your need matters to God.

Pray with sincerity, consistency and urgency.  Expect God to answer powerfully. When He does, watch out, obstacle!  Watch out, tormentor!   Watch out, addiction!  Watch out, pressure and hardship!  Watch out, sickness!

God Cannot Think

If God were to think, then He wouldn't remain omniscient.  (To say God is omniscient means His knowledge is perfect:  He knows everything past, present and future.)  If God were to think about something, then He wouldn't know it.  That would make Him both ignorant and imperfect.  The good news is that neither will ever be true about God.

Take comfort in this:  There will never be a time when God says, "Let me think about that."  He already knows what He's going to do in your situation.

Knowing God (Jn. 17:3)

We're continuing to read through the Gospel of John. Today's reading is John 17:1-26.

This knowing is not directly linked to feeling anything or seeing anything.  You might, you might not.

This knowing is not linked to a set of doctrinal beliefs.  It is more than knowing about Someone or something.

This knowing is experiential and relational.  This knowledge is based upon an encounter, a relationship.  Something has happened to you!  That something happened because of Someone!

This knowing is present, possible and progressive.  God is not out to frustrate you.  He is out to reveal Himself to you.  There is always more to experience in God.  It's not just for the so-called "great saints."  It's for you.  What possibilities!

You can't have this experiential, relational knowledge without Jesus Christ.  Church can't give it to you.  Tradition can't give it to you.  Doing good works can't give it to you.  No one else can give it to you.  Jesus alone can give you this knowledge and relationship.

God's Everlasting Love (Jer 31:3)

1. I can describe it, but I can't understand it. I can give you the dictionary definitions of "eternity," "everlasting" and "love." Talking about God's love isn't so difficult as understanding it. Because I am finite and limited, so is my understanding. So take anything I say about God's love as a starting point, not the end-all.
2. I can experience it, but I can't duplicate it. God loves me with an everlasting love. He loves you with an everlasting love. He had no beginning and will have no end. God is defined as love (1 Jn 4:8). What I can't do is love someone else with an everlasting love, since both my love and my existence have starting points. If I choose to start loving someone, then there was a time when I didn't love. So much for "everlasting" love.
3. I can receive it, but I can't reciprocate it. How can I, the finite creature, return everlasting love to my Creator? Because of my creature status, I cannot love everlastingly. I can only go forward in love after a starting point. God loved me before I ever knew Him or knew about Him. He loved me before I was created.
4. I can celebrate it, but I can't cancel it. I did nothing to deserve God's love and I can do nothing to earn it. This everlasting love is sent to me compliments of God. I can run from God's love or reject it, but I can't remove it.

Up There and Down Here

We attended Aaron's Christmas Concert at the high school last night. "Half a mile" away, I couldn't see too much. Do you know what kept me focused? My son was up there on stage. It didn't matter if I could spot him all the time. I just knew he was up there doing his best for everyone.

Today, remember God is in heaven doing his very best for you. Christmas is about God's sending His very best. At times, you don't see God at work in your circumstances. Just remember He is "up there" doing His part. At times you can't feel God's presence. Christmas reminds us that God is "down here" with us. That's the meaning of Emmanuel.

God is both half a mile away and half a breath near. He is transcendent and immanent.