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.

God -- "Jealous And Avenging"? (Nah. 1:3a)

Read Nahum 1:3.

When God introduces or describes Himself in the Old Testament, we're accustomed to this formula: "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness" (Ex. 34:6; Neh. 9:17; Psa. 103:8; Joel 2:13).  How grateful we are for that!

Nahum includes this "softer side" (re: "slow to anger") but doesn't open with it.  He opens (Nah. 1:2) with "The Lord is a jealous and avenging God."  It is problematic that men get God all one-sided. They camp out at hyper-grace or extreme wrath.  As revealed in Scripture, God is a perfect blend of opposites. Neither description cancels out or diminishes the other.  Jesus was "full of grace and truth" (Jn. 1:14).

If you had to describe God to someone, what is the first adjective you would use?  God is _____. What does that first descriptor say about you?  What does it say about how you view God?  Is your view of God balanced?

The Four Kings of Christmas (Jesus) (Part 4) (Mt. 1:18-25; 2:1-3, 9-10)

JESUS IS GOD WITH US.

“ . . . they shall call His name 'Immanuel,' which translated means 'God with us'” (Mt. 1:23).

• When I say that God is “with us,” I'm talking about proximity, closeness, being approachable.
• There are two theological words that contrast the proximity of God.
• The first word is “transcendence.”  That means God is above and beyond, “up there”, in a class by Himself. He is distant from us, different from us and sovereign over us.
• Transcendence is described in 1 Timothy 6:15-16.  Jesus is “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”
• The second word is “immanence.” That means that God is near us, with us and interested in us. He is not just “up there” but He is also “right here.” In other words, He “gets us” (Heb. 4:15-16; 5:2, 8).
• Jesus knew temptation (Heb. 4:15).
• Jesus knew weakness (Heb. 5:2).
• Jesus knew suffering (Heb. 5:8).
• Jesus knew rejection (Mt. 27:46).
• Jesus knew discomfort (Mt. 8:20).
• Jesus knew hunger (Mt. 4:2).
• Jesus knew thirst (Jn. 19:28).
• Jesus knew betrayal (Mk. 14:10).
• Jesus knew loneliness (Mk. 14:50).
• Jesus knew grief (Jn. 11:35).
• So what is Jesus, “God with us” and “God who gets us”, doing right now?
• Jesus is praying for you, that you will draw near to God through Him (Heb. 7:25).
• If you ever wondered what God wants from you more than anything else, now you know!

Baptism in the Holy Spirit -- Associated With What?

When you hear the phrase "baptism in the Holy Spirit" what comes to mind?  One thing that comes to mind is "tongues" or "speaking in tongues."  Certainly the baptism in the Holy Spirit wasn't provided for believers just to speak in tongues.

 

Reading through Acts, you'll notice a pattern.  After receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, it wasn’t long before recipients talked about Jesus.  Spirit baptism led to intense, consistent, verbal witness about Jesus Christ.  Peter and the eleven, Stephen, Philip and Saul followed this pattern.

 

Show me someone who claims to be baptized in the Holy Spirit yet never witnesses verbally and I’ll have some questions for him/her. 

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.

Legally Though Not Technically

According to UberFacts, "In Virginia, you are legally considered to be 21 years old on the day before your 21st birthday" (1).  Being that the name is UberFacts, I'll assume this is true.  You are legally 21 even though you aren't technically 21.  You are allowed to enjoy a status you haven't reached.  Think about that for a few seconds and see what theological term comes to mind.

Justification is the word that came to me.  When I confessed my sin nature and sinful deeds to Jesus Christ, asked His forgiveness, received Him into my heart as Savior and Lord and took on the responsibility  incurred by such fantastic grace, I was justified (made right with God).  He viewed me as though I'd never sinned.  He knows I have sinned.  I know I have sinned.  However, I am declared legally right with Him even though I never was and never could be right technically.

Don't allow the technicality (I know I have sinned.) to displace the legality (I know God views me as if I never sinned.).  Enjoy this present called justification.  If you prefer, call it salvation.

(1) Www.Twitter.com/UberFacts.  7/9/12  9:17 A.M.

God Is More Than His Thoughts (Psa. 139:18)

God is bigger than the sum of His thoughts.  If you could count them, let alone understand them, God would still be more.  He still would not be grasped.  There would still be more to discover, more to contend with.  Such counting would exhaust you!  You would fall asleep trying.  After you awake refreshed, God is still there and still not comprehended.

Today, have confidence in the largeness of God.  The more you study Him, the more there is to study.  The more you praise Him, the more you realize how much praise is due Him.  The more you listen, the more He reveals to you.  The more you think about Him, the more you realize your thoughts can't contain Him.  That God will care for you.  That God will sustain you.  That God is worth serving with all your being!

Observations from 1 Kin. 20:22-29

• Theology matters greatly.  What you believe about God is not a trivial matter.  Belief determines behavior.  Sure, He is God in your mountain highs.  Is He still God in your valley lows?
• God's people think differently about Him than His enemies do.  God's people think regularly about Him.  God's people think highly about Him.  God's enemies think lowly about Him.  Does your thinking about God exalt Him or insult Him?
• If you allow it, one defeat can twist your thinking about God (Read 1 Kin. 20:1-21 for the context.). Your mind must be renewed (Rom. 12:2).  The battle is determined there (Prov. 23:7).  The Arameans made their claim after being defeated. 
• Don't allow circumstances to define God.  Let God define your circumstances.  When we allow circumstances to define God it is due to ignorance (We don't know God well enough.), immaturity (We haven't served God long enough.), or arrogance (We are either disappointed in God or mad at Him.).
• History is a perfect indicator.  What God did yesterday is what He will do today.  He might use different methods but His plan, purpose and Person never change.  God was with you in the mountaintop victories and He will be with you in the challenging valleys.

Indefensible (1 Kin. 20:22)

For context, read 1 Kin. 20:22-29.

What do I mean by "indefensible"?

• "Indefensible" is a doctoral thesis the Ph.D. candidate can't defend.  He did a lot of research, so you're supposed to take his word for it and not ask too many hard questions.
• "Indefensible" is a statement you want someone to believe without questioning your rationale.  Once I was commenting about various buttons on the steering wheel.  One button was raised while another had several small bumps on it.  You won't believe what I said.  "That's for the blind people."  Indefensible!  (You see, I had to be right, even though blind people don't drive cars.)
• "Indefensible" is a ridiculous claim you're asked to believe, knowing you can't literally disprove it.  We're now being asked to believe in directed panspermia, a theory of human origin having to do with aliens.
• "Indefensible" is a prediction you make now and later wish you hadn't. Thomas Watson, former chairman of IBM, said in 1943,“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”  In hindsight (say it with me), "What was he thinking?

 In 1 Kin. 20:22 there is an indefensible claim.  The Arameans should have thought twice before broadcasting it.  They claimed God was only God in the mountains and not in the valleys.  What were they thinking?  (Before we scold the Arameans, let's remember this line of thought is popular today.  When are people most likely to question God's presence or power?  When they are in a low point.)

What is your indefensible claim about God? 

• It is a statement of falsehood that is exposed by your thoughts, actions and words.
• It is the thing you stopped praying about, or at least you don't pray about it frequently and fervently as you once did. 
• It is the thing about which you're no longer 100% convinced.  It is still theoretically possible, but not highly probable. 
• It is how or where you limit God.  It is a conclusion that shrinks His character or capability.

A Word about God's Pre-Existence (Gen. 1:1)

Some things don't sound right, but you wouldn't want the burden of disproving them.

"The acid in your stomach is so

powerful it can dissolve a razor

blade in less than a week."

www.twitter.com/OMGFacts

Accessed 6/22/12 11:30 PM

Would you swallow a razor blade to test the theory?  Me neither.  We're not guinea pigs!  Either we're being sold a bill of goods or someone did research to qualify the above statement.  Since I have no graduate degree in the digestion of razor blades, I'll gladly defer to the experts.  Stomach acid is both powerful and effective. 

Read Genesis 1:1.  For God to have created the heavens and the earth He must've pre-existed.  Some things don't sound right, but you wouldn't want the burden of disproving them.  You can't disprove the pre-existence of God.  Disagree, yes.  Have your head spin, yes.  Disprove, no. 

Most of us don't understand electricity.  Do we have to understand it before using it?  We don't hesitate each time at the switch and wonder, "Is it going to work?  After all, I still don't understand it."  It's predecided in your mind:  flip switch, have light, transaction done.  We don't have to understand God's pre-existence for it to be true and beneficial.  Let it be predecided in your mind:  hear about pre-existence, have doubt about it, can't disprove it, transaction done.

God's OK with our fascination (frustration) over His pre-existence.  Only He fully understands Himself.  That's why He is God!  There should always be some mystery, some wonder, some awe about God.  Otherwise He would be predictable, explainable and ordinary.  We don't have to figure Him out.  Pressure off.

Clash of the Titans (Hab 1:12-17)

In Greek mythology the children of Uranus and Gaea were giants who sought to rule heaven. They were overthrown by Zeus and his family. "Titans" are people or things of colossal stature.

1. The two titans are theology and observation (experience).
2. Theology and observation don't always agree. There will be things that don't line up. At times theology (what you believe) and observation (what you see and experience) will seem contradictory. Which should you believe?
3. Either theology or observation must be number one. They can't both be number one. Most people can't handle paradox. One way out is to prioritize between theology and observation. The one you start with determines your worldview.
4. Even if it doesn't solve your dilemma, put theology first (vv. 12-13a). This is a discipline. Affirm what you know to be true about God. Habakkuk affirmed three things: God never had a beginning, God will never have an end, God is holy.
5. Beware of sensualism. Sensualism teaches that what you see, hear, feel, taste and touch determines reality. We are called to walk by faith, not sight (senses).