And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (Romans 9:8, ESV)
And God is able. These four words must be imprinted on the hearts of every believer. These four words must be etched into the mind of every believer. And God is able.
When Abraham was told to leave the comforts of Mesopotamia and travel to the unknown land around the Dead Sea, his attitude was and God is able.
When Joseph was thrown into the pit, framed by Potiphar’s wife, and forgotten by Pharaoh’s butler his attitude was and God is able.
When Moses stood with more than a million of God’s people facing the Red Sea before him and Pharaoh’s army behind him, his response was and God is able.
When Joshua saw the towering walls of Jericho and an untrained army he led called the people of Israel his message to them was and God is able.
When David faced the taunts of the 9 foot giant Goliath, his words to him were and God is able.
When Daniel was dealt the unfair choice of praying to God or dying for his God, he chose to pray because he believed and God is able.
When young Mary was approached by the angel Gabriel announcing she would be the mother of the Son of God, her attitude was and God is able.
When Jesus was placed in the tomb, Satan danced, the disciples ran, the Pharisees celebrated and Rome gloated…but three days later the resounding message was and God is able.
Whatever you face today, whatever lies in front of you that you know about…and whatever you will face that you had no idea was coming…andGod is able.
a person who spends possessions or money extravagantly or wastefully
Only two months after leaving Egypt, God’s children began to complain. They were hungry. Hungry children can be menacing. They lose their sensibilities, become driven by the hunger pangs, and act irrationally.
“Would that we had died by the LORD’S hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full ; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Exodus 16:3
God responded to their irrational complaints with rations–a daily shower of bread from heaven, enough to sustain them until the quail flew in at night. God’s instructions to them: eat it all! Don’t save any for tomorrow. In other words, today be a spendthrift.
The disciples asked Jesus how to pray. He taught them to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” Today. God, give us today what we need to eat today. Sounds a lot like manna in the wilderness.
In another place Jesus was teaching on worry when he made the statement,”Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
Which brings us to Lamentations 3:
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (3:21-24)
Like the manna, like the daily bread, God promises new mercies for every day of our lives. This morning God deposited enough mercies into the account of your life to get you through the day. His intention is that your account be emptied by the end of the day–you should use every mercy, spend every compassion. You cannot save today’s mercies for tomorrow’s messes. You cannot reserve today’s compassions for tomorrow’s crises.
Be a spendthrift. Don’t hesitate to dip into your personal mercy account and draw out whatever you need. Don’t leave anything in the account when you put your head on the pillow tonight.
Tomorrow morning when you wake up your account will be full–again.
How do you practically do this? Two ways–talk to God and talk to yourself.
Ask God for whatever you need. Don’t be afraid to ask.
Say to yourself, “The Lord is my portion (my sole provider).” If you don’t repeatedly tell yourself God is committed to taking care of you, you’ll try to do in your own power what God alone can do. The right self talk is necessary. Being a spendthrift of the mercies of God doesn’t come naturally. Our pride inhibits us from making withdrawals. Our self sufficiency puts a hold on God’s mercy account. Our tendency to believe God needs us will keep us from asking for His help when we need Him.
From The Valley of Vision (page 350-351)…a prayer thanking God for His word…
O God of Love
I approach you with encouragements derived from your character, for I am not left to feel after you in the darkness of my nature, nor to worship you as the unknown God. I cannot find out your perfections, but I know you are good, ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy.
You have displayed your wisdom, power and goodness in all your works, and have revealed your will in the Scripture of truth. You have caused it to be preserved, translated, published, multiplied, so that all men may possess it and find you in it.
Here I see your greatness and your grace, your pity and your rectitude, your mercy and your truth, your being and men’s hearts; through it you have magnified your name, and favored mankind with the gospel.
Have mercy on me, for I have ungratefully received your benefits, little improved my privileges, made light of spiritual things, disregarded your messages, contended with examples of the good, rebukes of conscience, admonitions of friends, leadings of providence.
I deserve that your kingdom be taken away from me.
Lord, I confess my sin with feeling, lamentation, a broken heart, a contrite spirit, self-abhorrence, self-condemnation, self-despair.
Give me relief by Jesus my hope, faith in his name of Savior, forgiveness by his blood, strength by his presence, holiness by his Spirit: and let me love you with all my heart.
My first semester of undergrad I was taking the introduction class for a degree in communication studies. The professor of this class was a highly educated man who spoke convincingly. He had the ability to teach and communicate ideas unlike any I had ever heard.
Unknown to me at the time of my class he was also a secular humanist with no belief or regard for God and His Word. Throughout the semester he would teach and toss out these highly educated reasons for why humans have the innate ability to achieve anything we would like to and how we have lost the need for God in our society. He concluded that the Bible is unnecessary especially because he presented it as a fabricated book of myths that have evolved over the centuries.
Needless to say, at first I disagreed. I had been raised to believe the Bible was God’s Word and entirely true, but no one had ever told me why. On the other hand my professor had many reasons as to why he believed Scripture was not truly the words of Almighty God. Over the course of the semester and many personal conversations, my trust in the validity and accuracy of the Bible began to disintegrate one class period at a time.
For a several months I battled with the notion of the inaccuracy of scripture. If Scripture is inaccurate I thought, then how could the story of Jesus be true? And if I can’t trust the story of Jesus to be true, my faith is gone. As a college student battling with whether or not to believe the words of Scripture, God opened my eyes in a gloriously transformative way. Around the end of the semester I was reading in 1 Corinthians 15 (also known as the resurrection chapter), and I remember reading the first 11 verses when I came across something. Paul wrote,
Christ died for our sins in accordance to the scriptures, he was buried and raised in accordance with the scriptures, and he appeared to Cephas, then to the 12, then to over 500 brothers, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
Later in the passage Paul says Jesus appeared to him also. I remember thinking, “If Paul is writing to the Corinthians regarding the resurrection of Christ, and some doubt that it happened, he gives the doubters unbelievable confirmation of his word.” You see, when Paul said that Jesus appeared to him, anyone could say, “Oh it was just your imagination, you made that up.” But when Paul said that Jesus appeared to over 500 brothers, “most of whom are still alive” Paul was saying that if you do not believe what I’m saying, go ask other people who have experienced the same thing and they will tell you likewise. Therefore this confirmed Paul’s word that Jesus is alive “according to the Scriptures.”
Paul couldn’t be making up the story of the resurrection because if he was doing so, there were over 500 people to dispute him. He therefore puts himself on the line by saying, ‘If my testimony is untrue I’ll be called a liar; but what I’m saying is so true that I give you permission to go check me on it!’ It was in that moment where God restored my faith in His Word. Not only did Jesus come to earth, live, die, and raise from the dead according to the Old Testament; Paul could not have been lying because people would have called him out on it. God used the simple but intentional phrase, ‘most of whom are still alive’ to confirm in me the validity and truth of His Word.
I want to encourage you in two ways:
If you struggle to believe the validity of God’s Word, ask Him to show you how true it really is.
The Bible is so intentional that God wants His people to know the truth of His Word; He went to great lengths to ensure that you and I can trust Holy Scripture.
I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8 ESV)
I work out with a crazy crew of guys. My legs are aching right now from Monday’s workout! Psalm 16:8 is our verse to memorize this week. I know I said yesterday in the blog that I would talk about canonization today. However, I know God is going to speak powerfully through this verse to so many of you.
In this short verse, the Lord is both before David and beside him. To set the Lord always before you is to have Him in the front of your mind. How do you do that? Through His word. God’s word reveals His character, His ways, His dealings with people. When you get into God’s Word, God’s Word gets into you.
Because he is at my right hand. To be on someone’s right hand is to be ready to assist them in their time of greatest need. Consider these verses:
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death. (Psalm 109:31 ESV)
The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. (Psalm 110:5 ESV)
The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. (Psalm 121:5 ESV)
God ultimately saved you, the needy one, from those who would condemn your soul to death when he sent his son Jesus to die in your place for your sins. If God will meet your greatest need (salvation), will he not meet all your lesser needs.
What’s shaking you? Worrying you? Causing you to wonder if you’re going to make it through today? Look to your right. You will discover a God who is ready to save you. You will discover a God who will shatter kings on the day of wrath! You will encounter a God who provides shade from the scorching trials assailing you.
Dead Sea Scrolls, Oldest Copy of Scriptures Available, Discovered in 1947
Questions abound as to how we arrived with the 66 books of the Bible we have today. These are legitimate questions that deserve an answer. Because of human involvement often skeptics stumble over the accuracy and trustworthiness of Scripture. Wayne Grudem, in his condensed theology, Christian Beliefs (edited by his son Elliott) gives five steps in how God gave, and we receive, His Word.
In revelation, God reveals Himself. If God were to choose not to reveal Himself we would know little of him. There are two kinds of revelation: general and special revelation. In general revelation, God reveals himself through creation. In Romans 1:20, Paul writes, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (ESV);
Through inspiration, God the Holy Spirit moves through men to write God’s revelation of Himself down. This is special revelation–words that describe and reveal God. Peter writes: For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21 ESV) Paul adds: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)
Preservation is the process by which God protects His written message and enables it to be passed down from Moses (author of the first five books of the Bible) to John (author of Revelation). God worked faithfully to preserve a written record of his dealings with man. Preservation involves the process of canonization which we will deal with tomorrow in great detail. Peter explains: And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. (2 Peter 1:19-20 ESV) Peter’s point is that Scripture wasn’t contrived–it was engineered by God Himself. Jesus came as the fulfillment (day dawns and the morning star) of the Old Testament prophecy.
Interpretation gets the Bible into our own language. There are three kinds of copies of Scripture available today: literal, dynamic equivalent and paraphrases. Literal translations are word-for-word (KJV, NKJV, NAS, ESV). Dynamic equivalent translations are thought for thought translations, making them easier to read (NIV, NLT). Paraphrases are not considered to be translations and heavily depend on someone’s interpretation (The Living Bible, The Message).
When you read and study Scripture, the Holy Spirit illuminates it, enabling you to understand. Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible which includes a reference to Scripture in every verse, has this prayer: Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. (Psalm 119:18 ESV) Unless the Holy Spirit illuminates God’s Word we will be blind and void of understanding.
What should you do with all of this information? Simply put, read God’s Word! Take time today to jump into this precious gift called the Word of God.
Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. (Psalm 19:12-13 ESV)
Psalm 19 explains the essence and the effect of God’s Word. God’s word is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean and true. Verses 12-13 show how God’s word has a laser like effect on our hearts. We are prone to deceive ourselves, to convince ourselves that what we’re doing is okay.
David asks the question: Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults? The writer of Hebrews answers that question in 4:12-13:
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV)
God’s word unveils and reveals two kinds of sin: hidden faults and presumptuous sins. Hidden faults are those things we easily miss, sins of attitude that work beneath the surface. God’s Word pierces to the division of soul and spirit and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. God’s word also addresses presumptuous sins–the sins we commit and we know we’re doing them. David writes: keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.
How do you practically confront hidden and obvious sins? David answers that in Psalm 119:11:
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11 ESV)
This week we’ll look at different ways to get God’s Word into you…and none of them will work if you don’t get yourself into God’s Word. I can’t wait to see how God is going to rock your world!
And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:33-35 ESV)
There is something about good news that cannot be contained. An engagement requires an announcement. A pregnancy demands telling. So it was with Cleopas and his friend. As soon as Jesus had departed from their presence, they departed from their place. They couldn’t wait any longer. Though it was evening and had grown dark–and the trek back from Emmaus to Jerusalem was dangerous in the dark–they got up that same hour and returned to Jerusalem.
This poses a question for you and me: Is the good news of Jesus’s death and resurrection that fresh to us? Who have you told this week? Who did you invite to worship with you? Who came to your mind and you got up from where you were and ran as fast as you could (or drove of course!) and said, “I have something to tell you. I’ve seen Jesus and what he said and did changed my life!” Who has heard your story?
Take five minutes, watch and take in this beautiful rendition of Tell Me the Story of Jesus:
Invite someone to worship tomorrow to hear the story.
So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:28-35 ESV)
They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” When Jesus taught them the Scriptures they had no idea it was Jesus. He preached Himself from the Scriptures–and their hearts burned within them. Preaching the Gospel of Jesus enlivens the believer’s heart. Preaching Jesus from the Old Testament turns weary forlorn travelers into winsome evangelists.
Allow me to wonder a minute. Did Jesus tell them he was the serpent of Numbers 21 lifted up on the pole? Did Jesus explain that David’s words in Psalm 22:1 were written for him: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Did he tell them Jonah’s stint in the belly of the fish was foreshadowing his own journey into the heart of the earth?”
What a sermon!
The good news of Jesus turns broken hearts into burning hearts.
But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:21-27 ESV)
Was it not necessary? If anyone knew it was necessary to suffer it was Jesus. The events in the Garden of Gethsemane were not even a week old. In that garden he described his soul as “being sorrowful even unto death.” He then fell on his face praying saying, “My Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” Three times he asked the Father if he could pass on the Roman scourging and the cruel cross. Three times silence came from Heaven. Three times the disciples fell asleep. Jesus knew the necessity of suffering.
Jesus’s groan came before his glory. “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Why was it necessary? One word: justice. Throughout the entire Old Testament, once a year, a sacrifice was offered for the people’s sins. The sacrifice didn’t sin–it was an innocent lamb offered for the people’s sins. Jesus took the Old Testament and preached Himself to them. What a sermon! I would love to have a copy of it!
Enough for Today 