Are We Too Strong For God?

Recently some words said by my pastor, seem to be ringing in my ears. "Some of us Christians are simply too strong for God", he declared boldly. He even went on to say some of us were even too clever for Him.

When I first heard this, I wondered to myself, is it possible to be too strong for God? God is strong and powerful. Come on now, I thought, who on earth would dare flex muscles with Him? Doesn't the Word says His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts?

Is it also possible to be too clever for Him, I pondered. The Bible says that the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom. So how can anyone think they can size themselves up to God.

But in reality we do think these things. And quite often too. Small wonder we find there are times that God just cannot move in our lives. There is simply no room for Him to maneuvre! While He is waiting for us to lay it all at His feet, surrender to Him, trust Him as a child does to a father, we are too busy rationalising. We make plan A, plan B, plan C all the way down to plan Z. We cover every eventuality and 'what-if' scenario even AFTER we have prayed. And in the end, what does that say about us?

God is all knowing. To God belongs wisdom and power (Job 12:13). Let's remember that and submit to Him. He is no match for us.

It takes faith

"Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) "

We need faith for all matters pertaining to God. Salvation requires faith. Forgiveness requires faith. Healing requires faith. Deliverance requires faith. Our breakthroughs require faith. Yet as Christians we often struggle with exercising our faith.

Think about this. Even our daily activities require faith. As humans this is the minimum level of faith we all have. It means God has already given us a measure of faith as a starting point. Let's face it, we do a lot of things without thinking most of the time. We don't stop to rationalise everything, do we? When you open the fridge door, do you stop to think if the door is going to come off it's hinges? You don't stop to check and examine the armchair in your living room every single time you want to sit down, do you? You and I just simply plod on with our daily activities without giving much thought to things.

If in the natural, we can exercise faith without much thought, then we must get to a similar level in supernatural matters too. Faith must become automatic. So if the doctor says, 'sorry I can't help you', faith should automatically kick in. We should think and declare, 'I know Someone who can. By His stripes I am healed, therefore I will get over this'. Or when the bills come and there is no money in the pot, faith should say 'God is my Jehovah Jireh, therefore I trust He will provide. I don't know how but He will.'

Without faith it is impossible to please God. God wouldn't ask us to do the impossible, especially knowing how much having faith in Him, means to Him. Lets build our faith. Seek Him and we will find Him. Faith is a daily walk. And God says it is attainable.

© October 2006

Devotional - The Lord's protection

RESCUE me, O LORD, from evil men; PROTECT me from men of violence, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day. (Psalm 140:1-2 NIV)

It seems these days that we are living in very troubled times. Violence. Evil plans. Wars. These accounts do not seem too dissimilar from the account of David in the verse above. Are you fearful? Take heart. There is good news amidst the bad.

David in the Bible feared for his life on several occasions. He was a man after God's heart (Acts 13:22), who camped in caves at times and lived like a fugitive instead of the king he had been anointed to be! Not exactly what he must have imagined royalty to be, right? Many times, David fled from enemies who pursued his life relentlessly. Enemies such as once friend, Saul and even his own son Absalom. Can you imagine how distressing and frightening that must have been? Reading David's account in the Old Testament, it seemed David was always running from one danger or another. In the verse above, he reports that evil men were stirring up war EVERY DAY. Makes me wonder how he coped with the daily bad news of conflict. But the God of Protection protected him. He came through for David. David CALLED upon His Lord who rescued him. God delivered him time and time again.

God cares. Yes, He cares for you. He is the same God yesterday as He was with David. He is the same today. He will be the same tomorrow. (Hebrews 13:8). Because of Him we need not fear. When we call on Him, He will RESCUE us and PROTECT us just as He did with David.

Heavenly Father, God of Protection, we thank you for being our protection. In times of anxiety and fear, rescue and deliver me from all evil. I will not fear anything because You are more than able to do anything to keep me safe. In Jesus' name. Amen

Call on Him today. He is waiting for your call.