God is Infinite

 

 

The Trinity of God is a confusing concept when we attempt to understand it in human terms. It is one of those facts, which prove to us that God’s ways are infinitely more advanced than our finite mind can comprehend (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Many people attribute super-human qualities to space aliens that may or may not exist; yet, they refuse to believe that God is infinitely more superior than we are. They reduce Him to a genie to grant their wishes.

God often makes no human sense, but that is why we serve Him. He is eternal in the heavens (1 Timothy 1:17). We cannot contain Him in our little human box, because He is immeasurably greater.

God uses human terms to describe spiritual functions, so that our finite mind can understand them to the best of our ability. Yet, these infinite spiritual concepts do not quite fit into our limited understanding.  

This causes people to doubt God, the validity of the Bible and the sanity of Christ's followers. They attribute our belief to gullibility or an emotional crutch. Their spirit is dead and they cannot understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14).

For instance, the Trinity is actually one God who has three functions: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Galatians 1:1; John 1:1-18; Matthew 28:19). God functioned as Creator, Jesus serves as Savior, and the Holy Spirit inspires, comforts and guides us.

In the same manner that water is liquid, steam and solid, but still water; God is Father, Son and Spirit, but still one God. The finite discord comes in when we read that the Son is obedient to the Father, or that the Father and Son sent and direct the Holy Spirit (Luke 22:42; John 16:15).

The three are distinct, but one. Jesus made it clear that He and the Father are one (John 10:38, 14:11; 17:11, 21). Yet, He also spent much time in devotion to the Father and receiving direction from the Father.

Another instance is that God sent His only Son, the first born among many children of God, into the world to be a sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:20). Yet, Jesus made it clear that He laid down His own life and took it up again (John 10:18, 15:13; 1 John 3:16).

Since these ideas do not make sense in human terms, and appear to be a contradiction, then people dismiss them as rantings of male chauvinists who attempted to deceive the masses. They refuse to believe that God transcends human understanding.

Prayer:

Father God, humans tend to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel (Matthew 23:24). We make issues harder for our self than they really are. We are so glad that You are greater than we will ever humanly understand; otherwise, why would we bother to serve, glorify and honor You with our life?

We can never have enough time to praise You for all You do for us, even the tiny love notes You provide, which we take for granted. Remind us to be grateful for who You are and what You provide for us every day.

Thought for the Day:

God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit exists in perfect unity as one, yet are three distinct entities. – Gospel of John, chapters 14-16

Why Prayer Does Not Work

Millions of prayers go up every day. Some prayers are sent to an unknown god; others are offered to our personal Savior. We pray for all sorts of details that we deem very important and necessary for our life.

A Newsweek poll, titled "Is God Listening?” stated that if you count up the number of prayers that were answered exactly like the person who said them wanted them answered, it would only tally to around 15% of answered prayers. It also said that 13% declared they lost their faith because of God’s failure to answer their prayer.

These people insist that prayer does not work. They act like prayer is some magic formula to get what they want. They perceive God as a genie in a bottle who is bound to grant their wishes. They get angry and pout when God does not interfere in the affairs of mankind. They blame God for what sinful human choices caused.

Some people see God as an impersonal deity who is too busy to consider our needs. Others have the misconception that some prayers are not important enough to bother God with. Then some people feel that their life is too immoral and God no longer cares about them. At times, a prayer is even offered as a last resort, because the person tried everything else first and it failed.

So, what is prayer and how does it work? Prayer is an intimate dialogue with our eternal Father. It involves us sharing our needs and then praising God for the results. It also includes us listening to His response to us. Sometimes we do not hear the answer to our prayer; because we quickly send it heavenward, and then rush right off without taking the time to listen to God’s answer. At other times we never stop talking long enough to hear His answer.

There are many other reasons we do not get answers to our prayers. We may have sin, which is blocking God from hearing them (Psalm 66:18). When we pray selfishly, rather than according to God’s will, He cannot answer (James 4:3). If we have unforgiveness in our heart, God requires that we settle these issues first (Matthew 5: 23-24). Doubt will block an answered prayer (James 1: 6-7; 2 Corinthians 10:4). If we ignore the needs of others, God cannot provide our needs (Proverbs 21:13). If we rob God by withholding our tithe, He cannot bless us, as He wants to (Malachi 3: 8-12). Our faulty motives will also hinder the answers to our prayers (Proverbs 16:2).

Satan often blinds us to the fact that God really is answering our prayers. The devil will not allow us to see the answers, because he does not want us to give God any glory. He wants to hinder our faith from growing. He would rather that we get angry with God, so our heart gets cold against Him and we fall away from serving Him. This way, Satan has us right where he wants us…in the palm of his evil hand.

God actually wants us to love Him more than we want the answer for our prayer. He wants us to love Him even if He does not give us what we want. Do you love God more than you love what you prayed for?

God answers our prayers more often than we think. God often says “No”, because what we want will be harmful for us in the big scheme of life. He says “Wait” when He is working in the situation, and it will take more time for the other parties involved to be willing to cooperate with His plan. Also, He wants our faith to grow, so He will make us wait for a while to give us time to learn to trust Him.

God delights in delivering us out of our troubles and making us a testimony for the world to see...just like the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. Jesus met them in the incinerator and kept them safe (Daniel 3: 25). God did not answer Mary and Martha’s prayer to heal their brother, but allowed Lazarus to die. Jesus later told them, it was for God’s glory, and He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:14). When our loved one dies, it means that God healed them for eternity, instead of only for this lifetime on earth.

Sometimes, God just wants us to persevere in prayer. In Luke 18:5-8, He tells a parable about a persistent widow. In it He states, “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to lose heart.”  When you pray, do you get discouraged? Jesus teaches us the importance of persisting in prayer. It is not a lack of faith to pray for something more than once; that is persistence.

With every issue you experienced since dedicating your life to God, He really has resolved them one by one, even if you are not aware of it. You may be having continual trials, but that is because Satan is trying to get you to give up and to curse God (Job 2:9). If you look at these circumstances more closely, God is actually answering every one of your prayers.

In this world, we will have tribulation, but be of good cheer because Jesus already overcame these trials for us (John 16:32-33). God will use our trials to build His character in us and to further His Kingdom in the earth (Psalm 34:7,17,19). We can believe that God will deliver us out of all of our troubles (Psalm 5:15), because He promised that He would ~ not in our timing, but in His own.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, when doubts fill my mind, Your comfort gives me renewed hope and cheer (Psalm 94:19). When I go through deep difficulties, You will not let me drown. When life gets overwhelming, You are right there with me. When I walk through the fire of oppression, You will not allow me to be totally consumed (Isaiah 43:2). Help me to trust in You no matter what this sinful world brings my way.

Thought for the Day:
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. - Psalm 34:18

Let God Be God

Read: Hebrews 11: 1-40

 

“Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee.” Ps 143:8 KJV

People curry God’s favor for many reasons and in many different ways. Most of us agree that we need God, but the way in which we relate to Him tells a great deal about our relationship with Him.

Some people treat Him like a genie in a lamp and entreat Him for what He can do for them. They trust in Him as their “fire insurance” to keep them from going to hell. They blame Him when things do not go their way, especially in the way in which they expected them to transpire.

Others create God in their own image. They ignore Him or curse His name in their everyday conversation. If pressed, they would say they and God have an understanding: He won’t bother them and they won’t bother Him. They only call on God when they make a bargain with Him to bail them out of some type of trouble they got themselves into; although, they never seem to keep their end of the promise in the bargain.

Then there are those who deny God’s existence. They do not blame Him, nor do they go to Him in their time of need. They may take His name in vain, but they do not believe that He has any more reality than the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus.

Finally, there are those who believe in God by faith. They actually stake their existence on the validity of His authenticity. They live a life of faith in His will and obedience to it. They let God be God in His own timing, wisdom, and manner in their lives. They trust in Him alone, regardless of what He provides or promises. Their faith rarely waivers, because it is built on the Rock of Christ, rather than on the sand of life’s circumstances and the behavior of others.

I suppose you can say that I held a membership in each of these groups. I shared all of these viewpoints for a short span in my lifetime. Then, I joined the ranks of Hall of Faith in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. I came face to face with the Savior. Now, His abundant holiness leaves me awestruck. His graciousness humbles me. His loving kindness meets me anew every morning and blesses me all through my day. His peace holds me above troubled waters and His joy is my only source of strength.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for authoring and finishing our faith. Guide us each day, and help us to trust You more. Let our light so shine that others will see our good works and glorify You as their Father also. Commission us to do Your will each day of our lives and use us to further Your Kingdom in the earth.

Thought for the Day:

Faith alone, without works to back it up, is dead.