HoHum:
I have a very good friend who recently shared with me that on one occasion she, out of sincere concern over sin and desire to be what God wanted her to be, she prayed, "God, show me the sin in my life. Show me what I really am." She said that in a couple of weeks she began to pray, "Lord, I’ve seen enough! Please, Lord, don’t show me any more. I can’t stand myself!" As difficult as it may be - this is exactly what we need to do today.
WBTU:
We have been working our way through Psalm 139. We have talked about God’s omniscience from vs. 1-6. We have talked about God’s omnipresence from vs. 7-12. Now we are going to talk about God’s omnipotence from vs. 13-18. Omni means “all.” Potence means power. All power.
There is nothing too hard or difficult from God. However, this does not mean that all things are possible, like logical contradictions (making a stone so big and heavy that God cannot lift it, or making a square circle, conflicts with the law of non contradiction)
Also there are some things that God cannot do because it is not possible for Him to do because of His nature. God cannot lie. God cannot be tempted by evil. God cannot take on a job He can’t handle. God cannot be prejudiced. God cannot break a promise. God cannot be physically hungry or get sick.
“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” Psalms 115:3, NIV. From the sign “God lacks nothing and is limited by nothing.” Talk more about this tonight as well.
No person or thing can hinder the actions of God. “Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No-one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”” Isaiah 43:13, NIV.
We need to note that there are limitations which God has placed upon Himself as the result of His decision to create this particular world. Since these are self limitations, they are not violations of His omnipotence since in imposing them God has done exactly what He wanted to do without His power and purposes being hindered. But now that these limitations have been imposed, God cannot do certain things without violating the commitments He made in the very act of creation. One example is that God cannot determine man’s free will choices. For God to foreordain every choice of men or women, goes against how God made the world. After all it was God’s free will choice to give man such freedom in the first place.
The greatest evidence of God’s omnipotence is creation. ““Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17, NIV. Sing the song.
The creation is so vast that we cannot comprehend it. Our galaxy of hundreds of billions of stars is at least 100,000 light years in width, and there are hundreds of billion of galaxies in the observable universe. God spoke this whole universe into existence with a word! Psalm 139:14- Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
In 6 days God made all of this and more. On day 6 God made the crown of his creation, mankind. We are made in the image and likeness of God.
Thesis: Psalm 139:13-18 further illustrates God’s omnipotence
For instances:
God creates and arranges our bodies and souls within the womb (Vs. 13-16a)
God’s omnipotence is shown by example of development of baby within mother’s womb.
In a speck of watery material smaller than the dot over the letter i, all the future characteristics of the child are programmed- the color of his skin, eyes and hair, the shape of his facial features, the natural abilities he will have. All that the child will be physically, mentally, and personally is contained in that fertilized egg. From it will develop, 60 trillion cells, 100 thousand miles of nerve fiber, 60 thousand miles of vessels carrying blood around the body, 250 bones, to say nothing of joints, ligaments, and muscles. “Knit me together” vs. 13
Even identical twins have differences in their personalities. We are left handed or right handed and this is determined before birth. No one else has our fingerprints. No one else even has our voice pattern (family members are close but still not the same)
When it comes to relating to our world and those around us there are differences in people. There are no right or wrong personalities. Sin has marred everything and each personality has various inclinations to sin but even so there are fundamental differences between people. When it comes to our differences, God has designed each of us to respond to our world a little differently. Some examples of differences are lively vs. sluggish, bookish vs. unschooled, outgoing vs. bashful, bossy vs. unassertive, daring vs. cautious, decisive vs. indecisive, easygoing vs. nervous, fun-loving vs. serious, trusting vs. suspicious, hospitable vs. private, loud vs. quiet, mysterious vs. transparent, optimistic vs. pessimistic, rough vs. polished, talkative vs. silent, witty vs. dull, task oriented vs. people oriented, spontaneous vs. structured. Our parents can see some these differences from early on while we are babies. “You created my inmost being” vs. 13- my personality, my heart, the true me untarnished by sin.
Vs. 14- Being fearfully and wonderfully made points to the glory of humanity created in the image of God: we have thinking ability, self conscious, self determination (able to make choices), relationships with other persons.
Vs 14- I know that full well. David has spent time studying God, the creation and even himself. “Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.” Psalms 111:2, NIV.
God knows all the days ordained for us (Vs. 16b)
Your book is a figure of speech that likens God’s mind to a book of remembrance.
There is a plan for our lives even before God begins to fashion our bodies. ““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”” Jeremiah 1:5, NIV. Abortion is so wrong. God knows that their days will be done before birth, but how sad!
Why did God create us (and recreate us)? “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10, NIV.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31. What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
God thinks wonderful, innumerable thoughts about us constantly (Vs. 17-18)
In a note in the NIV we have this difference, “How precious concerning me are your thoughts, O God!” New Living Translation- How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
Max Lucado- “If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning... Face it, friend. He is crazy about you! ”
Julie Hadden, Winner of Season 4 of the TV show the Biggest Loser, told her story in a 2009 issue of Guideposts. “I went to the auditions and made it on the show. Our first challenge was a race across California’s Mojave Desert. First two contestants to get to the trainers Bob and Kim would get to choose their weight loss teammates. Those not picked would have to go home. “It must be a hundred degrees out here,” I thought, looking at the sandy stretch in front of me that seemed to go on for miles. “I’ll never make it.” Huffing and puffing, eyes blinded with sweat, I finally reached the finish line. But i wasn’t picked for either team. I’d blown my chance. Then I heard the roar of a motorcycle. Jillian, the 3rd trainer on the show, rode up to me and the rest of the rejects. “The others don’t think you can lose the weight,” said said. “We’re going to prove them wrong.” I could barely contain my happiness. Our group worked out for a week in the desert, staying in spartan dorms, away from the comfy confines of the other teams. The happiness I’d felt quickly faded. Jillian’s workouts were unforgiving, every part of me burned. One day she kicked me out of the gym. I collapsed on the bed in my dorm room. I pulled off my sneakers and threw them to the ground. Sand flew everywhere- picked up from all our time running in the desert. I grabbed one shoe and flipped it over. The grains of sand sifted through my fingers, too many to count. Then the words of my favorite psalm came to me. How precious are your thoughts about me, oh, God. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. I watched the sand settle onto the floor, and for the first time, I thought about what those words really meant. My weight didn’t make me worthless. I may have failed before, and failed often, but I wasn’t a failure. I was precious to God. This was the turning point in her weight loss and life.
Conclusion and invitation:
In talking about God’s omnipotence it is important to consider on which side of his power we want to experience. Psalm 139:19- 22.
Psalm 139:23-24. This is talking about sanctification, being holy. 3 parts to this:
Initial sanctification. at conversion. Plan of salvation
Practical sanctification. Daily
Perfect sanctification. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him (perfect sanctification), for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself (initial and practical sanctification), just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2, 3, NIV.
