Weekend Message/Devotion
June 16, 2019
Back to Basics
(first in a series)
Sermon Prayer: “Heavenly Father, I stand before Your people, to deliver Your message. Though the words are mine and I prepared this message, I pray that this message is Your message in its entirety. I pray your blessing and anointing on the message, its delivery, its reception - and most of all, its application in our lives.” Amen
We missed a message two weeks ago for a vacation and last week, we had the pleasure of a video message from Dr. James Dobson. We have a series of videos from Dr. Dobson and will be sharing them on the first Sunday of each month in lieu of a pulpit message/devotion.
Today, we are beginning a series of messages entitled “Back to Basics”. The series will be to review basic biblical doctrines. In other words, reviewing what our beliefs and practices are based upon. We are utilizing Bible Doctrines (A Pentecostal Perspective) authored by William Menzies, Logion Press 2001; The Great Doctrines of the Bible by William Evans, Moody Press 1974; and of course, God’s Holy Word.
The Doctrine of God
I received a telephone call from a grandson a few years ago asking me: “where did God come from”. Think about that questions a moment or two. Where did God come from? My response gave him instant satisfaction. I said, “God didn’t just come from anywhere, God ALWAYS was. That was it, no more questions.
The bible begins with that answer: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
We can argue all we want about the beginning but there can only be one beginning. Not being overly simplistic but if God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning, then He WAS at the very start. Even so, that is but an assumption.
Mankind has always held some form of belief in a supreme Being. This fact does not prove anything conclusively, does it? So as is said in the references, the universal belief in a supreme Being is intuitive in man. There will always be the factor of our belief in God that not only comes from within but also is bolstered by our faith and hope.
Back to Scripture. The Bible contains documented historical facts.
“The history of the Jews, prophecy, is not explainable minus God. If we cannot believe in the existence of God on the testimony of the Bible, we might as well burn our books of history.” (The Great Doctrines of the Bible page 18.)
“because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,” (Romans 1:19-20)
I think one of our major stumbling blocks when it comes to understanding God is that we somehow can’t get away from trying to box Him in with human attributes and character. God is a SPIRIT BEING. God is omnipotent – all powerful. There is absolutely nothing that God cannot do. We find ourselves struggling with that truth because God doesn’t always respond to our entreaties the way WE think He should. God knows everything there is to know past, present and future – we do not. Maybe sometimes we may think we do, but that kind of thinking can definitely lead to problems. We are NOT smarter than God nor are we more intuitive than God. God’s WILL is paramount! When we seek His will, we find ourselves in a more comfortable situation, even when we don’t get the answers or divine solutions that we seek.
You’ve heard me say it before, IF all we have to do is say: “In Jesus name” when we pray and automatically get the results that we seek, then whose will will be we praying for? If that were so, there isn’t enough money in all the world to pay off all the Lotto winners who would pray for a winning ticket – “in Jesus’ name”.
God is sovereign and we are subject to that sovereignty – PERIOD.
“But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.:” I (Psalm 115:3)
“A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
“O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?” (2 Chronicles 20:6)
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.” (Zachariah 4:6)
We – You and I have free will to believe and do as we wish. That means we can believe in God and seek to do His will, or we can deny God and go it alone. With God, we are promised eternal life in the heavens at the end of our life here on earth. Without God, the after life is not only bleak but it is pure HELL!
If you do believe in God and if you do seek to do His will and have never accepted His promise of eternal life, I invite you to join me in the following prayer:
“Almighty God, I believe that it is in Your will to grant me new life here and eternal life in the hereafter, if I confess that the Lord Jesus is Your Son, Whom you raised from the dead. Therefore, Almighty God, I confess that Jesus is now the Lord of my life. I submit my life to Him right now. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess that I am a sinner and ask Your forgiveness for my sins. Amen”
If you have prayed this prayer with me and are not physically with us in our fellowship gathering today, I urge you with all of my being to seek a Bible believing church and include regular corporate worship and also speak with your pastor about a discipleship program.
Let us pray.
I humbly and sincerely ask for your prayers!
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Note: It is the practice of this church to preach straight from the bible. We follow the lectionary assigned readings from which the sermon/messages are derived.
