Taking God At His Word

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-13

Subject: Taking God At His Word

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. —1 John 5:13

INTRODUCTION

There are some things that one can wonder about, others that one can question. There are some things that one can debate and others that one can challenge. There are some things that one can reject and others that one can disavow. There are some things that one can ridicule and others that one can berate. There are some things that one can discredit and others that one can disprove.

Everything under the sun is subject to analysis and susceptible to ridicule. But there is one thing that cannot be debated, questioned, challenged, rejected, ridiculed, disavowed or berated: the sovereignty of God. He is the:

ELOHIM: occurs 2,570 times in the OT, 32 times in Gen. 1. God as Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong

EL SHADDAIGod Almighty or "God All Sufficient." 48 times in the OT, 31 times in Job. The Septuagint uses Greek "ikanos" meaning "all-sufficient" or "self-sufficient."

ADONAI: "Master’’ or "Lord" 300 times in the OT always plural

EL ELYON: ’Most High’

ABHIR:’Mighty One’

PALET: "Deliverer"

EYALUTH:"Strength"

EL-GIBHOR:Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)

Whatever He says He can and will do. His words are actions. He has no rival or no equal. He never loses a case or backs down from anyone or anything. Angels bow before Him, heaven and earth adore Him. He has no beginning or end. He is the one who hanged the Stars in their silvery sockets. He orders the sun to shine and supplies the earth with rain. He is from everlasting to everlasting. His ways are not our ways, neither His thoughts our thoughts. He never lies or says anything that He can’t do. He’s not afraid of anything or anyone. He cannot be defeated or be denied. He is persistent, consistent and insistent. He is perfect in all His ways and purposeful in all His actions. Sarah laughed at God because she didn’t think that God could deliver on His promise at such a late stage of her life. But she learned that God can be taken at His Word. The Children of Israel got scared when they saw the Red Sea ahead of them and Pharaoh’s army in the back. But they learned that God can be taken at His Word. Joshua marched around Jericho seven times until the wall came down because he knew that God can be taken at His Word.

Some of you are experiencing disappointments and confusion in your life because you refuse to take God at His word. Some of you put more stock in what rich and famous people say than what God says. When I was in College I remember watching Dave Del Dotto on television. Dave used to tell people how to get rich in real estate. Dave sounded so confident and knowledgeable. He looked rich. I went to Manhattan to see Dave. I bought Dave’s book. I tried to apply Dave’s principles for getting rich. But I didn’t get the result that I wanted because I was banking on Dave and not on God. A while back I also tried AL Williams which became Primerica. But none of these things gave me wealth. Those who were in leadership position demanded time, commitment, and allegiance to the principles of those businesses to get rich. But God is the source of wealth. The world belongs to Him and the fullness thereof. He says that He will supply all of my needs; and you know what, He has. He says that He can give me the desires of my heart; and you know what, He has. He says that He will be my shield and buckler, my protector and provider, and you know what, He has been all of that.

Call me a fool if you will, but I rather take God at His word than money in the bank. The money can be stolen or be fake, but God will never change or lose His power. He has never failed me or let me down. And that’s why I love to read and study the Bible. The Bible is the word of God. In it is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that God seeks to impart upon His creation. In it God seeks to reveal His many sidednesses.

SETTING THE STAGE

In His word God declares that all who accept Jesus as the only Begotten Son of God and as savior of the world is saved. This is what the writer of First John is declaring in the 5th Chapter. He says: “if we believe that Jesus is truly Christ, we are God’s children.” In other words anyone who confesses Jesus as Lord and Savior is saved. You don’t have to be a priest, a religious fanatic, perfect, go to seminary, or belong to any local church or denomination. You just have to know Jesus.