Tag Archive - Sufficiency of God

The way is clear in the wilderness of life: Isaiah 40 and 41

July 29, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 40:3-5

Within Isaiah chapter 40 a question of God and His existence is asked. Do we know God? Can we comprehend the greatness of God in its fullness? “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” Isaiah 40:13,14 Can we individually or collectively sway the intents of God? Can we even understand ourselves and our surroundings? It is impossible for us to comprehend the grand scale of who God is. Continue Reading…

Thankfulness in the total sufficiency of God: Isaiah 38 and 39

July 27, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

It is God who enables. It is God who renews. It is God who uplifts. True faithfulness is God. When Hezekiah was faced with illness and death he pleaded before God. He knew that only God was his source of help, “‘Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” Isaiah 38:3 What does it say about us when we run to God in our despair? We cast aside our own self sufficiency and we embrace the total sufficiency of God. There is nothing that God cannot do. Is that enough? Continue Reading…

In the battle of allegiance what do you choose: Isaiah 36 and 37

July 25, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

We are in the midst of a great battle of allegiance and devotion. In Isaiah 36 and 37 we are privy to an encounter where the king of Israel is faced with a choice to trust men or trust God. What would you choose? When face with insurmountable opposition what choice do you make? When the world around you screams in a seductively alluring whisper to submit to the ways of the nature of sin do you listen to the sirens song? Of the king of Israel is whispered, “Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD by saying, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?” Isaiah 36:14-18 Continue Reading…

In our presalvific state we needed the grace of God: Ecclesiastes 7 and 8

April 18, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

We are apart of a great story that God has been playing out from eternity past. In this moment we are enveloped by God’s overall purpose for creation. We have been greatly blessed by God through the all surpassing grace that was extended to us upon the cross of Calvary. We are transformed when we place our trust and hope in Jesus Christ death on the cross. There will come a day when Jesus Christ will return and all who hold their hope in Him will be completely renewed and restored. “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8 We may want to look back upon our lives and think that what we once had was of greater worth than the life of faith in Jesus Christ we live today. When we look back upon our  presalvific existence with longing we are believing a lie that God is not sufficient for our present circumstances. ”Say not, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” Ecclesiastes 7:10 Continue Reading…

Is God worthy of your praise for all eternity: Psalm 145

February 23, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

Why would we want to praise God for all eternity? There are moments when praising God continually seems like it could be a tiring endeavor but in those moments we supersede our will and expectations upon our eternal relationship with God and we easily find our selfish desires fighting aggressively against the authority of God in our lives. “I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Everyday I will bless You, and I will praise your name forever and ever.” Psalm 145:1,2  David is encouraging us in Psalm 145 to desire to praise God above everything else we could and do desire. It is easy enough to talk about praising God forever and ever but we often are left desiring a reason for our desires and actions. Continue Reading…

Is God your all encompassing everything who sustains you: Psalms 144

February 22, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

“My lovingkindness and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and He in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me. O Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You think of him? Man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” Psalm 144:2-4  Have we forgotten the love for God that was encompassed in complete awe and wonder because of God’s sufficient faithfulness? Listen to David’s words in Psalm 144; God is David’s lovingkindness, fortress, stronghold, deliverer, shield, and refuge. This list of who God was for David is all encompassing to every corner of David’s life. There is no area within David’s life that God was not intimately present in. God by our limited human understanding should have no desire to interact with us but His grace is greater than our inability. Continue Reading…

Give up the pretense of striving to be good and cling to God: Psalm 143

February 21, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

How are you feeling today? Is your life marked by an eternal perspective or has your perspective wavered as you fight, strive, and toil against your sinful nature? We claim to fully acknowledge our helplessness before God but our thoughts and actions often tell a different story. We consider ourselves to be good but are we living and embracing the grace of God? The grace of God is to be consistently abided in, clung to, and treasured above everything else in our lives. We must give up our pretense, full of our striving to be good enough, and cling to God in our weakness. We cannot make a way through our but God is more than able to help us. “Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; for I trust in You; teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You.” Psalm 143:8,9  David knew that in the despairing moments of life it was only God who could move to bring lasting deliverance. His enemies were surrounding him but despite the imminent danger David clung to God. When all you see is despair will you cling to God? Will you give up you attempts to save yourself and let God save you?
Continue Reading…

Will God be enough: Psalm 142

February 20, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

When we are confined and cornered by the worries of life, will God be enough? In Psalm 142 David was pursued by Saul as he was forced to take refuge in a cave. David’s life was in jeopardy and there was no avenue of escape. What did David do? He cried out to God telling Him all the burdens of his heart. When we are in need of help do we find that God is enough for us? Do you pour out your heart to God as you tell Him everything that concerns you? “I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Give heed to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring my soul out of prison, so that I may give thanks to your name; the righteous will surround me, for You will deal bountifully with me.’” Psalm 142:5-7 Continue Reading…

Hopeless inadequacy and inability broken by the grace of God: Psalm 141

February 19, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

Where does the strength, endurance, and will to press on in life come from? Can we make our own destiny and overcome any obstacle as long as we put our minds to it? If we truly desire to live the best life possible we cannot presume to play a role in its ultimate success. Life is only brought to completion by the grace of God as He is in full control over everything. “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of m wickedness with men who do iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.” Psalm 141:3,4  Do you see how David acknowledges the words of our mouth and the desire of our heart are governed by God. Continue Reading…

Boldness birthed out of God’s sufficient supremacy: Psalm 140

February 18, 2011 in Bible Blog with 0 Comments

How can David say, “As for the head of those who surround me, may the mischief of their lip cover them. May burning coals fall upon them; may they be cast into the fire, into the deep pits from which they cannot rise. May a slanderer not be established in the earth; may evil hunt the violent man speedily.” Psalm 140:9-11  Can we truly wish the demise of someone? What is the basis of these thoughts of David? These wicked men were against God and seeking the demise of David. How does the character and opposition of these men against God allow David to seek their downfall? The character and identity of David was grounded in his relationship with God. This relationship with God afforded David the confidence to proclaim that the wicked will never proper because God was in control. “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my God; give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications. O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle. Do no grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not promote his evil device , that they not be exalted.’” Psalm 140:6-8 Continue Reading…

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