MY GOD IS AWESOME

Proclamation:

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 (NIV)

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4 (KJV)

Explanation:

This Holy Spirit inspired letter by the Apostle John was written to the believers after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ to serve as a call back to the basics of Christianity and the fundamentals of their faith.  After pointing out the errors of the false teachings in the earlier chapters, here he tells them that they have already won the battle against evil and they have the victory.  The Holy Spirit of God which is within them has already defeated death and Satan. (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Application:

As believers we serve an awesome God.  He made us (Psalms 139:13-16), He knows us (Psalms 139:1-6), He loved us (John 3:16 & John 15:9), and He still loves us (Hebrews 13:8).  There is no person or thing that is greater.  God is omnipotent, all powerful, (Revelation 19:6), omniscient, all knowing, (Matthew 6:8), and omnipresent, He is everywhere all at the same time, (Matthew 28:20).  The God that is within us is greater than the ruler of this world.  God is great and good, and His word never fails. (Joshua 21:45)  "... My heart standeth in awe of Thy Word." (Psalms 119:161 KJV)  Or put another way “… My heart trembles at Your Word.” (Psalms 119:161 NIV)  We may be in a battle now but we know that in the end we have already won because He said so. (1 Corinthians 15:57)  The Holy Spirit of God is within all believers and because He has defeated death and the grave, sin and Satan, we have the victory through Jesus, The Christ.  My God is AWESOME!!!

My Help Comes From The Lord

"My help comes from The LORD, The Maker of heaven and earth."  Psalms 121:2 (NIV)

The unknown author of this psalm, a song of ascent which the people of God sang on their way up to Jerusalem to worship, knew that the help he needed came from The Lord.  He wrote and sang this song so that all who heard it would also know that his help comes from The Lord God, The Creator of heaven and earth.

We all need help in some aspect of our lives today.  Unfortunately, we turn to self-help books, friends, family, or some professional expert to give the help we need.  We turn to that which was created, or a derivative of the creation, instead of turning to The Creator.  The Lord God knows all and is all powerful.  Everything in heaven and on earth is under His control. (Matthew 28:18)  Believers know that we can take our burdens to The Lord and leave them with Him. (Psalms 34:17 and Proverbs 15:29)  He said that He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  He is always present, in good times and bad times. (Psalms 46:1)  If we walk with Him, He will help us every step of the way. (Psalms 121:7-8)

The Lord Can Calm Our Storms

"Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him.  Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke Him, saying, 'Lord, save us!  We're going to drown!'  He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?'  Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.  The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this?  Even the winds and the waves obey Him!"  Matthew 8:23-27 (NIV)

In the gospel according to the Apostle Matthew, he records this account of The Lord Jesus rebuking the wind and the waves.  He spoke and calmed the storm. (Peace, be still. Mark 4:39)  He questioned His disciples and asked them why were they afraid.  Jesus already knew that they were men of little faith.  They did not yet really understand exactly who He was and is.  

Today, we act like we do not understand just how powerful The Lord God really is.  Every thing on earth is subject to His will.  When Jesus, The Christ, rose from the dead, He said that all power in heaven and in earth is given unto Him. (Matthew 28:18)  When we were created, we were given the free will to choose to serve God, or not to serve Him. (Joshua 24:15)  We have the option to believe in Him, or not to believe. (John 3:15, John 3:16, and Acts 10:43)  He will knock on the door of our hearts, but we must open it and invite Him inside. (Revelation 3:20)  If we choose to believe in Him, He can calm the storms in our lives.  He can also give us His peace and protection in the midst of our storms and troublesome situations, and deliverance through them. (Jonah 2:1-10)  Some times He will move our mountains and calm our storms, and other times He will give us the strength to endure them.  As He told the Apostle Paul, His grace is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 12:9)  

God Sees All And Knows All

"The eyes of The LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."  Proverbs 15:3 (NIV)

King Solomon said that God sees every thing that is done, good and bad, every where that it is done. 

This verse is a reference to the fact that God is omnisciencent, He knows all, omnipotent, He is all powerful, and He is omnipresent, He is everywhere all at the same time.  He sees, hears, and knows all about the saved saints and the lost sinners including their actions, words, and thoughts.  There is no place that we can go to hide from God. (Psalms 139:1-12)  Some of us naively believe that "what happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas."  We act as if God does not cross the state line.  That which is done in the dark will come to the light.  There is no need to attempt to hide from God, just confess your sins and ask to be forgiven.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

With God All Things Are Possible

"A man in the crowd answered, 'Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.  Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground.  He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid.  I asked Your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.'  'O unbelieving generation,' Jesus replied ... Bring the boy to Me.'   So they brought him.  When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion.  He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.  Jesus asked the boy's father, 'How long has he been like this?'  'From childhood,' he answered.  'It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.  But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.'  ' 'If you can'?' said Jesus. 'Everything is possible for him who believes.'  Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief !'  When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the evil spirit. You deaf and mute spirit,' He said, 'I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.'  The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out.  The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, 'He's dead.'  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.  After Jesus had gone indoors, His disciples asked Him privately, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?'  He replied, 'This kind can come out only by prayer.' "  Mark 9:17-29 (NIV)

Jesus made it clear that some things require prayer but all things are possible to those who believe.

We need to understand the same thing today.  There is power in prayer and all things are possible if we only believe.  Things which are impossible for man are easily done by God.  We just need to have faith and believe that what we pray for can be done and will be done.

God Knows What We Do Say And Think

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely, O Lord." Psalms 139:1-4 (NIV)

God knows all that we do, all that we think, and all that we say. Nothing is hidden from Him. God is omniscient (knows all - 139:1-6), omnipresent (everywhere - 139:7-12), and omnipotent (all powerful - 139:13-18). He is worthy of our praise and our obedience. We should do more things that give God glory.