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The God Who Can
"Yea, they spake against God; they said, 'Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" (Ps 78:19)
What a powerful scripture that was recorded about the Israelites. When this group of people considered the thought of whether God could supply for them in the wilderness it was recorded as "speaking against God."
I know that we would never intentionally speak against God, but God considers it as such when we question His provision. Consider some time in your life when you may have questioned what God could do. Have you ever received a report from the doctor and you questioned if you could get healed? Have you ever received a bill and thought you would never be able to pay it? Have you ever had problems in your family and thought it would never get straightened out?
These are all very common examples how we do the exact same thing that the Israelites did. They looked at their circumstances and wondered if God was big enough to handle it. While I know intellectually we all know that God can do anything and that He is all powerful, but we diminish what God can do when it comes to our lives.
In fact this was the exact same thing that happened out there in the wilderness. Because the Israelites were speaking against God they did not have the faith to receive everything that God was willing to provide for them. Consider what else is said about this situation:
"How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! (41) Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." (Ps 78:40-41)
In these two verse we are told that they provoked and grieved God. This is not a good thing! But what we must realize is if they were able to provoke and grieve God then we can too. In verse 41 it states that they turned back. This is one of the hardest things in the Christian life. As we endeavor to live by faith it is a natural tendency to want to turn back, to give up, to think things are not working. But God wants us to continue to stand. And when we think that we have done everything we could possibly do to stand then we are instructed to continue standing.
Notice the result of their turning back, they limited God. God was willing to do things for them. Miracles were waiting. Provision was on the horizon. God had plans to continue showing Himself strong, but He was limited by the actions of the people. Just as the Israelites limited God, we too can limit God.
God has promised us some great things, but it is all subject to us. We determine what we live in. Proverbs 4:23 tells us that the issues of our life comes out of our heart. Our heart will limit what God can do in our lives. If we doubt, turn back, grieve Him, or question His abilities we limit what He can do in our lives.
We are living in a day and age where we need to become more dependent upon God than ever before. Live in God's best. Don't question His abilities only believe the impossible.
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Pastor, you last sentence is a truth to live by. In my own life, I have learned not to ask "how" when it come to God. As you rightly suggested, that will be an attempt to limit Him.
Ask and you shall receive, but when you ask you should fully believe that it will be given to you. People need to have the faith in order for God to move the mountain. I have written an article about faith just today! I invite you to come check it out! This faith is so much more than a moral deity. It is a heavenly deity. Seek and you will find! Thanks for this hub!
- Author
I think that one of the coolest things about God is the exact opposite of JMcFarland accusation. God is so confident in who He is that He says, "Throw anything on me and believe what I have said about it and I will do it."
This is why Jesus said that all things are possible to the person who believes. In my time as a Pastor I've heard people say things like, "If God is loving why would He allow wars, people die early, etc. The answer to that is obviously easy, He doesn't control. He gives us a free choice and those of us who choose to believe Him at His Word experiences a powerful life.
This is the reason for my article. We all choose our life and then live in the result of our decision. As for me I choose to take God at His Word.
On the other note listed below, "...that He punishes..." God set up a system and His system works not matter what. When we listen to Him it will produce life and when we ignore Him, which we are free to do, it produces destruction. This is why through the Prophet Hosea God states that His people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.
If we jump off of the Bible for a moment and just look at money. Most people are broke, living paycheck to paycheck, and have heavy debt loads. One can whine at the rich, but in reality we are living in the decisions that we have made. Our lack of financial knowledge has destroyed many.
God's cool and I'm proud to call Him my Father. I just wish I was a better son.
- Author
Thanks for stopping by. The answer is very simple and has nothing to do with "egotistical" - understanding what faith is and how it works fully answers your question.
Isn't that the definition of being egotistical? Accusing people of speaking against you just for asking a question? Why would an all-powerful deity be so insecure, egotistical and worship-seeking that he punishes or withholds miracles or affection from his self-proclaimed chosen people just because they had the audacity to ask a question? this is a deity who demonizes knowledge or searching for answers and/or truth. It's simply not a moral deity or belief system.
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