To understand the Old Testament solely on a historical and physical level is to miss its most important message. The Old Testament is a treasure trove of spiritual wealth that has great relevance for us today. Romans 15:4 says, “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope”.  The Apostle Paul also said in 1^st. Cor. 10:11 – “These things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction”.  This scripture we read from the Book of Deuteronomy gives us what I would call the most important message and lesson we will ever learn from scripture about life… and that is that we can count on God!  We can count on God going before us, and we can count on God working within us to accomplish His will for our lives. This is a great lesson that I have learned personally.

     Many people do not know what to count on or depend on to give meaning and purpose to life. They try all sorts of things like drugs, or multiple relationships and even multiple marriages, or high powered careers, luxury cars and costly toys, yet, they end up feeling empty and thinking “There must be more to life than this!” Because we live in the same world, with all the same influences, Christians are faced with the same choices as everyone else. Often the message of the world is so loud that we get distracted from the message that really matters in life. I think of the prophet Elijah, who had to use drastic measures such as a three year drought  to get the attention of the people of his time. In the end, his challenge was this; “If the Lord is God, then follow him!” Elijah’s challenge is very relevant today.

  “Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel:  "I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The LORD has said to me, 'You shall not cross the Jordan.'  The LORD your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the LORD said.  And the LORD will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. The LORD will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deut. 31:1-8)

    I want to call your attention to some of the words that Moses uses in this scripture like; “The Lord will cross ahead of you”…“He will destroy the nations” … “The Lord will do to them…”  “The Lord will deliver them to you”… The Lord goes with you and never will leave you nor forsake you”… And, he repeats that in verse 8 saying “The Lord himself goes before you”…“Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” After hearing all that, can you imagine Joshua sitting down and saying, “So, what’s your point?”… In my reading the Book of Joshua, I think Joshua got the point loud and clear.

     One of the things we tend to do as Christians today, is to focus on the New Testament for our understanding the Christian life, and our understanding of God and His will for our lives, and so on. We see ourselves as the “New Testament Church” and, we tend sometimes to view the Old Testament as a collection of historical stories that are filled with names we can’t pronounce, and the wonderful experiences with Almighty God and His presence with His people that just doesn’t seem to exist today. But, I am able to say that if you haven’t seen the hand of God moving in your life or in the life of your church; if you haven’t seen any miracles or awesome displays of God’s power; or if you haven’t seen or felt the compassion and love of God in your life or in the world today; then you haven’t been looking! 

    There will be things that in a very real sense are “mountains” blocking our path; circumstances blocking our happiness; and obstacles blocking our success. Obstacles that are overwhelming to us at times. But, throughout the Bible, God has a history of making mountains into molehills!

    However, making big things small is not the only way God works. He also does just the opposite; He makes small things big. In the scripture from 1Cor. 1:27 it says “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; the weak things of the world to shame the strong;”

    I think God really enjoys doing big things with that which seem small and insignificant! What do you suppose God can do with you? God took a piece of wood that was used for execution and turned it into the most universally recognized symbol on earth - the Cross. God makes small things big.

Our “lug-nut” story from the time we were going to sing our way to Arizona in a bus/camper (kind of like the Partridge family) and trusting God;

    We had only driven about fifty miles from our home town when God decided to make a statement – loud and clear – that we would be fully depending on him to guide and protect us. Not just through this trip, but for the rest of our lives…

    All of a sudden, I felt the bus jerk and make a noise that it shouldn’t make, and one of the dual wheels from the back of the bus came rolling past us down the road and into the woods! I pulled over to the side of the road and stopped, thinking “This is not good!”

    When I looked at the back of the bus, I could not help but wonder what kept the inside dual from coming off? About that time our oldest son hollered that he found the tire; and it was not flat. We got the wheel back to the bus, but all the lug nuts were gone. We started walking back down the road to see if we could find at least two or three to hold the wheel on until we got to the next town…the odds of finding even one were one in a million. That’s when God made his point! Right there, in the middle of the road, in fact on the white dash no less, were five lug nuts in a pile! As if God caught them as they came flying off at fifty-five miles per hour, and placed them there for us to find. Impossible you say, well I have five witnesses. .. Okay God, you have my attention, I will trust in you!

    There are basically two ways that God has done - and continues to do - great and even miraculous things in our world. Throughout the Bible God has always made big things small and He has made small things big. An understanding of this will help us with the problems we face every day and also be a source of encouragement to us.

    In my time of seeking and believing I learned God was up to something in my life. Life is a series of problem-solving opportunities. The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you, depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways. There are many ways I could have reacted to what was happening in our lives, but I chose to believe that God was up to something. He was directing our steps, even though we didn’t realize it, to prepare us; to grow our faith; to change our circumstance; and to bring us into the path of friends who would influence our lives. There are many possible reasons for what happens to us, but God is interested in what happens “through” us. I believe that even when we make wrong decisions, He still directs our circumstances to get us back on the right track.

There is a difference between thinking about, pondering over, or forming an opinion about something without facts or experience and seeking. Webster’s Desk Dictionary defines seeking as “to try to find, discover, or obtain truth.” One seeks by study, teaching, reading, prayer, interrogation, personal experience, digging in depth, searching for clues, and making use of all senses—sight, smell, sound, touch, and yes, even taste. Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see if the Lord is good!” The question becomes this: how many of these ways have you honestly sought truth?

“If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever”   (1 Chronicles 28:9).

“In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God”

(Psalm 10:4).

“Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart” (Psalm 119:2).

“I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me” (Proverbs 8:17).

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6).

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7).

“God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27).

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

4. We love God with our wants and wishes. What is it that you wish for today?  What is the upper-most desire that directs your thoughts and your actions? Disciplining our wants and desires makes a difference. As we grow older, we understand the difference, especially financially.

Romans 12:2 says; “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  If we conform to the world, our wants and desires will be defined by the world. But, if we allow God to transform our thinking, it transforms the way we feel, and changes our wants and desires. which ultimately changes the way we act…and demonstrates our love for Him.

    God does not expect us to come into his presence with perfect worship, or a perfect walk, or to be perfect in speech or in our desires… But, he does expect us to grow in all these things.  The beauty of the Gospel is that God demonstrated his love for us…and he just desires that we love him back…with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

3. We love God with our words. The words we speak have a defining effect on our thoughts and our attitudes. It is well known and documented that the words we speak have an effect - positive or negative - on others. But, our words also affect us in the same way. Let’s turn once again, to Deut. 5:32- 6:9….

“So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may 

enjoy long life.  Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

What is the effect of all this? (Live, prosper, and prolong your days.)

It’s a genuine demonstration of our love for God if we treasure His Word, His Commands so much that they become a natural part of our speech. We teach them to our children. We witness as to what they have done in our lives. We “write them on the doorframes” by using wall hangings in our homes that express the fact that we love God to all who enter.

2. We love God with our walk. It is through our lifestyle that we demonstrate our love.  From the very beginning God tied the idea of obedience to “loving him with all our hearts”.  In Deuteronomy 6 where that Command was originally given, it was followed by an instruction to the people; “Do not test God as you did at Massah”. Now, Massah was the place where the Israelites were some time after leaving Egypt…and, it was there that they complained; “We’re hungry; we’re tired; we’re thirsty…We were better off in Egypt…” They tested God. At it’s heart, whenever we deliberately ignore what we know full well to be true or to be the will of God; when we deliberately turn our eyes and ears away from ethical, moral, righteous behavior; and think “It would have been more fun to live in the world or, to do the things I used to do”…we are testing God. It is through our lifestyle that we demonstrate our love for God.  Jesus summed it up this way; “If you love me, you will obey my commands”.(John 14:15)

There are 4 ways that we can truly demonstrate our love for God;

1.   We love God with our worship.

“God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth”. When we worship God, it should be a genuine, grateful expression of our love… “we love because he first loved us”…. We ought to come to church prepared to worship and prepared to show or demonstrate our love for God. It goes beyond going through the motions of an order of worship. Sometimes we fall short in our worship. It may be because of circumstances, but it is always the fault of the worshipper. We bring the wrong attitudes; the wrong expectations; or maybe no expectations at all. We know we love God, but not even an all knowing, all seeing, God would be able to tell it by our actions!  We sit - in all our prosperity and blessing - with our hands folded - and sing (O-how I love Jesus…) like we are doing him a favor by being there!  If we are embarrassed to demonstrate our love for God, is it any wonder why he would say; “These people draw near to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”?

What about the fact that God is “light”?  What do we know about light? ( illuminates; gives warmth or heat; dispels darkness; Can be destructive if misused; helps things to grow; etc. )

    However, the gospel message is not just one of light and love, it is also a message of wrath. The world also needs to understand that the holiness of God the righteousness and justice of God is also a part of His character.  If man rejects the “light” and the “love” of God…then he will suffer the “wrath” of God. Without the love of God we would have no gospel; without the wrath of God we would have no need for the gospel.

“This is how God showed his love among us….”

This is the central fact of the gospel; God’s love, like himself, is eternal; unconditional; and all inclusive. It can never be compared to man’s love.The difference is found in both quality and quantity! 

Why do you think man’s love is limited? What limits our love? (Personalities; styles; ethics; morals; attitudes; etc.) In other words, it would be easy to love if it were not for people! But, God loves in spite of all our flaws and all of those things listed that get in our way.

There are basically three dimensions or motivating forces that would cause our obedience to be ambassadors for Christ; the first is the character of God:

We have to remember that the gospel originated in the heart of God. It was His work…His idea…not man’s… We did not read the Bible and say “This is a really good idea, let’s go and tell everybody about it”!... It was God’s purpose for man from the very beginning of time, and it was He who gave us this ministry and said “Go”!

    But, there are two things about the character of God that are closely linked to this message of reconciliation we are supposed to proclaim; they are both found in the Book of 1^st John –( 1:5 and 4:8 ) God is “light” and God is “love”…

2^nd. Cor. 5:16-21-

    “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

    What is the ministry of reconciliation? It is the message about the relationship between God and man. It’s the message of the Cross. It’s the message of the gospel. Without the message of salvation to be found in Christ Jesus, the Bible is just another good book…It is nothing more than a collection of the history of the life and times of Israel.

    It seems strange that we can say we believe in God, but still wonder about many things like; the truth of scripture, whether God can do all the things He says He can do; or what the Bible says about heaven and hell are true; or whether or not Jesus could return at any given moment?

    If you still have doubts about all these things, then you don’t really believe God exists! Scripture says that those who come to God must first believe that He exists. When you absolutely believe God exists, then all of these things become absolutely true! Everything about God is true! Everything about His Word is true! Everything God says concerning you in His Word is true! Therefore, (as the Apostle Peter would say) “what kind of people ought you be?” You ought to live holy and godly lives  as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

    So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.  Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.  He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

     Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:11-18)

The Bible says that Jesus didn’t do any miracles in Nazareth “because of their lack of faith”. It’s when “faith” and application come together, that we “experience” and develop “belief”. So, believing God is who He says He is… is really our faith and our experiences melding together to bring us to the point of “believing” God.

The Bible “declares” that “In the beginning, God” and sets the stage, and sets the tone for everything that follows… “Those who come to God must first believe”..

I like how the Psalmist expresses it in Psalm 90:2 in what he calls the “prayer of Moses”…"Before the mountains were born, or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God." God has always existed and He always will exist.

    Just in the Book of Matthew we find several references to our faith given by Jesus; in 9:22 he says “Your faith has healed you”; in 9:29 he says “according to your faith it will be done unto you”; In 17:21 he tells the people “even if they had a little faith, as a mustard seed, they could move mountains”…And again in 13:58 it says that he “did not do many miracles in Nazareth, because of their lack of faith”. Some people don’t have enough faith to move a mustard seed!

    Now, I think we can agree that the words “faith” and “belief” are interchangeable in meaning; So, let me give you the opposite of what I just quoted from scripture, which is also true;  #1. God is pleased when we “believe” Him. #2. If we don’t believe, we are not saved. #3. If we don’t believe God, we cannot even approach His throne.  #4. It is a lack of believing God that brings “disunity”.  #5. Our unbelief obstructs healing. #6. Because of unbelief, nothing is done that could be done. #7. Because of unbelief, we can’t even move a mustard seed… And if we believed God, He would do many miracles in our midst!  In light of all that, do you think it’s important that we believe God is who he says he is?

Scripture - Isaiah 43:10-12 : “You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed – I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, that I am God!”

    The most powerful, driving force of the Christian faith, is the certainty that God is who he says he is! This is where it has to begin…but, this is only the beginning.

    God’s Word is not some mysterious book that only preachers can under-stand. It is God revealing himself to us in order that we may know and understand Him and respond in faith. It begins with believing God is who He says He is! And that He can do what He says He will do! Then we have to make adjustments in our lives in order to work with Him and have a relationship that comes from our experiences with Him. Noah could not continue life as usual and build the ark at the same time…he had to make some adjustments…Abraham could not stay in Ur or Haran and father a nation…he had to make some adjustments. God is forever revealing himself or His purpose to those who will listen, believe, and respond in faith.

    Our relationship with God must go beyond just knowing a few things about Him. It must go beyond just knowing all the good stories in the Bible. It needs to be much deeper than a Sunday morning acquaintance. We need to be at the level of seeing, hearing, feeling, and responding to God, whether through His Word; through His Holy Spirit; or through people, or circumstances. When we reach that level we can say with confidence that we “know” God.

    “Let him who boasts boast of this; that he understands and knows me” says the Lord God Almighty.”

Scripture - Romans 1:18-32 

Let me put some of these scriptures together and emphasize the words that have to do with knowing God; “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them…Men are without excuse…For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him…They exchanged the truth of God for a lie…Futhermore, since they did not think it worth-while to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over… Although they knew God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these things but also approve of those who practice them”.

    When I think about the knowledge that most people have about God, I find that many people - both inside and outside - the church, know many of the stories…And they can name many of the people in God’s Word…But, some-how they missed the revelation of God himself.

    We speak of the Book of Revelation, being the last book of the Bible, but in fact, this whole book from beginning to end is a “revelation” of God. God’s whole purpose in giving us His Word is that we might come to know and understand him better…and, in that, to really come to “know” him, not just know about Him.

Truth is God’s nature and he doesn’t have anything in him to be anything else. His truth shows us the way things really are, and…how things will be - in the future - whether or not we choose to believe or heed His words.

    The Book of Titus begins with the words; “Paul, a servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of truth that leads to godliness”. Whether physical, emotional, spiritual, or any other aspect, His word is always true, and if heeded, leads to godliness.

     We are all familiar with the thought that our bodies need the right routine of food, rest, and exercise to run properly and efficiently. If filled up with the wrong fuel of alcohol, drugs, or an excess of the wrong foods, we lose our power, we begin to function improperly; and ultimately to “seize up” physic-ally. What we are slower to grasp, is that the same is true spiritually. We were also made to run spiritually on the practice of worship; law-keeping; truthfulness; honesty; self-control;  discipline; and service to God. If we abandon these things…or substitute other things in their place, we progressively “die” spiritually. The conscience dries up; our capacity for truth dwindles; loyalty and honesty are eaten away; and our character begins to disintegrate.

In this lesson we are going to focus on the “truth” of God…Let’s look at John 17 which says “Sanctify them by the truth; Thy Word is truth”. Let’s look at that for just a moment; what does the word “sanctify” mean? It simply means to be set apart for God’s purpose. In a church, the place where we worship God is called the “Sanctuary” for example. As God’s people, as Christians, we are called to be “set apart”… However, the previous verse tells us that it does not mean that we are to be “taken out of the world” or that we should have nothing to do with the world, what it does say is that we can be “protected from the evil one”, Satan, the devil, and all his schemes and temptations, and attempts to get our eyes off of God.  And, how does it say we are to be protected, set apart, and sanctified?  (By the truth, “Thy Word is truth”.)

    Now, we actually have - literally - God’s words within His Word. So, we can hold up the Bible, God’s Word, and say that this is truth. In its entirety, and in each and every part of it, it is truth.  Within God’s Word, we have God’s words that are given to us in various forms or applications.

    I close this part of our knowing God better with two stories of what wisdom is and what it is not;  If you were to stand on the platform of York Station, you can watch a constant movement of engines and trains. Trains going this way and that. You might be able to get a rough idea of what’s going on, and perhaps an overall plan of these movements. But, suppose you were taken to the main signal room, where there is a whole wall diagram of the entire railway station. There are little glow-worm lights that mark movement and non-movement of all the trains on all the tracks. You would be able to see the entire pattern and better understand the whys and wherefores of all the movements. Now, the mistake is commonly made to suppose this is an illustration of what God does when he bestows wisdom… that is that wisdom consists of a deepened understanding into the meaning and purpose of the events going on in the world or in an individuals life…However, this is not wisdom.

    Wisdom is like being taught to drive. What matters in driving is the speed and the reactions to what is happening around you, and the soundness of your judgment in any given situation. You see, you are not worried about why the road twists and turns, or where the other cars are going, you simply see and do the right thing in the situation you are in every time you drive.

    The effect of Divine wisdom enables you and I to do the same thing in every-day life. The wisdom of God is far beyond our comprehension. But, the wisdom He imparts to us in His Word gives us the power to see, and the “inclination to choose, the best and highest goals together with the means that we need to achieve them!”

    Now, among these “communicable” attributes, theologians put wisdom. As God is wise in himself, so He imparts wisdom to man whom He has created. The first nine chapters of Proverbs are devoted to this subject of wisdom, and are worthy of our reading, meditation and study.

    In the New Testament (Eph. 5:15) we are told to “live as wise, not as unwise” In (Col. 4:5) “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders” And, of course, (James 1:5) “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, and it will be given unto him”.

    Where can we find the wisdom of God? The Bible tells us that we must first learn to reverence or “fear” God. It says “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” We must also learn to receive and understand God’s Word. Paul wrote to the Colossians; “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom”. He also told Timothy that “all scripture is able to make you wise unto salvation.”

    Many today who profess to be Christians never learn wisdom. I challenge you to look at your own life and ask “Where does your wisdom come from?” Do you spend as much time in God’s Word as you do reading the newspaper or watching T.V.? 

   When the old theologians dealt with the attributes of God, they used to classify them into two categories; those that were communicable, and those that were in-communicable. Many of the “in-communicable” I have already talked about. Things that show how God is so vastly different from us;  His self-existence; the fact that He is never-changing; not limited by space and time; all knowing; all powerful; ever-present; absolute holiness…and perfection; meaning that there are in Him no elements that can conflict. So, unlike us, he cannot be torn in two different directions by thoughts and desires. These are things that man does not share with God, they are found in Him alone.

    In the “communicable” group, they lumped together qualities like; spirituality, goodness, kindness, truth, righteousness, love, and the like. In a word it’s called “godliness” or “God-like-ness”.  When the Bible says we were created in God’s image, these are the qualities that we have in common with God. Many of these qualities were lost in the fall of man, and man lapsed into “un-godliness”.  But, God in His infinite wisdom had a plan. A plan of redemption and restoration. A plan to communicate these godly qualities in a new and fresh way. That’s what the scripture means when it says we are  “being renewed day by day” and “becoming Christlike” which is God’s purpose.

    We often have the tendency to question God’s wisdom when we ask questions like; “How could a God, who is love, allow this to happen?”

In effect, we may think we are questioning His motives, but, we are really questioning His wisdom. This is because many misunderstand the Bible when it says “God is Love”… They think that if God is love, then He intends a trouble free life…So, anything upsetting such as; accident, illness, or suffering of any kind, indicates that the Bible is wrong…or that somehow, God’s power and wisdom have broken down. But, God’s wisdom and power is not and never was pledged to keep a fallen world happy! Nor, is it meant to make ungodliness comfortable! Not even to Christians does God promise a trouble-free life. In fact, His Word tells us just the opposite. Happiness and pure joy, and an absolute trouble-free life is God’s reward of heaven - not earth.

    In my NIV introduction to the Book of Proverbs it says this; “The Jews often speak of the Old Testament as the “Law”, the Prophets, and the Writings. Included within the “Writings” are Psalms, Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. These are also called the “wisdom” books.  Whereas the priests and prophets dealt more with the religious side of life, the so called “wise men”… the sages and teachers of the law…dealt with practical and philosophical matters….So, one might say that wisdom is not only to be found in knowledge, but also in common sense, the practical, everyday matters. It has been said that many people are “knowledgeable” but have no common sense… They can quote from the greatest books, but can’t change a light bulb!

    J.I. Packer, a well known author, says that “Wisdom is the power to see, and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal…together with the means of attaining it”. As such, wisdom finds it’s fullness only in God.  The reason is because human wisdom can be frustrated by circumstantial factors that are outside of the wisest person’s control. God’s wisdom, however, cannot be frustrated because of it’s alliance with His omniscient, omnipotent, power.  Infinite power guided by infinite wisdom…Infinite wisdom attainable by infinite power. This is God’s character as described in scripture; (Job 9:4) - “His wisdom is profound, His power is vast” (Job 12:13) - “He is mighty in power and in wisdom” (Daniel 2:20) - “Wisdom and power are His” (Romans 16:25-27) “Now, to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, God only wise…”   Listen, wisdom without power would be pathetic; Power without wisdom is just plain frightening!  But, in God, absolute power and absolute wisdom are united…and, that makes Him worthy of our trust and faith.

We truly need to be reminded often of the omniscience and omnipotence, and the omnipresence of Almighty God.

Isaiah 40:12-end… “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor? Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding? Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to? As for an idol, a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple. Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?  He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:  Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;  but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

             “Holy, Holy, Holy” … “Worship His Majesty”

5^th. -the purpose of God never changes.

    Psalm 33:11 tells us; “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever; the purposes of His heart throughout all generations.” What God does in time…He planned for eternity; and all that God planned for eternity, He carries out in time.

    All that He has committed himself to do in His Word will be done! His purpose for the world, for his creation, and his purpose for man never changes. Romans 8:29 - “For those God foreknew He predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son.” From the very beginning God said; “Let us make man in our image”… His purpose hasn’t changed. When man sinned in the Book of Genesis, the image and character of God was lost, and the rest of the Bible is all about God trying to restore His image and His character in man.

    Let’s not lose tract of what this chapter is all about…it is based really on Jeremiah 9:23 which says; “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, or the strong man boast of his strength, or the rich man of his riches, but let him who boasts boast of this; that he knows me; says the Lord Almighty.”

    I believe that our view of God has suffered from our failure to capture a sense of His Majesty. The God of contemporary evangelicalism is a very personal God -- someone with whom we can enjoy intimate fellowship. He is our best friend and closest ally, the one to whom we can bring all of our troubles. We have a great high priest who became flesh and blood so that He can be a perfect mediator between himself and man.

    Isaiah had opportunity to look beyond the visible to the realms of the invisible and see the majesty of our God. He saw God "sitting upon a throne," the symbol of sovereign authority, in charge of everything in heaven and upon the earth. But in stressing our closeness to God, I think we have lost sight of His majesty.

4^th. - The power of God never changes.

    God’s power was displayed in many ways throughout the Old Testament. His power was displayed in and through Jesus in the Gospels. And, His power was displayed through the Holy Spirit in Acts through Revelation…and still is today. Is God out of the miracle working business? I don’t think so. He certainly has done some in my life!  I no longer believe in “coincidence”…unless it’s Divine coincidence.

    God himself, never changes. He is the God of Abraham Isaac, Jacob and Fred!  Just think about the fact that the same God who parted the Red Sea and went before the Israelites; and totally consumed Elijah’s offering on Mt Carmel; and healed the sick and gave sight to the blind; and gave boldness and wisdom to the Disciples; the same God who was able to totally and radically transform a man like Saul into the person of Paul; and the list could go on and on, is the God who loves us and cares for us and provides for us and whom we love and serve and worship today!  His character never changes. He is gracious, compassionate, merciful and forgiving…Yet, he is also holy and just…

3^rd. - God’s Word and His Truth never change. ( Joshua 1:1-9 )

    When Joshua was to replace Moses as leader of the Israelites, he had been at Moses’ side for 40 years or more, yet, God’s command to him was not to try and remember all the things Moses had said and done; nor to try and be like Moses; He told Joshua to search and constantly study and meditate on the Scriptures. We are admonished to do the same today. ( God’s Word is for all generations ) People change, fashions change, pastors come and go, but, the Word of God never changes. God’s Word is truth for all generations. And, all generations have to find the knowledge of God for themselves…personally!

2^nd. - God’s character never changes.

    We are ever-changing creations. We change with circumstances. We change with the weather. We change as we grow and mature. We change our mind as often as we change our socks! We can change moods at the drop of a hat!  But, God’s character never changes! Look to Exodus 34 and you will  read some of the changeless character traits that God told Moses; vs. 5 - 7   These are just some of God’s character traits that never change. It would be a good study to keep a list and write down something you learn about God as you read Scripture… (read)

Exodus 34:5-7  - “Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

How does that make you feel?...