Do not make God into your own image

Scripture

The LORD is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet. (Nahum 1:3 NLT)

the Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will in no way acquit the guilty. In gale winds and a storm is His way, and clouds are the dust of His feet. (Nahum 1:3 MEV)

Observation

1. God is slow to get angry.

God is merciful.  It is his very nature to forgive.

2.  He must punish the guilty.

God's is merciful but he is also just.  God is fully both at the same time.  My mind cannot understand that, I think mercy and justice contradict each other, that you are either one or the other.  But God is above my ways and above my thinking.  He is merciful and just.  He is slow to anger but will not allow the guilty to go unpunished.

3. God is all powerful.

He controls nature and is a force.

Application

1. Do not take God's mercy for granted.  

He is a merciful God but he also upholds justice.

2. Leave my enemies and the evil people of this world into his hands.

God will choose how to deal with evil.  Trust him with my enemies.  Trust him with the injustices of the world.  

3. Don't put God in a box.

Do not make God into who I want him to be but accept him as He is.

He is a multifaceted God who is  above my comprehension.

Prayer

Forgive me for taking your mercy for granted.  May I mourn over and repent of my sins.

May. I not take vengeance on others.  I place the evil of this world into your hands.  I trust you to do the right thing.

How to approach God

Scripture

When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:10 NLT)

When God saw their actions, that they turned from their evil ways, He changed His mind about the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. (Jonah 3:10 MEV)

He prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord! Is this not what I said while I was still in my own land? This is the reason that I fled before to Tarshish, because I knew that You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in faithfulness, and ready to relent from punishment. (Jonah 4:2 MEV)

So he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. (Jonah 4:2 NLT)

Observation

1. Repentance moves God.

When God saw the sincerity of the people, he changed his mind.

My actions can effect God's actions.

That is an amazing statement!

2. God's character

A. God is gracious.

B. God is merciful

C. God is slow to anger

D. God is filled with unfailing love

E. Eager to turn back from destroying people.

Application

1. True repentance moves the heart of God.

Nineveh heard and believed God's message.  They mourned over their sins.  They changed the way they lived.  

2. God does not want to bring judgment, God is a God of grace.

Judgment is a last resort for God.  It is in his heart to bless His children.  

3. I don't approach God based upon my character but His.

I can boldly approach the throne of grace because it is a throne of grace.  There I receive blessings I do not deserve.

Prayer

Father, today I ask for mercy and grace.  Do not treat me as I deserve but based upon your character.

Fear of God leads to freedom

Scripture

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety. (Proverbs 29:25 NLT)

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever puts his trust in the Lord will be safe. (Proverbs 29:25 MEV)

Observations

1. Fear of man is a snare, a trap.

Fear prevents me from action. Trying to please man or to impress someone hinders my judgment.  I cannot live life trying to please people or in fear of people.

2. Trusting God leads to safety,

Pleasing man leads to danger, living to please God means safety.

Application

1. Live to please God not to impress men.

2. Fear of man is a snare, fear of God is liberating.

3. Once God reveals His will to me, I must act, even in the face of opposition.

Prayer

Free me from the fear of men and free me from the desire to please or impress people.

May I fear and place my trust in you.  Fear of God leads to freedom.

Open and closed doors

Scripture

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open: (Revelation 3:7 NLT)

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. (Revelation 3:7 NIV)

Observation

1. God holds the keys in his hands.

2. What God opens no one can shut.

3. What door God shuts no one can open.

Application

1. Keys represents authority.  The person with the keys to the house has the power to provide or deny access.   He can let people in or can lock them out.  

2. When God opens a door no one can shut it.

When God provides access to a country no one can shut that door.  Governments are not sovereign only God is.  He can open doors to presently closed countries.

3. When God closes a door no one can force it open.

When Paul wanted to go to a certain place, the Bible says he was forbidden.  Paul could not force a closed door to open.

3. The lesson is I have to be spirit led.  God opens and shuts doors.  

A. I have to be willing to go through the open doors no matter how scary they may be.  I have to go forward in faith.  

B.  I do not try to force doors to open.  God's timing is perfect and he knows when a country is ready for the gospel.  I have to trust his timing.

4. Obedience is the key.  Like the old hymn I must trust and obey, there is no other way.

Prayer

Build my trust in you.  Produce in me the faith and courage to go through open doors and may I trust your timing.

The majesty of forgiveness

Scripture

LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you. I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. (Psalms 130:3-5 NLT)

If you, O Lord, should keep track of iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? For there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared. I wait for the Lord, with bated breath I wait; I long for His Word! (Psalms 130:3-5 MEV)

Observation

1. If God kept a record of my sins, I could never stand.

My heart is deceitful above all else.  I overestimate my goodness and underestimate my tendency to sin.

2. God offers forgiveness and forgetfulness.

He forgives me of all sin and throws then into the sea of forgetfulness.  He remembers them no more.  

3. God's willingness to forgive me should produce fear in me.  

God's mercy is a scary thing, only God treats men in such a way.  He is above all.

4. I wait for God as a child on Christmas Eve not as a patient in a dentist office.

I am anxious for His appearing.

5. I long for His presence and word.

Application

1. Never take God's forgiveness for granted.

2. It should produce fear, wonder, and gratitude in me.

3. Long for his presence above all else.

4. Feed upon His word daily.

Prayer

I ask for your forgiveness.  I am in need of your presence.  Come to me today. 

Jesus will complete my sanctification

Scripture

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (Jude 1:24 KJV)

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. (Jude 1:24 NLT)

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, (Jude 1:24 ESV)

Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with rejoicing, (Jude 1:24 MEV)

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— (Jude 1:24 NIV)

Observation

1. To Him- Jesus

2. Who is able

3. To keep me from stumbling, falling, falling away

4. To present me without fault, blameless, faultless, without a single fault.

5. In his glorious presence, presence of. His glory, 

6. With great joy, rejoicing, exceeds

King joy

Application

Jesus is able to keep me from falling into sin.  He will present me to the Father blames and faultless with great joy.  

Jesus will complete my sanctification.  He will make me pure and holy before The Lord.  He will do in my what I cannot do for myself.

Prayer

Father complete your work in me.