More Powerful Than Magic

More Powerful Than Magic

Exodus 7: ⁸ Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ⁹ “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’ ” ¹⁰ So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

 

¹¹ But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. ¹² For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. ¹³ And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.

 

============

 

Moses and Aaron did a lot of walking in their lives. They were eighty and eighty-three, respectively. They walked down Mount Hebron or Sinai and went back to Pharaoh. They performed the miracle of the rod turning into a snake. The Egyptian magicians easily did the same. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up all their rods.

 

My Observations:

• GOD demonstrated that there is an evil layer of power that is higher than humanity, but lower than HIS power.
• GOD knew Pharaoh would ask for Moses and Aaron to prove their power.
• GOD was in the process of dismantling a belief that people could be gods.

 

This set of scripture scares me. It shows there is an evil layer of power that humans can tap into that helps them do supernatural things. BUT GOD is not scared at all. HE was about to easily defeat the Egyptians and can easily protect you and me.

 

Magic is real, BUT GOD’s power is above magic. We try to reduce GOD to magical powers as shown in Hollywood, BUT HE is so much more. HE is all knowing, all seeing, all powerful and lives everywhere. HE cannot be stopped, defeated or opposed. Aaron’s rod is a demonstration of how GOD allows us to be part of HIS plan. Any magic was defeated because of GOD.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the magicians he faced?
• Have you ever encountered strange occurrences that seemed to oppose your efforts to simply serve and worship GOD?
• Can you focus on the almighty GOD to protect you, guide you and raise you up?

 

Three O’s

Three O’s

Revelation 4: Surrounding the throne on each of its sides, were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and behind. ⁷ The first one looked like a lion; the second looked like a bull; the third had a face like a human face; and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. ⁸ Each one of the four living creatures had six wings, and they were covered with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop singing:

 

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
    who was, who is, and who is to come.”

 

============

 

Hearing the ice cream truck raised my desire for the delicious cool treat. But I had a problem. I had no money!. I went into my parents room, opened up their makeshift coin bank and grabbed enough to purchase my treat. “Where did you get the money for the treat?” my parents asked. “I don’t know” was my go to lie. “How did they know I was lying?” I asked myself.

 

• My parents were not all seeing, but they could deduce when I was lying.
• My parents were not all knowing, but they knew enough to try to keep me on the right path.
• My parents were not everywhere, but they seemed to be at the right place at the right time to keep me out of trouble.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, was shown four beings that he could barely describe. His gruesome description was probably beautiful in person. These beings sang a song “day and night” about GOD’s holiness. They may represent GOD’s omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence.

 

My Observations:

• GOD is all powerful and can handle any opposition I can face.
• GOD is all seeing, so HE knows when I am sincerely serving HIM.
• GOD is everywhere, so I do not have to fear when HE sends me someplace to represent HIM.

 

Omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence are human words we give to GOD because we cannot quite explain HIM. I mean, HE always was, HE is and will always be. Our minds cannot understand this being. And what we do not understand we sometimes blow off or mislabel it.

 

GOD knows my every thought, action and desire. HE knows the bad things and erases them with HIS grace and knows the good things and rewards me generously for them. Night will go away, but until it does, the four creatures will remind us of GOD’s power.

 

Challenge

• Were you creeped out by the description the writer gives of the four creatures?
• What is your view of GOD?
• Will you remove any limits you have of GOD and place your hope in HIM to experience HIS love today?

I Got This

I Got This

Revelation 1: ¹⁶ He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth. His face was as bright as the midday sun. ¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, “Don't be afraid! I am the first and the last. ¹⁸ I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead. ¹⁹ Write, then, the things you see, both the things that are now and the things that will happen afterward. ²⁰ Here is the secret meaning of the seven stars that you see in my right hand, and of the seven gold lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

 

============

 

Nervous to say anything, I approached a teacher about a bully. She said, “Don’t worry I will take care of it.”  To my discomfort, she brought the bully in and talked with both of us. His bullying did stop for a while.

 

• I thought she was going to turn my problem into a larger problem.
• I thought she did not understand the urgency of the situation.
• I thought she had the authority, but was using it wrong and was supposed to punish bullies.

 

John, the disciple who JESUS loved, saw HIM in HIS glorious state. No picture or painting could depict what John saw. John fainted at the sight of JESUS because it was overwhelming. JESUS comforted John by explaining that HE has overcome death and holds the world in HIS hand.

 

My Observations:

• JESUS is not worried about the sinful attacks on you and me because HE has overcome sin.
• The world may come up with a hypothesis, BUT GOD has the world under HIS control.
• No word, no situation or circumstance is unseen by JESUS, so I can place my trust in HIS solution.

 

“I got this” is a term used by someone in authority. JESUS said “Do not be afraid” because HE is the first and the last. HE explained HIS credentials by saying “I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.” HE then said “I have authority over death and the world.”  In other words, “I got this!”

 

When I turn my eyes to situations where humans feel they are in control, all I need to do is step back and give them over to GOD. JESUS, who is the Word, has a two edged sword that comes out of HIS mouth that will judge the inhabitants of the seven continents. HE has angels over your situation and mine so do not be afraid.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer fainted?
• Have you ever been overwhelmed, thinking about how messed up the world is today?
• Will you place your trust in JESUS, who has all authority and sees those who attempt to get their way, without placing HIM in their hearts, so HE can protect you from their evil plans, forever?

So Much More

So Much More

Ephesians 3: ²⁰ To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of: ²¹ to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever! Amen.

 

============

 

When I bought the car, I was excited. “I no longer have to take the bus” was my primary reason for being elated. When I had an accident which totaled the car, I realized I had no transportation to get to and from work. I also could not easily bring groceries home or not get wet as I walked to work in the rain.

 

• I could only see some things from a narrow perspective.
• I overlooked the usefulness of some things until those things were gone.
• I realized some things had more value than I originally understood.

 

Paul concludes his prayer by pointing to GOD. He explains that GOD is able to do so much more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He gives praise to GOD through CHRIST JESUS for all time!

 

My Observations

• GOD does not mind when I ask HIM for small things because HE is so much more.
• GOD knows that I cannot understand HIS power, but HE works in me anyway.
• GOD appreciates when I give HIM praise and when I recognize HE is bigger than my current situation.

 

Knowing that GOD is so much more, brings me hope. I mean, when I cannot see a way out and I am circled by difficulties, GOD makes a way for me and clears my path. HE has done this consistently, over and over and over again. Unfortunately I still doubt HIM.

 

HE forgives my doubt and works in me anyway. HE is bigger than my fears or worries. HE is the one who holds everything and will never forget me. I am grateful HE is larger than my imagination and I praise HIS greatness!

 

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer mentions requests in this part of the prayer?
• Have you ever limited GOD or doubted HIS love for you because of your circumstances?
• Will you see beyond your requests or circumstances and know GOD is so much more than you can ever imagine?

Total View

Total View

John 10: ³¹ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. ³² Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

³³ The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? ³⁵ If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), ³⁶ do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? ³⁷ If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; ³⁸ but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” ³⁹ Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

============

Angry at the situation, I scheduled a meeting with my boss’s boss. I was tired of my boss snooping around my desk, looking for ideas to steal and call his own. I voiced my frustrations and left. Later, I found out that my boss and my boss’s boss, were friends. I was now in trouble.

• There were times when I did not have the total picture.
• There were times when I did not see danger coming.
• There were times when I did not have enough information to make a decision.

The entire congregation, especially the leaders, were furious at JESUS. HE clearly called HIMSELF GOD and they labeled HIM a blasphemer. Unfortunately for them, they did not have the total view of the situation. They were gravely wrong.

• JESUS reveals HIMSELF to me through HIS word.
• JESUS shows me all I need to know in order to live an abundant life.
• JESUS discloses HIS will to me by giving me HIS Scripture.

“Scripture cannot be broken” is what caught my eye. This means GOD spoke specific words that HE wanted authors to write down. These words are binding and humans will be held accountable to them.

Since some of the words can be taken out of context, GOD wants me to see the total view of what HE has revealed. HE revealed that one day HE would return to collect those who believe in HIM. HE also said that while I wait for that day, the COMFORTER would be here with me. I seek the total view of JESUS.

• Are you living your life on a couple of scriptures you like?
• Are there parts of Scripture that you don’t agree with, so you discount their meaning?
• Will you seek the total revelation of GOD so you can live an abundant life for HIM today?

Correct Description

Mark 12: ¹⁸ Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: ¹⁹ “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁰ Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. ²¹ And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. ²² So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. ²³ Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”

²⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? ²⁵ For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶ But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ²⁷ He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”

============

“It was two guys. One had on a green skull cap” was the best description I could give the police as I witnessed something being tossed from a window during a high speed chase down an alley. My description was not only useless but it was potentially wrong as I was not sure.

• Sometimes I describe things by the way I see them.
• Sometimes the way I see things are through eyes that are covered with doubt and fear.
• Sometimes I can see things the way I want to see things.

Trying to prove there is no resurrection to GOD was as useless as my description of the assailants. Unfortunately that’s what the bible readers were trying to do. The Sadducees were extremely knowledgeable of the bible, yet they did not believe in the resurrection. Therefore their description of GOD and HIS power was in question.

• GOD wants me to know HIS power is infinite.
• GOD wants me to know HE is not the GOD of the dead, but the GOD of the living.
• GOD wants me to know HE is the great I AM.

Dead for years and years, GOD says this “I AM the GOD of Abraham, the GOD of Isaac, and the GOD of Jacob’ which means HE still is. “Before Abraham was, I AM” is what JESUS said at one point, which was to say I AM the GOD you speak of.

JESUS sees when I try to test HIS power by trying to make HIM do my bidding. HE will never bow to me or yield to my tantrum. HE is the great I AM and deserves to be treated as GOD.

• Are you trying to twist scripture to make it fit your comfort?
• Do you think GOD is doing things the wrong way?
• Can you allow GOD to be the great I AM in your life, showing HIS mighty power?

Little g or Big G

Isaiah 6: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

============

Looking at the pile of bills made me feel discouraged. My car was broken down, rent was due, creditors were calling and I was not making enough to pay any of them. Where is GOD when I need HIM, I thought. I went back to my ways of trying to fix all the broken stuff in my life. I asked for extra shifts, but since I was a student, I was not allowed. What was I to do?

• There are times when it seems like GOD does not care.
• There are times when it seems like GOD has left me by myself.
• There are times when it seems like GOD doesn’t have the power HE says HE has.

“Why am I so poor if GOD has so much power?” I thought to myself. I mean, look at the rich people who don’t seem to serve GOD at all, who treat people with contempt. Then I told GOD that I had tried going to church, but it didn’t work. I got another bill and no miracle money appeared in my account, so I stopped going. I was looking at GOD as a small being who only solves problems. BUT GOD wanted me to see different.

• GOD wants me to see HIM as THE MOST HIGH.
• GOD wants me to see HIM as ALL POWERFUL.
• GOD wants me to see HIM as THE ULTIMATE FORGIVER.

Having the wrong view of GOD made me think of HIM as a banker or philanthropist. I only saw what I could get from HIM, not what purpose HE had me on this earth for. I pouted and doubted but GOD was merciful. HE had me work day to day, only focusing on the blessings of that day. HE gave me the strength to carry on and eventually I began to serve HIM no matter what.

GOD blessed many and I could then see that HE has me here for more than wealth. GOD wants me to serve HIM and be wealthy in HIS kingdom. I no longer see “god” as my servant but I see “GOD” as needing to be served.

• Are you losing your faint in GOD because of your circumstances?
• Do you think GOD has left you?
• Will you stop focusing on your situation and start focusing on who GOD is and how powerful HE is?
• Can you lift HIM back to the place above your circumstances rather than getting discouraged?

A Place of Worship

1 Chronicles 2: ⁵ “The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods. ⁶ But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?

============

Three forty five in the morning, I finally closed my eyes.  I heard noisy clumps of feet in the kitchen then I heard a knock on my door. My mother was telling me to get up for church. “I don’t feel like going right now” I responded. “If you can stay out all night, you can get up for church” was her response.

“Why do I have to go to church anyway?” I grumbled.

• There have been times where I tried to leave GOD in the church building so I could do what I wanted to do.
• There have been times where I didn’t want to go to the building where GOD lived because I couldn’t do what I wanted to do.
• There have been times where I would leave the building where I thought GOD lived only to get back to doing what I wanted to do.

There was one flaw with my thinking. GOD is everywhere! I mean I had not only squeezed GOD into the tiny building we called a church, but there were even rooms where HE couldn’t possibly be in. I mean GOD couldn’t be in the bathrooms, only in the sanctuary and classrooms was my flawed thinking.

• GOD is everywhere and church buildings are a gathering place for flawed people.
• GOD is all seeing so every place I think HE is not, HE is.
• GOD is all knowing so HE is even in my thoughts and desires even when they are not following HIS ways.

GOD cannot be contained or left at a building. When I go to “church” I am not going to see GOD, rather I am going to see a group of sinners rescued by GOD. I am there to hear how GOD transforms lives and tell people how HE has done the same in my life.

During the week I can meet with others to pray and talk. This is also “church.” And when I’m by myself I can bow my knees and praise GOD as an act of worship. GOD cannot be contained.

• Do you think the “church” building is more sacred than your house?
• Do you believe there is a place on earth more sacred than another?
• Can you stop trying to contain GOD within certain things and see HIM everywhere?
• Do you believe HE owns everything?
• Won’t you stop crying for more and seek open eyes to HIM?