Our limited thoughts about God are our most debilitating condition. What we believe about Him determines everything about us: what we think, how we respond, and what we will accomplish in life. It even determines what we believe about ourselves, for we were made in His image. To think less of Him is to dramatically decrease our understanding of our own potential.
A STRATEGIC ERROR
The Arameans had come to fight against Israel and had been routed. It was humiliating and they decided to try again. Their reasoning was summed up in one foolish statement.
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.” (1 Kings 20:23)
God heard this challenge to His power (as He always does) and He decided to show them exactly who He was: the God-of-Everywhere-and-Everything.
Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The Lord is a God of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” (1 Kings 20:28)
True to His Word, God miraculously defeated the Arameans with a small band of Israelites. His purpose was to illustrate to both Arameans and Israelites His sovereignty over all. God will not be mocked and when needed, He will illustrate His limitless power.
WHAT GOD DO YOU WORSHIP?
Do you think God can work in one area of your life, but not another? That He is the God of your Sunday mornings, but not of Monday through Saturday? God of your worship, but not of your finances? He can provide for others, but not for you? That He is strong in one area, but weak in another?
If this is your opinion of Him, you will experience only a small portion of God. He is more. He is everywhere. He has all power. He has all knowledge. And He desires for you to trust Him to do “exceedingly abundantly beyond all that you can ask or even think” (Ephesians 3:20). In this way, God is more clearly seen as the magnificent God that He is.
Father, thank You that You are all. More than I can imagine or dream. All-sufficient for everything in life and death and eternity. You are the Lord of the big and the small in my life; the overwhelming and the trivial. Thank You that You long to manifest Yourself on behalf of Your children for our good and Your glory. Deliver me from a small view and a weak faith. Expand my understanding so that I can be a vehicle to give the world a right opinion about You!
As a pastor for the last 55 years, I have had the joy of being encouraged and blessed and prayed for by so many people. It is what carries you in your task of shepherding people. As I look back over five decades of ministry, their love has dramatically enriched my life.
But also, a pastor leads. And when anyone leads, there are almost always some who disagree.
