The greatest act of faith takes place when a man finally
decides that he is not God
Jesus tells us:
I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom
of God like a little child will never enter it."
Mark 10:15
Jesus isn’t telling
us to be childish but to have childlike faith!
We need to see the attributes
of God from the perspective of a child.
There are four of God’s attributes
we will consider:
1) MY GOD IS FOR ME. (Goodness)
2) MY GOD IS WITH ME. (Presence)
3) MY GOD FORGIVES ME. (Grace)
4) MY GOD CAN DO ANYTHING. (Power)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As
a child many believe God is for me! He loves me.
Every child that has
been in Church has heard Jesus loves the little children. As the song says “Jesus loves me this I know
for the Bible tells me so.”
But then something
happens: their parents divorce, dog is hit, grandma dies.
The longer we live
the longer the list grows.
All men need a faith
that will not shrink when washed in the waters of affliction and adversity
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MY GOD IS FOR ME
Jeremiah the prophet tells us that God has a plan for our
lives. He wants to prosper us, it may
not be financially but spiritually. It
is not His intention to harm us, He has a hope and a plan for our future.
For I know the plans I
have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not
to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11
If God is for us, no one can stand against the power a
believer is when they confess Jesus as Lord and Savior of their life.
Also, He will supply all of our needs, both physical and
spiritual. However, He will not supply
our greed, He knows what we truly need and what is best for us.
…If God is for us,
who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave
him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously
give us all things? Rom 8:31-32
WHEN I REALIZE GOD IS FOR ME
·
I DON’T HIDE
FROM GOD BUT RUN TO GOD.
Are you running to
God or away from God?
We should learn from Adam after he had sinned he tried to
run from God. However, God knows
everything we do and where we are at all times.
There is now where we can go to get away from God’s presence.
(Adam) answered,
"I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I
hid." Gen 3:10
GOD’S MERCY
J. DWIGHT PENTECOST used to say, “Mercy God’s ministry to
the miserable.” It is both intensely
personal and immensely practical. For
when I am treated unfairly, God’s mercy relieves my bitterness. When I grieve over loss, it relieves my pain
and anger and denial. When I struggle
with disability, it relieves my pain and anger and denial. When I struggle with disability, it relieves
my self-pity. When I endure physical
pain, it relieves my hopelessness. When
I deal with being sinful, it relieves my guilt.
The name of the Lord
is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs
18:10
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
·
I DON’T LIVE
FOR GOD’S APPROVAL BUT FROM HIS APPROVAL.
We can never do enough good to gain God’s approval, but He
approves of us anyway.
8 But God demonstrates
his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died
for us. Rom 5:8
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
·
I
DON’T FEAR WHAT HAPPENS TO ME BECAUSE I KNOW GOD IS WORKING IN
ME.
God is continually working in our lives
to make us into the person we should be.
Every hardship, success and failure in our lives He uses to prepare us
for what He wants us to do.
28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those
who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
For
it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good
purpose. Philippians 2:13
I have been to many writing conferences
and one thing they emphasize is that you will be rejected.
When we are rejected by ones on earth, if
God is for you, then who can be against you.
God was for me in my
yesterdays and I’ll trust him with my tomorrows.