Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Believing God
"I am the Lord, and I do not change."
—Malachi 3:6
A. W. Tozer said, "Nothing twists and deforms the soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God." I think that is true, because if you don't understand who God is, if your view of God is warped, then it will affect you in the way that you live. We must have a proper understanding of the character and nature of God.
What you believe will enable you to get through the challenges and the difficulties of life. And there is no better place to start than with God himself and what the Bible says about Him.
When Paul was on the tempest-tossed sea on the way to Italy and it looked as though everyone on the ship would die, God assured him that he would arrive safely in Rome. So Paul was able to tell the crew,
"Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don't be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What's more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.' So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said." (Acts 27:23-25)
Paul believed God, and we should too, because we live in a storm-tossed world. We don't know where the problems we're facing today will lead. These are uncertain times, and we need a real certainty that will help us get through it. Though times and circumstances change, God never does. All but God is changing day by day. God says, "I am the Lord, and I do not change" (Malachi 3:6).
When you believe God, it doesn't necessarily change your circumstances, though sometimes it will. But more often than not, it will change you.
Copyright © 2010 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
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