What God Can Do

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

— Colossians 1:13

 

Our society doesn't really have answers for all the problems we are facing in our country today. Ironically, our society seems to do everything it can to undermine the only one who can help us, and that is Jesus Christ.

There are people caught in our legal system as repeat offenders. There are judges who make the wrong decisions. There is the breakdown of the family. And all of these elements combined produce a society that can do very little to change a person's heart, if anything at all. Rehabilitation efforts largely fail. In fact, the only real programs that seem to produce lasting change are faith-based, and more specifically, are being operated by Christians who are calling people to faith in Jesus Christ. Society doesn't have the answers.

A Certain Future

So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

— Colossians 2:10

 

After crossing the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and His disciples arrived in the region of the Gadarenes, where He was met by two pathetic, demented men who had come completely under the power of the devil.

In Luke's account of this story, he zeroes in on one of these men in particular, probably because he was the more extreme of the two. In fact, in Luke 8:27, he writes that this man didn't wear clothes and lived among the tombs. In addition, we know he would beat and bruise himself, as well as cut himself with sharp rocks. An attempt had been made to chain him up, but with superhuman strength, he was able to break the chains.

All the Power We Need

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

— 2 Peter 1:3

 

Human history has been all about power: using it, and sometimes exploiting it. First there was manpower. Then there was steam power. Now we have nuclear power. But what we seem to lack is willpower. Human beings are able to harness the powers of the universe, but we can't seem to control ourselves.

But the good news is that we serve a mighty God who will give us all the power we need to live the Christian life. Some people may say it is kind of difficult to be a Christian. But I would disagree. I don't think it is difficult to be a Christian; I think it is impossible—without the help and the power of the Holy Spirit, that is.

God's Gift to Us (Part 1)

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

— John 3:17

 

When you're a child, Christmas is all about receiving gifts. In December, your head is swimming with nothing but images of your favorite toys.

But the true message of Christmas is not the presents we give to one another. The true meaning is the gift that God gave to us, His Son Jesus Christ.

During the next two days, I want to point out to you three things about the gift God gave to us in that tiny manger in Bethlehem.

True Seekers

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."

— Matthew 2:1–2

 

The story of Christ's birth is one of the Bible's most famous and loved stories, probably one that most people who are not even familiar with Scripture have heard at one time or another. And certainly a story we hear repeated every Christmas is the account of the wise men being led by the star to the place where the King was to be born.

Matthew's Gospel tells us these wise men came from the East (see Matthew 2:1). Skilled in astronomy and astrology, these men were highly revered and respected in their culture and were especially noted for their ability to interpret dreams.

Why We Celebrate Christmas

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

— Matthew 1:23

 

It really is an amazing thing to think about the mystery of the Incarnation—that mysterious moment when God became a man.

Jesus Christ—God the Son—was born in a manger. He went from the throne of heaven to a feeding trough. He went from the presence of angels to a cave filled with animals. He who is larger than the universe became an embryo. He who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young virgin.

Some people have a hard time believing in the Virgin Birth. If you believe the Bible, you need to believe in the Virgin Birth. The Bible teaches that God Almighty was supernaturally conceived in the womb of a virgin (see Matthew 1:23).

This makes sense if you think about it. If God had chosen to, He could have sent Jesus to this earth as a fully grown, yet sinless human being. A shaft of light could have come out from heaven with Jesus descending to the ground as an adult man.

No Room in the Inn

She brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

— Luke 2:7

 

In these days of modern technology, we never miss a thing with TiVo, voice mail, DVD recorders, and camera phones. But even though our toys keep us from missing a phone call, they can also cause us to miss the real reason for the holiday season.

You can watch Christmas disappear in front of your eyes, in a heap of shredded wrapping paper, and find yourself saying, "I was so busy shopping, so busy attending this, going to that, that I think I actually missed the point of Christmas."

What I Want for Christmas

I have always believed in the promise of Christmas. There has always been something special to me about this time of the year, going back to my earliest days of childhood.

What is it that we love about Christmas, once we get past the initial trappings?

I think it is the sense of wonder, beauty, and anticipation. It is the music, the look of surprise on a child's face, and the amazing food. It's the companionship of family and good friends. It is also the absence of strife and meanness (that is, with the exception of the crowds on "Black Friday").

Is He Your Captain?

But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."

— Luke 5:5

 

We find a story in Luke's Gospel about a time when Jesus borrowed Peter's boat to preach to the multitudes. After He had finished speaking, He said to Peter, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch" (Luke 5:4).

Peter replied, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net" (verse 5). I think in all honesty, Peter was respectfully saying to Jesus, "Look, Jesus, you are the man. When it comes to theology, when it comes to telling us about God, you are the authority. We respect you. But you are kind of a landlubber, okay? You don't know the waters like us. We are seasoned fishermen. This is what we do. But at your word, we will do it." The result was they had so many fish that it caused their little boat to start to sink under the weight of them. Then Peter fell down before Jesus and said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (verse 8).

Through Rough Waters

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.

— Isaiah 43:2

 

When the disciples faced a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee, they cried out to Jesus, and He stopped it. But first He rebuked them. He asked, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 8:26). In other words, "Hey, guys, where is your faith? Haven't you learned anything?"

We find a little detail in Mark 4:35 that we don't have in Matthew's account of the story: "On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.' " Jesus did not promise the disciples smooth sailing. But He did promise a safe arrival. They needed to know it would be rough. But Jesus did say, "Let us cross over to the other side." And that means they would get to the other side.

Protecting Storms

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. . . . Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.

— Matthew 14:22, 24

 

The Gospel of John records the story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, which was Jesus' most popular miracle. The people loved it so much that afterward, they came by force to make Jesus their king. But Jesus knew their hearts were wrong. He knew they didn't really want Him to be their Lord and Master; they just wanted a free lunch from that point on.

Perfecting Storms

For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

— 2 Corinthians 4:17–18

 

Probably the most common storms we face in life are perfecting storms. These storms come into our lives as a result of following Jesus. But God has a work He wants to do and a desired result that He wants to produce in these storms. As 2 Corinthians 4:17 reminds us, "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!"

Storms will come, and in the midst of them, God is doing a work. Sometimes you can see the work, and sometimes you can't. Sometimes that work is simply to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ. Quite honestly, a lot of storms are inexplicable. And when you get to heaven, you will understand why God allowed that storm and why that particular difficulty lasted so long. We can't control our universe. (I have tried, and it doesn't work.) We can't say when a storm will start or when a storm will stop. All we can do is react to that storm.

The Scorpion and the Tortoise

Sometimes we wonder why we sin. This is especially hard if we think we are basically good and that "the answer is within."

The fact is, the problem is within. For all practical purposes, we have ourselves to thank when we give in to temptation. Jesus told us that from within, out of the heart of man, is what defiles a man (see Matthew 15:18).

That brings me to the fable of the scorpion and the tortoise.

One day, a scorpion who wanted to cross a pond. As you may know, scorpions can't really swim. He found a rather unsuspecting tortoise and asked if he would give him a lift. The tortoise exclaimed, "Are you joking? You'll sting me while I'm swimming and I'll drown."

Correcting Storms

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.

— Hebrews 12:7—8

When storms come into our lives, some of them can be considered correcting storms. After Jonah disobeyed God and tried to run the other way, a great storm arose, and God took hold of the reluctant prophet and put him back on course. That storm was the result of Jonah's own disobedience to God and the call on his life.

Many times we bring storms on ourselves when we do the wrong things and then experience the repercussions. And sometimes God will allow us to reap what we have sown so that we ultimately will change our ways.

But when we go astray and then face God's discipline, it is a reminder that we are His children. Hebrews 12:7–8 tells us, "As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all."

No Trials, No Triumphs

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

— Psalm 23:4

 

Maybe you are in one of life's storm right now and have cried out for it to stop, and it hasn't. In fact, it has gotten worse. You're asking why—why has God allowed this? There are no easy answers to that. But know this: where there are no trials in life, there will be no triumphs. It has been said, "The hammer shatters glass, but it forges steel." And often in the hardships of life, great things will come as a result.

The apostle Paul died and went to heaven, and he wrote a few lines about it. But then he was imprisoned under house arrest and wrote the epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy. Through his glorious triumph in heaven, he said very little. But through his difficulties and hardships, he said a lot.

Looking Up to Heaven

"He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him."

— Psalm 91:15

 

A hardened old sea captain who was quite vocal about his atheism was swept overboard one night during a storm. His men actually heard him crying out to God for help, so after they rescued him, they asked him about it.

The captain answered, "Well, if there isn't a God, there ought to be at times like this."

The good news is that even when we have messed things up, if we call out to God, He will hear us. How easily God could tell us, "That is your problem. You deal with it." But when people cry out to Him, He is always ready to answer. God says, "He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him" (Psalm 91:15).

Help in the Storm

"Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."

— Psalm 121:4

 

The Bible talks about a literal storm that came into the lives of the disciples. It was so bad, in fact, they despaired of their lives. The disciples had been following Jesus. And they followed Him right into a storm.

Sometimes when hardships come into our lives, we may think it is because we are doing something wrong. But these disciples were in the will of God. The storm came because they obeyed the Lord, not because they disobeyed Him. So sometimes those calamities come because of our obedience, not our disobedience.

Facing the Storms

For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

— Matthew 5:45

 

Have you ever been caught an unexpected storm? When a big storm is approaching, the meteorologists usually will tell us about it. And if it is really building, if it is at hurricane strength, it might even be given a name because of its significance.

There are times when we know storms are brewing and building. And there are other times when they come out of nowhere. But one thing we need to know about life is that we will have storms—storms of hardship, tragedy, difficulty, and worst-case scenarios. Some of these storms can be life-altering: the death of someone you love, an illness, a disability, a conflict at home or work, being laid off, or even a rebellious child.

A Spiritual Checkup

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

— 2 Corinthians 13:5

 

I don't look forward to getting my physical. They do a lot of tests, and they always check my blood pressure. The last time I went, they told me, "You know, your blood pressure is a little high." I told them it was high because I knew they were going to take it.

So I told my doctor, "You walk into the room, and my blood pressure goes up. It is your fault. You need to sneak up sometime when I am not looking and then take it. I bet it will be lower." We kind of joke back and forth a little. But we know it is an exam. I fill out a questionnaire, and he asks a lot of questions: Are there any lumps? Are there any growths? Are there any things out of the ordinary? It is an exam to determine my physical state.

How to Win the Spiritual Battle

Like it or not, the moment you commit your life to Jesus Christ you are engaged in a spiritual battle. The believer may be known by his inward warfare as well as by his inward peace.

This battle is not with flesh and blood, but with a very real opponent called the devil.

We have looked at the various pieces of armor we are to wear as we face our opponent, including the utility belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and, of course, the gospel shoes.

Those are all primarily defensive weapons. In other words, you don't attack your enemy with your sandal, breastplate, or helmet. You need another weapon for that.

Paul calls the one piece of offensive weaponry that God has given us "the sword of the Spirit," or the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

Many believers have all their armor in place, but they never use their sword. They leave it in the sheath. They talk about it, and brag about how sharp it is, but they never actually utilize the sword in spiritual battle.

The devil knows all too well the power and authority of the Bible and he will try to keep you from it at all costs.

Lay the Right Foundation

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."

— Matthew 7:24–25

 

In 1173, the foundation was laid for one of Italy's most famous structures: a tower that would stand next to a cathedral. But during construction, they discovered the soil was softer than they had previously thought, and the tower began to sink. Today, the top of the tower is nearly 13 feet off center. People come from around the world to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and scientists travel to Pisa yearly to measure its slow descent. They calculate that with current movement, it will one day collapse.

When you are building anything, there is nothing more important time than laying the right foundation first. If you don't get that right, nothing else will matter. Of course, the fun part is deciding what color paint you will use and how you will decorate. But is there a good foundation? If you don't get that right, everything else is a problem.

Beware of "Miracles"

"For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."

— Matthew 24:24

Did you know that the devil can do so-called "miracles"? Of course, they are not the same kind of miracles that God does, but they resemble them. When Moses went into the court of Pharaoh and was performing certain signs to confirm that he was sent by God, Pharaoh's magicians were able to duplicate a number of them, including turning water into blood. But what is interesting is that Pharaoh's magicians were only able to duplicate some of the miracles of Moses, but certainly not all of them.

So if a miracle is done through an individual, it doesn't necessarily prove that he or she is a Christian. Sometimes God can work through flawed vessels. We know that King Saul prophesied, yet he was a wicked man who ultimately consulted with a medium and died in rebellion against God. Judas Iscariot was sent out with the disciples initially and was casting out demons along with them. Yet we know that he ultimately betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. So it could have been God's power working despite King Saul and Judas Iscariot. And sometimes God works despite who we are or what we are.