The Inability of God to Lie

Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us . . . In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.  (Heb_6:17-18 and Tit_1:2)


One benefit of living by the promises of God is related to something that God cannot do. He is unable to lie. "It is impossible for God to lie." This "inability" actually magnifies His greatness, while bringing to us great assurance.
This "inability" of God is linked here to His promises. We who live by faith are "heirs of promise." We inherit the blessings of God by trusting Him to fulfill all that He has promised to do. These promises offer everlasting life and are anchored in eternity past: "In hope of eternal life which God . . . promised before time began." Now, here in time and space, God wants to deeply impress us with the unchangeable character of His will: "Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel." He wants us to be fully assured that He will not declare one thing, and then later change His mind and do something else.

In order to provide us with solid assurance, God coupled His promise with an oath. People make oaths, attempting to convince others of their reliability. They swear by something greater than themselves. "For men indeed swear by the greater" (Heb_6:16). However, "when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, 'Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you' " (Heb_6:13-14). This marks an amazing condescension on the part of our Lord toward us. We might say that He somewhat lowers Himself down to our level (which He would fully do in the incarnation, becoming a man). He uses a common human custom in order to grant us an assured understanding of the reliability of His commitment to us.


The assurance that we receive in this unusual communication is likened unto a "double certainty." The "God, who cannot lie," makes a promise and an oath, "that by two immutable things . . . we might have strong consolation." 


Prayer
Dear Lord, as one who has often proven my ability to lie, I worship You as the God who cannot lie! Your promises grant rich assurance. Your oath adds strong encouragement to rely upon You. Thank You for doing whatever is necessary to strengthen my hope in You. How gracious You are!

Man's Promises or God's Promises

Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do."  (Exo_19:7-8)

The promises of the old covenant of law depend upon the performance of man. "You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them" (Lev_18:5). The better promises of the new covenant of grace depend upon the performance of God. "I will make a new covenant . . . I will put My law in their minds" (Jer_31:31, Jer_31:33).

When man attempts to live under the law (thereby needing to perform up to God's standards by human resources), he typically tries to live by his promises to God. Israel was a vivid example of this futile tendency. "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." This well-intended promise to God was consistently broken. Moses' words are a stinging indictment of the vanity of basing life with God on our promises to Him. "You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you" (Deu_9:24).

The desire to obey God appropriately resides within the hearts of His children, but a better way to obedience must be found than relying upon our promises to God. That better way is the path of grace, which offers a life based upon God's promises to man. "I will give you a new heart and [I will] put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and [I will] give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and [I will] cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them" (Eze_36:26-27).

We are to live by the promises of God to us (instead of by our promises to Him). Living by God's promises produces a growing confidence in the Lord, a confidence that results from His unique character. "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? " (Num_23:19). Man may make promises to God, but, eventually, he will fail. God is not like man. God is true to His word. He will not lie, nor will He change His mind. Whatever He says, He will do! We can fully rely upon the promises of God that we find in His word.

Prayer
Lord God of truth, forgive my multiplied attempts to develop a Christian walk by my promises to You. Lord, You know how often I have failed. What a joyous option this is — to live by Your promises to me! Please teach me how to think and live this way, in Jesus name, Amen.

You Are A Word From God

You Are A Word From God

Jeremiah 1:5 - 'Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou
camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet
unto the nations.'

The gift that God has put into you is so important. It is the very essence of your existence. You are dead without it. It's what makes you you! It's the call of God that spoke you into existence and it's the word that was spoken about you that called you to be.

When you were created, you started out as a word, just as God spoke light in the beginning and it was here. He called you what you were to be before he called you into time and space. You are what he said and if you tap into that, you will find out why you are still here. Don't you know that if you didn't have a purpose, you would be dead? The devil tried so many times before to kill you, but he couldn't because God had a plan for you.

You are hear by divine order and you cannot be stopped unless you stop yourself. The devil does not have the power to stop you. If he did, you would not be reading this. You would have been dead a long time ago, but because there is a word over you and a calling on you, you cannot die! God is giving you opportunity to transform into that word that he spoke about you before you were ever made.

Don't waste your time struggling in areas that you have struggled in for years. Overcome those areas and walk in the word that God spoke about you. If you don't know what that word was, ask him. God will give it to you, but first you must commit to him fully. You think God is going to be careless with the very meaning of our lives? No! He is going to make sure we can handle that word and walk in that word. He is not going to just tell us something that powerful and life changing on a whim.

God is waiting for us to seek it out of him. He's wanting us to drop the sinful lifestyles, the crazy mistakes, and the selfish motives, so he can have our undivided attention. After that, you will hear him clearly speak the meaning of life for you. After all, who knows your purpose better than the one who created you?

Suggested Reading: Jer 1, Eph. 4:8, 2Th. 1:11

Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes

Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes

Proverbs 26:11 - 'As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool
returneth to his folly.'

God can do anything but fail. He can take nothing and make something out of it. He can take what is blind and give it sight. He can take what is wrong and make it right! He is God.

So, the problem is not whether or not God can change you, but the real dilemma is whether or not you change your mind about your situation! I hear women all the time talking about how they are seeking God for this or that, but yet and still, they make no effort to break away from the people in their lives that are tormenting them!
I hear men by the thousands talk about how they do good for a while and then they fall back into poverty, lust, or other sinful desires every time, but they hold on to negative people, places, or things that they embraced before they fell.


People listen to this. NOTHING CHANGES IF NOTHING CHANGES!!! You can fast and seek God for a year, but if YOU don't make changes, then nothing will change! Why seek God if you won't get past your family's opinion of you? Why pray to God if you won't allow him to free you from what binds you? Why are you regurgitating that old word you got from a conference in 2000 when you won't let go of those things that are hindering you in 2012? God can do anything, but you MUST do some things! God wants to fix you up, but you have to make some changes.

That man or woman that you should have never got involved with because they serve absolutely no Spiritual purpose in your life! That friend or family member that is always needing but never giving, just bringing up stuff they did for you years ago to keep you bound! That dead-end job or church home where the pastor is no good and the members are all shady!

Change your unproductive surroundings and then believe God for change. Change will not occur as long as you hold on to the things that keep you where you are. Regardless of your fasting, praying, or seeking, if you don't make changes things will stay the same!

Shalom!

Suggested Reading: Ezek. 24:14, 2Tim. 2:4, 2Cor. 11:15, 1Tim. 6:12