B
Brother Mike
Guest
Limiting God
Part Stolen from:
http://www.wolpub.org/blog/?p=122
By Brother Mike.
Glory to God, Brother Mike here, Posting in the debate forum. Why? I don't like the limitations of expression in the Bible Study forum. Lets be real here, No Bible Study has all the information perfect. We know in part, that is about the best we can do.
Through the many years I have observed many who have prayed and had prayers answered, while others not so much. I know God is not a respecter of persons, nor does he play favorites. If your a child of God, then your a Child of God, no matter which way you slice it.
A lot of folks, not saying you or I because we know better, put the blame on God for not having prayers answered. God answers prayer yes, no or Maybe, right? NO, God always answers Yes, and gives the petetitions we desire, if we pray according to his will. Not my words, God said that in scriptures. Now a lot of folks don't know the will of God, but that is not God's fault, He sent a whole book of examples of his will, we just need to pick it up and read them.
So let's ask the Question, Is it possible to limit God, even if we ask something according to his Will? I mean God wants to do something for us, but we do things that stop him.
I have heard it more than once from believers that if we live in sin, and live any old way we want to live, then it hinders God from blessing us as God does not bless disobedience. There are lots of scriptures to prove that, and most believers do believe that except for those few hard core election folks. God does what he wants, when He wants, despite what anyone is doing.
So if Sin can stop the blessings, can other things? If so, what can we do to not pervent God from operating in our own life?
2Th 3:1-3 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: 2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
Paul said, Pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course. Not pray that the Word will have free course, but pray for them that they will be able to get the Word out.
God's Word is fine, no need to pray that His Word have free course, but the man spreading the Word might need prayed for.
Any snag in recieving from God is never on God's end. Paul had enough sense to know that, and even though Paul wrote most the NT, He is still asking for prayer here that He might be empowered to spread the Word without Hinderance.
Let's look at a case that stopped the Power of God in it's tracks. Nothing God did, no fault on the Lord's half, but something man did.
Mat 14:22-29 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the Peter disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
We are told here about Jesus walking out on the Water to meet his folks who where in a boat. Now when they saw Jesus, they figure it just might be a Ghost or something. After all, they probably had not seen many people walking on the Water up to this point. They cried out it's a spirit!!!
Jesus said, ummm, no, It's me, be of good cheer. Peter then said if it be you Lord, bid me to come out. Jesus said, "COME". Peter then came down from the ship, got on the water and started to walk toward Jesus.
Now, You and I don't have any ability to walk on any water. I know some "FAITH" folks think it's just a matter of getting more faith, but that is not how things work. To have faith in anything, you have to hear something first. Faith only comes by hearing, and taking heed to what you hear, giving a measure to it. (Rom 10:17, Mark 4)
Jesus Gave Peter the command to "Come" With the Lord's Direction and Command, comes the ability to do what the Lord told you to do. Some say, God annoints who he appoints. When the Lord tells us to do something, the Lord also supply's the means, and ability to do it.
In this case, it was given to Peter the Abilitly to walk out on the Water to Jesus. So off Goes Peter on the Water to Meet the Lord. This was the Greatest Miracle Peter had experienced up to this Point. Peter is a fisherman, and I bet Peter know what happens if you accidently drop a hook or sinker into the Water. They sink.
So, Off Goes Peter, until...........................
Mat 14:30-33 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Now some say, He took his eys off Jesus. That is not exactly true though. Peter Gave more credibility to the Wind''s ability to sink him, then He did the Lord's Command to come. Once that happend, then fear sets in. Once fear sets in, then it stops the power of God.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God
Now, I have heard more than once that is is evil to tell people they are not healed or have their prayers answered because of unbelief and fear. Theat is evil to tell people that Bother Mike.
It's not evil if it will save their life. I can spot unbelief a mile away, it comes out of a persons mouth and what they type. What did Jesus say? Now, Now, Peter. You did a fine job and I understand you were afraid. A little fear is good, it keeps us alert and safe.
Some believe Jesus should have said that, but the truth is, Peter allowed fear to stop the will of the Lord. Jesus is not to happy with Peter.
Now, if being afraid that somethig in the future will go bad, (Like Drowning) stopped Peter's Miracle, though Jesus was standing right there with him. It will also stop things we are asking the Lord.
This is Why Jesus said in Matt Chapter 6 to TAKE NO THOUGHT!!! Fear of future things will stop God's ability to help you. Same Reason Jesus told Jarius to Fear NOT, ONLY BELIEVE. Jesus knows how these things work, and so should we. Should not be a big question as to why prayer is not working when we have been afraid of the thing we are asking God to fix.
Now if you say to me, Brother Mike, I have had fear. I pray for such and such, but I still worry about it.
Not a problem. When My son had gotten cancer, I had gone and got my little bible promise book. 5.00 at the bookstore and wrote down all the healing promises and focused only on the scripture, quoting them and saying them back to myself.
God's Word is alive, and has the ability in itself to produce what it says it will produce. God's Word does not return void. When those doubts come back to you (They will for persecution for the Word's sake) You get out your scriptures and quote them back again. What your doing is replacing in you the truth of the Word, for the unbelief and doubts.
The Devil will bring to your mind 20 different ways as to why something won't work out. It can't be all of them, the devil just wants to know which one you will pick. Pick God's Word.
The Victory is yours, be blessed.
Part Stolen from:
http://www.wolpub.org/blog/?p=122
By Brother Mike.
Glory to God, Brother Mike here, Posting in the debate forum. Why? I don't like the limitations of expression in the Bible Study forum. Lets be real here, No Bible Study has all the information perfect. We know in part, that is about the best we can do.
Through the many years I have observed many who have prayed and had prayers answered, while others not so much. I know God is not a respecter of persons, nor does he play favorites. If your a child of God, then your a Child of God, no matter which way you slice it.
A lot of folks, not saying you or I because we know better, put the blame on God for not having prayers answered. God answers prayer yes, no or Maybe, right? NO, God always answers Yes, and gives the petetitions we desire, if we pray according to his will. Not my words, God said that in scriptures. Now a lot of folks don't know the will of God, but that is not God's fault, He sent a whole book of examples of his will, we just need to pick it up and read them.
So let's ask the Question, Is it possible to limit God, even if we ask something according to his Will? I mean God wants to do something for us, but we do things that stop him.
I have heard it more than once from believers that if we live in sin, and live any old way we want to live, then it hinders God from blessing us as God does not bless disobedience. There are lots of scriptures to prove that, and most believers do believe that except for those few hard core election folks. God does what he wants, when He wants, despite what anyone is doing.
So if Sin can stop the blessings, can other things? If so, what can we do to not pervent God from operating in our own life?
2Th 3:1-3 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: 2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
Paul said, Pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course. Not pray that the Word will have free course, but pray for them that they will be able to get the Word out.
God's Word is fine, no need to pray that His Word have free course, but the man spreading the Word might need prayed for.
Any snag in recieving from God is never on God's end. Paul had enough sense to know that, and even though Paul wrote most the NT, He is still asking for prayer here that He might be empowered to spread the Word without Hinderance.
Let's look at a case that stopped the Power of God in it's tracks. Nothing God did, no fault on the Lord's half, but something man did.
Mat 14:22-29 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the Peter disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
We are told here about Jesus walking out on the Water to meet his folks who where in a boat. Now when they saw Jesus, they figure it just might be a Ghost or something. After all, they probably had not seen many people walking on the Water up to this point. They cried out it's a spirit!!!
Jesus said, ummm, no, It's me, be of good cheer. Peter then said if it be you Lord, bid me to come out. Jesus said, "COME". Peter then came down from the ship, got on the water and started to walk toward Jesus.
Now, You and I don't have any ability to walk on any water. I know some "FAITH" folks think it's just a matter of getting more faith, but that is not how things work. To have faith in anything, you have to hear something first. Faith only comes by hearing, and taking heed to what you hear, giving a measure to it. (Rom 10:17, Mark 4)
Jesus Gave Peter the command to "Come" With the Lord's Direction and Command, comes the ability to do what the Lord told you to do. Some say, God annoints who he appoints. When the Lord tells us to do something, the Lord also supply's the means, and ability to do it.
In this case, it was given to Peter the Abilitly to walk out on the Water to Jesus. So off Goes Peter on the Water to Meet the Lord. This was the Greatest Miracle Peter had experienced up to this Point. Peter is a fisherman, and I bet Peter know what happens if you accidently drop a hook or sinker into the Water. They sink.
So, Off Goes Peter, until...........................
Mat 14:30-33 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Now some say, He took his eys off Jesus. That is not exactly true though. Peter Gave more credibility to the Wind''s ability to sink him, then He did the Lord's Command to come. Once that happend, then fear sets in. Once fear sets in, then it stops the power of God.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God
Now, I have heard more than once that is is evil to tell people they are not healed or have their prayers answered because of unbelief and fear. Theat is evil to tell people that Bother Mike.
It's not evil if it will save their life. I can spot unbelief a mile away, it comes out of a persons mouth and what they type. What did Jesus say? Now, Now, Peter. You did a fine job and I understand you were afraid. A little fear is good, it keeps us alert and safe.
Some believe Jesus should have said that, but the truth is, Peter allowed fear to stop the will of the Lord. Jesus is not to happy with Peter.
Now, if being afraid that somethig in the future will go bad, (Like Drowning) stopped Peter's Miracle, though Jesus was standing right there with him. It will also stop things we are asking the Lord.
This is Why Jesus said in Matt Chapter 6 to TAKE NO THOUGHT!!! Fear of future things will stop God's ability to help you. Same Reason Jesus told Jarius to Fear NOT, ONLY BELIEVE. Jesus knows how these things work, and so should we. Should not be a big question as to why prayer is not working when we have been afraid of the thing we are asking God to fix.
Now if you say to me, Brother Mike, I have had fear. I pray for such and such, but I still worry about it.
Not a problem. When My son had gotten cancer, I had gone and got my little bible promise book. 5.00 at the bookstore and wrote down all the healing promises and focused only on the scripture, quoting them and saying them back to myself.
God's Word is alive, and has the ability in itself to produce what it says it will produce. God's Word does not return void. When those doubts come back to you (They will for persecution for the Word's sake) You get out your scriptures and quote them back again. What your doing is replacing in you the truth of the Word, for the unbelief and doubts.
The Devil will bring to your mind 20 different ways as to why something won't work out. It can't be all of them, the devil just wants to know which one you will pick. Pick God's Word.
The Victory is yours, be blessed.
