I was really worried about preaching on the doctrine of God. After all, my mind is finite and God is infinite.
What can I say or think that God has not already said about Himself?
Then it dawned on me that I do not have to say anything that God has not already said. As a matter of fact, I better not say anything that God has not already said. All I have to do is repeat and amplify what God has said through the pages of His word. Man, that takes a load off.
Let me tell you something that I have learned about God. God is an encourager.
Did you know that about God?
Look at Moses. God first appeared to Moses through a burning bush that was not consumed by the holy fire. Picture that! I think I would be encouraged if I saw something like that. Like Moses, I would be encouraged to look closer, “…he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:3). When Moses looked more closely at this phenomenon, God encouraged Moses again by calling out to him from inside the burning bush, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (verse 4). Of course, Moses did as the Lord commanded. When he obeyed God, Moses heard something from God that caused him to humble himself and hide his face, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (verse 6). You don’t get any closer to God than that. God personally identified Himself and disclosed his true presence to Moses.
It is so encouraging to hear God speak. It is humbling and truly amazing when God causes you to stop what you are doing so you can hear what He has to say. Sometimes God has to break through the clutter of a busy day to interrupt us and get us to listen to Him. God encouraged Moses to stop, look, and listen. When Moses did, God encouraged him beyond his wildest expectations, “Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharoah, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Notice that Moses was encouraged to look, then he was encouraged to hear, then he was encouraged to go and do. That is how God works. Seeing, leads to hearing, then doing. But God was not finished encouraging Moses.
Moses asked God a good question, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh…?” Moses was aware of his limitations. He knew all too well about his quick temper and stammering tongue. Listen to God’s encouragement, “And God said, ‘Certainly I will be with you…” (Exodus 3:11). Moses would not be speaking for God. He would be speaking with God right alongside him. Moses would become God’s mouthpiece. What a great encouragement to have God with you giving you the words to say.
That’s what God always does. He encourages. He shows you something that grabs your attention in His word. When you look a little closer, He speaks to you the truth. When you hear Him speak, He humbles you and tells you what to say. Being encouraged by God is better than ice cream. Hearing Him speak from His word and then turning around and telling others what He has said, is the icing on the cake.
Let God encourage you through His holy word. He will show you wonders and marvels you cannot imagine on your own. Then He will give you something to say that will be a great encouragement to someone else.
What can I say or think that God has not already said about Himself?
Then it dawned on me that I do not have to say anything that God has not already said. As a matter of fact, I better not say anything that God has not already said. All I have to do is repeat and amplify what God has said through the pages of His word. Man, that takes a load off.
Let me tell you something that I have learned about God. God is an encourager.
Did you know that about God?
Look at Moses. God first appeared to Moses through a burning bush that was not consumed by the holy fire. Picture that! I think I would be encouraged if I saw something like that. Like Moses, I would be encouraged to look closer, “…he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:3). When Moses looked more closely at this phenomenon, God encouraged Moses again by calling out to him from inside the burning bush, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (verse 4). Of course, Moses did as the Lord commanded. When he obeyed God, Moses heard something from God that caused him to humble himself and hide his face, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (verse 6). You don’t get any closer to God than that. God personally identified Himself and disclosed his true presence to Moses.
It is so encouraging to hear God speak. It is humbling and truly amazing when God causes you to stop what you are doing so you can hear what He has to say. Sometimes God has to break through the clutter of a busy day to interrupt us and get us to listen to Him. God encouraged Moses to stop, look, and listen. When Moses did, God encouraged him beyond his wildest expectations, “Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharoah, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Notice that Moses was encouraged to look, then he was encouraged to hear, then he was encouraged to go and do. That is how God works. Seeing, leads to hearing, then doing. But God was not finished encouraging Moses.
Moses asked God a good question, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh…?” Moses was aware of his limitations. He knew all too well about his quick temper and stammering tongue. Listen to God’s encouragement, “And God said, ‘Certainly I will be with you…” (Exodus 3:11). Moses would not be speaking for God. He would be speaking with God right alongside him. Moses would become God’s mouthpiece. What a great encouragement to have God with you giving you the words to say.
That’s what God always does. He encourages. He shows you something that grabs your attention in His word. When you look a little closer, He speaks to you the truth. When you hear Him speak, He humbles you and tells you what to say. Being encouraged by God is better than ice cream. Hearing Him speak from His word and then turning around and telling others what He has said, is the icing on the cake.
Let God encourage you through His holy word. He will show you wonders and marvels you cannot imagine on your own. Then He will give you something to say that will be a great encouragement to someone else.
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