God’s Character-Part 1

Acts 13:16-20

16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country; 18 for about forty years he endured their conduct in the wilderness; 19 and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years.

Pinoy Henyo

The “Pinoy Henyo” is a word and mind game popularized by “Eat Bulaga,” the longest-running noon-time show in the Philippines. This “Pinoy Henyo” game invites different age-level to try their familiarity of any given clue and guess the right answer.

Many believers are playing “Pinoy Henyo” game in their practice of faith in God. They would guess, do trial and error, and hope that they would be able to do or to be in the centre of the will of God, eventually.

The Bible teaches about God’s character but most believers are left guessing what God can do or would do for them in particular situations. To have faith in God should be displayed in practical life style. Faith should cover everything since nothing is impossible with God, but most often, more people believe God for few things only and not in everything.

By faith, we believe in God; by hearing God’s word we also grow in our faith.

In Romans 10:17 it says, 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 

The more we read the Bible, the more our faith is nurtured, the more we learn about things we are to trust God for, the more we enjoy reading God’s word.

For our faith in God to increase, we need to learn more about His character.

God has revealed much of His character to His chosen people, the Israelites.

1.  Powerful

16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;

Paul outwardly declared; he did not keep it trivial but made it sure and declared to the Gentiles that God has chosen the Israelites. The Israelites experienced God’s mighty power personally and corporately more than any other nationalities in the world. The history of Israel is thoroughly and carefully recorded in the Bible. Their prosperity or difficulties were associated to their relationship with the Lord. When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, it’s a historical display of His power.

God did not hide Himself from Gentiles; Gentiles grow in their faith in God by learning more of God’s character experienced by the Israelites.

Any person can increase in his faith in God regardless of nationality. Greater faith develops when God’s grace is at work through faith. When the believer seeks God, earnestly, it’s a manifestation of God’s grace. Faith is cultivated by practicing what has been learned about God with the help of the Holy Spirit.

If you testify about personal experience of God’s mighty power what would it be? How much of God’s mighty power, have you personally experienced lately?

Canadian Dream

There was a couple who came to Canada in the hope of earning more than what they have in their home country. This couple were high ranking government employees; they have their maids and servants back in their home country.

After few months in Canada, they failed to find a job they wanted. So, they decided to go back to their home country eventually. They returned to their previous job in the government since they just took a leave of absence for a year.

This familiar story offers similarity to those who came to believe in God and went back to their old life after experiencing some kind of testing of faith.

Why do so-called believers rush on going back to where they come from when family future is at stake? Why do so-called believers quickly seek employment in another city when financial crisis is knocking at the door?

Those situations are not new anymore; the Israelites displayed similar mindset when their faith was tested in the wilderness. Like many new believers, the Israelites were very excited when God led them out of Egypt by His mighty power. When God tested their faith, most of them were very quick of wanting to go back to Egypt to become slaves again.

2.  Patient

18 for about forty years he endured their conduct in the wilderness; 19 and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years.

God understands that it was their lack of faith that the Israelites kept on grumbling against Him yet the Lord was very patient with them. They have 40 long years to practice their faith in God in the wilderness. Those 20-year and older who came out of Egypt and experienced God’ mighty power practiced not faith but contempt and rebellion before the Lord.

God was angry with them and allowed them to die in the wilderness.

After God has overthrown the nation occupying Canaan, He gave the land of Canaan to the rest of the Israelite who survived their wilderness experience.

Why did the Israelites who experienced God’s mighty power fail to put their trust in the Lord? Is it possible that God would help us to increase in our faith very quickly?

Perennial Plants

perennial plant or simply perennial (from Latin per, or “through” plus annus, or “year”) is a plant that lives for a year or just few years.

Perennials, especially small flowering plants, that grow and bloom over the spring and summer, die back every autumn and winter, and then return in the spring from their root-stock, are known as herbaceous perennials.

Perennial flowers live a short period of time but get more praises than an oak tree. Oak trees grow slowly, steadily, and live longer years; they can be used for significant projects but only a few spend some time to appreciate them.

Both perennial plants and oak trees are exhibits of God’s power. Oak trees would mature after so many years. It is a manifestation of God is patient. Although God can, but He would not try to make oak trees grow overnight.

In the church, there are perennial believers who come when the weather is fine. Like perennial flowers, they are also beautiful to see them here; they also receive much appreciation because they shine occasionally.

Disciples who have oak-tree-kind-of-faith are hardly ever appreciated. Those oak-tree-kind-of-disciples find contentment in their strong faith in God.

Like any thoughtful builder, who would use an oak tree for pillars rather using perennial plants? May God raise oak-tree-kind-of-leaders in this church. Leaders who have oak-tree-kind-of-faith would endure fair or bad weather.

Should we not desire to have leaders whom we could see and rely upon even during the hardest snowstorm, brightest summer, or fair weather?

May God by His mighty power raise more oak-tree-kind-of-leaders in this church!

May God’s patience be upon those perennial Christians for them to see His power!

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