The Word To Live By: 7-16-26
Phil Waggoner
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). Ephesians 3:20-21
The Word To Live By: I’m not one who believes you just lay your Bible down on a table, close your eyes, and open it and whatever verse is there, that’s some supernatural spiritual contact by God to you personally. (The whole Bible is a supernatural spiritual contact by God to you.) I am, however, having a hard time getting past Ephesians 3:20-21. (I included verse 21 today because it says this scripture is for all generations which definitely means us.) Today when I opened up my Bible feed, Jeremiah 32:17 popped up, again in the Amplified Translation, which I said before, I hardly ever read that particular translation because my mind begins to wander with all the words - like it is now.) Anyway, Jeremiah 32:17 says, “Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You.” God is stretching our faith. He’s getting us ready for a big blessing in our lives by telling us that nothing can stop the will of God from being done in your life. A couple of my favorite Bible stories are in Mark 9 and Matthew 8. In the first one in Mark 9, Jesus confronts a crowd of people and His disciples who are trying to get a little boy, who apparently has epilepsy, healed. The boy’s father says to Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” Stop right there. There’s a teaching lesson here I don’t want you to miss. There is a difference in unconditional love and taking pity on someone. You can’t manipulate God into doing something for you through pity. Unconditional love has no trappings of conditions for action on your behalf. Jesus said to the man, “If you can? All things are possible to Him that believes.” (The inference there is all things are possible to him that believes the will of God.) Had the disciples believed that it was always the will of God to heal, no matter what the incurable disease was or what the history of that disease was, they could have had the same result as Jesus did. In the second story in Matthew 8, a leper came to Jesus and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus said, “I am willing!” If you know what the will of God is in any situation you find yourself in, it’s not too hard or too overwhelming for God. We just need to get our faith beyond what we think, hope, and dream, into the realm of “All things are possible to him that believes.” And like the father in Mark 9, He’ll help our unbelief by showing us in His Word His will.
Read through the Bible in a year: 1 Corinthians 4; 1 Kings 17; Amos 1;
Read through the New Testament and Proverbs: Proverbs 16, Matthew 8:18-34, Acts 16:
The sum of Thy Word is Truth Psalm 119:160