ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
OMNIPOTENCE God’s omnipotence refers to his power to do what he decides to do. Omnipotence derives from two Latin words, omni, “all,” and potens, “powerful,” and means “all-powerful.” Numerous passages speak to God’s omnipotence:
- In context, the rhetorical question, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:27) implies that nothing is too hard for the Lord.
- Jeremiah also says to God, “nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:17).
- Paul says that God is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
- God is called the “Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:18; Revelation 1:8), a Greek term (pantokratōr) that suggests the possession of all power and authority.
- The angel Gabriel says to Mary, “With God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37)
- Jesus says, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
However, there are some things that God cannot do. God cannot do anything that denies his own character. For example, Scripture tells us that God can’t lie:
- In Titus 1:2 he is called (literally) “the unlying God” or the “God who never lies.”
- The author of Hebrews says that in God’s oath and promise “it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrew 6:18, Grudem’s translation).
- 2 Timothy 2:13 says of Christ, “He cannot deny himself.”
Additionally, James says, “God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13). Thus, God cannot lie, sin, deny himself, or be tempted with evil. He cannot cease to exist, or cease to be God, or act in a way inconsistent with any of his attributes.
Praise the Omnipotent God.
Praise Him for making and sustaining the universe. Praise Him for providing a way for salvation. Praise Him because He rose from the dead. Praise Him because nothing is too hard for Him.
CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100
SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.
- Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
- Pray for Youth Horizons. Ask God to use their ministry to introduce children at-risk to Christ.
- Ask God to speak to you as you read the scriptures.
SCRIPTURE READING:
Philippians 3 English Standard Version
Righteousness Through Faith in Christ
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Straining Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
If you were to write out a “life profit and loss” sheet what would it look like? Maybe you want to do it right now. Write two columns, in one list the things you feel demonstrate that your life has value or impact. In the other column list the things you regret, things you wish were not true about your life. Paul had a very simple profit/loss sheet for his life. In the profit column stood a single thing…knowing Christ. In the loss column stood everything else. Don’t over think this illustration. It doesn’t mean nothing else matters. It is about comparative value. “Compared” to knowing Christ, everything else fades into obscurity. This may seem like an unattainable mindset or “heart-set” and to a certain extent it is. It is not a destination we will arrive at in this life, it is the direction we are to journey towards throughout our lives. When we find ourselves overly focused on our accomplishments OR our failures then we need to reset our life compass. Nothing surpasses knowing Christ and nothing outside of our own choices stands in the way of the pursuit of Christ. We can if we will…continually make pursuit of relationship with Christ our “main thing.”