GOD'S ATTRIBUTES
MEMORISE:
''' I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and The ending,'' faith
the Lord, ''which is, and which was, And which is to come, the
Almighty.''' (Rev 11:17)
READ: Daniel 3: 26-30
Sad
rack, Meshach, and Abenego were among the Jew who was taken
into captivity in Babylon. Out of God's favor, together with
Daniel, they were selected and excelled above their peers and
the magicians in wisdom. As a result of this, they were made
to stand before the king (Dan 1;17-20). But one day the king
made a golden idol and commanded everyone to worship it. All
did, except the four. For their disobedience, they were thrown
into a fiery furnace.
In
the fire,
God manifested himself and they were unhurt. Eventually the
king asked them to come out and they were promoted. This story
shows God's ability to deliver those who trust in him. Are you
presently in the fire just because you have refused to compromise?
The Lord will make a way. He will see you through.
Beyond deliverance, this passage also reveals certain vital
characteristics of God. The first is his
holiness. This is the most vital of all. Isaiah 6:1-3
reveals angels in heaven crying: 'Holy,
holy, holy is the Lord of hosts….' Because God
is holy, you too should be (1 Pet 1:15-16).
The second attribute is his immutability.
This means God cannot change: 'Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
and today, and forever' (Heb 13:6). In Exodus 3:14 God calls
himself 'I am that I Am.' whatever he has done for others, he
will do for you.
The third attribute is his glory.
He will not share his glory with anybody (Isa 42:8). When God
is using you to do wonders, do not tamper with that glory. His
love is the fourth attribute. Another name for God is
love (1 John 4:8). He loved us so much that he gave his best
- Jesus (John 3:16). The fifth is his
wisdom. Wisdom is God's (Dan 2:20). God's foolishness
is wiser than the best of man's wisdom (1 Cor 1: 25). Wisdom
is the right application of knowledge. His
knowledge and understanding make up the sixth attribute.
Knowledge is the accumulation of information; while understanding
is knowing what the information is all about. Psalm 139:1-6
reveals how intimately God understands us. Lastly, the seventh
attribute of God is his power. Power belongs to God (Ps
62: 11). Knowing all this, you can begin to relate with him
intimately so that his attributes can rub off on you.
ACTION POINT
Ask God to make you more like him.
Plan to raise help for missionaries in various mission fields.