Isaiah chapter 40 gives the answers to a lot of questions about God.
Here are a few to consider:
How big is God? (v. 12)
"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
How wise is God? (vv. 13-14)
Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD,
or what man shows him his counsel?
Whom did he consult,
and who made him understand?
Who taught him the path of justice,
and taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
How powerful is God? (vv. 15-17)
Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted as the dust on the scales;
behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.
Lebanon would not suffice for fuel,
nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
All the nations are as nothing before him,
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
Does anyone else compare? (v. 18)
To whom then will you liken God,
or what likeness compare with him? (Isaiah 40:12-18 ESV)
Idolatry rears its ugly head when we allow ourselves to have small thoughts of God - Think big when you think of God... Think as big as you can - and He is bigger still.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:3-14 ESV)
The Christian is -
adopted by the Father (vv. 3 - 6)
redeemed by the Son (vv. 7-12)
sealed by the Spirit (vv. 13 - 14)
The key to true revival is to remind ourselves of who we already are and what we
already possess.
"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39
I was reminded once again this morning about this passage from a good friend. What a promise we have in Christ.. Paul himself had to be awestruck as he wrote these words through the power of the Holy Spirit ..
"For I am sure... Not just a hunch - A rock solid belief.
that neither death nor life,... The things I encounter each day and what my ultimate end of days in my earthly body consist of.
nor angels nor rulers,... heavenly beings that I do not see and those in positions of authority that I do see and submit to in my earthly existence.
nor things present... My everyday experiences.
nor things to come,... The unknown events of this present moment and beyond.
nor powers, nor height nor depth, ... Powers- both earthly and unearthly.
nor anything else in all creation,... Anything not covered in the above statements.
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord..." Not even in my own stupidity and sin trying to "help God" .. He's loved with an everlasting love, and given His Son so that we can have Him, and with having Him we have eternal life and hope.
That pretty much sums it all up doesn't it? .. God loves His children and will not let us go. He loves us just like we are, and loves us too much to let us stay the way we are. He's got all the bases covered... If we'll trust in Him.
