The God That Lives

Lives KEY SCRIPTURE: “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them” (Psalms 115:3-8). Idols are on the earth. The living God is in heaven. Idols cannot move unless someone carries them. The God that lives does whatsoever He pleases. “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes” (Deuteronomy 10:16-18, NIV). The carvers and artisans did the best work they could do. They made idols with mouths, eyes, ears, noses, feet, and hands. But, they could not put life into them. Our God is the God that lives. “We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1 Timothy 4:10). God spoke to Abraham, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:1-3, NLT). 1

Why did God choose Abraham? There is a Jewish tradition that claims he was the first monotheist since the time of Noah. He believed in the one, true God. A legend teaches Abraham’s father owned an idol shop. One day, his father was away, and Abraham was left in charge of the store. He took an ax and smashed all of the idols except the biggest one. He then placed the ax in the big idol’s hand. His father returned, outraged, and demanded, “What has happened to my idols?” Abraham explained that the huge idol became upset with the other idols and destroyed them. “You know these idols can’t move and destroy each other,” Abraham’s father retorted. Abraham replied, “If they can’t save themselves, then we are superior to them. So, why do we worship them?” This Jewish story is taught in almost all Jewish schools, and many Jews incorrectly believe that it is in the Torah. A friend, Rev. J. W. Ansah, is the son of a fetish priest. He recalls an event that happened in his youth. His father placed an egg in each of his idol’s hands. While his Dad was away, John stole the two eggs and ate them. His father returned home, checked in on his idol, and was so delighted to find that the idol had eaten the eggs. EYES: THE GOD

THAT

SEES

“Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine” (Psalms 33:18-19). “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (Psalms 34:15). “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (fully committed; loyal) toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9, italics mine). MOUTH: THE GOD

THAT

SPEAKS

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

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“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it” (Numbers 23:19-20, NIV). “Now after the death of Moses…the LORD spake unto Joshua…saying, Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you… There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee…Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:1-7). “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3). The Bible is God’s Word—His talk written down. It specifically records that God spoke thousands of times. EARS: THE GOD

THAT

HEARS

“I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles” (Psalms 34:4-6, NIV). “The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place” (2 Chronicles 30:27, NIV). “For the LORD hears the cries of his needy ones; he does not despise his people who are oppressed” (Psalms 69:33, NLT). HANDS: THE GOD

THAT

REACHES

“But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, the LORD has forgotten me.’ ‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands’” (Isaiah 49:14-16, NIV). “Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1). “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” (Proverbs 21:1, NKJV).

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“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them” (Exodus 15:11-12). NOSE: THE GOD

THAT

SMELLS

“The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease" (Genesis 8:20-22, NIV). FEET: THE GOD

THAT

WALKS

“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8). “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). CONCLUSION • • • • • •

The God that lives has eyes, and He sees you. The God that lives has ears, and He hears you. The God that lives has a mouth, and He is speaking to you. The God that lives has hands, and He wants to reach out and touch you. The God that lives has a nose, and your prayers are a sweet smell to Him. The God that lives has feet, and He wants to walk into your situation today.

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