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The God of Promises Is Also the God of Heaven and Supernaturalness: Pr Bernard Teh

May 7, 2014 cm-admin News 0

7 May 2014 by Jason Law CM –

The amazing thing about God is how faithful He is in keeping His promises, but it not just that. He is also sovereign over everything, and even in the darkest moments, He has a way of bringing His promises to past, and not just to fulfillment, but up to a supernatural level. How much faith do we actually have in this identity of God? Romans 4 tell us that Abraham was justified through his faith, and that if he was justified by works, it was not before God. The key to breakthrough in our lives depends not through our own efforts, but in how much trust we put in God and His unlimited power as a part of our lives. On the 4^th of May, 2014, Pr Bernard Teh from Deeper Life Ministries shared in FGA KL about a supernatural God.

First of all, we need to recognize God for who He is. We are familiar to the knowledge that the God of supernaturalness can do things out of the ordinary, but what exactly is our expectation from Him? If He is the God of Heaven, that means all provision comes from Him, but why do we often resort to our natural means and methods? In the story of Abraham, even after God had promised him a son, he resorted to his own ends, and as a result, many lives were affected (Genesis 16). Yet, in the end he pressed on the promise God had given him, and his faith was accorded to him as righteousness.

This shows us very clearly a central point. Abraham had his weaknesses, but it is not about men. It is about the fulfillment of God’s sovereign plan, and a testament to His authority and power, that whatever He has spoken or promised, He will bring to pass. It is not about our qualifications and other such things. When Jesus came to Earth, the people He mingled with weren’t the civil or religious leaders; many of the people He had chosen as His disciples came from simple, uneducated, rustic backgrounds, and He even chose a hated figure such as a tax-collector. It is all about God and it is very important that we recognize this.

During times of challenges and struggles, where we sometimes feel so helpless and useless, we need to hold on to whatever promises God has given to us. Different people may receive different promises, and they are all unique (unique challenges, unique circumstances, etc..) but it does not matter. God is bigger than any circumstances we can think of and He will bring events and opportunities about and make the path smooth, so that in time, those promises will turn into reality. Many people try to force God’s hands but the thing is, we only need to be obedient and move with the Spirit.

What is required of us, really, is simple faith. Pr Bernard Teh shared that he has witnessed this many times. He has seen 39 scholarship students come from within a single church. He has also seen the children of a former drug addict and a struggling family rise up to take authoritative positions in multi-national companies. Our God is dynamic and He does not do things half-heartedly. In the same way, there should be no retirement in the things of God for us, only refinement.

We need to believe in continuously building the Kingdom of God. Pray for other Christians so that they may be empowered, and develop a culture of sacrificial giving. The lesson Jesus imparted to his disciples in Mark 12:43-44 tell us that God does not look at how much we give; He looks into our hearts and our attitude towards Him and other people. The widow did not give those last coins seeking for praise or out of obligation; she gave them because she sincerely loved God and cared about the things of God.

Pr Bernard shared some familiar stories about heroes from the Bible:

1. Joseph: Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. From slavery, he served in the house of Potiphar for a short period of time, only to be framed and thrown into prison. He later rose to become a vizier, second only to the Pharoah.

2. David: We know the story of David’s fight against Goliath, but much of his early years were spent in uncertainty and struggle. Despite being anointed as king while still a young man, he had to spend those early years fleeing and hiding from Saul.

3. Peter: Peter denied Jesus three times, but later became one of the boldest evangelists for the Lord, even requesting to be crucified upside-down. From a back-slider, he became a bold minister for God.

4. Paul: From a radical persecutor of Christians, he became the greatest apostle the Christian world has ever known.

The stories share remarkable similarities. Each of the figures came from hopeless situations. Every one of them rose to an outstanding position, not just in the world, but also, more importantly, in God’s Kingdom. They did not do this by their own strength. Everything that happened to them was a fulfillment of God’s sovereign will in their lives.

Like the characters in the Bible, sometimes the deeper in relationship we grow with God, the deeper the persecution we may face. God sometimes allow trials into our lives, but all the challenges and experiences God has allowed into our lives have a purpose in increasing our faith. Like the characters in the Bible, many Christians have discovered hopeless situations turning into situations of promise. Whatever the circumstance, Christians should exhibit joy and peace, and even humor has a place in our lives. Recognize that it is not our plans and efforts that will change or transform the world for God. It is our obedience in aligning ourselves with God’s sovereign will that will help to bring promises to reality in our lives, and in turn, help us in our role as Christians.