Can God do all things??? (long post)

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Concerning faith, confession, and what moves God... 

Dave wrote:
[snip]
> No, don't confess "lack of faith." This doesn't impress
> God. Rather, confess His written Word. Confess His
> promises. Speak them like they have become a reality
> in your life. Why do you want God to help your unbelief?
> It's up to you to believe His Word. He's already done all
> He's going to do. You have 66 books called the Bible. 
> Also, why is it that you "never felt worthy"? His blood 
> has made us worthy.We're commanded to walk worthy.
> See Ephesians 4:1.
[snip]
> Never say you are weak. Paul said "when I am weak, then I am
> strong." Because Paul recognized that Christ is His strength at 
> all times, though naturally, you may be weak. You are not going
> to get God to move on your behalf confessing weakness, lack of
> faith, etc. The only thing that moves God is faith. Faith is a 
> confession. It doesn't take faith to say "what you don't have in
> the natural." It takes faith to say what God has said about you
> in His Word.

I do not believe that it is false humility to confess 
weakness, neither do I believe that my weakness 
hinders God's efforts on my behalf.  

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be 
touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was 
in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."    
(Hebrews 4:15 KJV)

To the best of my knowledge, there is no scripture which 
says that faith 'moves' God.  God is ** pleased ** with 
faith, but he is touched by feelings.  He is near to them 
that are broken and contrite.

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; 
and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."    
(Psalms 34:18 KJV)

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a 
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."    
(Psalms 51:17 KJV)

"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth 
eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and 
holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble 
spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive 
the heart of the contrite ones."    (Isaiah 57:15 KJV)

"For all those things hath mine hand made, and all 
those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this 
man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a 
contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."    
(Isaiah 66:2 KJV)

God will look to the man that is:
poor
of a contrite spirit
trembleth at His word

poor = 6041. 'aniy, aw-nee'; from H6031; depressed, 
in mind or circumstances [practically the same as 
H6035; although the marg. constantly disputes this, 
making H6035 subj. and H6041 obj.]:--afflicted, humble`, 
lowly`, needy, poor.

contrite = 5223. nakeh, naw-keh'; smitten, i.e. (lit.) 
maimed, or (fig.) dejected:--contrite, lame.

[imaging that, a 'lame' spirit]

trembleth = 2730. chared, khaw-rade'; from H2729; 
fearful; also reverential:--afraid, trembling.

I am not falsely humble when I say that I am weak 
in faith.  Rather, I am honest.  To confess that which 
is not true, is dishonest.   God alone calls those things 
which be not as though they were.  This is not given to 
man as his prerogative.   Here you may quote to me 
the following verse:

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the 
evidence of things not seen."    (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)

substance = 5287. hupostasis, hoop-os'-tas-is; from a 
comp. of G5259 and G2476; a setting under (support), 
i.e. (fig.) concr. essence, or abstr. assurance (obj. or 
subj.):--confidence, confident, person, substance.

Faith is confidence that God can and will do on our behalf. 
It is not positive confession that things are already done. 
[As we have discussed this subject before, I will make only 
one more comment on 'positive confession'; show me an 
example of it used by any saint in the N.T. Okay?]

evidence = 1650. elegchos, el'-eng-khos; from G1651; 
proof, conviction:--evidence, reproof.

Again, faith is conviction that God will do on our behalf, 
not a mental assent that what we have asked for or 
are believing for is already done, and especially not having 
been done by virtue of our believe.

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, 
ye shall receive."    (Matthew 21:22 KJV)

If Sis. Donna asks in prayer for an increase in faith, and 
she believes God will answer (and why wouldn't he??), 
she shall receive it.

Notice also that it does not say in this verse that you 
HAVE received it or for that matter that you WILL receive 
it.   'Will' and 'shall' are not necessarily interchangeable, 
but that is another discussion.

Back to weakness.

"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to 
confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things 
of the world to confound the things which are mighty;"    
(1 Corinthians 1:27 KJV)

God uses weak things.  It shows His power, His glory 
and His compassion.

"And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling."    
(1 Corinthians 2:3 KJV)

Here Paul is confessing that he was weak (literally, sickly as 
opposed to weak in faith).

weakness = 769. astheneia, as-then'-i-ah; from G772; 
feebleness (of body or mind); by impl. malady; mor. 
frailty:--disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness.

"To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the 
weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by 
all means save some."    (1 Corinthians 9:22 KJV)

"Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and 
I burn not?"    (2 Corinthians 11:29 KJV)

Paul was not afraid to confess weakness.  He knew that 
the neither strength of his body nor even the strength of his 
faith could impress God.  Yes, I say again, that God is 
pleased with our faith.  But it is the recognition of our 
infirmities, our weakness, our frailties, literally, the 
recognition of our imperfections, that moves God.  We pray 
because we NEED to pray.  We are NOT GOD.  To be 
human is to need God.  To be God is to be self-sufficient.  
To elevate faith to the stature of magic, 'Just believe and 
it is true!' is to loose sight of our necessity of absolute 
reliance on God.  

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, 
but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live 
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who 
loved me, and gave himself for me."    (Galatians 2:20 KJV)

This verse could literally be translated, '... I live by the Son 
of God's [Jesus'] faith...' as opposed to 'my faith IN the 
Son of God'.  There is a big difference.  

Apostolic Pentecostals are often accused of relying on 
our own works for salvation.  I find it interesting that many 
who wholeheartedly rely on their own faith do not see the 
connection to relying on their own works.  After all, believing  
is a work:

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, 
that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."    (John 6:29 KJV)

Sorry to go on so much about this but, I think what is needful, 
rather than a concentration on more or less faith, is a 
deeper conception of our imperfection and a greater desire 
to surrender to God.  We must be wholeheartedly honest in 
our prayers, not falsely boastful of 'our faith'.  The way I see 
it, is that we need a recognition that we fall short and 
therefore need God all the more.  That is faith, the conviction 
that knowing that I am flawed, miss the mark, imperfect, but 
that God is compassionate, all-powerful, loving, perfect and 
righteous in all His ways.

"If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern 
mine infirmities."    (2 Corinthians 11:30 KJV)

This is not false humility, it is TRUTH to confess one's infirmities.

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my 
strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore 
will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ 
may rest upon me."    (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV)

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in 
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: 
for when I am weak, then am I strong."    (2 Corinthians 12:10 KJV)

(Rom 7:18) "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth 
no good thing: for to will is present with me; but 
how to perform that which is good I find not."    
(19) "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I 
would not, that I do.
(20) "Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but 
sin that dwelleth in me.
(21) "I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is 
present with me."
(22) "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:"
(23) "But I see another law in my members, warring against 
the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law 
of sin which is in my members."    (Romans 7:23 KJV)
(24) "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the 
body of this death?
(25) "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the 
mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."    

> Dave:
> To a certain extent, this is true. However, if you want to get close
> to God, read His Word, speak it, and live it. To do opposite of
> this will cause one to feel inadequate and incomplete in Christ.
> 

It is precisely because I know that without Christ I am incomplete 
that I can recognize my need of Christ and surrender to Him.
It is precisely because I honestly admit my faults, my failures, 
my shortcomings that God is able to deal with these things 
in my life and thereby 'complete' or perfect me.

"To be not God is to need God"
			Brother Emmit Gagnard

(see below for more scriptures concerning weakness)
Kathy Dimick
Falkville, Alabama
kdimick@colsa.com
kedimick@hotmail.com
http://members.tripod.com/~coffeepleaz/index.html

"For to me to live is Christ"

"Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak
hands."    (Job 4:3 KJV)

"Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened
the feeble knees."    (Job 4:4 KJV)

"Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones
are vexed."    (Psalms 6:2 KJV)

"Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful
disputations."    (Romans 14:1 KJV)

"We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not
to please ourselves."    (Romans 15:1 KJV)

"And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ
died?"    (1 Corinthians 8:11 KJV)

"But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience,
ye sin against Christ."    (1 Corinthians 8:12 KJV)