Prayer: Father God thank you for this time you have invited us to step aside from the cares of life and simply “be” with you. Thank you for each precious heart here. Thank you for loving us and always having good plans for our lives. Please help us to set aside the cares of this life and simply be with you. Speak to each of our hearts as we gather here tonight. We ask in Jesus name amen.
We are going to look at a list of things God can’t do. Have you ever considered what God actually can’t do? The very first thing I think of is God can’t do anything against his Word, his nature or his character. But I saw a little poster with the title Things God Can’t do followed by a list of statements and verses so I decided that might be kind of fun for us to consider tonight.
God can’t get tired. No matter how much God accomplishes, how great and far-reaching His works, He will not grow weary or fatigued (Isaiah 40:28).
In fact, He has strength in abundance and is willing to share His strength with us! (Isaiah 40:31)
Isaiah 40:28
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
And Psalm 121:4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
So it’s true isn’t it? God can NOT get tired. We sure can and do though. In fact it is interesting that Isaiah tells us that as/when/because we HOPE in the LORD and his unfailing love and strength, we can soar on wings like eagles and not grow weary.
Eagles and other birds do indeed flap their wings in flight. But just as often and maybe even more often, they spread their wings and sort of rest on the air currents.
We can choose to REST on the currents of God’s love and provision for us.
God can’t take on a job He can’t handle. Jeremiah 32:17
‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.
Dodi Note: What is too hard for God to handle? Nothing. No thing! Not one single thing and that includes us and all of our problems.
When I read outstretched arm…I think of God’s arm of protection and provision but I also think….of the one job Jesus had that was the hardest job I can imagine. That job involved “outstretched” arms too didn’t it? His job to remain on that cross to suffer and die as the one final and complete sacrifice for the atonement of our sin. Wow. Just wow.
God can’t be unholy. Isaiah 6:3
And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
Also in 1 Peter 1:16
because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."
Isaiah 57:15 says, “For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.”
We see the same thing in Revelation when the elders and the 4 living creatures bow down and say, “Holy, Holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come.
Let’s read what an article on Revelation has to say about the passage in Rev. 4.
Revelation 4 draws our attention to the throne of God as we look into heaven.
God is seated on the throne and he is active.
From the throne come flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. These images symbolize God’s action, in particular his judgments, against the earth.
The brilliance of the throne room is overwhelming. We have seen the glimmer of crystals and fiery red colors on the throne.
John sees a rainbow around the throne that shines like an emerald.
There is a sea of glass like crystal before the throne and there are 24 elders seated on 24 thrones that are around the throne.
Also around the throne are four living creatures. They have the faces of a lion, an ox, and human, and an eagle in flight.
Dodi Note: You can read this for yourself in Rev. 4:1-7. We are going to ponder verses 8-11.
8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
The Lord Is Holy (4:8)
As John looks he sees the four living creatures around the throne. Each of them have six wings and are full of eyes all around and within. But turn your attention away from what they look like and listen to what they say. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”
How often do these four living creatures say these words? John tells us that these creatures say these words day and night. They never stop saying these words.
Can you visualize the scene? Can you hear the repetition?
A double repetition signifies an emphasis on the word.
A triple repetition designates a superlative and calls to our attention the infinite holiness of God.
It must not be lost upon us this is the only characteristic of God that is repeated three times.
We never read, “Love, love, love, is the Lord God Almighty.”
We never read, “Anger, anger, anger, is the Lord God Almighty.”
We never read, “Mercy, mercy, mercy, is the Lord God Almighty.”
Consider how many characteristics of the Lord that could have been used to describe him. The quality that the four living creatures ascribe to the Lord is his holiness. We must not pass this thought by too quickly. Three times the holiness of God is repeated.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=ESV
God can’t be prejudiced Acts 10:34-35
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Dodi Note: God does not base his love on our looks, our money, or anything at all but our heart. Of course our heart is reflected by/in our actions. So in a sense God is not prejudiced like people are against this or that, but in another sense God is prejudiced TOWARD those who love and obey Him.
God can’t break a promise.
Psalm 89:34 I will not violate my covenant
or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
Dodi NOTE: A covenant was binding. Remember that God set a rainbow in the sky as a reminder of his covenant with us not to flood the world again? And he hasn’t either. In marriage until fairly recently the marriage covenant was forever. I think less so now, but back in our grandparents day for sure. Before all these lawyers etc. I love the next one which is very simlar to this one.
God can’t lie. Numbers 23:19
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Dodi Note: Isn’t it GREAT that we can fully TRUST God’s Word?
Our source said, “Yes, a lie is sin, so this one is also covered by a later one that says God can not sin. However, since the Bible makes a point of telling us this specifically, I thought it was worth emphasizing! God doesn’t lie like we humans do. He only tells the truth, all the time, every time. “
Three more verses on this topic are: Hebrews 6:18, Titus 1:2, Numbers 23:19.
Hebrews 6:18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
Dodi Note: People do lie, intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. People are wounded and wounded people do stuff like that. But God never ever lies. That is why He, God is our SAFE refuge and good stronghold.
Titus 1:2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
Dodi Note: There are two things, maybe three that I try to remember God said and since he can not lie, they are true for me and for you.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Isaiah 26:3 ESV You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
NIV You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
And Isaiah 46:4 ESV
even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.
NLT I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.
Dodi Note: Brothers and Sisters, isn’t it so very good to know for sure that since God can not lie, and God has told us he has good plans for our lives….plans that do not cease even when we are old… and that God WILL keep us in PERFECT peace when/because we trust on him.
God can’t remember sins he’s chosen to forget.
Isaiah 43:25 “I, I am he
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins.
Dodi Note: Sometimes we don’t forget our own sin. But God, the very God who does not ever lie, said he BLOTS them out and does not remember them. So who do you think keeps bringing up our past sin? Not God. Smile.
The next one is funny, it made me smile a bit.
God can’t make a loser.
2 Corinthians 2:14
14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
Dodi Note: Therefore you may think you are a loser, we may appear to be losers to the world but we are NOT losers. We ARE the fragrance of Jesus. Everywhere we go. Some do not like that. Some have unreachable standards they think all non-losers must meet. But that is not what the Word says about us.
I LOVE the next one.
God can’t abandon you. Deuteronomy 31:6
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Dodi NOTE: There are surely times and seasons when I need to remember this. No matter how it seems to me, or what is going on around me, or how lonely I get, I am NEVER alone. Because God is both “I AM” and Emmanuel.
God can’t stop thinking about you.
Psalm 139:17-18
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
Dodi Note: Did you ever consider these? Especially that God is always thinking about us….and in a loving way too.
xxxxxx
God can’t stop loving you. Jer 31:3
the Lord appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Dodi Note: Isn’t it comforting to know that God never stops loving us? Remember the story of the Prodigal Son? God even continues to love us and wait for our return if we choose to turn our back on Him.
God is eternal. God existed even before time came to be and God loves each of us with an everlasting love which results in God being faithful toward us.
God cannot be wrong or make a mistake – Everything God does is right. His knowledge is perfect (Job 37:16). All His works are perfect (Deut 32:4). He never even makes an “honest mistake.”
Job 37:16 Do you know the balancings of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,
Deut. 32:4 “The Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he.
Dodi Note: Perfect in knowledge, perfect in his work, perfectly just and faithful. God is without iniquity and always “right”.
That is a lot to take in.
God cannot sin – God is holy. He is “light” and in Him there is no darkness (1 John 1:5). Perfect holiness. Not a speck of unholiness. God cannot do anything against His perfect, holy nature. He cannot do evil or be tempted by evil (James 1:13).
1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Dodi Note: I love the reminder in James. God does NOT tempt us, if we are being tempted it is either by the devil or our own sinful desires. Which once we internalize that makes it a little easier to resist.
God cannot change – Perfection cannot become more perfect. Since God has perfect knowledge and perfect character, He cannot change His mind or improve His behavior. (Malachi 3:6). By the way, we shouldn’t dare to “update” God’s Word or standards to match our times. Our culture may be changing constantly, but God “does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).
Dodi Note: Before we look at the verses wasn’t that a good reminder about our current culture? Surely the culture around us calls evil things good and good things evil. They accuse us of being judgemental if we do not agree. But this reminder is good…God does not change. His Word and His Law have not changed to adapt to the culture around us.
Malachi 3:6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Dodi Note: Again we see a wonderful reminder in James. EVERY SINGLE GOOD gift is from God. He is always the giver of only good gifts. Sometimes something may look like it is not good, but God will always eventually use even the hardest things for our good. Romans 8:28 says so.
God cannot break a promise – We can always take God at His word. He is faithful to keep His covenants. What He says, He will do. (Psalm 89:34)
Psalm 89:34 I will not violate my covenant
or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
Dodi Note: I think we covered this earlier.
God cannot stop “being” – Our Creator God is the God who “IS.” His personal name, Yahweh, expresses the nature of His existence. He exists because He is. He exists outside of time. He has not ever “not existed” at any point, in any dimension. By nature of who He is, He must exist. Isn’t that mind blowing? (Exodus 3:13-15, Psalm 90:1-2, Revelation 1:1-8)
Exodus 3:13-15 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”
God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
Psalm 90:1-2 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations
Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Revelation 1:4b-8 Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,
and from the seven spirits before his throne,
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
So, as we go forth from here tonight, I pray our hearts were comforted by considering what God can’t and won’t do.
A phrase I use all the time, especially when life has “those moments” is: “I AM” is Emmanual.
To me, that means God who is “I AM” (all we need, past, present and future) is also Emmanuel, God With Me all them time.
Have a blessed week. I will be gone out of town next week and hope to see you the following week.