BiblicalInsights.net

“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Gen. 17:1).  This is the first time, the name, Almighty God, appears in Scripture.  This is the tenth name for God in the Old Testament (beginning with Genesis 1:1).  This name means, the Strong One. God is all-powerful.  No power is as great as God’s.  Every force under, in, or above, the earth must therefore be dependent upon, subservient to, and by the permission of, Him who told Abram, I am God Almighty.
Creative Power.
God created the entire universe from that which did not exist before (Heb. 11:3). “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”  God spoke the universe into existence.  “He spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast” (Psa. 33:9).  Gen. 1:3, “And God said, Let there be light, and there was light….”  The word of God is powerful.
Punitive Power.
Due to the extreme wickedness of man, God determined to destroy the earth by a universal flood (Gen. 6:5 and 7).  Noah was commanded to build an ark to the saving of his house.  Noah did all that God commanded.  The time came for the windows of heaven to be opened and the fountains of the deep to be broken up and God caused the entire earth to be flooded 15 cubits above the mountains (Gen. 7:20).  This was a miracle.  It demonstrates the punitive power of Almighty God.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31).
Providential Power.
Several times in the book of Genesis God demonstrates His providential power.  In Gen. 14:19,20, the king of Salem, Melchizedek,  recognizes the providential hand of God in helping Abraham secure a victory over Chedorlaomer and those kings allied with him.  He states, “And blessed be the most high God,which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand…”  In Gen. 20:18, God intervenes to protect the purity of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, and to protect the promise He had made to Abraham and Sarah concerning the son of promise, Isaac.  The sacred text reads, “For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.” Many times in the book of Genesis, God’s providential power is manifested.
Miraculous Power.
God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah concerning having a son took twenty-five years to fulfill.  The time period alone was a test of Abraham and Sarah’s faith.  Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years old when Isaac was born.  Both were old.  Sarah was past the time of child bearing.  She had been barren all of her life.  Yet, God blessed them with a baby son.  Isaac was the son of promise and God miraculously intervened in order for Abraham and Sarah to become parents.
Saving Power.
The first Messianic promise is recorded by Moses in Genesis 3:15.  The seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent (Satan) and Satan would bruise his heel.  The seed promise continues with Abraham.  Gen. 12:3, God told Abram, “in thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed.”  Later, in Gen. 22:18, God said, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”  This passage is referenced by the apostle Paul in Galatians 3:16, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.  He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”  Jesus Christ is the promised seed (Messiah) of Abraham.  Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.  The Gospel is God’s power to save men from the consequences of sin (Rom. 1:16, 6:23).  To be saved means to be delivered from the eternal consequences of sin which is everlasting punishment by God.  God has the power to save and He has the power to condemn.  God can save to the uttermost them that come to Him in faith and loving obedience to His Will.
Almighty God is a name for God that all of us must remember.  God is all-powerful.  God is over all.  We must be subject unto Him, fear Him, and surrender our lives in humble service to Him.

Sexual Anarchy is the title of a book by Dave Miller director of Apologetics Press, Montgomery, Alabama.  I have recently posted a review of this book.  Please check under book reviews for the title.  This book covers the reasons for the sexual anarchy present in our American culture and examines God’s Word and the moral principles it teaches in contrast to the practices so prevalent today.  Miller discusses:  the sexual revolution of the sixties, the impact it had on marriage and family, divorce, abortion, homosexuality, pornography and then turns attention to the solution to these problems.  The book is somewhat dated (copyright 2006) and is short, having only 110 pages.  However, it focuses on an ongoing set of moral problems facing America the costs of which are astronomical.

Perseverance is a part of the Christian character that helps secure the victory over Satan.  After giving the specific elements of the Christian armor, Paul writes, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Eph. 6:18).  Paul adds prayer and perseverance to the list of elements that must equip the Christian soldier in the fight against sin.
What is Perseverance?  Perseverance denotes, “to continue steadfastly in a thing and give unremitting care to it.”  The word literally means, “be strong towards.” It is intensive in form.  The word assumes that a trial or challenge is in view.  The challenge is formidable and demanding.  To persevere is to stand steadfastly in the face of the challenge, no matter what it is or how intense it might be.
Sources of Strength.
You cannot win over Satan using merely your own strength, but you must bring something to the fight.  Jesus Christ secures the victory for us, but we must believe and obey Him.  We must be in Christ and He must be in us.  If we fail to be one with Christ or if we abandon our position in Christ we will fail.  Spiritual union with Christ is indispensable to personal victory over sin and Satan.  Paul also adds something else:  the prayers of the saints.  Three sources of strength emerge:  (1) our own grit; (2) the Lord Jesus Christ; and (3) fellow Christians.
Aspects of Perseverance.
Consider the following aspects of perseverance:
1.  Endurance over Time (Keep Going!).  Consider the example of  Moses during the Wilderness Wanderings (40 years).  Moses dealt with all sorts of hardships:  the sin of the people at Sinai, the murmuring of God’s people for food and water, challenges to his leadership from Aaron and Miriam (within his own family) and from Korah, Dathan and Abiram (from without his own family), enemies from outside of Israel threatened, and nations such as Edom would not cooperate or help when needed.  Through it all, Moses kept going!  He persevered.
2.  A strong and positive will (keep positive).  A perfect example of the spirit needed is given by the apostle Paul.  Paul never complained even thought he faced many trials (II Cor. 11:21-28).  Paul kept a positive attitude in the face of many challenges.  He stated, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).
3.  Focus on the mission (keep focused).  Even though the apostle Paul encountered many difficult situations, he never quit.  He states, “Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto these things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14).
4.  Never journey alone (keep God close).  David is a good example of this trait.  David believed that the LORD was his shepherd and would lead him in the paths of righteousness.  When you walk with God, you never walk alone!
5.  Stay committed (keep faith).  Jesus is our perfect example for this trait.  When Jesus faced the trial of the cross, he “committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (I Pet. 2:23).  Jesus faced death with unwavering faith in God.  That’s perseverance.
6.  Don’t lose your passion (keep loving).  While Jesus’ own disciples forsook Him, His love for them would not permit Him to forsake them.  He loved them unto the end (John 13:1).  Love endureth all things!  That’s perseverance.
Hardships are inevitable.  Perseverance will be needed to triumph over them.