Scope Ministries International

Biblical Principles

How Big is Your God?

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We had just finished our evening prayers, my small grandson and I. It was a special moment we had together. You see, whenever he spends the night with us, I put him to bed, wrestle with him, tickle him, tell him a story and then, saving the best for last, we pray together.

As we lay in bed he put his little blond head next to mine and asked a question that has haunted me since: "Papa, he said, "Is God bigger than we are?"

AS I rolled the question around in my mind, the more profound it became. In fact I was stunned, for out of the mouth of a babe came the clearest, most concise commentary on the state of the church and individual Christians I had ever heard.

For years I have struggled with the knowledge that the same problems that exist among non-Christians, also have run rampant among evangelical Christians. Often I have thought of the irony of the fact that Christians struggle with the same difficulties as non-Christians.

Why is it that our evangelical churches seem to be so weak and ineffective? Is it our message has lost its flavor? Is it our Lord has lost His power? Or could it be, perhaps, that the problem lies with us—God’s people?

Suddenly, out of the wisdom of a six-year-old, I saw as clearly as I had never seen before the answers to my questions. You see our problem is that our God is no bigger than we are!

Before you dismiss out of hand what I am saying, listen to me. I have seen over and over again, Christians faced with terminal diseases such as cancer or heart disease. Great prayer is made, and when nothing happens there is great anger directed at God.

Do you realize that the most immature Christian in Nigeria probably has a greater faith concerning healing than the most mature evangelical in America! Why? Because they have no choice but to look for God in the small things as well as the large. They expect God to heal a cancer as quickly as He would a cold. Their God is a lot bigger than they are!

Moses sent twelve spies into the land of promise. Two came back with the evidence of the abundance of the land. Ten came back with stories of the giants of the land. Who prevailed? Those of little faith, for it was said, "…and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:30-33) Their God was no bigger then they were!

Saul was the tallest and most handsome of all the children of Israel. Born into a family of wealth and influence, he alone of all the men of Israel was chosen to be king. ON the day of his public coronation before all of the tribes of Israel, what do we read of Saul – he was hiding behind the luggage and baggage.

Later, after his disobedience to God, the prophet Samuel made this observation: "Is it not true though you were little in your own eyes, you were made king over Israel." (I Samuel 15:17) In spite of all that God did, Saul’s God was no bigger than he was! What a tragedy.

It is humbling to realize that the most evangelical churchgoers have never had to trust God for any of the necessities of life. The consequence of this is that we shape our faith around what we are able to do rather than what God is able to do. This reduces God from the supernatural to the natural. It makes God no bigger than we are!

Jeremiah said it well when he penned these words:

"If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, then how can you compete with horses? If you fall down in the land of peace, how will you do in the jungles of the Jordan?’ (Jeremiah 12:5)

When faith in God is not tried in the crucible of life, and dependency upon God is not required, then the jungles of the Jordan become insurmountable obstacles.

For example, what about those of us who are facing severe emotional turmoil? Have we sought release, relief, comfort and direction from Christ and His word, or has our relief come through medication and secular counseling? Do we really believe that our God is going to make a difference in our lives? Or, do we as Asa of old, put our faith in our healers? (II Chron. 16:12)

One of the most basic principles of the Scriptures is that Satan attacks faith – our faith in God. Everything he does is to weaken and destroy faith – to belittle God in our experience, so he can make God small in our eyes. If he can make God little and all else large, then he has won the battle by default. If our God is no bigger than we are, then what kind of God do we have?

Unfortunately, we don’t have a basic training center where Christians can build their faith into a God-shaped faith. A place where faith is tried and stretched and perfected. Tragically, our basic training center is located in the midst of affluence and plenty – not the best place to see faith refined.

What can be done to make God bigger in our eyes? How can we see our faith strengthened and matured? Here are some suggestions:

	Examine your faith. Is it the type of faith that can survive, as it were, in the jungles of the Jordan? I would suggest that you read the biographies of Hudson Taylor and George Mueller.
	Begin to know God! Most Christians have either an incomplete or erroneous concept of God. Psalm 9:10 says, "Those that know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." There is a direct correlation between the knowledge of God and faith in our God. You cannot and will not trust a stranger.
	Read your Bible! "Faith," it says, "comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God." (Romans 10:17) If you would know God, study His word, especially the Psalms.
	Let God be God! Stop doing in your own strength through your own efforts those things which God should be doing in His strength through His efforts. Instead of renewing your efforts, allow God to renew your mind.
	Allow your faith to be tried! (I Peter 5:6-7) Sure it’s hard and painful, but the end result will be blessing beyond your wildest dreams. (Ephesians 3:20)

Jesus shared with His disciples a parable on prayer – a tenacious faith holding on the promises of God. But He ends the parable with a curious pondering, "However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the Earth?" (Luke 18:8b)

I know that you, like me, would rather be alive at this moment in history than at any other time. Rather than see faith extinct, we will see faith alive! The opportunities to see faith stretched abound as never before. What a time to be alive to God! What a time to be available for God! What a time to see faith refined! What a time to see God as God in the daily events of life! What a time!!!