The Big Lie

Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. [Psalm 136.4] 

Perhaps the biggest, most glaring lie circulating among God's people today is the lie that God "uses" whatever thing we decide is not an idol in place of Him even though the Bible gives every indication that it is. This is indeed The Big Lie.

For example:

"God uses man's financial system (debt)."

"God uses man's insurance."

"God uses man's medicine."

"God uses man's technology."

These are ALL lies. In fact, in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading, there is another passage from the Psalms that confirms what is said here:

He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the LORD’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. [Psalm 147.10-11]

God is not pleased with man's substitutes for His miraculous provision. 

As would be expected of God, if He takes delight in something, He seeks it out: 

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. [2 Chronicles 16.9a]

In plain English, God is searching for people who will refute (or, disprove) "The Big Lie" that He is limited to using man's devices and industries to accomplish His purpose and will in the earth. 

But of course, no good-standing Christian (leader or otherwise) today would ever say, "God is limited to using only man's ways..." Instead, they say, "God chooses to use man's ways." What's even more blasphemous (and dangerous)  is that they give the benefits of these ways of man, consequently, the label of "miracles."

The problem with saying, "God uses other things..." is that it is simply not true and it is simply not Biblical. It is all part of "The Big Lie" that Satan would have God's people believe. God never took pleasure in Israel seeking another nation's help. NEVER!

The Church today pathetically wallows in powerless religion - and the world is watching (and laughing). It doesn't matter what denomination (or "non-denomination") they are, the miraculous power of God demonstrated by Jesus is all but absent from the Church today. It's like God's people "wonder" why irrefutable "God-only" miracles are so few and far between all the while they are "cloaked" in the protective blanket of their own idols of debt, insurance, medicine and technology (not to mention their idol of unbiblical religion).

The only way to even "test the waters" of God's miraculous power is to throw off the protective blanket of man's idols. The Bible is chock-full of examples of believers who literally made themselves vulnerable to allow God's power to prove itself. 

"Yeah, but what if I die, or a miracle does not manifest?"

The Bible has that covered too!

How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. [Hebrews 11.32-38]

"Faith" does not always manifest through physical life or material gain. Sometimes, "faith" dies or suffers loss (refusing to turn from God in order to be set free). Don't stop reading just yet...

Faith that is only validated by human physical or material gain is conditional faith - and, as such is not faith at all. The cross of Jesus demonstrated this fact and His followers are called to their own cross as well:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

God-pleasing faith is not about whether we live or die, or, prosper or suffer loss. Faith is about trusting God ALONE for His desired outcome. The Bible supports this kind of faith with many more examples of living and prospering than dying and suffering loss, but again, God-pleasing faith is the goal, not living or dying.

This Biblical truth runs contrary to both stereotypical "Baptist-like" as well as "Word of Faith-like" promotions (I won't call them doctrines or theologies, because they are not).

God ALONE does mighty miracles. But most alleged Christians today do not genuinely believe this statement. They only believe it IF they get their desired outcome (God's will be-damned). Never mind the fact that the Bible is full of undeniable miracles where God preserved earthly life and property, false Christians quickly resort to idols so they might be self-assured of their own earthly self-preservation. And then, in blatant violation of the 3rd Commandment, they call their own methods of self-preservation (their idols) "gifts from God."

And yet... We still have the brazen audacity to question why the Church today does not enjoy the same mountain-moving power Jesus demonstrated and demanded of His followers! 

Yeah, well... ignorance of God's Word is NOT bliss!

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children. [Hosea 4.6]

What is the most important thing we can know about God? It would naturally be the 1st Commandment:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.2-3] 

This is what the subject verse from Psalm 136.4 is telling us too!

Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. [Psalm 136.4] 

The Big Lie would simply have us remove the word "alone" from Psalm 136.4 and completely ignore "You must not have any other god but me" in the 1st Commandment. No big deal, right? WRONG!

Father, may our faith be in You alone on Your exact terms: that we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.