GOD IS CONSISTENT!

Most of us have heard the Bible verse which says, "Jesus Christ (is) the same:  yesterday, and today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8 - PMV).  The Bible also testifies to the immutability of God in many other passages as well; here are some examples:  Psalm 102:27 says, "But Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end."  Malachi wrote:  "For I am the LORD, I change not..." (Mal. 3:6).  And, James wrote, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (Jam. 1:17).

One example of God being consistent, is found in how He works.  He always has a plan, and His plan involves "site preparation," before He begins building His finished product.  In the Book of Genesis, where Moses wrote of the creation week, there is evidence of His way of doing things.  He always creates a "space" for something prior to creating that which He intends create.  On days one, two, and three (Gen. 1:1-13), He created the "space" for what He created on days four, five, and six (Gen. 1:14-31).  Day one, God created the heaven (v. 1); day four, He created the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars (v. 16).  On day two, God created earth's atmosphere and its seas (v. 6-7), and on day five, He created the birds and the animals of the seas (v. 20-21).  On day three, God created the land of the world (v. 9-12), and on day six, He created that which was to live upon the land:  both animals and human beings (v. 24-27).

When you think about it, He also used the same "building philosophy" when He began His creative work.  Before there was a creation, there was only God (Jn. 17:24; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:20; etc.).  God, being Omnipresent (Gen. 1:1; 1 Kg. 8:27; Ps. 139:7-10; Jer. 23:23-24; etc.), and God being Light (Jn. 8:12; 9:5; 1 Jn. 1:5; Rev. 21:23; etc.), had to voluntarily limit Himself to make "room" for a creation, and for darkness!  Not only that, prior to creation, EVERYTHING was done according to God's "perfect will"; once the angels and man were created, both having free will, God had obviously limited Himself by "creating" what we call His "permissive will."  So, in a sense, God was "decreasing" so that man might "increase" (exist)!  Not only that, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, both equal with the Father, have taken on "lesser roles" in Jesus becoming human, and the Spirit indwelling born again believers!  Oh, what a glorious, and self-sacrificing God we serve!

That being said, I would like to close with this word of encouragement.  The eternal God who changes not, has gone to prepare a place for us; He has promised to return for us: 

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (Jn. 14:1-3).

MARANATHA:  COME LORD JESUS!