Tag Archives: Muhammad Ali

Is Your God Too Small?

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Are You Too Big?

40 years ago, J.B. Phillips wrote what became a Christian classic, Your God Is Too Small. It’s a great book— I highly recommend it! Phillips does a fantastic job of capturing the struggle that we humans have in seeing how big God really is. We tend to see God as much smaller and less awesome than He truly is, while seeing ourselves as much bigger and more significant than we really are.

Superman Don’t Need No Airplane

I love the story about former heavyweight boxing champ Muhammad Ali, who loved to boast—mostly in jest—about being the greatest! It was part of his shtick and showmanship. Once, while flying on a commercial flight, the stewardess told him to fasten his seatbelt just before takeoff. “Superman don’t need no seatbelt,” Ali replied. The stewardess shot back, “Superman don’t need no airplane, either.” That exchange perfectly epitomizes the attitude spawned by the health, wealth, and prosperity FALSE gospel in the Western church! The image of God has been distorted.

He’s No “Genie In A Bottle”

Much of the Church has reduced God to a wimpy “genie in a bottle”—a God who grants our wishes and somehow needs us in order to feel significant. But God is not like that at all! He is the self-sufficient, self-sustaining Sovereign God who needs nothing. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords! I love how Paul addresses this subject in his letter to the Roman believers: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” — Romans 11:33-36

Glory In God’s Wisdom

This is another one of those rich passages of Scripture that magnifies and lifts up our awesome God! Paul seems caught up in the wonder and mystery of who God is. He emphasizes that—good or bad, big or small, whatever comes our way—we should give God glory in all things! Notice that Paul specifically calls believers to glorify God for His wisdom and knowledge: “Whatever comes, give God glory because of His wisdom and knowledge. He knows what He’s doing!”

Is God Foolish?

There’s another powerful verse that Paul includes in his letter to the church in Corinth: “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” — 1 Corinthians 1:25. Don’t you just love that? Mind you, Paul is NOT saying that God has a foolish side. On the contrary, he is pointing out how foolish we are when we think we’re wise and smart. IF God had a foolish side— and He doesn’t— He would still be wiser than you and me! He is omniscient, meaning He knows everything. Anything that is knowable, He already knows it, and He has known it for all eternity. He knows everything you and I have forgotten—yet He still remembers it! And He knows everything that you and I will never know. Only God understands why He allows wickedness in the world to experience temporary victories. Trust His wisdom!

Is Your God Too Small?

Posted on by
Reply

-Are You Too Big?

40 some years ago, J.B. Phillips wrote, what turned into a Christian classic, Your God Is Too Small. It’s a great book! I highly recommend it! Phillips does a great job of capturing the struggle, that we humans have, of seeing how big God really is! We tend to see God as much smaller & less awesome than He is; and, we see ourselves as much bigger & more significant than we really are!

-Superman Don’t Need No Airplane!

I love the story about former heavy weight boxing champ, Muhammad Ali, who loved to boast, in jest, about being the greatest! It was part of his shtick & show! Once, while flying on a commercial flight, the stewardess told him to fasten his seatbelt just before takeoff. “Superman don’t need no seatbelt,” Ali replied; and, the stewardess shot back, “Superman don’t need no airplane, either.” That pretty much epitomizes the attitude the “health, wealth & prosperity FALSE gospel” has spawned here in the western church! The image of God has been distorted!

-He’s No “Genie In A Bottle”!

Much, of the Church, has turned God into a wimpy “Genie in the bottle” kind of God who grants OUR wishes; and, somehow NEEDS us to feel significant! Rather, than the self-sufficient, self-sustaining Sovereign God, that He is, who needs nothing & is the KING of kings & LORD of lords! I love how Paul addresses this subject in his letter to the Roman believers:  “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever.  Amen” Romans 11:33-36.

-Glory In God’s Wisdom!

That’s another one of those rich texts, of Scripture, that magnifies & lifts up our Awesome God! Paul is like caught up in the wonder & the mystery of who He is! He seems to be promoting the underlying thought that good or bad, big or small, whatever comes our way, let us give God Glory for everything that happens in life! Notice, he challenges the church to give God Glory for His “…wisdom and knowledge…” Whatever comes, give God Glory because of His wisdom & knowledge. He knows what He’s doing!

-Is God Foolish?

There’s another great verse that Paul included, in his letter, to the Church of Corinth: “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” 1 Cor 1:25. Don’t you just love that? Mind you, Paul is NOT saying that God has a foolish side to Him. On the contrary, He’s pointing out how foolish we are when we think we’re really wise & smart. IF God had a foolish side—and, He DOESN’T—He would still be wiser than you and me! He’s “omniscient.” That means He knows everything! Anything that’s knowable, He already knows it; and, He’s known it for all eternity! He knows everything you & I have forgotten; but, He still knows it! And, He knows everything that you & I will never know! Only God knows why He allows the wickedness, in the world, to enjoy temporary victories! Trust His wisdom!