He is what He is in Himself

[jerry ralph]

“An elementary but correct way to think of God is as the One who contains all, who gives all that is given, but who Himself can receive nothing that He has not first given.”

A. W. TOZER



“Were all human beings suddenly to become blind, still the sun would shine by day and the stars by night, for these owe nothing to the millions who benefit from their light. So were every man on earth to become atheist, it could not affect God in any way. He is what He is in Himself without regard to any other. To believe in Him adds nothing to His perfections; to doubt Him takes nothing away.”

A. W. TOZER………………….The Knowledge of the Holy, page 33



“To believe in Him adds nothing to His perfections, to doubt Him takes nothing away.” What a humbling thought. Sometimes I will get a vision of some great work that I am taking part in. This would involve sharing the Word of God with others, and sharing my personal experiences and how God has done for me, what I could not do for myself. My sobering thoughts this day are centered in the facts that, what ever I do, or do not do, I cannot change God one bit. God is the same yesterday, today and forever, so why do what I do? I do what I do because it changes me. As I continue on a daily basis to try and reach out to the alcoholic and drug addict that is still suffering, I observe changes that take place within myself. Some of the changes occur quickly, some slowly, but they do happen as I take my thoughts away from myself and focus them on others. This evening will be the second time that I will visit the prison down the road. My plans are to go in once a week to carry a message of hope to those who still suffer from the results and effects of alcoholism and drug addictions. This work will not make God better because of it, nor will it make God worse off if I don’t. Where the change takes place will be in myself, and hopefully in time those I visit will also see the change that is taking place within me. And possibly they might desire what I have. Changes in myself today manifest themselves in different ways. Some that I see as a result of my drawing closer to God are, a satisfaction in knowing what I’m doing is good, in a inner peace that I cannot explain very well most times, and the fact that if I continue to do what I am doing I will continue to get what I am getting, sobriety and serenity. As others get a glimpse of hope, and I see it in their eyes, I am strengthened, they are strengthened, and we both find that our eyes are opened to the sunshine of the Spirit. At these moments, God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves……………………JRE



“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery……….. You my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather serve one another in love.”

GALATIANS 5:1 and 13 NIV







We come this morning,

Like empty pitchers to a full fountain,

With no merits of our own,

O Lord-open up a window of heaven,

And lean out far over the battlements of glory,

And listen this morning.



JAMES WELDON JOHNSON