No Buts About It

Good Morning!! "BUT",...basically, this three letter word undermines the phrase preceding it by either canceling out the meaning or destroying any absolute quality it may have had. In plain English, to use a "but" statement is to make a contradiction. When we ascribe power and honor and glory and strength and ability to God followed by a "but" statement, we contradict ourselves. We imply that we don't really believe all those attributes to be true of Him. At the very moment we ask God for something, we immediately undermine His ability to answer it.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.—James 1:5-6 (NIV)
Yet, the "but" statement used in this verse is appropriate because it refers to the inconsistency of human nature. We are fickle. We have doubts. There is no telling when we'll change our minds,...or what we'll do. However, God is none of those things. He is constant. He is absolute. His promises are sure. Unlike the definitions I found in the dictionary,...there is no exception to God's character. The moment the word "but" escapes our lips is the very moment doubt creeps into our hearts. We have a lot of knowledge about God in our heads,...but the heart is another matter. If we have the urge to end one of our prayers requests with a "but" statement, we have to ask why we are going to God in the first place. We must trust that God's ways are perfect and His promises absolute. That is, in fact, the only hope we have in this world. I encourage you to remember that truth tonight, when you go to God in prayer.

You may have doubts and anxieties plaguing your heart,...BUT God is faithful, and His triumph over them is sure.

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Father God, You are powerful, sovereign, faithful and merciful. There is no exception to Your character.  Please teach us to trust You in all we say and do. Please mold our words and our actions, to match the truth of who You are. We desire to believe Your promises in our hearts, and we want our lives to be proof of Your faithfulness to everyone around us. Thank You for Your patient faithfulness to us! For Your name's sake, we pray all these things, Amen.

"Always remember this; God's power to restore, is stronger than Satan's power to destroy."