Good morning, it's Monday, 16th of June. And I've entitled this message, Don't Say What God Can't Do. Don't Say What God Can't Do. Now, this may upset a lot of the old Baptists. But that's alright. You know, I don't take on the title of bad. Any other title, for that matter. But, I'm not a total successionist. Okay? I don't go around saying God doesn't work that way today. Okay? I know the scripture that everyone likes to quote 1st Corinthians 13 a charity never faileth, but will there be prophecies they shall fail whether there be tongues they shall cease Whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away But I don't believe all gifts are ceased You know And I believe that for the most part probably tongues have ceased. Okay? I don't think all knowledge has vanished away. Okay? I don't believe all prophecies have failed. There's a lot of false prophets out there that prophesy things that are not true. But I do believe that... to people. I mean, that's pretty evident, isn't it? Some people, God has given a tremendous gift of preaching. Some people, God has given a tremendous gift of teaching. Some people, God has given a gift of edification, exhortation. Some people, God has given the gift of being able to relate to other people. Okay? And so, you know, don't try to put God in a box. Don't say that God can't heal today. I don't believe that. I believe God heals today. You know? He says that he's given gifts to men. He's given gifts to men. You don't go around and talk about, well God's given me the gift of discernment. God's given me the gift of prophecy. What else? No. Don't go around bragging about some gift that supposedly God's given you. But we find in the 1 Corinthians 12 chapter that Paul talks about these gifts. He said there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. He says follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. Romans 11.29 the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Ephesians 4.8 wherefore he saith when he sinneth up high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. I'll tell you one gift he gives to all believers and that is the gift of grace, the gift of salvation. 1 Corinthians 12 31 covet earnestly the best gifts and then he says I show you a more excellent way 1 Corinthians 14 12 even so you for as much as you are zealous of spiritual gifts seek that you may excel at the edifying of the church you know And then again, you know, we find that there's people out there that say, well, you have to speak in tongues to be a Christian and be saved. That's ridiculous. I mean, Paul dispels that himself. He says, have all gifts of healing. Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? The answer to that question is no, they do not. Not everyone has the gift of healing. Not everyone has the gift of speaking in tongues or interpretation. But God has given gifts unto men. And not all gifts... God hasn't just stopped giving gifts to people. 1 Corinthians 12.28 God has set some of the church first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers. After that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, government, diversities of tongues. Romans 12.6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. For the prophecy let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. God gave a gift to Abel. Did you know that God gave a gift to Abel in the Old Testament? Hebrews 11, 4, By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testifying of his gifts. And by he being dead, yet speaketh. Hebrews 2.4, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His own will. Not according to our will. We can't demand that God give us some gift. I heard a guy yesterday talking about that. Ask God for these gifts. God gives to whom he wants the gifts that he wants to give. So don't start saying what God can't do. God does whatever he wants to do. does whatever he wants to do in the armies of heaven, and who sayeth unto him, what doest thou? Okay. No, I'm not a total successionist. Matthew 7, 11. If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is heaven give good things to them that ask him? It's okay to ask God to give you a gift. It's okay. But God is the one that's sovereign over what he gives you. You can't just demand God do something for you. Corinthians 12 9 to another faith by the same spirit to another gift of healing by the same spirit you say Well, do you actually think God gives? Men gifts of healing. Yes, I do. That's what it says He says to another faith by the same spirit to another gift of healing by the same spirit But it's the spirit that heals through men not men themselves of themselves I mean the apostles even said, by this man stands before you whole, not because of us, because the spirit that works within us. The charismatic church has been very, very much in error on a lot of things that they promote. I will be the first to state that. No, I'm not a charismatic. But I don't believe in total succession either. I don't go around saying what God can't do. There's been people that have actually denied that God can heal people. God can do whatever he wants to do. In the armies of heaven, who can say unto him, what doest thou? So let us remember that God is sovereign. and he is the one who gives gifts unto men. Why do you total successionists want to limit God's power and start telling people what God can't do? God doesn't work this way today. There are diversities of gifts but the same spirit. You know? And if you deny it, you're denying scripture. Just like the same people deny a lot of other scripture. You know? A lot of these total successions also deny a lot of the Book of Revelation, saying, It's not symbolic. When the stars start falling from heaven and the waters turn to blood and there's great earthquakes and it says they'll run to the dens and mountains and they'll come asking to fall on them. That's what's on my mind this morning. Don't tell God what he can't do. God bless. OOF!