Posts Tagged ‘God Thoughts’
That’s What I’m talkin’ ’bout
Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, Grace, Sustaining, Work of the Holy Spirit, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, purpose in life, Random thoughts, Relationship, Sustaining, Work of the Holy Spirit on June 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Life Begin
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Poem, Why?!, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Poems, Why?! on June 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »
For those of you who understand, this is the season for poems, when the moments of musing through many days ooze out during hours of forced repose. Here is the most recent that hearkens back to Spring’s delights:
Life begin and again When Spring sprung and birds sung Blooms no lack eggs will crack Life renewed beauty viewed Why this show? ebb and flow? Could it be God’s plan see? Life from death Christ’s last breath Rose again life beginStroke of the New Year
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Sustaining, Why?!, tagged God Thoughts, internal strife, Poems, Sustaining, Why?! on June 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »
The New Year started with quite a jolt
Not yet awakened to the day were we
When lesser mind from greater did molt
And confusion reigned as up went our plea
Fears and regrets won much of the day
Consequences realized and unforeseen
Extend forward in what we must pay
In tears and stress and oft puzzling scene
Week by week understanding more words
Paying bills on a month to month basis
Each day try words that curdle like curds
Prayer moments that connection retraces
God ordained all from start to finish
For His glory and our good He has planned
His provision and presence relish
From hard changes peaceful righteousness gained
Of His Grace
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Grace, Sustaining, Work of the Holy Spirit, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, Sustaining, theology, Work of the Holy Spirit on June 6, 2014| 1 Comment »
Partakers of grace by God’s decree
Participators in grace freely
Profoundly touched by His sovereign grace
Provides, motivates to run the race
Manifold grace for every challenge
Manifest grace on Spirit’s works hinge
Modeling character of God’s grace
Molded by His image we embrace
God’s grace worked out through His providence
Good gifts and guidance in evidence
Gone is condemnation and sin’s rule
Goal Christ’s likeness as with flesh we duel
On God’ grace through each day we will rest
Onslaught in the battle of each test
Ongoing refinement of this jewel
One day glory when Christ comes to rule
Philippians 1:3-14 seems to me to be saying that partakers of grace are participators in grace.
The God who decrees and predestines us to receive grace also enables and guides us in the living out of grace.
Funny, Punny Tuesday
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Random thoughts, Remembering, Sustaining, tagged god answers prayer, God Thoughts, Random thoughts, Remembering, Sustaining on May 11, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Here are some random funny and profound moments in public education from Tuesday two weeks ago now:
1) As I arrived from my first school at my second school today I could here the chemistry teacher waxing eloquent about highly energetic chemical reactions. So, I went up to the door and said, ” Mr. V, like it not, you’re going to get a reaction out of me.” He replied, “That was spontaneous!” “Yes, totally spontaneous”, I reiterated. His students sat dumbfounded, not knowing whether to laugh or question my sanity. Several minutes passed while I opened my room and settled in. All the while Mr. V was talking about the energy of spontaneous reactions. I went back to the door, pointed to my brain case and said, “Mr. V, I just wanted your students to know that I am more stable after that spontaneous reaction.” The students just stared, and one or two began to giggle. Mr. V said later that the whole class broke out laughing after I left. They all thought I am crazy. It may be true, but I’m stable.
2) While I was teaching later in the day my teacher’s assistant (TA) was grading bellwork questions. These are review questions that the students complete at the beginning of class and hand in all together at the end of the week. One girl had written on a bellwork early in the week, “you look nice today.” The next day she wrote, “you look sharp today, Mr. F”. By now I was embarrassed, but my TA showed me the third comment: “I don’t understand what you are asking in this question”, to which my TA had written in red pen, “What’s wrong, is my beauty distracting you?” It will be interesting to see what kind of reaction I get out of that one!
3) On a bit more serious note, I have this student in my 1st period class that is frighteningly perceptive as to how I am faring emotionally. She almost daily asks me how I am doing by predicting how I feel: “Are you angry today, Mr. F?” Are you having a good day, Mr. F?” Are you frustrated about something?” What are you so happy about? What are you worried about? Did you get some good news or something? Now I am the first to admit that I am the type of personality whose emotions are easy to read- wear them on my sleeve, as the saying goes- but some days I try to hide my emotions because I have a job to do, or because I don’t want to talk about it, or because I want to be encouraging, but she will have nothing of it. Her questions persist. It caused me to realize just how the stresses in my life are straining me, causing me to effectively deny my faith to this perceptive girl who knows when life is getting to me. I claim to be connected to the One Who is the source of all peace, joy, and comfort, and yet I am frequently stressed out. As I thought about this on the way to school the next morning I began praying that God would cause me to experience more of the peace He had made available to me. In the next two weeks up until now I have been making a habit of singing a hymn on the way to school and praying for my students, my family, and whatever fruit of the Spirit seems most lacking in me. The stresses have not gone away but I have a genuine confidence that God is helping me. The next day after I had the realization of what this girl’s questions said about me, I began calling her ‘Thelma’, which is my mash-up of Thermometer Lady. I didn’t explain the meaning of the nickname to her but I meant by it that she was taking the temperature of what the teacher was feeling so that she knew how to react. More than likely she learned this is some situation where it saves her considerable difficulty to know what the temperature is. I decided for my part to let her be the thermometer and I would be the thermostat, regulating the temperature of the room by calling out to my God to be the source of power and heat sink (“cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you” I Peter 5:7) I need before I enter class. I am amazed at what I know to be true can become so clouded by the immediacy of difficulty. ‘Thelma’ gave me a little perspective that I needed.
Cut or Prune?
Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, God's Word, Outdoors, Photo, Strength, Sustaining, tagged Beauty, God Thoughts, God's Word, Outdoors, Photos, purpose in life, Strength, Sustaining on April 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Spring has significantly sprung in our neck of the woods. We may yet have another wintery storm but the bluster is mostly out of that season. Flowers seem particularly profuse this season: carpets of red trillium, bluets, grape hyacinth, and violets. The hardier varieties of Daffodils have already shown their glory. Leaves are sprouting rapidly on the trees.
Neighbor’s Redbud
Violets and Grape Hyacinth
Violets and Ground Ivy
Variety of Heal All?
As the transformation has occurred, when not out in the yard or woods, I have been watching from the dining room window as I eat. One sight in the last two weeks has arrested my attention, however, and it is of my own doing. I’ve long wanted fruit trees that produce. I lived for six years across a dirt road from a pear tree that no one cared for or seemed aware of. It would produce a few pears each year that were the old style: hard and sweet- moon glow pears I think. One year just before we moved the spring and summer conspired together with a perfect combination for this old pear tree. It produced so many large pears that it bent over with some of the pears touching the ground. Even more fascinating was the almost total lack of worms or other insects. I ate pears for lunch every day and most usually with yogurt after super. I ate them with my cereal for breakfast. We froze some and I ate them relentlessly. My wife ate her share as well. The tree produced for 3 1/2 months until heavy frost. It was simply amazing. The next year the pear tree produced a few worm eaten pears just like it had in all of my previous notice of it. Soon afterward we moved to our present house. One of the things that drew us to the house we bought was the trees: oak, redbud, catalpa, pitch pine, white ash, chinese chestnut, and two apple trees. I was too busy with house repair and job to prune them the first several years, but I read up on pruning and pruned them later on. I believe that it was the season a year and a half after that they produced some decent sized and number of apples. A fair number were without worm. They are probably what is referred to as cooking apples because they lack much firmness, and much sweetness or tartness desirable in an eating apple. Since then frost has gotten the flowers and worms have rotted the fruit. I sprayed them one year with soap just after the blooms fell off, to no avail. I’m not a pesticide kind of guy and I haven’t figured out the natural ways of preventing apple worms. I have pruned them somewhat since then but finally let them go. My son pruned them heavily last year but they are so tall that you can’t reach half of the apples and those that fall are severely damaged. There is a point to all of this story. I went out to try again this spring and found that the larger tree had several rotten places in the trunk. If there was any possibility of producing apples, it seemed to me, this problem must be dealt with. I cut most of the rot out. Now I sit and look at the sad results of my decisive action.
- Ouch!
I was immediately reminded of two Scripture passages: John 15:1-11 and Luke 13:1-9 Hear a little of each passage:
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit… he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” John 15:1-2, 5-6 “And He began telling this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine, but if not, cut it down.’” Luke 13:6-9
Perhaps it is a parable for my life just now. No, by God’s grace, I do not believe I will be burned up because I belong to Him, but does cut down mean eternally separated or ‘fallen asleep’ as those who were disobedient (I Corinthians 11:30)? I have been severely pruned or cut; difficulties with career, health, loved ones. Has my life been unfruitful and full of rot so that it needed a major pruning? Am I too apt to be content, complacent when I have orders to fulfill? There are other ways to look at the reasons for these trials but I don’t want to be oblivious to the obvious. I certainly feel like this tree looks. And I don’t see it or mean it as complaining. I just want to learn the lessons that are here and serve my Lord better rather than have to recycle remediation. The flowers bloom all around; the sun shines brightly; the soil is warming and wet; the grass is greening. Am I connected and abiding in the vine (trunk and root) so that I may bloom, leaf, and bear fruit. I want to be a fruit tree that produces. I want to be pruned, not cut down.
Stop Writing Us Off
Posted in Creation Articles, Cultural commentary, General, Random thoughts, Science, tagged Creation Articles, God Thoughts, purpose in life, Random thoughts, Science on February 12, 2014| 1 Comment »
Perhaps the reason I don’t have a very big following for my blog is that I mostly write for my own posterity and the comfort of getting my burning thoughts down in “black and white”, or whatever other colors I choose. I thought it was humorous and somewhat gratifying the other day when a student said to me about midway through a monologue I was giving in class, “Mr. [Leon], I could listen to you rant all day!” “That’s and interesting comment,” said I, “why do you feel that way?” “You are not afraid to be honest about what you think and always do it without being profane. There is alot of truth in what you say” Wow, so perhaps others are not so honest or insightful and are profane?
So, you might well guess that we are preparing for a rant, though this one is quite mild in delivery compared to the sarcastic and cutting version the student heard about the real deficiencies of public education (Perhaps that one will serve for another day. Oh, no, not another prescriptive education rant!). No, this one is about a significant blind spot that is preventing science education and political action from moving forward and it is not being caused by the uninformed. If after all of that you are still up for it, click on Stop Writing Us Off I look forward to some rousing comments.
Stress and Strain
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Random thoughts, Science, Strength, Sustaining, tagged God Thoughts, internal strife, Poems, purpose in life, Random thoughts, Science, Strength, Sustaining on January 25, 2014| 3 Comments »
Stress and strain are engineering terms. Stress is any force, pressure, torque, electrostatic potential, or thermal gradient that tries to distort an object, its surface or its components. (didn’t even look that up) Strain is the deformation of that object resulting from the stress. Motion is apt to result in both stress and strain. In elastic collisions stress does not result in permanent strain to the objects involved because the colliding objects temporarily distort and return to their original form when the deforming energy is converted to other forms, most notably heat. In other words, the strain is passed out of the system, leaving no impression on the objects. The most common example is billiard balls colliding on a pool table. Non-elastic collisions, on the other hand, permanently deform the objects involved. Tossing wet mud onto a wall where it sticks is an obvious example.
So, am I merely in the mood to convey physics concepts which are all too obvious to many who read this page? No, stress and strain have very straightforward analogy to life in the body and mind and spirit. Frequently when people say that they have so much stress in their life, they really mean both. That is, they are saying that all of the pushes and pulls that are stress are getting them down and making it hard to function, strain. I am experiencing both- changed schedule, pressures to succeed, accusations of neglect and slack-handedness, bills, desire to enjoy and play when it’s time to work and serve, and very notably, sadness at seeing someone I love degraded in her ability to serve her family as she likes to do. You may take this for whining if you like, but it is really just the way that I have learned to deal with the stress. Somehow it’s supposed to be more noble to not talk about your troubles. Of course, there is nothing noble about self-focus and there is way too much of that in this society. Perhaps then I should keep quiet. Aaaccchh! Tangents!
So (love that word) here’s another one. My wife took about 6 hours to fix my son and me supper one day this past week. She can’t much read recipes just now, and her work is very slow and deliberate, but she so wanted to take care of her family that she worked diligently most of the day cutting up salad, baking sweet potatoes, sauteing cabbage and carrots with venison sausage, and baking cornbread so that we could eat a good meal. I about couldn’t eat for the tears. Then this morning she fixed oatmeal pancakes, a recipe that she had never done before. She laughed that it was a good thing that all of the ingredients were 1 (cup, teaspoon, etc) because she could not have made it otherwise. She still can’t say most names or understand much of what is said to her, but she can fix meals and wash dishes and she is happy to be able to do it again. I guess we’ll go grocery shopping together this afternoon.
Anyway, I have concluded that strainless stress is probably not very beneficial to this object. Afterall, if I am not changed by what pushes on me I’m apt to have to repeat that lesson until there is change. The idea of standing up to stress with dauntless courage and stone-faced lack of strain is neither where I live nor useful to my progress forward in the faith. I want to learn now so that I don’t have to repeat the lesson. Of course, the strain I am after is one that conforms me to the image of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, not a wet mud pie stuck to a wall like so much yak dung on the side of the house drying to be used for fuel to cook and heat. Though it is not particularly what I want in the sense of what is enjoyable, change for the sake of conformity to His image is good, and God is good in patiently working strain into my life through the stresses He ordains. The more pliable, that is non-resistant to strain, I am, the easier that strain will conform me without destroying the very fabric of who I am. It reminds me of Philippians 4:6-8: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” I so want that peace of and with God that so surpasses comprehension that onlookers upon spying it cannot help but attribute it to a work of God. But that will involve far more stress and considerably more strain that I’m not all too sure I’m up to. I have discovered that is not for me to determine. As per Colossians 3 I need to focus above so that I may succeed below:
God’s grace is my comfort and rest
My strong tower in the midst of test
While I trust Him I shall prevail
Raised from the dead without fail
Trust is your Rest
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Strength, Sustaining, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, Relationship, Strength, Sustaining on January 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »
I sure am thankful that it is God who judges me, because He is so merciful and gracious.I lost all perspective during the recent events involving my wife’s stroke. All I could see were the seemingly insurmountable frustration she had with speech, the hesitations I experienced, the pressure from well-meaning people, and the mounting bills. None of those difficulties have been overcome but I am beginning to look up rather than around me as I seek ways to move on. I wish others could give their perspective on these events since they are severely skewed by my own fears and failures, but alas, not here. So here is my last of three poems on my feelings about the events of New Years Day, 2014, and following:
Fretting has no value at all
It only leads to early demise
And turmoil with those you love
And everything that you despise
In quietness and trust is your rest
The peace you seek is with God
And love from those who are close to you
Whatever the nature of the test
It is God Who is at work in you
To work and to will His good pleasure
The path He ordains is beyond view
So stroll forward in faith at leisure
Your struggle and strain is of no worth
Only serves to frustrate all designs
To have peace, joy, value and mirth
Written on your life’s last lines
A New Way Led
Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, Sustaining, tagged attributes of god, God Thoughts, God's Word, Poems, purpose in life, Sustaining, ultimate issues on January 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »
I break the present silence with trepidation because as always I feel compelled to be honest and that is hard when you have also been foolish in the eyes of others. So, I will start off slowly and get around to several points in a circuitous way.
At 4 AM on New Years Day, my precious wife awoke with what I now know to be “having a stroke”. She rubbed her head both front and back, complaining of it hurting and could not recognize me speaking to her. There is so much I am not saying because it is too hard to say, and there have been many doubts and tears. We finally arrived at the hospital for a 3 night stay. Thankfully the stroke did not effect her motor skills other than a general, temporary weakness. She walked into the ER, spoke in a limited way without slurred speech, grasp numerous nurses and doctors hands and pushed against their resistance. Instead, her language center was arrested. She could not say names, mine, her own, and to her, most notably, her children. She could not understand many instructions which led one doctor to conclude she had motor skill deficiencies because she could not follow his instructions to apply pressure against his push.
I am going to post several poems that came 2 weeks after the events described above that reveal some of my reactions to all that I saw and experienced during this time as a result of seeing my wife’s debilitation and having family push me this way and that. The reflections are obviously focused around my thoughts and struggles concerning the stroke my wife had and are therefore skewed away from the events to my feelings about the events. No one is truly objective afterall though that does not mean untruthful. My first poem is a short one that deals with the immediate “why” question, to which there is no answer other than “He is good”:
I know in my heart that God is goodHis Word declares it so From His works to show How His providence and care The abundance He does share Reveal that He is kind And powerful and involved and good
If you have not yet concluded by faith that He is good you will probably ask endlessly “Why”, or perhaps, accuse Him, when it is sin in the world that is the cause of so much pain and suffering. Oh, so its sin and not Him. Why didn’t you say so? It is because all good and ill is filtered through His providential hands, otherwise He is not truly God: “I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.” (Isaiah 46:9-11) Here it is, pay careful attention, those of you who want to soften God down, “who are stagnant in spirit, who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good or evil'” (Zephaniah 1:12): “I am the Lord, and there is no other, The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” (Isaiah45:6-7) Wow what a tangent! But it is not a false one because His goodness is based on His sovereignty- He is not fickle; He has purpose, much of which He has made known and yet is inscrutable by man. He is good and there is purpose in difficulty and harm we experience.
Spiritual Growth
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Work of the Holy Spirit, tagged God Thoughts, gospel project, purpose in life, Work of the Holy Spirit on August 15, 2013| 1 Comment »
In the Summer 2013 Gospel Project, Lesson 12, the following quote by Robertson McQuilkin appears:
“The more I know [Christ], the more I love Him. The more I love Him, the more I obey Him. The more I obey Him, the more I become like Him. The more I become like Him, the better I know Him. The better I know Him, I love Him the more. And the more I love Him, I reach a new level of likeness to Him.”
I think better in diagrams and so remember concepts better. Additionally, I need to know what it looks like when it is happening including what part I have in the process and what part is applied to me. I hope the following helps you as well. The row of “looks like” bubbles are only a few examples that need expanded. You can click on the diagram to enlarge it.
Omnipotence
Posted in General, God Thoughts, tagged attributes of god, God Thoughts, gospel project, Strength, theology, ultimate issues on July 26, 2013| Leave a Comment »
We are drawn to strength and power. Whether it incites fear because of its wildness and antagonism or security because of its protection and deterrent, we are curious and awestruck and enamored by the sight and use of power and strength. Strength is the shear magnitude of force that may be brought to bear on an object whereas power is how fast that strength may be utilized to move or deflect an object. But how do we account for all powerful, omnipotent. Is it just a hypothetical construct? Or perhaps it is a “my dad is bigger than your dad” scenario invented by Christians trying to justify their puny conception of reality. Is it necessary to God’s character and is it true? Does the Bible teach that God is omnipotent?
Having previously discussed God’s infinite character in “Omniscience”, Omnipresence”, and “To Infinity and Beyond”, I submit that omnipotence is indeed a necessary part of God’s nature in order for Him to be infinite any respect and infinite in knowledge and presence in particular. How can He know all things if He is not everywhere at once? And how can He be all places at once if He is not all powerful? Or else on the latter question He is but a background noise in the universe that influences nothing and no one. But He is active. We know that He is because we observe it in nature; we observe it in changed lives; we observe it in answers to prayer. His influence reaches throughout all of Creation and into all spheres (physical and spiritual). So if God is omnipotent, what is possible for Him to do?
God can save to the uttermost. “And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”” (Matthew 19:23-26) In fact, Isaiah 63:1 says that He is “mighty to save”. ‘
This power of His makes Him the only Sovereign: “Why should the nations say,“Where, now, is their God?” But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” Psalm 115:2-3
He is so powerful that nothing He does may be changed, for it says, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.” (Psalm 119:89) Having seen His power to bring down and rise up, to produce wind and lightning and storm Job declared, “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:1-2)
He spoke the Creation into existence out of nothing, for II Peter 3:5 says, “it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago”. His judgments have been and will be with great and unassailable power. He will form the new heavens and new earth to stand fast forever.
But there are things that God cannot do, or more accurately, will not do. Anything contrary to His nature He will not do. Titus 1:2 gives to us who are trusting His promises great encouragement when Paul reports on our salvation, “the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago”. And James 1:13 proclaims, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” Since there is no evil in God, none proceeds from Him nor influences Him. Another discussion seems outside what the Bible proclaims about God. There is a hypothetical argument in Physics that pits an immovable object against an unstoppable force. But if the adjectives both hold true, then these two items have infinite inertia and strength, respectively, making them strictly speaking gods. But the Bible is clear on this point when it teaches that there is but one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). There are several ways out of this problem, but saying there is no God is not acceptable on either logical (look around you man) or biblical grounds (Romans 1:19-20). Perhaps neither of the objects exist (it is hypothetical afterall), or perhaps only one of them exists, or perhaps they describe the same object, namely God. The argument reminds me of another one that the skeptic likes to bring up to throw the believer off kilter and off subject (You need Jesus!). Can God make a boulder so big that He cannot lift it? If the boulder were that big it would be infinite. If it were infinite then it would be god. Then there would be two gods and not one as the Bible declares. And in reality there would be no gods because neither is fully sovereign, so no, God will not make a boulder too big that He cannot lift it.
For the Christian there are a number of daily applications to this concept of God’s omnipotence. We may feel secure. This security is a great gift from God, but this is not the reason we are here. How does God’s power enable us to fulfill His mission, which is our mission? His mission is glory to Himself through our spreading of the Gospel. His omnipotence enables us to defeat spiritual forces through prayer when witnessing and during spiritual opposition. His power enables us through the Holy Spirit’s work to overcome the sin and temptation in our own lives. Witnessing is the hardest thing to be involved in because of resistance from the world, the flesh, and the devil. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) And we are speaking life to dead people who don’t even know that they are spiritually dead, separated from God. Their non-response, or conversely their antagonism, proceeds from this separation from God. We are in every sense in spiritual battle and need God’s power to overcome darkness in the form of hatred, apathy, skepticism, and our own faltering tendencies.
May God’s omnipotence be pleased to include us in His mission for His purposes and glory and our growth and joy. Amen.
Omniscience
Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, tagged faithfulness, God Thoughts, God's Word, gospel project, purpose in life, Strength, Sustaining, theology, ultimate issues on July 2, 2013| 1 Comment »
He knows everything- the position and momentum of every particle (Heisenberg Principle doesn’t apply), where they have been and where they are going? He knows all thoughts and possibilities? If the idea doesn’t blow your little mind it’s just because you haven’t understood it yet.
That’s OK; David didn’t either:
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.” Psalm 103:1-6
David points out that God knows his location, position, thoughts, intentions; direction before, during, and after moving; the words coming to his tongue. The result is entrapment, control, of which David realizes he has no comprehension beyond the fact that God does know, which was also revealed to David as a prophet in this Psalm. To state the case simply, God has intimate knowledge of us.
Do you find God’s thoughts of you, as expressed here, threatening or comforting? David was awed, acknowledging that he could not understand, but how did that make him feel? Jesus tells us the proper response to such a knowledge and power:
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:25b-31
Do not fear; fear; do not fear. Which is it, Lord? Well, it depends on who you should fear and in what way. People can harm and even kill the body, but do not fear that because the worst it can result in is pain and the best is ushering you into the presence of God (not an excuse for humanly speaking “untimely” death by one’s own hand or someone else’s). Do fear, reverence, hold in awe God who can eternally separate you from His presence into an eternal world of hurt. But for those who know Him (not merely about Him), do not fear for His knowledge of you is intimate down to the counting of each hair and He values you.
Not only does He know us intimately, but He also knows us and all things completely:
1) in the present
“Listen to this, O Job,
Stand and consider the wonders of God.
“Do you know how God establishes them,
And makes the lightning of His cloud to shine?
Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds,
The wonders of one perfect in knowledge…?” Job 37:14-16
“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. I John 3:18-20
His knowledge is our security!
2) in the past and the future
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’” Isaiah 46:9-10
One outside of time can see “the end from the beginning”, but I can’t fathom lack of time, existing in the eternal present, or foreknowledge. I can praise Him as the one of a kind God He is and be secure in His plan, established and accomplished as it is by a His good pleasure which is good (James 1:17). Not only does He know everything actual- past, present, future- but He also knows all potential as seen by the call to repentance of Jesus:
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” Matthew 11:21
The application for our lives is powerful. Since God knows my good, bad, and ugly sides and still loves me and chose me apart from any good or bad, then my relationship with Him is totally secure. But did He really choose me apart from foreknowledge of me?
“…there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”” Romans 9:10-13
What are we to say about those who do not know Jesus? Are they simply doomed to hell because they have not been chosen? We can’t know who is and who isn’t, because we are limited in knowledge. But we do have the opportunity to plead for our salvation and we know that He hears, for “it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:21
Additionally, our security in Him is greatly increased because His plan is based on perfect knowledge so that nothing takes Him by surprise. His plan will be accomplished, period: “…You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” Isaiah 25:1
The result of these assurances of security should be to help us interpret situations that come up in our lives in a more patient, confident, purposeful, thankful, and eternal manner. Circumstances may be hard but they are not without purpose. We can add to the glory given to God by working with His plan instead of against it. He is worthy and there is great reward.
The thoughts expressed herein are a mixture of mine and those of Kendell Easley in the Summer 2013 Gospel Project lesson “The Omni God”.
The Omni-Attributes
Posted in General, God Thoughts, tagged attributes of god, God Thoughts, gospel project, theology on July 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Over the next several blog entries I want to consider the three omni-attributes of God: omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. By their very quality I can not hope to touch their grandeur, that is the grandeur of their owner, but it is always appropriate to explore and praise the glories of our God.
As I begin to consider these facets of the most perfect jewel it seems to me that these facets are three perspectives on one characteristic of God. Afterall, He cannot do all things if He does not know all things. And He cannot know all things if He is not everywhere at once. And He cannot be everywhere at once if His power is limited. To what one characteristic do I refer? God is infinite. He is without limit or boundary. “…Who is like the Lord our God…?” Psalm 113:5a
But is it true? Do we exaggerate who God is for our own comfort or to ward off the claims of opposing viewpoints or other gods? We Christians are a people of the Book. Does the Bible reveal God as infinite in these three ways: all knowing, all present, all powerful?
Holy Spirit, part 5
Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, tagged God Thoughts, God's Word, theology on June 27, 2013| 1 Comment »
Regeneration, renewal, sealing, sanctification, leading, filling, gifting the Holy Spirit is mighty in the believer’s life, always glorifying the work of Christ on the cross on our behalf. We finish our study tonight with emphasis on leading, filling, and gifting. Scripture certainly says more about these issues and the working out of them in our lives certainly require more consideration, but here is an overview:
V. Leading of the Spirit
A. How
1. Direct leading
a. Sent Acts 13:4
b. Forbad Acts16:6
c. Said…go Acts 8:29-31
d. Re-location Acts 8:39
2. As involves truth
a.Word of God only Deuteronomy 18:20-22
b. Guides John 16:13
c. Witness Romans 8:16; Revelation 3:14
B. Filling
1. Acts 6:5
2. Acts 2:4, 4:8, 13:9
3. Ephesians 5:18
4. Luke 1:15
5. Luke 1:41,67
6. Acts 13:52
C. Gifts
1. I Corinthians 12:3-11,18
2. Order I Corinthians 14:26-33
D. Result
1. Romans 8:13-15 sons of God
2. Galatians 5:18 not under the Law
Study Guide
V. Leading of the Spirit
The following verses each tell something about how
the Spirit leads us. For each verse write down how He leads.
1. Direct leading
a. Acts 13:4
b. Acts16:6
c. Acts 8:29-31
d. Acts 8:39
2. As involves truth
a. Deuteronomy 18:20-22
b. John 16:13
3. The following verses speak of the filling of the Holy Spirit. When does it seem to be happening or should happen: all the time, special occasions, when we ask for it?
a. Acts 6:5
b. Acts 2:4, 4:8, 13:9
c. Ephesians 5:18
d. Luke 1:15
e. Luke 1:41,67
f. Acts 13:52
4. Is there a difference in being led by the Spirit and being
filled with the Spirit? If so, what is it, and if not, are they
just two phrases for the same thing?
5. The following verses speak about the gifts of the Spirit
and how they operate.
a. What is God’s purpose for the church in putting various
gifts in the church according to I Corinthians 12:3-11,18?
b. What are some of the gifts listed?
c. Based on I Corinthians 14:26-33, what do you think
edification means?
d. What is the reason given by Paul for why prophets and
those speaking in tongues should speak one at a time?
6. What are some results of being led by and filled with the
Spirit in the following verses?
a. Romans 8:13-15
b. Galatians 5:18
Holy Spirit, part 4
Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, tagged God Thoughts, God's Word, theology on June 26, 2013| 1 Comment »
Let’s focus more detail on the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, what He does for us and in us, and how we are involved in His work.
IV. Sanctifying Work of the Spirit
A. Necessity
1. Galatians 3:1-18
2. Galatians 5:17
3. Romans 7:14-8:4
B. Transformative work of the Spirit
1. Galatians 5:22-23 2. Romans 8:13
C. How we are involved
1. Romans 6:11 2. I Corinthians 10:13
3. Philippians 4:8 4. Galatians 4:24,26
5. I Corinthians 6:18 6. II Corinthians 5:7
7. II Corinthians 5:14-15
Study Guide
IV. Sanctifying Work of the Spirit
1. In what ways do the following verses point out that
the work of the Spirit is necessary?
a. Galatians 3:1-18
b. Galatians 5:17
c. Romans 7:14-8:4
2a. Based on Galatians 5:22-23, who produces the fruits?
b. List the fruits and then indicate on which one(s) of the
following each one focuses: inward, outward, upward
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
3a. According to Romans 8:13 do we have a part in the
Spirit working in us? If so, what is it?
b. The following verses shed further light on the answer to
#3a. How do each of these verses say we may be involved?
1) Romans 6:11
2) I Corinthians 10:13
3) Philippians 4:8
4) Galatians 5:24,26
5) I Corinthians 6:18
6) II Corinthians 5:7
7) II Corinthians 5:14-15
Holy Spirit, part 3
Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, tagged God Thoughts, God's Word, theology on June 25, 2013| 1 Comment »
The Divine Person of the Holy Spirit, as we have seen is evidenced by many characteristics of both divinity and personhood. Now we want to emphasize the aspect of this divine person’s work in the world and believers.
III. Work of the Holy Spirit
A. In the World
1. Creation Job 33:4
2. Inspiration of Scriptures II Peter 1:21
3. Miracles Matthew 12:28
4. Providence Psalm 104:30
5. Conviction John 16:7-9
B. In Believers
1. Regeneration Titus 3:5
a. Revealing and convicting of
1) sins 2) original sin (intentions)
3) failing of own works
b. Revealing of God
1) holiness 2) mercy
c. Revealing of Christ’s saving work
2. Sanctification
Salvation is a great gift
Thought by the Father above
Received by faith in the work
Bought by the Son here in love
In our hearts promoting change
Wrought by the Spirit, the Dove
3. Resurrection Romans 8:11
4. Teaches Luke 12:12
5. Commands Acts 13:2
6. Assurance Ephesians 1:13-14
7. Leading and filling
C. Our Response
1. Ephesians 4:3 2. II Timothy 2:15
3. Romans 8:16 4. Revelation 3:14,22
Study Guide
III. Work of the Holy Spirit
A. The H.S. has worked and is working in the world.
How is He at work in the following verses?
1. Job 33:4
2. II Peter 1:21
3. Matthew 12:28
4. Psalm 104:30
5. John 16:7-9
B. How is He working in believers ? Titus 3:5
6. Regeneration
a. What is the term in the verse for revealing problems in a
person’s heart in John 16:7-11?
1) sins 2) original sin (intentions) 3) failing of own works
b. What is being shown the sinner when he/she is convicted
of righteousness? What and/or who is being revealed?
1) holiness 2) mercy
c. God is just and sin must be judged. How is the saved
sinner’s sin judged?
7. Renewing (Sanctification) II Thessalonians 2:13-14
Salvation is a great gift
Thought by the Father above
Received by faith in the work
Bought by the Son here in love
In our hearts promoting change
Wrought by the Spirit, the Dove
8. What other important works of the Spirit are spoken of
in the following verses?
a. Romans 8:11
b. Luke 12:12
c. Acts 13:2
d. Ephesians 1:13-14
More on the following in the next days
e. Leading
f. Filling
Application.
9. Is God active in the world today? How?
10. Does the believer have a part in the work of Spirit or
should we get out of the way so He can work?
a. Ephesians 4:3
b. II Timothy 2:15
c. Romans 8:16
d. Revelation 3:14,22
Holy Spirit, Part 2
Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, tagged God Thoughts, God's Word, theology on June 23, 2013| 1 Comment »
The Spirit is both divine and a person. Let us survey the evidence from Scripture that He is indeed both, not subordinate and not a mere force.
II. Divine Person of the Holy Spirit
A. Divine…not subordinate
1. Names
a. Named separate from Almighty God
1) Exodus 31:1-5 2) Psalm 51:1
b. Called God Acts 5:1-5
2. Divine Attributes
a. Omnipresence Psalm 139:7-8
b. Omniscience I Corinthians 2:10-11
c. Omnipotence Luke 1:35
d. Sovereignty I Corinthians 12:11
e. Eternity Hebrews 9:14
3. Works
4. Honors
a. Unpardonable Sin Matthew 12:31
b. In Trinity in position and action- I John 5:7
B. Person…not force
1. Name John 14:26
a. Comforter- KJV, ESV
b. Helper- NASB c. Advocate- NIV
2. Personal characteristics
a. Intelligence- teach John 14:26
b. Will- Acts 16:7
c. Affections- Isaiah 63:10
3. Actions of a Person
4. Stands as a separate Person
a. I Peter 1:1-2 b. II Corinthians 13:14
5. Separate from His power- I Corinthians 2:4
Study Guide
II. Divine Person of the Holy Spirit
1. What does the word divine mean?
2. Is He subordinate to anyone else?
The following are evidences that the Holy Spirit is divine.
He is named separate from Almighty God, distinct from Him.
3a. How is the Holy Spirit separated from God Almighty in
these verses?
1) Exodus 31:1-5
2) Psalm 51:10-11
b. How is the Holy Spirit declared divine in Acts 5:1-5?
4. The divine attributes mentioned in these verses point to
the Holy Spirit’s divinity. What do each of the following
say about Him and His divinity?
a. Psalm 139:7-8
b. I Corinthians 2:10-11
c. Luke 1:35
d. I Corinthians 12:11
e. Hebrews 9:14
5. If the Holy Spirit could do things only God could do,
would that give evidence that He is God?
6. Honors
a. Why is speaking against the Holy Spirit an unpardonable
sin? Matthew 12:24,28-31
b. In what ways is the Holy Spirit honored as part of the
Trinity in I John 5:7?
7. Various names are used for the Holy Spirit in John
14:26:
1) Comforter- KJV, ESV, 2) Helper- NASB,
3) Advocate- NIV. How do these point to the Holy Spirit
being a person instead of a force?
8. If the Holy Spirit has characteristics of a person that is
good evidence that He is a person. What personal
characteristic does each of the following verses point out?
a. John 14:26
b. Acts 16:7
c. Isaiah 63:10
9. Actions of a person would also give evidence that He is a person.
10. In what two ways does the H.S. stand as a separate
person in each of the following verses?
a. I Peter 1:1-2
b. II Corinthians 13:14
11. Why does the Spirit’s power in I Corinthians 2:4
indicate He is a person distinct from the God Almighty?
The Holy Spirit, Part 1
Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, tagged God Thoughts, God's Word, theology on June 22, 2013| 1 Comment »
CreatorWorship 
Oh, America
Posted in Cultural commentary, General, God Thoughts, Poem, tagged Cultural commentary, God Thoughts, Poems on June 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »
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