There are very few people that I admire more then Blu and Darbi Tidwell. The life of a missionary is not a glamorous or famous, there's no great pomp and circumstance when you come back home. It is simply a calling, a calling to live out something greater then yourself. Now not everyone has the calling to go to Africa and start an orphanage from scratch, in fact I think that call is for very few people. But all of us as regenerate believers have a call on our lives to sell out to something bigger then ourselves.
For Blu and Darbi they are committed not to helping orphans or providing resources for the surrounding villages, that would simply be a "good" act, rather they are sold out to the Gospel, they are sold out to the God of all creation changing men and women, boys and girls, from the inside out. People that will go out from there and make a kingdom impact. They are sold out to living out the Gospel that will leave a legacy of Gospel change, and because Blu and Darbi have been overtaken by that Gospel themselves, they were able to be obedient to the call of Christ on their lives.
So the question for us today is our we sold out, are we completely captured by the Gospel that it has changed us so much that we are willing to go where He calls, and do what He asks us to do? That question can only be answered by you, but I believe that when we are honest with ourselves and open about this that God can use this piece of clay to spread His message to other pieces of clay.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
About Me
- Fellowship Church Lubbock
- We are not perfect, but we have been saved by the one who is. He did it by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Christ alone, for the glory of God alone, revealed infallibly by the Scripture alone.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
From Africa to America
Well here I am back in the states from another overseas adventure and in case you missed Sunday or have not had the time to listen to this week's podcast, I want to share some things that the Lord reminded me of as I was over there.
1. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 - The Gospel is priority #1. Getting the Gospel right matters, there is nothing more important in our lives then this. You cannot mess around with the Gospel, trying to make it fit into what we think or what we like. The Gospel of Jesus dying on the cross for the glory of our God and the good of His people, in accordance with the Scriptures, is the only thing that matters.
In Africa, as in America, if you mess around with this you risk men and women confusing the message of the Bible with something else, and therefore placing their trust not in the true God but something else.
2. Psalm 29 - Worship is a by-product of Gospel change. No one, man, women, boy, and girl can remain unchanged when they have a true and real, gospel encounter with God. The Scriptures tell us that we are a new creation, the old has passed away, behold all things are new.
That means our nature is changed, our mind is changed, our eyesight is change. We can no longer view things the same, we cannot see life the same way, sunrises change, the way we raise our kids, the way we read, everything becomes about worship. Not just Sunday mornings, but rather the entirety of our lives are about giving glory to the God of all creation.
Those are two things that the Lord gently reminded me of over the past two weeks. I hope that as you read these things you are reminded today and they encourage you in your walk with the Lord.
Come back tomorrow as I write on the third and final things that the Lord reminded me of as I was in Africa.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
1. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 - The Gospel is priority #1. Getting the Gospel right matters, there is nothing more important in our lives then this. You cannot mess around with the Gospel, trying to make it fit into what we think or what we like. The Gospel of Jesus dying on the cross for the glory of our God and the good of His people, in accordance with the Scriptures, is the only thing that matters.
In Africa, as in America, if you mess around with this you risk men and women confusing the message of the Bible with something else, and therefore placing their trust not in the true God but something else.
2. Psalm 29 - Worship is a by-product of Gospel change. No one, man, women, boy, and girl can remain unchanged when they have a true and real, gospel encounter with God. The Scriptures tell us that we are a new creation, the old has passed away, behold all things are new.
That means our nature is changed, our mind is changed, our eyesight is change. We can no longer view things the same, we cannot see life the same way, sunrises change, the way we raise our kids, the way we read, everything becomes about worship. Not just Sunday mornings, but rather the entirety of our lives are about giving glory to the God of all creation.
Those are two things that the Lord gently reminded me of over the past two weeks. I hope that as you read these things you are reminded today and they encourage you in your walk with the Lord.
Come back tomorrow as I write on the third and final things that the Lord reminded me of as I was in Africa.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
God is Truth
"And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.' John 17:3
God's truthfulness can be defined like this, He is the only true God, and that all His knowledge and words are both true and the final standard of truth.
God is truth, He does not merely speak it, but He is truth. He is infinitely perfect in all things, in power, in goodness, in spirit, in lordship over all time, from eternity past, into eternity future. He is the standard by which all things are deemed true. The only reason that we say something is true is because God, the source of all truth, has said it is true. 2 + 2 = 4 because God says it would equal that. God is therefore reliable and faithful in His words, and we can put our complete trust in the simple fact that if HE says it, He will accomplish it. He never makes promises that HE will not, or cannot keep, while we may say things we don't really mean, God cannot do that, He is the final standard by which all is judged.
Therefore we can know, that as we discover more and more about science, or the world, or the way things work, we are not discovering anything that God does not and has not already known about. All truth is God's truth, and we can rejoice in Him and glorify His name whenever we find anything that is true, as we grow in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, and as we seek to glorify God in those areas, we are pleasing to Him.
So today may we strive to live lives that are a reflection of this truth, may we strive to be people who's yes is yes and no is no. Not because of consequences that may result from not, but because as we walk in truth and seek after knowledge we are reflecting our God to the world around us, and that is pleasing in His sight.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
God's truthfulness can be defined like this, He is the only true God, and that all His knowledge and words are both true and the final standard of truth.
God is truth, He does not merely speak it, but He is truth. He is infinitely perfect in all things, in power, in goodness, in spirit, in lordship over all time, from eternity past, into eternity future. He is the standard by which all things are deemed true. The only reason that we say something is true is because God, the source of all truth, has said it is true. 2 + 2 = 4 because God says it would equal that. God is therefore reliable and faithful in His words, and we can put our complete trust in the simple fact that if HE says it, He will accomplish it. He never makes promises that HE will not, or cannot keep, while we may say things we don't really mean, God cannot do that, He is the final standard by which all is judged.
Therefore we can know, that as we discover more and more about science, or the world, or the way things work, we are not discovering anything that God does not and has not already known about. All truth is God's truth, and we can rejoice in Him and glorify His name whenever we find anything that is true, as we grow in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, and as we seek to glorify God in those areas, we are pleasing to Him.
So today may we strive to live lives that are a reflection of this truth, may we strive to be people who's yes is yes and no is no. Not because of consequences that may result from not, but because as we walk in truth and seek after knowledge we are reflecting our God to the world around us, and that is pleasing in His sight.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
God's Knowledge
So what does God really know? I heard a quote from a well-know author, "In an attempt to secure the sovereignty of God, theologians have overstated their case, and left us with a chest-player God playing both sides of the board, making all His moves and all ours too. But clearly (clearly?) this is not so. God is a person (really) who takes immense risks. No doubt the biggest risk of all was when He gave angels and men free will, including the freedom to reject Him..."
Now there are so many things that I would like to say about God based on that quote, but we will have time for that later on in this series. The one thing that I want to focus on today is "God is a person who takes immense risks."
Does God really take risks, because for that to happen He would have to not know the future, He would have to be limited in His ability, and would be lying when the Bible, says, "all things work out for the good of those who love HIm..." How could HE know that, if He is a risk taker He is just as much in the dark as we are.
That line of thinking leaves us with a deist version of God, a clockmaker, who yes made everything, is a supreme, higher being, but who is not involved our moments, who cannot comfort us with real comfort.
So what does the knowledge of God really mean? Grudem states it like this, "God fully knows Himself (1 Cor. 2:10-11) and all things actual (Hebrews 4:13) and possible (1 Sam. 11-13; Matt. 11:21) in one simple and eternal act.
God is always and forever fully aware of anything that has happened, and will happen, He knows the grains of sand on a seashore, the stars in the sky, the hairs on your head, and He know them all at once. His knowledge is eternal it does not change or grow, nor can it. He does not see new inventions and say, "I never thought of that." He is and for always completely and full aware of what is happening and will happen.
Of course it will be hard to reconcile God's knowledge of everything and the degree of freedom we have in our choices, we will discuss this in more detail in a few weeks. But I will leave you with something that Augustine said, God has given us "reasonable self-determination." We need to not focus on what is beyond our control or knowledge and understand that right now we can trust in an all-knowing God, and that we should in each choice we make, think, choose and act.
I hope that helps to a degree define the knowledge of God, for more information and for a deeper study, please refer to J.I. Packer's classic, Knowing God.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Now there are so many things that I would like to say about God based on that quote, but we will have time for that later on in this series. The one thing that I want to focus on today is "God is a person who takes immense risks."
Does God really take risks, because for that to happen He would have to not know the future, He would have to be limited in His ability, and would be lying when the Bible, says, "all things work out for the good of those who love HIm..." How could HE know that, if He is a risk taker He is just as much in the dark as we are.
That line of thinking leaves us with a deist version of God, a clockmaker, who yes made everything, is a supreme, higher being, but who is not involved our moments, who cannot comfort us with real comfort.
So what does the knowledge of God really mean? Grudem states it like this, "God fully knows Himself (1 Cor. 2:10-11) and all things actual (Hebrews 4:13) and possible (1 Sam. 11-13; Matt. 11:21) in one simple and eternal act.
God is always and forever fully aware of anything that has happened, and will happen, He knows the grains of sand on a seashore, the stars in the sky, the hairs on your head, and He know them all at once. His knowledge is eternal it does not change or grow, nor can it. He does not see new inventions and say, "I never thought of that." He is and for always completely and full aware of what is happening and will happen.
Of course it will be hard to reconcile God's knowledge of everything and the degree of freedom we have in our choices, we will discuss this in more detail in a few weeks. But I will leave you with something that Augustine said, God has given us "reasonable self-determination." We need to not focus on what is beyond our control or knowledge and understand that right now we can trust in an all-knowing God, and that we should in each choice we make, think, choose and act.
I hope that helps to a degree define the knowledge of God, for more information and for a deeper study, please refer to J.I. Packer's classic, Knowing God.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
How Do We Respond to Osama's Death
Well, if you are like me, you have had a few days to process the events of Sunday afternoon, and Monday morning, and maybe you are asking yourself the same questions, how should I, as a Christian, respond to the death of Osama Bin Laden. I turned on the T.V. Monday morning, to the cheers of a massive crowd in time square, and for those first few moments, I was joining in the cheers that an adversary of America, a man that wanted to do harm to my country, my family, and my faith was now dead, but then the more I watched, the more news reports that came out, the more my thoughts were, how should I, as a Christian, be responding to this news.
I was reminded in the Proverbs,"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them." Proverbs 24:17 What does that mean for me, because David would say also say, "as for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their overwhelm them, let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire."
It seems that David is crying out from the depths of his heart, for God to be just. And so from that my conclusion, is this, we rejoice in the fact that God is just, that HE will be victorious. So are we happy that Osama is dead, that he cannot harm anyone anymore, yes. Should we we thankful to the men and women that put their lives on the line to defend our freedom, yes. Should we jump up and down and cheer as if our hope and rejoicing is in a country, and not in the Lord, by no means.
Our hope and our rejoicing is in the fact that we serve a righteous, just God, who put His wrath on Christ at the cross. I hope that our response will be sober, that we will rejoice in God, that we will remember the only difference between myself and Osama, as far as eternity is concerned, is that Christ's righteousness as been imparted to me, because of the work at the cross and faith in Him.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
I was reminded in the Proverbs,"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them." Proverbs 24:17 What does that mean for me, because David would say also say, "as for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their overwhelm them, let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire."
It seems that David is crying out from the depths of his heart, for God to be just. And so from that my conclusion, is this, we rejoice in the fact that God is just, that HE will be victorious. So are we happy that Osama is dead, that he cannot harm anyone anymore, yes. Should we we thankful to the men and women that put their lives on the line to defend our freedom, yes. Should we jump up and down and cheer as if our hope and rejoicing is in a country, and not in the Lord, by no means.
Our hope and our rejoicing is in the fact that we serve a righteous, just God, who put His wrath on Christ at the cross. I hope that our response will be sober, that we will rejoice in God, that we will remember the only difference between myself and Osama, as far as eternity is concerned, is that Christ's righteousness as been imparted to me, because of the work at the cross and faith in Him.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Thursday, April 21, 2011
The Nature of the Atonement Part 1
Today we want to start to look at the nature of the atonement, and there are two aspects to examine, the first and the one we will look at today: Christ's obedience and the second, what we will look at on Good Friday: Christ suffering.
The Scriptures tell us in Hebrews 4:15- "For we do not have a high priest that is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who in every respect was tempted as we are yet without sin.
I Corinthians 1:30 - "And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption..."
Philippians 3:9 - the goal of Paul, "and be found in HIm, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, byt that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
Christ had to live a perfect life, He had to live in the perfect will of God, if He did not there is no life, there is no prefect obedience, there is no redemption, nothing to be imparted to me. Christ's obedience and fulfillment of all righteousness is what will be imparted to me, this is not simply being morally good, or just not doing those small acts of "sin," it is the miracle that I am made righteous because of Christ, because He did what I could never be able to do.
So the question today as we look at this aspect of the atonement is, are you still trying to earn it, are you still trying with all your might, by yourself, to be good enough to earn the approval of the King. The truth is that we will never be able to, it is why the atonement is such a great truth, Christ earns it for us, because HE was spotless.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
The Scriptures tell us in Hebrews 4:15- "For we do not have a high priest that is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who in every respect was tempted as we are yet without sin.
I Corinthians 1:30 - "And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption..."
Philippians 3:9 - the goal of Paul, "and be found in HIm, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, byt that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
Christ had to live a perfect life, He had to live in the perfect will of God, if He did not there is no life, there is no prefect obedience, there is no redemption, nothing to be imparted to me. Christ's obedience and fulfillment of all righteousness is what will be imparted to me, this is not simply being morally good, or just not doing those small acts of "sin," it is the miracle that I am made righteous because of Christ, because He did what I could never be able to do.
So the question today as we look at this aspect of the atonement is, are you still trying to earn it, are you still trying with all your might, by yourself, to be good enough to earn the approval of the King. The truth is that we will never be able to, it is why the atonement is such a great truth, Christ earns it for us, because HE was spotless.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Necessity of the Atonement
Wayne Grudem, poses a great question in his systematic theology book, was there any other way for God to save human beings than by sending His Son to die in our place?
I think to answer that question, we have to first realize that God did not have to save anyone, He could have chosen in His perfect justice to send each and every one of us to the rightful judgement awaiting us, just as He did with the angels that rebelled along with Lucifer. But here is the great news and the news that will cause us to rejoice, once God decided in His great mercy to save sinners, the atonement was absolutely necessary, and we will look at several Scriptures that will point us to this great truth. The atonement was not absolutely necessary, but once God chose to save people, the atonement and death of Christ were the only way.
The Scriptures are going to show us that this is the only way: Like we saw yesterday, Romans 2:26- "IT was to show that His righteousness at the present time, so that HE might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
Hebrews 9:22-23 - "Indeed, under the Law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood their is no forgiveness of sin. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with rites, but the heavenly things with better sacrifices than these."
Hebrews 9:25-26 - "Not was it to offer Himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy place every year with blood not his own, for then HE would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, HE has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
Hebrews 10:4-6 - "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, He said, 'Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have your prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, Behold I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"
Christ was the only way, there is no other way, it was absolutely what had to be done. And there is no other way to heaven, but through His blood, and faith in Him.
Tomorrow we will look at Christ's obedience for us in His life and in His death.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
I think to answer that question, we have to first realize that God did not have to save anyone, He could have chosen in His perfect justice to send each and every one of us to the rightful judgement awaiting us, just as He did with the angels that rebelled along with Lucifer. But here is the great news and the news that will cause us to rejoice, once God decided in His great mercy to save sinners, the atonement was absolutely necessary, and we will look at several Scriptures that will point us to this great truth. The atonement was not absolutely necessary, but once God chose to save people, the atonement and death of Christ were the only way.
The Scriptures are going to show us that this is the only way: Like we saw yesterday, Romans 2:26- "IT was to show that His righteousness at the present time, so that HE might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
Hebrews 9:22-23 - "Indeed, under the Law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood their is no forgiveness of sin. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with rites, but the heavenly things with better sacrifices than these."
Hebrews 9:25-26 - "Not was it to offer Himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy place every year with blood not his own, for then HE would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, HE has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
Hebrews 10:4-6 - "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, He said, 'Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have your prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, Behold I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"
Christ was the only way, there is no other way, it was absolutely what had to be done. And there is no other way to heaven, but through His blood, and faith in Him.
Tomorrow we will look at Christ's obedience for us in His life and in His death.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Atonement
Atonement - the work that Christ did in His life and death to earn our salvation.
This week as we look forward to Easter Sunday I want to take some time to really think and dwell on the implications of the atonement. What does it really mean? What it necessary for Christ to die? My aim is that this week is that our spirits are quickened to think deeply about the work of Christ on the cross, that as we do Easter Sunday would be all the more wonderful, all the more beautiful, and cause us to worship all the more.
The first question that we want to aim as we move toward good Friday, what was the cause of the atonement. This question and the next two days will set a foundation to understand how important this work of Christ really is.
The Scriptures will point to two main reasons as causes for the atonement: the LOVE and the JUSTICE of God. The problem that we are running into over the last few years has been the desire, or rather the misunderstanding of the character of God. We have become a culture that has defined God by one attribute and that is love. YES!! God is love, but He is so much more, He is justice, righteous, holy, and when we fail to recognize these characteristics as a part of God, then we ultimately diminish who He is and the weight of the atonement.
Romans 3:23-25-"For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOd, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forth as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins."
The wrath of God toward sin had to be satisfied so in His love for His people, and as a result of His holiness and justice He sent Jesus to die on that cross.
THis week as we move toward the cross on Friday and to the glorious resurrection on Sunday take time to meditate on God as just and love and may that increase your gratitude for the salvation Christ offers.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
This week as we look forward to Easter Sunday I want to take some time to really think and dwell on the implications of the atonement. What does it really mean? What it necessary for Christ to die? My aim is that this week is that our spirits are quickened to think deeply about the work of Christ on the cross, that as we do Easter Sunday would be all the more wonderful, all the more beautiful, and cause us to worship all the more.
The first question that we want to aim as we move toward good Friday, what was the cause of the atonement. This question and the next two days will set a foundation to understand how important this work of Christ really is.
The Scriptures will point to two main reasons as causes for the atonement: the LOVE and the JUSTICE of God. The problem that we are running into over the last few years has been the desire, or rather the misunderstanding of the character of God. We have become a culture that has defined God by one attribute and that is love. YES!! God is love, but He is so much more, He is justice, righteous, holy, and when we fail to recognize these characteristics as a part of God, then we ultimately diminish who He is and the weight of the atonement.
Romans 3:23-25-"For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOd, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forth as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins."
The wrath of God toward sin had to be satisfied so in His love for His people, and as a result of His holiness and justice He sent Jesus to die on that cross.
THis week as we move toward the cross on Friday and to the glorious resurrection on Sunday take time to meditate on God as just and love and may that increase your gratitude for the salvation Christ offers.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
God is Eternal
There may be no harder concept to wrap our minds around then the eternality of God. I guess we could define it like this, "God has no beginning, end, or succession of moments in His own being, and HE sees all time equally vividly, yet God sees events in time and acts in time." Grudem
We see this in Scripture in verses like Psalm 90:2 - "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God."
Job 36:26 - "the number of His years is unsearchable."
To try and wrap our minds around the fact that God has always been, there has never been a moment when God has not existed, perfectly and completely in His triune being, can be a mountain to climb. But today I want to make a few quick remarks on why this doctrine is so important to the Christian and what encouragement and hope it offers to us as we strive in sanctification.
One thing that we must remember is that time does not change God. You and I change with time, we go from '80's big hair to whatever the current style is (well most of us), we grow up, we used to think that a big fat man in a red suit magically came down our chimney and put presents under our tree. We change our minds, what we thought was cool, acceptable, tolerant, etc, changes as we get older. This is not so with God!!! Time does not change Him, it has no effect on His being, perfection, purposes or promises. God never learns new things, He is not surprised by new trends or discoveries. He knows all things, past, present, and future. This is a crucial point for the believer, do we trust that God has it in HIs control and that though HE sees all time in the present, (HE sits above time), He still actively works in time and in the situations of life.
God created time, when He created the universe therefore He is not restricted as we are to a succession of moments, but rather God sees all, and is in all, His sovereign purposes will come to pass, every knee will bow and tongue will confess that He is Lord.
Yes, God's eternity can be something that we cannot grasp, but let us not write it off and never contemplate what that means for the regenerate, but rather let's meditate on His eternality, and let us stand in awe of how great He is.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
We see this in Scripture in verses like Psalm 90:2 - "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God."
Job 36:26 - "the number of His years is unsearchable."
To try and wrap our minds around the fact that God has always been, there has never been a moment when God has not existed, perfectly and completely in His triune being, can be a mountain to climb. But today I want to make a few quick remarks on why this doctrine is so important to the Christian and what encouragement and hope it offers to us as we strive in sanctification.
One thing that we must remember is that time does not change God. You and I change with time, we go from '80's big hair to whatever the current style is (well most of us), we grow up, we used to think that a big fat man in a red suit magically came down our chimney and put presents under our tree. We change our minds, what we thought was cool, acceptable, tolerant, etc, changes as we get older. This is not so with God!!! Time does not change Him, it has no effect on His being, perfection, purposes or promises. God never learns new things, He is not surprised by new trends or discoveries. He knows all things, past, present, and future. This is a crucial point for the believer, do we trust that God has it in HIs control and that though HE sees all time in the present, (HE sits above time), He still actively works in time and in the situations of life.
God created time, when He created the universe therefore He is not restricted as we are to a succession of moments, but rather God sees all, and is in all, His sovereign purposes will come to pass, every knee will bow and tongue will confess that He is Lord.
Yes, God's eternity can be something that we cannot grasp, but let us not write it off and never contemplate what that means for the regenerate, but rather let's meditate on His eternality, and let us stand in awe of how great He is.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Omnipresence
God is unlimited and infinite with respect to time, He is also unlimited with respect to space. God's omnipresence can be defined like this:
God does not have size or spatial dimensions and is present at every point of space with His whole being, yet God acts differently in different places.
There are few verses in the Scriptures that communicate this principle better then Psalm 139:7-10 - "Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
There is nowhere in the universe where God is not found. He is not there in part but with His whole being He is present everywhere. He is not defined by spatial dimensions, He is not defined by His creation, but rather there is no place or time that can contain our God. We must guard from thinking that He is just super big, and that HE simply covers every area, that would mean that only part of Him is in one place and another part over there. No, God is everywhere present actively working.
This should give us confidence that there is no place that grants special access to God, rather HE is with us always. There does not have to be two or three gathered to pray or for Him to be present, He is already present. May we draw confidence and security that He is with us.
Herman Bavinck, in the Doctrine of God, sums up this doctrine like this:
"When you wish to do something evil, you retire from the public into your house where no enemy may see you; from those places or your house which are open and visible to the eyes of men you remove yourself into your room; even in your room you fear some witnesses from another quarter; you retire into your heart, there you meditate: HE is more inward than your heart. Wherever, therefore, you shall have fled, there HE is. From yourself, whither will you flee? Will you not follow yourself wherever you flee? But since there is One more inward even than yourself, there is no place where you may flee from God angry but to God reconciled. There is no place at all whither you may flee. WIll you flee from Him? FLEE UNTO HIM!!
May that give you joy in who you serve today.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
God does not have size or spatial dimensions and is present at every point of space with His whole being, yet God acts differently in different places.
There are few verses in the Scriptures that communicate this principle better then Psalm 139:7-10 - "Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
There is nowhere in the universe where God is not found. He is not there in part but with His whole being He is present everywhere. He is not defined by spatial dimensions, He is not defined by His creation, but rather there is no place or time that can contain our God. We must guard from thinking that He is just super big, and that HE simply covers every area, that would mean that only part of Him is in one place and another part over there. No, God is everywhere present actively working.
This should give us confidence that there is no place that grants special access to God, rather HE is with us always. There does not have to be two or three gathered to pray or for Him to be present, He is already present. May we draw confidence and security that He is with us.
Herman Bavinck, in the Doctrine of God, sums up this doctrine like this:
"When you wish to do something evil, you retire from the public into your house where no enemy may see you; from those places or your house which are open and visible to the eyes of men you remove yourself into your room; even in your room you fear some witnesses from another quarter; you retire into your heart, there you meditate: HE is more inward than your heart. Wherever, therefore, you shall have fled, there HE is. From yourself, whither will you flee? Will you not follow yourself wherever you flee? But since there is One more inward even than yourself, there is no place where you may flee from God angry but to God reconciled. There is no place at all whither you may flee. WIll you flee from Him? FLEE UNTO HIM!!
May that give you joy in who you serve today.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Monday, March 28, 2011
God's Independence
Definition: God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation can glorify Him and bring Him joy.
Paul states in Act 17:24-25- "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands as though he needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."
The implication being that God does not need anything from mankind.
Job 41:11 - the Lord says; "Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine."
Implying that there is nothing that we or anyone has ever created that does not go back to God first creating it.
Many think that God made human beings because He was lonely and needed the fellowship. If this were true then God would not longer be completely independent, because He need fellowship, and therefore said to the incomplete Trinity, let's make some rebellious, men and women that will constantly defile and blaspheme our Name.
Scripture however is going to tell us a different story, John 17:5 - during Jesus' prayer to the Father cries out; "glorify me in Your presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed." John 17:24 also says, "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given me, may be with me where I am, to see My glory that you have given me because You loved me, before the foundation of the world."
Wayne Grudem says it like this. "Theses passages indicate explicitly what we can learn elsewhere from the doctrine of the Trinity, namely, that among the persons of the Trinity there has been perfect love and fellowship and communication for all eternity." The Trinity, God 3 in one, means that there was no lack in the Godhead, there is no incompleteness, but rather the Trinity exists fully fulfilled and with infinite joy and glory that is given freely to each member of the Trinity.
God's independence is also seen in the burning bush, He tells Moses in Exodus 3:14- " I am who I am." God has always been, He has never not been, and He is self-existent, no one created Him, but He lives, He is totally unique from anything else that we know.
Some would say then are we important at all. To that I would say that we are in fact extremely important to God, He created us and He determined that we would be important and meaningful. It is something that we should delight ourselves in and why we strive to serve Him, love others, be a blessing to those that God has placed in our lives.
Isaiah 62:3-5 serves as a great reminder: "You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord; and a royal diadem in the hand of God. You shall no more to termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My delight is in her, adn your land Married; for the Lord delights in you and your land shall be married... as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride so shall your God rejoice over you."
It is when we realize that God is complete, that He is in need of nothing, and there is nothing that I could offer that He could ever be in want of, that my life becomes about Him, rejoicing in a huge God that is not defined by man's definitions or thoughts, but He exists to bring Himself glory and that He has created me, that I may delight in Him.
Rejoice in a God that is in need of no thing, and is creator of all things.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Immensely grateful to Wayne Grudem for helping me understand this beautiful attribute.
Paul states in Act 17:24-25- "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands as though he needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."
The implication being that God does not need anything from mankind.
Job 41:11 - the Lord says; "Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine."
Implying that there is nothing that we or anyone has ever created that does not go back to God first creating it.
Many think that God made human beings because He was lonely and needed the fellowship. If this were true then God would not longer be completely independent, because He need fellowship, and therefore said to the incomplete Trinity, let's make some rebellious, men and women that will constantly defile and blaspheme our Name.
Scripture however is going to tell us a different story, John 17:5 - during Jesus' prayer to the Father cries out; "glorify me in Your presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed." John 17:24 also says, "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given me, may be with me where I am, to see My glory that you have given me because You loved me, before the foundation of the world."
Wayne Grudem says it like this. "Theses passages indicate explicitly what we can learn elsewhere from the doctrine of the Trinity, namely, that among the persons of the Trinity there has been perfect love and fellowship and communication for all eternity." The Trinity, God 3 in one, means that there was no lack in the Godhead, there is no incompleteness, but rather the Trinity exists fully fulfilled and with infinite joy and glory that is given freely to each member of the Trinity.
God's independence is also seen in the burning bush, He tells Moses in Exodus 3:14- " I am who I am." God has always been, He has never not been, and He is self-existent, no one created Him, but He lives, He is totally unique from anything else that we know.
Some would say then are we important at all. To that I would say that we are in fact extremely important to God, He created us and He determined that we would be important and meaningful. It is something that we should delight ourselves in and why we strive to serve Him, love others, be a blessing to those that God has placed in our lives.
Isaiah 62:3-5 serves as a great reminder: "You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord; and a royal diadem in the hand of God. You shall no more to termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My delight is in her, adn your land Married; for the Lord delights in you and your land shall be married... as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride so shall your God rejoice over you."
It is when we realize that God is complete, that He is in need of nothing, and there is nothing that I could offer that He could ever be in want of, that my life becomes about Him, rejoicing in a huge God that is not defined by man's definitions or thoughts, but He exists to bring Himself glory and that He has created me, that I may delight in Him.
Rejoice in a God that is in need of no thing, and is creator of all things.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Immensely grateful to Wayne Grudem for helping me understand this beautiful attribute.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Understanding the Lingo
2 Timothy 4:3-4 - "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suite their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths."
Paul is communicating something to his child in the faith, Timothy, be ready false teaching is coming. Some that is going to be easy to recognize and some that is going to be difficult to discern, and so he tells him in V. 5 - "... always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
He admonishes him to know the truth, and preach the truth, even when you are getting blasted.
Today we have the same charge, as false teaching surrounds us, and each day it seems to be something different and if we are not careful we can fall victim to the seductive language the devil uses to pull us in. I see so many blogs, Facebook posts, articles, blasting doctrines and religions, and men, faithful and unfaithful. How do we stay alert and guard against our hearts being deceived?
I think to answer that question we must look at the root behind why so many get deceived. I think so often it is those who don't understand who God is, what He is like, what pleases Him, and what does not please Him. And we take our assumptions about Him and create our profile of Him, and so often it is based not on what we read and study in the narrative of the entire Bible but our own personal feelings, and that is dangerous, because I know my heart and I know how wicked and self-serving it is.
So our answer to the question is, we must know who the Scriptures say God to be, I know simple right? But has the power to change how we see God and how we rejoice in Him, this is how Paul warns Timothy to be sober-minded and alert and how he warns us today.
Over the course of the next year or so we are going to look, two times a week into the character of God and the Gospel, and look to what the Scriptures as a whole say to this. I think so often we walk through assuming we know things that are not true at all. My aim in this blog is to explore and inform us, so that we may be sober-minded and ready to do the work of an evangelist.
We will lean heavily on the Scriptures and on faithful men to help us increase in knowledge and understanding. I hope that this is helpful and truthful, that it nourishes your soul and mind.
NEXT WEEK - 3/28- The Independence of God.
Paul is communicating something to his child in the faith, Timothy, be ready false teaching is coming. Some that is going to be easy to recognize and some that is going to be difficult to discern, and so he tells him in V. 5 - "... always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
He admonishes him to know the truth, and preach the truth, even when you are getting blasted.
Today we have the same charge, as false teaching surrounds us, and each day it seems to be something different and if we are not careful we can fall victim to the seductive language the devil uses to pull us in. I see so many blogs, Facebook posts, articles, blasting doctrines and religions, and men, faithful and unfaithful. How do we stay alert and guard against our hearts being deceived?
I think to answer that question we must look at the root behind why so many get deceived. I think so often it is those who don't understand who God is, what He is like, what pleases Him, and what does not please Him. And we take our assumptions about Him and create our profile of Him, and so often it is based not on what we read and study in the narrative of the entire Bible but our own personal feelings, and that is dangerous, because I know my heart and I know how wicked and self-serving it is.
So our answer to the question is, we must know who the Scriptures say God to be, I know simple right? But has the power to change how we see God and how we rejoice in Him, this is how Paul warns Timothy to be sober-minded and alert and how he warns us today.
Over the course of the next year or so we are going to look, two times a week into the character of God and the Gospel, and look to what the Scriptures as a whole say to this. I think so often we walk through assuming we know things that are not true at all. My aim in this blog is to explore and inform us, so that we may be sober-minded and ready to do the work of an evangelist.
We will lean heavily on the Scriptures and on faithful men to help us increase in knowledge and understanding. I hope that this is helpful and truthful, that it nourishes your soul and mind.
NEXT WEEK - 3/28- The Independence of God.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
How did Love get Hijacked
There has been over the course of the last week or so some controversy arise in the "evangelical" world over a new book to be released by emergent guru and Nooma creator Rob Bell entitled "Love Wins." The controversy centers around claims and statements that Bell makes in regards to hell and eternal separation from God. Let me preface this entire blog by saying I have not read the book (I'm not cool enough to get a pre-released copy) and I may or may not read it. In fact this blog post has little to do with Bell's book or the controversy around it, though based on what I see a word of caution and discernment is advised in reading anything from any man, especially one with such liberal views on Scriptures and the atoning work of Christ.
Enough with that, my message to us today centers around the response in our lives to reprove. In this case emergent minded men and women, I have not seen or heard anything from Bell, have blasted faithful men like John Piper, Justin Taylor, and a host of other solid men for their stance on this dangerous theology, claiming that these men are ravenous wolves, haters, and one blogger even comparing Piper to Vito Corleone.
My question is when did it become an act of hate to call out men that have massive influence when they are endanger of leading people astray. When did love become something that never has hard conversations or forsakes accountability so that everyone just gets along. When did we as a people become so sacred of someone telling us we are wrong? And when did it become wrong to examine our hearts to see if we did say something to offend or are in danger?
I guess this is what Paul faced when he called out the Judaizers in Galatians 1, or when Jesus rebukes Peter and calls him satan, or when the writer of Hebrews say in chapter 12, says that we should love and seek out discipline and reproof, for it shapes us and keeps us accountable to the walk that we so desperately want to see.
In using this example, I am simply stating that we have become a people who never want to be told right from wrong, we never want to love in a way that sometimes seems harsh but is meant for our good.
It is why we have men acting like boys when they are in their mid 30's, its why divorce rate is at an alarming high, it is why the pulpits in American have become a place for selling a bill of goods rather then teaching the loving, and sometimes harsh truth of the Scriptures and the glory of God.
Think about it, are you ok with someone calling you out, and are you quick to examine your heart or do you immediately get defensive? Are you prone to anger quickly or do you pray, seek counsel and clarity?
I will leave you with one good example of this, that came to my attention recently. John MacArthur, a faithful preacher, made a few remarks about a book written by Darrin Patrick entitled "Church Planter", where I believe pastor John misread and misunderstood the point, Patrick instead of ranting and raving and getting all his Acts 29 boys to hit the blogosphere he wrote a letter in response to pastor John explaining the passage and even going so far as to sit down with him and explain more.
I hope this is an encouragement to you to seek, reprove, rebuke, discipline, is ok, it is not something that we should run from, it will help keep us on solid ground, it will help keep us rooted and grounded in the rock and truth of Jesus. Seek out men and women that love you and desire the best for you and live in a place of humility.
Enough with that, my message to us today centers around the response in our lives to reprove. In this case emergent minded men and women, I have not seen or heard anything from Bell, have blasted faithful men like John Piper, Justin Taylor, and a host of other solid men for their stance on this dangerous theology, claiming that these men are ravenous wolves, haters, and one blogger even comparing Piper to Vito Corleone.
My question is when did it become an act of hate to call out men that have massive influence when they are endanger of leading people astray. When did love become something that never has hard conversations or forsakes accountability so that everyone just gets along. When did we as a people become so sacred of someone telling us we are wrong? And when did it become wrong to examine our hearts to see if we did say something to offend or are in danger?
I guess this is what Paul faced when he called out the Judaizers in Galatians 1, or when Jesus rebukes Peter and calls him satan, or when the writer of Hebrews say in chapter 12, says that we should love and seek out discipline and reproof, for it shapes us and keeps us accountable to the walk that we so desperately want to see.
In using this example, I am simply stating that we have become a people who never want to be told right from wrong, we never want to love in a way that sometimes seems harsh but is meant for our good.
It is why we have men acting like boys when they are in their mid 30's, its why divorce rate is at an alarming high, it is why the pulpits in American have become a place for selling a bill of goods rather then teaching the loving, and sometimes harsh truth of the Scriptures and the glory of God.
Think about it, are you ok with someone calling you out, and are you quick to examine your heart or do you immediately get defensive? Are you prone to anger quickly or do you pray, seek counsel and clarity?
I will leave you with one good example of this, that came to my attention recently. John MacArthur, a faithful preacher, made a few remarks about a book written by Darrin Patrick entitled "Church Planter", where I believe pastor John misread and misunderstood the point, Patrick instead of ranting and raving and getting all his Acts 29 boys to hit the blogosphere he wrote a letter in response to pastor John explaining the passage and even going so far as to sit down with him and explain more.
I hope this is an encouragement to you to seek, reprove, rebuke, discipline, is ok, it is not something that we should run from, it will help keep us on solid ground, it will help keep us rooted and grounded in the rock and truth of Jesus. Seek out men and women that love you and desire the best for you and live in a place of humility.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wisdom from the Proverbs
In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
PROVERBS 14:26-27
and his children will have a refuge.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
PROVERBS 14:26-27
Monday, February 14, 2011
Oh St. Valentines Day
Valentines day is one of those holidays that produces very mixed emotions from anger, to jealousy, happiness, to ideas of romance, stress, a wide range of feelings for what seems to be a simple holiday. I want to write to you today an encouragement, whether you are single, married, have been married, I want to offer you a perspective that may help you not go to one extreme or the other, rather give us a hope to cling to, whether we love this time of year or hate it.
Love is a word that so often gets throw around on days like today, and it is a word that has lost its true identity, at least in the American mindset. We use this word to describe the awesome unity and bond that to individuals have made to each other, while at the same time using it to describe our favorite dish at Freebirds. The idea behind love is not a casual emotion, Hebrew men and women would never think of using this term to describe all that it does today. The idea behind love is a weighty one, one that we see in full effect in the example of Jesus as He lived, taught, died, and rose again. It is the essence of 1 John 4:10-11-"IN THIS IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE HAVE LOVED GOD BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON TO BE A PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS. BELOVED, IF GOD SO LOVED US, WE ALSO OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER."
This is the passage and the chapter that I believe best describes the weight of this emotion that we are commanded to be generous with. So this Valentines Day, maybe you have been hurt and loving someone is nearly impossible, start with focusing on the Father's love for you, the price poured out at the cross, start there and let Him teach you and show you how to open yourself to love those in your life. Seek Him in pray and throughout the Scriptures, and trust that His love will burst off the pages.
For you men and women that are married, especially the men, take you key today from Ephesians 5:25-HUSBANDS LOVE YOUR WIVES AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER." Make it an intentional effort to show her the love of Christ on display by the way that you serve her, speak about her, and care for her. Couples show your appreciation for one another by engaging each other, serving one another, talking with one another.
Valentines Day comes once a year, may we not think about love only one time a year, may this day be a reminder of the love that Christ has for us and has given to us to show HIm off. May you rest in Him today, and love because of Him.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Love is a word that so often gets throw around on days like today, and it is a word that has lost its true identity, at least in the American mindset. We use this word to describe the awesome unity and bond that to individuals have made to each other, while at the same time using it to describe our favorite dish at Freebirds. The idea behind love is not a casual emotion, Hebrew men and women would never think of using this term to describe all that it does today. The idea behind love is a weighty one, one that we see in full effect in the example of Jesus as He lived, taught, died, and rose again. It is the essence of 1 John 4:10-11-"IN THIS IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE HAVE LOVED GOD BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON TO BE A PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS. BELOVED, IF GOD SO LOVED US, WE ALSO OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER."
This is the passage and the chapter that I believe best describes the weight of this emotion that we are commanded to be generous with. So this Valentines Day, maybe you have been hurt and loving someone is nearly impossible, start with focusing on the Father's love for you, the price poured out at the cross, start there and let Him teach you and show you how to open yourself to love those in your life. Seek Him in pray and throughout the Scriptures, and trust that His love will burst off the pages.
For you men and women that are married, especially the men, take you key today from Ephesians 5:25-HUSBANDS LOVE YOUR WIVES AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER." Make it an intentional effort to show her the love of Christ on display by the way that you serve her, speak about her, and care for her. Couples show your appreciation for one another by engaging each other, serving one another, talking with one another.
Valentines Day comes once a year, may we not think about love only one time a year, may this day be a reminder of the love that Christ has for us and has given to us to show HIm off. May you rest in Him today, and love because of Him.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sanctity of Life Resources
As promised yesterday, here a list of websites and resources that can help educate us and encourage us as we engage the battle over life and as we seek to be agents of hope and reconciliation:
www.gotquestions.org/abortion-Bible.html
http://www.dougbrittonbooks.com/onlinebiblestudies-cultureandsocietyinfluences/abortionoflifeinthewomb-sinandgodsforgiveness.php
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/abortion-the-moral-issue-of-our-day/
www.abort73.com
www.focusonthefamily.com search abortion
-Adoption-
www.bethany.org
www.lovingandcaring.org
I hope that these resources help you as you educate yourself on the issues that we are facing as a nation and that many girls face each day. I pray that we would remember we are agents of light and as we seek to connect our passion with direction, we would remember that this is about the Gospel, that Christ saves, that He came to this world to glorify the Father and provide a way to reconciliation. Join the voice.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
www.gotquestions.org/abortion-Bible.html
http://www.dougbrittonbooks.com/onlinebiblestudies-cultureandsocietyinfluences/abortionoflifeinthewomb-sinandgodsforgiveness.php
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/abortion-the-moral-issue-of-our-day/
www.abort73.com
www.focusonthefamily.com search abortion
-Adoption-
www.bethany.org
www.lovingandcaring.org
I hope that these resources help you as you educate yourself on the issues that we are facing as a nation and that many girls face each day. I pray that we would remember we are agents of light and as we seek to connect our passion with direction, we would remember that this is about the Gospel, that Christ saves, that He came to this world to glorify the Father and provide a way to reconciliation. Join the voice.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Forsaking It All
Matthew 13:44-46:
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his JOY, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding on preal of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
The question that I want to raise today and one that I think we would do well to think on this week, what do you need to give up in order to embrace the truth of Christ, full on? Now that can be a question that you can take in many directions, but the one place we cannot take it is to easy street. I beleive that so often we fail to be all that God has us to be, to see all that He desires to show us, to experience all that He has for us, because we fail to be honest about the things that rule our life, other then the mercy and grace of Christ. Are we willing to be despised, rejected, scorned, are we willing to be pushed out of our comfort zones, for the chance to know HIm, for the chance to not just be consumed by knowledge but to be consumed by HIm.
What is it today that is holding you back from embracing Christ full on? May we recognize it, deal with it, bring it, leave it, and embrace a good God, with both arms.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his JOY, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding on preal of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
The question that I want to raise today and one that I think we would do well to think on this week, what do you need to give up in order to embrace the truth of Christ, full on? Now that can be a question that you can take in many directions, but the one place we cannot take it is to easy street. I beleive that so often we fail to be all that God has us to be, to see all that He desires to show us, to experience all that He has for us, because we fail to be honest about the things that rule our life, other then the mercy and grace of Christ. Are we willing to be despised, rejected, scorned, are we willing to be pushed out of our comfort zones, for the chance to know HIm, for the chance to not just be consumed by knowledge but to be consumed by HIm.
What is it today that is holding you back from embracing Christ full on? May we recognize it, deal with it, bring it, leave it, and embrace a good God, with both arms.
LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)