1. This is the exercise of my faith that makes it stronger. The strongest trees with the most character are the ones that grow in the wind.
2. Even if they themselves do not realize it, those others who don't believe, are watching me to see how I handle this.
3. He's already told me He won't let go of me. God keeps His promises.
4. When I am humanly weak, then I am spiritually strong and filled with God's power through submission to Him.
6. I get to see Him in action. This is what breaks my bondage to fear.
7. I'm starting to see things like He does, and to understand why His will is always for the best.
8. I have found out He is the only true comfort, and now I can share that insight with others.
9 I guess I really have been clinging too tightly to some things in this world. I have a chance to reassess my priorities so that He comes out on top.
10. The best reason of all is that I am sharing the fellowship of His suffering. I realize that I am dying daily on His cross with Him, and so experiencing, in my daily life, the redemptive power of His death. I am no longer just reading stories about Him, I am touching Him.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
I Don't Apologize for God, I Just Explain
Every believer is called to preach the gospel (the good news). Not only that, but in speaking of Him, believers speak with the authority of Christ himself (remember that the authority of Christ is that of a servant). The adversary cannot stop the spreading of the Word.
In the effort to communicate this ultimate rationality and sanity, which is the nature of His love, the duly designated representative of His message should not succumb to anger. "The wrath of man does not work the works of God." Sad as it is, those who reject Christ do so for emotional reasons. The amount of anger present is indicative of the measure of the indefensibility of the position taken when someone is "confronted" with the gentleness of love. Do not follow them down the same road.
As an example, a modern excuse is the taking of exception to Christ's claim of exclusivity. "All religions are equal" is the reasoning. It sounds altruistic, but is just an alibi for the true intent. A more truthful translation would be "God, how dare you not accept me on my own terms!"
Facts are just that: Facts. God has left believers here to be a witness to what is. Do not be distracted by appeal to emotion. If someone has already made up their mind, then we can at least give them food for thought, the solid meat of fact for the mind to chew on. Who knows what God might bring out of it?
In the effort to communicate this ultimate rationality and sanity, which is the nature of His love, the duly designated representative of His message should not succumb to anger. "The wrath of man does not work the works of God." Sad as it is, those who reject Christ do so for emotional reasons. The amount of anger present is indicative of the measure of the indefensibility of the position taken when someone is "confronted" with the gentleness of love. Do not follow them down the same road.
As an example, a modern excuse is the taking of exception to Christ's claim of exclusivity. "All religions are equal" is the reasoning. It sounds altruistic, but is just an alibi for the true intent. A more truthful translation would be "God, how dare you not accept me on my own terms!"
Facts are just that: Facts. God has left believers here to be a witness to what is. Do not be distracted by appeal to emotion. If someone has already made up their mind, then we can at least give them food for thought, the solid meat of fact for the mind to chew on. Who knows what God might bring out of it?
The Real Appeal of My God
God is greater than all others. As overwhelming as His strength is, it is not the most impressive of His skills. His perception is also unsurpassed in the deep matters of the heart. His instruction manual has laid bare, and has perceived, the thoughts and intentions of the inner man. As corrupt as it is, the only barrier which separates the sinner from the perfect God, is the yet lack of a humble request for His mercy and compassion. The only disconnect from His love is a willful turning away. God has destroyed any and all other barriers which could keep us from His presence.
What is to be found in the presence of the King? Rationality, the foundation of sanity, is based on the bedrock of His unchanging character. He is not capricious, He will always respond with forgiveness when we seek Him to change our unprofitable ways. Overflowing joy comes from realizing how great is the work He has done on our behalf! Every good thing we have comes from His provision. Wisdom is the application of His knowledge which He generously shares through the process of educating His children.
One factor overrides them all, and is the motivating force behind all the wonderful acts God has initiated toward us. His love pours down like cool water in a dry and thirsty land. To know His love, His consuming passion, is the only thing that is truly fulfilling in this life, and in this cold world. Only He can fill the void with meaning.
What is to be found in the presence of the King? Rationality, the foundation of sanity, is based on the bedrock of His unchanging character. He is not capricious, He will always respond with forgiveness when we seek Him to change our unprofitable ways. Overflowing joy comes from realizing how great is the work He has done on our behalf! Every good thing we have comes from His provision. Wisdom is the application of His knowledge which He generously shares through the process of educating His children.
One factor overrides them all, and is the motivating force behind all the wonderful acts God has initiated toward us. His love pours down like cool water in a dry and thirsty land. To know His love, His consuming passion, is the only thing that is truly fulfilling in this life, and in this cold world. Only He can fill the void with meaning.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!
"Yea, hath God said?" This was the question from the adversary that opened the proverbial can of worms, the pandora's box of evil for humanity. Satan was calling God a liar. He was putting God on trial. Who was really on trial here, and who was, really, using whom?
Imagine the adversary's state of mind entering the "scene of the crime". Initially, he had been the top guy in all of creation, who had unlimited access to the throne of the Almighty. He had been the the most brilliant and beautiful one. That's when he decided he was smarter than God. Maybe he got tired of all the bowing and scraping, and didn't feel all his energy should go towards honoring God and serving others. He felt he was powerful enough to be God, himself. God knew what satan was thinking, and satan was thrown out of paradise.
Satan sees this new creature that God has created, and thinks that man is physically weak, not nearly as smart as himself, and not nearly as beautiful by half. Satan becomes a door to door salesman and picks the more emotional woman to sell the idea to, that each person can actually be a god unto themselves. It wasn't about a piece of fruit. It was about choosing God's way, or satan's way. He induced them to follow the error he started, and by extension, to following himself. Now man is experiencing all of the terrors of the consequences of "the knowledge of good and evil." Man drinks the dregs of the pain and ugliness of relying on something less loving and giving than the God who made him.
Satan already knows his own ending. God is simply using satan in the meantime to teach those, who do want to follow God, the wisdom of knowing God, and the folly and destruction brought on those who refuse Him. In abject weakness and through dependence on Christ, christians defeat the incredibly powerful and cunning adversary.
Imagine the adversary's state of mind entering the "scene of the crime". Initially, he had been the top guy in all of creation, who had unlimited access to the throne of the Almighty. He had been the the most brilliant and beautiful one. That's when he decided he was smarter than God. Maybe he got tired of all the bowing and scraping, and didn't feel all his energy should go towards honoring God and serving others. He felt he was powerful enough to be God, himself. God knew what satan was thinking, and satan was thrown out of paradise.
Satan sees this new creature that God has created, and thinks that man is physically weak, not nearly as smart as himself, and not nearly as beautiful by half. Satan becomes a door to door salesman and picks the more emotional woman to sell the idea to, that each person can actually be a god unto themselves. It wasn't about a piece of fruit. It was about choosing God's way, or satan's way. He induced them to follow the error he started, and by extension, to following himself. Now man is experiencing all of the terrors of the consequences of "the knowledge of good and evil." Man drinks the dregs of the pain and ugliness of relying on something less loving and giving than the God who made him.
Satan already knows his own ending. God is simply using satan in the meantime to teach those, who do want to follow God, the wisdom of knowing God, and the folly and destruction brought on those who refuse Him. In abject weakness and through dependence on Christ, christians defeat the incredibly powerful and cunning adversary.
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