God give us the Grace we need
God calm our fear and give us your peace
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Grace
In these time of stress and anxiety let us remember to give each other Grace. Though emotions are high and things are much more difficult than they were doesn't mean we need to forget Grace. We need it all the more. So let's give each other extra amounts of Grace.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Smoke in the Wind
I am but smoke in the wind. My thoughts mislead. I am a grass that is gone tomorrow.
Oh God
Speak your truth
Speak you wisdom
Help me understand your path for my life
Monday, March 23, 2020
God Eternally Present
Let us remember you omnipresent God. Present in the future and present now. Help us to remember you are already waiting for us in the future as well as today and are in control of it all.
Let us remember that you God are worried about our eternal souls and not the things of this world. You have our souls and those of the people we love in mind and care about that more than anything here on earth. John 3:16
Let us use the knowledge, wisdom, and discernment that you God have given us to the best of our ability, leave the rest to you God, and help us to know the difference.
In our victories helps us give the praise to you God!!
God give our leaders discerment and wisdom to know what to do
God give us discerment and wisdom to know what to do
God help us to love others and how to show that love
Speak your truth to us
Encourage us
Help us to give thanks in all things
Let this time be used for an amazing time of growth in the things of God.
Help us to remember that people before us have seen much worse.
Let us remember that you God are worried about our eternal souls and not the things of this world. You have our souls and those of the people we love in mind and care about that more than anything here on earth. John 3:16
Let us use the knowledge, wisdom, and discernment that you God have given us to the best of our ability, leave the rest to you God, and help us to know the difference.
In our victories helps us give the praise to you God!!
God give our leaders discerment and wisdom to know what to do
God give us discerment and wisdom to know what to do
God help us to love others and how to show that love
Speak your truth to us
Encourage us
Help us to give thanks in all things
Let this time be used for an amazing time of growth in the things of God.
Help us to remember that people before us have seen much worse.
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Give thanks in all circumstances
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18(NIV)
14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
The command is to give thanks in all circumstances.
When things are going good
When things are going bad
When you are frustrated
When God doesn't answer your prayers
When God doesn't give us victory over .. ?
2 Corinthians 12: 7-10 (NIV)
...Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Does this mean we are to give up fighting. I believe not. I believe giving thanks gives us the correct prospective so that we can fight.
Though I don't believe there is a hard rule but it appears that when we give thanks sometimes God tells us why (like Paul and Corrie Ten Boom) and sometimes he makes it right (though not in the way we might want but in his perfect way). I think that is why being thankful is important as it takes our focus off of our self so that we can hear from God.
Jesus at the last supper knowing what was going to happen was still full of thanksgiving.
Luke 22 (NIV)
14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
The command is to give thanks in all circumstances.
When things are going good
When things are going bad
When you are frustrated
When God doesn't answer your prayers
When God doesn't give us victory over .. ?
2 Corinthians 12: 7-10 (NIV)
...Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Does this mean we are to give up fighting. I believe not. I believe giving thanks gives us the correct prospective so that we can fight.
Though I don't believe there is a hard rule but it appears that when we give thanks sometimes God tells us why (like Paul and Corrie Ten Boom) and sometimes he makes it right (though not in the way we might want but in his perfect way). I think that is why being thankful is important as it takes our focus off of our self so that we can hear from God.
Jesus at the last supper knowing what was going to happen was still full of thanksgiving.
Luke 22 (NIV)
17After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
εὐχαριστέω
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
All to God
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18(NIV)
14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Corrie Ten Boom in her book The Hiding Place talks about how her sister forced her to give thanks for everything even the flees in the barracks in their concentration camp in Nazi Germany. Later they realize that the freedoms they did get in the barracks was due to the fact no guard wanted to enter the barracks due to the flees.
John 9:3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him ...
God help us to give thanks in all circumstances
God in our hard times help us to be changed the way you want us to
God in our hard times soften our hearts to your teaching
God in our hard times help us not become demanding and try to demand an audience (why??) with you.
God in our hard times calm our hearts and minds
God in our hard times help us focus on you
How do we change our hearts and minds so that we can give thanks in everything? Here are some ideas.
Pray for change in ourselves, Pray for a opening of our hearts and minds to God's teaching - Jeremiah 33:3
Set our hearts and thoughts on God - Philippians 4:8, Proverbs 4:23
Now does this mean that God doesn't work miraculously in some circumstances. Not at all. Sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't but in all circumstances the bible says we are to give thanks. This is hard to do but this is God's will for us.
14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Corrie Ten Boom in her book The Hiding Place talks about how her sister forced her to give thanks for everything even the flees in the barracks in their concentration camp in Nazi Germany. Later they realize that the freedoms they did get in the barracks was due to the fact no guard wanted to enter the barracks due to the flees.
John 9:3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him ...
God help us to give thanks in all circumstances
God in our hard times help us to be changed the way you want us to
God in our hard times soften our hearts to your teaching
God in our hard times help us not become demanding and try to demand an audience (why??) with you.
God in our hard times calm our hearts and minds
God in our hard times help us focus on you
How do we change our hearts and minds so that we can give thanks in everything? Here are some ideas.
Pray for change in ourselves, Pray for a opening of our hearts and minds to God's teaching - Jeremiah 33:3
Set our hearts and thoughts on God - Philippians 4:8, Proverbs 4:23
Now does this mean that God doesn't work miraculously in some circumstances. Not at all. Sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't but in all circumstances the bible says we are to give thanks. This is hard to do but this is God's will for us.
Monday, January 20, 2020
Mind over Matter
In everything give thanks
Love you enemies
Rejoice and be glad when you are insulted, persecuted ... etc.
These are all hard things to do. God seems to be telling us to put mind over matter and not let our emotions rule our hearts
God teach us to do this
God give us your wisdom and vision
God speak your truth to us
Help us to hear you
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
I have need of God -- I have no need of God
Stephen Hawking in his book "A Brief History of Time" states "But if the universe is really completely self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning nor end: it would simply be. What place, then, for a creator?" but if I understand him correctly and if you read closely his God he is describing was really only very much like a Dutch boy sticking his figure in the dam to stop a leak. His God was only required because the model couldn't describe xyz. So we needed "God" just to "wind up the clockwork and choose how to start it off" magically but the rest he could describe with out God and once he was able to describe his model without God he asks why we need a creator at all.
I find his thinking very interesting. Why did he choose to even include God in this book. Do not all models that need correcting have the same train of thought. When Newton correctly mathematically described the motion of the planets with his gravity model did he state God was no longer needed? When Einstein further corrected Newtons laws to include relativity did he expel God?
You may argue the difference is Hawking is describing creation of the universe while Newton and Einstein are describing laws but I would argue it is no different. If we were to completely describe the universe without God (whether with or without what he calls the unified theory). Ie we have no holes that God needs to stick his figure in to hold the model together would this exclude the existence of God? If all Stephen Hawking cared about and was completely consumed by his science he would then have no need of God.
I would argue this would not exclude the existence of God and I would argue it actually points to there being a God. The God of the Bible is not really a hole plugger. He seems to not really care about our models and ideas but cares about people and salvation and truth. Truth being the key for this blog. I believe he wants us to discover truth which I believe including scientific truth.
I also find in his book Stephen Hawking is trying to be a philosopher which he is not. His argument for this stance is that philosophy has not been able to keep up with scientific breakthrough and so scientists have to take over the role of philosopher. I find this a general trend of our time is that scientists (or science in general) are held up on high moral and influence and make comments in areas that they are not experts. Is this correct?
C.S. Lewis who I believe is a true philosopher and historian makes the following prediction in his book "The Discarded Image" "It is not impossible that our own Model will die a violent death, ruthlessly smashed by an unprovoked assault of new facts - unprovoked as the nova of 1572. But I think it is more likely to change when, and because, far-reaching changes in the mental temper of our descendant demand that it should. The new Model will not be set up without evidence, but the evidence will turn up when the inner need need for it becomes sufficiently great. It will be true evidence. But nature gives most of her evidence in answer to the questions we ask her. Here, as in the courts, the character of the evidence depends on the shape of the examination, and a good cross-examiner can do wonders. He will not indeed elicit falsehoods from an honest witness. But, in relation to the total truth in the witness's mind, the structure of the examination is like a stencil. It determines how much of that total truth will appear and what pattern it will suggest."
I would argue this would not exclude the existence of God and I would argue it actually points to there being a God. The God of the Bible is not really a hole plugger. He seems to not really care about our models and ideas but cares about people and salvation and truth. Truth being the key for this blog. I believe he wants us to discover truth which I believe including scientific truth.
I also find in his book Stephen Hawking is trying to be a philosopher which he is not. His argument for this stance is that philosophy has not been able to keep up with scientific breakthrough and so scientists have to take over the role of philosopher. I find this a general trend of our time is that scientists (or science in general) are held up on high moral and influence and make comments in areas that they are not experts. Is this correct?
C.S. Lewis who I believe is a true philosopher and historian makes the following prediction in his book "The Discarded Image" "It is not impossible that our own Model will die a violent death, ruthlessly smashed by an unprovoked assault of new facts - unprovoked as the nova of 1572. But I think it is more likely to change when, and because, far-reaching changes in the mental temper of our descendant demand that it should. The new Model will not be set up without evidence, but the evidence will turn up when the inner need need for it becomes sufficiently great. It will be true evidence. But nature gives most of her evidence in answer to the questions we ask her. Here, as in the courts, the character of the evidence depends on the shape of the examination, and a good cross-examiner can do wonders. He will not indeed elicit falsehoods from an honest witness. But, in relation to the total truth in the witness's mind, the structure of the examination is like a stencil. It determines how much of that total truth will appear and what pattern it will suggest."
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
All about God
God help us to realize it is all about you
God help us to realize everything else will fade away
Speak your truths to us
Speak your wisdom
Overcome us
Sunday, September 29, 2019
All or nothing
I have recently been taking some voluntary time off to spend with my family (which I believe God has told me to take off) and it has me thinking about how my value myself. It is so easy to get value from what you do and many other ways that are not God.
I have also been reading though Kings and Chronicles and I am amazed and king after king good or bad had died and has passed away and other than a few words that all that is recorded. We are really are a mist.
John 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.(NIV)
How do we grapple with this startling fact? We are really nothing but can come into the presence of massive God.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Now all has been heard;here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. (NIV)
God help us to find our value in you
God help us to trust you with our value
God help us to fear you
God help us to hear you
Work in our lives
Change us for you
I have also been reading though Kings and Chronicles and I am amazed and king after king good or bad had died and has passed away and other than a few words that all that is recorded. We are really are a mist.
John 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.(NIV)
How do we grapple with this startling fact? We are really nothing but can come into the presence of massive God.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Now all has been heard;here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. (NIV)
God help us to find our value in you
God help us to trust you with our value
God help us to fear you
God help us to hear you
Work in our lives
Change us for you
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Predestination vs. Free Will
This one is for you Wendell
This is not to say I am capable to answer such a question ... or if even we as humans are capable to answer such a question but here are my thoughts.
1. I don't think we fully understand time and what time is.
2. We may be stuck in our own world view and language barriers. Predestination vs freewill may be very well like asking can God make a rock so big that he can't move it. Some may argue that this a fact in not believing in God but I believe C.S Lewis correctly states that really this is a limitation/error of the English language. Can you answer the question "what color is a circle?" Rather they are nonsensical questions. Is predestination vs free will a nonsensical question, possibly.
3. I believe we make choices and have freedom to make choices. Romans 3:20 we have a choice to open the door .. John 7:17 ... etc.
I believe the challenge comes when we have a God that is present in our future as well as today and knows if he does such and such it would have such and such affect on our life. The argument is that he could then change the events so that we would all come to repentance and come to God so why doesn't he? Has God only chosen certain people and set up the world for only the chosen people to be saved? or would only certain people chose God no matter what the circumstance?
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
C.S. Lewis Great Divorce Chapter 7
"The question is whether she is a grumbler, or only a grumble. If there is a real woman-even the least trace of one-still there inside the grumbling, it can be brought to life again. If there's one wee spark under all those ashes, we'll blow it till the whole pile is red and clear. But if there's nothing but ashes we'll not go on blowing them in our own eyes forever. They must be swept up."
I believe God has done exactly that. God has done everything possible that we will all come to repentance but we are stubborn people and have chosen otherwise. Now people could always give examples of people where they think this is not true but I believe we can never know all the details and so never make a conclusion.
Now at the end of time and we have no more choices, will our choices in this life be predestined. Yes because that is what we chose and would always have chosen because of who we are (I think our choices are a part of who we are). I don't believe we will be asking questions of what if such and such was different. I think will be nonsensical because that is not what happened and could never happened that way.
I think God balances intervention and freedom. God wants us to choose him but he doesn't want it to be forced or required.
We sit on this moment where the past is covered in a fog and the future is unknown. Through this fog we are asked to make choices and decisions that have eternal consequences. We can feel the stress and uncertainty of choices but it is one of the most uniquely human characteristics. We can make choices and weight options.
God help us to live for you
God help us to chose you
God give us a glimpse of your eternal truth
God help us to listen to you
This is not to say I am capable to answer such a question ... or if even we as humans are capable to answer such a question but here are my thoughts.
1. I don't think we fully understand time and what time is.
2. We may be stuck in our own world view and language barriers. Predestination vs freewill may be very well like asking can God make a rock so big that he can't move it. Some may argue that this a fact in not believing in God but I believe C.S Lewis correctly states that really this is a limitation/error of the English language. Can you answer the question "what color is a circle?" Rather they are nonsensical questions. Is predestination vs free will a nonsensical question, possibly.
3. I believe we make choices and have freedom to make choices. Romans 3:20 we have a choice to open the door .. John 7:17 ... etc.
I believe the challenge comes when we have a God that is present in our future as well as today and knows if he does such and such it would have such and such affect on our life. The argument is that he could then change the events so that we would all come to repentance and come to God so why doesn't he? Has God only chosen certain people and set up the world for only the chosen people to be saved? or would only certain people chose God no matter what the circumstance?
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
C.S. Lewis Great Divorce Chapter 7
"The question is whether she is a grumbler, or only a grumble. If there is a real woman-even the least trace of one-still there inside the grumbling, it can be brought to life again. If there's one wee spark under all those ashes, we'll blow it till the whole pile is red and clear. But if there's nothing but ashes we'll not go on blowing them in our own eyes forever. They must be swept up."
I believe God has done exactly that. God has done everything possible that we will all come to repentance but we are stubborn people and have chosen otherwise. Now people could always give examples of people where they think this is not true but I believe we can never know all the details and so never make a conclusion.
Now at the end of time and we have no more choices, will our choices in this life be predestined. Yes because that is what we chose and would always have chosen because of who we are (I think our choices are a part of who we are). I don't believe we will be asking questions of what if such and such was different. I think will be nonsensical because that is not what happened and could never happened that way.
I think God balances intervention and freedom. God wants us to choose him but he doesn't want it to be forced or required.
We sit on this moment where the past is covered in a fog and the future is unknown. Through this fog we are asked to make choices and decisions that have eternal consequences. We can feel the stress and uncertainty of choices but it is one of the most uniquely human characteristics. We can make choices and weight options.
God help us to live for you
God help us to chose you
God give us a glimpse of your eternal truth
God help us to listen to you
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