Jesus said, "Believe Me: I Am in my Father and My Father is in Me. If you can't believe that because they're simply My words, then believe what you see — these works - these signs - these miracles. The person who trusts Me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on My way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I Am and what I am doing, I'll do it. That's how the Father will be seen for who He is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I'll do.
This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in My name, according to My will, and He'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!"
John 14: 11-14; 16:23-24
I realised several years ago, that for a long time I’d pray about this or that but not really expect God to do anything. In many cases He didn’t do anything and it was for the reasons that Jesus gives above. Then something changed. I matured in my faith. I grew in my relationship with God. I got in the groove. My will began to mesh with God’s will. I began to love what God loves and hate what God hates and want what God wants for His people and all of a sudden God began to move in people’s lives in the ways that I was asking Him to move. That’s sometimes a terribly scary thing.
The Creator of the universe allows us - no, He invites us - no, more than that, He demands of us that we partner with Him in building His kingdom.
To see that happen in response to prayer is almost overwhelming. The reality of it makes me want to hide my face. God says that He moves in response to our request that others come to know Him, love Him and worship Him. This creates a huge responsibility to care for others, to love others, to want God’s will for others, to not neglect others in our prayers.
At times I find that very intimidating.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Justification
That’s a term that describes the process by which we (Christians) have been taken by our Creator from “guilty as charged” to “not guilty.”
. On the cross, God treated Jesus as if He’d lived my life (God took upon Himself His own wrath)
. Based on my faith in what the resurrection accomplished, God treats me as if I’d live the life of Jesus. (It’s Just As If I’d Not Sinned - Justified)
Fair?
Not fair?
It is what it is.
You can accept it and live - or
You can reject it and die
“For the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:23
“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.” Romans 3:27
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;” Romans 3:20
“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works.” Romans 3:28
. On the cross, God treated Jesus as if He’d lived my life (God took upon Himself His own wrath)
. Based on my faith in what the resurrection accomplished, God treats me as if I’d live the life of Jesus. (It’s Just As If I’d Not Sinned - Justified)
Fair?
Not fair?
It is what it is.
You can accept it and live - or
You can reject it and die
“For the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:23
“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.” Romans 3:27
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;” Romans 3:20
“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works.” Romans 3:28
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Wanna Hear Something Funny?
So I have to buy some envelopes. I walk up to the counter and the cashier has 86 studs in her right ear, 112 in her left and so many piercings in her lower lip that I doubt she can safely drink hot liquids. She's about 14 years old and the only thing that keeps this from being a movie set, is this kid doesn’t snap her gum. Anyhow, the envelopes come to $3.90.
I pull out some money and I’m standing there with a $5.00 bill in my left hand and $4.00 in change in the other, and for the life of me I cannot decide which money to use. I’m just standing there staring at my hands and just as I’m thinking, “I’ll bet this is what it’s like to have dementia,” this girl says, “Eventually you’ll lose the ability to walk or to even control your bowels.”
Well, she didn’t crack a smile but I laughed till I had tears in my eyes. I mean, that is the funniest insult that I have ever received.
It makes me laugh just remembering it.
(((sigh)) Life is good - isn’t it?
I pull out some money and I’m standing there with a $5.00 bill in my left hand and $4.00 in change in the other, and for the life of me I cannot decide which money to use. I’m just standing there staring at my hands and just as I’m thinking, “I’ll bet this is what it’s like to have dementia,” this girl says, “Eventually you’ll lose the ability to walk or to even control your bowels.”
Well, she didn’t crack a smile but I laughed till I had tears in my eyes. I mean, that is the funniest insult that I have ever received.
It makes me laugh just remembering it.
(((sigh)) Life is good - isn’t it?
I Can’t Help It
“I can’t help it God. It’s just who I am. In fact, it’s just who YOU made me!”
That’s what a lot of people are planning to tell God on judgment day when asked to explain their ignoring His commands re: moral behaviour.
It’s an old argument really. As old as Adam and Eve.
Adam: “It’s your fault God! The woman You gave me . . .”
Eve: “It’s your fault God! The serpent You created . . .”
I would encourage you to read this blog entry.
http://www.flyingoskar.com/2010/11/02/miss-mom-christianity-and-bigotry/comment-page-1/#comment-411
The author of the post wouldn’t allow me to reply, so I’ve posted it here. I don’t know if the blogger - Sylvie - considers herself to be a follower of Jesus or not. It’s getting increasingly difficult to tell these days. We no longer have christians who just “do” those things that Jesus said to not do. Now we have christians who actively TEACH things in total contradiction to what Jesus taught, and these people still call themselves followers of Jesus.
“Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of and encourage those who practice them.” Romans 1:32
Anyhow, in response to her post I asked the following:
When you say that we should accept homosexuality as “normal and healthy” because homosexuals “have always been that way,” are you also suggesting that sexual relations of ANY type are acceptable and welcomed by God? Yes? No?
Are you saying that the Biblical idea that sexual relationships are to remain within the safety bounds of marriage (heterosexual marriage no less) is no longer applicable to those calling themselves Christians? Yes? No?
Are you saying that people who are enjoying sexual relations with both men and women (bisexuals) or groups of men and women are and should be celebrated by those who follow Jesus? Yes? No?
Are you saying that Jesus Himself would celebrate such relationships? And He would do so because “that’s the way they’ve always been? Would Jesus accept them because they’ve always enjoyed sex with lots of different people and never known or wanted anything different but to have sex with lots of different people?” Yes? No?
I ask because as a retired counsellor I’ve worked with a number of paedophiles and low and behold, that is exactly what these men say, “I’ve always been sexually attracted to children and only children. I’ve never known anything else. I was born this way.”
These are not bad people Sylvie. You can’t imagine the inner pain and turmoil they experience because society rejects, and rejects in a vile and hateful manner, who these men ARE - not who they've chosen to be, but who they ARE - worse - who they have always been. Some would say that it’s who God made them. You cannot imagine the agony they experience when all of society tells them that they must change what they cannot change. Some of them even commit suicide because society tells them that who they are at a fundamental level is wrong!
If being born a certain way - (eg. with the propensity to obesity, violence, addictions) is the ground rule or base-line for acceptance, do you not see any problems here? I understand that we are called to love ALL people. That of course is right and good. In fact, loving ALL people is what God commands. But that isn’t what you’re advocating - is it? What you are advocating is not just loving the person but proving that love by accepting their predilections as something to celebrate. Yes? No?
Are you suggesting, along with Spong that when Jesus and the rest of the New Testament writers lay down, and lay down clearly, a heterosexual married standard for sexual relationships that we can ignore Jesus’ comments at will with no repercussions because - well - because that is what society dictates that followers of Jesus must do? Yes? No?
That’s what a lot of people are planning to tell God on judgment day when asked to explain their ignoring His commands re: moral behaviour.
It’s an old argument really. As old as Adam and Eve.
Adam: “It’s your fault God! The woman You gave me . . .”
Eve: “It’s your fault God! The serpent You created . . .”
I would encourage you to read this blog entry.
http://www.flyingoskar.com/2010/11/02/miss-mom-christianity-and-bigotry/comment-page-1/#comment-411
The author of the post wouldn’t allow me to reply, so I’ve posted it here. I don’t know if the blogger - Sylvie - considers herself to be a follower of Jesus or not. It’s getting increasingly difficult to tell these days. We no longer have christians who just “do” those things that Jesus said to not do. Now we have christians who actively TEACH things in total contradiction to what Jesus taught, and these people still call themselves followers of Jesus.
“Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of and encourage those who practice them.” Romans 1:32
Anyhow, in response to her post I asked the following:
When you say that we should accept homosexuality as “normal and healthy” because homosexuals “have always been that way,” are you also suggesting that sexual relations of ANY type are acceptable and welcomed by God? Yes? No?
Are you saying that the Biblical idea that sexual relationships are to remain within the safety bounds of marriage (heterosexual marriage no less) is no longer applicable to those calling themselves Christians? Yes? No?
Are you saying that people who are enjoying sexual relations with both men and women (bisexuals) or groups of men and women are and should be celebrated by those who follow Jesus? Yes? No?
Are you saying that Jesus Himself would celebrate such relationships? And He would do so because “that’s the way they’ve always been? Would Jesus accept them because they’ve always enjoyed sex with lots of different people and never known or wanted anything different but to have sex with lots of different people?” Yes? No?
I ask because as a retired counsellor I’ve worked with a number of paedophiles and low and behold, that is exactly what these men say, “I’ve always been sexually attracted to children and only children. I’ve never known anything else. I was born this way.”
These are not bad people Sylvie. You can’t imagine the inner pain and turmoil they experience because society rejects, and rejects in a vile and hateful manner, who these men ARE - not who they've chosen to be, but who they ARE - worse - who they have always been. Some would say that it’s who God made them. You cannot imagine the agony they experience when all of society tells them that they must change what they cannot change. Some of them even commit suicide because society tells them that who they are at a fundamental level is wrong!
If being born a certain way - (eg. with the propensity to obesity, violence, addictions) is the ground rule or base-line for acceptance, do you not see any problems here? I understand that we are called to love ALL people. That of course is right and good. In fact, loving ALL people is what God commands. But that isn’t what you’re advocating - is it? What you are advocating is not just loving the person but proving that love by accepting their predilections as something to celebrate. Yes? No?
Are you suggesting, along with Spong that when Jesus and the rest of the New Testament writers lay down, and lay down clearly, a heterosexual married standard for sexual relationships that we can ignore Jesus’ comments at will with no repercussions because - well - because that is what society dictates that followers of Jesus must do? Yes? No?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
How Different - the atheist
Dallas Willard writes, “To bring the mind to dwell intelligently upon God as He is presented in His Word will have the effect of causing us to love God passionately and this love will in turn bring us to think of God steadily.”
Thomas Watson - “The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind upon God. Oh, how far are they from being lovers of God, who scarcely ever think of God (Ps. 10:4) A sinner crowds God out of his thoughts. He never thinks of God, unless with horror, as the prisoner thinks of the judge.”
Again, Willard - “To think of God as he is, one cannot not lapse into worship; and worship is the single most powerful force in completing and sustaining restoration in the whole person.”
How different, the atheist. In fact it is they who dwell upon God as He is presented in His Word and reject Him as a monster.
Same accounts, same evidence, two very different responses.
For the Christian, to be in the presence of a Being who hates evil with a Holy wrath is in some sense comforting and it promotes and instills admiration - knowing of course that it is that very same God who willingly at His own expense removes evil from us. As we gaze upon the world, marinading in sleaze, to come upon the only Being that genuinely hates what is evil can only draw one to an admiration of Creator God.
The secular world on the other hand loves evil, glorifies evil, revels in evil, promotes and protects evid and hates those who speak against evil, including their own Creator. In fact, the only evil the secular world can identify is that which is found in those who preach against evil. The preaching itself is seen as evil.
A. W. Tozer describes worship as “admiration to the point of wonder and delight.” This is something that simply can never happen for the atheist. For to worship God you have to know God. Now there are some atheists who have grown up in the “Church.” They have known about God. Some even believed in some beliefs about God, but none of them have KNOWN God.
“It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that He exists and that He cares enough to respond to those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
And therein lies the difference. It’s sad. It’s tragic. There is nothing to be done about it.
Thomas Watson - “The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind upon God. Oh, how far are they from being lovers of God, who scarcely ever think of God (Ps. 10:4) A sinner crowds God out of his thoughts. He never thinks of God, unless with horror, as the prisoner thinks of the judge.”
Again, Willard - “To think of God as he is, one cannot not lapse into worship; and worship is the single most powerful force in completing and sustaining restoration in the whole person.”
How different, the atheist. In fact it is they who dwell upon God as He is presented in His Word and reject Him as a monster.
Same accounts, same evidence, two very different responses.
For the Christian, to be in the presence of a Being who hates evil with a Holy wrath is in some sense comforting and it promotes and instills admiration - knowing of course that it is that very same God who willingly at His own expense removes evil from us. As we gaze upon the world, marinading in sleaze, to come upon the only Being that genuinely hates what is evil can only draw one to an admiration of Creator God.
The secular world on the other hand loves evil, glorifies evil, revels in evil, promotes and protects evid and hates those who speak against evil, including their own Creator. In fact, the only evil the secular world can identify is that which is found in those who preach against evil. The preaching itself is seen as evil.
A. W. Tozer describes worship as “admiration to the point of wonder and delight.” This is something that simply can never happen for the atheist. For to worship God you have to know God. Now there are some atheists who have grown up in the “Church.” They have known about God. Some even believed in some beliefs about God, but none of them have KNOWN God.
“It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that He exists and that He cares enough to respond to those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
And therein lies the difference. It’s sad. It’s tragic. There is nothing to be done about it.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Legalise Alcohol
In this article stating that alcohol is the most dangerous drug,
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/01/alcohol.harm/index.html?hpt=C2
human logic will state, "If alcohol is the most dangerous drug, and if we were going to legalise marijuana because it was less dangerous than alcohol, and now that we know that crack and heroin and all other recreational drugs are less dangerous than alcohol, then we really should legalise all the other recreational drugs."
It just makes sense. I mean, think of all the money we'll save!
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/01/alcohol.harm/index.html?hpt=C2
human logic will state, "If alcohol is the most dangerous drug, and if we were going to legalise marijuana because it was less dangerous than alcohol, and now that we know that crack and heroin and all other recreational drugs are less dangerous than alcohol, then we really should legalise all the other recreational drugs."
It just makes sense. I mean, think of all the money we'll save!
You Get What You Choose
Jesus summed it all up when he cried out, "Whoever believes in Me, believes not just in Me but in the One who sent Me. Whoever looks at Me is looking, in fact, at the One who sent Me. I am Light that has come into the world so that all who believe in Me won't have to stay any longer in the dark.
"If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn't take it seriously, I don't reject him. I didn't come to reject the world; I came to save the world. But you need to know that whoever puts Me off, refusing to take in what I'm saying, is willfully choosing rejection. The Word, the Word-made-flesh that I have spoken and that I Am, that Word and no other is the last Word. I'm not making any of this up on My own. The Father who sent Me gave Me orders, told Me what to say and how to say it. And I know exactly what His command produces: real and eternal life. That's all I have to say. What the Father told Me, I tell you."
John 12: 44-50
"If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn't take it seriously, I don't reject him. I didn't come to reject the world; I came to save the world. But you need to know that whoever puts Me off, refusing to take in what I'm saying, is willfully choosing rejection. The Word, the Word-made-flesh that I have spoken and that I Am, that Word and no other is the last Word. I'm not making any of this up on My own. The Father who sent Me gave Me orders, told Me what to say and how to say it. And I know exactly what His command produces: real and eternal life. That's all I have to say. What the Father told Me, I tell you."
John 12: 44-50
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