'He makes, we are made.' The Problem of Pain - C.S. Lewis
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ('He makes')
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ('we are made.')
'He is original, we are derivative.' The Problem of Pain- C.S. Lewis
derivative (Copied or adapted from others)
Gen 1:27 '...in the image of God created he him...' Adapted from another- adapted from God's image.
'But at the same time, and for the same reason, the intimacy between God and even the meanest creature is closer than any that creatures can attain with one another.' The Problem of Pain- C.S. Lewis
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Means to me:
The intimacy of Creator and creature will forever be more intimate than any intimacy between a creature and creature. No creature knows of themselves as the creator of the creature knows them. All creators know their creations so much more intimately than any other could. The process of the creation alone brings something no one can imitate. Another could take apart an original creation and know how to put it back together but it's not the same at all as the creator in making the creation, it can't be. So while we as creatures believe we know one another because we are a creature, we even say who better to understand than one of our own kind, but I say God better understands, the Creator better understands us than we can possibly imagine. As strange as it might seem, as often as we question God's judgment and ability to understand, as often as we rail against Him accusing Him of not being able to understand us, we are fools because the Creator understands us better than we can ever understand ourselves.
God is Spirit and He made us spirit bound by flesh. The flesh part of us we understand- the baser nature we mostly understand I should say. We can empathize with each others pleasures and pains if we've felt them ourselves even minutely. The spirit within us is God's connection to us. Our Creator created within us a part He alone can fully commune with. When we turn away from God we reject the spirit. When we turn to another creature hoping they can fill that spirit need in us, they fall far short...far, far short.
Forever, as C.S. Lewis writes- 'The intimacy between God and even the meanest creature is closer than any that creatures can attain with one another.' While we foolishly keep believing we will find a completeness in a relationship with another human being it will never attain the closeness we can attain in a relationship with God. We might think for a short period in time we have that perhaps in a marriage, but we don't, not really. No other person can fully understand us as God can, none no matter how hard they try and they have tried and keep on trying. We've thousands of books on the subject, we have a whole professional field all about trying to understand each other- psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, these fields delve into the human being in various ways and ultimately it is all about trying to understand what makes us tick emotionally, mentally, socially. The quest to understand each other is something that will never end and while there isn't anything wrong with trying, it's knowing that we can never understand the way God does that matters most. It's giving our Creator His due as our Creator. He wasn't a child playing with a lump of clay who holds up the squished ball of goo and says, 'Look what I made!', and that child has no more concept of what they've really made than the person looking at it. Oh they might say it's Daddy, and believe it is in their niavity but that child doesn't even know what makes up the clay they've used to squish into a vaguely human shape. God not only knows the composition of the clay, He created the clay to use to make man. That child playing with clay didn't create the clay, he didn't even create the dirt or the water used to make the clay. God is the Creator fully, in all ways.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
We are mere children toying with clay as we try to understand all there is to understand especially in the spiritual realm of our being. We can't create spirit, even if we can take clay and form an image and as some are trying to do- give it life artificial or not. We cannot create a spirit even if we can regrow animal parts in experiments and hope to regrow human parts from stem cells and such. We cannot create a spirit even if we put a sperm cell and an egg cell together and create a growing human baby. God alone, our Creator alone has the knowledge to create us as He does and to understand us as He alone can.
What God does is tells us to love one another as we love ourselves, meaning how we would be loved by others, only then do we really love someone- loving them as we would be loved, not as we are loved by others.
God is trying to teach us an important lesson here, very important. While we will never have the closeness with each other that He can have with us if we allow, we can love-- something that is unique from God-love. We can love each other and treat each other with love even when we don't understand or even like each other. Loving someone is a unique gift we have to offer. God allows us to love under the most horrific of circumstances. If you love someone who hates you they can't stop your love. They can never stop you from loving them. They can try even through torture, but they can't force you to ever stop loving them. Some might say they can't stop you from hating them either and that is true, but hating isn't of God. Hating hurts the hater even more than the one they hate. Love never hurts the one doing the loving- and I'm not saying love doesn't hurt, but if it's a love stemming from the love of God in us, it won't hurt us even if the one we love hurts us. The song, 'Love Hurts', is true to a point. Selfish love hurts. When we lose those we love we feel the pain of their loss, but most times people would never have traded the love they had with that person even knowing the pain it will ultimately bring. Yes, we hear people say as relationships end, 'I wish I never knew you!' And yet that sort of love isn't God's love. That love is wrapped up in a self-serving way. Yes, easy for me to say all this, but it's true. We are soooooo self-centered that all that matters to us is our own pain the heck with trying to understand anything beyond our own feelings. I hurt and that's that, nothing can change that so there. Pure selfishness. I know of where I speak, I've been caught up in that same hurt hundreds of times in my life. I know the pain in myself, I've seen it in others. It's a real pain, loving someone you open yourself up to being rejected by that person whether its a friendship relationship or more. Rejection hurts a lot and why, because who ever wants to be rejected? Even Christ felt the pain of rejection, though His was beyond ours so far that it's incomprehensible. He felt the rejection of the love He had to bring to people, He sorrowed over their loss because He didn't want to lose them eternally. He sorrowed with a Creator's sorrow. Our creature sorrow is just a tiny fraction of such love. We don't want to lose those we love by rejection or any other way, it pains us, the loss, the emptiness that loss results in, in our lives. Through it all we can continue to love, or we can choose to hate. Which would God have us do? Love. Loving someone and always wishing the best for them as you would wish for yourself is truly a gift from God. May God grant us the ability to truly love as He would have us love.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Love God
Love Man
Love.
To love you must believe. You must have someone or something to believe in to love that someone or something. Does anyone love nothing? Isn't that impossible? Loving means having something to love. If you have something to love you believe that something exists. No wonder we are told this--
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Once we believe, we can love.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, all glory and honor, all praise to our Creator the maker of heaven and earth and all that is in them. Thank you Lord for Your love. Help us to love as You would have us love. Help our unbelief, increase our faith all through the Comforter You've sent to dwell with us, in us. Through Your righteousness and none of our own, now and forever in Christ Jesus.
Amen
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Light of Life
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
In Jesus was life.
The life was the light of men.
The light shines in darkness.
Jesus shines in darkness.
The life shines in darkness.
Darkness comprehended it not.
Darkness doesn't comprehend Jesus.
If Jesus is light, what is dark?
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil- evil = darkness.
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus is the light of life, evil is the darkness of death. Right? It stands to reason doesn't it? Jesus represents all that is pure and good and He is the light of life. Evil represents all that is bad and is the darkness of death. But hold on... I'm talking of the second death, not the first. The first death is the result of the first sin when God told Adam and Eve if they ate of the Tree of Life they would surely die. The second death is the permanent death without hope of a resurrection in Jesus. The first death is a sleep until Christ returns and the dead in Christ shall rise to life eternal in Him. Those that aren't among the dead in Christ or those alive in Christ when He returns will face the second death- death eternal and that is the evil, the darkness of death whereas Jesus is the Light of Life. All evil will be punished and the ultimate punishment is death eternal.
Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
Darkness brings with it the loss of sight- figuratively and spiritually. Walking in Christ we walk in the light, spiritually illuminated. We aren't spiritually blind.
Joh 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Abiding in darkness, being blinded by the dark without any illumination, without any hope, unless we believe on Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we will abide in darkness and that path leads to eternal death.
Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Having spiritual light we are turned from spiritual darkness, with light we are turned from the power of Satan and turned to the power of God. The light brings with it Jesus and forgiveness from our sins. By faith we believe we will inherit eternal life along with all those made holy by faith in Jesus Christ to forgive.
Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Cast off the works of darkness- rioting, drunkeness, chambering, wantoness, strife, envying.
The armour of Light- the Lord Jesus Christ!
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Light shines out of darkness. Our dark hearts can be lightened with the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ!
2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Light and darkness do not commune together. Light overcomes darkness. Righteousness and unrighteousness do not commune together.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light
To be illuminated is to admit being unilluminated at one time. We come out of darkness and into the light and we must walk at those in the light, not as those in the dark.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Unfruitful works of darkness. All too often we believe that the dark ways are the only ways to get much in life. It's been revealed time and time again the evil corruption among the wealthy. Jesus even said it would be easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than a rich man to get to heaven and why is that... because oftentimes the riches are so overpowering that obtaining the riches by any means is all that matters more. Treasures on earth are all that matter to a lot of people and as long as treasures on earth mean more than treasures in heaven people will covet wealth and not care what unfruitful works of darkness they must do to get that wealth. If we are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness that ultimately yield eternal death and no eternal treasure at all, we must reprove them, be against them. The light of Christ shines down upon the darkness reproving the darkness, the works of the darkness. May God help us seek fellowship in the Light of Christ and not in the works of darkness.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Not flesh and blood. Not human.
Principalities (positions of authority)
Powers (exercising authority, control)
Rulers of darkness (rules, governs)
-- of this world.
Spiritual wickedness in high places.
Joh 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence
There is a prince of this world and it's not Jesus. The prince of this world is evil and a ruler of darkness. And truly we wrestle with the prince of this world who would have us with him in eternal death and not with Jesus and eternal life. By whatever means he can use he will use to snare us. We wrestle. It's a fight and We have to cling to all that is Christ because He has defeated the prince of this world and he only has the power to save us from the prince of this world the ruler of darkness.
*
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins
Thank you Father!!! Thank you for delivering us from the power of darkness by the grace and mercy, the forgiveness in Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! Thank you for giving us an inheritance with the saints in light!
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
Please God, let us watch and be sober, children of the Light.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
All praise to God, all praise to Jesus Christ! Praise God! Help us abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our souls. Keep us out of the darkness and keep us in Your marvelous light!
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
God is light. In God there is no darkness at all!
1Jn 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1Jn 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1Jn 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
Please God keep us in the light, keep us loving our brothers so we can abide in the light forever! We don't want to stumble in the darkness, we don't want to be blinded so that we don't even know we are walking in the dark. Please Lord, the Light of Life, be with us always! By Your amazing mercy, by your amazing grace, in Your love, Your righteousness, keep us in You light always!
Amen.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
In Jesus was life.
The life was the light of men.
The light shines in darkness.
Jesus shines in darkness.
The life shines in darkness.
Darkness comprehended it not.
Darkness doesn't comprehend Jesus.
If Jesus is light, what is dark?
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil- evil = darkness.
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus is the light of life, evil is the darkness of death. Right? It stands to reason doesn't it? Jesus represents all that is pure and good and He is the light of life. Evil represents all that is bad and is the darkness of death. But hold on... I'm talking of the second death, not the first. The first death is the result of the first sin when God told Adam and Eve if they ate of the Tree of Life they would surely die. The second death is the permanent death without hope of a resurrection in Jesus. The first death is a sleep until Christ returns and the dead in Christ shall rise to life eternal in Him. Those that aren't among the dead in Christ or those alive in Christ when He returns will face the second death- death eternal and that is the evil, the darkness of death whereas Jesus is the Light of Life. All evil will be punished and the ultimate punishment is death eternal.
Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
Darkness brings with it the loss of sight- figuratively and spiritually. Walking in Christ we walk in the light, spiritually illuminated. We aren't spiritually blind.
Joh 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Abiding in darkness, being blinded by the dark without any illumination, without any hope, unless we believe on Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we will abide in darkness and that path leads to eternal death.
Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Having spiritual light we are turned from spiritual darkness, with light we are turned from the power of Satan and turned to the power of God. The light brings with it Jesus and forgiveness from our sins. By faith we believe we will inherit eternal life along with all those made holy by faith in Jesus Christ to forgive.
Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Cast off the works of darkness- rioting, drunkeness, chambering, wantoness, strife, envying.
The armour of Light- the Lord Jesus Christ!
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Light shines out of darkness. Our dark hearts can be lightened with the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ!
2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Light and darkness do not commune together. Light overcomes darkness. Righteousness and unrighteousness do not commune together.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light
To be illuminated is to admit being unilluminated at one time. We come out of darkness and into the light and we must walk at those in the light, not as those in the dark.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Unfruitful works of darkness. All too often we believe that the dark ways are the only ways to get much in life. It's been revealed time and time again the evil corruption among the wealthy. Jesus even said it would be easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than a rich man to get to heaven and why is that... because oftentimes the riches are so overpowering that obtaining the riches by any means is all that matters more. Treasures on earth are all that matter to a lot of people and as long as treasures on earth mean more than treasures in heaven people will covet wealth and not care what unfruitful works of darkness they must do to get that wealth. If we are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness that ultimately yield eternal death and no eternal treasure at all, we must reprove them, be against them. The light of Christ shines down upon the darkness reproving the darkness, the works of the darkness. May God help us seek fellowship in the Light of Christ and not in the works of darkness.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Not flesh and blood. Not human.
Principalities (positions of authority)
Powers (exercising authority, control)
Rulers of darkness (rules, governs)
-- of this world.
Spiritual wickedness in high places.
Joh 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence
There is a prince of this world and it's not Jesus. The prince of this world is evil and a ruler of darkness. And truly we wrestle with the prince of this world who would have us with him in eternal death and not with Jesus and eternal life. By whatever means he can use he will use to snare us. We wrestle. It's a fight and We have to cling to all that is Christ because He has defeated the prince of this world and he only has the power to save us from the prince of this world the ruler of darkness.
*
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins
Thank you Father!!! Thank you for delivering us from the power of darkness by the grace and mercy, the forgiveness in Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! Thank you for giving us an inheritance with the saints in light!
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
Please God, let us watch and be sober, children of the Light.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
All praise to God, all praise to Jesus Christ! Praise God! Help us abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our souls. Keep us out of the darkness and keep us in Your marvelous light!
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
God is light. In God there is no darkness at all!
1Jn 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1Jn 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1Jn 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
Please God keep us in the light, keep us loving our brothers so we can abide in the light forever! We don't want to stumble in the darkness, we don't want to be blinded so that we don't even know we are walking in the dark. Please Lord, the Light of Life, be with us always! By Your amazing mercy, by your amazing grace, in Your love, Your righteousness, keep us in You light always!
Amen.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The World Hates You
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause
Do you ever feel like the whole world hates you? Or do you blame your life and the way it is and the things that happen, on God? Satan is thrilled when we do that. He loves to hear us even think the words, 'Why, God, why!' He revels in our anger towards God. He adores our emnity with God because He is the author of that emnity and it is his life's mission to get as many human beings on board with that emnity as He can. And you know, He doesn't care if the emnity we feel is so minute that we don't even recognize it for what it is. There are many who are comfortable in their lives without any thought of God and when we have no thought for God, we are blind and comfortable in that blindness. Back to the the world hating us. Satan hates us, there is no love in Him whatsoever. Satan is the prince of THIS world and He would have the world hate any that are with God. He will not leave any trick unturned to get us to hate God and that includes using the world's hate to turn us against God by misplacing the blame. We are chosen OUT of the world. We are NOT of this world and yet we think we need to fit into the world and when we don't, when our lives don't fit in place in the world we get dismayed. We don't want to be one of those *crazies*, and sometimes we do want that but on our own terms. We'll be considered a *crazie* for God as long as He keeps our lives uncomplicated. It doesn't work that way. The world will hate those that love God, Satan will hate those who love God. The world hated Jesus without cause. Will we deserve any less? There won't be a reason for the bad things that happen to us in life. There won't be something we can look at and go, 'Oh...that's why.' Without any cause we too will be hated and while our sin filled lives are cause enough, we have to trust God, trust God fully and not look at ourselves for answers. We have to expect a life of being hated and living a life that is unfair in so many ways. We can't get caught up in believing our life is right with God only if things are going good with us. Our lives are right with God when we have faith in Him no matter what life brings us. The next time life turns on you and throws you for a huge loop try placing the blame where it belongs- on Satan, the prince of this world we live in. Cling to Christ's love and Christ's righteousness when it seems as if we are no where near the life God would have us be.
By the grace and mercy of God may we live our lives in Him fully. Protect us Lord, protect us and keep us no matter what befalls us or in what way, Keep us from the enemy within us that would bring us to despair. Create in us a clean heart Lord, renew a right spirit within. Please Lord.
Amen.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause
Do you ever feel like the whole world hates you? Or do you blame your life and the way it is and the things that happen, on God? Satan is thrilled when we do that. He loves to hear us even think the words, 'Why, God, why!' He revels in our anger towards God. He adores our emnity with God because He is the author of that emnity and it is his life's mission to get as many human beings on board with that emnity as He can. And you know, He doesn't care if the emnity we feel is so minute that we don't even recognize it for what it is. There are many who are comfortable in their lives without any thought of God and when we have no thought for God, we are blind and comfortable in that blindness. Back to the the world hating us. Satan hates us, there is no love in Him whatsoever. Satan is the prince of THIS world and He would have the world hate any that are with God. He will not leave any trick unturned to get us to hate God and that includes using the world's hate to turn us against God by misplacing the blame. We are chosen OUT of the world. We are NOT of this world and yet we think we need to fit into the world and when we don't, when our lives don't fit in place in the world we get dismayed. We don't want to be one of those *crazies*, and sometimes we do want that but on our own terms. We'll be considered a *crazie* for God as long as He keeps our lives uncomplicated. It doesn't work that way. The world will hate those that love God, Satan will hate those who love God. The world hated Jesus without cause. Will we deserve any less? There won't be a reason for the bad things that happen to us in life. There won't be something we can look at and go, 'Oh...that's why.' Without any cause we too will be hated and while our sin filled lives are cause enough, we have to trust God, trust God fully and not look at ourselves for answers. We have to expect a life of being hated and living a life that is unfair in so many ways. We can't get caught up in believing our life is right with God only if things are going good with us. Our lives are right with God when we have faith in Him no matter what life brings us. The next time life turns on you and throws you for a huge loop try placing the blame where it belongs- on Satan, the prince of this world we live in. Cling to Christ's love and Christ's righteousness when it seems as if we are no where near the life God would have us be.
By the grace and mercy of God may we live our lives in Him fully. Protect us Lord, protect us and keep us no matter what befalls us or in what way, Keep us from the enemy within us that would bring us to despair. Create in us a clean heart Lord, renew a right spirit within. Please Lord.
Amen.
The World Hates You
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause
Do you ever feel like the whole world hates you? Or do you blame your life and the way it is and the things that happen, on God? Satan is thrilled when we do that. He loves to hear us even think the words, 'Why, God, why!' He revels in our anger towards God. He adores our emnity with God because He is the author of that emnity and it is his life's mission to get as many human beings on board with that emnity as He can. And you know, He doesn't care if the emnity we feel is so minute that we don't even recognize it for what it is. There are many who are comfortable in their lives without any thought of God and when we have no thought for God, we are blind and comfortable in that blindness. Back to the the world hating us. Satan hates us, there is no love in Him whatsoever. Satan is the prince of THIS world and He would have the world hate any that are with God. He will not leave any trick unturned to get us to hate God and that includes using the world's hate to turn us against God by misplacing the blame. We are chosen OUT of the world. We are NOT of this world and yet we think we need to fit into the world and when we don't, when our lives don't fit in place in the world we get dismayed. We don't want to be one of those *crazies*, and sometimes we do want that but on our own terms. We'll be considered a *crazie* for God as long as He keeps our lives uncomplicated. It doesn't work that way. The world will hate those that love God, Satan will hate those who love God. The world hated Jesus without cause. Will we deserve any less? There won't be a reason for the bad things that happen to us in life. There won't be something we can look at and go, 'Oh...that's why.' Without any cause we too will be hated and while our sin filled lives are cause enough, we have to trust God, trust God fully and not look at ourselves for answers. We have to expect a life of being hated and living a life that is unfair in so many ways. We can't get caught up in believing our life is right with God only if things are going good with us. Our lives are right with God when we have faith in Him no matter what life brings us. The next time life turns on you and throws you for a huge loop try placing the blame where it belongs- on Satan, the prince of this world we live in. Cling to Christ's love and Christ's righteousness when it seems as if we are no where near the life God would have us be.
By the grace and mercy of God may we live our lives in Him fully. Protect us Lord, protect us and keep us no matter what befalls us or in what way, Keep us from the enemy within us that would bring us to despair. Create in us a clean heart Lord, renew a right spirit within. Please Lord.
Amen.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause
Do you ever feel like the whole world hates you? Or do you blame your life and the way it is and the things that happen, on God? Satan is thrilled when we do that. He loves to hear us even think the words, 'Why, God, why!' He revels in our anger towards God. He adores our emnity with God because He is the author of that emnity and it is his life's mission to get as many human beings on board with that emnity as He can. And you know, He doesn't care if the emnity we feel is so minute that we don't even recognize it for what it is. There are many who are comfortable in their lives without any thought of God and when we have no thought for God, we are blind and comfortable in that blindness. Back to the the world hating us. Satan hates us, there is no love in Him whatsoever. Satan is the prince of THIS world and He would have the world hate any that are with God. He will not leave any trick unturned to get us to hate God and that includes using the world's hate to turn us against God by misplacing the blame. We are chosen OUT of the world. We are NOT of this world and yet we think we need to fit into the world and when we don't, when our lives don't fit in place in the world we get dismayed. We don't want to be one of those *crazies*, and sometimes we do want that but on our own terms. We'll be considered a *crazie* for God as long as He keeps our lives uncomplicated. It doesn't work that way. The world will hate those that love God, Satan will hate those who love God. The world hated Jesus without cause. Will we deserve any less? There won't be a reason for the bad things that happen to us in life. There won't be something we can look at and go, 'Oh...that's why.' Without any cause we too will be hated and while our sin filled lives are cause enough, we have to trust God, trust God fully and not look at ourselves for answers. We have to expect a life of being hated and living a life that is unfair in so many ways. We can't get caught up in believing our life is right with God only if things are going good with us. Our lives are right with God when we have faith in Him no matter what life brings us. The next time life turns on you and throws you for a huge loop try placing the blame where it belongs- on Satan, the prince of this world we live in. Cling to Christ's love and Christ's righteousness when it seems as if we are no where near the life God would have us be.
By the grace and mercy of God may we live our lives in Him fully. Protect us Lord, protect us and keep us no matter what befalls us or in what way, Keep us from the enemy within us that would bring us to despair. Create in us a clean heart Lord, renew a right spirit within. Please Lord.
Amen.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Coming Down From Heaven
Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Jesus came down from heaven.
Think abou it, think about what Jesus did.
We see various movies, it's in various books where a king voluntarily lays aside his crown and goes to live among the common people. Why does the king do that? Perhaps to get a taste of a normal life. The king meanwhile knows that at any time He can pick up his crown again and get out of the life of a common man and more often than not he does after learning some important life lesson which ends up making him a better man. Those are stories we read and watch. In fact on televison right now they're playing a show called 'Undercover Boss' where the CEO of various companies goes undercover for a week to see how his businesses are doing in a unique way- as an entry level employess new to the job with a documentary being filmed on his life going into a new job. Well, I'm not sure how much is a 'story', how different people react when cameras are on them changing normal behavior but I guess barring a hidden camera it's the best way they're going to get this sort of show done. The premise is the CEO is trying to make his company better by understanding what the 'little' man goes through and where things can be improved. A good premise for a show but the ultimate abdication of a crown is the one Jesus laid aside to become human.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
Jesus came in the flesh and is of God.
Jesus came down from heaven. In heaven He was a Spirit like God.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit
Jesus was the Word with God in the beginning.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Just as on earth we have kings and their sons, princes holding all the power of his father- in heaven we had God the Father and God the Son- both Spirits. Then the Spirit of the Son took on flesh and dwelt among us.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Jesus a God in heaven set aside His sole spirit form and took on flesh coming down from heaven why? To do the will of God, not His own will.
We need to do the will of God, not our will. If we start our days and give our life to God's will then prayerfully throughout our day we'll walk in God's will and not our own. It's very very hard to do and really, impossible to do on our own. We have to cling to Christ and pray that His righteousness by ours because our own is nothing. We have to rely solely on God to do His will, because of our own selves we can do nothing, just like Jesus of His own self could do nothing, and we are far from being anywhere near like Jesus.
Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Without Jesus we can do nothing. Jesus without God could do nothing.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and our precious all merciful, loving Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Jesus came down from heaven.
Think abou it, think about what Jesus did.
We see various movies, it's in various books where a king voluntarily lays aside his crown and goes to live among the common people. Why does the king do that? Perhaps to get a taste of a normal life. The king meanwhile knows that at any time He can pick up his crown again and get out of the life of a common man and more often than not he does after learning some important life lesson which ends up making him a better man. Those are stories we read and watch. In fact on televison right now they're playing a show called 'Undercover Boss' where the CEO of various companies goes undercover for a week to see how his businesses are doing in a unique way- as an entry level employess new to the job with a documentary being filmed on his life going into a new job. Well, I'm not sure how much is a 'story', how different people react when cameras are on them changing normal behavior but I guess barring a hidden camera it's the best way they're going to get this sort of show done. The premise is the CEO is trying to make his company better by understanding what the 'little' man goes through and where things can be improved. A good premise for a show but the ultimate abdication of a crown is the one Jesus laid aside to become human.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
Jesus came in the flesh and is of God.
Jesus came down from heaven. In heaven He was a Spirit like God.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit
Jesus was the Word with God in the beginning.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Just as on earth we have kings and their sons, princes holding all the power of his father- in heaven we had God the Father and God the Son- both Spirits. Then the Spirit of the Son took on flesh and dwelt among us.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Jesus a God in heaven set aside His sole spirit form and took on flesh coming down from heaven why? To do the will of God, not His own will.
We need to do the will of God, not our will. If we start our days and give our life to God's will then prayerfully throughout our day we'll walk in God's will and not our own. It's very very hard to do and really, impossible to do on our own. We have to cling to Christ and pray that His righteousness by ours because our own is nothing. We have to rely solely on God to do His will, because of our own selves we can do nothing, just like Jesus of His own self could do nothing, and we are far from being anywhere near like Jesus.
Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Without Jesus we can do nothing. Jesus without God could do nothing.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and our precious all merciful, loving Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Faint not at my tribulations for you
Eph 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Glorifying God.
If we honor God with our lives, our actions and such we are glorifying Him. We ask how we can glorify the Lord and our very lives are a testament to God. We don't need to do anything extraordinary. We don't have to be important or do some great work of notority. If we live a simple life to God that is enough to glorify Him. What matters most is we live for God and do His will whatever that may be. Knowing God's will for us isn't something easy. Again we tend to think outside of the normal life and into the extraordinary events. We have to know that it's God's will that we honor Him in all we do. We have to confess Jesus Christ the Son of God as our Lord and Savior and live a life that He calls us to live. It may mean picking up our own crosses and bearing our own heartaches, our own tribulations. We have to realize it's not God's disfavor that tribulation comes to us. God isn't punishing us. God isn't turning His back on us during the worst and darkest hours of our lives. We must cling to Him and confess that He is Lord and Savior, Creator and Redeemer even when our very lives and the lives of others around us are falling apart. Not easy, no, but it is the work we are called to do, God's work is for us to believe on Jesus Christ, His Son. We have to let our light shine, any good that comes from us must be attributed to God, not ourselves, all glory to God in the Highest, forever and ever.
Amen.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Glorifying God.
If we honor God with our lives, our actions and such we are glorifying Him. We ask how we can glorify the Lord and our very lives are a testament to God. We don't need to do anything extraordinary. We don't have to be important or do some great work of notority. If we live a simple life to God that is enough to glorify Him. What matters most is we live for God and do His will whatever that may be. Knowing God's will for us isn't something easy. Again we tend to think outside of the normal life and into the extraordinary events. We have to know that it's God's will that we honor Him in all we do. We have to confess Jesus Christ the Son of God as our Lord and Savior and live a life that He calls us to live. It may mean picking up our own crosses and bearing our own heartaches, our own tribulations. We have to realize it's not God's disfavor that tribulation comes to us. God isn't punishing us. God isn't turning His back on us during the worst and darkest hours of our lives. We must cling to Him and confess that He is Lord and Savior, Creator and Redeemer even when our very lives and the lives of others around us are falling apart. Not easy, no, but it is the work we are called to do, God's work is for us to believe on Jesus Christ, His Son. We have to let our light shine, any good that comes from us must be attributed to God, not ourselves, all glory to God in the Highest, forever and ever.
Amen.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Glorifying God
glorify
glorify (glôr´e-fì´, glor´-) verb, transitive
glorified, glorifying, glorifies
1. To give glory, honor, or high praise to; exalt.
3. To give glory to, especially through worship.
glory (glôr´ê, glor´ê) noun
plural glories
1. Great honor, praise, or distinction accorded by common consent; renown.
2. Something conferring honor or renown.
3. A highly praiseworthy asset: Your hair is your crowning glory.
4. Adoration, praise, and thanksgiving offered in worship.
5. Majestic beauty and splendor; resplendence: The sun set in a blaze of glory.
6. The splendor and bliss of heaven; perfect happiness.
Glorifying God.
How do you glorify God?
How should we glorify God?
God wants us to glorify Him. Our lives are to be lived glorifying God. The greatest thing we could ever do in life is glorify God. Living a life glorifying God.
Eph 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
Tribulations for the glory of God?
Joh 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
The works of God should be made manifest in the man blind from birth.
Joh 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
The works of God is that we believe on Jesus.
When we believe on Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we are doing the works of God. Glorifying God, giving Him the honor and praise, the adoration. When we have any tribulation at all whatsoever, large or small, we need to glorify God and do the works of God throughout the tribulation this is all God asks of us. To believe in Him through it all, through all of life no matter what comes. Easy to say. Horrors exist in our world that would rip apart the very sanity from a person and as we imagine the horrors and trying to glorify God during that horror it seems all but impossible doesn't it? When we are outside of the horrors, the heartaches, the pains, and sicknesses of life, we like to believe we can give glory to God throughout, but once we are in the midst of them it's not so easy. Should it be easy? Should our faith in God be strong no matter what comes?
Someone asked me recently if I were mad at God because of things happening in my life and I said no, and they said they would be. All I could do was say, no, I wasn't mad at God, I wasn't going to blame Him. I felt weak and near caving in but by God's grace I couldn't blame Him. And I mean it... by God's grace! Not by any special power of my own, not because oh, I'm just so wonderful or special quite the contrary. Only by God's grace can I hold fast.
I hear my daughter say- 'God's will be done.' When I don't want God's will to be a certain way and I want to say no... no don't let that be God's will. In fact she had the right of it. It wasn't that she was being callous at all, it was a faith that was manifest that even in the worst we need to pray God's will be done. We might not understand why or how or anything about the horrors that befall people, us included, but we have to pray God's will be done. God be glorified. God's works be done.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, the Son of man, the Son of God now and forever.
Amen.
glorify (glôr´e-fì´, glor´-) verb, transitive
glorified, glorifying, glorifies
1. To give glory, honor, or high praise to; exalt.
3. To give glory to, especially through worship.
glory (glôr´ê, glor´ê) noun
plural glories
1. Great honor, praise, or distinction accorded by common consent; renown.
2. Something conferring honor or renown.
3. A highly praiseworthy asset: Your hair is your crowning glory.
4. Adoration, praise, and thanksgiving offered in worship.
5. Majestic beauty and splendor; resplendence: The sun set in a blaze of glory.
6. The splendor and bliss of heaven; perfect happiness.
Glorifying God.
How do you glorify God?
How should we glorify God?
God wants us to glorify Him. Our lives are to be lived glorifying God. The greatest thing we could ever do in life is glorify God. Living a life glorifying God.
Eph 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
Tribulations for the glory of God?
Joh 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
The works of God should be made manifest in the man blind from birth.
Joh 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
The works of God is that we believe on Jesus.
When we believe on Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we are doing the works of God. Glorifying God, giving Him the honor and praise, the adoration. When we have any tribulation at all whatsoever, large or small, we need to glorify God and do the works of God throughout the tribulation this is all God asks of us. To believe in Him through it all, through all of life no matter what comes. Easy to say. Horrors exist in our world that would rip apart the very sanity from a person and as we imagine the horrors and trying to glorify God during that horror it seems all but impossible doesn't it? When we are outside of the horrors, the heartaches, the pains, and sicknesses of life, we like to believe we can give glory to God throughout, but once we are in the midst of them it's not so easy. Should it be easy? Should our faith in God be strong no matter what comes?
Someone asked me recently if I were mad at God because of things happening in my life and I said no, and they said they would be. All I could do was say, no, I wasn't mad at God, I wasn't going to blame Him. I felt weak and near caving in but by God's grace I couldn't blame Him. And I mean it... by God's grace! Not by any special power of my own, not because oh, I'm just so wonderful or special quite the contrary. Only by God's grace can I hold fast.
I hear my daughter say- 'God's will be done.' When I don't want God's will to be a certain way and I want to say no... no don't let that be God's will. In fact she had the right of it. It wasn't that she was being callous at all, it was a faith that was manifest that even in the worst we need to pray God's will be done. We might not understand why or how or anything about the horrors that befall people, us included, but we have to pray God's will be done. God be glorified. God's works be done.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, the Son of man, the Son of God now and forever.
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)