Than man and woman have disobeyed God, and everything is different. They know it, and then they hear the sound of God walking in the garden. This had to be a regular occurrence for them to recognize the sound of His footsteps. They existed in a perfect relationship with God, and they probably walked with Him each day, enjoying His presence is a way that no other human being has since this tragic event.
God desires fellowship with humanity. He knew they had sinned, and He knew everything was now going to be different, His plans were now changed, and yet He still comes to meet with man. When people hurt us, do something against our wishes, our initial reaction is not to go and fellowship with them. Personally, I get sick of people and when people hurt me I don't want to be around them. My human reaction is to say forget it, they aren't worth my time, and just ignore it, never dealing with it, and try to move on without dealing with it. Worst case scenario you try to get even, and I'll admit my mind goes there, but I've grown and matured beyond the point of personal vengeance, so that's a step in the right direction.
Vengeance and ignoring the circumstances destroy community and relationships, fortunately God does not stoop to that level. God does not cast man aside, rejecting him for his disobedience, He comes to meet with them just as He always does. God does not smite these disobedient people, but calls for them, seeking them out, and inviting them to speak with Him. That is who God is, a god of community and relationship.
Let us seek to imitate God in this way. Let us always pursue community, even with those who disappoint us. Let us always pursue relationships, never seeking to get even for wrongs committed against us.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, December 31, 2018
Friday, December 28, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 3.2-7
The serpent has planted the seed of manipulation in the the woman's mind and it begins to grow. She doesn't twist God's words, but she adds to them, and this gives the serpent an opportunity to continue to cause doubt in her mind. He lies about the goodness of God, making it seem as if God is withholding something from them, something that is now within their grasp. He makes God out to be an insecure liar who is threatened by the potential humanity has.
The temptation become too great, not only is the fruit pleasant to look at and edible, but it also gives wisdom and insight, giving knowledge of good and evil. The woman takes the fruit and eats, as her husband stands by and watches, refusing to play the man and lead and protect his wife, then he eats too, and everything falls apart. They realize they are naked and feel shame for the first time, they cover themselves in order to hide from each other. The relationship is broken because they believed a lie.
God is truthful, and He has our best in mind. God is not withholding anything from us, but was keeping us from knowing and feeling shame, and protecting relationships in an unbroken state. God was truthful, when the fruit was eaten, man knew right from wrong, and he sacrificed immortality and perfection.
Let us choose to trust and believe God. Let us accept His goodness, knowing that He has our best in mind, not looking for greener grass, but finding joy and contentment where we are. Ignore the manipulative lies and hold firmly to the loving truth.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
The temptation become too great, not only is the fruit pleasant to look at and edible, but it also gives wisdom and insight, giving knowledge of good and evil. The woman takes the fruit and eats, as her husband stands by and watches, refusing to play the man and lead and protect his wife, then he eats too, and everything falls apart. They realize they are naked and feel shame for the first time, they cover themselves in order to hide from each other. The relationship is broken because they believed a lie.
God is truthful, and He has our best in mind. God is not withholding anything from us, but was keeping us from knowing and feeling shame, and protecting relationships in an unbroken state. God was truthful, when the fruit was eaten, man knew right from wrong, and he sacrificed immortality and perfection.
Let us choose to trust and believe God. Let us accept His goodness, knowing that He has our best in mind, not looking for greener grass, but finding joy and contentment where we are. Ignore the manipulative lies and hold firmly to the loving truth.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 3.1
Sorry this is coming so late in the day, the past 48 hours have been slightly chaotic. Hoping you all had a Merry Christmas.
Genesis 3 introduces the villain of the story, as well as the main plot. The serpent is identified as the most crafty of all the animals God has made. One day, probably after several weeks of observation, and probably more than a few conversations (but I'm just speculating on this and it really doesn't matter), he asks the woman a question, "Did God really say this?" He twists the question, wording it in a way that challenges the goodness of God, setting up his next attack.
The enemy twists God's words, because that is all he is able to do. The devil does not have the power to create, he can simply take what God has made good and corrupt it, twisting it for his own attempts to lead man astray. Here, he takes what God has said and twists the words of God in order to lead man into disobedience. This passage, though it seems to focus on the enemy, tells us that God speaks. God had spoken to man, giving him instructions about how to remain in perfect relationships with Himself, others, and creation. Here, the enemy twists the words of God because that is all he is able to do.
God speaks to man. I have never heard Him audibly speak, though I know people who claim that they have, but I have felt God speaking in different ways. He speaks through the Bible, making certain truths stand out at different times. He speaks to the spirit, giving guidance and direction when asked (there's been something I've prayed a lot about this year, asking God to guide me, and He has done so very specifically, it's been awesome to watch Him work). God speaks through others, using them to point out things, bring things to our minds, or hear things in a new way.
God is not silent, He speaks. The enemy will try to twist the words of God, even the words of the Bible, look at the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4, so we must make sure that what we are hearing from God lines up with the truth of His character. The enemy is crafty; he managed to convince two people who walked with God in the cool of the day to do the one thing God said not to do.
Let us learn to know the voice of God, and as we do so we will know when the enemy is twisting His words.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Genesis 3 introduces the villain of the story, as well as the main plot. The serpent is identified as the most crafty of all the animals God has made. One day, probably after several weeks of observation, and probably more than a few conversations (but I'm just speculating on this and it really doesn't matter), he asks the woman a question, "Did God really say this?" He twists the question, wording it in a way that challenges the goodness of God, setting up his next attack.
The enemy twists God's words, because that is all he is able to do. The devil does not have the power to create, he can simply take what God has made good and corrupt it, twisting it for his own attempts to lead man astray. Here, he takes what God has said and twists the words of God in order to lead man into disobedience. This passage, though it seems to focus on the enemy, tells us that God speaks. God had spoken to man, giving him instructions about how to remain in perfect relationships with Himself, others, and creation. Here, the enemy twists the words of God because that is all he is able to do.
God speaks to man. I have never heard Him audibly speak, though I know people who claim that they have, but I have felt God speaking in different ways. He speaks through the Bible, making certain truths stand out at different times. He speaks to the spirit, giving guidance and direction when asked (there's been something I've prayed a lot about this year, asking God to guide me, and He has done so very specifically, it's been awesome to watch Him work). God speaks through others, using them to point out things, bring things to our minds, or hear things in a new way.
God is not silent, He speaks. The enemy will try to twist the words of God, even the words of the Bible, look at the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4, so we must make sure that what we are hearing from God lines up with the truth of His character. The enemy is crafty; he managed to convince two people who walked with God in the cool of the day to do the one thing God said not to do.
Let us learn to know the voice of God, and as we do so we will know when the enemy is twisting His words.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, December 24, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 2
Genesis 2 focuses on God's creation of man. Genesis 1 gives an overview of creation, all of it amazing, seriously, just go outside or take a walk through the zoo (I was at the zoo with some friends Saturday night for the Christmas lights and I saw a wombat for the first time, those go right us there with orangutans for me on the awesome list). Genesis 1 says God spoke and it was so and God saw that it was good. Then it gets to man, God makes man in His image, according to His likeness, but there are only a few statements. Genesis 2 focuses on this final part of creation.
Man did not evolve from a lower life form that emerged from the sea one hundred million years ago, science, amazing as it is, got that one wrong. I don't have an answer for the various archaeological discoveries of humanoids as they fall into creation and the Biblical narrative, I won't say they didn't exist because I've seen the fossil remains, but I do know man did not evolve. My simple answer right now is God created them, and until I come up with a more complex one, which at some point I will, that is going to suffice.
When it comes to man, God formed him from the dust of the ground, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and at that point man became a living being. Man exists as the representative of God to creation, exercising dominion over the rest of creation, tending it, and ruling over it. He names the animals, cares for the garden and sets out to cultivate the rest of the world, but something is missing. Man is a lone, and God, who exists in community, says that this is not good.
He makes the man fall asleep, and takes part of His image, the feminine part, from the man and fashions it into a woman. He brings the two of them together, and at this point creation is complete, at this point God finishes His work, and at this point God rests.
Creation was not complete without marriage. Creation was not complete without community. Man alone was insufficient, and so God creates a helper suitable for Him. The term is ezer kenegdo, a phrase meaning lifesaver, or essential companion. Adam needed Eve because she now held the other half of God's image that man was created with. This is the point of marriage, two people who are deeply connected to God, secure in who He made them to be, coming together in order to present the full image of God to creation.
That is the story of Genesis 2. God made man in His image to show creation who He is. Since isolation is not part of God's design, He takes part of that image and makes woman, then He brings the two halves back together in marriage. That is who God is here in this chapter.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Man did not evolve from a lower life form that emerged from the sea one hundred million years ago, science, amazing as it is, got that one wrong. I don't have an answer for the various archaeological discoveries of humanoids as they fall into creation and the Biblical narrative, I won't say they didn't exist because I've seen the fossil remains, but I do know man did not evolve. My simple answer right now is God created them, and until I come up with a more complex one, which at some point I will, that is going to suffice.
When it comes to man, God formed him from the dust of the ground, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and at that point man became a living being. Man exists as the representative of God to creation, exercising dominion over the rest of creation, tending it, and ruling over it. He names the animals, cares for the garden and sets out to cultivate the rest of the world, but something is missing. Man is a lone, and God, who exists in community, says that this is not good.
He makes the man fall asleep, and takes part of His image, the feminine part, from the man and fashions it into a woman. He brings the two of them together, and at this point creation is complete, at this point God finishes His work, and at this point God rests.
Creation was not complete without marriage. Creation was not complete without community. Man alone was insufficient, and so God creates a helper suitable for Him. The term is ezer kenegdo, a phrase meaning lifesaver, or essential companion. Adam needed Eve because she now held the other half of God's image that man was created with. This is the point of marriage, two people who are deeply connected to God, secure in who He made them to be, coming together in order to present the full image of God to creation.
That is the story of Genesis 2. God made man in His image to show creation who He is. Since isolation is not part of God's design, He takes part of that image and makes woman, then He brings the two halves back together in marriage. That is who God is here in this chapter.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, December 21, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 2.22-24
God said it was not God for the man to be alone. He had mission (a career), and he had companionship, but there was something missing, intimate relationship with another human being. God created woman, taking part of man and making woman, the other half of humanity, and then brought the two together. God is the designer of gender and the author of marriage. God created humans as male and female, and designed them to be together in marriage.
Men and women are different, and that is intentional. There are things that men are designed to do and things that women are designed to do. One gender is not superior to the other, and both are essential. God made man, then then He made woman and brought her to the man. God made man in His image, and then took part of that and made woman, and then brought them together to be joined as one in marriage. God uniquely made humanity as male and female to represent Him to creation, and He intended for the two to be joined as one in marriage in order to reflect Him to the rest of creation.
It is in marriage that the two unique representatives of God's image come together, and when they come together as one, life is created. Three is no shame in this intimate relationship. It is meant to be a beautiful expression of worship, and it is something incredible that God blessed married couples with to enjoy each other.
God created men and women to reflect Him to creation. He blessed them with each other, making each gender specifically, intentionally, and beautifully. Let us embrace who God created us to be, fully becoming the men and women He intended for us to be at creation. Let us celebrate marriage as God created it, preserving it as a representation of Him.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Men and women are different, and that is intentional. There are things that men are designed to do and things that women are designed to do. One gender is not superior to the other, and both are essential. God made man, then then He made woman and brought her to the man. God made man in His image, and then took part of that and made woman, and then brought them together to be joined as one in marriage. God uniquely made humanity as male and female to represent Him to creation, and He intended for the two to be joined as one in marriage in order to reflect Him to the rest of creation.
It is in marriage that the two unique representatives of God's image come together, and when they come together as one, life is created. Three is no shame in this intimate relationship. It is meant to be a beautiful expression of worship, and it is something incredible that God blessed married couples with to enjoy each other.
God created men and women to reflect Him to creation. He blessed them with each other, making each gender specifically, intentionally, and beautifully. Let us embrace who God created us to be, fully becoming the men and women He intended for us to be at creation. Let us celebrate marriage as God created it, preserving it as a representation of Him.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 2.18-22
Genesis 1 tells of the creation of man on day 6 of creation. God says, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Gen. 1.26) Genesis 1 states that God exists in community, "Us" and "Our" show plurality, and so man in made in the image of a communal God. Genesis 1.27 says, "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Genesis 1 gives an overview of creation, Genesis 2 goes into detail about how man came into being.
Initially there was just Adam, one mane who bore the image of God, alone in the world (there are when times that idea sounds amazing), but God looks at the man and says, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." God knows that man who exists in isolation is not fully alive, we were created for community.
Man has companionship, every animal is there, including his best friend, the dog, but that isn't enough. Man has a purpose, tend the garden, name the animals, care for creation, but that isn't enough. Man needs community, and so God does something about that. He creates woman.
This is where it really gets incredible. The word for rib is difficult to translate because it implies more than simply a bone. Here in the context it refers to the feminine nature of humanity. God takes half the nature originally in man and makes woman. Men reflect part of the nature of God, women reflect another part, they are unique and different, and that is how God intended for it to be. He made man, then from man He created woman. Men represent God's strength and protection, women His beauty and nurturing. And then God brings the two together.
Let us embrace who God created us to be as men and women, each bears a clear part of His nature, and each is essential with their own role to play (more on this in the future, I'm a little pressed for time this morning).
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Initially there was just Adam, one mane who bore the image of God, alone in the world (there are when times that idea sounds amazing), but God looks at the man and says, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." God knows that man who exists in isolation is not fully alive, we were created for community.
Man has companionship, every animal is there, including his best friend, the dog, but that isn't enough. Man has a purpose, tend the garden, name the animals, care for creation, but that isn't enough. Man needs community, and so God does something about that. He creates woman.
This is where it really gets incredible. The word for rib is difficult to translate because it implies more than simply a bone. Here in the context it refers to the feminine nature of humanity. God takes half the nature originally in man and makes woman. Men reflect part of the nature of God, women reflect another part, they are unique and different, and that is how God intended for it to be. He made man, then from man He created woman. Men represent God's strength and protection, women His beauty and nurturing. And then God brings the two together.
Let us embrace who God created us to be as men and women, each bears a clear part of His nature, and each is essential with their own role to play (more on this in the future, I'm a little pressed for time this morning).
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, December 17, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 2.15-17
Man has been made, the garden has been planted, along with the two distinct trees, and now God places the man in the garden to care for it, cultivate it, and to be provided for. God tells him that he is free to eat from any tree in the garden except one. The fruit from any tree in the garden will provide for his needs, but he is not to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God is clear with his instructions, don't eat from this one specific tree. And he doesn't simply say don't do it, he tells them what will happen, the day you eat of it you will surely die.
God is not vague or silent, He is direct and honest. Eat from any tree you want, just not this one. If you eat from any other tree you'll be fine, you will live in perfect harmony with Me, with each other, and with creation as you live forever. If you choose to eat from this one tree, the only way I have commanded you not to, then you will die, relationships will be broken, and creation will be cursed.
God put that tree there so that man was free to choose to love Him and enjoy relationship with Him. That tree had to be there, but God didn't put it there for them to wonder about. He didn't establish a rule and not inform them about it, He didn't leave them to figure out what would happen if they did eat from it, He was direct with what would happen. God is not vague, waiting for us to fail, He doesn't leave them to wonder what will take place if they disobey. He lays out everything that He has given, every good thing that He has provided, and then clearly shows them the opposite; man knows he has a choice, and he knows what the result of that choice will be.
As men, made in the image of God, let us speak as He does. Let us be direct and honest. Let us focus on the good, the incredible blessings that we have been given and how we have been provided for. Let us be clear about the other option, and even clearer about the outcome of that option. Let us not try and sugar coat it, glossing over the reality or severity of what will take place if we choose to reject the blessing in favor of what we see as being withheld.
God is good, He has provided for all of the needs we have, including the need to be able to choose something different. Let us realize what we have been given, and realize the cost we will pay if we choose what is opposite.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
God is not vague or silent, He is direct and honest. Eat from any tree you want, just not this one. If you eat from any other tree you'll be fine, you will live in perfect harmony with Me, with each other, and with creation as you live forever. If you choose to eat from this one tree, the only way I have commanded you not to, then you will die, relationships will be broken, and creation will be cursed.
God put that tree there so that man was free to choose to love Him and enjoy relationship with Him. That tree had to be there, but God didn't put it there for them to wonder about. He didn't establish a rule and not inform them about it, He didn't leave them to figure out what would happen if they did eat from it, He was direct with what would happen. God is not vague, waiting for us to fail, He doesn't leave them to wonder what will take place if they disobey. He lays out everything that He has given, every good thing that He has provided, and then clearly shows them the opposite; man knows he has a choice, and he knows what the result of that choice will be.
As men, made in the image of God, let us speak as He does. Let us be direct and honest. Let us focus on the good, the incredible blessings that we have been given and how we have been provided for. Let us be clear about the other option, and even clearer about the outcome of that option. Let us not try and sugar coat it, glossing over the reality or severity of what will take place if we choose to reject the blessing in favor of what we see as being withheld.
God is good, He has provided for all of the needs we have, including the need to be able to choose something different. Let us realize what we have been given, and realize the cost we will pay if we choose what is opposite.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, December 14, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 2.9
God has planted a garden for man, and in the middle of garden are two specific trees. Out of every other plant in the world, these two trees stand out as unique. One is the tree of life, and the other is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (and no it most likely wasn't an apple tree). God has given man every plant bearing fruit to sustain him, and has set these two trees apart to give man a choice as to who will reign over his life. God gives man choice, because wants humanity to choose to love Him. If there is not the option of something else, real love is not possible, and God, who is love according to the New Testament, creates us with the ability to love. Love means choice, and God gave man the ability to choose.
God took a risk, a big risk, when He created these two trees. He gave man the ability to reject Him, to choose something other than Him, but with that came the chance for man to choose to deeply love Him. God is not insecure, where rejection shakes Him to His core and He's unable to function if humanity says no, which of course it did, but God didn't create us to be robots or slaves who had no choice but to serve Him.
In this there are two things for us to take. First, let us choose to love God. Life was made by God, and it only works properly with God, that's just the reality of it. Man was made to live in a deep and personal relationship with God, and when we choose not to do that we are left to search for fulfillment in other areas of creation, but no part of creation can fulfill the longing for the Creator.
The second thing to take from this is that we are made in the image of a risk taking God. Let us also boldly take risks. Don't play it safe, because playing it safe doesn't bring satisfaction. You may fail epicly, but you may succeed even more greatly; you won't know unless you take the risk.
She could say yes, if she says no you won't die.
You could get that job, if you don't there are other options.
What are you afraid of? Why are you afraid? I'm not saying recklessly go after things so that you end up in financial ruin, but be willing to go after your dreams, plan and prepare, but then go for it, don't just dream.
God took a risk when He gave us the ability to choose. Not only do we choose to love Him back, but we also choose to risk or play it safe.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
God took a risk, a big risk, when He created these two trees. He gave man the ability to reject Him, to choose something other than Him, but with that came the chance for man to choose to deeply love Him. God is not insecure, where rejection shakes Him to His core and He's unable to function if humanity says no, which of course it did, but God didn't create us to be robots or slaves who had no choice but to serve Him.
In this there are two things for us to take. First, let us choose to love God. Life was made by God, and it only works properly with God, that's just the reality of it. Man was made to live in a deep and personal relationship with God, and when we choose not to do that we are left to search for fulfillment in other areas of creation, but no part of creation can fulfill the longing for the Creator.
The second thing to take from this is that we are made in the image of a risk taking God. Let us also boldly take risks. Don't play it safe, because playing it safe doesn't bring satisfaction. You may fail epicly, but you may succeed even more greatly; you won't know unless you take the risk.
She could say yes, if she says no you won't die.
You could get that job, if you don't there are other options.
What are you afraid of? Why are you afraid? I'm not saying recklessly go after things so that you end up in financial ruin, but be willing to go after your dreams, plan and prepare, but then go for it, don't just dream.
God took a risk when He gave us the ability to choose. Not only do we choose to love Him back, but we also choose to risk or play it safe.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 2.8
God made man, and then God put him in a special place He had created just for him. God planted a garden, a paradise in a perfect world, and it was here that He placed the man. God's plan and desire was for man to spend his life in the garden, Eden was the plan, a beautiful place on earth created specifically for man.
God's plan was always for man to work, the garden needed tending, but the work God gave man to do would be fulfilling, rewarding, and it would abundantly provide for his needs. God's plan was never for man to spend his time lazily lounging around, nor was it for him to endlessly toil reaping nothing for his labor. God's garden would allow man to work, caring for creation, and serving for a launching station as man set about making the rest of the world like Eden. It would provide for his needs, and allow him to rest after a hard days work.
God worked for six days and then then rested. Each day was fulfilling and rewarding, and at the end of each day, the work was declared good. The seventh day was a day of rest, a day to enjoy the beauty of creation, looking with satisfaction at the work accomplished over the past week. This was the model that God set for man, and then He gave him a place to begin following the example he had been given.
One of my favorite quotes is from the movie Kingdom of Heaven, "What man is a man who does not make the world better?" If a man is not working to leave the world better than he found it, what kind of man is he? If his life is not spent in a worthy cause, serving someone greater than himself, living for a purpose much bigger than personal comfort and achievement, what kind of man is he?
When I leave this world, I want to know that I did everything I could to make it a better place than it was when I arrived. I used to think that meant I had to do something on a Billy Graham level, speaking to packed stadiums, reaching millions, but I've realized that that isn't what God has in mind for me to do, and honestly, I'm glad. Over the past few years God has been leading me to self-discovery, helping me understand what my role is in building His Kingdom, and I'm looking forward to being able to more fully embrace that role throughout the rest of my life. I want to be a man who makes the world better.
God has a role for us, a role that will not be done aimlessly or fruitlessly. Let us embrace this, working diligently, taking time to rest, and leaving the world a little more like Eden when we leave it.
Fight the lion 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
God's plan was always for man to work, the garden needed tending, but the work God gave man to do would be fulfilling, rewarding, and it would abundantly provide for his needs. God's plan was never for man to spend his time lazily lounging around, nor was it for him to endlessly toil reaping nothing for his labor. God's garden would allow man to work, caring for creation, and serving for a launching station as man set about making the rest of the world like Eden. It would provide for his needs, and allow him to rest after a hard days work.
God worked for six days and then then rested. Each day was fulfilling and rewarding, and at the end of each day, the work was declared good. The seventh day was a day of rest, a day to enjoy the beauty of creation, looking with satisfaction at the work accomplished over the past week. This was the model that God set for man, and then He gave him a place to begin following the example he had been given.
One of my favorite quotes is from the movie Kingdom of Heaven, "What man is a man who does not make the world better?" If a man is not working to leave the world better than he found it, what kind of man is he? If his life is not spent in a worthy cause, serving someone greater than himself, living for a purpose much bigger than personal comfort and achievement, what kind of man is he?
When I leave this world, I want to know that I did everything I could to make it a better place than it was when I arrived. I used to think that meant I had to do something on a Billy Graham level, speaking to packed stadiums, reaching millions, but I've realized that that isn't what God has in mind for me to do, and honestly, I'm glad. Over the past few years God has been leading me to self-discovery, helping me understand what my role is in building His Kingdom, and I'm looking forward to being able to more fully embrace that role throughout the rest of my life. I want to be a man who makes the world better.
God has a role for us, a role that will not be done aimlessly or fruitlessly. Let us embrace this, working diligently, taking time to rest, and leaving the world a little more like Eden when we leave it.
Fight the lion 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, December 10, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 2.4-7
I'm sorry this is coming to you at the end of the day, the past week and weekend were absolutely nuts, I had a paper due Sunday night that I got an extension on until tomorrow night due to the craziness, and so I am just now getting today's post out.
Genesis 2 is not a contradiction of Genesis 1, it does not describe an alternate creation account, but instead focuses on the creation man on the final day of creation. With the rest of creation, God spoke and the words of God brought about His creative will, but when it came to creating man, God was doing something even more amazing, making a being in His own image, and so when it came to creating man, God intentionally formed him. God did not speak man into existence, but formed him from the dust of the ground, and breathed the breath of life into him so that he became a living being.
God formed man in a way that no other part of creation came into being. Man was given life when the very breath of God filled his lungs. God made man in His own image and in doing so place a visible representation of Himself on earth to both rule and care for creation.
The paper I'm working on for tomorrow night is looking at two Old Testament passages and how they are used in the New Testament, and the central idea of the Old Testament passages is that the value and dignity of man comes from the fact that God has made him in His own image. Man has worth because God has given Him worth, and that worth comes from the fact that man is made in the image of God, and given life by the breath of God. No other part of creation has this distinction.
As beings made in the image of God, let us live with a sense of value and worth, drawn from the goodness of God.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Genesis 2 is not a contradiction of Genesis 1, it does not describe an alternate creation account, but instead focuses on the creation man on the final day of creation. With the rest of creation, God spoke and the words of God brought about His creative will, but when it came to creating man, God was doing something even more amazing, making a being in His own image, and so when it came to creating man, God intentionally formed him. God did not speak man into existence, but formed him from the dust of the ground, and breathed the breath of life into him so that he became a living being.
God formed man in a way that no other part of creation came into being. Man was given life when the very breath of God filled his lungs. God made man in His own image and in doing so place a visible representation of Himself on earth to both rule and care for creation.
The paper I'm working on for tomorrow night is looking at two Old Testament passages and how they are used in the New Testament, and the central idea of the Old Testament passages is that the value and dignity of man comes from the fact that God has made him in His own image. Man has worth because God has given Him worth, and that worth comes from the fact that man is made in the image of God, and given life by the breath of God. No other part of creation has this distinction.
As beings made in the image of God, let us live with a sense of value and worth, drawn from the goodness of God.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, December 7, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 2.3
God has finished His work in six days, but the week we have contains seven days. God made seven days, and on the seventh day He rested from His work. God was not tired and worn out from a hard week of work. The word used here is shabath and it means to cease, desist or rest. God is ceasing His labor, and creating a sacred time of rest and celebration.
Man, made in the image of God, needs this sacred time. God made us to work for six days, and to take the seventh as a day to cease from our labor, to rest, to enjoy fellowship with Him and with others, to celebrate what has been accomplished. God does not intend for us to go on constantly, never stopping to breath, smell the roses, and enjoy the creation He has given us, though that is the direction the world has tried to go. We have permission to take a day and rest, we need that day of rest, God created it and it is good.
This was has been a difficult thing for me to follow, especially over the past year. I'm nearing the end of my master's degrees, yes plural, and there is a push to get this done. On top of this, the weekends have been when I've had my girls, and so this idea of a day of rest has been a concept I'm looking forward to someday in the future. During the week I work my job and try to get all of my school work done so that my weekends are completely free to devote fully to my girls. For a while I wasn't sleeping a ton, but I've learned to function very well on little sleep, most parents do I feel, and it's worked. But recently, I've felt the need to take some time by myself and hit a trail in the woods.
My vision quest didn't happen this year, life did, and I'm feeling the lack of this time. I feel like much of my time has been non-stop, where I'm always doing something. I'm two thirds done with an assignment as I'm writing this, and I still have an essay to research and write by Sunday, with a pretty busy weekend, and next week is short week. I've found myself thinking, as soon as school is over I'll finally be able to take a sabbath, but I know that isn't the right mindset. God gave me a day to rest, He created it specifically so that I had the time to do everything I need to do and then be able to cease from my responsibilities for a day and celebrate who He is.
God created the seventh day for us, let us take the time to rest and celebrate who He is.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Man, made in the image of God, needs this sacred time. God made us to work for six days, and to take the seventh as a day to cease from our labor, to rest, to enjoy fellowship with Him and with others, to celebrate what has been accomplished. God does not intend for us to go on constantly, never stopping to breath, smell the roses, and enjoy the creation He has given us, though that is the direction the world has tried to go. We have permission to take a day and rest, we need that day of rest, God created it and it is good.
This was has been a difficult thing for me to follow, especially over the past year. I'm nearing the end of my master's degrees, yes plural, and there is a push to get this done. On top of this, the weekends have been when I've had my girls, and so this idea of a day of rest has been a concept I'm looking forward to someday in the future. During the week I work my job and try to get all of my school work done so that my weekends are completely free to devote fully to my girls. For a while I wasn't sleeping a ton, but I've learned to function very well on little sleep, most parents do I feel, and it's worked. But recently, I've felt the need to take some time by myself and hit a trail in the woods.
My vision quest didn't happen this year, life did, and I'm feeling the lack of this time. I feel like much of my time has been non-stop, where I'm always doing something. I'm two thirds done with an assignment as I'm writing this, and I still have an essay to research and write by Sunday, with a pretty busy weekend, and next week is short week. I've found myself thinking, as soon as school is over I'll finally be able to take a sabbath, but I know that isn't the right mindset. God gave me a day to rest, He created it specifically so that I had the time to do everything I need to do and then be able to cease from my responsibilities for a day and celebrate who He is.
God created the seventh day for us, let us take the time to rest and celebrate who He is.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 2.1-3
On the sixth day God created man, finishing His creation, and declaring it very good. Once His work was completed, God rested, giving man a seventh day of the week that is set aside for rest. But it isn't until the work is complete that God rests. When God starts something, He sees it through to completion. God does not leave anything unfinished, nor does He endlessly work at something never completing. When God begins a task, He sees it through to the end, no matter what it is.
When I was young, the church my family attended held Sunday night service, and during the even service they would take song requests from the hymnal and chorus book. Almost every week I would request chorus 160, "He's Still Working on Me".
He's still working on me
To make me what I ought to be
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and and patient He must be
He's still working on me
I don't know why I liked that song so much as a kid, but the reality is God has spent more time working on me then He did to create the universe. In six days the heavens and earth were completed, and it's been 32 years and one month since I was born, and God just now seems to be touching some areas of my life. God started this work before I was ever born, and even though it has been more than three decades He is still at work. And even though the end is not in sight for me, God is not going to rest until this work is completed.
Because God whose image we bear sees things through to completion, let us do so as well. Let us finish what we start, and let us finish well. And when we are done, let us take time to rest and enjoy what we have done, just as God did.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
When I was young, the church my family attended held Sunday night service, and during the even service they would take song requests from the hymnal and chorus book. Almost every week I would request chorus 160, "He's Still Working on Me".
He's still working on me
To make me what I ought to be
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and and patient He must be
He's still working on me
I don't know why I liked that song so much as a kid, but the reality is God has spent more time working on me then He did to create the universe. In six days the heavens and earth were completed, and it's been 32 years and one month since I was born, and God just now seems to be touching some areas of my life. God started this work before I was ever born, and even though it has been more than three decades He is still at work. And even though the end is not in sight for me, God is not going to rest until this work is completed.
Because God whose image we bear sees things through to completion, let us do so as well. Let us finish what we start, and let us finish well. And when we are done, let us take time to rest and enjoy what we have done, just as God did.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, December 3, 2018
Who is God: Genesis 1
Genesis 1 gives us the first glimpse of who God is. The opening verse tells us that God existed before the beginning, and that He created the heavens and the earth. From there, the story of the creation unfolds. We see that God spoke and from the words of His mouth everything, from light to humanity, came into being, and then at the completion of each day's work God declares it good..
Genesis 1 shows that God is a god of process. He could have easily completed the whole work of creation instantaneously, but He didn't. He took six days, gradually adding to His masterpiece, letting complexity increase, and culminating with beings made in His own image.
Genesis 1 shows that God is a god of order. He creates light and separates from the darkness creating day and night. He contains light to the sun and stars, and in this makes seasons and years. He separates the water making the sky, then fills sea and sky with fish and birds. He gathers the water in one place and then brings forth dry land, which He fills with vegetation, then He creates the land animals to fill the earth. Everything takes place in the proper order.
Genesis 1 shows us that God is a god of life. He creates the plants with seeds so that more plants will be produced. He instructs all creatures to be fruitful and multiply, filling the sea, the sky, and the earth. He creates a cycle where life continues.
Genesis 1 shows us that God is a god of authority. He speaks and by the power of His words it is so. He charges man with the authority to have dominion over the earth, representing Him before creation, and caring for it.
Genesis 1 shows us that God is a god of relationship. He creates man and woman. He makes man in His image so that He may engage in relationship with him.
Genesis 1 is just the beginning the story, but it gives us an amazing introduction to who God is. Now we turn the page...
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Genesis 1 shows that God is a god of process. He could have easily completed the whole work of creation instantaneously, but He didn't. He took six days, gradually adding to His masterpiece, letting complexity increase, and culminating with beings made in His own image.
Genesis 1 shows that God is a god of order. He creates light and separates from the darkness creating day and night. He contains light to the sun and stars, and in this makes seasons and years. He separates the water making the sky, then fills sea and sky with fish and birds. He gathers the water in one place and then brings forth dry land, which He fills with vegetation, then He creates the land animals to fill the earth. Everything takes place in the proper order.
Genesis 1 shows us that God is a god of life. He creates the plants with seeds so that more plants will be produced. He instructs all creatures to be fruitful and multiply, filling the sea, the sky, and the earth. He creates a cycle where life continues.
Genesis 1 shows us that God is a god of authority. He speaks and by the power of His words it is so. He charges man with the authority to have dominion over the earth, representing Him before creation, and caring for it.
Genesis 1 shows us that God is a god of relationship. He creates man and woman. He makes man in His image so that He may engage in relationship with him.
Genesis 1 is just the beginning the story, but it gives us an amazing introduction to who God is. Now we turn the page...
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
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