Only God is awesome

PP: And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. ( 1Kings 17:4 )

Topic: The awesomeness of God

Theme: Only God is awesome

Introduction:

In recent times,the term “awesome” "something which inspires awe"has been randomly applied to various aspects of our culture. Consequently the word awesome, has become a common slang expression among English speakers. Popularized by North-Americans,the word “awesome” is said to be the word Americans use to describe everything from food, to clothing, to relationships, to movies, even songs. In modern thinking, therefore the word “awesome” falls alongside such phrases as: cool, amazing, sweet, sexy , hot, etc. Thus, when making reference to cultural activities such as : Music, and Art, which includes: poetry, songs, paintings, performances, novels, etc, it is customary to-hear such phrases as: “awesome” “sublime” “out of this world” “Blew my mind”. These terms are superlative in nature and as such are intended to express the highest quality or degree of a thing. This means that the form of the adverb or adjective being used is greater than any other possible degree of the given descriptor. e.g : good better best, sweet sweeter sweetest, bright brighter brightest, pretty prettier prettiest. However, a survey of human history shows that use of words signifying awesomeness was originally intended to convey the idea, that what is being, experienced, witnessed or contemplated impresses the mind with a such a sense of grandeur power that it inspires an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear. One dictionary says that the word “awesome” originated in English language around 1590s, and meant "profoundly reverential”.

What is even more interesting is that prior to the 13^th century and the Theological impact of renowned Theologian Thomas Aquinas such terminology signifying “awesome” if used at all seems to have been reserved primarily for The Divine/God the creator and and not the created/works of men hands.

Francis A Schaeffer in tracing the origin of modern man says that before Aquinas' revolutionary theological … which brought the use of such concepts into the domain on mankind, that man's thought processes up to that time had been 'Byzantine'.

(Importance of Understanding of Byzantine period to our study)

Founder and Editor-in-chief of the Ancient History Encyclopedia. Jan van der Crabben says of Byzantine : The Byzantine Empire was the successor of the Roman Empire in the Greek-speaking, eastern part of the Mediterranean. It was Christian in nature. Byzantium was the name of a small, but important town at the Bosphorus, the strait which connects the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean to the Black Sea, and separates the continents of Europe and Asia. In Greek times the town was at the frontier between the Greek and the Persian world. In the fourth century BCE, Alexander the Great made both worlds part of his Hellenistic universe, and later Byzantium became a town of growing importance within the Roman Empire. By the third century CE, the Romans had many thousands of miles of border to defend. Growing pressure caused a crisis, especially in the Danube/Balkan area, where the Goths violated the borders. In the East, the Sasanian Persians transgressed the frontiers along the Euphrates and Tigris. The emperor Constantine the Great (reign 306-337 CE) was one of the first to realize the impossibility of managing the empire's problems from distant Rome. Constantinople So, in 330 CE Constantine decided to make Byzantium, which he had refounded a couple of years before and named after himself, his new residence. Constantinople lay halfway between the Balkan and the Euphrates, and not too far from the immense wealth and manpower of Asia Minor, the vital part of the empire.  "Byzantium" was to become the name for the East-Roman Empire. After the death of Constantine, in an attempt to overcome the growing military and administrative problem, the Roman Empire was divided into an eastern and a western part. The western part is considered as definitely finished by the year 476 CE, when its last ruler was dethroned and a military leader, Odoacer, took power. Christianity. In the course of the fourth century, the Roman world became increasingly Christian, and the Byzantine Empire was certainly a Christian state. In the course of the fourth century, the Roman world became increasingly Christian, and the Byzantine Empire was certainly a Christian state. It was the first empire in the world to be founded not only on worldly power, but also on the authority of the Church. Paganism, however, stayed an important source of inspiration for many people during the first centuries of the Byzantine Empire.  When Christianity became organized, the Church was led by five patriarchs, who resided in Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, and Rome. The Council of Chalcedon (451 CE) decided that the patriarch of Constantinople was to be the second in the ecclesiastical hierarchy. Only the pope in Rome was his superior. After the Great Schism of 1054 CE the eastern (Orthodox) church separated form the western (Roman Catholic) church. The centre of influence of the orthodox churches later shifted to Moscow. Thus up to this period, in terms of a dominant world view, humanity lived in what was generally a very “Christian” (if only in name) World.

So much so that,the heavenly things were all-important , and were so holy that they were not pictured realistically. Only Symbols were portrayed . An example can be found in looking at one of the later Byzantine Mosaics in the bapistry at Florence, it is not a picture of Mary you will see, but a symbol representing Mary. On the other hand, simple nature -trees and mountain- held no interest for the artist, except as part of the world to be lived in, Schaeffer says Mountain Climbing for instance simply had no appeal as something to be done for its own sake. In fact Mountain climbing among other things began with a renewed interest being placed on nature. So according to Schaeffer prior to Thomas Aquinas there was an overwhelming emphasis on the heavenly things, and they were: “very far off” “Very Holy” and “pictured only as symbols” with “little interest in nature itself” in fact it would not be until the work of the artist “ Cimabue (1240-1302) teacher of Giotto (1267-1337) that humanity would begin to see a shift in the art in which depictions of nature/ the created began to rival depictions of the Creator/Grace. ( More of that later)

Only God is awesome: Nature and Grace:

What was it that Thomas Aquinas Did which caused depictions of nature to rival depictions of the divine which bring us to our topic today and in to the discussion on awesomeness. What was Aquinas' contribution which some, believe led to the real birth of the humanistic Renaissance? I will attempt to simplify the debate. Thomas Aquinas, comes on the scene right after of the Byzantine period, in which everything divine was 'par excellence' and man was 'depraved' introduced a new strain of theology which saw mankind being elevated from the once totally fallen depraved state, and “partially' or almost fully restored, to nearly his former glory. Aquinas taught that that contrary to earlier beliefs that man was totally fallen and thus totally depraved; that man was only partly fallen thus he was only partially depraved. Aquinas introduced what became known as a partial fall. He insisted that when man fell only his “will, represented by his body fell, but his intellectual representative of his soul,was not fallen but remained intact. According to Schaeffer, as a result of this “incomplete view of the biblical fall” man's intellect became autonomous. In one realm man was now independent and autonomous.

To be fair I must point out that not everyone agree with Schaeffer analysis of Aquinas' theology. Some argue that Aquinas never believed that the intellect was entirely unaffected by the fall. Neither did he believe that the intellect fell to the level of "total depravity" as insisted by Martin Luther and John Calvin. In his Summa Theologiae Aquinas argues that in-spite of the fall, some truths about God can still be known by reason, but that 'revelation' is still necessary because the conditions consequent on the fall makes this knowledge more difficult for all and nearly unattainable for many: he continues that "Even as regards those truths about God which human reason could have discovered, it was necessary that man should be taught by a divine revelation; because the truth about God such as reason could discover, would only be known by a few, and that after a long time, and with the admixture of many errors.". Thus is rejecting total depravity he points out that despite the fall, even the will hasn't fallen so far that men cannot perform virtuous acts "in a restricted sense" "It is possible by means of human works to acquire moral virtues, in so far as they produce good works that are directed to an end not surpassing the natural power of man: and when they are acquired thus, they can be without charity, even as they were in many of the Gentiles. But in so far as they produce good works in proportion to a supernatural last end, thus they have the character of virtue, truly and perfectly; and cannot be acquired by human acts, but are infused by God. Such like moral virtues cannot be without charity." In other words, for an act to be truly virtuous, it must be motivated by the theological virtue of charity, but even without this an act can be imperfectly but really virtuous if guided by the intellectual virtue of prudence. Thus it is a consequence of the incomplete fall of the intellect that the will hasn't fallen completely either; of course, it has fallen far enough to require the theological virtues for salvation.

In summary of the debate however, one must conclude that Schaeffer's analysis is correct because based on current teaching as maintained by the catholic Church; humans retained a free but wounded will after the Fall. In their view, humans free will is deriving from being made in God's image. So even though he is fallen he is still somewhat autonomous. Accordingly, the Catholic Church condemned as heresy any doctrine asserting "since Adam's sin, the free will of man is lost and extinguished". This insistence attributed to Martin Luther's excommunication, and also formed the genesis of the debate between Martin Luther and Erasmus out of which we have the seminal work 'Bandage of the will' by Luther. Thus Catholic teaching today still disagrees with the Protestant doctrine of total depravity. Hence it was this rejection of Total depravity by Aquinas and the insistence on only a partial fall that would lead to the subsequent Philosophical and Theological difficulties because independent and autonomous humanity began to flex his unchained intellect to the point where Nature and things produced by the flesh would began a steady rise eventually eclipsing the divine things in contrast to the situation during the Byzantine period. As Schaeffer puts if Nature eventually enveloped Grace. As even things man-made have now become awesome.

This seemingly benign teaching at the time in fact was more potent and powerful than men realized. In fact it was this teaching that made the way for the Renaissance and has also brought us to the current place of our study where other things claim to be awesome.

Only God is awesome: The Renaissance.

Autonomous theology in relation to fallen man, if it may be described as such, led to the development of what we now call Natural Theology in which man, having a partially intact intellect could pursue study of God outside the realm of the scriptures using reason. The result according to Schaeffer was that mankind entered an autonomous era in which the autonomous principle of philosophy became free and separated from revelation. Why? Because humanity, who is made in the image and likeness of God with an intellect which is not totally fallen need no longer wait for revelation/inspiration according to a biblical prescription but mankind is now able through using intellect and reason to arrive at answers to questions which for centuries may have plagued his mind but which may have been neglected or relegated to places of unimportance during the Byzantine era. In a sense, The elevation of natural instinct to the place reserved for the Divine was not totally new but appears to be a harping back to the time referenced by Paul in the Book of Romans 1: 1-31. In his text Paul Charges the Romans that: Sinful man had in his intellectual pursuits had dethrone the creator to serve the creature.

Gods Wrath Against Sinful Humanity ( Romans 1: 18-31)

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Thus Autonomous Theology spawned a revolution and a revitalization of some of the egotistic/self-loving tendencies which were under the Babylonian, Medes & Persians, Grecian and Roman Empires which pre-dated the Byzantine period. And so as Schaeffer points out 'Philosophy' which means “love of wisdom” began to take wings, as it were, and fly off wherever it wished, without relationship to the scriptures.

Soon this tendency began to enter the arts, and as mentioned earlier the first person to be influence was Cimabue. According to Italian Historian Giorgio Vasari, Cimabue is generally regarded as one of the first great Italian painters to break from the Italo-Byzantine style, although he still relied on Byzantine models.The art of this period comprised scenes and forms that appeared relatively flat and highly stylized. Cimabue was a pioneer in the move towards naturalism; his figures were depicted with more lifelike proportions and shading. Even though he was a pioneer in that move, his Maestà paintings evidence Medieval techniques and characteristics. he was the teacher of Giotto,the first great artist of the Italian Renaissance.

As Schaeffer points out, during their work “Instead of all the subjects of art being above the dividing line between nature and grace in the symbolic manner of the Byzantine, Cimabue and Giotto began to paint the things of nature as nature. He notes that whereas at first they was a tendency to paint the lesser things in the picture naturalistically , but to continue to portray Mary for example as a symbol, but this change when Dante great Italian Poet 1265-1321 began to write in the way that these men painted. Dante's “Divine Comedy” may be an example:

On the surface, the poem describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven; but at a deeper level, it represents, allegorically, the soul's journey towards God. At this deeper level, Dante draws on medieval Christian theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy and the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas. Consequently, the Divine Comedy has been called "the Summa in verse". Thus suddenly as Schaeffer points out everything starts to shift on the basis that Nature began to be important. Note also how Church Teachings and Traditions rather than scripture alone, as in the days of the Scribes and Pharisees, begins to shape men's views.

As is pointed out though interest in nature as God made it , is good and proper and to be appreciated, the teaching of Aquinas opened a door for autonomous philosophy, based on the idea that mankind was nit totally fallen, which would prove the undoing of the respect and appreciation for scripture and the creator as the only subjects who should really be awe inspiring . Thus throughout the Renaissance from the time of Dante to Michelangelo,Italian sculptor, painter, architect, poet, and engineer, nature became gradually more totally autonomous. Schaeffer says: “It was set free from God as the humanistic philosophers began to operate ever more freely. By the time the Renaissance had reached its climax nature had eaten up grace”

One may therefore conclude, that the Renaissance, brought human intellectualism to the fore in a way that:the Egyptians under the Pharaohs had failed to accomplish; and all that Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar had failed to accomplish, and all the Medes under Darius had failed to accomplish, and all the Chaldean's under Belshazzar had failed to accomplish and all the Persians under Xerxes had failed to accomplish, and all that Greece under Alexander, the Great had failed to accomplish and all that Rome under the Emperors had failed to do, The Renaissance with autonomous man and non-fallen intellect had accomplished.

The Renaissance properly defined:

Art and Culture historian Carl Jacob Burckhardt in 'The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy' (1860) points out that: The Renaissance: from French: Renaissance "re-birth", Italian: Rinascimento, from rinascere "to be reborn") was a cultural movement that profoundly affected European intellectual life in the early modern period. It is believed to have started following the migration of Greek scholars and texts to Italy following the Fall of Constantinople at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. It is worthwhile to remember that while the former Byzantine Empire under Constantine and his descendants had been predominantly Christian the Turks were basically Sunni Muslim. Beginning in Italy, and spreading to the rest of Europe, by the 16th century, the influence of the Renaissance was felt in literature, philosophy, art, music, politics, science, religion, and other aspects of intellectual inquiry. Renaissance scholars employed the humanist method in study, and searched cultural texts for realism and human emotion in art. This was a marked difference from the medieval scholars who preceded them, who had focused on studying Greek and Arabic works of natural sciences, philosophy and mathematics. However, a subtle shift took place in the way that intellectuals approached religion that was reflected in many other areas of cultural life. As a cultural movement, The Renaissance encompassed innovative flowering of Latin and vernacular literatures, beginning with the 14th-century resurgence of learning based on classical sources, which contemporaries credited to Petrarch, the development of linear perspective and other techniques of rendering a more natural reality in painting, and gradual but widespread educational reform. In politics, the Renaissance contributed the development of the conventions of diplomacy, and in science an increased reliance on observation. Historians often argue this intellectual transformation was a bridge between the Middle Ages and Modern history. Although the Renaissance saw revolutions in many intellectual pursuits, as well as social and political upheaval, it is perhaps best known for its artistic developments and the contributions of such polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. who inspired the term "Renaissance man".

The vital principle we need to take note of therefore , is that coming out of the Renaissance where nature has eaten up grace or things Holy/Divine are now viewed as almost parallel in importance to things natural; artistic depictions begin to reflect the radical change.

One very notable miniature entitled “Grandes Heures de Rohan painted about 1415, depicts/tells the following story. It is a miracle story of the period. It Shows Mary and Joseph and the baby fleeing into Egypt. They pass by a field where a man is sowing seed, and a miracle happens. The grain grows up within an hour or so and is ready for harvesting. When the man goes to harvest it, pursuing soldiers come by and ask , How long ago did they ( Mary Joseph an the Infant) pass by.? He replies that they passed when he was sowing the seed and so the soldiers turn back. The point to note in this painting however is not so much the story but the way in which the miniature is laid out. In this depiction the figures of Mary Joseph the baby a servant and the donkey are at the top of the picture and dominant in size whereas the the bottom of the picture shows the very small figures of a man wielding the sickle and the soldiers. This was a total representation of the Nature and Grace. This however would be among the final of the older concepts of this kind of representation. Because in Northern Europe Van Eyck opened the door to nature in a real way. He began to paint nature as nature and is credited with painting the first real moonscape in 1410. In the piece dubbed “Jesus' baptism” there is a river in the background, , a real caste, real houses, signifying that nature had become important. The next step-came in 1435 when Van Eyck painted the Madonna of the Chancellor Rolin currently in the Louvre in Paris, the significant feature is that the chancellor facing Mary is the same size as she is. Mary is no longer remote, the chancellor is no longer a small figure, as he would have been the case in early paintings, In this portrayal he is the same size as Mary he is equal to Mary. Schaeffer reasons that from this point onward there would be a struggle to resolve the balance between nature and grace which is what has brought us to the topic we are discussing today. At this time a painter by the name of Mosaccio steps into the picture, he is regarded as being best painter of his generation because of his skill at recreating lifelike figures and movements as well as a convincing sense of three-dimensionality. “By introducing true perspectives and true space. For the first time, light come from the right direction. In his paintings shadows fall properly in relation to the light. Though he died young at age 27, together with Van Eyck, Mosaccio emphasis on nature was such : “as could have led to painting with a true biblical viewpoint” (Schaeffer) But as we shall see, the better man become at his craft the less significant Grace became. Thus in a few years artist who would never have considered paining Mary in a natural way but would have painted only a symbol of her began to do otherwise. Furthermore when Filippo Lippo painted the Madonna in 1465 there was a startling change . He depicted a very beautiful Girl holding a baby in arms , which a landscape undoubtedly influenced by Van Eyck BUT what was amazing was that the painting was not Mary the mother of Jesus rather the girl he painted as Mary was his mistress, a nun he had abducted by the name named Lucrezia Buti, the beautiful daughter of a Florentine named Francesco Buti. According to Schaeffer no one would have dared to do this before, and at so this stage Nature is killing grace. But worse was yet to come, as in France, Fouquet around 1450 painted the king's mistress Agnes Sorel as Mary and everyone knew it was the kings mistress BUT even worse he painted her with one breast exposed. “whereas before it would have been Mary feeding the baby Jesus , now it is the kings mistress with one breast exposed, and Grace is dead.(Schaeffer) Researchers say of Agnes Sorel that her beauty “captivated the king”. It is therefore easier to understand how she was considered the first officially recognized royal mistress. She was the subject of several contemporary paintings and works of art, including Jean Fouquet's Virgin and Child Surrounded by Angels.

The important point being mad here is that when nature is made autonomous it is destructive. In an autonomous realm the lower elements always eats up or destroys the higher ones. As in Pharaoh's dream interpreted by Joseph, The lean kine always eat up the fat kine, the lean ears of wheat always eat up the fat ears of wheat. Cain always kills Abel. Fallen unregenerate man, no mater how beautiful he paints, no matter how wonderful he sings, no matter how beautifully he speaks, His fallen nature intellectually and otherwise is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things and cannot be trusted. Placed on the same realm, no mater how careful we try to be, without the ever abiding and influencing power of the Holy Spirit Mankind's sinful nature always disposes displaces his higher nature. The lust of the body and souls will always conquer the spirit. Consequently, man in-spite of his wonderful intellectual and artistic pronouncements is not really beautiful after all.

Thus by the time of Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael who represented significant shifts in philosophical thinking, with the emphasis of Platonic philosophy as opposed to Aristotelian thinking as proposed by Aquinas, we come to the institution of ideas and ideals as universals. Both these philosophical prepositions maintained the concept of autonomous man whereas the Reformation which gave birth to protestantism emphasized the “The whole man had been made by god , But now the whole man is fallen, including his will and intellect . In contrast to Aquinas it insisted that only God is autonomous.

Thus we come to the height of the Renaissance/ revival of interest in art, and culture, which incidentally collides with the reformation. In this confrontation, because of the doctrine of a partial; fall, in which man's intelligence being free is to reason its way to salvation, thereby paralleling Grace. whereas on the other hand, the Reformation stressing the total and complete fall of man, lays stress on Grace-Gods unmerited favor as a work of Christ. But with the emphasis on reason and natural Theology the work of man's hands the Renaissance is elevated above Grace which is totally independent of the believer. the only way to God. through Christ the Reformation

Note whereas we cherish the work of the Renaissance in emphasizing the importance of culture, music and art in our daily living, we strongly opposed the vie as taught by venerable church father Aquinas about a partial fall which elevates the work of man's hand to such equal status with God , where the terms used to describe the work of man's hands are also used to describe God. God is a jealous God and his glory he will not share with another therefore any created work that supposedly rivals God is an affront. Today we have millions of people who scoff at God, but will look at the work of man's hands and call, them priceless, Do we understand what priceless means. In God's economy among men, only the souls of men are priceless: for what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, including all the work of the Renaissance and the Reformation and lose his own soul?( Mark 8:36) Only the word of God is priceless,( John 17:17) “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. And (Psalms 119:105): “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path.” only God;'s son sent to die for us is priceless. But because we consider temporal things priceless, today in Museums and galleries, and National Treasuries across the globe untold trillions are spent on preserving artifacts, architecture, and other discoveries in places where sometimes millions of human beings are dying of hunger and living in poverty while we fight to preserve costed relics while allowing the priceless souls of men to die. Yes artifacts should be preserved,(that is how we got our Bible, from preserved scrolls,) but more importantly, we need to preserve lessons of Gods Goodness, Grace a legacy for generations to come.

So yes man is good, even great, But Never Awesome. ONLY GOD IS AWESOME Come with me to I kings to see what Awesome Looks Like.

In the book of I kings chapter 17: there is a battle which ensues between the forces of God and Evil. Good in human terms is represented by the prophet Elijah on one side and Evil is represented by King Ahab, his wife Jezebel and the prophets of Baal on the other. During the course of the prolonged confrontation, at one stage God instructs the prophet Elijah to hide from the onslaught of Queen Jezebel who because of a pronouncement of Gods curse upon the land through the prophet Elijah , took it upon herself aided and abetted by her husband to kill all the prophets of Jehovah and search for Elijah to kill him too. In dealing with this immediate threat God's temporary advice to the prophet Elijah is to : “Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.” (1Kings 17:3-6)

Now the question may be asked Why does a Powerful Awesome God, who has just given a man the power, to shut up heaven that there would no rain, tell him to hide as opposed to sending him throughout the coast of Israel calling men to repentance based on the powerful word he had just delivered? But we will concern ourselves with that reasoning another time, for now we want to take a  look at the Awesomeness of God based on what he does instruct the prophet to do, which is Go to Cherith, I have “Commanded” The Ravens, to feed thee. i.e . I God, Awesome God, have commanded the ravens to to against their every instinct and bring you food. I God have done it, Why because I am Sovereign. I reign supreme. The reason why only god is awesome is because Only he is sovereign. Only God reigns supreme. God alone has to power to make everything he says come to pass. He is a law unto himself. (Psalms:135; 6-7): Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. 7 He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

As A.W Pink Says: of this passage: He(God) prohibited His people, from eating ravens , classifying them among the unclean, yea , to be an 'abomination' to them Lev: 11:15 and Deuteronomy: 14:14. Yet He himself made use of them to carry food unto His servant.

It must also be noted that God demonstrated his sovereignty and supremacy when he employed Pharaoh's own daughter , to succour infant Moses, at Pharaoh's expense.

Exodus:2:5-10 : “And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 6And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. 7Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 8And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. 9And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. 10And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

God also demonstrated his Sovereignty and supremacy when he compelled a lying dishonest prophet to bless when he was paid to curse. (Numbers 23:11-20)

I11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. 12And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth? 13And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence. 14And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. 15And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder. 16And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. 17And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken? 18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

19God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

20Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

God also demonstrated his sovereignty and supremacy when In the middle of the night he moves the heart of the king to favor a man to whom the King's chief General despised and also caused the proud and great General to fall before the meek and weak servant of God.

Esther 3:5-6 5And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. 6And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

Esther6: -13 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?

7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.

13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.

Only God is awesome he alone won the victory over:Over death hell and the grave

When Paul made his defense before Agrippa Paul says to Agrippa and his audience including Festus who had earlier been disbelieving of religious claims including the resurrection of Christ ( Acts 25:19)

“Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?”

1. Elijah raised the son of the Zarephath widow from the dead (1 Kings 17:17-22).

2. Elisha raised the son of the Shunammite woman from the dead (2 Kings 4:32-35).

3. A man was raised from the dead when his body touched Elisha’s bones (2 Kings 13:20, 21).

4. Jesus raised the son of the widow of Nain from the dead (Luke 7:11-15).

5. Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead (Luke 8:41, 42, 49-55).

6. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44).

7. Many saints rose from the dead at the resurrection of Jesus (Matt. 27:50-53).

8. Jesus rose from the dead (Matt. 28:5-8; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5, 6).

9. Peter raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-41).

10. Eutychus was raised from the dead by Paul (Acts 20:9, 10).

Who'd be found worthy
In the heavens or the earth
To pay the debt of sin for everyone
Who could win the victory
Over death hell and the grave
The Lion of the tribe of Judah
Jesus Christ the Son
He alone is worthy
To worship and adore
The Lamb of God victorious
Our risen Lord
He purchased our redemption
Our righteousness is He
Exalt the name of Jesus
He is worthy
He purchased our redemption
Our righteousness is He
Exalt the name of Jesus
He is worthy
Exalt the name of Jesus
He is worthy
He is worthy
He is worthy
He is worthy
Worthy worthy

Elijah resurrected the son of Zarephath's widow

1 Kings 17:17-24 (KJV)
17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

1. Elisha resurrected the son of the great Shunammite woman

This interesting account is recorded in 2 Kings 4. The Shunammite woman had no children. For a woman to be barren in those days was a great source of shame. The word says that her husband was old, which would imply he was unable to produce seed. However, because the Shunammite woman was genuinely kind and generous to the prophet Elisha, he told her she would have a child in one year's time. God healed her and her husband and she conceived and gave birth to a son.

Later on while working out in the fields something disastrous happens to her son (a head injury or possibly heat stroke) and he dies. The Shunammite woman hastily went to the prophet Elisha, and she insisted he go to her son and raise him from the dead.

2 Kings 4:35 (KJV)
35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

2. A dead man comes back to life when he touches Elisha's bones

Kings 13:21 (KJV)
21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

Even after he was dead, the anointing still remaining in Elisha's bones raised someone from the dead. Earlier in 2 Kings 2:9, Elisha had boldly requested that he receive a double portion of Elijah's anointing. However, after Elisha died it looked like it was too late for him to raise twice as many people from the dead as Elijah.

Who would have ever thought that touching Elisha's bones could raise someone from the dead; certainly not the men that were burying him! Clearly the seeds of faith we sow in the brief time we are in this world continue to grow and accomplish things even after we are long gone.

1. New Testament

   1. Jesus resurrects the widow's son at Nain

Luke 7:13-15 (KJV)
13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

2. Jesus raises Jairus' daughter from the dead

Matthew 9:25 (KJV)
25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

See also Mark 5:42, and Luke 8:55

3. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead

John 11:43-44 (KJV)
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

4. Many saints resurrected at Jesus' crucifixion

Matthew 27:52-53 (KJV)
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

5.  Christ's resurrection

Matthew 28:5-7 (KJV)
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

See also Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-11, and John 20:1-10

6. Peter raises a female disciple named Tabitha from the dead

Acts 9:36-42 (KJV)
36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did.
37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.
42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

7. Paul raises Eutychus from the dead

Acts 20:9-12 (KJV)
9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.

Concerning Free Will

January 20, 2015 at 11:28pm

Some think that the doctrine of free will i.e whether man has freewill is unimportant to salvation. but it is precisely a correct understanding of that doctrine which will not only shape or gospel message , but which also determines our outreach methods, our success in evangelism and the spiritual health and vitality of our converts and church membership. For if we believe and teach that man's will is free, meaning that he is capable of freely and independently making correct moral choices on his own, (such as accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour), without interference from outside forces, then we ignore the correct teaching of scripture and make light of what the Bible says of the devil whom it describes as the strong man who safely keeps all his captives. Scripture clearly states that it is he, the devil, who holds men captive against their will (a will that has been enslaved because of sin) and is is only through the working and plan of God in the holy spirit that men can be made free:

1.For by grace are we saved...............................................Ephesians 2: 8-9

2.No man can come unto me except the spirit draws him .. John 6:44-45

3.It takes the spirit to reveal Christ to men and that happens in gods timing not ours... “flesh and blood hath not revealed that unto you but me father which is in heavenly.. Matthew 16:13-17

4.No man can call Christ lord except it is by the spiritual...1Coprinthians 12:3

5. The carnal man cannot receive the things of god...neither can he know them they are spiritually discerned 1 Corinthians 2:14

6. Since the fall man's will and way has been only evil continually… Gen 6:5

Hence what we assert is that man's will is not free, not because God made man a robot. but because at the fall-man did not cease to beman, but he ceased to be good. Therefore though he maintained his will- it is no longer free in the sense of being capable of making good moral choices such as the ultimate moral choice of choosing to serve Jesus Christ. Rather it is in subjection to sin and Satan. The only way man can therefore be made free is through the intervention of God without any help whatsoever from himself. Unsaved men must therefore thrown themselves before God and bawl out for mercy rather than think they can come to God when they are “ready”.

Telling unbelievers that they have free will and are capable of making good moral choices is

un-scriptural. It merely inflates his pride and keeps him/her in chains believing that there is no need to rush but they can come when they are ready. Thus they fail realise the true danger to their souls.

Response to court arguments against Ban on gay marriages

September 15, 2014 at 5:05pm

Judges blast Indiana, Wisconsin gay-marriage bans ((http://www.omaha.com/news/nation/judges-blast-indiana-wisconsin-gay-marriage-bans/article_0ba10958-2d0c-11e4-8c12-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=print)

Judge Richard Posner, …… was dismissive when Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Timothy Samuelson repeatedly pointed to `tradition' as the underlying justification for barring gay marriage.

"It was tradition to not allow blacks and whites to marry a tradition that got swept away,"Posner said.

Prohibition of same sex marriage, he said, is "a tradition of hate ... and savage discrimination."

The ACLU and Lambda Legal have essentially reiterated their equal protection arguments in appeals

court filings, arguing that the bans deny gay couples state and federal legal protections and benefits

that married straight couples enjoy. "The freedom to marry is a core aspect of personal liberty for all Americans," the ACLU said in its briefs.

 

Those in support of Traditional Marriage need to make a more reasoned philosophical argument rooted in history theology and science in communicating to liberal, humanistic  jurist just why, regardless of what credence is  given to non-traditional unions, special consideration must be given to traditional male/female Marriages, and they must not all be considered equal.

The argument from the Pro-choice (Gay marriage) judges as enunciated by the ACLU is that failure to remove discrimination in marriage, meaning upholding a ban of same sex marriages denies the equal protection under law to those who wish to exercise their individual right to marry as they choose. And while it is true that  such bans amounts to a denial of expression of some individual rights , history has taught us that as a society in spite of our impulses or inclinations to express our every human desire, there are times when we need to self-impose restraints on ourselves for the preservation and perpetuation of the human race. Thus as a society at some point we must be prepared to say that in spite of the argument of equal rights, there are some things which we need to keep out. we should never allow an individual to build a nuclear plant in his own backyard.

Judges too must know that there is no sphere in which the constitutional right of everyone will always be equally balanced. For example, a convicted felon: The reason we lock him up and not allow him to roam free is because we have determined that based on the historical, social and even biblical practices over the centuries(from which we have derived most of our laws) that if we allow him to roam that he is likely to bring harm to others and that cannot be allowed. What do we say to him if he maintains that he does not have respect to those laws by which a majoritarian society lives, simply because his philosophy of life is survival of the fittest? Therefore, in his view,   theft, murder or rape is simply the outflow of human nature which ought to be given  equal expression.

If we operate under such a cloak of cultural relativism,(as proponents of  gay marriage seem to be suggesting that we should then society as we know-where there is a constant search to find balance, is unlikely to survive).

Despite protest to the contrary, humanity had taken a decision generally, (in most countries 'Adult Suffrage' (around 16/18) is the age/time when individuals will be able to vote as well as make their own decisions about many things. We have generally stuck with this age, even though/arguably they are many who may be able to make such decisions much earlier.

Furthermore, (at least for the present) as a human-society, we have decided that even though a physically of or mentally challenged child may be considered by some as a 'drain' on parent’s resources, the parents are not allowed to indiscriminately dispose of them.

Though somewhat absurd, one may logically ask: Who gives us this right to tell people what they can and cannot do with situations which affects them intricately? So too it is  regarding our responsibility to debt. Generally, we do not allow persons who incur debt to run away from it even thou the benefit they derived from the debt incurred may have long evaporated. Hence it can be seen that as a human-society we have always insisted upon things which in many ways infringe upon that so-called constitutional right of individuals BUT we do it because we know that there is no other way because as a society we cannot have freedom without restrictions on those same freedoms.

Therefore as much as we don’t like it, only a myopic, reckless and soon to be extinct human society; advocates unqualified freedoms for all in every sphere without realizing that pursuing such philosophies without moderation, pushed to their natural/logical conclusion will result in the eventual destruction of the current species.

This conclusion, as harsh as it may sound,  becomes inevitable, because there is no craven division of offices whereby we may safely allow unmitigated freedoms today such as removing the stipulation of marriage as between a man and a woman today and yet withhold its destabilizing effects upon human-society until tomorrow. Both sides must therefore agree that restriction will forever be a natural part of life.

 

The question therefore which really needs to be addressed is; what criteria should we use and who determines the criteria for determining thorny issues such as same sex marriages, abortion, euthanasia and such like?

 In honestly answering this question I sincerely believe that we need to use the argument/experience from scripture, history and science.

The argument from history must reflect on what has served our purpose all along as a human society and had gotten us to this point where groups like those pushing same sex marriages are allowed to freely state their claims.

In responding to the judges very valid argument that marriages between blacks and whites were once deemed unconstitutional because of traditional discrimination; I say  let us take a more reasoned approach than our predecessors. I believe if Western society had honestly read and  studied the Bible, it supposedly fought so hard to defend, such arguments would never have been enforced because that great book which speaks emphatically, spoke of the equality of all men. The Book of Acts points out, The God made all men of one blood to dwell on the earth. 

The argument form scripture must therefore include historical teachings of scripture even though  some may be weary  of previous manipulation of scripture by many for the sake of their discriminatory views. Because, in spite of those who abused it, for selfish purposes the Bible has brought the western world  to the place we are presently, where there is  respect and tolerance for each other.

 

The argument form science must insist on procreation as an essential element of society’s continuance. Therefore, in my view, even though society should, and one feels will eventually be forced to accede to the individual’s right to marry who he/she chooses. It is also (society’s), responsibility to fight to preserve the continuance of society by insisting that marriage between a man and a woman can in no way be equal to any other union, nor must any other same sex union be  allowed to claim equal status.

Thus in allowing same sex unions it’s like allowing anyone to choose their desired religion but not allowing them to force it on others. The reason why we insist that they be not allowed to force it on others is because we believe it is our duty to preserve this aspect of freedom in society, so too it must be our responsibility to preserve the procreation of society through insisting on marriage as a union between one man and a woman.

Why so many Christians "Coming out"?

September 13, 2014 at 12:43am

The question was asked: What is happening with all these celebrities ‘coming out’? This trend seems to suggest that “coming out” (which amounts to a validation of homosexuality) is the result of conflicted individuals, (who have legitimate concerns about their feelings, sexuality and faith) who rather than stepping away from the limelight and deal with their personal struggles, opt to remain in the limelight and soak up the last vestiges of glamour while seeking to justify they flaws as part of Gods plan for their lives and all humanity. This action brings to mind the saying: How did a pile of kush become the mountain of truth? How did a bottle of wine become the fountain of youth? (Drake quotes). In essence how does the feelings, experiences, and perceptions of some pleasure loving “celebrity” who is often chosen by dubious if not questionable criteria, suddenly become on par with the truth of scripture? Furthermore how does a person because they are considered a ‘celebrity’ without the benefit of scholarship and verifiable reputation of scriptural interpretation, become an oracle of Biblical truth and exegesis? But this is exactly what happens when you ‘celebratise’ the gospel and make these big names greater drawing cards than Jesus Christ himself. We can thank North America for this new culture. Thanks to the manipulation of Christianity by friends and foes alike, we have successfully merchandised the gospel with such skill and alacrity that its simplicity is being lost and its validity is now being determined by the level of devotion of its half-hearted adherents rather than the Person of the Holy Spirit. Now it is unavoidable that given the frailness and sinfulness of human nature, the corroding influence of our anti-christian culture, and the preponderance of world influences to engage in our fleshly passions, that we human being will oft be overcome with sins and weaknesses and give in to even our most vile passions. But the attempt must never be to legitimize theses failures when they occur.Scripture says: “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? Whose damnation is just.” (Romans 3:3-6) Also it says in Job 40:8: "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? It seems like rather than conform to: “let God be true and every man a liar “we are trying to make God a liar. Unfortunately the situation is persisting because for many years the church has been professing to the world that Christians are: 100% ‘holy -sinless’ even though it knew full well that unspeakable acts were taking place in both high and low places and sometimes among our foremost leaders. The hard truth is that human beings no matter how celebrated are subject to faults and failures and that no man is without sin. This does not mean that we use this as a cloak for sinful action “shall we continue in sin that grace may abound, God forbid” But it does mean that if we are to overcome our weaknesses we must first admit that we have a part to play in out sin and it’s not always the ‘devil made me do it’. Additionally we should not seek to gloss over our weaknesses by insisting, ‘I was born that way’. And even if we want to argue it was a ‘birth defect’ as a society we have said to the kleptomaniac the manic depressive and others with similar complaints/weaknesses that even if they are born that way, should they fail to right their ways, then we are prepared to institutionalize them, for these ‘birth defects’. In saying this however one must not assume that it is an easy task to overcome any sort or weakness or sin of the flesh. If we are honest we will admit that some need more help than others. Part of the problem is that the church is being seen as a judgemental loveless and often closed group of persons who fail to rescue and assist those who truly need it when they really need it. YET as people who truly love God and in spite of the failings of the church we need to realize that our weaknesses are not surprising to God and that Christ' sacrifice at Calvary covered Present past and future sin. It may therefore be more our refusal to adapt to a scriptural plan of salvation and the simplicity of the Gospel while depending on the man-made feel good kind of religiosity so prevalent today, which has us in such a quandary. The challenge, I have noticed is that the paradoxical nature of Christianity is not well understood by many of its professed followers which have resulted in less than diligent discipleship. This sad reality however, seems to be the result of the failing of Bible teachers to present a well-articulated and intelligent view of the teachings of scripture, as opposed to the one dimensional narcissistic rhetoric often being spewed from the pulpit.

Nobody Greater

September 15, 2014 at 5:10pm

                                

When I consider the vastness of the earth and the treachery, deviance, evil and complexity of humanity, and the fact that we are moving to live in an immense and complicated world in which the wickedness of men is great and the power and protection of the law is limited; often hampered by  the sheer size of its natural burden and  the frailness of human reasoning upon which it rest; the only thing that gives me hope of a safe future for me, my wife and my children is in knowing/believing that God has absolutely everything in his hands and that there is categorically nothing that can happen to any of us that he is not in complete control of: So, even if I were to face the darkest night or the vastest of enemies in the most barren or destitute place under the most bewildering of circumstances ever there I am fully confident that amidst the seven (7) plus billion people in the world that God will hear and answer my prayer and respond personally and quickly to my cry and rescue of me and or any member of my family.

 

There is no place to hide or be hidden from thee

Psalm 139 King James Version (KJV)

139 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

King James Version (KJV)

by Public Domain

 

He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

 

Psalm 147 King James Version (KJV)

147 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.

3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

6 The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.

14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.

15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

16 He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.

17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?

18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.

King James Version (KJV)

by Public Domain

All nations are before him like a drop in a bucket, lol

Isaiah 40 King James Version (KJV)

40 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

10 Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

King James Version (KJV)

by Public Domain

 

 

As the sand y the seashore can’t be numbered

Jeremiah 33 King James Version (KJV)

33 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

2 Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name;

3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

4 For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;

5 They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.

6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.

8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.

9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

10 Thus saith the Lord; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,

11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord.

12 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.

13 In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the Lord.

14 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.

17 For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;

18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.

19 And the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, saying,

20 Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;

21 Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.

22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

23 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,

24 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the Lord hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

25 Thus saith the Lord; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;

26 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

King James Version (KJV)

by Public Domain

The double edge sword of religious Belief: Faith, satire, democracy & correct posture of devotees

January 18, 2015 at 4:55pm

Introduction:

“Though religion makes men zealous it does not always make men wise” David E Hall.

The supposed caricaturization of the Holy Prophet Mohamed combined with other elements of satire, widely used in critiquing today’s turbulent socio, political, religious and cultural environment,were allegedly what brought the wrath of Muslim extremist to 'raindown' on the offices of France's satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. This attack resulted in the death of editorial staff and other citizens,including law enforcement officers. Its occurrence, coupled with threats of future attacks,now threatens the continued democratic right of individuals to freely speak their consciences. The fact that such attacks are perpetuated in the name of an all-wise, all knowing God makes their occurrence even harder to comprehend. The perpetrators have indicated that their primary concern and goal of these attacks is the preservation of the honour of their deity and his prophets, and a return to the purity of their religious ideals.Hence in recent times, the grossly fanatical Boko Haram in Nigeria and Cameroon and the Islamic state extremist in Iraq,Syria and surrounding nations, have joined other extremist in massacring untold thousands including:Christians, moderate Muslims and non believers in attempting to achieve their stated goals.Unfortunately,while one would like to regard these actions as simply misguided,unthinkable,ludicrous and anathema to sophisticated, and enlightened, individuals,the long chequered documented biblical and historical versions of mankind's existence, and  his unpredictable nature under the influence of religion, demands that we accept that the unfortunate events highlighted above are nothing new. Hence,these recurring practices force us to continually ponder the power of ideas and the double edged nature of religious beliefs. I am therefore hopeful that this brief look at:“The double edge sword of religious Belief: Faith,satire, democracy&correct posture of devotees”will help the spiritual enthusiast among us to respectfully and peacefully carry out their mandate of world evangelization without having to resort to drawing of the sword, as Peter did, in the hope/effort of protecting the Saviour of mankind.

1. A god who does not act in his own honour is unworthy of devotion. Judges6:25-32King James Version (KJV)

“if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.” These were the words of Joash, Gideons father, in response to the men who came to him one morning demanding that he: “Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.” In response to their demand, Joash, also a devotee of Baal, seemingly motivated both by grief and anger spewed the defiant words in recognition that a god who could not defend himself against the assault of a wayward youth had possibly become unworthy of the status of a deity. Thus as these words echoed across the early dawn they brought the chilling winds of reality that doused the religious fervour of the agitators in an instance. Furthermore,these fierce and shivery winds(words)ripped the sails from the mast (k)of mankind's self imposed delusion, as reason prevailed, and demanded that these devotees open their minds and consider the implication of the previous nights happenings.Hence as these overzealous souls reluctantly pondered Joash's words it slowly but assuredly dawned on them, (that in-spite of the long held tradition that the 'unreasonableness of faith due to its intangible nature often places it outside the bonds of human understanding) that the intention to slaughter Gideon for dishonouring a god who himself mounted no defense was perhaps more than rational human beings should contemplate. In abandoning their mission this early morning war party knew as Joash had insisted, that any god who needed protection from a young upstart-in protecting himself and his territory did not truly posses immutability an inherent quality of the divine.Yet after all these centuries, and similar events in human experience, men, in the name of god and religion still don their armour and take up their physical guns, knives,explosives and swords, to go forth and fight a holy war in defense of the honour of their god. What they continually miss is that no matter how noble, no matter how worthy, no matter how well intentioned, mortal man cannot and must not resort to the use of violence and force in the defense a god should he be unable to defend him/her- self. If God be that god,in time he will speak and set in order all that need to be set in order. In the fulness of time, the true God will make himself known to all men both the living and the dead. In the meantime our defense of the faith is in deliberation, debate,vigorous discussion and contestation of ideas as encouraged by St Paul, as we contend earnestly for the faith. It was Paul who also encouraged the church even as he implored Timothy to study to show himself approved unto God and be a workman who could unashamedly rightly divide the word of truth and not be shy or hesitant in his defense of Christian doctrine.Thus in accordance with the admonition of the new testament at no time must our defense of our beliefs trespass into the barren wilderness of repression, oppression or destruction of others physically or psychologically.As long as life shall last, our service to God must be guided by the first commandment of scripture which ought to be dear to both Christian and Muslims alike:“love the Lord thy God with all they heart,and soul mind and strength and love thy neighbour as thyself”.

2.History demonstrates that holy wars alienate rather than draw adherents to a cause: (Acts5:33-42King James Version (KJV)

The harsh reality which needs be faced and addressed in haste by the wise and prudent brothers within Islam, is that on its present course, driven by extremist, Islam is more likely to self-destruct before it even begins to see its ultimate goal of worldwide domination. The barbaric practices of Boko Haram, Islamic state, and other radicals serve only to alienate the seeking and bewilder the faithful with respect to Islam.In this regard, Islam needs to learn from the mistakes of Christianity which previously persecuted Muslims in no small way, inadvertently leading to the accelerated spread of Islam across Africa and the Middle East. Ironically, the current atrocities of Islamic extremist mirror/imitate the actions of The Christian church centuries ago when headed by the Roman catholic popes the Christian Church persecuted and killed untold millions for their non Christian faith. The many forms of martyrdom exacted upon the non conformist populations have been only too well documented. The Spanish Inquisition alone ensured the persecution of Jews, protestants, and other non-catholics;confiscation of lands, censorship of views, control of peasants, and loss of life for offences such as “witchcraft, sodomy,bigamy,blasphemy and freemasonry among other things was a constant feature of this dark period.Even more ironic was the fact that these documented crimes against humanity provide chilling details of the cruel nature of those, who at the same time of being angels/instruments of death claimed to be exercising the attributes of a loving god. Incidentally the practices used in their fight, though previously evident in the Old Testament,had been repudiated in the New Testament form which they claimed to have derived their authority.

Unfortunately,persecution on non Christians was also evident during the 'crusades' conducted, which interestingly foreshadowed current Boko Haram and Islamic state practices. The Crusades,were military drives sanctioned by the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. In 1095 Pope Urban II proclaimed the First Crusade with the stated goal of restoring Christian access to holy places in and near Jerusalem. Afraid that Muslims would overrun Jerusalem the pope and his advisors devised this plan in the name of Christianity.According to the plan, it would not be a sin to kill non-Christians.Thus in accordance with Catholic system of indulgences, persons who went to fight in the Holy land and killed non Christians would have their sins forgiven no matter how many sins they had committed.Crusading therefore attracted men and women of all classes. Several hundred thousand Roman Catholic Christians became crusaders by taking a public vow and receiving plenary indulgences from the church.Whoever joined the ranks of the crusaders gained spiritual immunity,Pope Urban II promised forgiveness of all sins to whosoever took up the cross and joined in the war. Additionally, while crusading as a “soldier for Christ” persons would benefit not only from expressing total devotion to God, but receive additional motivations for taking up the cross by the opportunities for economic or political gain. Historian Mike Lodes also notes that according to the crusaders mandate, a knight could sin as much as he liked but just go and fight and he would get a passport to heaven and access to the treasures he could secure for himself from the Near East.( Today, it is said, that radical islamist are given assurances of chaste virgins and a prominent place in the afterlife in exchange for self-martyrdom, or the carrying out suicide missions- rewards which in some ways mirror the promises of the indulgences.) Many other historians give equally damming commentary of the crusades as sinister military campaigns for a variety of religious, economic, and political reasons. Some see the crusades as as part of long-running conflict at the frontiers of Europe; and others see them as confident, aggressive, papal-led expansion attempts by Western Christendom. However, rather than bring healing to the suffering peoples of the world, the crusades reinforced the connection between Western Christendom, feudalism, and militarism. The crusaders often pillaged the countries through which they travelled in the typical medieval manner of supplying an army on the move. History clearly shows that the crusades failed as they only served to embolden those who were persecuted. Roger Bacon OFM,English philosopher and Franciscan friar felt the Crusades were ineffective since "those who survive, together with their children, are more and more embittered against the Christian faith."Similarly The efforts of Boko Haram and the Islamic stage who believe that mercenary expeditions are the way to go, will also fail.

Conclusion:

We cannot defend God. A god that needs defending with guns and spears and swords and shields is no use to us, as he/she destroys our faith and is not a god after all. Secondly may we never forget, that religious conflict does not endear us to people nor people to us, but ensures that the cycle of violence, hate and mistrust remains and is perpetuated .Therefore though we need to be passionate about our religious beliefs, we need to be even more passionate about the spirit in which we share those beliefs, because, as Scripture and history have concluded, though religion makes men zealous, it does not always make them wise.

The Belief of God in an age of Skepticism

September 16, 2014 at 12:48am
P.P: 1 Cor 5:7,Matt 3:1-17, Matt 11:1-6, Luke 10:27,1 John 4:4
Theme: How to maintain your belief in God in an age of skepticism
 
Realize your faith can’t be without doubts but there is no need to doubt your faith
We live in a world full of skepticism. Everyday our belief/faith in God comes under siege/Threat. As we watch television through media, Listen to various speakers and leaders or read text books; as we hear of church splits and conflicts; As we grapple with the place of God in natural disasters and even as we realize that science technology has provided us with many of the answers  we once looked to God  to furnish .As all of the things descend upon our hearts and mind we  are sometimes forced to ask is faith still relevant in this highly technological, sophisticated, rationalistic age?
Does the God described as the ancient of days fit into this modern complex world?
My Answer: Yes, Your faith has never been more relevant, more critical or more necessary. The question is how do you maintain it.
 
Realize your faith can’t be without doubts but there is no need to doubt your faith
[Matt 3:1-17,Matt 11:1-6]
 
NB: We will or may never be able to understand or come to grips with all the happenings and situations in our lives and circumstances and because of this there are times when will be overcome with grief, doubt, fear, anxiety and despair
 
P.P: 1 Cor 5:7, Matt 3:1-17, Matt 11:1-6,
 
Keller:  A faith without doubt is like body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy; or the probing questions of a smart skeptic.
 
                A person’s faith can collapse almost overnight if he /she have failed over the years to listen patiently to his /her own doubts which should only be discarded after thorough reflection.
 
As believers we need to acknowledge and wrestle with our doubts and those of our friends and neighbors
“It is no longer sufficient to hold beliefs just because you inherited them, only if you struggled long and hard with objectives to your faith will you be able to provide grounds for your beliefs to skeptic and yourself –including answers that are plausible rather than ridiculous or offensive.”
Furthermore he states “Such a process will lead you even after you come to a position of strong faith, to respect and understand those who doubt .”
 
Christopher Wright: “the God I don’t understand reflect on tough questions of faith.”
 
If we are honest we have to admit that there are many things we don’t understand about God .We don’t have final answers to the deep problems of life and those who say such are probably living in some degree of delusion because the mysteries in our Christian faith that lie beyond the keenest scholarship or even the most profound spiritual exercises.
 
 
 
 
 
Let Christ be your all in all
 
“Make God and the common good of your fellow man your ultimate value rather than individual freedom and personal happiness” and Jesus tells  us to love the lord of Gods with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor s as ourselves [Luke 10:27].
The question that surrounds this topic is why we have such a hard time convincing people of who we are (Christians)? In my honest opinion it’s because of how the worlds sees us from through their eyes and judge us by how much we portray the love of God to him/her and to the nation of people surrounding us. As a result our ultimate value in this culture war continues to be our own individual freedom and personal happiness.
NB:  It is not what God wants in my life but it is about what I want so God and the common good of my fellow man is not my ultimate value
“Anger towards traditional religion is growing in power and influence even as faith grows”
Furthermore the unsaved judge us not by what is based in the bible because having not read it they will not know what to or how to judge us so they tend to look at how we relate to situations surrounding us
[2 Cor 3:2, 3] You yourselves are the letter we have, written on our heart for everyone to know and read. It is clear that Christ himself wrote this letter and sent it to us .it is written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God
So this scripture states that people must see Christ in us
 
NB: There is prevailing  perception that people who say they are devout Christians rarely if ever become deeply involved in social , civil or political issues as result some have been regarded as being to heavenly minded to be of any earthly good. On the other hand they have been those Christians that have become so caught up in social issues that they have often time compromise their christian faith.
 
 
As Keller points out, there often appear to be two camps but something is wrong with both
“The people most passionate about social justice were moral revolutionist, while the morally upright didn’t seem to care about the oppression going on all over the world>
 
In the USA , Attempts are being made to fit the Christian faith into the categories of liberal democrats or conservative republicans where liberals democrats advocate for debate in acts of abortion, sex and marriage and seem more concerned about the  poor and social justice .
Republicans or conservatives on the other hand are strong in their opposition in government in one’s personal life as far as their concern poverty is a failure of personal responsibility  and their primary concern  is with upholding christian morals and sexual ethics .
                                                                                2.4
As a result it is clear to see that what is needed is a third view the one advocated earlier.A position where we Christians have a concern for social justice in this world and we are concerned with issues of poverty but these concerns and actions must be grounded in the nature of God/word of God rather than in our own subjective feelings.
 
Again I reiterate the need to make God and the common good of our fellow man our ultimate value rather than individual freedom and personal happiness.
NB: It’s not about you or me it’s about him
We must decrease that Christ may increase [John3.30]
 
The life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who
 love me and gave himself  for me [Col 2:20]
 
Once again there is no need in the body of Christ to return to doctrine of Paul’s unused liberty- All thy fearful but not expedient. Stop pleasing self  and start living for Christ the world is watching,the sceptic will be won by our lives not words only
 
NB: Don’t be inoculated against God with a mild form of Christianity demonstrate the relevance of your faith
 
The truth is we don’t understand everything
 
In particular one of the things that baffles us are why does God allow evil and suffering in case of the tsunami in Asia or the earthquake in Haiti or when babies die.
 
NB: Neither did the prophets understand if and they too cried out to God because when we think of evil and suffering in the context of the God whom we serve evil makes no sense
 
NB: And it is not enough to shrug it off as a the judgement of God or a curse from God- Jesus denounced that as perverted logic when he said of the man born blind in [luke13:1-5] neither did this man sin nor his  parents
Too often we like to jump to the easy conclusion
 
The bible is filled  with the voices of lament  and protest from the servants of God  whose faith  was tested by having to endure the offense of evil and suffering in light of the understanding of the utter
Sovereignty of God.
 
[1 john 4:4] Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world
 
The bible says in [1 peter 4:12-13] beloved thinks it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is trt some of you as though some strange thing happen to you
 
NB  Because God has called you ,you will be able to withstand all the snares of the sceptic.
 
[Psalm 23]:Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
 
[Psalm 91]:A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but you will not be touched
 
[Rom 8:38]: I am persuaded
 
[2 Tim 1:12] For I know whom I have believed that he is able to keep that which I have committed
 
NB: what had Paul committed- his interest ,his life ,his body ,his soul ,his spirit.
 
NB: God Knows all about me
 
[Job 23:10] – He knoweth the way I take and  after he has tested me I will come forth as pure gold
 
[Job 1:4-5]- Even though he ……. me I will trust in him
 
[Daniel 3:16] oh king Nebuchadnezzar we don’t need to answer you
 
Because you are resolved one way to make us bow and we are resolved the other way –we will not bow
 
Daniel 3:17 – if it comes to it and your throw us in the five –The God whom we save is able
 
[Job 19:6-8]
 
God has wronged me and drawn his net around me though I cry violenceI get no response though I cry for help there is no justice he has blocked my way so that I cannot pass .He has shrouded my paths in darkness
 
[Jeremiah 15:18]
 
Why is my pain unending and my words grevious and incurable? You God to me is like a deceptive book
Like a spring that fails.
 
[Lamentations 2:11-12]
 
My eyes fail from weeping I am tormented within my heart is paired out on the ground because my …………… are destroyed
 
[Psalms 88:13-14-18] I cry for help lord …….. why do you reject me  and hide your face from me – you took my neighbor and made darkness my closest friend.
 
[Habakkuk 1:13]
Struggled …………… with the problem of evil and justice of God, he ask God how can you who cannot even look upon evil let …………… compromise it – How in the world  can you just sit there  when evil ….. the just
 
The answer – In many instances God does not answer the prophets
 
NB: In fact God has given us the words in the bible  that helps to fully express our fears

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