anecho's Revelife

Testing God with a bouncing ball

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:43:43 GMT

Response for Miss Magnolia’s Testing God, how to you explain to an 8-year-old that God doesn't always do the things we ask Him to do, like proving His existence, because our requests are out of selfishness and lack of faith. God does things for His glory and His glory alone. When we test Him and ask Him to prove His existence, it's not giving Him any glory. It's like we're almost commanding God to show His face because we are such selfish beings that we need this for our own happiness, even if it brings no glory to Him....

Just the way you did - 8 years is old enough to begin grasping abstract thought, and to appreciate real honesty. God doesn't answer to us, we cannot command Him, even under the guise of request or prayer. Hearing this, and beginning to learn this, at 8 years old would help the young man along in his spiritual journey considerably. He may not fully grasp the concept without some stories to lay it out, so perhaps start in the bible, reading the story of Balaam (Numbers 22) - explain how Balaam could acknowledge God, but thought by his actions and prayers he could change the will of God. Address the heart condition for your nephew.

God calls us to believe in Him as the true, omnipotent, unmanipulatable God of the Universe. He wants us to step toward Him in faith, so sometimes He does not choose to answer our prayers with yes. Or rather, as Paul explains, only when we align ourselves with God's desires, and our prayers join into His will, then He will give you the desires of your heart. As our hearts become more and more filled with desires for His glory, then we will see more and more of those desires come to fruition as He does His will.

You could introduce him to some of these scriptures to open more discussion, too:

Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
~ Romans 8:5 ~

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
~ Psalm 37:4 ~

This is by no means a complete scriptural list, but I would encourage you to pray with him and turn to the bible with him, to point him toward the Lord for these great questions he is sharing. He will see where you get your hope from, and know where to turn to when he has questions as he grows. Sometimes your answer doesn’t have to be too complex – just your confidence in who God is and your willingness to glorify Him will speak volumes. J

Keep thy soul diligently

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:58:20 GMT

Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons. ~Deuteronomy 4:9~

Only take heed to thyself – a sentiment echoed in Philippians 2, to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

Keep thy soul diligently – The Hebrew for “diligently” here is m@`od – “meh·ode' ”, meaning exceedingly, muchly, with great might, force, abundance; exceedingly, greatly, very (idioms showing magnitude or degree). This implies a constant watch, requiring great might, even to the point of force. This is a full-time job. To be holding every thought captive in obedience to Christ. To be guarding your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. To be meditating ever on His holy Word, turning to it at every step, and turning back to it after every revealed distraction. To be contemplating Scripture, digging deeper into our understanding of Him, searching for more, while being on the watch ever for those ploys the enemy would use to rob us of our eternal inheritance. To be clinging to Him with fierce devotion while sweat wrings from our brow and our bodies quake with trepidation. Yeah, that kind of diligence. Keeping our soul in surrender, awaiting His every instruction, kneeling at His throne ~ knowing with full certainty our heavenly reward.

Lest thou forget … and lest they depart from they heart all the days of thy life – I’ve noticed, as life continues on in its daily events, even the smallest distraction can wipe my memory clean of the complete peace I had while lost in His Words. If I am not constantly renewing my mind with the washing of His Word, then my own thoughts take over. If any of us should forsake finding Him every distracted moment in His holy Word, we risk losing His Words to the sea of personal thoughts, giving way to worries, fears, and eventually leading us down our own path, away from His abundantly peaceful Mercy Seat of communion with Him, and into the pride of self-trust, self-direction, and self-will. We must be diligent!

But teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons. – Another full-time job, if taken seriously, and one which by design can keep us forcefully focused on Him as we moment by moment strive to the victory of giving our children and grandchildren His knowledge, His word, His love. An instruction deemed worthy of repeating at hand, with clarification and promise:

And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. ~Deuteronomy 11:19~

After all, Has He not been diligent to teach me, to provide for me, to work the ends of time to instill His plan for my salvation? Can I find my strength in Him, by Him, and through Him? Can I diligently guard this precious soul which He saw fit, through His own blood, to gift to me?

Living Prayer in Word and Action

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:30:51 GMT

In response to the the revelife crew's Question of the Day: Telling Non-Christians You'll Pray For Them - Awkward? Do you tell non-Christians that you'll pray for them, even when they don't ask for it? If you're a non-Christian, how do you feel when someone says that you're in their prayers?

Our true convictions reveal themselves in our words and actions.

I believe that Jesus is who He said He was ~
The Son of God, existent with the Father and Holy Spirit at the foundation of the earth, eternally foredestined by the infinitude of His love to embody the Almighty's unitary attributes of justice, mercy, grace, wisdom, and on and on in descriptions of omnipotent perfection, the culmination of which He demonstrated in his once and for all act of sacrificial love ~ HIS love so mighty and pure that HE from the beginning of time was willing to die for HIS beloved creation.
He purposed to come and die for you and me to show us WHO HE IS, that we might finally have a place to rest our broken hopes: in HIS greatness, in HIS mercy, in HIS awesome, cherishing, tenderness, in HIS willingness to absorb all of my brokenness into HIS perfection.

Knowing this, my prayers are my heart and soul's communication with my Creator, as inseparable from me as my life itself - meaning, present in this body as long as I am present, and as soon as I am absent from this body, I will be present with Him. My communion with Him is part of me, His gift to me; and HIS redeeming work in me becomes more and more evident as I believe in His transforming work. I am not a Christian because I have put that title on my desktop plaque and continued on in life’s journey unaffected. I am a Christian because He came to me in my utterly confounded state of weakness and defeat, He made me aware of WHO HE IS, and HE awakened a new life in me.

This is who I am because HE gave HIS life to me – He bestowed His life to live inside of me today, to defeat sin in me that I may experience every day in Him, His power, His victory. I do not pray merely because it will make other people feel good, and I do not pray believing that I may have some influence over God with my sincerity or strength or will. I pray in communion with, in response to, the movement of His Holy Spirit and power inside me. I pray for the lost because HE is moved to compassion for those hurt, weary, meek and poor. I pray because this is who I am in Him, and it is HIS power to affect change, healing, mercy, or compassion that I believe in.

My outward action is a reflection of the inward man (woman, in my case) ~ I live because Christ lives in me ~ I pray because He moves me to ~ and if that does make others feel awkward, it is not my concern ~ though I certainly do understand the validity of their response, my focus is not on them, but on the Lord, on His power, on His magnitude. Before I understood, I too, experienced awkwardness at others’ suggestions of prayer, because I didn’t understand the true power to salvation in Christ Jesus, but had that kept others from praying, I would not have seen for myself. I expect that as I am a Christian, I will act in accordance with my convictions and pray to my Savior for the help of others.

I cannot offer up my prayers to others and act like I am gracing them with MY kind wishes. Who am I? My best is but filthy rags. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him.

Others desire, and in fact have a right to expect, that someone claiming to be a Christian will in all earnestness, be praying to the One True God, the definitive ultimate power of the Universe. They are watching to see what will happen. The awkwardness is a result of one belief-system coming in full contact with another’s, and the explosion of real questions that ensues from that ideological confrontation. “So, what does that mean?” “Who are you praying to?” “What will/could that possibly do?” “Who is God, anyways?’ ...and on down the line of theological query. And perhaps that awkwardness may be the unaccustomed’s response of “okay, you got my attention, so what happens next?” Whatever the case, these interactions are the true litmus test of your own convictions – do you really believe what you say, or is it just another catch phrase? Is there power behind your prayer? Where do your prayers go, and will it mean anything to the person you’re talking to? Will it change their life? If so, how?

We are tired of weak, meager, disappointing remarks of “I’m praying for you” that are effectually powerless, helpless gestures that really mean “I’d help you if I knew how, but I don’t have the answers for that in my own life, so I’m leaving you and your problem up to God because perhaps He can help you…” Offering a prayer as a means of shirking the true, brotherly work of coming alongside a neighbor – devoting your time and your LIFE to help each other walk through issues in truth, righteousness, and love – is a cheap disguise for a cold, too-busy-to-bother-with-your-heart’s-perplexity, write-off attitude that by all rights disheartens, disbenefits, and imparts rightful awkwardness to the hearer. If this is the case, by all means do not say the words. Better to be silent than to speak in insincerity. But best of all is to allow the power of Christ to consume you, become immersed in His saving strength, seek Him until His face is all you see, and then His life inside of you will shine grace upon that one you are praying for, awkward or not.

And ultimately, whether we tell someone that we’re praying for them or not does not affect His power in any of our lives. Allow the true power of the Lord to come in and administer to the other’s awkwardness. He is real, as you place your full assurance in Him, you don’t have to worry about others’ responses ~ their hearts are His to overwhelm with Love – and He WILL – when they choose to open the door to let Him in. J

Contemplation of Mercy

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:49:54 GMT

Holy Father, Thy wisdom excites our admiration, Thy power fills us with fear, Thy omnipresence turns every spot of earth into holy ground; but how shall we thank Thee enough for Thy mercy which comes down to the lowest part of our need - to give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and for the spirit of heaviness a garment of praise? We bless and magnify Thy mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~ A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy, Ch. 18 “The Mercy of God”

In discussing the attributes of God, Tozer says of Mercy:

As judgment is God’s justice confronting moral inequity, so mercy is the goodness of God confronting human suffering and guilt. Were there no guilt in the world, no pain and no tears, God would yet be infinitely merciful; but His mercy might well remain hidden in His heart, unknown to the created universe. No voice would be raised to celebrate the mercy of which none felt the need. It is human misery and sin that call forth the divine mercy.

These are my contemplations of Mercy today. Within Tozer’s earlier framework (ch 15) of:

“God’s being is unitary. He cannot divide Himself and act at a given time from one of His attributes while the rest remain inactive. All that God is must accord with all that God does. Justice must be present in mercy, and love in judgment. And so with all the divine attributes.”

Mercy becomes more than just the tag word we use to claim exemption from responsibility from our actions, and reclaims its place as a new revelation in God’s righteousness. Mercy ceases its bland state of overuse and becomes revived with the vibrant colorful flavor of new understanding. It is not, “We’ve already got grace, what do we need the extra word of mercy for?”

It is a realization, continuing from yesterday’s train of thought, of the impact of sin, my sin, which exemplifies the enormity of His glorious gift of Mercy. A.W. says, “For what right do we have to be there? Did we not by our sins take part in that unholy rebellion which rashly sought to dethrone the glorious King of creation? And did we not in times past walk according to the course of this world, according to the evil prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience? And did we not all at once live in the lusts of our flesh? And were we not by nature the children of wrath, even as others? But we who were one time enemies and alienated in our minds through wicked works shall then see God face to face and His name shall be in our foreheads. We who earned banishment shall enjoy communion; we who deserve the pains of hell shall know the bliss of heaven. And all through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us.”

I must admit, I have had a deficient grasp of the significance of true Mercy ~ its meaning has oft slipped to the background as one of the spiritual “extras” that I may master some day. As if the gift of Mercy is one I must get my hands around to add that little tag to my Christian resume. My mind has somehow limited its scope to thinking of Mercy narrowly as one of those extraneous accomplishments that would make me a really good person. Instead, refocusing again on His scope of control, on who He is, the perspective shifts to reflect that “We love because HE FIRST LOVED US.” ~ 1 John 4:19. Every aspect of the Christian heart as described by the Apostles is fueled by HIS work in us, by HIS Spirit alive in us – including Mercy. We cannot begin to comprehend true Mercy until we experience it in the depth of our souls for ourselves, flushed with conviction, then flooded with the light of His Mercy. The gift of Mercy comes first from Him.

It is Your work, O Lord, Your will, Your tenderness that brought this heart around to You. I am nothing. I was wretched in my self before You gave Your life to me. A friend said today “Oh no, not me, I am rags!” – perhaps that should be my quote for the day. It was a most endearing saying, and so lovingly clear. Your Mercy I do not deserve, and again, cannot merit. It is who YOU are, O Lord, that I place my confidence in.

As David wrote in the Psalms (see 51, 69, 79, 109, 119), Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.

The Grief and Sorrow of Life

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:46:00 GMT

Today's reading in Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest":

"Acquainted With Grief"

He is... a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

ISAIAH 53:3

If sin rules in me, God's life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. The final culmination of sin was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and what was true in the history of God on earth will also be true in you history and in mine--that is, sin will kill the life of God in us. It is the only explanation why Jesus Christ came to earth, and it is the explanation of the grief and sorrow of life.

Sometimes, sorrow runs so deep in us that it take over our very conscience, seeming to block out the existence of God as we ask the countless questions … Those times when yesterday’s soul is lacerated in light of today’s events, when we are shocked with loss or humiliation, when grief makes us intermittently numb and acutely aware of our own incapacity to function the same, maybe ever again. Maybe in time we can acknowledge His purpose for stripping this away, but today we can't even breathe through the tears. This world is a fallen world, and we travelers on the byways of life cannot pass through unmarred or uncrippled by sin’s destruction.

Sin makes us dead. We are dead until we are awakened alive in Christ. His gift is the new life, the – conquered sin’s bondage, my chains are free – life, where sorrow is replaced with peace and joy as sin’s dominion is broken, and as we grow to fulfillment in the knowledge of our complete rescue. The work is done. I cannot earn it nor can I shake it ~ I can, however, fall short in my understanding of its totality and hamper my own delightful freedom in it, unknowingly turning back and allowing my heart to be plunged into the ravaging pain of sin. He saved us from sin, from its power of destruction to our souls. We are free to let the life of God reign in us.

Sorrows may come for a time, but the anguishing heart can find release in the knowledge, though sometimes unseemingly, that the time of sorrow will come to an end. Eternal joy will come without end, without measure, to the heart given over to His astonishing, complete fulfillment of His love, His promise of salvation, His exchange of His life for ours – the life of God in us.

Oswald’s abstract brings to reflection these scriptures today ~

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. ~ 1 Peter 4

NOW I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
~ 2 Corinthians 10

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law…
~ Galatians 5:16-18

Quote of the day: "I'm going to spend the first thousand years at the Slap-Adam booth."

Desiring the Things of God

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:06:35 GMT

In response to a_defiantbeauty_2’s question posted on Heart’s Desire:
So, how can we desire (I suppose God wants us to since it is written in the scripture) without coveting?

Remembering always that He desires that none should perish but all should have everlasting life through faith in the saving work of Jesus ~ so that our desires are indeed aligned with His through the transforming work of the Spirit, it would seem that the focus is certainly on the heart condition. Whether by His perfect will He has seen fit to grant us the trivialties in life, or how many gifts He chooses to give us, is up to Him. When we can come to acceptance of His perfect love, every good and perfect thing becomes a gift from Him, and the disappointments can be covered in contentment as we focus our eyes on His beautiful face.

Our desires come into alignment with His will under the protective covering of contentment in our own lives and the priority of placing others and their need for care and salvation ahead of our own. He desires that none should perish. He desires that His children experience the gifts and blessings in coming under His loving covering through prayer and obedience. And He desires to bless His children.

If we are spending our time, and I have to evaluate this in my own life as well, thinking on what we don't have, we are not allowing ourselves to experience the fulness of joy found in giving thanks always, praising Him for all His wondrous works. So His will is also that we focus on things that are "true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise ~ meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." ~ Philippians 4:8,9

Another way to look at it might come from the scriptures themselves ~ The word "COVET" is used in 7 scriptures:

Exd 20:17, Deu 5:21, Mic 2:2, Rom 7:7, Rom 13:9, 1Cr 12:31, 1Cr 14:39.

The first 5 involve coveting something that belongs to someone else - the sinful coveting, based on a desire to take away from someone else, the heart being one of selfishness and greed. Interestingly, the last 2 references involve "coveting" or earnestly desire spiritual gifts. Here we can learn that the difference is based on WHAT IS COVETED.

The Hebrew word, CHAMAD, used in the OT references is defined as:
1) to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in
     a) (Qal) to desire
     b) (Niphal) to be desirable
     c) (Piel) to delight greatly, desire greatly

And the Greek, epithymeō, in the NT means:
1) to turn upon a thing
2) to have a desire for, long for, to desire
3) to lust after, covet
a) of those who seek things forbidden

The scriptures you referenced, involving the word "DESIRE", tell us further that the difference is based on the HEART OF THE DESIRER. In each case mentioned, as well as throughout the scriptures, the heart of the righteous (who is turned toward God, seeking His fulfilled will and His glory) is the receiver of God's blessings, while the heart of the wicked (who has put himself on God's throne of rule, seeks to fulfill selfishness and greed, and to glorify himself) will not be granted satisfaction of desires. So again, the one whose heart is stayed on Thee will experience blessings in fulfilled desires and answered prayers, as the individual seeks in meekness and humility to draw closer and closer to the heart of God.

So to desire something greatly, in itself, is not always used in the negative tense, but rather depending on the source and the object of desire. In this way, we can further understand the answer to your question about desiring the things of God without coveting.

Lexicon Source: http://cf.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=covet&t=KJV

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:01:45 GMT

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
~ Romans 5

On the Love of Heaven

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:51:50 GMT

In response to mamma_sez ‘s posting for Heaven... Is it real and what do you think it is like?

Heaven is real. Many volumes of God's Word are written about it, entrenching true belief in Him with true belief in His heaven ~ or without it, we are at a loss for why we find hope in eternal salvation. Revelation gives us so many pictures, though we must take it as a glimpse, John's attempt to describe something heavenly with human words, from Revelation ch. 4:

AFTER these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

"Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God Almighty,

Who was and is and is to come!"

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

"You are worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

For You created all things,

And by Your will they exist and were created."

I also find fascinating the studies on Strand Theory, examining evidence that speaks of a further dimension (after the first, established 10 dimensions), an 11th dimension showing existence within the depths of atomic particular minitudes, in which miniscule particles exist like tiny strands vibrating everything into existence, inside every kind of particle, the vibrations themselves decrying another dimension that could exist right next to ours... But this is just a fun theory to ponder. I am no quantum mechanic, I just love to ponder and play with the theories that lead scientists to the verge of evidence of a Divine Creator, while fostering my faith in the Almighty Himself at the same time.

Thoughts on Divine Protection

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:50:49 GMT

Response for pushingxthroughxdisaster’s Divine Protection, a cartoon that challenges us to look at the bigger picture...

Trials will befall us. Every stone that hits us, though we writhe in awkwardness, discomfort, or pain, is allowed by Him for our benefit. If we are true children of the Lord, if we have given our life to Him, He will allow trials to reveal our areas of weakness, where we are imperfect in the face of His glorious perfection. He will allow trials through this wretched fallen life, to strengthen us, to purify us, to sanctify us, and to bring us closer to Him. **Read Hebrews 12:3-11, and also Proverbs 3:11-12**

He is in control - of every circumstance, of every stimulus, from the moment we awake to the moment we awake again - every second, every day. That Jesus would cover us from boulders we cannot even imagine the size of, but allow a few stones - always under His loving control - is an oft incredulously challenged notion. We all seem to wonder why God would allow pain for those He loves. Yet acceptance of His perfect will comes not with understanding ourselves, but rather with understanding who He is. He is a loving father, and if you have children of your own, you can understand the many-faceted principle of lovingly guiding that precious little soul, more dear to you than life itself, through lessons necessary to instill and shape character, while at the same time heartbreaking to endure for you as well as your treasured child.

This loving-Father aspect is such that we can only embrace securely through the knowledge of full assurance of our salvation, full trust that His will is to perfect us in Himself and bring us to further complete trust in His provision, even when He is providing the trial. Yet His love encompasses us, He is ever-present, ever-beckoning us closer to Him, and He uses trials to strip us of our own destructive tendencies, to show us our need for Him and to impart to us gratitude for His act of justification. We so often tend to lean on our own understanding, which we must eventually all come to concede, is an understanding incomplete of ever being able to see His complete picture. He is the only one capable of seeing the whole picture – He wrote the story, from beginning to end, and through is magnificent divine love, He gifted me existence and a journey that, if not honoring Him will only succeed in dishonoring both Him and myself. Somehow, we must all come to the hope that is found in His lovingkindness, His mercy, His omnipresent transcendence of all that we could possibly comprehend, and have the courage to accept His gift of life and His promise of eternal, heavenly glory.

Like Job, who was allowed by the Lord to suffer excruciating pain in the loss of everything he had, even to the point of his physical body being enveloped in huge sores ~ the Lord allowed this to show Satan His righteous servant in Job despite Satan’s multitude of challenges; to show Job how big HE is and where Job himself was lacking in understanding of the Lord’s complete power, and to bring Job to complete acceptance of the Lord's omnipotence and gratitude for the Lord’s love for Job.

As Job was challenged by the LORD, we can find rest in His infinitude, as from His very lips come assurance of His power, from Job 37:

"AT this also my heart trembles,

And leaps from its place. Hear attentively the thunder of His voice,

And the rumbling that comes from His mouth.

He sends it forth under the whole heaven,

His lightning to the ends of the earth.

After it a voice roars;

He thunders with His majestic voice,

And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.

God thunders marvelously with His voice;

He does great things which we cannot comprehend.

For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth';

Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.

He seals the hand of every man,

That all men may know His work.

The beasts go into dens,

And remain in their lairs.

From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind,

And cold from the scattering winds of the north.

By the breath of God ice is given,

And the broad waters are frozen.

Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;

He scatters His bright clouds.

And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,

That they may do whatever He commands them

On the face of the whole earth.

He causes it to come,

Whether for correction,

Or for His land,

Or for mercy.

"Listen to this, O Job;

Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.

Do you know when God dispatches them,

And causes the light of His cloud to shine?

Do you know how the clouds are balanced,

Those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?

Why are your garments hot,

When He quiets the earth by the south wind?

With Him, have you spread out the skies,

Strong as a cast metal mirror?

"Teach us what we should say to Him,

For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.

Should He be told that I wish to speak?

If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up.

Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies,

When the wind has passed and cleared them.

He comes from the north as golden splendor;

With God is awesome majesty.

As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him;

He is excellent in power,

In judgment and abundant justice;

He does not oppress.

Therefore men fear Him;

He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart."

For further assurance of God’s power, as He establishes His own authority, read Job 38, 39, 40, and 41, where the Lord further challenges Job with questions such as:

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?... To what were its foundations fashioned?”

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth?”

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, that you may take it to its territory, that you may know the paths to its home? Do you know it, because you were born then, or because the number of your days is great?”

“Will the wild ox be willing to serve you? Will he bed by your manger?... Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with thunder? Can you frighten him like a locust?... Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, and spread its wings toward the south?”

“Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?

The Lord is perfect and powerful, and in today’s attitude of making the all-powerful God into an image that fits the understanding of our limited human capacity, we all fall to the despair too often, that God is somehow not strong enough to control all of our circumstances. True, if He could ever fit into the limits of our understanding, He would indeed be too small to direct every path. But fear not, He orders the stars, the wind, the beasts, the atoms, the flowers, the hair on our head.

In His own words, Jesus says:

"Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

"And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

"If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

"If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

"For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.

"But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

~ Luke 12:24-32

With a heightened, secure knowledge of who HE is, we can rest in the storms, and know that every event, even those we perceive and experience as painful, is also under the supreme control of His loving, magnificent hands.

The Wisdom of God

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:51:04 GMT

"In this brief study of the divine wisdom we begin with faith in God. Following our usual pattern, we shall not seek to understand in order that we may believe, but to believe in order that we may understand. Hence, we shall not seek for proof that God is wise. The unbelieving mind would not be convinced by any proof, and the worshipping heart needs none."

~ A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy, Chapter 11, The Wisdom of God

Thought is the gift to ponder the infinitude of God. The worshipping heart contrasts and beckons unbelieving mind toward the ever-present greatness of creation and asks, who are You, and why am I? It is only in resting in the loving arms of our Saviour, a presence first obtained by kneeling at His feet and receiving His life-breathing Word of Love, that the aching of the soul hunger can find the undefinable peace, that peace that passes all understanding. Perfect wisdom, omnipotence, immutability, and holiness. Lord, grant that I may aspire to be pleasing to You in Your indescribable perfection today and every day.

He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts in Thee. Isaiah 26:3

Lord, as I begin this journey into script, in the knowledge of the new creation you gift to those who believe in You, may Your ever present grace transform me into a picture of Your precious work of salvation, justification, sanctification, and glorification. Show us thy wondrous ways, O Lord!