GOD IS… November 28, 2011

This is a repost of something I posted about two years ago this week. I was reminded of it recently and thought I’d share it again. Be blessed!

“God is…” -  by Mary Held

God is….

God is a person, the absolute authority…

…He is all-powerful and all-knowing even more is He.

Ever-present, He’s where you are, but always He is here with me…

…not unaware of anything, even things we say “How can this be?”

He is the Source of everything, Creator of the breath we breathe…

…Author of our destinies, Composer of the songs we sing.

He choreographs our dance of life, through peace and strife…to refine our life…

…He puts us under the knife…of Love that bites…But carries healing…

…by bringing us down to a place of kneeling,

…when even in the midst of our squealing…

…He is peeling and revealing…. (to read the rest, click HERE)

God’s Plan for Redemption Revealed in First 5 Verses of the Bible! June 15, 2010

God led me to do an exegetical study of Genesis 1:1-5 a few months ago. What I found BLEW MY MIND!

God showed us His character and spelled out the eternal plan of redemption in the first five verses of the Bible!!! And He was even a little graphic about it! (LOL!)

GENESIS 1:1-5

VERSE 1)

In the beginning God created the heavens (AN ELEVATED, DIVINE WORLD BEYOND OUR REACH) and the earth (FIRM GROUND.)

VERSE 2)

Now the earth (FIRM GROUND) was formless (WORTHLESS CONFUSION) and empty (UNDISTINGUISHABLE RUIN), darkness (SORROW, DEATH, MISERY, DESTRUCTION, WICKEDNESS) was over the surface of the deep (BOTTOMLESS, DESTRUCTIVE COMMOTION), and the Spirit of God was hovering (INCUBATING, COVERING WITH HIS WINGS) over the waters (SEMEN).

•  Verse 2 Translation:  Now the (FIRM GROUND) was (WORTHLESS CONFUSION) and (UNDISTINGUISHABLE RUIN), (SORROW, DEATH, MISERY, DESTRUCTION, WICKEDNESS) was over the surface of the (BOTTOMLESS, DESTRUCTIVE COMMOTION), and the Spirit of God was (INCUBATING, COVERING WITH WINGS) over the (SEMEN). – WOOT! WOOT!

VERSE 3)

And God said, “Light! (ILLUMINATE! BE HAPPY!),” and there was light (ILLUMINATION, HAPPINESS).

VERSE 4) 

God saw that the light (ILLUMINATION, HAPPINESS) was good, and he separated (DISTINGUISHED, SEVERED) the light (ILLUMINATION, HAPPINESS) from the darkness (SORROW, DEATH, MISERY, DESTRUCTION, WICKEDNESS).

VERSE 5)

God called the light (ILLUMINATION, HAPPINESS) “day (THE PROCESS OF TIME, CONTINUAL OUTLIVING),” and the darkness (SORROW, DEATH, MISERY, DESTRUCTION, WICKEDNESS) he called “night (A TWIST AWAY FROM THE LIGHT).”  And there was evening (TO COVER WITH A TEXTURE; OCCUPY), and there was morning (TO BREAK FORTH, TO PLOW)–the first day (PROCESS OF TIME, CONTINUAL OUTLIVING).

God indicated that He can bring life to things that are dead simply by hovering (INCUBATING) presence over the water (SEMEN) that was in the deep (BOTTOMLESS DESTRUCTIVE COMMOTION)! WOOT! WOOT!

Have you had a situation that you could classify as (WORTHLESS CONFUSION), (UNDISTINGUISHABLE RUIN), (SORROW, DEATH, MISERY, DESTRUCTION, WICKEDNESS) or (BOTTOMLESS, DESTRUCTIVE COMMOTION?)  In the midst of that DEEP situation there is SEED (SEMEN) for LIFE! GET IN HIS PRESENCE AND LET HIM HOVER (INCUBATE) OVER YOU! God is using those seasons in the deep(BOTTOMLESS, DESTRUCTIVE COMMOTION) and darkness (SORROW, DEATH, MISERY, DESTRUCTION, WICKEDNESS) to birth destiny!

In the midst of the formlessness (WORTHLESS CONFUSION), God said “Light!” (ILLUMINATE! BE HAPPY!)  We must remember His faithfulness and promises and recall that FROM THE BEGINNING He separated (DISTINGUISHED, SEVERED) the light (ILLUMINATION, HAPPINESS) from the darkness (SORROW, DEATH, MISERY, DESTRUCTION, WICKEDNESS)  AND he intentionally called them night (A TWIST AWAY FROM THE LIGHT) and day (THE PROCESS OF TIME, CONTINUAL OUTLIVING).

THE BIG PICTURE:

From the beginning God was showing us His plan for mankind. God knew before the foundation of the world that man would TWIST AWAY FROM THE LIGHT (night), live in SORROW, DEATH, MISERY, DESTRUCTION, WICKEDNESS  (darkness) and that by sending His Son He would DISTINGUISH/SEVER (separate) us from it by bringing ILLUMINATION, HAPPINESS (light) and it would CONTINUALLY OUTLIVE the darkness through the PROCESS OF TIME (day).

So whether you look at a circumstance in your life right now, or at God’s ultimate plan for mankind…. Recognize this: There was evening (TO COVER WITH A TEXTURE; OCCUPY), and there was morning (TO BREAK FORTH, TO PLOW): a day (A PROCESS OF TIME, CONTINUAL OUTLIVING). This is the HOPE we have …. Our God is SOVEREIGN and we are guaranteed the VICTORY!

You better shout right about now….WOOT! WOOT!

Book Review: “Martin Luther, A Life” by James A. Nestingen April 16, 2010

I recently read this biography of Martin Luther for my World History class and had to do a book review as an assignment. I thought perhaps you would enjoy it and it might spark your interest to read the book yourself. 

     Enjoy!

        

          When an author writes a book, they write it with the intention of someone reading it.  Therefore they package it in a way that will be appealing to their projected audience.  But how do you write a biography about a controversial person in history, yet somehow make it appealing and marketable to a varying audience of fans and critics alike?  Well James A. Nestingen has managed to do just that in Martin Luther, A Life.  Written from an intentional neutral perspective, he is careful to pen angles of Luther’s life that are predominant in arguments both for and against this radical zealot of his time.

           Nestingen brings out Luther’s reputation among supporters as “an object of extreme admiration,” ‘a brilliant interpreter,” “a German hero,” “the Wittenberg nightingale and voice of freedom,” “a tender hearted Pastor,” “a theologian capable of bringing new life into the church” as well as “a brilliant poet, hymn writer and musician who almost single-handedly founded the literary tradition of the German language.”  However, he is also careful to share the not so flattering opinions of Luther such as “scathingly critical and rude,” “a wild boar ravaging his vineyard,” “the son of a whore,” “a foul-mouthed drunkard,” “a virulent anti-Semite who set the foundation for the Holocaust,” “a haunted manic-depressive,” “bent on enclosing all of life into a cast-iron authoritarian system,” as well as “a self-centered loudmouth.”  From the opening pages of this biography, Nestingen leaves the reader, fan or foe, eager to read on, certain they will learn more tidbits of Luther’s life to support their position.

          Whether intentional or not, Nestingen also paints a very prophetic picture of Luther’s future through the retelling of his past.  From his study and mastery of the Latin language since age seven, to his early training in the philosophy of nominalism, to studying the Psalms as part of his curriculum, he allows us to see God’s sovereign hand preparing the way for Luther’s destiny to unfold many years later.

          Nestingen also does an excellent job of portraying the culture and atmosphere of the time. From the inclusion of color photographs in the center of the book (stills taken from the movie Luther), to describing landscapes, clothing and traditions of the time, the reader is able to “exist” alongside Luther and the other characters of his life.

          In setting up for the peak of Luther’s revelation of grace, Nestingen makes it clear over and over again that Luther’s biggest issue was that he believed he wasn’t worthy.  Nestingen points out that despite his continual promotion in life and in the monastery, his own unworthiness haunted him and prevented him from enjoying his journey of life.  This doubt and unbelief is conveyed in such a way that many who read it will no doubt be able to relate. “Could God really choose a sinner like him?” “What in the world was a man like him doing preaching and running a monastery?” These are a few of the questions that Nestingen poses as likely to have been in the mind of Luther himself, and these are questions that often are in the mind of many Christians today who also struggle to understand God’s grace.

          But ideally, Nestingen gives insight as to perhaps why Luther carried such a burden of legalism and a deep sense of unworthiness.  Rather than just dismiss it as random thoughts, he underscores the relationship between Luther and his father and it’s affect on his adulthood.  Luther, as any young boy would, desired the approval of his father. But where it mattered most, he didn’t get it. In fact after his ordination with his father in attendance, rather than getting an approval and support of the “call” on his life, he instead received the harshest rejection of all when his father said, “I hope it was God, and not the devil.”  Nestingen sets up the rest of Luther’s testimony very strongly through this struggle that every one of us face: When we come to know God the Father, we relate to him only as we know how, which is the way we relate to our earthly father. Not until we learn who God the Father truly is do we find that no matter now good any earthly father could ever be, none could ever come close to the love, acceptance, grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father. Breaking thorough this earthly view of God the Father will be at the core of Luther’s revelation of grace.

          Nestingen also points out how Luther was drawn to the Apostle Paul and the irony of how Paul himself was known for reshaping and reforming the church, as well as being quite troublesome. Again, the prophetic sense of his being drawn to someone whose destiny was similar to the way his own would one day unfold, adds a level of awe for the reader, as most are already aware of Luther’s future.

          Nestingen points out that Luther’s revelation of grace became a personal struggle, given the legalistic and corrupt practices around him. But while his struggle was personal, his vocation was public, and his loyalty to his oath to faithfully serve the church prevented him from keeping quiet. Nestingen portrays Luther’s life of dedication, obedience, boldness and confrontation in a way that challenges the reader to want to make a difference in this world. Despite his persecution, Nestingen lets us see Luther’s determination, humanness, persistence and faithfulness to stand up for what he believed.  Even Luther’s critics would have to admire those qualities that Nestingen so brilliantly highlights in the text, almost above the message of grace that Luther carried.

          Finally, by giving a detailed account of Luther’s death, Nestingen again (whether knowingly or unknowingly) speaks of the sovereignty of God over life, and death. With the many enemies Luther made and the number of people who wanted him dead, God himself saw to it that Luther accomplished the tasks that he was born for. And when those tasks were complete, the Lord took him home to Himself.  And he points out that while many still regard him today as “the archetype of broken church unity,” “intolerant,” and “doctrinaire prejudiced,” more often he is regarded as “a symbol of freedom: the awakening of a critical spirit willing to test established powers in light of deep conviction and a divine word.”  In reading this book, both friends and foes of Luther alike will no doubt be moved by his deep levels of personal sacrifice for a cause he believed in with his entire being.

If an earthquake or tsunami hit your home today would you go to Heaven? Are you 100% sure? February 27, 2010

If an earthquake or tsunami hit your home today would you go to Heaven? Are you 100% sure????

Matt 24:3-8  “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.  For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.  You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

(interestingly enough, the city this earthquake struck in Chile is called “Concepcion” which means ‘to conceive.” and look a this historical record of earthquakes since the year 2000 and how they are increasing in number each year… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_21st_century_earthquakes )

The economy, earthquakes, tsunami’s…our foundations are being shaken. You CANNOT depend on anything except the One True God… Jesus Christ.  

Heb 12:25-27 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?  At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken-that is, created things-so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Prov 10:25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

When you have eternal life through Jesus Christ, even death can’t have you!

1 Cor 15:53-55 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

Make sure you’re going to Heaven today –> http://www.maryloveslife.org/A-Gift-for-You.html

PUT YOUR HOPE AND FAITH IN HIM TODAY! It’s not about what you can do to earn His love and forgiveness, it’s about what He’s already done on the cross at Calvary. Receive eternal life today by putting your trust and hope in Jesus.

Enjoy your comfortable home and lifestyle, but DO NOT depend on it or take it for granted. These things cannot be your foundation of peace, hope and security. Without a relationship with your Creator you will perish sooner or later. (and I’m not just talking about “going to church”. There are plenty of people who are going to church that do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ… see below)

Time is short, and I believe there is a message in this shaking:

As in Hosea and Joel, the book of Amos warns of God’s impending judgment on sin. It begins with Israel’s enemies and continues with Judah and Israel themselves. God has reached his breaking point and will not tolerate sin any longer. He calls us to account for our sins. He is even tired of the “religious show” in churches and He’s looking for sincere devotion. Simply coming to “church”, paying tithes and going through the motions isn’t cutting it.

He reminds us that He is the reason our cupboards are bare and the water has dried up. He is trying to make us hungry and thirsty for Him. No matter what He does… earthquakes, droughts, or plagues, many continue to ignore Him, going through the motions and leaning on their own strength and understanding.

But while giving His severe warnings, He continually reminds us all: SEEK ME AND LIVE! He reminds us of who He is…and who we are. We exist in the midst of a cosmos He created, and we only wake each morning because of His divine sovereignty. And He can destroy it all as easily as He made it.

I think it’s interesting that He says “They abhor him who speaks with integrity” (Amos 5:10) or as the Message puts it… “People hate this kind of talk. Raw truth is never popular.” This is so true today that leaders and pastors who walk in integrity and challenge the church with the bold, raw truth are not popular. Too many today prefer a church where they can come and hear a word to tickle their ears and then stay friends with the world and the world’s ways. The Message says in 5:14 “You talk about God… being your best friend. Well, live like it, and maybe it will happen.”

God is fed up with church being about everything but Him. It’s all a performance. It’s all a place to showcase talent rather than Him. It’s all about living the high-life and making ministry a luxury profession. The church used to be about Him and He’s letting it all fall apart to call them back to himself.

But God gives in to our cries for mercy. The remnant which does put Him first needs to pray and intercede for the rest of the church. And it is powerful how Amos makes it clear that he never sought for this job of prophet. But when God spoke, he had to obey, BECAUSE GOD WAS FIRST in his life, not the church, priests or people. And he delivered this message of judgment which brought him criticism, isolation and rejection at every turn.

In spite of God’s judgment, He still promises never to wipe out Israel (the church) completely. But He does promise to wipe out the sin. And He promises to restore the ruins left in the wake of sin. He promises the church will once again be strong, overflowing with blessings, and be fruitful… and once again accomplishing God’s purposes and not their own.

“God is…” A Spoken Word (My Theology of God) December 3, 2009

One of my classes this semester was “Systematic Theology I” where we studied the Personhood of God. (Systematic II is about Jesus the Son, and Systematic III is about the Holy Spirit.)

As a requirement for the class, we had to give a 2-3 minute presentation of our theology of God.  So last week I began to write some thoughts regarding what I believe about God.

I started by writing down His attributes.  As I wrote, to my surprise everything started rhyming! (Now I’ll admit that writing is a gift and passion of mine. But I write non-fiction biblical truths, not poetry, songs or spoken words. BUT GOD DOES!)

I was so excited by the time I was done I could hardly contain myself. Literally within 45 minutes of sitting down to write my theology of God, the below “spoken word” was birthed.

KEEP IN MIND:  This is a “spoken word” and therefore is more powerful when it is “heard” rather than “read,” as the tone and rhythm in which it is delivered adds a lot to it. Perhaps the Lord will one day use me or someone else to record this word in audio or video format. If delivering a word of this nature is something you are gifted at, please contact me.

A WORD OF CAUTION: Those steeped in Arminian beliefs probably won’t like this. Calvinists, on the other hand, will love it!

“God is…” -  by Mary Held

God is….

God is a person, the absolute authority…

…He is all-powerful and all-knowing even more is He.

Ever-present, He’s where you are, but always He is here with me…

…not unaware of anything, even things we say “How can this be?”

He is the Source of everything, Creator of the breath we breathe…

…Author of our destinies, Composer of the songs we sing.

He choreographs our dance of life, through peace and strife…to refine our life…

…He puts us under the knife…of Love that bites…But carries healing…

…by bringing us down to a place of kneeling,

…when even in the midst of our squealing…

…He is peeling and revealing.

Through the gift of Grace that saved us, He continues to maintain us…

…As we insist on being complainers, but like the Israelites He sustains us…by His Love & Grace,

…pursued by His chase, we run this race…

… trying to shed even a trace, of self… and the cross, embrace.

This Grace we can’t resist, as by His love he does persist…

…ever constant in our midst, our hearts He alone can twist…

…to the direction of His pleasing…

Through circumstances He’s squeezing, and in the midst of our wheezing…

…and our pain not easing…we surrender….

…no longer a pretender, or offender, now tender, we finally submit …

…to our Defender, of every gender, in His Splendor, He’s the Sender…

…of Himself… as the Son and Holy Spirit.

This great love, He poured out from above, a love so great that He gave,

…His only Begotten Son… revealed by a dove…

…as ransom for our wrongs, as an example of how strong,

…and just how much He longed, to rescue us from the grave.

This love will never change, even if we become estranged, short-changed, or deranged…

…it won’t be long-range, because He can rearrange… our hearts…

…through circumstances prearranged… He causes change, so we remain…

His… His Children, His Beloved, His Chosen …for it is frozen …in Eternity.

Though we sin, we have no power, to undo what was done in the hour …of our salvation.

We limit blessings we receive, when to our sin we choose to cleave…

…because we are naïve, and the enemy has deceived, through the tricks he has up his sleeve,

…and therefore now we grieve… as we conceive… the consequences of our disbelief.

But just like His love, He is Eternal, no beginning and no end…

…He never will suspend,

…His love and pursuit of His friends….

…He will not relent…

…until he apprehends…

…those whom He predestined.

God is…

©Copyright Pending. All Rights Reserved.

[NOTE: I am sharing it here to bless you now, but notice that copyright is pending, all rights are reserved and it cannot be used without permission. I appreciate your integrity and faithfulness to honor this. (oh, and another thing I believe about God… is that He is faithful to bring all things that are hidden into the light, so if anyone does decide to use this and call it their own, He will be faithful to reveal it.)]  <grin>