Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "knowing-god"
That doesn’t make sense, God!
Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? [Habakkuk 1:13]
Men and women can sometimes have an impossibly difficult time communicating. Some refer to this by the contemporary adage, “Women are from Venus, men from Mars”. But all jesting aside, men and women by nature have a different mental framework. Their thinking processes are not identical.
This is not an indictment of men or women, just an accurate observation. By the same token Orientals and Occidentals in general also employ different thinking processes. In this case the thinking varies because Occidentals are trained to think, even if subconsciously, in terms of Aristotelian logic. But for Orientals this is not the case.
In the verse we cited at the start of this study, Habakkuk is faced with another example of different thinking processes. In this case the variation is between God’s thinking processes and sinful man’s. God is holy. All men are sinful.
God makes a distinction between born again folks and plain old born folks. Because born again folks have the Spirit of God living in them, they are capable of understanding the mind of Christ, which is equivalent to the mind of God.
We have to go through a spiritual growing process, just as babies in the physical realm do. But if we continue to spend time alone with Jesus—feeding on the Word of God, praying, and obeying—then we mature spiritually to understand how the Lord thinks and what He expects of us.
In Habakkuk’s case He had difficulty grasping how, on the one hand, God cannot bear to even look upon evil, much less tolerate it. On the other hand God permits the extremely wicked people to have the victory over those who are less wicked than them. As if to say, “What gives, God? That doesn’t make sense!”
At the heart of Habakkuk’s complaint lies the different thinking processes of God and sinful man. In God’s eyes sin is sin. He doesn’t label some sins as flagitious and others as peccadilloes. Any person who sins is a sinner. A rose is a rose. By any other name it stills smells sweet. A sin is a sin. By any other name it still reeks to high heaven!
So God is not being illogical, when He employs the devil’s kids to spank His kids for sinning. He will do much more than spank the devil’s kids when the time is right, viz., at the Great White Throne judgment. For the present time His business is to rear His own kids.
Sometimes this entails visits to the woodshed, sometimes physical or mental afflictions, other times financial failures, and still other times making use of foreign invaders who are more wicked than His kids.
In the final analysis, though, the Lord disciplines His kids to spiritually mature them, but He casts the devil’s kids into the lake of fire for all eternity to be rid of them. During our lives on earth this side of eternity, the Lord does what it takes to get His kids to become like Him. This is well worth the cost to us because in eternity we will live with the Lord forever.
The devil’s kids have their good things now. In eternity they will beg for just a drop of cool water to cool their parched tongues. We have good things now too, just not the worldly good things the devil’s kids crave. In eternity we will enjoy our good things of all stripes and colors.
Let’s not question God’s motives. Let’s spend more time alone with Him and His Word, so that our minds are transformed into the mind of Christ. Life has such a grand appearance when we see through His eyes. What do you say. Can I have an “Amen”?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Men and women can sometimes have an impossibly difficult time communicating. Some refer to this by the contemporary adage, “Women are from Venus, men from Mars”. But all jesting aside, men and women by nature have a different mental framework. Their thinking processes are not identical.
This is not an indictment of men or women, just an accurate observation. By the same token Orientals and Occidentals in general also employ different thinking processes. In this case the thinking varies because Occidentals are trained to think, even if subconsciously, in terms of Aristotelian logic. But for Orientals this is not the case.
In the verse we cited at the start of this study, Habakkuk is faced with another example of different thinking processes. In this case the variation is between God’s thinking processes and sinful man’s. God is holy. All men are sinful.
God makes a distinction between born again folks and plain old born folks. Because born again folks have the Spirit of God living in them, they are capable of understanding the mind of Christ, which is equivalent to the mind of God.
We have to go through a spiritual growing process, just as babies in the physical realm do. But if we continue to spend time alone with Jesus—feeding on the Word of God, praying, and obeying—then we mature spiritually to understand how the Lord thinks and what He expects of us.
In Habakkuk’s case He had difficulty grasping how, on the one hand, God cannot bear to even look upon evil, much less tolerate it. On the other hand God permits the extremely wicked people to have the victory over those who are less wicked than them. As if to say, “What gives, God? That doesn’t make sense!”
At the heart of Habakkuk’s complaint lies the different thinking processes of God and sinful man. In God’s eyes sin is sin. He doesn’t label some sins as flagitious and others as peccadilloes. Any person who sins is a sinner. A rose is a rose. By any other name it stills smells sweet. A sin is a sin. By any other name it still reeks to high heaven!
So God is not being illogical, when He employs the devil’s kids to spank His kids for sinning. He will do much more than spank the devil’s kids when the time is right, viz., at the Great White Throne judgment. For the present time His business is to rear His own kids.
Sometimes this entails visits to the woodshed, sometimes physical or mental afflictions, other times financial failures, and still other times making use of foreign invaders who are more wicked than His kids.
In the final analysis, though, the Lord disciplines His kids to spiritually mature them, but He casts the devil’s kids into the lake of fire for all eternity to be rid of them. During our lives on earth this side of eternity, the Lord does what it takes to get His kids to become like Him. This is well worth the cost to us because in eternity we will live with the Lord forever.
The devil’s kids have their good things now. In eternity they will beg for just a drop of cool water to cool their parched tongues. We have good things now too, just not the worldly good things the devil’s kids crave. In eternity we will enjoy our good things of all stripes and colors.
Let’s not question God’s motives. Let’s spend more time alone with Him and His Word, so that our minds are transformed into the mind of Christ. Life has such a grand appearance when we see through His eyes. What do you say. Can I have an “Amen”?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Wow! I Can See God! – Part 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].
It is eye-opening to discover in the original Greek that the writings of John are the simplest grammar in the New Testament. John’s Gospel account and his three letters to the churches wax eloquent in content. They are the most philosophical of all the four Gospel accounts, and they teach recondite concepts. In fine, they are not simple narrative.
The reason why it surprises those who learn to read the Greek New Testament is because the content soars above the heavens, while the grammar is that of a child. Only the Holy Spirit could accomplish such a feat! Anyone who is adroit enough to present such deep content has a vocabulary arsenal well beyond John’s.
The first three verses of John’s Gospel account are quoted at the start of this study. Folks, it doesn’t get more arcane than that! The Holy Spirit just last week shared an insight with me about these verses, a nuance which I trust you will enjoy.
First read the three verses of John again. We’ll pause a moment to give you time. Okay, now read this:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light [Genesis 1:1-3].
In Genesis the word “beginning” refers to the beginning of time, space, and matter. It references the beginning of creation as we know it. In John’s account the word refers to eternity. Long before the Genesis “beginning” God existed…because God always is. At the same time “the Word” always is too: He always is with God.
Both God and the Word are eternal, and that is a characteristic which only God has. Hence John tells us, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Those two clauses form a paradox, don’t you think? How can God be with God? Makes no sense to me! I mean, I can’t be with me. Duh! How can something identified as “the Word” be with God, while simultaneously being God? Go figure, why don’cha.
The only logical solution is to realize that God is a Trinity. He is three Persons in one God. O! but that makes even less sense, huh? Are you confused enough yet? Well, we’re just getting started, so get ready to implode!
Truthfully, the reason we cannot understand the Trinity is because nothing in time can be compared to this concept. If we view the Trinity as multiple personalities in one person, well, the Trinity is not one Person. The word Trinity comes from “tri” + “unity”. Tri means “three” and unity means “one”: three Persons in one God.
I do apologize, but time has escaped us. We will have to continue this study tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
It is eye-opening to discover in the original Greek that the writings of John are the simplest grammar in the New Testament. John’s Gospel account and his three letters to the churches wax eloquent in content. They are the most philosophical of all the four Gospel accounts, and they teach recondite concepts. In fine, they are not simple narrative.
The reason why it surprises those who learn to read the Greek New Testament is because the content soars above the heavens, while the grammar is that of a child. Only the Holy Spirit could accomplish such a feat! Anyone who is adroit enough to present such deep content has a vocabulary arsenal well beyond John’s.
The first three verses of John’s Gospel account are quoted at the start of this study. Folks, it doesn’t get more arcane than that! The Holy Spirit just last week shared an insight with me about these verses, a nuance which I trust you will enjoy.
First read the three verses of John again. We’ll pause a moment to give you time. Okay, now read this:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light [Genesis 1:1-3].
In Genesis the word “beginning” refers to the beginning of time, space, and matter. It references the beginning of creation as we know it. In John’s account the word refers to eternity. Long before the Genesis “beginning” God existed…because God always is. At the same time “the Word” always is too: He always is with God.
Both God and the Word are eternal, and that is a characteristic which only God has. Hence John tells us, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Those two clauses form a paradox, don’t you think? How can God be with God? Makes no sense to me! I mean, I can’t be with me. Duh! How can something identified as “the Word” be with God, while simultaneously being God? Go figure, why don’cha.
The only logical solution is to realize that God is a Trinity. He is three Persons in one God. O! but that makes even less sense, huh? Are you confused enough yet? Well, we’re just getting started, so get ready to implode!
Truthfully, the reason we cannot understand the Trinity is because nothing in time can be compared to this concept. If we view the Trinity as multiple personalities in one person, well, the Trinity is not one Person. The word Trinity comes from “tri” + “unity”. Tri means “three” and unity means “one”: three Persons in one God.
I do apologize, but time has escaped us. We will have to continue this study tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Wow! I Can See God! – Part 2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].
We concluded our last study with a look into the concept of the Trinity. We will continue with that point now. If we use the analogy of H2O, there are three forms it can take:
1. water (a liquid)
2. ice (a solid)
3. steam (a gas)
The trouble with this analogy is that H2O can only be one of those forms at a time. Because this is true in time, the Pentecostals insist it applies to God in eternity. Ergo, God is only one Person at a time, not three, not a Trinity. At one time He is the Father, at another the Son, and still another the Holy Spirit.
Instead of trying to rewrite Scripture, methinks they would be wise to agree with the Word of God. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is God while simultaneously being with God. Sorry, my Pentecostal brothers and sisters, but we must stick with the Word of God. He alone knows Who He is and can explain Himself. You and I are not qualified to perform such a feat.
If I wanted a cockroach to understand who and what I am, how could I go about it, hypothetically speaking, of course? I couldn’t write the roach a letter explaining the facts concerning my existence because it can’t read! I couldn’t just sit on the park bench and talk to it. I couldn’t hang out with it in the gym and rub shoulders to get acquainted. It’s a toughie. How to explain myself to a cockroach?
God faced the same dilemma in trying to reveal Himself to man. He is not one of us. He is incalculably superior to man. He created man so He understands us, but we are not up to the task of comprehending Him. Time cannot measure eternity, nor can time define eternity. Vice versa is the reality, dear friends.
God being God, He wasn’t stumped. He knew how to explain His Person and behaviors to man. He became a man like us, so that we could experience God within the context of time, space, and matter. God really took on our true humanity, sin excepted, and became one of us (cf., John 1:14).
When we study Jesus in the New Testament, we are seeing Father God, the Person, in action.
Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” [John 14:9]
This is how God revealed His Person and explained His character and purposes to man. I am getting all giddy! This is exciting stuff! I can’t get enough! More! More! More!
Oh, shucks. I’ll have to wait for my third heaping helping. Time’s a gone again. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We concluded our last study with a look into the concept of the Trinity. We will continue with that point now. If we use the analogy of H2O, there are three forms it can take:
1. water (a liquid)
2. ice (a solid)
3. steam (a gas)
The trouble with this analogy is that H2O can only be one of those forms at a time. Because this is true in time, the Pentecostals insist it applies to God in eternity. Ergo, God is only one Person at a time, not three, not a Trinity. At one time He is the Father, at another the Son, and still another the Holy Spirit.
Instead of trying to rewrite Scripture, methinks they would be wise to agree with the Word of God. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is God while simultaneously being with God. Sorry, my Pentecostal brothers and sisters, but we must stick with the Word of God. He alone knows Who He is and can explain Himself. You and I are not qualified to perform such a feat.
If I wanted a cockroach to understand who and what I am, how could I go about it, hypothetically speaking, of course? I couldn’t write the roach a letter explaining the facts concerning my existence because it can’t read! I couldn’t just sit on the park bench and talk to it. I couldn’t hang out with it in the gym and rub shoulders to get acquainted. It’s a toughie. How to explain myself to a cockroach?
God faced the same dilemma in trying to reveal Himself to man. He is not one of us. He is incalculably superior to man. He created man so He understands us, but we are not up to the task of comprehending Him. Time cannot measure eternity, nor can time define eternity. Vice versa is the reality, dear friends.
God being God, He wasn’t stumped. He knew how to explain His Person and behaviors to man. He became a man like us, so that we could experience God within the context of time, space, and matter. God really took on our true humanity, sin excepted, and became one of us (cf., John 1:14).
When we study Jesus in the New Testament, we are seeing Father God, the Person, in action.
Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” [John 14:9]
This is how God revealed His Person and explained His character and purposes to man. I am getting all giddy! This is exciting stuff! I can’t get enough! More! More! More!
Oh, shucks. I’ll have to wait for my third heaping helping. Time’s a gone again. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Wow! I Can See God! – Part 3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].
Today we will start with Genesis 1:1-3. In the beginning God: there is the Father. And the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters: there is the Holy Spirit. And God said: there is the Word, the Son of God.
We can now understand John 1:1-3 with better insight about how almighty God reveals Himself to puny man.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life [John 3:16].
Note in those words that God gave His Son. This means God in this verse is God the Father, else how can He have a Son? So we have God the Father and God the Son together simultaneously.
The Father sent the Son into the world to take upon true humanity, sin excepted. He did this in order to reveal His true Person and character to man. He had to reveal Himself to man again because, back in the garden in the beginning, man sinned and marred his ability to know God. In consequence man made up his own versions of God, which we now know as idolatry and man-made religions.
God is One, not two or twenty or ten thousand. This one God gave His Son, so now we know that there are two Persons as the one God. In other Scriptures, including Genesis 1:2, God teaches us that there is also the Person of the Holy Spirit.
In the creation account of Genesis God speaks. Since we cannot comprehend eternity, God uses man’s speech as an illustration of His Son, the Word. For the same reason He employs an earthly illustration to denote the Holy Spirit hovering like a helicopter over the waters covering the earth, generating transforming energy to create the present heavens and earth.
Look at it like this. A man wants to do something, so he thinks to himself, “I’m going to do such and so, in order to accomplish this goal.” After figuring out what he wants and how he will go about accomplishing it, he then puts his shoulder to the work and gets it done.
The man represents the Father, his thoughts and words represent the Son, and his actions represent the Holy Spirit. An earthly analogy, to be sure, making it very limited and demanding that we understand it relatively. But it is how God reveals Himself to us in Genesis 1 and John 1. That is all we can comprehend, but it is not all there is to know about the Person and Ministry of God.
If you don’t yet have enough to spend hours alone with Jesus, then you must be God! Let’s spend some quality time with Him now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Today we will start with Genesis 1:1-3. In the beginning God: there is the Father. And the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters: there is the Holy Spirit. And God said: there is the Word, the Son of God.
We can now understand John 1:1-3 with better insight about how almighty God reveals Himself to puny man.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life [John 3:16].
Note in those words that God gave His Son. This means God in this verse is God the Father, else how can He have a Son? So we have God the Father and God the Son together simultaneously.
The Father sent the Son into the world to take upon true humanity, sin excepted. He did this in order to reveal His true Person and character to man. He had to reveal Himself to man again because, back in the garden in the beginning, man sinned and marred his ability to know God. In consequence man made up his own versions of God, which we now know as idolatry and man-made religions.
God is One, not two or twenty or ten thousand. This one God gave His Son, so now we know that there are two Persons as the one God. In other Scriptures, including Genesis 1:2, God teaches us that there is also the Person of the Holy Spirit.
In the creation account of Genesis God speaks. Since we cannot comprehend eternity, God uses man’s speech as an illustration of His Son, the Word. For the same reason He employs an earthly illustration to denote the Holy Spirit hovering like a helicopter over the waters covering the earth, generating transforming energy to create the present heavens and earth.
Look at it like this. A man wants to do something, so he thinks to himself, “I’m going to do such and so, in order to accomplish this goal.” After figuring out what he wants and how he will go about accomplishing it, he then puts his shoulder to the work and gets it done.
The man represents the Father, his thoughts and words represent the Son, and his actions represent the Holy Spirit. An earthly analogy, to be sure, making it very limited and demanding that we understand it relatively. But it is how God reveals Himself to us in Genesis 1 and John 1. That is all we can comprehend, but it is not all there is to know about the Person and Ministry of God.
If you don’t yet have enough to spend hours alone with Jesus, then you must be God! Let’s spend some quality time with Him now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
If Only I Knew – Part 1
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints [Ephesians 1:17-18].
The Apostle Paul had the heart of the Lord. This is evident from his every word in the Scriptures. He sacrificed his life to promote the welfare of others. He endured hostility and resentment for insisting Christians practice holy living. He knew this was for their own good, and that harm would befall them should they live contrary to the Word of God.
Paul didn’t take from the Christians to benefit himself. Rather, he gave of himself to his own hurt, so they would know Christ and grow in His grace. That is the definition of true love, God’s love. “For God so loved the world that He GAVE…” By definition love gives. It doesn’t take and even insist on having its equal share.
We today put the cart before the horse when it comes to love. The all important “I-me-mine” trumps all else. “I have my rights. Give them to me!” “I did such and so for you. What have you done for me? You owe me!” In all suchlike thoughts the other person’s welfare really isn’t considered. The bottom line: it’s all about “I-me-mine”.
We’ve become quite adept at building a façade in front of the old “I-me-mine” penchant. The façade gives the impression of a church building, and it wears an attractive religious garb. Even though we live the “I-me-mine” routine, we spruce it up with assortments of “Praise the Lords!” and “I’m praying for you”, and suchlike jargon. Stir in a touch of affluent middle class morality as a substitute for Biblical morals, and no one can discern the difference. Looks like the real McCoy to me!
In all of this I expect the Lord’s blessings to shower down upon me. If they don’t, someone must be doing me wrong. I deserve the blessings. They’re my right! After all, I’m a good Christian. Just ask some of the folks in the church building. They’ll tell you. I’m popular!
We’ve incorporated the general elections into making our determinations for what is spiritual and what is not. Let’s vote on it! I’ve got lots of friends. They’ll vote for me. They’ll affirm that my spiritual maturity level is off the charts. Just ask ‘em.
Such is the bane of the contemporary USA religious climate, dear friends. We will continue this topic in the next study. In the meantime let’s betake ourselves to the prayer closet to receive the Lord’s input.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The Apostle Paul had the heart of the Lord. This is evident from his every word in the Scriptures. He sacrificed his life to promote the welfare of others. He endured hostility and resentment for insisting Christians practice holy living. He knew this was for their own good, and that harm would befall them should they live contrary to the Word of God.
Paul didn’t take from the Christians to benefit himself. Rather, he gave of himself to his own hurt, so they would know Christ and grow in His grace. That is the definition of true love, God’s love. “For God so loved the world that He GAVE…” By definition love gives. It doesn’t take and even insist on having its equal share.
We today put the cart before the horse when it comes to love. The all important “I-me-mine” trumps all else. “I have my rights. Give them to me!” “I did such and so for you. What have you done for me? You owe me!” In all suchlike thoughts the other person’s welfare really isn’t considered. The bottom line: it’s all about “I-me-mine”.
We’ve become quite adept at building a façade in front of the old “I-me-mine” penchant. The façade gives the impression of a church building, and it wears an attractive religious garb. Even though we live the “I-me-mine” routine, we spruce it up with assortments of “Praise the Lords!” and “I’m praying for you”, and suchlike jargon. Stir in a touch of affluent middle class morality as a substitute for Biblical morals, and no one can discern the difference. Looks like the real McCoy to me!
In all of this I expect the Lord’s blessings to shower down upon me. If they don’t, someone must be doing me wrong. I deserve the blessings. They’re my right! After all, I’m a good Christian. Just ask some of the folks in the church building. They’ll tell you. I’m popular!
We’ve incorporated the general elections into making our determinations for what is spiritual and what is not. Let’s vote on it! I’ve got lots of friends. They’ll vote for me. They’ll affirm that my spiritual maturity level is off the charts. Just ask ‘em.
Such is the bane of the contemporary USA religious climate, dear friends. We will continue this topic in the next study. In the meantime let’s betake ourselves to the prayer closet to receive the Lord’s input.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
If Only I Knew – Part 2
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints [Ephesians 1:17-18].
Contemporary Christianity has bit into the forbidden fruit. Christians nowadays determine for themselves what is right and what is wrong. We go by popular opinion, currying favor with others to win their support, like any modern politician. But we do it with regard to morality!
Alas, but this isn’t Biblical! God doesn’t agree. He needs no vote from us to make His determination for what is right and what is wrong. And He’s not the least bit impressed by any of our popularity contests either. It may surprise a great many Christians, but “American Idol” means zilch to God.
The Apostle Paul—you know, the guy who actually does have the heart of God—he had a different take on how the Lord views right and wrong. He had this thing about us sinners comparing ourselves with other sinners, so as to draw the conclusion that we’re not really so bad after all. Paul denounced it (cf., 2 Corinthians 10:12)!
In the two verses quoted at the commencement of today’s study, his intake affords us invaluable teaching vis-à-vis the mind of Christ. In the first verse he instructs Christians to know the Lord Jesus. Then in the second verse he points out how the Lord’s blessings follow from knowing the Lord.
If we’re out to get the blessings and bypass growing in our knowledge of the Lord, we’ll find ourselves up the proverbial creek without a paddle. The Lord blesses His kids like any good parent. The thing is, any good parent doesn’t shower affluence on his kids, while they live as inveterate urchins! Guess what? Neither does the Lord.
First we have to love Him enough to want to know Him. As we truly come to know Him, we discover how the Lord thinks, what He likes, what hurts Him, things of this sort. Hey! That’s basically how it is with our close earthly relationships too, isn’t it? Go figure.
Anyway, as we know the Lord more and more, our love for Him leads us to do the things which please Him. Simultaneously, our love encourages us to refrain from the things which hurt the Lord’s feelings. That is the definition of love. It comes from grace, not from Law.
Law leads us to do things for the Lord because He requires us to do them, else we won’t be blessed. This fits in well with middle class affluence and the “I-me-mine” mentality. We want to get something, so we grudgingly give something. Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. Quid pro quo and all.
So much for Law. We will move on to a consideration of grace in our next study. Hope to see you there!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Contemporary Christianity has bit into the forbidden fruit. Christians nowadays determine for themselves what is right and what is wrong. We go by popular opinion, currying favor with others to win their support, like any modern politician. But we do it with regard to morality!
Alas, but this isn’t Biblical! God doesn’t agree. He needs no vote from us to make His determination for what is right and what is wrong. And He’s not the least bit impressed by any of our popularity contests either. It may surprise a great many Christians, but “American Idol” means zilch to God.
The Apostle Paul—you know, the guy who actually does have the heart of God—he had a different take on how the Lord views right and wrong. He had this thing about us sinners comparing ourselves with other sinners, so as to draw the conclusion that we’re not really so bad after all. Paul denounced it (cf., 2 Corinthians 10:12)!
In the two verses quoted at the commencement of today’s study, his intake affords us invaluable teaching vis-à-vis the mind of Christ. In the first verse he instructs Christians to know the Lord Jesus. Then in the second verse he points out how the Lord’s blessings follow from knowing the Lord.
If we’re out to get the blessings and bypass growing in our knowledge of the Lord, we’ll find ourselves up the proverbial creek without a paddle. The Lord blesses His kids like any good parent. The thing is, any good parent doesn’t shower affluence on his kids, while they live as inveterate urchins! Guess what? Neither does the Lord.
First we have to love Him enough to want to know Him. As we truly come to know Him, we discover how the Lord thinks, what He likes, what hurts Him, things of this sort. Hey! That’s basically how it is with our close earthly relationships too, isn’t it? Go figure.
Anyway, as we know the Lord more and more, our love for Him leads us to do the things which please Him. Simultaneously, our love encourages us to refrain from the things which hurt the Lord’s feelings. That is the definition of love. It comes from grace, not from Law.
Law leads us to do things for the Lord because He requires us to do them, else we won’t be blessed. This fits in well with middle class affluence and the “I-me-mine” mentality. We want to get something, so we grudgingly give something. Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. Quid pro quo and all.
So much for Law. We will move on to a consideration of grace in our next study. Hope to see you there!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
If Only I Knew – Part 3
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints [Ephesians 1:17-18].
Law doesn’t inspire us or woo us to love. Law forces us to do so as to get something in return. The Apostle Paul wanted nothing to do with Law, and for a very good reason: he came to know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
God’s grace gives us eternal life freely. Grace adopts us into the family of God. Grace gives us new birth into the eternal kingdom. Grace pulls us out of the pit, washes us off, and sits us at the banqueting table. Grace gives because grace comes from the love of God, and love by definition gives.
Paul prayed for God to give to the Christians of the city of Ephesus “a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” Wisdom may be defined as “knowing how to apply what we know to our daily living”. Revelation has to do with the Lord showing us what we don’t already know.
Paul wanted the Christians to receive the necessary information for daily living, and the ability to employ this information in their daily living, so they would grow in knowing and understanding the Lord Jesus. This comes first in the Christian’s relationship with God.
The blessings of God follow this, in fact flow out of knowing Jesus more and more. “Father God, give them what they need, so they will truly know Your Son Jesus!” That was Paul’s prayer and earnest desire for the Christians.
As this became a reality more and more, it followed that they would have their eyes opened to see the truth of God more clearly (v.18). Then their hope would kick in and they would receive their inheritance, the riches of His glory.
But first came the true personal relationship with the Lord Jesus (v.17). First we give our hearts to the Lord, love Him in spirit and truth, and require time alone with Him regularly. This promotes spiritual growth on our part, leading us to live with Jesus and for Jesus.
As we do so, we discover the vastness of our inheritance in Christ. It isn’t about what I get. It’s about what I give. I give my life to Jesus because He first gave His to me. I do so because I see how desirable He is and want to be like Him. What I’ll get in return doesn’t even enter the equation. Give, not take.
Is this what you want? Does it appeal to your inmost being? Let us arise and go to Jesus together. He will embrace us in His arms.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Law doesn’t inspire us or woo us to love. Law forces us to do so as to get something in return. The Apostle Paul wanted nothing to do with Law, and for a very good reason: he came to know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
God’s grace gives us eternal life freely. Grace adopts us into the family of God. Grace gives us new birth into the eternal kingdom. Grace pulls us out of the pit, washes us off, and sits us at the banqueting table. Grace gives because grace comes from the love of God, and love by definition gives.
Paul prayed for God to give to the Christians of the city of Ephesus “a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” Wisdom may be defined as “knowing how to apply what we know to our daily living”. Revelation has to do with the Lord showing us what we don’t already know.
Paul wanted the Christians to receive the necessary information for daily living, and the ability to employ this information in their daily living, so they would grow in knowing and understanding the Lord Jesus. This comes first in the Christian’s relationship with God.
The blessings of God follow this, in fact flow out of knowing Jesus more and more. “Father God, give them what they need, so they will truly know Your Son Jesus!” That was Paul’s prayer and earnest desire for the Christians.
As this became a reality more and more, it followed that they would have their eyes opened to see the truth of God more clearly (v.18). Then their hope would kick in and they would receive their inheritance, the riches of His glory.
But first came the true personal relationship with the Lord Jesus (v.17). First we give our hearts to the Lord, love Him in spirit and truth, and require time alone with Him regularly. This promotes spiritual growth on our part, leading us to live with Jesus and for Jesus.
As we do so, we discover the vastness of our inheritance in Christ. It isn’t about what I get. It’s about what I give. I give my life to Jesus because He first gave His to me. I do so because I see how desirable He is and want to be like Him. What I’ll get in return doesn’t even enter the equation. Give, not take.
Is this what you want? Does it appeal to your inmost being? Let us arise and go to Jesus together. He will embrace us in His arms.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
That doesn’t make sense, God!
Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? [Habakkuk 1:13]
Men and women can sometimes have an impossibly difficult time communicating. Some refer to this by the contemporary adage, “Women are from Venus, men from Mars”. But all jesting aside, men and women by nature have a different mental framework. Their thinking processes are not identical.
This is not an indictment of men or women, just an accurate observation. By the same token Orientals and Occidentals in general also employ different thinking processes. In this case the thinking varies because Occidentals are trained to think, even if subconsciously, in terms of Aristotelian logic. But for Orientals this is not the case.
In the verse we cited at the start of this study, Habakkuk is faced with another example of different thinking processes. In this case the variation is between God’s thinking processes and sinful man’s. God is holy. All men are sinful.
God makes a distinction between born again folks and plain old born folks. Because born again folks have the Spirit of God living in them, they are capable of understanding the mind of Christ, which is equivalent to the mind of God.
We have to go through a spiritual growing process, just as babies in the physical realm do. But if we continue to spend time alone with Jesus—feeding on the Word of God, praying, and obeying—then we mature spiritually to understand how the Lord thinks and what He expects of us.
In Habakkuk’s case He had difficulty grasping how, on the one hand, God cannot bear to even look upon evil, much less tolerate it. On the other hand God permits the extremely wicked people to have the victory over those who are less wicked than them. As if to say, “What gives, God? That doesn’t make sense!”
At the heart of Habakkuk’s problem complaint lies the different thinking processes of God and sinful man. In God’s eyes sin is sin. He doesn’t label some sins as flagitious and others as peccadilloes. Any person who sins is a sinner. A rose is a rose. By any other name it stills smells sweet. A sin is a sin. By any other name it still reeks to high heaven!
So God is not being illogical, when He employs the devil’s kids to spank His kids for sinning. He will do much more than spank the devil’s kids when the time is right, viz., at the Great White Throne judgment. For the present time His business is to rear His own kids. Sometimes this entails visits to the woodshed, sometimes physical or mental afflictions, other times financial failures, and still other times making use of foreign invaders who are more wicked than His kids.
In the final analysis, though, the Lord disciplines His kids to spiritually mature them, but He casts the devil’s kids into the lake of fire for all eternity to be rid of them. During our lives on earth this side of eternity, the Lord does what it takes to get His kids to become like Him. This is well worth the cost to us because in eternity we will live with the Lord forever.
The devil’s kids have their good things now. In eternity they will beg for just a drop of cool water to cool their parched tongues. We have good things now too, just not the worldly good things the devil’s kids crave. In eternity we will enjoy our good things of all stripes and colors.
Let’s not question God’s motives. Let’s spend more time alone with Him and His Word, so that our minds are transformed into the mind of Christ. Life has such a grand appearance when we see through His eyes. What do you say. Can I have an “Amen”?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Men and women can sometimes have an impossibly difficult time communicating. Some refer to this by the contemporary adage, “Women are from Venus, men from Mars”. But all jesting aside, men and women by nature have a different mental framework. Their thinking processes are not identical.
This is not an indictment of men or women, just an accurate observation. By the same token Orientals and Occidentals in general also employ different thinking processes. In this case the thinking varies because Occidentals are trained to think, even if subconsciously, in terms of Aristotelian logic. But for Orientals this is not the case.
In the verse we cited at the start of this study, Habakkuk is faced with another example of different thinking processes. In this case the variation is between God’s thinking processes and sinful man’s. God is holy. All men are sinful.
God makes a distinction between born again folks and plain old born folks. Because born again folks have the Spirit of God living in them, they are capable of understanding the mind of Christ, which is equivalent to the mind of God.
We have to go through a spiritual growing process, just as babies in the physical realm do. But if we continue to spend time alone with Jesus—feeding on the Word of God, praying, and obeying—then we mature spiritually to understand how the Lord thinks and what He expects of us.
In Habakkuk’s case He had difficulty grasping how, on the one hand, God cannot bear to even look upon evil, much less tolerate it. On the other hand God permits the extremely wicked people to have the victory over those who are less wicked than them. As if to say, “What gives, God? That doesn’t make sense!”
At the heart of Habakkuk’s problem complaint lies the different thinking processes of God and sinful man. In God’s eyes sin is sin. He doesn’t label some sins as flagitious and others as peccadilloes. Any person who sins is a sinner. A rose is a rose. By any other name it stills smells sweet. A sin is a sin. By any other name it still reeks to high heaven!
So God is not being illogical, when He employs the devil’s kids to spank His kids for sinning. He will do much more than spank the devil’s kids when the time is right, viz., at the Great White Throne judgment. For the present time His business is to rear His own kids. Sometimes this entails visits to the woodshed, sometimes physical or mental afflictions, other times financial failures, and still other times making use of foreign invaders who are more wicked than His kids.
In the final analysis, though, the Lord disciplines His kids to spiritually mature them, but He casts the devil’s kids into the lake of fire for all eternity to be rid of them. During our lives on earth this side of eternity, the Lord does what it takes to get His kids to become like Him. This is well worth the cost to us because in eternity we will live with the Lord forever.
The devil’s kids have their good things now. In eternity they will beg for just a drop of cool water to cool their parched tongues. We have good things now too, just not the worldly good things the devil’s kids crave. In eternity we will enjoy our good things of all stripes and colors.
Let’s not question God’s motives. Let’s spend more time alone with Him and His Word, so that our minds are transformed into the mind of Christ. Life has such a grand appearance when we see through His eyes. What do you say. Can I have an “Amen”?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Wow! I Can See God! – Part 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].
It is eye-opening to discover in the original Greek that the writings of John are the simplest grammar in the New Testament. John’s Gospel account and his three letters to the churches wax eloquent in content. They are the most philosophical of all the four Gospel accounts, and they teach recondite concepts. In fine, they are not simple narrative.
The reason why it surprises those who learn to read the Greek New Testament is because the content soars above the heavens, while the grammar is that of a child. Only the Holy Spirit could accomplish such a feat! Anyone who is adroit enough to present such deep content has a vocabulary arsenal well beyond John’s.
The first three verses of John’s Gospel account are quoted at the start of this study. Folks, it doesn’t get more arcane than that! The Holy Spirit just last week shared an insight with me about these verses, a nuance which I trust you will enjoy.
First read the three verses of John again. We’ll pause a moment to give you time. Okay, now read this:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light [Genesis 1:1-3].
In Genesis the word “beginning” refers to the beginning of time, space, and matter. It references the beginning of creation as we know it. In John’s account the word refers to eternity. Long before the Genesis “beginning” God existed…because God always is. At the same time “the Word” always is too: He always is with God.
Both God and the Word are eternal, and that is a characteristic which only God has. Hence John tells us, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Those two clauses form a paradox, don’t you think? How can God be with God? Makes no sense to me! I mean, I can’t be with me. Duh! How can something identified as “the Word” be with God, while simultaneously being God? Go figure, why don’cha.
The only logical solution is to realize that God is a Trinity. He is three Persons in one God. O! but that makes even less sense, huh? Are you confused enough yet? Well, we’re just getting started, so get ready to implode!
Truthfully, the reason we cannot understand the Trinity is because nothing in time can be compared to this concept. If we view the Trinity as multiple personalities in one person, well, the Trinity is not one Person. The word Trinity comes from “tri” + “unity”. Tri means “three” and unity means “one”: three Persons in one God.
I do apologize, but time has escaped us. We will have to continue this study tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
It is eye-opening to discover in the original Greek that the writings of John are the simplest grammar in the New Testament. John’s Gospel account and his three letters to the churches wax eloquent in content. They are the most philosophical of all the four Gospel accounts, and they teach recondite concepts. In fine, they are not simple narrative.
The reason why it surprises those who learn to read the Greek New Testament is because the content soars above the heavens, while the grammar is that of a child. Only the Holy Spirit could accomplish such a feat! Anyone who is adroit enough to present such deep content has a vocabulary arsenal well beyond John’s.
The first three verses of John’s Gospel account are quoted at the start of this study. Folks, it doesn’t get more arcane than that! The Holy Spirit just last week shared an insight with me about these verses, a nuance which I trust you will enjoy.
First read the three verses of John again. We’ll pause a moment to give you time. Okay, now read this:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light [Genesis 1:1-3].
In Genesis the word “beginning” refers to the beginning of time, space, and matter. It references the beginning of creation as we know it. In John’s account the word refers to eternity. Long before the Genesis “beginning” God existed…because God always is. At the same time “the Word” always is too: He always is with God.
Both God and the Word are eternal, and that is a characteristic which only God has. Hence John tells us, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Those two clauses form a paradox, don’t you think? How can God be with God? Makes no sense to me! I mean, I can’t be with me. Duh! How can something identified as “the Word” be with God, while simultaneously being God? Go figure, why don’cha.
The only logical solution is to realize that God is a Trinity. He is three Persons in one God. O! but that makes even less sense, huh? Are you confused enough yet? Well, we’re just getting started, so get ready to implode!
Truthfully, the reason we cannot understand the Trinity is because nothing in time can be compared to this concept. If we view the Trinity as multiple personalities in one person, well, the Trinity is not one Person. The word Trinity comes from “tri” + “unity”. Tri means “three” and unity means “one”: three Persons in one God.
I do apologize, but time has escaped us. We will have to continue this study tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Wow! I Can See God! – Part 2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].
We concluded our last study with a look into the concept of the Trinity. We will continue with that point now. If we use the analogy of H2O, there are three forms it can take:
1. water (a liquid)
2. ice (a solid)
3. steam (a gas)
The trouble with this analogy is that H2O can only be one of those forms at a time. Because this is true in time, the Pentecostals insist it applies to God in eternity. Ergo, God is only one Person at a time, not three, not a Trinity. At one time He is the Father, at another the Son, and still another the Holy Spirit.
Instead of trying to rewrite Scripture, methinks they would be wise to agree with the Word of God. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is God while simultaneously being with God. Sorry, my Pentecostal brothers and sisters, but we must stick with the Word of God. He alone knows Who He is and can explain Himself. You and I are not qualified to perform such a feat.
If I wanted a cockroach to understand who and what I am, how could I go about it, hypothetically speaking, of course? I couldn’t write the roach a letter explaining the facts concerning my existence because it can’t read! I couldn’t just sit on the park bench and talk to it. I couldn’t hang out with it in the gym and rub shoulders to get acquainted. It’s a toughie. How to explain myself to a cockroach?
God faced the same dilemma in trying to reveal Himself to man. He is not one of us. He is incalculably superior to man. He created man so He understands us, but we are not up to the task of comprehending Him. Time cannot measure eternity, nor can time define eternity. Vice versa is the reality, dear friends.
God being God, He wasn’t stumped. He knew how to explain His Person and behaviors to man. He became a man like us, so that we could experience God within the context of time, space, and matter. God really took on our true humanity, sin excepted, and became one of us (cf., John 1:14).
When we study Jesus in the New Testament, we are seeing Father God, the Person, in action.
Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” [John 14:9]
This is how God revealed His Person and explained His character and purposes to man. I am getting all giddy! This is exciting stuff! I can’t get enough! More! More! More!
Oh, shucks. I’ll have to wait for my third heaping helping. Time’s a gone again. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
We concluded our last study with a look into the concept of the Trinity. We will continue with that point now. If we use the analogy of H2O, there are three forms it can take:
1. water (a liquid)
2. ice (a solid)
3. steam (a gas)
The trouble with this analogy is that H2O can only be one of those forms at a time. Because this is true in time, the Pentecostals insist it applies to God in eternity. Ergo, God is only one Person at a time, not three, not a Trinity. At one time He is the Father, at another the Son, and still another the Holy Spirit.
Instead of trying to rewrite Scripture, methinks they would be wise to agree with the Word of God. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is God while simultaneously being with God. Sorry, my Pentecostal brothers and sisters, but we must stick with the Word of God. He alone knows Who He is and can explain Himself. You and I are not qualified to perform such a feat.
If I wanted a cockroach to understand who and what I am, how could I go about it, hypothetically speaking, of course? I couldn’t write the roach a letter explaining the facts concerning my existence because it can’t read! I couldn’t just sit on the park bench and talk to it. I couldn’t hang out with it in the gym and rub shoulders to get acquainted. It’s a toughie. How to explain myself to a cockroach?
God faced the same dilemma in trying to reveal Himself to man. He is not one of us. He is incalculably superior to man. He created man so He understands us, but we are not up to the task of comprehending Him. Time cannot measure eternity, nor can time define eternity. Vice versa is the reality, dear friends.
God being God, He wasn’t stumped. He knew how to explain His Person and behaviors to man. He became a man like us, so that we could experience God within the context of time, space, and matter. God really took on our true humanity, sin excepted, and became one of us (cf., John 1:14).
When we study Jesus in the New Testament, we are seeing Father God, the Person, in action.
Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” [John 14:9]
This is how God revealed His Person and explained His character and purposes to man. I am getting all giddy! This is exciting stuff! I can’t get enough! More! More! More!
Oh, shucks. I’ll have to wait for my third heaping helping. Time’s a gone again. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
