A responsive God!

God is responsive to our situation when we believe what?

Hebrews 11:6

New International Version And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Berean Study Bible And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Berean Literal Bible And without faith, it is impossible to please Him. For it behooves the one drawing near to God to believe that He exists and that He becomes a rewarder to those earnestly seeking Him out. King James Bible But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Contemporary English Version But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and rewards everyone who searches for him. Holman Christian Standard Bible Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. New Heart English Bible Now without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

The Great Deception.

It's not one lie, it's many. They come from every direction. Don't focus on the lies! There are to many to comprehend.

Know Truth Himself, you'll see the lie every time...

Proverbs 29:18 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

Eschatology... Hmm.

Choice presumes Freedom!

Choice finds it's root in the substance of truth.

Truth can set us free from the determinism of "cause & effect".

Freedom is the foundation of creative expression.

Ecclesiastes?

As I read Ecclesiastes to the two sons of my old age. Hudson shared his joy in discovering that the Bible expressed how he felt. My surprise was that his response was exactly like mine when I first read Ecclesiastes. Why, because I was so "not churched" and he is so "churched".

For some reason, I think about "the futility of chasing the wind and the importance of loving God".

Sanctification?

It's like the 40 years in the wilderness. God killed off all those who had unbelief.

CALAMITY will be our wilderness. 

Define Context!

Give God a pile of ashes. He takes and compresses it into a charcoal pencil and begins to draw.

Beauty from ashes.

Our story is told in "Context".

Our history can not be separated from "Now". Context is found in the now. It gives hope because the context reveals forgiveness.

Scriptures?

39 You search the Scriptures because you think in them you have eternal life. These are they who bear witness of Me. 40 Yet you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

Scriptures? = Authoritative!

Who knew the scriptures better? I'm just asking.

Arguing with God

How is it possible that Moses changed God's mind about destroying Israel? The implications make my brain hurt.

Exodus 32: 7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” 9 The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. 10 Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.”

11 Then Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.

Stretched and Strengthened.

Gosh. "Stretched and Strengthened"? Yes, there is a story to be told... Not a story, a "testimony" to be shared. It's beyond me to tell. I wait on Him.

What we know gets in the way of what we need to know

Our willingness to learn is diminished by the success of what we know because we think success is proof we have attained. Intellectual security is based in pride, it guarantees calamity because God loves us.

Choices and Decisions.

We all have a path we are walking. It's a unique path that no one else has walked. When Jesus says "narrow is the way" He is speaking about the path I'm on and how narrow it is. The guard rails are the same, but the lessons to learn are uniquely different. Yet my testimony will be a prophetic glimpse that God wants to work in your life.

Rest in the Lord...

You can only "Rest in the Lord" when you understand that anything more you do will only get in the way of what God wants to do. It is directly related to "Be Blameless".

STRENGTH & POWER = Blameless?

The Strength of Being Blameless. 

BLAMELESS:  /ˈblāmlis/

adjective:    innocent of wrongdoing.

Knowing no accusation is true. Being free of guilt. Allows the possibility of being regret-free.

Caution

Guilt is a function of the spirit. You can "reason" away your sin (the mind), but guilt remains.

2 Chronicles 16:9 (RSV)   For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show his might on behalf of those whose heart is blameless toward him.

2 Samuel:23-25 (RSV)      For all his ordinances were before me, and from his statutes, I did not turn aside. 24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. 25 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

Psalm 119:2–3.  Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3. who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 

WE CAN ONLY BE BLAMELESS IF AND WHEN WE ARE 

WALKING BY FAITH AND BEING SPIRIT-LED

The Power of Repentance.

metanoia (repentance)

Original Word: μετάνοια, ας, ἡ

Part of Speech: Noun,

Transliteration: metanoia

Phonetic Spelling: (met-an’-oy-ah)

Short Definition: repentance, a change of mind

Definition: repentance, a change of mind, change in the inner man.

Here is the verb form:

metanoeó: to change one’s mind or purpose

Original Word: μετανοέω

Part of Speech: Verb

Transliteration: metanoeó

Phonetic Spelling: (met-an-o-eh’-o)

• Short Definition: I repent, change my mind, change my ways
• Definition: I repent, change my mind, change the inner man (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of God), repent.

REPENTANCE: Acknowledging the accusation and accepting responsibility, with (Godly) sorrow that leads to a desire for forgiveness and reconciliation/restoration of relationship.

accusation. [ak-yoo-zey-shuh n] noun.  1. a charge of wrongdoing; imputation of guilt or blame.

2 Corinthians 7:9 (ASV)   I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing. 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Adam and Eve in the garden

1 John 1: 5-6 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in Him, there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

potential

1. The inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being.
2. Something possessing the capacity for growth or development.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR IDENTITY it is important to understand that God sees us from a perspective of our potential. He knows who He created us to be.

It is this potential that is the foundation of His love, commitment, long-suffering and hope for us.

With insight and understanding of our God-given potential, He rebukes, chastises, encourages and disciplines us with exhortations of humility, honesty, and demonstrations of unconditional love.

He calls us to be over-comers, blameless, willing to admit our mistakes, dependant on His guidance. Willing to serve His purposes. In this light, we should make our decisions! When seeking God’s Will we shouldn’t be asking what does God wants me to do. We should be asking who God wants me to be. It is then He will show us who we are.