Can We Understand God? Isaiah 55:7-8

Since man is finite and God must be infinite can the finite man understand the Infinite God?

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:7-8.

DIFFERENT
God's thoughts and ways are not ours; they are so different that there is no comparison. If we use our ways to try to understand His ways we will miss the mark.

HIGHER
To say God's ways are higher suggests so many things...
     * His ways are nobler.
     * More righteous.
     * More holy.
     * Wiser.
     * Purer.
     * More purposeful.

If God's ways are different and higher we must not apply our standards and logic to him, because no matter how lofty we are we will still fall short.

CAN WE KNOW?
If a man is to know God then it is not on the basis of man's discovery of Him but on the basis of God's revealing of himself to man. Since man, the finite, cannot make himself infinite so we cannot become capable of knowing God, therefore the Infinite God must become finite, (God must be able to become finite or else he is not truly infinite.)

DID GOD?
God has spoken to mankind, the Bible says, "In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the universe. The son is the radiance of God's glory, and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he provided purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:1-3

We can understand God because he came to us in the flesh and as Christ, he did what we could not do so that through Christ we can know the Father.

To learn more about coming to God through Christ see the tab above titled Salvation.

(c) Adron 12/31/13

How Can I learn about God?

There are so many systems of thought and beliefs how do I know which will lead to God?

"I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go: I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." Psalm 32:8 

I WILL
God wants to instruct and teach us. He does not want us to go about in the dark not knowing the way. He says, "I will..." this expresses His intent and design; His purpose to teach and guide us.

The spiritual nature of His instruction is not something we could come to on our own because God's ways are holy. We need him to instruct us in his ways and to teach us how His ways fit in the world.

THE WAY
The way to God is the way to live life. Jesus said, "Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it." (Matthew 7:13)  There is a right way to live life and a way to have eternal life. God wants us to find that right way.

COUNSEL
Counsel is what you give an equal. God has given us free will and he guides us to use it wisely. He does not force His instructions on us but wants us to take it and make the good choice so we become partners with Him in doing good works.

LOVING EYE
He watches with love and care. His eye is always on us because He loves us; and because He loves us He teaches, instructs, and counsels us.

PROGRESS
There is a purpose in His steps.
     * Instruct is like a father to a child where He lays foundations in our lives.
     * Teaching is like a mentor to an apprentice where He builds on the foundation.
     * Counsel is like two adults sitting at a table as friends and one gives the other advice.

OUR PART
Psalm 32:9 says, "Do not be like the horse or the mule; which have no understanding but must be controlled with bit and bridle." Our Heavenly Father wants to teach, lead, and counsel us but we have to respond. We must not be stubborn but yield to His teaching. When we hear a Bible truth and don't like it we must not reject it for that is rejecting God's teaching guidance and counsel. This leaves The Lord no alternative but to guide us by bit and bridle, which is with circumstances we cannot control.

Be open to God. He gave us his Word, the Bible, read it. He gave us prayer, so talk to Him, He gave us community so find a church that loves God and his Word. He wants to be found -keep looking.

To learn more about finding the way to God see my other blog click here.

(c) Adron Dozat

How To Find Out About Jesus

How can we understand who Jesus is?  Who is he in history, and human affairs? The correct view of Jesus is possibly the most important understanding we can have- all eternity may depend on it

"Simon Peter answered, ' You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man but by my Father in heaven.'"Matthew 16:17, NIV.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND
The words quoted are the conclusion of a conversation where Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Who do people say I am?" Peter replied that people thought he was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or some other prophet. Then Jesus asked, "Who do you say I am?"

People have many ideas about Jesus; some say he was a teacher, mystic or just a man, and some deny his irrefutable existence but a few embrace his Deity.

So, who is Jesus? Peter declared he was the, "Christ the son of the living God,"

CHRIST
Christ is the one who is the Savior, chosen of God to rescue mankind from their sins, give peace to men's hearts, and bring them to a relationship with the Father.

SON
This not to say God gave birth in the physical sense but that God without giving up his deity took on the lower form of humanity, being both fully God and fully man.

LIVING GOD
This is referring to the true God, the only One, the Eternal One, who is active, Lord of life, a far cry for the gods the world then or today.

ENDORSED
Jesus replied, "This was not revealed by man but by my Father in heaven." Jesus did not say, "Peter, you got it wrong. I am not God," instead with the highest endorsement he reaffirms Peter's declaration.

The true person of Christ is something we must get right. We need the Father to reveal to us who he really is.

Pray...
     * For the Father to reveal who Jesus is.
     * To be willing to abandon preconceived ideas.
     * To be willing to change in response to what we learn.
     * As you read the Bible pray for God to show Jesus in its pages.

BLESSED
Christ said Peter was blessed because God revealed the truth to him. We will be blessed when we come to understand who Jesus is. Understanding Jesus will make all the difference in your life because no one who has a genuine encounter with Jesus remains the same.

To learn more about what Jesus means for your eternal salvation follow this link: Click Here.

____________________________

Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I sincerely hope this post is helpful and an encouragement.  For more like this see the most popular post in the left sidebar, or use the search box above.  

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(c)Adron Dozat

Can God Live With Man?

Obed-Edom

What would happen if God lived in the guest room of my house? Would I have to make allowances for him or would he even be welcome at all?


"The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had." 1 Chronicles 13:14. NIV. *


WHY WAS THE ARK AT THE HOUSE OF OBED-EDOM?
The ark was supposed to be carried by the Levites but they put it on a cart instead. The oxen stumbled and a man reached out his hand to keep the ark from falling. Since the ark was holy God struck the man dead, and in fear the people of Israel took the ark to the house of Obed-Edom.


The point in this verse is clear. Obed-Edom received the ark and while it was with him the Lord blessed him. We do not have the ark today, but instead...

     * We have the Holy Spirit,
     * We have the promises of the Lord to be with us,
     * We have the Father holding us in His hand.

You might say we have something better than the Ark!

RECEIVED
Obed-Edom received the ark; it was a decision. He could have said "No, that is dangerous. I don't want it around my kids." Instead, he received the representation of the Lord and he was blessed.

The ark remained, with them. In the same way, we must allow Gods spirit to be welcome, maybe we have pushed him out the window while we do a little "sin." or we say to God, "You can live in my house on these days but on others, you stay in the garage," Or we say," You can come in but I keep the keys." Such attitudes are not allowing God to be welcome.

1 Chronicles 13:14

FAMILY
The ark was with the "family of Obed-Edom." We need to make the Lord part of our family. Serving God was a family affair for Obed-Edom. It wasn't just Dad's priest job. We should remind family members that God is with us and to behave in a respectful way.

A DOUBLE BLESSING
The blessing was double, it was "his household and everything he had." Who would not want God's double blessing? Obed-edom had it easy, he only needed to allow the ark into his family's home and make sure no one used it for a coffee table. We have God's Spirit living in us; a living relationship that needs attention, respect, communion, and basically a lot of work. If Obed-edom was doubly blessed in that distant time, how much more will God Bless us if we allow Him to come all the way in and stay unconditionally?


* To read other translations of this verse follow this link: 1 chronicles 13:14.

© Adron 11/19/12

What Are the Worst Sins? Jeremiah 2:13

Sin is a subject no one likes and opinions vary greatly.  We all have something different to say about sin but what God says may surprise us.

"My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me the spring of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water," Jeremiah 2:13, NIV

That God says "My people..." and then goes on to tell of their waywardness.  We are intended by our Creator for His pleasure, glory, and to be His treasured possession.  God longs to lavish His love and blessing on us and it is the crowning of blessing to be called "My people..."

TWO SINS, SIN NUMBER ONE:
We have forsaken God.  To forsake is to leave behind with deliberation.  We have left God out of our thoughts, lives, and plans.

Overflowing Well of Living Water

In the Bible, God refers to himself as the spring of living water, not just water that is necessary for life but, "The spring of living water."  This spring is in the singular tense, for there are not many springs of living water only one.  There is only one God and He is the source of life, salvation, and blessing.

Water is essential for life but this water is more than that- it is the "Living Water."  Not just sustaining life but being life itself.  This is a beautiful picture of God.

SIN NUMBER TWO:
We have dug our own cisterns.  A cistern is a well.  Instead of drinking from a natural spring, we have chosen to scrape through the dirt to find dubious water.  We have built our own philosophies and religions that reject the true God.  Some of our cisterns are romance, wealth, the American dream, a dreamy world of our own values, the good life, or the next high.

Everybody has experienced the thrill of getting a new toy, job, or relationship; only to find the excitement soon diminishes and we feel empty, looking for the next source of satisfaction.  Those are the broken cisterns.  They are the broken promises of a life that are from drinking out of the wrong well and not the spring of living water.

THE SUM OF THE TWO:
These two sins are two sides of the same coin they amount to rejecting God in favor of our own designs.

THE ONE WHO IS LIVING WATER:
Jesus said, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." (John 4:10).  Jesus is the water of life, to find him is to find life, to serve him is to serve life; everything else doesn't hold water.

To learn more about Jesus see my other blog just follow this link: click here.

(c)Adron Dozat

Is Zeal For God Enough to Go To Heaven?

Some people observe every religious rule and regulation of dogma hoping that strict observance of religious discipline will earn them a place in heaven, but is it enough to get us in heaven?

"For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." Romans 10: 2-4, NIV.

ZEAL
The Bible passage above speaks of a particular people but the point applies to all. These people were famous for their strict observance of the teaching of Moses and the Prophets, interpreting the scriptures with such strictness to guarantee that they did not fail to keep all the hundreds of laws they perceived.

RIGHTEOUSNESS
They knew they needed righteousness as the grounds upon which they may stand before a holy and just God to have his acceptance, favor, and entrance into heaven.

RELATIONAL KNOWLEDGE
Paul the Apostle points out that their zeal was without knowledge. On the surface, this looks backward since they knew the hundreds of laws and interpretations of those laws. The knowledge Paul referred to is not head knowledge of religion and traditions but heart knowledge that comes from knowing and experiencing God. This second type of knowledge is superior since it is the knowledge that comes from a relationship with God. Without a relationship with God, the only other option is to establish righteousness based on strict observation of rules. This man-made righteousness is not sufficient to cover sins.

The problem with having zeal without knowledge is that you may miss the point. In this case a relationship with God and our hope of salvation, it is a big point. How tragic to spend a life observing every little rule and discovering God had something else in mind- something better.

THE SOURCE

Righteousness given by God

The point of the laws and teachings of the scriptures is not the laws and teachings for if righteousness could be earned there would not have been a need for Christ; it is the person of Christ who alone fulfilled all God's requirements. Instead of earning righteousness, we may receive righteousness as a gift.

Jesus is the righteousness of God and God offers the righteousness of Jesus to us.

THE CATCH
God asks only that we believe. No one is successful at keeping all laws but we may have righteousness with God because of what Jesus did. Instead of doing works we believe and thereby receive his righteousness on our behalf.

© Adron 6/7/12

What Does It Means To Be With Jesus Mark 3:19

Is Jesus interested in me? Am I someone he wants to be friends with?

"Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve- designating them apostles- that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach..." Mark 3:13, 14. NIV.

Jesus is always calling people to come; in the Bible, we see Jesus calling all kinds of men to himself; often in the New Testament, he says, "Come to me."  In the verses above, we see a specific calling of those he called apostles.

Among the many beautiful thoughts in these verses, the most precious is that he called to him those "that they might be with him." There are so many possibilities in those words. There is the idea of being close to Jesus as a friend and a companion, being with him in his experiences, seeing and observing his way of life, and sharing his likes and passions and his zeal. To be with him is to experience his love. To be with him changed the lives of the apostles, and they changed the world.

Were those apostles super saints far removed from us who experienced gifts and blessings we cannot own? A reading of the New Testament says no.  They were the first generation of the church, but we being human, would tend to put them above others and ascribe them some mythical grace that we can't attain. They were just like us and being just like us. If they could be with Jesus, so can we by faith.

It does not end with just being with Jesus; he called them so that he "might send them out to preach." His intention is for his apostles to be with him and then take his life out and into the world. He did not set up a cloister or monastery with walls for his followers to hide behind, but a base where his disciples would get a vision of him and tell others about being with him.

He calls us to come to him, not to a political party, a conservative agenda, a social platform, a culture war, or even a religion but to come to him. When we lose sight of him, we no longer have his message, we may have a Christ-like message, but it is empty without him.  We must remember to come to him and to preach to him.

Jesus calls us. From the cross where he died to pay for our sins, he calls us, from before time began, he knew us and is calling our name, and from his place in heaven, he is calling us to come to him. For some of us, this means the beginning of a new relationship with Jesus, and for others, it means a renewal of being with Jesus.

Post Script:
To learn more about how to come to Jesus and have him in your life, follow this link: Jesus and Salvation

.© Adron 3/16/12

Why Christians Feel the World is Against Them? 1 John 3:1

Why do Christians feel like outcasts in their own communities? Christian values are mocked and if the faithful try to fit in they feel like they have compromised their faith. If believers try to change the world it only makes enemies.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him." 1 John 3:1, NIV.

LAVISHED LOVE
The love the Father has for us is unimaginable and measureless. It is a love that He "lavishes," that He pours out in great quantity to a measure that far exceeds the merit.

US
Who does He lavish this great love on? It is us, the sinful, rebellious, traitorous people who crucified his son. God does not just lavish his love on us he goes beyond; The Lord gives us a title that means everything, "the children of God."

DIVISION
There is a division in humanity, a division between those who have come to God through his Son and those who have not. He says those that have not yet come to Jesus do not know God and therefore do not know His children. This knowing is not just an intellectual acknowledgment like when you recognize a face, but knowing as if you are in the same family household. This is a knowing that is an ongoing, growing, mutual, intimate, understanding that leads to love and service.

We don't fit into the world is because the world does not know Him like this; it rejects Christ and his claims and must reject his followers. A Christian actively living his faith in Jesus becomes a statement the world must respond to, and there are only two responses that make sense- rejection or conversion.

THE BIGGER PICTURE
That the world rejects us is small compared to the love the Father has lavished on us. This world is decaying and passing away before our eyes, trying to find acceptance in it is to share its fate; but another that is without end is going to be revealed and that is a far better possession than anything this world has to offer.

If you have trusted Jesus as your savior you are a child of God and have already left this world behind. You are His and are joined in His fate here on earth and his glory in heaven. To learn more about finding Jesus see my other blog.

(c)Adron Dozat

How Can You Tell If Someone Is From God 3 John 11

Our world is full of wickedness. We want to do good but how do we get away from the evil around us to be a positive influence?

"Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God, anyone who does what is evil has not seen God." 3 John: 11.

IS THIS A COMMAND FROM THE BIBLE?
It begins with the command, "Do not imitate..." A command is an imperative which must be followed. This command is simple, but we must still pay attention to it. Clearly, we can choose to "not do" evil and resolve to do "good;" we must not live reactionary lives where we act without weighing Gods opinion.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO IMITATE?
To imitate is to reproduce the actions of another in yourself. A student learns how to play the piano by watching the teacher put their fingers here and there and moves them so; the student then repeats all those movements and creates the same sound. With practice, the teacher's actions become the students. It is the same when we imitate evil or imitate good, we become what we imitate. We must make doing good daily practice and avoid reproducing the actions that God does not approve of.

RESOLVE
There are thousands of opportunities to "imitate evil" every day, so there are thousands of opportunities to "do good." Opportunities like a saying a kind word, a smile, a gift, a donation, a minute spent in prayer, a hug, or a warm handshake, a little note, or a helping hand. We tend to slip into doing evil, but must resolve to do "good." It takes effort and concentration and awareness.

IS GOOD FROM GOD?
Only God is good, "Anyone who does what is good is from God." Evil is not true of God's people. We should pray for God to show us the good to do and look for it. We must not let our gaze rest on evil, but fill our vision with good- with God.

WARNING
The acid test is that "Anyone who does evil has not seen God." Do we make a habit of doing evil? If we do it maybe we have never come to God in faith in the saving work of his son on the cross, and our salvation is in doubt.

Resolved to take this verse to heart and really refuse to "do evil but what is good?"

To learn more about finding a personal relationship with God then follow this link to my other blog.\

(c)Adron Dozat 5/11/11

Is Your God Worth Boasting About? - Psalms 44:8.

We think negatively about boasting; it is because people tend to boast in a vain and arrogant way, but there is a time and place for good boasting.

“In God, we make out boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever,” Psalms 44:8, NIV.

BOASTING
Not all boasting is negative and rude, like when we have a good thing to celebrate, we went to let others know, when we are elated, we communicate that joy, or when we have a victory, we announce it. This is not vain boasting. It is celebrating. Boasting is a statement made by one person to another, and we ought to be declaring to others what God has done and is doing in our lives and in the world around us.

WHY DONT WE?
Why do Christians not boast about their God? We do not need to get far-fetched to find inspiration for us to boast about God; consider His works, all His creation, and the universe. We can honestly boast in God's great power, His character and nature, His patience with sinful mankind, and His Son’s atoning death on our behalf, which gives free salvation to any who receive it.

GOD IS WORTHY OF IT
Isn’t God worth boasting about? If you knew a celebrity or a head of state, you would not keep it a secret. As born-again Christians we have been given the privilege to know the Lord, so we are uniquely qualified to declare the greatness of God. Consider that God who commands multitudes of angles is our God and Father. We can boast of the blessings He has given us. We can boast that our God is active in our lives and has made us His partner in the great work of grace and redemption. The blessings of salvation go on and on, and we do well to remind others of them morning, noon and night.

BOASTING LEADS US
If you boast to someone about something you are or have done, you can predict they will have a low opinion about you; they consider that you are vain, conceited, and self-absorbed. Boasting about God leads to worship, as the verse above concludes with the declaration that “we will praise your name forever.”

TEMPORARY
Our opportunity to boast about the Lord to our neighbors and friends will only be for a time, but for each of us, our time on earth will end, and eternity will begin; then, boasting in God will be replaced with worship and praise to God.

KNOW THE GOD WORTHY OF BOASTING
The God we know as the redeemer of lost mankind is worth boasting about. If you feel that God, as you know him, is not worth boasting about, then search for Him afresh.

If you do not feel that you know God as the redeemer you can boast about, then CLICK HERE to read this other post to learn how you can know the Lord as your personal savior.

(c) Adron 12/29/10

A Christianity that is un-American. Philippians 3:7-9

There are a few teachings of the Bible that stand in defiance of modern views.

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…” Philippians 3:7-9.

Ours is a consumer-driven materialistic generation. We quickly acquire the newest technology, the latest electronics, and the most up to date toys. How different we are from our Lord who was a homeless traveling teacher possessing only the clothes on his torn back the day he was crucified.

THINGS LOSS
Why are we not like the Apostle who considered “everything loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus?” We have to know Christ, seek him, become intimate with his words and teaching. Intimacy with Jesus will keep us from being allured by advertisements that call us from the Lord and enslave us to the idea that possessions give meaning. Jesus has been out-marketed by TV commercials, junk mail, billboards, digital media and all the weapons of advertisers.

GREATNESS
The Apostle Paul considered knowing Jesus to have “surpassing greatness.” The surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus was a fact to him. Knowing Jesus was so much more, above, and ahead of anything else he could do, be, or possess. To Paul all profit gain, possessions, status, wealth, and treasures did not compare to Jesus; Jesus was the greater treasure to Paul.

FOR THE SAKE OF...
How could he consider “all things loss for the sake of Christ?” Did he know something we don’t? Do we not know the same Christ? The Jesus we hear taught about today is a watered-down and sterilized from the dynamic world-changing Jesus whose followers brought down empires. Our Jesus is the helpless baby in a manger, or the misunderstood teacher, or the abandoned martyr on the cross.

GREATER WORTH
Paul had a vision of who Jesus was, and his Jesus was worth all things; status, reputation, finical security, future plans, friendships, wealth, and whatever you name. Let’s find that Jesus. It takes time, time in the Word, prayer, communion, service, and fellowship, but we can do it; when we do we again will turn the world upside down.

MODERN PAULS
If Paul lost all things to know Christ what can we moderns point to and say, "I have counted this as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ?" After all, what is there that really does compare to knowing Jesus? Let’s not spend our time and resources gaining more things- instead, let’s rediscover Jesus.

Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I sincerely hope this post is helpful and is an encouragement.  For more like this see the most popular post in the left sidebar, or use the search box above. 

(c)Adron Dozat 11/26/10

The Search of God, 1 Samuel 13:14

What kind of person is God looking for; is He looking for anybody at all, or someone special, and if so what kind of person?

"But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people because you have not kept the Lord's command." 1 Samuel 13:14 NIV.

These are the words of the prophet Samuel to King Saul when Saul presumed to take on the role of priest and offer the sacrifice. God reveals His mind; He seeks a man "after his own heart."

The word, "after" suggests one who is following, who is in step, and is pursuing after God.

BECAUSE
The word, because, leads us to God's reason. "Because you have not kept the Lord's command."  Obedience trumps zeal.  God wants your obedience,  He wants a person who learns His commands and follows them.  You would think God wanted someone who builds monuments, or cathedrals or set up some world-changing charity.  You would think God wants the smartest or most educated, or most talented that could sway people with elegant speech.  King Saul was many of these things: handsome, tall, a leader in battle, and charismatic; but they did not qualify him to fulfill God's greater purpose.

HEART
"The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart."  How can we be after the heart of God?

     * First, we must seek the Lord; seek Him in Bible reading, prayer, meditation, and the fellowship of others who are also seeking Him.
     * We must obey the light we are given, when aware of evil in our lives we must turn and repent, when aware of a deed we should perform then we should act. (Remember God will never contradict His Word).
     * We should pray and ask the Lord to make us a man or woman after His own heart; it is a prayer God will gladly grant.
     * We must be willing to serve him wherever the calling. God is looking for one who is willing to be a leader not of multitudes but things like a first grade Sunday School Class or of the Ushers Committee or to be the Van Driver of a Meals on Wheels Ministry.  Not everyone can be generals some must be sergeants and privates, but even a private can be a hero and receive the medal of honor.

SEARCHING
God is searching, His eyes and heart rove the earth looking for a man or woman after "his own heart" for this generation.  He is looking for someone who is willing to obey and to patiently wait for His command.  Are you the one who is following, who is in step, and who is pursuing God? Indeed, if ever there was a time for the man or woman after God's own heart it is this time.

To be a man after God's own heart you must know him. If you feel you do not have a personal relationship with the Lord then click here to see my post about the Gospel.

(c) Adron 9/12/10

The End Result of Knowledge. Proverbs 22:19

We go to school or study and get our heads full of facts, formulas, dates, and data. What is it all good for? What is the real purpose of education?

“Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the Lord, I teach you today, even you.” Proverbs 22:17-19. NIV.

We are made to learn and grow intellectually. A normal, healthy mind is curious and learns, even if it is the small and mundane things of the day today. The mind that does not learn is ill and experiences entropy.

In its wise sayings, the book of proverbs answers the end purpose of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. The modern man says it to get ahead, or get a better job, or to fulfill the “American Dream,” but proverbs teach that knowledge is “So that your Trust may be in the Lord.”

God had a purpose when he gave us the ability to reason and learn. Learning about the natural universe around us reveals more of God, and thoughtful consideration of what we learn ought to point us to Him. Since God created all things, any subject, whether science, math, history, sociology or literature, or any other discipline, draws us closer to The Lord. Even to study the structure of a leaf, or the composition of an element or the progress of human history causes the thoughtful to see the Creator's hand. His universe demonstrates His greatness, power, immeasurable creativity, and awesome wisdom. To consider any discipline of study should cause us to declare, “Yes, there must be a God!”

Knowledge should cause us to trust in the Lord. How can you not trust in The One who is so All-knowing and All-powerful? How can you not trust The One who made mother birds, created sunshine, gravity, stars, atoms, the heart, the eye, sound, or any other thing you can consider?

Learning alone is not enough; we need help in our understanding. The proverb encourages us to “Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise.” God is not only revealed in creation, but He speaks in the Holy Scriptures to make clear to us His love and purpose. Let’s become devoted to studying His Written Word and His creation.

(c) Adron 7/25/10

How to Have Powerful Prayer That Hits The Mark, Nehemiah 2: 2- 4

God Loves You

This short post looks at the example of a man who had consistent victory through prayer.  Hopefully, we can get some insights from him.

If you want to have great confidence in prayer, consider the examples in Scripture of people who pray powerfully; the funny thing is that many of those prayers are not what you would think.

“So the king asked me, ‘Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?  This can be nothing but sadness of heart.’  I was very much afraid, but I said to the king.”  May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’  The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’  Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king….” Nehemiah 2:2-4. NIV.

ARROW SHOT
During an interview with the king of the western world Nehemiah, prays to "the God of heaven."  It must have been a short prayer, not said out loud, and during a moment of stress because he says, "I was very much afraid."  (There were consequences for speaking to the king without observing the etiquette of court).  His prayer may have been something like, "Please help me, God."  His little "arrow prayer" shot to heaven and hit its mark because the king gave him the request and in a very generous way.

CONFIDENCE WITH GOD
Nehemiah's confidence with God enabled access to the Almighty at a moment's notice.  He just moved in and out of the Almighty's presence like we would walk through our living room.

LIFESTYLE
Nehemiah had a lifestyle of prayer.  His book is punctuated with quick short prayers.  This was not a casual thing but a discipline of prayer, seen by the preparation of days of prayer before he spoke to the king (Nehemiah 1:4).

PRACTICE
To be effective in the little prayers, we must be diligent in the trenches of prayer; having regular structured times of daily prayer makes you confident when the opportunity for spontaneous prayer arrives.

You can practice the same quickie arrow prayers as the outflow of a prayerful lifestyle.  What a difference it will make as we go through our day to continually pop open the treasure chest of prayer!

HUMILITY
When Nehemiah admits he prayed before the king, he brings glory to God.  He could have left out the little detail about the quickie prayer and look great and brave, but to acknowledge prayer is humility.  Let's always encourage others in their prayer practices, and to hear how God answered your prayer is a favor to them and is praise to God.

God is the last thing we consider these days, but not with Nehemiah; we should be like Nehemiah, who made prayer the first course of action and a constant discipline.

Thank you for visiting my blog; I hope it is an encouragement and a blessing to you.  To find more posts see the list of most popular posts in the sidebar. 

© Adron 9/29/09

Is It Right For A Christian To Boast?

We all boast in some way or another, normally it is considered vain and looked down upon; but is there a boast that is right and good to do?

“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boast boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24.

Why do we not brag about the Lord?
     * We are too self-absorbed.
     * We are not looking for His works to boast about.
     * We lack courage.
     * Maybe our knowledge of Him is too small to boast about.

GET IT RIGHT

Our thinking is backward.  We cherish things like wisdom, strength, fame, and wealth. Wisdom fades with senility, strength withers with the years, achievements are forgotten, and wealth is uncertain.  If you are going to boast about something what better brag can you have than that you know and understand our Creator?  He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and the source of all blessings.

A GOOD BOAST
It sounds arrogant to boast about knowing and understanding God, but here is an instruction in scripture to do so.  Of course, no one knows Him perfectly, we must keep on seeking and continue to understand Him.

God directs us to boast in a way that is specific.  He says, "Boast about this that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord."  He is sovereign,  He rules, and He is in control by authority and power.  You might boast about an acquaintance with the rich, the powerful, the famous, and even a head of state but God is above them all.  You may look nuts, bragging about Your Heavenly Father but those who are seeking the Almighty will listen.

KNOW HIM
As a finite being, you can only know the infinite through His revelation, and he says here that God "exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth."  These are the things that God is doing every day.  We should brag when we see the kindness, justice, and righteousness that God is doing daily in the world around us.

HIS DELIGHT
He makes it clear what we must know about him; "for in these I delight."  To know that God delights in kindness justice and righteousness is a call to action, if He delights in these things then we should strive to embody them, and pursue them.

May the Almighty reveal Himself to you so that you may boast saying, "I know the Lord!"

If you want to find out more about how to know God personally follow this link: click here.

If this has been an encouragement won't you consider a small gift to help keep it going?

(c) Adron