The material argument for the existence of God, where god is seen to sustain the very existence of matter, is the basis for all of the gift theories and epic stuff. Here is another result:
God is the creator. Present tense. At all times he creates the universe.
God is constantly creating us. These 6000 years of history are a tale of his creation of a nation for himself, a people drawn from every tribe and tongue on earth, a tale of sanctifying them and restoring creation, a tale of creating a people for himself.
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
Just dwell upon that fact that you are Gods creation. He wanted to make you, and he made you just the way he wanted you. You are an intentional creation of God.
And the idea that made my blood curdle to write this post is this: 6000 years of history since the beginning of the world. To god a thousand years is like a day (Psalm 90:4). Seven days of creation... 7000 years. So what if we have another 1000 years before the end of the world.
And the kicker for me is completely illogical, but it's what excited me.
What if the creation account in Genesis were an account of all history?
I mean, God makes sense, right? Wouldn't it be awesome if everything connected like that?
Anyway, that's my nature, the connector person. That's why I come up with so many theories!
26 October 2010
addition to 'giving out love' + church language
Previous post "giving out love" stated that we can bend Gods love to us outward by being completely secure in God, freeing us from needing earthly things and letting us give freely of ourselves to all people.
Add to that. The previous thesis allows us to give whatever we have. But in addition so simply being allowed to give, God has given us something of infinite value to give, the gospel. And the gospel is what God originally gave to us, the love he gave us. This gospel we preach and 'give' to other people. This is how church people can say "giving God's love out to people around you".
Much confusion would be done away with and much heartfelt passion would be gained by a simple clarification of language on the part of the church! The trouble is that it is much easier to say "giving god's love out" than explain "telling them the gospel", just as it is easier to say "love of God" than "his plan for the universe including our sanctification and provision and real tangible directly given emotion"
We must, every now and then, clarify these terms to people we do not know well. For this purpose we must ourselves keep in mind what we really mean when we say things like love, trust, power, justice, grace, peace, etc.
Could this perhaps have been the doom of the Catholic church from 500-1300 AD?
Add to that. The previous thesis allows us to give whatever we have. But in addition so simply being allowed to give, God has given us something of infinite value to give, the gospel. And the gospel is what God originally gave to us, the love he gave us. This gospel we preach and 'give' to other people. This is how church people can say "giving God's love out to people around you".
Much confusion would be done away with and much heartfelt passion would be gained by a simple clarification of language on the part of the church! The trouble is that it is much easier to say "giving god's love out" than explain "telling them the gospel", just as it is easier to say "love of God" than "his plan for the universe including our sanctification and provision and real tangible directly given emotion"
We must, every now and then, clarify these terms to people we do not know well. For this purpose we must ourselves keep in mind what we really mean when we say things like love, trust, power, justice, grace, peace, etc.
Could this perhaps have been the doom of the Catholic church from 500-1300 AD?
21 October 2010
heart of my own heart
Song: Be Thou My Vision, one of the last verses "Heart of my own heart whatever befall"
The phrase 'invite Jesus into your heart' is often used for new birth/salvation etc. However, having experienced it recently (3 days ago) as a reenlivening of my faith, I think it should be rephrased. God does not just come into your heart. What are you, puny human non-spiritual hunk of space-filled particles? Ezekiel 36:26 "I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees."
God doesn't come into your heart, your heart becomes his heart. You literally (though not physically) get the heart of God. Amazing!
Here I describe what I feel in terms of physical manifestation of a new heart. It's like a living things inside of you, reaching our through your flesh and telling you where to go and what to do. That may sound like a zombie but it's the Holy spirit, and I will certainly admit I don't feel like this much of the time, but it's still there.
Anyway, ask God to take your heart of stone (for me it felt like a long slug of melted and re hardened metal) and ask him to give you a heart of flesh, his heart.
I have pasted below the full song, which is amazing even without the music.
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
The phrase 'invite Jesus into your heart' is often used for new birth/salvation etc. However, having experienced it recently (3 days ago) as a reenlivening of my faith, I think it should be rephrased. God does not just come into your heart. What are you, puny human non-spiritual hunk of space-filled particles? Ezekiel 36:26 "I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees."
God doesn't come into your heart, your heart becomes his heart. You literally (though not physically) get the heart of God. Amazing!
Here I describe what I feel in terms of physical manifestation of a new heart. It's like a living things inside of you, reaching our through your flesh and telling you where to go and what to do. That may sound like a zombie but it's the Holy spirit, and I will certainly admit I don't feel like this much of the time, but it's still there.
Anyway, ask God to take your heart of stone (for me it felt like a long slug of melted and re hardened metal) and ask him to give you a heart of flesh, his heart.
I have pasted below the full song, which is amazing even without the music.
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
10 October 2010
"Bigger fish"
This post is called 'bigger fish' in reference to a Star Wars quote as Qui-Gon and Obi-wan travel through the planet core to Naboo city. They get chased by a gigantic fish and then an even larger one eats their pursuer. "There's always a bigger fish" Qui-gon says.
This principle can be applied to progress, whether financial, advancement at work, education, family, anything.
There will ALWAYS be something better. What will you satisfy yourself with?
I am pressed for time so I won't write much more, but here's something I wrote 2 years ago speculating on the implications of an infinity universe (a common defense to my TSM arguments)
Supposing the world is infinite (atheistic defense for cosmological argument), then there can always be (or I might argue there is) a civilization so far advanced above us that we don’t matter. This destroys all motivation for scientific progress (because they will eventually overtake us), the improvement of the human condition (why are humans special if there is a better race?), the search for ultimate truth (because reality is infinite and therefore unknowable), etc.
This principle can be applied to progress, whether financial, advancement at work, education, family, anything.
There will ALWAYS be something better. What will you satisfy yourself with?
I am pressed for time so I won't write much more, but here's something I wrote 2 years ago speculating on the implications of an infinity universe (a common defense to my TSM arguments)
Supposing the world is infinite (atheistic defense for cosmological argument), then there can always be (or I might argue there is) a civilization so far advanced above us that we don’t matter. This destroys all motivation for scientific progress (because they will eventually overtake us), the improvement of the human condition (why are humans special if there is a better race?), the search for ultimate truth (because reality is infinite and therefore unknowable), etc.
2 evidences that humans are special
Size and Texture:
The macro world of galaxies is arranged in particles (earth, solar, milky way, local group/cluster, Virgo supercluster, pisces-cestus supercluster complex...) and the microscopic world is arranged in particles (cells, molecules, atoms, electrons, gluons, quarks...30 levels more). This dimension that we live in, starting from earth and reaching to cells, is all textured. There are objects with funny shapes, design, complexity, etc. This indicates that we inhabit a special size in the universe.
Animals:
We alone of the animal species have created tools and run all over the earth and make technological marvels. How come there are not other dominant species? Nearly all other animals have reasonably alike cousins, we have none. All animals are on relatively the same level, none exercise control over another, none are significantly more powerful than another. We humans are special. The chimpanzee doesn’t have a word for ‘evil.
I realize that both these arguments (and all my others) are left relatively undefended and do not touch on common counter-arguments. If you have any, please pose them and I will reply as honestly as I can.
The macro world of galaxies is arranged in particles (earth, solar, milky way, local group/cluster, Virgo supercluster, pisces-cestus supercluster complex...) and the microscopic world is arranged in particles (cells, molecules, atoms, electrons, gluons, quarks...30 levels more). This dimension that we live in, starting from earth and reaching to cells, is all textured. There are objects with funny shapes, design, complexity, etc. This indicates that we inhabit a special size in the universe.
Animals:
We alone of the animal species have created tools and run all over the earth and make technological marvels. How come there are not other dominant species? Nearly all other animals have reasonably alike cousins, we have none. All animals are on relatively the same level, none exercise control over another, none are significantly more powerful than another. We humans are special. The chimpanzee doesn’t have a word for ‘evil.
I realize that both these arguments (and all my others) are left relatively undefended and do not touch on common counter-arguments. If you have any, please pose them and I will reply as honestly as I can.
02 October 2010
"if our god is for us"
"And if our God is for us, then who can stand against us?" - from the song Our God (I think)
Those song lines mean more than we know. They're from Romans 8:31.
They are preceded by God's work in foreknowing, predestining, calling, justifying, sanctifying, and glorifying us. God is FOR us in the sense that he saves us. YES!
Romans 8:31 is followed by "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" meaning that if he gave us JC, won't he give us abounding grace too? It would actually diminish Christs worth if God DIDN'T give us all good things.
Those song lines mean more than we know. They're from Romans 8:31.
They are preceded by God's work in foreknowing, predestining, calling, justifying, sanctifying, and glorifying us. God is FOR us in the sense that he saves us. YES!
Romans 8:31 is followed by "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" meaning that if he gave us JC, won't he give us abounding grace too? It would actually diminish Christs worth if God DIDN'T give us all good things.
01 October 2010
giving out love
Summary: "We love people because we are secure in God"
Often in church we hear the phrase "Giving God's love to other people" or the concept that Christians should be so overflowing with love from God that it just pours out onto other people. Some pastors describe it as 'bending' the flow of God down to us, through us, towards the people around us.
That concept sounded hokey to me. What is this love? It's not some sort of object that we can trade. Love is directed towards somebody, you can't just trade it off.
This is the explanation: God loves us. This means that we are secure, taken care of, etc. He also gives us wisdom, energy, and real physical things like money (only if it's for his glory.)
As someone secure in Christ, all that we have we can freely give away because it will not endanger us. Those who don't have protectors are hoarders and often grumpy. This is because they're in danger all the time.
Not if you have God on your side. Then we are safe even if we give everything away, because we will still have God, and he is worth infinitely more than everything.
So do we really give out God's love? Kind of. We can love others because God loves/protects us. And there are parts of Gods love that we can literally give away, like money. In a more abstract sense, we can do that with wisdom and peace of mind too.
See, the definition of love: 1 John 4:10 "This is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." God's love is not this ethereal fuzzy thing, it's concrete help. God absolved our sins by dying for them. That's real.
Now, because we don't need to take care of ourselves, we're free to follow God (something he designed us to enjoy) 2 John 1:6 "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."
So what is his command?
Matt 22:37-39 "Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
And how do you love your neighbor as yourself? John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
See that logic? God loves us with concrete help, this allows us to follow him (which he designed us to enjoy), following him entails his commandments, which are to love our neighbors, which in its greatest measure is dying for your friends. This is how the love of God transfers to our loving other people.
Anyway...
I got a little carried away.
Know that god has you secure.
Often in church we hear the phrase "Giving God's love to other people" or the concept that Christians should be so overflowing with love from God that it just pours out onto other people. Some pastors describe it as 'bending' the flow of God down to us, through us, towards the people around us.
That concept sounded hokey to me. What is this love? It's not some sort of object that we can trade. Love is directed towards somebody, you can't just trade it off.
This is the explanation: God loves us. This means that we are secure, taken care of, etc. He also gives us wisdom, energy, and real physical things like money (only if it's for his glory.)
As someone secure in Christ, all that we have we can freely give away because it will not endanger us. Those who don't have protectors are hoarders and often grumpy. This is because they're in danger all the time.
Not if you have God on your side. Then we are safe even if we give everything away, because we will still have God, and he is worth infinitely more than everything.
So do we really give out God's love? Kind of. We can love others because God loves/protects us. And there are parts of Gods love that we can literally give away, like money. In a more abstract sense, we can do that with wisdom and peace of mind too.
See, the definition of love: 1 John 4:10 "This is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." God's love is not this ethereal fuzzy thing, it's concrete help. God absolved our sins by dying for them. That's real.
Now, because we don't need to take care of ourselves, we're free to follow God (something he designed us to enjoy) 2 John 1:6 "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."
So what is his command?
Matt 22:37-39 "Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
And how do you love your neighbor as yourself? John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
See that logic? God loves us with concrete help, this allows us to follow him (which he designed us to enjoy), following him entails his commandments, which are to love our neighbors, which in its greatest measure is dying for your friends. This is how the love of God transfers to our loving other people.
Anyway...
I got a little carried away.
Know that god has you secure.
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