Quite often when I listen to different Bible Scholars discuss the Trinity in theology, they discuss how hard it is to grasp the concept of a God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I may be overly simplistic, but I not only have no problem with the concept, but believe the God of the Bible could not be who he is without being three persons.
First, God, the Father. He is inside and outside of time and is all places at the same time. He knows when a sparrow falls from the sky, the number of the hairs on our head (not hard on me) and our every thought, and he knows every star by name. He is omniscient and omnipotent and omnipresent. He is God.
God, the Son. God became flesh and dwelled among us. God in person. He walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day, spoke to Moses through a bush, wrestled with Jacob, and lowered himself to be born a child, live a sinless life and go through the agony of dying on a cross for my sins, came back to life with a physical body able to show Thomas where he was pierce before eating with his apostles. As Jesus, the Son, walked with his disciples, ate with them and did miracles, he was God, but did God cease to be everywhere while he was walking on the Earth here? Not at all. God was still omnipresent while he was also right here in person.
God, the Spirit. When we invite God's spirit to dwell within us, his spirit works on us, convicting us when we sin. The spirit helps us understand scripture and comforts us when we go through hard times. God does not cease to be everywhere while he is inside us.
God must be in three persons or he could not be everywhere, right here walking with us in person, and living inside us at the same time. God would need to have three distinct personalities to accomplish this and to be the God described in the Bible.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Notebook ©
Memory is a wonderful thing. Today we remember our fathers. As we spend time with our fathers, make your memories good ones worth remembering. Our Father in heaven does not forget us. He knows each of us by name. God's memory is perfect. Ours, on the other hand is not.
It is a shame when memories fade. There was a movie 2004 called the Notebook. An elderly man went daily to a nursing home where he would read to his wife the story of there love that she wrote down in a notebook before succumbing to Alzheimer's disease. As he would read the journal entries, she would remember how they met and how they fell in love and she would remember that she was his bride. The words would stir memories and once again she would re-live the life that had slipped away from her.
God wants us to remember his love for us. He wrote us a notebook, the Bible; 66 love letters from our Father so we might remember God's strength, his desire for relationship with us, his promise of eternity, and the sacrifice he made to wash away our sins.
God provides us with a journal to assist us in remembering this sacrifice.
Before His death, He commanded His disciples to partake of the supper in His remembrance. (Matthew 26.26-28; “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' And He took the cup, and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” All the four gospels give the same account, and in Luke 22.19, Jesus said, “This do in remembrance of me.”
This is the time we here at Blue Springs Christian Church take time to partake in that supper.
It is a shame when memories fade. There was a movie 2004 called the Notebook. An elderly man went daily to a nursing home where he would read to his wife the story of there love that she wrote down in a notebook before succumbing to Alzheimer's disease. As he would read the journal entries, she would remember how they met and how they fell in love and she would remember that she was his bride. The words would stir memories and once again she would re-live the life that had slipped away from her.
God wants us to remember his love for us. He wrote us a notebook, the Bible; 66 love letters from our Father so we might remember God's strength, his desire for relationship with us, his promise of eternity, and the sacrifice he made to wash away our sins.
God provides us with a journal to assist us in remembering this sacrifice.
Before His death, He commanded His disciples to partake of the supper in His remembrance. (Matthew 26.26-28; “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' And He took the cup, and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” All the four gospels give the same account, and in Luke 22.19, Jesus said, “This do in remembrance of me.”
This is the time we here at Blue Springs Christian Church take time to partake in that supper.
One God, One Way ©
One God, One Way.
Exodus 20:1-3
1 And God spoke all these words:
2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 "You shall have no other gods before me.
John 14:6-7
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
There have always been skeptics. Those who say believing in one God is judgmental and dogmatic. They think they are being open minded.
Poet Steven Turner put it this way in his poem, the Modern Thinkers Creed.
Jesus was a good man just like Buddha, Mohammad and ourselves.
We believe that all religions are the basically the same, at least the ones we read were.
They all believe in love and goodness.
They only differ on matters of creation, sin, heaven, hell, God and salvation.
These skeptics want to know why God is so unreasonable to demand you follow him alone. Here are some ifs.
If the God of the Bible did create the Heavens and the Earth as it is written,
If He caused the Great Flood, used the 10 plagues to lead the 12 Tribes out of Egypt, divided the Red Sea, gave his people the 10 commandments, and took them to the Promised Land,
If He sent Jesus, the Messiah, as a sacrifice for or sins as prophesied in the Old Testament,
Why would He allow us to worship whatever manor of philosophy or worldly thing that suits our fancy?
Because we all come from one creation, one origin, all faiths around the world have minor similarity. It would make more sense for all religions to be wrong than for all of them to be right. If you believe you have an immortal soul, and you want to follow the one and only true God, you will want to make a wise decision based on facts and not feelings or what is convenient.
Jesus is unique. Of all spiritual leaders of all beliefs, He is the only one to sacrifice himself for the salvation of all who follow him. Jesus answers the four major questions of life.
1. Origins: Where did I come from?
2. Purpose: Why am I here?
3. Morality: How should I live and why do bad things happen?
4. Eternity: What happens when I die?
Believing in the God of the Bible and his Son, Jesus Christ is a rational decision.
Psalms 53:1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God.
Exodus 20:5 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,
Exodus 20:1-3
1 And God spoke all these words:
2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 "You shall have no other gods before me.
John 14:6-7
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
There have always been skeptics. Those who say believing in one God is judgmental and dogmatic. They think they are being open minded.
Poet Steven Turner put it this way in his poem, the Modern Thinkers Creed.
Jesus was a good man just like Buddha, Mohammad and ourselves.
We believe that all religions are the basically the same, at least the ones we read were.
They all believe in love and goodness.
They only differ on matters of creation, sin, heaven, hell, God and salvation.
These skeptics want to know why God is so unreasonable to demand you follow him alone. Here are some ifs.
If the God of the Bible did create the Heavens and the Earth as it is written,
If He caused the Great Flood, used the 10 plagues to lead the 12 Tribes out of Egypt, divided the Red Sea, gave his people the 10 commandments, and took them to the Promised Land,
If He sent Jesus, the Messiah, as a sacrifice for or sins as prophesied in the Old Testament,
Why would He allow us to worship whatever manor of philosophy or worldly thing that suits our fancy?
Because we all come from one creation, one origin, all faiths around the world have minor similarity. It would make more sense for all religions to be wrong than for all of them to be right. If you believe you have an immortal soul, and you want to follow the one and only true God, you will want to make a wise decision based on facts and not feelings or what is convenient.
Jesus is unique. Of all spiritual leaders of all beliefs, He is the only one to sacrifice himself for the salvation of all who follow him. Jesus answers the four major questions of life.
1. Origins: Where did I come from?
2. Purpose: Why am I here?
3. Morality: How should I live and why do bad things happen?
4. Eternity: What happens when I die?
Believing in the God of the Bible and his Son, Jesus Christ is a rational decision.
Psalms 53:1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God.
Exodus 20:5 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Jewish Wedding Communion Focus Theme ©
Because Jesus speaks to all people in all countries in all languages, we forget he was a Jew speaking to a predominantly Jewish audience. As he would speak of himself in relationship to the church, he would refer to himself as the Bridegroom and the Church was his Bride.
This took on an extra meaning to me when I came across how a traditional Jewish wedding was performed. After proposing to his bride, the bridegroom would leave for an undisclosed time, as much as a year, during which his bride would remain faithfully waiting.
During this time, the Bridegroom would go to build a room onto his father’s house so there would be a place for he and his bride to live. He was not allowed to come back for his bride until his father was satisfied that all was ready. Then he would return unannounced and he and his bride would be wed. After the wedding, the entire family and their friends would gather together for seven days of celebration.
Think about it. The bridegroom leaves to add onto his fathers house. As the 14th chapter of John states. “I go to prepare a place for you.” “My father’s house has many rooms, were it not so, I would have told you.”
The son can not return until his father gives him permission. Mat 24:36 "No one knows when that day or hour will come-not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. When Christ comes again, we will be taken to enjoy a celebration. Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice, be glad, and give him glory, because the marriage of the lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. Then in verse 9, How blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb!'" We, the church, look forward to that coming wedding celebration when Jesus will return again.
We have come to that time when we take communion. We do this to remember Christ’s promise to return to us. As Paul writes to the Church of Corinth, For as often as you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
I get excite when I think of Christ returning as a Bridegroom to us his bride because I know how much I love and cherish my wife. To think of our savior having that same love for us is more than I can imagine.
This took on an extra meaning to me when I came across how a traditional Jewish wedding was performed. After proposing to his bride, the bridegroom would leave for an undisclosed time, as much as a year, during which his bride would remain faithfully waiting.
During this time, the Bridegroom would go to build a room onto his father’s house so there would be a place for he and his bride to live. He was not allowed to come back for his bride until his father was satisfied that all was ready. Then he would return unannounced and he and his bride would be wed. After the wedding, the entire family and their friends would gather together for seven days of celebration.
Think about it. The bridegroom leaves to add onto his fathers house. As the 14th chapter of John states. “I go to prepare a place for you.” “My father’s house has many rooms, were it not so, I would have told you.”
The son can not return until his father gives him permission. Mat 24:36 "No one knows when that day or hour will come-not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. When Christ comes again, we will be taken to enjoy a celebration. Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice, be glad, and give him glory, because the marriage of the lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. Then in verse 9, How blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb!'" We, the church, look forward to that coming wedding celebration when Jesus will return again.
We have come to that time when we take communion. We do this to remember Christ’s promise to return to us. As Paul writes to the Church of Corinth, For as often as you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
I get excite when I think of Christ returning as a Bridegroom to us his bride because I know how much I love and cherish my wife. To think of our savior having that same love for us is more than I can imagine.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Talents Communion Focus Theme ©
Solomon, the wisest man on Earth spoke a lot on the topic of work. Throughout the Proverbs, he told how the wise worked hard and the foolish were lazy. In the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, he tells us there is a time for every purpose unto Heaven, and at the end of the chapter he states, So, I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. God has created us with talents and we give glory to God when we use those talents in our work.
The movie Chariots of Fire highlighted the exploits of Eric Liddell who believed his purpose was to be a missionary in China. He was quoted to stay,
“I believe that God made me for the purpose of going to China, but He also made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure." Eric used both of his talents to God’s praise. He won a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics, and went to China as a Missionary. He was also quoted to say. “We are all missionaries. Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ, or we repel them from Christ.”
When we work with joy to the best of our talents, we not only praise God for the abilities he has provided us, but we draw others to the light that shines inside us. The reverse it true, too. That is why I try to show the Good News in my actions as well as my words.
The movie Chariots of Fire highlighted the exploits of Eric Liddell who believed his purpose was to be a missionary in China. He was quoted to stay,
“I believe that God made me for the purpose of going to China, but He also made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure." Eric used both of his talents to God’s praise. He won a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics, and went to China as a Missionary. He was also quoted to say. “We are all missionaries. Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ, or we repel them from Christ.”
When we work with joy to the best of our talents, we not only praise God for the abilities he has provided us, but we draw others to the light that shines inside us. The reverse it true, too. That is why I try to show the Good News in my actions as well as my words.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Joblessness ©
I work at the Missouri career center. During hard times, I will see people who have never been without a job in their entire life and they are not only confused because they are having to look for work for the first time in years, but are uncertain about how to go about it, The biggest problem is after a while looking, they start to see their lack of finding a job as a personal issue, believing there is something wrong with them, rather than an economical issue, 10 % unemployment and climbing.
More than once I have had to remind people that what is happening in their life is just that, life. In this broken world we experience the brokenness that others have caused. But as Jesus states in John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Jesus overcame the world because he was not worried about what his stature and position was in it.
For the love and kindness he showed, he was hated, spat upon, and hung on a cross. The worst thing the world could do was kill him, but he overcame death and promises we shall live with him forever if we believe on him and have faith.
That is why I remind people who are hurting, the most often given commandment in the Bible is Fear Not. As another old hymn states, This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through. I find my comfort in knowing this world is not where it ends, but is just the beginning. Jesus assures us of that with his death and resurrection.
More than once I have had to remind people that what is happening in their life is just that, life. In this broken world we experience the brokenness that others have caused. But as Jesus states in John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Jesus overcame the world because he was not worried about what his stature and position was in it.
For the love and kindness he showed, he was hated, spat upon, and hung on a cross. The worst thing the world could do was kill him, but he overcame death and promises we shall live with him forever if we believe on him and have faith.
That is why I remind people who are hurting, the most often given commandment in the Bible is Fear Not. As another old hymn states, This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through. I find my comfort in knowing this world is not where it ends, but is just the beginning. Jesus assures us of that with his death and resurrection.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Plowing Fields Communion Focus Theme ©
When I was on the farm, Dad would have me help in the planting of crops. It was easy to plow a field as long as I followed my dad, because as long as the tractor tire ran in the furl, the rut made in the ground by the plow turning the earth, it was simple; the tractor would almost guide itself.
It was tougher if you were making the first pass on across the field. Once, my dad told me to take care of the field by myself. The furl I made on my first crossing of the field was a crooked as a politician. I struggled trying to straighten it out for several passes, but it kept getting worse and worse.
When my dad returned, he shared the secret with me as to why I had so much trouble. He explained that whenever you cross the field for the first time, you set your eyes in a point far beyond where you are plowing, and you do not take your eyes off of it. This would keep the row straight and once you got a straight start, it was hard to get off course.
We often get distracted from our goal as we go through life. We get to looking side to side instead of keeping focused on what is ahead. Tractors also do not have rear view mirrors. We must stay focused on eternity.
That is why the apostle Paul likens life to a race. When running the race, you stay focused on the end. Not where the other runners are and not the people in the stands. They would distract you from your final goal with eternity.
It was tougher if you were making the first pass on across the field. Once, my dad told me to take care of the field by myself. The furl I made on my first crossing of the field was a crooked as a politician. I struggled trying to straighten it out for several passes, but it kept getting worse and worse.
When my dad returned, he shared the secret with me as to why I had so much trouble. He explained that whenever you cross the field for the first time, you set your eyes in a point far beyond where you are plowing, and you do not take your eyes off of it. This would keep the row straight and once you got a straight start, it was hard to get off course.
We often get distracted from our goal as we go through life. We get to looking side to side instead of keeping focused on what is ahead. Tractors also do not have rear view mirrors. We must stay focused on eternity.
That is why the apostle Paul likens life to a race. When running the race, you stay focused on the end. Not where the other runners are and not the people in the stands. They would distract you from your final goal with eternity.
God's encouragment Communion Focus Theme ©
We have a saying in Celebrate Recovery. God never wastes a hurt. He never wastes a tear. He takes the things that have troubled us, that have injured us, that have caused us pain and he uses them the help us encourage others. He gives us the ability to show others the hope we have within by how he has affected and improved our lives, encouraging others and giving us worth at the same time. He gives us usefulness in our shortcomings and in that he continues to move us toward his perfect idea for our lives. With some of us, that process can take longer than others.
C. S. Lewis writes about this in his book, Meer Christianity. God is like that parent watching his toddler trying to walk for the first time. He watches with hope and anticipation and ….ooooooooh. Okay, try again, you can do it, you can get up, you can ….oooooooh. That’s alright, one more try. Just one foot in front of the other…..oooooh. God encourages us and accepts us without accepting our shortcomings.
Lewis then writes about how the Holy Spirit works on us. We invite God in to our cottage to do some repairs on it. He fixes the plumbing and patches the roof and we are satisfied and happy. Then he starts replacing windows. knocks out a wall and starts building on another wing. We start to get nervous and tell him we are satisfied and he can stop at any time. Next thing we know, he is building a new entry way and adding a courtyard with a garden. You see, when we invite Jesus to live within us, he does not want to live in a cottage, but in a mansion. This can be scary to us because we are happy to have him fix the big things in our lives, but sometimes we want to hold onto our pet weaknesses.
Because of the perfect plan he has for us, he works with us until we can reach his ultimate goal. So strong is his desire that be all that he wants for us that he suffered and died on a cross. It is for that reason we take this time to recognize the sacrifice he made for us.
C. S. Lewis writes about this in his book, Meer Christianity. God is like that parent watching his toddler trying to walk for the first time. He watches with hope and anticipation and ….ooooooooh. Okay, try again, you can do it, you can get up, you can ….oooooooh. That’s alright, one more try. Just one foot in front of the other…..oooooh. God encourages us and accepts us without accepting our shortcomings.
Lewis then writes about how the Holy Spirit works on us. We invite God in to our cottage to do some repairs on it. He fixes the plumbing and patches the roof and we are satisfied and happy. Then he starts replacing windows. knocks out a wall and starts building on another wing. We start to get nervous and tell him we are satisfied and he can stop at any time. Next thing we know, he is building a new entry way and adding a courtyard with a garden. You see, when we invite Jesus to live within us, he does not want to live in a cottage, but in a mansion. This can be scary to us because we are happy to have him fix the big things in our lives, but sometimes we want to hold onto our pet weaknesses.
Because of the perfect plan he has for us, he works with us until we can reach his ultimate goal. So strong is his desire that be all that he wants for us that he suffered and died on a cross. It is for that reason we take this time to recognize the sacrifice he made for us.
Shepherd Communion Focus Theme ©
King David sang “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. “ He is saying that God will provide for his needs and with those needs filled, he wants for nothing. But, as a Shepherd the Lord takes charge to make me lie down in green pastures and he leads me beside the still waters. There is the problem. I don’t want green pastures and still waters. I want to look for excitement in the woods. I want to shoot the rapids. Sometimes I want to look for greener pastures on my own. That is why the Shepherd takes watch over the sheep. He wants us to have peace and tranquility and we want chaos and lots of stuff. Like sheep who wander, we are incapable of taking care of ourselves without getting into mischief.
Sometimes we get to thinking that green pasture is there by our doing and not by the Shepherd’s leading and we get to feeling we found that pasture on our own. We believe we are self sufficient. We take the Shepherd for granted. We forget that the Lord, our Shepherd is there to protect us from ourselves. It is not that we have evil intent; we just forget or get the mistaken idea that we should not bother the Lord with our daily situations in life.
We have to remember the Shepherd guides the sheep because there are no fences where we are, and without his guidance, the sheep will stay in one area and destroy the pasture or stray off.
The most important thing is under the Shepherd’s care, we have no evil to fear. In John 10:11 Jesus states “I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Our Shepherd laid down his life on the cross so that we could have salvation. He was true to his word and will be true to us if we have faith and believe in his love and trust his leading us to his good purpose.
Sometimes we get to thinking that green pasture is there by our doing and not by the Shepherd’s leading and we get to feeling we found that pasture on our own. We believe we are self sufficient. We take the Shepherd for granted. We forget that the Lord, our Shepherd is there to protect us from ourselves. It is not that we have evil intent; we just forget or get the mistaken idea that we should not bother the Lord with our daily situations in life.
We have to remember the Shepherd guides the sheep because there are no fences where we are, and without his guidance, the sheep will stay in one area and destroy the pasture or stray off.
The most important thing is under the Shepherd’s care, we have no evil to fear. In John 10:11 Jesus states “I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Our Shepherd laid down his life on the cross so that we could have salvation. He was true to his word and will be true to us if we have faith and believe in his love and trust his leading us to his good purpose.
Seeking Father Communion Focus Theme ©
"When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."-- Mark Twain.
As we get older, we can sometimes grow to appreciate our parents in ways we did not when we were growing up. My dad is a full time farmer. He would leave early in the morning and work until the sun went down. This would frustrate my brother because he always wanted dad to throw the ball with him, but he was never around.
I had a different perspective. I usually knew which field dad was in and what he was doing, so if I wanted to be with him, all I had to do was walk or ride my bike to where he was and he would always be more than willing to let me follow him around all day as long as I could keep up. All I had to do was seek him.
Well, just as Mark Twain said, time took care of my brother’s frustration. It took realizing that dad was providing for our needs instead of giving in to our wants. Also, he never expected anything out of us that he was not willing to do himself.
Our Heavenly father never asked of us what he would not do himself. He became flesh a dwelt among us, lived a good example and for our sakes died for us, giving up his life as any parent would for his children. But, Christ sacrificed himself as a substitute for our sin. He died and then He rose again and if we want to be with him forever, we need to seek and follow him.
As we get older, we can sometimes grow to appreciate our parents in ways we did not when we were growing up. My dad is a full time farmer. He would leave early in the morning and work until the sun went down. This would frustrate my brother because he always wanted dad to throw the ball with him, but he was never around.
I had a different perspective. I usually knew which field dad was in and what he was doing, so if I wanted to be with him, all I had to do was walk or ride my bike to where he was and he would always be more than willing to let me follow him around all day as long as I could keep up. All I had to do was seek him.
Well, just as Mark Twain said, time took care of my brother’s frustration. It took realizing that dad was providing for our needs instead of giving in to our wants. Also, he never expected anything out of us that he was not willing to do himself.
Our Heavenly father never asked of us what he would not do himself. He became flesh a dwelt among us, lived a good example and for our sakes died for us, giving up his life as any parent would for his children. But, Christ sacrificed himself as a substitute for our sin. He died and then He rose again and if we want to be with him forever, we need to seek and follow him.
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