Monday 21 November 2016

The Doctrine of the Trinity





This is a very complicated topic, I admit, however in my reading of Henry Morris's book "The Biblical Basis for Modern Science" he touches on this subject, and for me it is an awesome experience to read what he has to share about it. I will share an excerpt that I hope will teach as well as grow a hunger in you for The Word, and maybe even a desire to read this great book in its entirety as well.

Excerpt from the book:

How, then, can God be a Trinity? To understand this, one must remember that this doctrine does not mean three gods. "Three gods" is as impossible and false a concept as any other form of polytheism. There can be only one God, and He is the great First Cause, the author of all reality.

But if God exists only in His ineffable unity, He could never be truly known. He is fundamentally the eternal, omnipresent, transcendent God, the great First Cause, the source of all being. Being present everywhere, however, He could never be seen or heard or sensed anywhere. Yet since He could not be frivolous in His creation, He must have a purpose therein and that purpose must be communicable. He must therefore somehow be seen and heard. He must be a God who is both infinite and yet finite, who is omnipresent and eternal and still comprehensible locally and temporally. He must paradoxically be both source and manifestation, both Father and Son.

Not only must the invisible and inaudible God be seen and heard objectively, however, He must also be experienced and understood subjectively. The life of the creation must be maintained in vital union with that of the Creator. The Spirit of God must move over the creation and must indwell it and empower it. The activity of the Spirit is distinct from that of the Son and from that of the Father, and yet is indissolubly one with both.

God, therefore, is one God, and yet He must be Father, Son, and Spirit. God is Father in generation (*causing everything) Son in declaration (*spoken Word made visible) Spirit in appropriation (*in us and through us and to us). The Son is the only begotten of the Father, and the Spirit is eternally the bestower of both the Father and the Son.  
The Biblical Basis for Modern Science Copyright 1984 by Henry Morris, fifth printing 1987; page 58

* I added further clarification, I hope, in italics and parentheses where I placed the asterisks.


Maintaining my focus....

I am resolving to do a couple of things differently in regards to these two blogs of mine and keep with the original intent more consistently (I hope, lol) and make Susan's Flutterbys about day to day life and recipes, photos that I take (unless there is a scriptural connection) and keep this one strictly on the topic of anything scriptural such as things regarding the church and poetry and music and Christian books and authors, sermons etc, as well as any musings that I have on Bible passages.

Currently I'm reading a wonderful book by Henry M. Morris entitled  "The Biblical Basis for Modern Science". I had begun reading this many years ago, and somehow life intervened and got me sidetracked (imagine that!!) and I'm finally getting back to it. I have already had so many wonderful insights from it and will share a few in the next couple of blog posts.

Be blessed my brothers and sisters in Christ, and pray that you will be prepared for the day that you will meet Jesus face to face.

Friday 4 March 2016

Rejoicing in the Lord


 I took this picture when we visited my dad in Arizona


Yesterday I posted about John MacArthur  and listened to Jacob Prasch's teachings about all the things that we see wrong in the world, and how it is going to get much, much worse....and I know it is true and certainly we need to be in prayer about all these terrible things we see happening all around us, AND I can still be joyful in all that God does, has done, and has promised to do for all who are His.

Isaiah 61:10-11 
  
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, 
my soul shall be joyful in my God;
 for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
 he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, 
as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, 
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.  
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, 
and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; 
so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise 
to spring forth before all the nations. 


Very soon it will be spring. I've planted a few seeds, some of my seedlings are doing well, and others not so well (I have more seeds so I'm gonna keep trying!) I can hardly wait to put them outside and see it all blooming adorning our little home with God's gifts in nature They are reminders from Jesus that one day all of creation will rejoice in the wonderful things He does for us.

Thursday 25 February 2016

Without God it is Impossible





Matthew 19:25-26 
 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

 


Another sermon originally given by Charles Spurgeon, what a powerful message, please make time to listen, what a blessing!:

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=51505111856

 

Wednesday 24 February 2016

The Power of God





Yesterday I had time and opportunity to read a sermon by Charles Spurgeon entitled "The Sword of the Spirit". What a powerful word from the Lord, truly he spoke as it was given him by the Holy Spirit.  In essence he shared with us that the Sword of the Spirit of Truth slays us(in a true way, not the "slain in the Spirit" crazy antics we've all seen on TBN), kills us, so that the Spirit of God can bring us true life in Jesus, and that as His workers we take up the sword of the Spirit, the Bible, and use it as an offensive weapon and not a defensive weapon against the enemy of our and other people's soul, exposing lies and sin and heresy. I hope you can make time in your day to read this powerful message:

http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2201.php

Saturday 20 February 2016

Choosing or Chosen?


1Thessalonians 1:4-6 
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit ...


Romans 1:1-7 
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,   which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,   concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh   and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,   through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,  including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,  To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:1-8 
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,   even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,   so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God...

 Romans 8:27-39 
And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.   And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.   For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.   And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.   What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?   He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?   Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.   Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?   As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."   No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.




Colossians 3:10  
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.  Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.  Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,   bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.   And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Romans 9:17-28  
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? 

Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?  What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?   As indeed he says in Hosea, "Those who were not my people I will call 'my people,' and her who was not beloved I will call 'beloved.'"   "And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'sons of the living God.'"  And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,   for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay."

This passage is especially important to study and seek the Lord to understand with His understanding regarding His chosing us:

John 6:37-71  
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."  So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."  They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"   Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—  not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."  The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"   So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.  As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever."Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this?Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you  are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)   And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?"Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.

*********** 

As an aside, on the topic of the bread being the Lord's body (in answer to the false teaching of transubstantiation), it is my personal belief, and I could be wrong, that this has to do with the affliction that He had to endure, and that those who follow Him will also endure, and I only have this to base that belief on:

Isaiah 30:18-20
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.   For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you.   And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. 

1Peter 2:19-21  
For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.  For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.  For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 


All scriptural references in this posting are from the ESV (English Revised Version)



Friday 5 February 2016

Humility in Christ

During this morning's Bible reading in the gospel of John in my Reformation Study Bible (which contains little short articles by various contributors), I came across a very nice article on the topic titled "Humble Obedience to Christ". The idea of what it means to be humble often gets confused, exaggerated, and/or acted out in ways that are not consistent with what the Bible shows us.

From the article:




“Humility in Scripture does not mean pretending to be worthless and refusing positions of responsibility, but knowing and keeping the place God has appointed for one. Being humble is a matter of accepting God's arrangement, whether it means the high exposure of leadership (Moses was humble as a leader Numbers 12:3), or the obscurity of being a servant. When Jesus said that He was “lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29), He meant that He was following the Father’s plan for His earthly life.” –The Reformation Study Bible; Chief Editor: R.C. Sproul English Standard Version –in my copy it is on page # 1519

Humility was (and often still can be) a confusing subject to try to explain, and live out as well. It isn’t just a matter of mimicking an attitude, or of performing a role like an actor… it has to do with a true character in true submission to our Creator and Saviour, out of love for Him, out of respect for Him, not out of wanting to appear holy to other people around us, to garner attention to ourselves for our “good works”, nor out of wanting to obtain or “keep” our salvation, because those were errors common to the Pharisees. It comes out of a stronger place that knows we are God’s children and understand the responsibility entrusted to us, and that our actions will reflect on Him not ourselves. 

When we do wrong, we bring dishonour to His name, and as children that love our Father, we only want to honour Him and bring others into wanting to praise and honour Jesus as well. I hope and pray that we can be worthy vessels, serving our Master in humble submission to His will for us, to bring honour and glory to His name.