2018-05-02 02:52
1Jn_1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive usour sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.This verse may be one of the most misquoted, misunderstood… Read More
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Thoughts About God Blog
thotsaboutgod.blogspot.com
Various thoughts about God; who he is, what he does, why he did it.
2018-04-24 18:34
Two kinds of confidence. There is · confidence (trust) in self (self-confidence) and· &nb&hell…Read More
2018-04-14 17:57
The following quote is from Jonathan Edwards book "The End for which God Created the World" In this excerpt Edwards explains why it is right (moral) for God to have the highest regard and re… Read More
2018-04-09 05:35
Where do we begin and others end? What differentiates or distinguishes us from each other?On the most obvious level we each occupy our own physical space. But is this all that distinguishes… Read More
2018-04-03 06:02
As we mature and our trust in God grows, we learn that pain is the primary means of getting to know God. Through our pain and struggle we find we must grow deeper roots into God in order to… Read More
2018-03-27 17:10
God is not at all concerned about our sin and is totally concerned at the same time.How?Not concerned…Our sin has absolutely no effect on God's attitude and posture of perfect love, a… Read More
2018-03-17 03:09
Being thoughtful, careful, diligent, obedient, disciplined etc are all good and important things in themselves, not bad.Though "obedience" can be legalistic and in fact often … Read More
2018-03-11 01:26
First we must be lovable i.e. there must be something about us that God cherishes (loves) deeply. While at the same time, there is also something unlovely about us that God opposes. How can… Read More
2018-03-05 17:04
What enables those who successfully break away from an addiction? Is it guilt and shame? That may play a roll short term. But if the change is to be long term it must go beyond guilt and sh… Read More
2018-02-28 15:21
The following are some thoughts by Tyler David (italicized in " "), from a recent message he gave (to listen click here), with elaborations by me following. Tyler is one of several teac… Read More
2018-02-21 00:58
Broadly speaking there are two kinds of "Christianity" in *America:1. Cultural Christianity2. Grace driven ChristiansA. Cultural Christianity… Read More
2018-02-13 17:14
Why do we avoid experiencing guilt and shame with such great determination and energy? Because guilt and shame is crippling i.e. It makes us feel like worthless failures. This goes agai… Read More
2018-02-06 16:06
The limits of Socialism:Socialism does not work without production/productivity i.e. you cannot give away what you do not have. Distribution (socialism/communism) of goods or services c… Read More
2018-02-01 14:12
The doctrine of election has been controversial since the early years of the church. The controversy first arose in the public eye through an ascetic moralist named Pelagius i… Read More
2018-01-25 17:16
An argument for the necessity of God's rescuing us (i.e. election-choosing us unto salvation).We are told we will not and can not come to God unless he draws us to himself. No… Read More
2018-01-11 15:04
Ultimately God is in control and determines the final outcome of all things. But he normally works *through, not outside of or apart from normal/natural means in bringing about his sovereign… Read More
2018-01-02 01:59
The notion of being "in" or "out of God's will" is binding, harmful and destructive. It produces guilt, shame, fear and anxiety.God's will for us is clear and simple. We are to love him with… Read More
2017-12-27 07:31
Having and participatingin God's love are two separate things (though not unrelated). The tension between these is throughout scripture.Having God's love is based solely on (secure… Read More
2017-12-23 17:01
Faith is not only necessary but contagious. We want to believe because we want to be cared for/valued. Belief is infectious because it is tiedto our need for love. We are drawn to love… Read More
2017-12-04 23:08
If God's love for us is not based on what we do, do our good deeds matter?Absolutely! Doing things to honor God and love others has real value/importance. To live in such as way a… Read More
2017-11-27 13:08
Seldom are we are *truly lovely but we are always lovable and even adorable in the eyes of God.There is something about us that is worth adoring. Not only so bu… Read More
2017-11-18 20:37
The creative efforts of people may be carried out for the wrong reason (i.e. to exalt and advance self not God) but the fruit of those efforts is evidence of the image of God… Read More
2017-11-07 16:01
Why is our nation so divided? What are the factors? Some are external and objective (i.e. there are outside forces deliberately attempting to "divide and conquer" us [though some would say t… Read More
2017-11-02 19:29
The wrath of God seems unreasonable and the election of God unfair unless (and until) we understand the greatness of our rebellion and how infinitely short we come in giving God his just and… Read More
2017-10-30 03:15
How do we know if a deed is Spirit driven/empowered? If it is done to bring honor (glory) to God out of love for and trust in God i.e. if it is from (caused by), throughand to Him it is… Read More
2017-10-25 18:34
God's life is the Father and Son blissfully existing (abiding together) in infinite love.The life of God is the love God has (experiences) eternally as the Father and Son affectionately… Read More
2017-10-21 16:12
Hey guys, just a heads up that I hope to pursue writing as my a full time vocation. If you wish to, you can help. The following link will tell you how. Thanks for any support you can offer… Read More
2017-10-11 18:52
When we hear of an incredibility heinous violation of someone, such as rape, or kidnapping of kids and selling them into sex slavery, what possible good could come out of such horrendous act… Read More
2017-10-06 02:00
What is the difference between · action by faith and · performance based action First… Read More
2017-09-30 18:35
Gen 2:17 but from the tree of the knowledge of goodH2896b and evilH7451b you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."What exactly is… Read More
2017-09-25 22:30
Christ honoring his Father by becoming a man, stepping into time and taking on the suffering of the cross allowed him to act on his eternal love for the Father in a… Read More
2017-09-18 00:08
We often hear the expression "he is a good person" or "they are good people." But what exactly is a good person; what makes us truly good?Good people are plugged in people; people plugged in… Read More
2017-09-12 14:45
"...for eternity we are growing in the realization that we need God for everything, and yet in that neediness we are fully and abundantly satisfied in all he provides." – Kyle Strobel… Read More
2017-09-05 16:25
What is the key to any relationship?Trust.What is the key to trust?Knowing (believing) the party you are engaging truly has your best interest in mind i.e. they love *you.As someone pro… Read More
2017-08-31 14:09
Being loved by God is a fixed reality. Why? Because his love for us is based on [1]Christ'sperfect performance on our behalf and not ours. To say it another way, we don't have to be perfect… Read More
2017-08-26 10:46
I originally wrote this a couple of days after the events in Charolettsville, Va. I was reluctant to publish it in part because there were many others raising good points. However since &hell…Read More
2017-08-22 18:22
Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38But what is it exactly that we, as followers of Christ (i.e. the just/righteous) are called to believe, have faith in?First we are called to believ… Read More
2017-08-15 12:30
The following is an attempt to capture the essence of the beatific vision with a much fuller discussion by Kyle Strobel on the link at the end. The beatific vision (first God's own, tha… Read More
2017-08-10 15:23
The call of God to glorify him is also a call to experience our greatest glory i.e. our greatest sense of value, meaning, importance, delight, joy etc.It is a call that i… Read More
2017-08-06 00:20
Because we all live in a broken world, we all deal with hardship, struggle and pain. This is not unique to us nor are we somehow or for some reason singled out as God's target… Read More
2017-07-28 14:53
The strongest relationships are those that transcend feelings and are based on the value we place on the other. This often involves feelings for the other but not necessarily. We may not be… Read More
2017-07-22 23:20
The master who said to his servants "...well done, good and faithful servant..." raises the question of when can we and do we please God and how. In one sense there is nothing&nbs&hell…Read More
2017-07-15 14:17
To *value ourselves is better than not valuing ourselves.We cannot function to the maximum of our potential if we do not see ourselves as having value and bringing value to others.Howev… Read More
2017-07-09 22:09
Why is it that when we see humility in others we find it so appealing? No one likes someone who is arrogant and thinks they are "all that." Everyone likes someone who is humble. Th… Read More
2017-07-03 13:47
To make life all about us assumes there's nothing greater or more important than us. But what if there is? What if true life itself is a gift that comes outside of us and all the things… Read More
2017-06-26 19:34
Reducing people to something 1less than humans (such as holding someone as a political or emotional prisoner or hostage) isn't tolerated long by those being abused. Why? Because we are… Read More
2017-06-23 14:59
God abhors evil (wrong doing) because he loves those it harms. He hates precisely because he loves first. This same love moves God to be patient with us in our wrong doin… Read More
2017-06-15 22:42
Being finite and being untrusting (unbelieving) are not the same. A key aspect of unbelief is refusing to recognize the reality of our limitations or the worlds. e.g. Adam was told… Read More
2017-06-13 11:26
We get frustrated with the struggles of life because intuitively we know pain and struggle is not what we were originally created for. We were ultimately created for a relationship… Read More
2017-06-02 11:28
The below thoughts (and some direct quotes) are stated or inspired by an interview with Kyle Strobel's by Tony Reinke as Kyle reflects on insights from Jonathan Edwards.For the full int… Read More
2017-05-30 11:22
The question isn't whether diligent effort brings great results; it is what drives our effort i.e. why do we act. Do we act for God's honor or our own? Great results never comes without… Read More
2017-05-22 10:35
Maturity is marked by a tension of an increasing awareness* Of the total extent of our brokenness i.e. our persistent tendency to try and be our own god and make life work wit… Read More
2017-05-15 11:15
To operate in the flesh is acting to get love/approval/acceptance.To operate in the Spirit is acting to give love because we already have it in Christ. If… Read More
2017-05-10 20:24
We experience the love of God in two ways. When...1. We behold the God of love in our times of meditation and worship (private or corporate) and 2. &nb&hell…Read More
2017-05-05 05:03
What is the way of Christ? What does it primarily consist of? For many it is the only true way as well the way of truth. And this would be correct. Christ said, "I am the way, the… Read More
2017-04-30 03:17
Humility does not mean we can not (or are not allowed to) find satisfaction ("take pride") in completing a task. Humility is knowing the energy that drives us and the resources we utili… Read More
2017-04-24 14:17
Being weighed down with the care for those things God cares about is not worry; it is concern. God is always caring. He never worries.Worry is all about us. Care is all about others.In… Read More
2017-04-19 17:23
C.S. LEWIS TALKS TO A DOG ABOUT LUST· &n&hell…Read More
2017-04-13 17:53
Our value is reflected by the value of the one who values us i.e. the value of the one who values us, says something about our value. For example, our being valued by our pet that is to… Read More
2017-04-12 15:29
Our need and desire for significance/worth/value/glory is not our problem. We were created for glory; to receive it, experience it, reflect it back to the Sourc… Read More
2017-04-11 20:51
Ministry Experience: DOB: 12/1953 &n&hell…Read More
2017-04-10 13:49
The end we seek often determines the legitimacy of the means we use. e.g. Seeking great wealth (a means) so that we might have great impact on others for God (our end) is legitimate.To not u… Read More
2017-04-10 13:28
How does the Spirit empower us. He awakes our spirit by revealing to us the beauty, majesty and glory of God, which arouses in us affections for God (which increase over time as we… Read More
2017-04-10 02:39
·Preaching:I can do a one time message or both a morning and evening message or a weekend retreat at the venue of your choice. This can be at your church, retreats, campus ministries… Read More
2017-04-10 00:31
In the 46 years I have been walking with the Lord, one of my biggest passions has been spiritual formationi.e. how does God changes us. What are the essential realities/truths we must learn… Read More
2017-04-09 19:37
There are two overall but opposite approaches we observe in scripture regarding our motivation to obedience. All underlying forms of motivation fall under these two. These two broader areas… Read More
2017-04-09 18:01
In the 46 years I have been walking with the Lord, one of my biggest passions has been spiritual formation i.e. how does God changes us. What are the essential realities/truths we must… Read More
2017-04-09 16:53
Whenever God gives us a truth, there is often a seemingly opposite truth that goes alongside it and appears contrary to it. Such as God is totally sovereign in the affairs of men a… Read More
2017-04-09 03:40
Friends and subscribersJust a heads up that you will see several posts (4 in a row) tomorrow or Monday, to follow this one.I am now offering various ministry services from my blog and had to… Read More
2017-04-08 15:30
· Navigate this blog:This blog is organized primarily through the navigation bar immediately above.Just mouse over the categories li… Read More
2017-04-08 04:19
Actions that come forth from the heart of one that trusts, are steady, solid and strong. They come out of a heart resting in the certainty, steadiness and … Read More
2017-04-02 11:26
As his children God does not condemn us for our choices. He allows us to pursue *good things so we might come to see the importance and value of choosing the best thing i.e. t… Read More
2017-04-02 09:15
Regarding the law scripture tells us there are...Benefits (blessings) in following itandConsequences (curses) in not following it(by law I mean God's moral law &hell…Read More
2017-04-01 13:08
The essence of our being is the desire for *love.The essence of Gods being is the desire to give love (God is love).When God joins/unites his being with ours we become like him in… Read More
2017-03-27 06:18
God is in the business of redeeming and using our poor choices to bring about our ultimate good i.e. our best. So in this sense we can never mess things up. He will alwaysbring about our bes… Read More
2017-03-27 06:09
To be consumed with the impossibility of obeying Gods commands is wrong thinking. This is our clue that we do not understand it's true purpose. This is to wrongfully think we mustobey i… Read More
2017-03-12 17:38
This blog was not set up for political discourse (though we always seek to bring forth truth) however from time to time I feel some things outside the usual theological arena I normally cove… Read More
2017-03-10 15:11
As God's children we are to work but not in the sense we commonly understand it. By work we normally think of doing/acting/working to gain some direct or immediate benefit for ourselves. Wha… Read More
2017-03-01 14:57
Our problem isn't our weakness/dependence, it is the denial of it. We are in fact dependent creatures. And because we deny this we miss out on the fullness of life only available in being de… Read More
2017-02-25 17:25
Does government play a role and have a responsibility to the church? Yes, to the church as well as society in general; which is to reward those who do good and punish those who do harm… Read More
2017-02-23 02:01
The Law does not save us in the legal sense (for we could not and cannot perfectly keep it, and never will).But it absolutely *saves us in the practical sense by giving us clear di… Read More
2017-01-30 20:00
What is a key indication of our inclination to try and be our own god? How often do we battle with whether we are abiding or not abiding in God's love? In other words do we find ou… Read More
2017-01-20 11:42
Can a mature believer experience depression?When you recognize that depression is basically due to self loathing and guilt over an increasingly acute sense of extreme fa… Read More
2017-01-18 17:32
If you "wander off" to another link, such as this one you are now reading, simply hit the "back" bottom on your browser to go back to the original article you were reading. If this is u… Read More
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