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Who Should Thank God?

November 23rd, 2015
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Here’s one of those cool things we learn about God because He tells us about Himself.

 

Anyone can thank God regardless of how they understand Him.  There are certainly greater steps to be taken in knowing Him personally but anyone can and should thank Him.

Family Giving Thanks

 

In this letter Paul spells out things about God for mature believers (Romans 15:14 – “I am satisfied … that you are… filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.“).

Paul states that God has revealed Himself to all people.  He says that God has shown His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, clearly to all people through nature.

God is a Jealous God

November 24th, 2014
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A Bible study from me related to why I see God as jealous of His people (both those of Jewish heritage and those children of Abraham through faith).

 

Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. And the glory of the LORD settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from inside the cloud. To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the LORD appeared at the summit like a consuming fire. - Exodus 24:15-17 NLT

Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. And the glory of the LORD settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from inside the cloud. To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the LORD appeared at the summit like a consuming fire. – Exodus 24:15-17 NLT

Forgiveness For Every Sin

September 26th, 2014
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Often those of us that follow Jesus can find it emotionally challenging to let go of the shame of our sins.

 

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Shame and Separation

 

It is valid to experience shame that accompanies our guilt before the only holy God when we are in our sinfulness for He is perfect and we aren’t.  The sense of shame that accompanies our recognition of how we’re sinful, however, isn’t God’s ultimate goal.  Our recognizing Him, coming into a right relationship with Him on His terms then worshiping, glorifying and enjoying Him is.  Once we’re forgiven based on the blood sacrifice of Jesus, He sees us through His grace as perfectly sinless; the shame should lead to repentance and then freedom and a deep sense of value as we realize the living God loves us but often we get hung up on what demons, our messed up human brains and our fellow humans tell us.

God Gives Examples of Manliness

September 8th, 2014
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My mind understands manhood backwards. I’ve grown older thinking much of what I saw around me as “manly” was the definition of “being a man.” It isn’t necessarily.

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Against what do you measure manliness?
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Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, defines the characteristics and behaviors of men and His definition is unchanged in the face of my predecessors’ or my contemporaries’ thoughts, feelings on the matter or choices.

God gives examples of courage and steadfastness in Daniel as he went into the lions den or when Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) & Azariah (Abednego) were thrown into the fiery furnace in Babylon.

The Purpose of Paul’s Salvation

September 3rd, 2014
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1 Timothy

 

I’ve made the mistake of thinking my salvation is primarily about me.  To be sure, God’s love is for me but a deeper reason He saves is for His purposes and to bring glory to Himself.

In my myopic existence I don’t focus my attention on Jesus.  I often consider my benefits and blessings, which are truly benefits and blessings and I should recognize them as such and thank God for them but His purpose goes beyond just saving me; He saves me as a testimony to His faithfulness, His grace, His love, His patience and His sovereignty.  His desire is to see all people choose Him and enter into an eternal relationship with Him but in Paul’s case, specifically:

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