Category Archives: God

The Providence of Jesus

Posted by Dan C. on

by Jerry Bridges

The feeding of the five thousand, recorded in Matthew 14:13–21, is probably the most well known of all of Jesus’ miracles. It is the only one recorded by all four of the gospel writers (see Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–19; John 6:1–14). It is also one that skeptics have most often tried to explain away. A common explanation is that the little boy’s example of generosity in giving his bread and fish to Jesus prompted others to share the food they had brought along, so that there was enough for all.

That this was an amazing miracle is beyond doubt. To use a contemporary expression, it was “over the top.” It is impossible to visualize in our minds what it must have looked like, and the extreme brevity of the account tempts us to fill in the details. But we should refrain from doing so, knowing that the Holy Spirit guided the gospel writers to give us only as much detail as He wanted us to know.

Rather than puzzling over omitted details, we need to ask of any portion of Scripture what it teaches us. Without claiming to have plumbed the depths of this passage, let me draw out one obvious lesson: Jesus controls the physical universe, and He exercises that control for His people.

Scripture teaches us that the Son of God was not only the agent of creation, but that He also upholds the universe and holds it together by the word of His power (Heb. 1:1–3; Col. 1:16–17). That is, He who created the universe in the beginning also sustains and directs it moment by moment on a continual basis. We know, for example, that ordinarily the physical laws of the universe operate in a consistent and predictable manner. The reason they do is because of the consistent will of Christ causing them to do so. They do not operate on their own.

This helps us understand why Jesus could perform miracles; in this case causing five small barley cakes and two small fish to multiply so dramatically that they fed more than five thousand people. Jesus, who created the physical laws and stands outside of them and over them, could, as He purposed, change or countermand any of them. In fact He could, if He so willed, create an entirely new law of multiplication for that specific occasion so that the bread and fish multiplied.

We really don’t know what Jesus did, or what the multiplication process looked like. We only know the results, and we know that the Lord of the universe could, in whatever way He chose, produce those miraculous results. Miracles were no problem for Jesus.

Today, at least in the Western world, we seem to see few miracles, and certainly none the scope of the feeding of the five thousand. What we do see, however, are the results of God’s invisible hand of providence. Setting aside the theological definition of providence  to keep it simple, we may say that providence is God’s orchestrating all events and circumstances in the universe for His glory and the good of His people (Rom. 8:28).

Scripture teaches us that just as the Son of God was the agent of creation and is its present sustainer, so too is He also the agent of God’s providence. Jesus is in sovereign control, not only of the physical laws of the universe, but of all the events and circumstances in the universe, including those that happen to each of us. If you have food today in your cupboard and refrigerator, that is as much the result of Jesus’ care for you as was the feeding of the five thousand.

Just as the physical laws of the universe ordinarily operate in a consistent and predictable manner, so providence ordinarily operates in a predictable cause and effect relationship. “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Prov. 10:4). That’s cause and effect, and it is generally predictable. But just as Jesus intervened in the physical laws during His time on earth, so He intervenes in normal cause-and-effect relationships. Sometimes from our perspective His intervention is “good” and sometimes it’s “bad.” In either case He is in control “Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?” (Lam. 3:38).

The good news, however, is that Jesus is not only in control of all the events and circumstances of our lives, He is also compassionate. In the record of the feeding of the five thousand, the text says “He had compassion on them and healed their sick” (Matt. 14:14). At the subsequent feeding of the four thousand, Jesus said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat” (Matt. 15:32). Whether it was healing the sick or feeding the multitude, Jesus was moved to act by His compassion. On other occasions throughout the Gospels we see Jesus acting as a result of His compassion. And what He was while on earth, He is today in heaven: a sovereign and compassionate Savior who works all things for His glory and our good.

Eight Steps to Proving The Existence of God

Posted by Dan C. on

Step One: Laws of Logic

The first step towards the proof that God exists is to determine whether you actually believe that laws of logic exist. Logical proof would be irrelevant to someone who denies that laws of logic exist. An example of a law of logic is the law of non-contradiction. This law states, for instance, that it cannot both be true that my car is in the parking lot and that it is not in the parking lot at the same time, and in the same way.

Step Two: Laws of Mathematics

The basic operations of arithmetic are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Laws of mathematics then, are basically descriptions of what happens within these operations (and more complex ones as well) . For example, with the law of addition we know that if you take 4 things and add them to 3 things, you end up with 7 things.

Step Three: Laws of Science

Laws of science are basically descriptions of what matter does based on repeated observations, and are usually expressed in mathematical equations. An example of a law of science is the law of gravity. Using the law of gravity, we can predict how fast a heavier than air object will fall to the ground given all the factors for the equation.

Step Four: Absolute Moral Laws

I have seldom heard anyone deny that laws of logic, mathematics, or science exist, but I have often heard people deny the existence of absolute moral laws. Whereas some laws like those that govern science, and mathematics describe reality, and how things do behave, absolute moral laws ‘prescribe’ how humans ought to, or ought not to behave.

Rape, and child molestation, are two examples of absolute moral wrongs.

Step Five: The Nature of Laws (a)

If you have acknowledged that laws of logic, mathematics, science, and absolute morality exist,we need to examine what you believe about these laws. Are these laws material, or are they immaterial? In other words, are they made of matter, or are they ‘abstract’ entities? – are they physical or non-physical things?

Step Six: The Nature of Laws (b)

If you have acknowledged that laws of logic, mathematics, science, and absolute morality exist and that they are not made of matter, do you believe they are universal or up to the individual. Does 2 + 2 = 4 only where you are, and only because you say it does, or is this a universal law?

Step Seven: The Nature of Laws (c)

If you have acknowledged that laws of logic, mathematics, science, and absolute morality exist, that they are not made of matter, and that they are universal, the next question is whether you believe they are changing or unchanging.

To get to this point you had to acknowledge that immaterial, universal, unchanging laws of logic, mathematics, science, and absolute morality exist. Universal, immaterial, unchanging laws are necessary for rational thinking to be possible. Universal, immaterial, unchanging laws cannot be accounted for if the universe was random or only material in nature.

The Bible teaches us that there are 2 types of people in this world, those who profess the truth of God’s existence and those who suppress the truth of God’s existence. The options of ‘seeking’ God, or not believing in God are unavailable. The Bible never attempts to prove the existence of God as it declares that the existence of God is so obvious that we are without excuse for not believing in Him.

Romans 1 vs. 18 – 21 says:

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

The God of Christianity is the necessary starting point to make sense of universal, abstract, invariant laws by the impossibility of the contrary. These laws are necessary to prove ANYTHING. Therefore…

Step Eight

Proof that God exists is that without Him you couldn’t prove anything.

Note that the proof does not say that professed unbelievers do not prove things. The argument is that you must borrow from the Christian worldview, and a God who makes universal, immaterial, unchanging laws possible in order to prove anything.

This type of logical proof deals with ‘transcendentals’ or ‘necessary starting points,’ and the proof is called a ‘transcendental proof.’ Any contrary view to the God of Christianity being the necessary starting point for rationality is reduced to absurdity. You have to assume God in order to argue against Him. Only the Christian worldview can logically support rationality.

Source

The Foolish Worship of Fallen Men

Posted by Dan C. on

“Sin has made men worship either (1) a false God, which is idolatry; or (2) God falsely, which is superstition. Man has become such a fool that his worship, till enlightened and converted, is either a breach of the First or Second Commandment. He fails as to the object and manner of worship, and both speak man’s folly, that his religion is either idolatry or superstition.”

From The Sinfulness of Sin, first published in 1669 under the title The Plague of Plagues by Ralph Venning (1621 – 1674)

Share

"The End of All Being is The Glory Of God"

Posted by Dan C. on

By Paris Reidhead

Christianity says, “the end of all being is the glory of God.”  Humanism says, “the end of all being is the happiness of men.” And one was born in hell – the deification of man. And one was born in heaven – the glorification of God.

That this philosophical postulate that the end of all being is the happiness of man has been sort of covered over with evangelical terms and biblical doctrine, until God reigns in heaven for the happiness of man, Jesus Christ was incarnate for the happiness of man, all the angels exist and everything is for the happiness of man.  And I submit to you that this is unchristian.

Isn’t man happy?  Did God intend to make man happy?  Yes.  But as a bi-product and not prime product.

This is the betrayal of the ages, and it is the betrayal in which we live.  And I don’t see how God can revive it until we come back to Christianity that is in direct and total contrast with the vengeful Humanism that’s perpetrated in our generation in the Name of Christ.

I have talked with people that have no assurance of sins forgiven.  They want to feel saved before they are willing to commit themselves to Christ.  But I believe that the only ones whom God actually witnesses by His Spirit that they are born of Him are the people, whether they say it or not, that come to Jesus Christ and say something like this, “Lord Jesus, I’m going to obey you and love you and serve you and do what you want me to do, as long as I live even if I go to Hell at the end of the road, simply because you are worthy to be loved and obeyed and served, and I’m not trying to make a deal with you.”

Why should a person come to the Cross?  Why should a person embrace death with Christ?  Why should a person be willing to go in identification down to the cross and into the tomb and up again.  I’ll tell you why.  Because it’s the only way that God can get glory out of a human being.

There is only one reason for you to go to the Cross, dear young person.  That’s because until you come to the place of union with Christ in death, you are defrauding the Son of God of the glory that He could get out of your life.  And until you have understood the sanctifying work of God by the Holy Ghost taking you into union with Christ in death, and burial, and resurrection, you have to serve in what you have, and all you have is that which is under the sentence of death – human personality, and human nature, and human strength and human energy.  And God will get no glory out of that.

So the reason for you to go to the Cross isn’t that you are going to get victory, you will get victory.  It isn’t because you are going to have joy – you will have joy.  But the reason for you to embrace the Cross and press through until you know that you can testify with Paul “I am crucified with Christ,” isn’t what you are going to get out of it, but what He will get out it, for the glory of God.

May the Lamb that was slain, receive the reward of His suffering!

I’m going to say to you dear friend, if you are out here without Christ, you come to Jesus Christ and serve him as long as you live whether you go to hell at the end of the way, because He is worthy.

I say to you, Christian friend, you come to the Cross and join him in union and death and enter into all the meaning of death to self in order that He can have glory.

I say to you dear Christian, if you do not know the fullness of the Holy Ghost, come and present your body a living sacrifice and let Him fill you that He can have the purpose of His coming fulfilled in you and get glory through your life.

It’s not what you are going to get out of God, it’s what He is going to get out of you.

-Paris Reidhead

____________

The above is an excerpt from the sermon, ‘Ten Shekels and a Shirt’. A transcript of the entire sermon and the audio can be found here.

Share

God “Feints”– by Dan Phillips

Posted by Dan C. on

My Josiah, who loves military history and strategy, tells me that there was a battle during Genghis Kahn’s wars where he sent his men against a larger enemy force, then feigned a 5 day retreat. This feint retreat led the enemy straight into a storm of arrows, wiping them out.

Muhammad Ali’s famous “rope-a-dope” strategy against his powerful opponent George Foreman in 1974 was a brilliant implementation of such a method. Ali, unable to prevail over Foreman by normal means, taunted  Foreman into hammering him with a barrage of blows as Ali leaned back on the rope. After  Foreman exhausted himself, Ali dropped him.

Israel used a similar strategy in their second battle with Ai (Josh. 8). The fleeing Israelites drew out the overconfident men of Ai, leading to their defeat. (If I had Phil or Frank’s mad Photoshop skilz, this would be the place for a Pyrotized variation of this image.)

God Himself executes some strategic feint retreats, to disastrous effect. If one skips ahead to the book of Revelation, with all the outward and final outpouring of God’s wrath and His hammering of the earth and the world, one observes another mighty feint retreat. God allows His two mighty prophets, after a ministry of withering blasts of miraculous power, to be overcome, conquered and slain (Rev. 11). Yet even then, God has the final word, resurrecting them and bringing them up — an ominous reminder to the world of the utter futility of its long war against God.

But of course the greatest  feint retreat in all of history, so to speak, will be marked this Friday, in the death of Christ on the Cross.  When Christ the mighty Maker died for man the creature’s sin, we saw the “weakness” of God (2 Cor. 13:4). For all outward signs and appearances, it seemed that the very worst of mankind, and the very worst of the dark forces, had finally won. God was killed. They were celebrating.
And yet, in that apparent defeat, the decisive battle was fought and won (Jn. 12:31). It was a feint retreat. The victory it accomplished was literally devastating to the opposition. That tilted the world, for all time. They’ve never been the same, and their eventual doom, by that very feint retreat, is sealed.

It should not surprise us then to see that the history of Christ’s church is marked by many setbacks, some indeed coming before brilliant flashes of Gospel power.

Nor should it surprise us that God’s battle strategy for our own lives may involve many apparent defeats, many setbacks, many feint retreats.

But we should never forget: the outcome is absolutely certain (Rom. 8:18-39).

All because of God’s grand  feint retreat at Calvary.

Online Source.

Share

Delight in God!

Posted by Dan C. on

Delight in God!

(James Smith, “Delight in God!“)

“Delight yourself in the Lord–and He will give you the desires of your heart!”

Psalm 37:4

Sin has taken our attention off of God–and fixed it upon ourselves, and the things around us.
Grace calls our attention off of everything else–to fix it upon God. It directs us to . . .
  look to the Lord,
  come to the Lord,
  trust in the Lord,
  wait on the Lord,
  hope in the Lord, and
  even delight in the Lord.

“Delight yourself in the Lord.” Take delight–not in health, or wealth, or position, or friends, or in anything that is changeable–but in the unchangeable Lord.

Delight yourself in His glorious character–as gracious, merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

Delight yourself in Him, as . . .
  the father of the fatherless,
  the friend of the friendless,
  the hope of the wretched,
  and the Savior of the lost.

Delight yourself in His gracious covenant, which . . .
  anticipates your needs,
  provides for your needs,
  limits your trials, and
  provides strength for the day, as every day’s work requires.

Delight yourself in His paternal relation. He is not only your God–but your Father!
  He cares for you, with a father’s care!
  He loves you, with a father’s love!
  He pities you, with a father’s pity!
  He will receive you to Heaven, as to your father’s house!

Delight yourself in His precious promises. They are but drops from His ocean of love! They are intended to . . .
  show His love,
  display His grace,
  manifest His care,
  draw out your confidence,
  banish your fear, and
  assure you of all necessary supplies.

Delight yourself in his special providence. A providence that . . .
  marks your steps,
  directs your paths,
  measures your troubles,
  bounds the rage of your enemies,
  numbers the very hairs of your head, and
  makes all things work together for your good!

God in His providence, superintends all your affairs, even the most minute–so that nothing can happen to you by ‘chance’, or inadvertently do you harm!

Delight in creatures–only produces disappointment, dissatisfaction, and discomfort.
Delight in God–ensures satisfaction, comfort, and certainty.

To delight in God, is only to prefer . . .
  the ever-flowing fountain–to the shallow stream;
  the glorious sun–to the dim candle!

     ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The above is courtesy of Grace Gems. You might want to read the whole of this precious two page sermon by James Smith, “Delight in God!“

Fear of the LORD

Posted by Dan C. on

“Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.” —Proverbs 16:8

There is more excellence to my hearing of the horror of my sins, the certainty of God’s judgment, and the excellence of justification in Christ alone than in hearing the depth of man’s knowledge, the summit of his wisdom, and the breadth of his good works.

I should much rather hear the excellencies of Christ and the glorious truths of the Gospel from the pages of Scripture by the stammering tongue and stuttering lips of a feeble saint who trembles in the presence of the Master, than to hear the most eloquent speech from the man who has never been undone by the reality of the Lord upon His throne, high and lifted up.

I should much rather receive refreshment in one drop from that well of godly sorrow that worketh repentance than to have my thirst quenched at the river of self-vindication, where there is no repentance and dismisses the precious blood of remission.

To know the exhilarating height of all emotions without trembling in godly fear before the presence of the Holy One is a superficial relationship with Christ at best, and to never have truly known Christ at all at worse. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).

Source: Encore Devotional: Fear of the LORD.

God’s Sovereign Choices

Posted by Dan C. on

Reflect on God’s purposes in choosing in these passages:

Num 17:5 And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you."

Deu 17:15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose.

1Sa 2:28 Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me?

Deu 12:21 If the place that the LORD your God will choose to put his name there is too far from you, then you may kill any of your herd or your flock, which the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat within your towns whenever you desire.

Deu 21:5 Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the LORD,

1Ch 28:4 Yet the LORD God of Israel chose me from all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever.

Mar 13:20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.

Act 9:15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

Joh 13:18 I know whom I have chosen.

Joh 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you…

Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

2Th 2:13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved.

God always has a specific purpose in His acts of ‘choosing’. He is God Almighty and His purposes shall never be thwarted.

The Two Most important Words in Scripture?

Posted by Dan C. on

“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.”

Ephesians 2:1-7

“BUT GOD”

Revelation, Inspiration & Illumination

Posted by Dan C. on

Revelation is a supernatural communication of divine truth presented to men (Deut 29:29), of that which they otherwise would not know, the Scriptures (Old and New Testament) the chief locus (Ps 138:2) of the Revelation.

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Inspiration is the term used to describe how the Scriptures were given by God, men supernaturally guided to express exactly what God intended (verbal-plenary), therefore that word spoken in old time by holy men of God is infallible, and preserved for us today (2 Pet 1:19-21; 2 Tim 3:16; Jer 1:9; Ps 100:5; Ps 12:7).

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Jeremiah 1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalm 12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Illumination refers to the Spirit enlightening the understanding of man whereby the meaning of Scripture is understood by the believer (1 Cor 2:10-14; 2 Cor 4:6; Eph 1:18; 2:1; John 16:13; Isa 29:18). The Spirit of God acts immediately upon the soul (John 3:7).

1 Corinthians 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Isaiah 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.