The Book of Job teaches us some interesting phenomena about the ways of men. “The tendency to conflate, (blend), poverty with other social issues such as unemployment, welfare receipt or substance abuse, or to uncritically cite these conditions as explanations of poverty, is tied up with the tendency to portray poverty as a problem created by those experiencing it. .” From jrf.org.uk “… those who deviate are seen as the source of trouble. The obvious question observers ask is, why do these people deviate from norms? Because most people view themselves as law abiding, they feel those who deviate do so because of some kind of unusual circumstances: accidents, illness, personal defect, character flaw, or maladjustment… In other words, the deviant is the cause of his or her own problem.” Borrowed from “the sociological approach to social problems—Russ Long” I guess we must talk of this phenomena. If a person falls to chance or…
Category: <span>Law – Grace</span>
A friendship features a level of security, and many factors determine this. I can list the first 400 of these determiners but lets skip to the real good ones. People who are thankful, truly thankful, have a good chance at longevity. Why? — because they have a very mature outlook on life. The Bible teaches “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5 What makes a person thankful? Our Greek word for “thanks” is (eucharisteō, eu plus charis) equals “well graced”? Aha, the thankful man or woman consists of the well-graced. This one has graduated from all other inferior precepts for life and has found a grace one. Noah was such a man. he found grace in the sight of Adonai and it made him mature? He was just, had integrity, and walked with God. But the earth…
Job maintained his own sense of honor. Repulsed by the deadly trio, he stood totally aloof of their accusations. However, as Peter Kreeft repeats, Job’s friends “do not listen to Job because they are too busy talking to him, and, Job does not listen to God because he is too busy talking to Him.” In other words, Job’s heart did not condemn him, but, “God is greater than the heart.” 1 John 3:20 Later on “…God shows up as Questioner, not as Ánswerer.” “God cannot be an object of our concepts.” “Faith comes from the deep eternal center of the person, the I, the will, not from feelings…” Kreeft from his book, “3 Philosophies of Life.” In a trial of our faith, God appeals to our sense of responsibility — what’s in there? God wishes for us to see, in its utter rawness, what, where, or what manner abides our…
Culture: The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. eg.‘20th century popular culture ’The ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society. eg. ‘Afro-Caribbean culture’ The attitudes and behavior characteristic of a particular social group. eg. ‘the emerging drug culture’ 2 Corinthians 6:14 teaches us: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with the culture: for what fellowship hath righteousness with the culture? and what communion hath light with the culture?” my paraphrase I make a broad interpretation here since culture also has many advantageous aspects for all. Nevertheless, I refuse to allow the culture to be my sole guide. Lets talk about for-instances: And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Am I preoccupied with enhancing my food intake? what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Do you esteem the world’s norms and standards above God’s? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? Do you worship mammon, cars, and houses and social status? “Wherefore…
“For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. … And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many…” Hebrews 9:26=28 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth Romans 10:4 “But the end of all things is at hand.” 1 Peter 4:7 Have you ever thought about life this way: it ended before I was born? It ended 2000 years ago when a man shouldered it to ultimate oblivion. That man was Jesus Christ. What ended? — the cursed life, sin’s nature, death’s reign, the shadowy perspective, the religious searching for God. These all ended at the judgment, the one…
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. John 1:16 “Grace is more than love, it is love set absolutely free and made to be a triumphant victor over the righteous judgment of God against the sinner.” “The grace of God belongs to the realm of the infinite. His measureless love and goodness are released from every restraint. They are unshackled and free.” “The supreme divine objective is then, that infinite love may manifest itself in superabounding grace.” Chafer –Grace The Glorious Theme “Grace is God acting freely, according to; His own nature as Love; with no promises or obligations to fulfill…” William Newell “Grace means the overflowing nature of God…we have no words to describe the lavishness of God.” Oswald Chambers ” The religion of legality is as though a man should decide to have an apple orchard and should try to make one by…
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. John 1:16 “Grace is more than love, it is love set absolutely free and made to be a triumphant victor over the righteous judgment of God against the sinner.” “The grace of God belongs to the realm of the infinite. His measureless love and goodness are released from every restraint. They are unshackled and free.” “The supreme divine objective is then, that infinite love may manifest itself in superabounding grace.” Chafer –Grace The Glorious Theme “Grace is God acting freely, according to; His own nature as Love; with no promises or obligations to fulfill…” William Newell “Grace means the overflowing nature of God…we have no words to describe the lavishness of God.” Oswald Chambers ” The religion of legality is as though a man should decide to have an apple orchard and should try to make one by…
“As your fathers did, so do ye. “ A shattered and battered friend builds a barricade — outside goes the streets, parties, men, women — no challenges, no frank conversations, no vulnerable places; nothing gets in! — nothing but a safe little bungalow with a few other cocoon-spinning associates; — they are veiling their secrets together. Left out are also secret memories of raped or violated. God also is forfeited. Some add a convenient god to their project, but the True God gets the stiff arm; He represents unconcealed truth is why, and truth stings. Can God ever get in? He can if these self-shelters can be penetrated. We got a problem. God wants to preserve rights; rights of free will, rights to want, rights to self-government, as far as it goes. God doesn’t overrule the one created in His image or He violates their being, by becoming an antagonist God. So, how can it…
Blessings are upon the head of the righteous (man or woman), their: lips feed many memory is blessed mouth is a well of life labor tends to life walk is sure tongue is as choice silver desire shall be granted hope is gladness lips know what is acceptable mouth brings forth wisdom integrity shall guide them righteousness shall direct their steps life shall be delivered and seed also desire is only good. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted Righteousness exalts a nation Proverbs 10 and 11 above, declare the fruit of righteousness. Who is righteous? All who are in Christ. “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness,…:” 1 Corinthians 1:30 How do I get it? “Abraham believed God… it was counted unto him as…
“Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.” Proverbs 9:1-5 “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 Do we know anything else? Do we bring our thoughts captive to anything else? Do we yield to anything, recognize anything, determine or build with anything else? Save Christ and…