Tag Archive for 'God'

Distant God

Published
by
LayGuy
on May 14, 2008
in Christianity and Digging Deeper
. Closed

If you’re at least half human, you’ll get this post. You will understand where I am coming from and will appreciate the honesty and the lack of cliche.

Sometimes God “feels” so distant.

Be it through your own actions, thoughts and world view or by being hurt by others, sometimes the whole notion of God as a loving and caring Father seems ridiculous. And when you are in sin, this is especially true.

To all you non-believers in Jesus who subscribe to this blog, this is “family talk” and you undoubtedly have no idea what I am on about so have the decency to understand that I am waffling about things as foreign to you as understanding the reasons why the Burmese Government won’t allow foreign aid to come into the country.

Although I am “sold out to God” (whatever that means) I still question the method and means of God’s reality and communication with us. The silence when you seek assurance and the no response when you desire to be embraced as a hurting child. And when you sit back and think about the “foolishness” of what is preached, you realise that the Gospel makes no sense whatsoever in the world of modern, Western society.

But that’s all cool. The NT says that what is preached is foolishness anyway and those wanting to poke and prod will find ample material. Let it go I say.

But I love this passage from Isaiah:

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.

Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.” Isa 57:15-19

I love my Father. I love the fact that although He dwells in brilliance, He is closest to those going through hell in their lives. The broken and outcast are the ones He walks with most closely - even though they don’t know this - and He understands that the course of their lives results from the sin inside of them.

Although he sees my ways, and pathetic ways they are, He says that “he will heal me”. I know that this passage of scripture has it’s context set in other ways, but it also reveals my Father’s heart to those who are broken. It shows His righteousness, His justice and His overwhelming compassion.

So if God is distant to you. Pursue Him nonetheless cause it’s at these moments, in the time of your brokenness that He is closer then you ever think. Pursue Him cause His heart is set on healing you - albeit after He allows you to be broken.

Middle East Peace? Fat Chance…

Published
by
LayGuy
on December 6, 2007
in Christianity, Digging Deeper, Politics and World News
. 2 Comments

Mid East

I read today that Mr Looney Tunes, George W Bush, refuses to rule out military action against Iran despite the report from the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) that “Tehran’s nuclear weapons program ended in 2003.”

What an embarrassing slap in the face to an Administration hell bent on going to war against Iran to facilitate their PNAC world view. Like the illegal invasion against Iraq, Bush and his cronies are using every trick in the book to convince a largely gullible and blindly “patriotic” American public who have been conditioned to the “imminent threat of terror.”

The report stated that Iran is incapable of developing nuclear weapons till at least 2015 and yet Bush has been pushing the idea that WW3 is on our doorstep because of Iran’s nuclear program.

For the record, I am not a Mr Ahmadinejad supporter. The guy is a Holocaust denier and is hell bent on the destruction of Israel. Problem is, he wants to throw sticks and stones against a country considered by many as a military superpower.

Put aside the military might of Israel and you have the supernatural provision of God at work. For the sake of His Name, He is collecting His people from amongst the nations and bringing them back to His land. And His might is at work in the provision of Israel…

“Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labour than she gives birth to her children. Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD. Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God.” Isa 66:8-9

The day after Israel declared independence, it’s surrounding Islamic nations declared war. It happened again in 1967 and 1973. The “give delivery” of God is truly a more powerful thing then the intentions of mankind.

Although the US is a supporter if Israel, at best this is because it is in their “national interest”. In reality the US really couldn’t care less of the well being of Israel. It seems as it’s the “expected thing to do” for an exiting Administration to broker a peace deal in the Middle East.

Like a “crowning glory” of a soon to be former President of the USA, each leader drags all Mid East parties to the negotiating table and attempts to bring peace to the region. Bush claims to be a Christian. If he really is, he should be aware of all the Old Testament prophecies regarding God’s land and His people living in it. It particular, he should be aware of the following scripture:

“I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” Zech 12:2-3

Anyone with half a brain can see that the Mid East peace process is dead in the hands of man. Tensions will escalate to the point where “all the nations of the earth” (UN led??) will attack Israel.

But Bush seems to fail to understand this and his instead tried to implemented the “Road Map for peace” in his desire to “..seek a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians before he leaves office.” And after seven years in power, he now plans to visit the region for the first time. First time? What took him so long?

In the mean time, his rhetoric is increasingly anti-Iran despite Iran being no real threat to the Mid East. He fails to understand that US foreign policy is the sole threat to peace in the Mid East.

Like I said, I don’t support Iran’s leader and see him as a thug. But for the US to go to war against Iran is simply wrong. Iran is a stumbling block to the US’ efforts to control oil and it’s distribution around the world. Read this article for a comprehensive world view that will blow your mind away.

WW3 will be played out in the Mid East. My fear is the perpetrator will be the US. It’s actions will destabilise the region and it’s collaborations with Israel will make Israel a prime target for world wide retaliation.

But when the nations gather against her, Israel will be in the blessing of God:

On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” Zech 12:3

When this Great War happens, it will trigger off the most amazing event in history. The Jews will finally have their eyes opened and look to Jesus:

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” Zech 12:10

I’m sure most of you would have heard of that Scripture before. But when you put it in context with the rest of Zechariah 12, you see that the events leading up to this time could be very close indeed.

Jesus said that wars and rumours of wars will abound. Specifically the nations will gather against Israel. God will deliver His people and open their eyes to the reality of their Messiah. And then it’s party time for mankind:

“But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!” Rom 11:12

“For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” Rom 11:15

So you do your thing Mr Bush. Why don’t you go off and retire now like your daddy and leave the rest of the world alone.

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The Demon Seed - Pt 2

Published
by
LayGuy
on October 2, 2007
in Bible Study, Christianity and Digging Deeper
. 4 Comments

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Gen 3:15

This is God declaring war on Satan after the fall of mankind. Satan has just spiritually murdered mankind by deceiving Eve. Adam willfully took part in the fall - but he wasn’t deceived as he chose. More on this later.

God had a threefold judgement at the fall. First he directed judgement to Satan, then to Eve and then to Adam. In His judgement on Satan, He uttered the above words.

Most Christians have relegated these worlds to simply mean that Satan will harm Christ but will ultimately be crushed by Christ in the end. While true, this interpretation only scratches the surface.

Eve’s seed was mankind, in which Christ was eventually born into. But what happened to Satan’s seed? If Christ came through the lineage of man, what exactly is the lineage of Satan then?

While it may seem a difficult passage to comprehend, the very nature of God’s judgement at the fall warrants a much closer look then simple cliche.

The seed of the woman is recorded in Genesis 5. After Cain and Abel, came Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. The very names of this genealogy is the first recorded account of the Gospel of Jesus. If you compile this genealogy using the Hebrew meanings of these names, this is what you get:

Adam - Man

Seth - Appointed

Enosh - Mortal

Kenan - Sorrow;

Mahalalel - The Blessed God

Jared - Shall come down

Enoch - Teaching

Methuselah - His death shall bring

Lamech - The Despairing

Noah - Rest, or comfort.

Put it together and you have the Gospel: Man appointed mortal sorrow. [However] The blessed God shall come down teaching His death shall bring the despairing rest or comfort.

Don’t you just love the way God is in control despite what is about to happen on earth? You see, these guys all lived during the most depraved time in pre-historic times.

Before God wiped out everything with the flood, this is what he had to say about man:

“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Gen 6:5

“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Gen 6:11-13

Not a happy picture is it? This is pre-flood earth. Pre-history or prehistoric earth was not a good place. Some scholars talk about a global population of about 2 billion people at this stage. By the time of the flood, if you take the genealogies literally, we’re talking about 1500 years from creation.

That’s why Genesis 4:26b is a very controversial passage:

“To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.” Gen 4:26b

Rewind back to Seth. Remember this was after Cain and Abel. If mankind began to “call upon the name of the Lord” at this stage in human history, it would imply a revival of sorts. When in fact the exact opposite occurred. A depravity gripped mankind that was so demonic that God wiped the earth clear of all flesh apart from Noah and his floating zoo.

Some scholars are saying that Gen 4:26b should rather be interpreted along the lines of, “At that time, mankind began to call itself God.” As we’ll soon see, this scenario is heaps more likely then any other.

For in Genesis 6, we are told of the story of the Nephilim. A story so depraved and evil that it almost destroyed any chance of the Messiah to introduced in the first place. Despite God’s hidden Gospel in the names of the first generations of mankind, the seed of Satan was also plotting it’s evil ways. And trust me. There is a literal seed. Just as you and me are the natural seed of Eve.

But more on this later. It’s late and I’m tired.

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On Earth - As It Is In Heaven.

Published
by
LayGuy
on August 17, 2007
in Bible Study, Christianity and Digging Deeper
. 0 Comments

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We all know the Lord’s prayer. When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, amongst other things, He uttered, “on earth as it is in heaven”. Now anyone with half a brain will realise that Jesus was referring to the Father’s will being replicated on earth - as it is in heaven.

But what I want to focus on is the parallel realities of the spiritual and the physical. Modern science is alluding to the spiritual realm as “meta-physical” - a reality beyond our five sense. Beyond the laws of physics and yet so real, that it defines our physical reality.

“Curled beyond the Planck length” is scientific drivel for the meta physical realm. Quantum physics has reached the edge of reality and knows that to step beyond it, is to enter the meta physical. A reality so far beyond that of which we now exist.

The best brains on the planet are head butting a brick wall to come up with a theory to unify multiple levels of reality to one comprehensive and unifying formula. Once they crack this, God will be exposed to the mind of man.

Selah.

But what I find disturbing is that this meta physical realm is at war. Think of it for a second. In a realm above what you and I experience on a daily basis, something far superior then we could imagine, instead of peace and unity, a war is raging…

“Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. ” Rev 12:7-8

You want to know what disturbs me most about this war? The beings we are talking about are eternal and, by nature, cannot be destroyed. Beings in the meta physical cannot die. The breath of life cannot be snuffed out like it can with us.

Imagine for a second the nature of this war. What does it mean to be defeated? How did Michael et al devise a plan and execute it with precision, to the extent that the Devil was defeated?

Switching from the meta physical to the physical, who are we to think that our reality will be void of war if the reality above us is engaged in a war beyond our ability to understand? And the plot thickens the more you look into it…

“And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Rev 12:9-11

I thought it was Michael et al who defeated the devil in the war in heaven. I also thought it was Jesus who defeated the devil once He died on the cross.

Apparently I was right and wrong in many places. Michael did defeat the Devil in the war in heaven. He did so by being armed with the blood of the Lamb and by testimony of someone who didn’t shrink from death. Is this mankind or is it Jesus? You do the math.

As the meta physical is not bound by time as we are, this war didn’t happen yesterday, or will occur tomorrow. It is perpetual as eternity, being devoid of time, has no yesterday or tomorrow. It is consumed by “now”.

When eternity burst onto the physical realm, we see the Dragon…

“And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” Rev 12:13-17

Here we see Satan declaring war on God’s plan on earth. God was always going to bring His Messiah through mankind - namely the Jews. Satan failed to prevent this from occurring. Jesus was born and in His life in the physical realm, He was able to execute the plan that destroyed Satan in the meta physical realm.

The Devil, figuring out that he has just been shafted, makes war on those that follow Jesus.

War.

It occurs in heavenly - meta physical - places.

It spills out into our physical reality and is the root cause of man’s problems.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Eph 6:12

We will never be rid of it until the Prince of peace comes back. Until then, put on the Armour of God for we are in a war.

On earth - as it is in heaven.

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God & Googlebot

Published
by
LayGuy
on August 4, 2007
in Bible Study, Christianity and Internet
. 3 Comments

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I reckon God should sue Google for plagiarism. I was reading Psalm 139 tonight. After checking out Google Webmaster earlier and trying to get my head around Google’s ways of doing things, I was kind of impressed at what they do.

But, open up Psalm 139 and you get a glimpse at how God searches us and you just can’t but help see the similarities.

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me!” Psalm 139:1

Right off the bat, we see God’s Spirit doing exactly the same as the googlebot - searching and indexing all that I am. I love the fact that God is active in His search of me. He doesn’t just sit back but pursues His creation. He knows me better than I know myself. A good perspective to have when questioning the topic of unanswered prayer.

“You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139:2

Here’s is where Google Analytics kicks in. As one of the statistics sites for my blog, Analytics knows everything - neatly tucked away in daily stats. God is the same. It’s like His Spirit places a little snippet of code into my being and through it, He knows everything I do and even understands my thoughts - from afar - wireless at it’s best!

“You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” Psalm 139:3

Google knows all the incoming and outgoing links and clicks from my blog - all the pathways to my blog and the journey people take as a result of interacting my with blog. God does the same. He looks at the past and how I got to be at the place I am now. And He knows the future - my outgoing links and directions. Love that about Him. He knows what I will be doing in 5 minutes, 5 days and 5 years. Google only wishes it had such a technology!

“Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.” Psalm 139:4-6

Here’s where Google’s R&D team is scratching it’s head. How on earth will they know my future posts and links? Yet God knows the content of my next post just as He knows what happens next week in my life. God takes control of my past and my future and then places His hand on me in the present and guides me. Like King David, this LayGuy is also boggled as to how this happens and the implications of it.

Psalm 139 goes on and visits a number of areas - including the classical pro life statement of humans being “fearfully and wonderfully made”. Check it out when you get a chance. Great Psalm.

Back to the plagiarism case God can have against Google…

Isn’t it a wonderful thing to know that we are pursued to be known by the God of the universe? Google can try hard and does a great job at knowing our blogs. But God knows our past, present and future. He looks at our physical and spiritual realities and has indexed every word, thought, event and decision in our lives. The ultimate “GodBot!”

These indexes are talked about in Revelation. They are recorded in “books.”

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” Rev 20:11

All of our lives have been indexed by the GodBot. It’s all there already as God is outside space and time. What we do tomorrow or in 5 years is already indexed in those books. This freaks me out!

But I’ve got my eye on that “another book” - the book of life. Through the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, a beautiful Java script piece of code was inserted into my life which points the GodBot to the “another book” instead of the indexed book.

Here it reads…

“It is finished.”

Thank You Jesus.

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