Friday, April 25, 2014

HEART WIDE OPEN - BK. REVIEW

HEART WIDE OPEN
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

The honest and sincere purpose of Shellie Rushing Tomlinson in writing “Heart Wide Open” seems to be to excite her readers to a stronger and lasting faith in Jesus.  She succeeds in doing this very well.  Tomlinson opens her heart in transparency with the problems she has experienced with a mundane faith and then to grow into an excitement about Jesus that doesn’t fade.

An important realization comes as we see how much God loves us.  We do what is necessary to fall in love with him in devotion that lasts day in and out.  This means bending our will to His.  Everything God requires of us is for our benefit.  A person can do all the “right” things but not have a heart for God.  As our love for Him grows, our love for our fellow man grows as well.  This pleases God.


Many Scriptures and personal examples are used to illustrate the points that Tomlinson makes.  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Monday, April 21, 2014

OUR AWESOME GOD - 4

OUR AWESOME GOD – 4

Never could we say enough to exalt our God.  Heaven will be full of praises to Him as it is even now.  Rev.19:1,6   Since the creation of the world to the present time nature shows forth the wonders of God.  Rom.1:20   It is even put within man, made in His image, an inner feeling of right and wrong.  Rom.1:19   This is evident in every culture. 

When man realizes right from wrong as he matures, he is given a choice as to which to follow just as Adam and Eve were given that choice in the Garden.  They made a wrong choice as sin entered the world through Satan.  Gen.3:15   Years later we are told of a man, Enoch, who loved God and walked with Him.  Gen.5:24   Time went on and we find that the hearts of men were continually evil except for Noah and his family.  Gen.6:5

God created us in His image and wants our fellowship but we must realize that to walk with Him, we must choose to do things His way.  Isa.55:8,9   God is completely holy.  He wants us to be holy, too.  1 Pet.1:15,16   Everything about God is holy.  God doesn’t become holy or conform to holiness.  He IS holy.  Many words are used to define holy:  sacred, morally and spiritually without fault, separation from evil, set apart, consecrated.  God is all of this and more. 

In our human attempt to understand and realize the holiness of God magnified, we need to understand our lowly estate before our Maker.  Isaiah felt this as he beheld the sight before his eyes.  Isa.6:5   He felt completely undone.  We need to take our eyes off of the world and see and feel the glory of God in our hearts that we may grow in holiness and have close relationship with our Savior.  To achieve this, we have to realize the complete inadequacy and sinfulness of our lives.  To give our lives to God, we cannot keep any corner for ourselves.  We are all for Him.  Rom.12:1,2   Jesus was ALL for us as He gave up His life that we might live eternally with Him.

The following words are taken from a quote by A.W. Tozer, however, in a different order.  We can acclimate ourselves in the fellowship of the saints on earth and prepare ourselves for the eternal companionship of God and the saints above in the following ways:  by faith and obedience, by constant meditation on the holiness of God, by loving righteousness and hating iniquity (sin), by a growing acquaintance with the Spirit of holiness.

God is a just God.  Many question how God could be so loving and yet be just at the same time.  His justice is absolute or unconditional.  Ps.9:4   God’s justice gives hope.  God cannot pervert or turn His judgment aside from its proper use.  Job 8:3   God begins to question Job.  Job 40:8   No human could fault God’s judgment.  Rom.3:4
  
Both righteousness and judgment are part of God.  Ps.97:2   Many ungodly acts are done by the human race.  We see examples of this all of the time—now and in the past.  Would God be just to let it go?  Ps.94:1-3   Abraham spoke to God about this in Gen.18:25.  It is not that God wants to see anyone lost in their sin.  1 Tim.2:4   God is good and goodness without justice is not good.  God wanted to bring all to Him so much that He was willing to send Jesus.  Jesus paid our penalty so when we accept Him, justice has been met.  1 Jhn.1:9

So many more attributes could be given.  There is no end; however, we will end this study with two that are very important to us—grace and love.  They go hand in hand.  John was such a great author of the love of God.  There would be no grace if God did not love us so much.  He created us in His image.  It is as if He were saying, “I want you.”  Everything He created was “good” but man was “very good.”  We, as people, desire to be loved and needed.  So does God.  He could get along very well without us but He wants us and has gone out of His way to provide for us in every way.  When man went against His wishes, God provided a way back to Him through His Son.

We cannot begin to measure God’s love for us.  Rom.8:38,39   Because of this unfathomable love, God’s grace flows out to us.  Rom.5:20,21   Grace is something we cannot earn by working for it nor do we deserve it.  It is totally a gift.  Eph.2:8   This is shown to us by His mercy, kindness, and love through Jesus.  Eph.2:4,7; Jhn.1:17

Let us keep remembering how our God is awesome beyond words or imagination; but at the same time remember how insignificant we are, yet important to God.  He even has plans for us as He knows our beginning and end.  Jer.29:11-13   His wonders never cease nor His love.  Lam.3:22,23   May we praise and follow Him all of our lives.  Isa.40:26
  




   

OUR AWESOME GOD - 3

OUR AWESOME GOD – 3

As we pursue a better understanding of our awesome God, may we have a yearning thirst for developing a deeper relationship with Him together with a fuller knowledge of all He means to us.  Our worship should become more meaningful and even more often as we realize God is always with us.

Let’s review some facts we should never forget.  God never changes (immutable).  He knows all things (omniscient).  God is all-powerful, all-mighty (omnipotent).  He is an Everlasting God.  He will never go away.  This phrase is often used: yesterday, today, and forever.  God always was, He is and He always will be.

Another “omni” word is important as it describes God.  “Omni” means in all ways or all places.  Omnipresence is our next “omni” word.  Presence is to be here, close to, or next to.  A quote from A.W. Tozer in his book, “The Knowledge of the Holy”, explains omnipresence as God being everywhere here, close to everything, and next to everyone.  This is our awesome God. 

The belief that God is here with us increases our faith and makes it so real.  Heb.11:6   This faith helps us to understand our world.  Heb.11:3   We are greatly comforted as we realize the reward that comes for eternity.  Death isn’t the end.  Jhn.14:1-3   Our Lord is not only here with us now but will continue to be with us forever. 

Great assurance can be obtained as we look at some of the statements in Scripture.  One of these is Ezek.37:27.  God gave His Son the name Immanuel which means, “God with us.”  Matt.1:23   God’s presence with us is promised in Heb.13:5.  How we can cling to these precious promises as we face the challenges of life.  Jer.29:11,12 brings another precious promise if we pray to Him.  God is there to listen to our needs and will answer in His way and His time.

God is with us whether we recognize it or not for His ways are different from ours.  Isa.55:9   God is there beside us and able to do more than we could even imagine to ask.  Eph.3:20   God is not only beside us.  He is in control.

God is infinite.  He knows no limits or boundaries.  All that we have said about Him is endless.  There is no end to His power or His presence.  No end can be found of His knowledge.  For those with an obedient faith, God’s love knows no boundaries.  Rom.8:38,39  His love is infinite. 

We as human beings live in a material world of matter, time, and space.  Our understanding is achieved through identity with material things.  However, God cannot be compared to something material.  He is so far above anything made or even created.  It is amazing that he would want us but He does.  1 Jhn.4:9,10   God doesn’t love us because we love Him.  He loved us first.

God is full of mercy.  Mercy is defined as giving undeserved kindness or forgiveness to those who do not deserve it.  How strongly do we recognize our unworthiness before God.  Until we do, we will not understand the total mercy that God extends toward us.  Rom.11:30-32   The Gentiles had been passed over in the O.T. but when Christ came, God’s mercy extended to all.   1 Pet.2:10  

God’s great love is evident by the rich mercy He bestows on us.  Eph.2:4   God’s wisdom is full of mercy.  Jam.3:17   God is very concerned with our salvation.  Have you heard someone say, “I think I’m a good person.”  Yet God knows our works are but filthy rags.  Isa. 64:6   Yet with His rich mercy, He accepts our obedience as we come to Him.  Titus 3:5   God allows us to be born again according to His great mercy.   1 Pet.1:3

Jesus understands our weaknesses and has gone through like-temptations, therefore, we can find mercy as we draw near to Him.  Heb.4:15,16   Jesus is the one who can lead us to eternal life.  Jude 21   We must ever be thankful for the mercy of our awesome God.

 







OUR AWESOME GOD - 2

OUR AWESOME GOD – 2

As we strive to understand more about God, we realize He was before all things.  He is self-existent.  He was neither made nor created.  God was and is and will be forever and forever.  Rev.4:8  He is full of glory and holiness.  Our awesome God is the Creator and Maker of all things that exist.  We discover His wonders only to find that there is no end.  There is always more.  This is the God we desire to know more through the help of the Holy Spirit.

Contrary to the thought of evolution, negative change is evident in our world.  Living beings do not get better and better.  Since sin entered the world (Gen.3:19), we gradually move toward death.  Sometimes it is not so gradual.  This happens with all living things, whether man, animal, or plant.  We die unless Jesus comes first.  God is not this way.

God is immutable.  What does this mean?  It means that God never changes.  Mal.3:6   He is the same in every way yesterday, today, and forever.  Our lives change.  We either get better, worse, or remain stable temporarily.  A true quote:  “All that God is, He always has been, and all that He has been and is He will ever be.” Man changes in his emotions, his attitudes, his purpose, his faithfulness, and even his physical self.  We can depend on God.  Num.23:19   He is immutable.  He never changes.

God is omniscient.  He knows all things.  There is nothing God can learn.  He cannot be taught or counseled.  Isa.40:13,14   God knows all that can be known.  He knows all in the past, in the present, and in the future on into eternity.  Isa.64:4   No one knows God’s thoughts unless He has told us; but He knows our thoughts continually.  1 Cor.2:11  

Imagine Adam and Eve attempting to hide from God.  Mankind does the same by thinking they can keep sins and secrets to themselves.  Ps.139:7,11,12   They forget that God knows.  Ps.90:8   If God knows and hold us accountable for every word we speak, surely He knows all else in our thoughts and deeds.  Matt.12:36,37  

In spite of all we do, God still loves us and we can run to Him in repentance and He will take us to Him.  Isa.54:10   God knows we are but dust and prone to sin but He has provided a way for us.  He spoke to the Israelites about this.  Isa.48:8-11   God also provided a way for us to have salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. 

On the day of Pentecost when many Jews were gathered together, Peter explained to them what they had done to their Messiah.  They were terrified but God gave the answer through Peter by the Holy Spirit.  Acts 2:37,38   God knows us like an open book but He loves us and will care for us if we only come to Him in faith and obedience.

God is omnipotent.  This is another of those big “omni” words.  It means all-powerful and almighty.  God is sovereign and over all.  Rev.19:6   Do we think of this when we sing the chorus, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Glory, Hallelujah”  This is our God and Savior!  It can never be just words and tune.  It is worship from our hearts.  Ps.62:11   Paul also gives us a glimpse in Rom.1:20.

David expresses the all-inclusiveness of God’s rule.  Ps.103:19   Jeremiah tells of God’s power and the reverence due to His name.  Jer.10:6,7.10   The title of our study and the importance of God’s reign over all the earth is in Ps.47:2.   Presidents and kings have come and gone but God’s reign remains generation to generation.  Ps.102:12

Since God isn’t a God of change and He is all-powerful, we need to focus on the fact that He is an Everlasting God.  He doesn’t go away.  Gen.21:33   We could never count His years.  Job 36:26   Isaiah expresses this with questions in Isa.40:28.

Ps.103:19   In our earthly life we desire victory, but how much more is victory important in our life eternal—our spiritual life.  In this eternal, all-powerful King and His Son we can achieve that victory.  1 Cor.15:57

Paul gives a great description of God to young Timothy in 1 Tim.1:17.  As we realize who God is, these thoughts must continually be on our mind and in our heart.




              

OUR AWESOME GOD - 1

OUR AWESOME GOD – 1

Too often we take God for granted and fail to realize the many aspects of His remarkable being.  At our best attempt to understand and know God, we will never be able to even come close; however, we can grow in our knowledge and understanding of Him that we may serve Him more completely in our lives.  We need to realize who God is and the power He holds in His hands.

1 Chron.16:10,11   The more we know about God the more we will glory in His holy name.  As we realize the many aspects of God, our trust in Him will grow.  Ps.9:10   We will also be humbled as we realize what a small speck we are in the universe and yet he knows our name and everything about us.  We dare not fall into the attitude of those Paul spoke in Rom.1:21.  They “knew” God but they did not honor Him nor give thanks to Him. 

Instead they worshipped things made by man and made out of materials of the earth.  God was not “made” or even “created.”  Rom.1:20   God was from the very beginning.  He was, is, and will be.  He is self-existent.  It is difficult for a human to understand that concept because nothing we know can bring itself into existence.  We see the creation of God more and more.   Man might make a test-tube baby but he cannot give it consciousness or the ability to make moral decisions. Man cannot make it creative with many differing abilities.  God can and does.

Jhn.1:1-3   All things” were made by Him.  Not anything was made without our Lord.  This is all-inclusive.  Col.1:16,17 expresses this in a powerful way.  The fact is that everything is held together by God’s Son.  Heb.1:2,3   At a moments notice, He could let go.  What an awesome God we worship!

In outward worship people often bow down in honor and reverence of somebody greater than themselves.  Many times people “bow” either bodily or with heads bowed.  A Christian has more than an outward “form” of worship.  Jesus explained the inward worship with the heart as He spoke to the Samaritan woman.  Jhn.4:23,24   Our worship must be more than just an outward worship—sitting/standing in church, bowing our heads when someone prays.  Are we praying with them?  It must be with our whole heart and spirit.  Where is our focus?  On God?  Never is it on the “leader” of worship which is the flash of some worship leaders today.

As we study the aspects of God, we are only “mere men” and those are the thoughts, words, and imaginations that we produce.  In is important to realize that we cannot reduce God to another human being for He is the Maker, the Creator, of man.  Job realizes that God has no limits.  Job 11:7-9   This fact is becoming more apparent all of the time as more and more discoveries are made through the Hubbell telescope and other means.  As more is visible, there is always more.  The discoveries of what God has created never ceases.

Although we will never fully understand God , a consideration of our understanding is explained in 1 Cor.2:10-16.  Our faith makes a difference in our understanding more about God.  The Holy Spirit helps us.  Job understood something important to help our knowledge.  Job 19:25   Even at that Job learned many things about God as he was questioned over several chapters.  When it was Job’s turn to answer, he realized a fact we need to remember.  Job 42:2

We can only know about God as He has revealed Himself to us in Truth.  1 Cor.2:11   An example has been made of a sunbeam when cut off from the sun is nothing.  So it is with man.  When man is cut off from His Maker (God), he is nothing.   All true and lasting power is from God.  Jhn.15:5   Without Him we can do nothing of note and with Him, anything is possible.  Lk.1:37

It is difficult for us as human beings to give “self” up completely   “I think”, “I want”.  We worship up to a point but to bow completely down in heart and spirit, we reserve a part of us for ourselves.  When we really give our lives to Jesus as He buys us with the great price of His blood (1 Cor.6:20), it is not simply loaning ourselves when it is convenient.  Isa.53:6   We go our own way.  Jesus gave another way in Matt.16:24.  Paul indicated that he was willing to do this.  Gal.2:20  

Do we realize the awesome God that we have and are we willing to truly worship Him in heart, mind, soul, and strength?  This needs to be our daily meditation.