GREENE STREET LETTERS: Thoughts From A.W. Tozer

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Thoughts From A.W. Tozer

(Excerpts from the book The Knowledge Of The Holy)

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

Our understanding of God shapes the way we approach him. The way we think he feels about us. It affects every area of our being as we live daily.

"The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man's spiritual history will demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than is idea of God."

Maybe the reason the God we claim to understand doesn't speak to us is that we truly believe he doesn't act in that way anymore. We fall upon the idea that God is an impersonal god and that he has no time for us. We believe that God created everything but then walked away and left it to run on its on. The thought that God the creator actually desires to have a personal relationship with this sinful, imperfect creation boggle our finite minds. Truth be known, not only does he want to have relationship, he has provided the very means in which it can take place. God is a communicating God, speaking and revealing himself to people through His word (Bible) and through events and situations that we find ourselves in daily.

"Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, 'What comes into your mind when you think about God?' we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man."

The view we hold to today of who God is and what he really is like influences and directs the decisions we make at to our future. If my view of God is that, "Yes...He is real...Yes He is God...but I don't really want to surrender my will or my life to Him, " then we will go about the business of living our lives based not just on good intentions or to do the right thing, but under the influence of our sinful nature (Yes, Virginia, we all have a sinful nature or bent to be independent from God) which will lead me not toward God, but away from him.

Why do you believe what you do?
Where did your beliefs come from?
Can you back up what you believe in Scripture?

It is important that we all check ourselves and what we believe and make sure that our religious beliefs are not from opinions and others who claim to know the truth. We need to search out for ourselves what does God say. Who is God to me.

Food for thought today.

Verse of the Day:

John 6:35

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

God on you....

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Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Thoughts From A.W. Tozer

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD