Wednesday, March 22, 2006

God's Grace and Creation

This picture is the view from Tracy's grandma's dock in Hayden Lake, ID. Isn't it beautiful? I can't imagine someone really looking at creation and thinking either denying the existence or even the capability of the God who created all of this, can you? Think about creation and how awesome it is and give me your thoughts (based on the Bible) on why people reject the Creator (hint: read Romans 1)....

Thinking of this picture reminds me of one of my favorite hymns. I'll type out two of the stanzas.

"Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds Thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy pow'r thro'out the universe displayed. (chorus) Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art! Hhow great Thou art! Then sings my sou, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art! How great Thou art! And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin. (chorus) Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art! Hhow great Thou art! Then sings my sou, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art! How great Thou art!"

52 comments:

Anonymous said...

do people choose to deniy God's creation or do they not know?
~Anonymous(original)

Anonymous said...

I think that blue floatie inner tube thingie just happened to form there on the dock. Over millions of years. Same with the umbrella. Hey, come to think of it, I bet the dock just happened into being, too.

Makes just as much sense as believing that about the mountains and lake, doesn't it.

Pastor Timothy said...

Dr Mutanu, you make me laugh. That's a good point!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey this is Chad,

So I heard you mentioned me in youth group haha. I just don't have anything to say except hey and stuff. I'll say something else though. I really love that hymn. "How Great Thou Art"...definitely one of the best. I'll talk to you later.

-Chad

P.S. Better than just sayin hi?

AgapeTheologian said...

Anonomous,

Well, sin has made it hard for people to see God. Be thankful God has opened your eyes to Him. Some people choose evolution instead of God. It's the same concept as Dr. Mutanu,

"I think that blue floatie inner tube thingie just happened to form there on the dock. Over millions of years. Same with the umbrella. Hey, come to think of it, I bet the dock just happened into being, too.

Makes just as much sense as believing that about the mountains and lake, doesn't it."


But everyone is without excuse of God's existence. So, to our viewpoint, we deny Christ, but it's through the fall that people do not see it even though they should...hope this helps. Any questions, please ask...


-Justin

AgapeTheologian said...

How would you guys Interpret this verse? I believe in once saved always saved, the perserverance of the saints so I don't understand how to Interpret this verse.


Deu 9:14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.'

Any ideas???


Thanks alot,


-Justin

AgapeTheologian said...

Mrs Field,


If they were God's choosen people then they would of have been given grace. Some people I know think God is blotting their name from the book of life. They say if he blots, then we must have once been in there. I know that is not true.(Rom. 8:35-40) But God would of have to of given grace to His elect

AgapeTheologian said...

With the reference Mt 22:14, only the elect will respond. I know not all the people of isralites were believers. But they all were God's choosen people. They were all called. But the people that were actually choosen(elected) received grace by God. Which means, Jesus died for them. Jesus died for their sins they had committed. Make sence? We are only saved by grace, I don't see any reason why God wouldn't give the SPECIAL grace to us now and not then.(Eph 2:8-9)

If they were under the law then they could lose their salvation by what the did. But salvation is by grace. If it was by works, I wouldn't be a Christian. I'm way to sinful. We ALL are borned totally depraved. We will and want to serve our sinful nature. So, we wouldn't ever choose God, therefore God choose us. God gave His special grace to the elect in His choosen people. Make sence? ANyways, i got to get going!


-Justin

Pastor Timothy said...

Justin,

Interesting notes. What you need to realize is that when God says that Israel is His chosen people, it means that the nation has a special purpose and special favor in God's eyes. He's not talking about all being chosen for salvation. He's saying that they're chosen to have salvation run through them (going through the line of Abraham to David to Jesus). Does that make more sense?

Anyway, what about CREATION?

AgapeTheologian said...

Ya, that makes sence, but I still think God offered grace to his elect. Say, Moses, Abraham, David, etc...

Pastor Timothy said...

I do believe that God offered grace to the Old Testament saints. However, He did that because of the covenant that was to come....

AgapeTheologian said...

Yes, but the yearly atonement wasn't atoneing for their sins. Jesus had to take their sins. Then God offered the special grace to whom Jesus died for.

But I do not think God would offer grace to His saints now and not to the big spirtual leaders. David, Abraham, etc... Does this make sence?

But it is all based on Jesus' perfect atoning sarcifice.

AgapeTheologian said...

We might be saying the same thing in different words

Anonymous said...

is creation and evoluton the same thing, why or why not?
~Anonymous(original)

AgapeTheologian said...

is creation and evoluton the same thing, why or why not?


They are totally different.They believe the complete opposite. Ask your science teacher about. He can and will help. Maybe one on one with your teacher.


-Justin

AgapeTheologian said...

p.s.Watch those evolusionist videos!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

justin, i have read a book on evolution and have found out that some things are the same mostly the same. but little difference.
~Anoymous(original)

Pastor Timothy said...

Anonymous,

Tell me how you think evolution COULD even possibly be true just looking at creation.... Also, why do you assume a car HAS to be made or a watch HAS to be made, but when it comes to creation, you think that MAYBE it wasn't created?

Read Dr. Mutanu's comment too. It's pretty funny.... :) Thanks for your comment.

Anonymous said...

whoa, please explain pt2 about your stament to me.
~Anonymous(original)

Pastor Timothy said...

What I mean is that it seems like you wonder whether or not evolution is true. But, when it comes to knowing whether or not a car has been created, there's no doubt in anyone's mind. We all know a car is made. But, with the world, we think it could have just evolved.

Anonymous said...

How can I trust the Lord more?

Anonymous said...

Hey, this is Ben DeVolder:

I think evolution is stupid and creation is not. Love to you all!

Anonymous said...

Ben, You're stupid.

Doug

p.s. I also agree with you though that evolution is stupid. Love to you as well.

Anonymous said...

jared shumate,
i struggle with that too.
mostly i just pray to God and i tell him what i'm struggling with.and i tell God how i feel about it. then i ask God to help me ( i usually say something like this) please help me to trust in you more i need your help to get through each day.
here is a verse that helps me to trust God.

jeremiah 29:11-12
for i know the plans i have for you declares the lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you a hope and a future. then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and i will listen to you. (so we know that if we ask God for help he allways hears us and does not allways answer right away, he does not have to)

sometimes i say "WHY ARE YOU PUTTING ME THROUGH THIS GOD?" then i look at this verse and thou he is putting me through hard trials i know that he has a purpuse for everything. ( some times i wonder what that purpuse is {;-)
i hope that you will be able to trust God better jared.

Anonymous said...

well can you just trust him to a limit?
~Anonymous(original)

Anonymous said...

you don't want to trust God with all your heart.
you want to trust him only a litle?


why don't u trust God with all your heart?

please look up proverbs 3:5-6
then tell me y u don't whant to trust God with all your heart

you know that God made you and that he could kill you right now. don't you think you should give him your every thing (are trust)? he has given you a lot.

Anonymous said...

well since god has life and death powers shouldn't we be afraid of him? And is ther a trudt limit?
~Anonymous(original)

Anonymous said...

YEs should we fear God, yes, a healthy fear, we shouldn't obey ONLY because we are scared(fear) but a fear because he is sovereign! i mean in control of everything, yes he could take my life NOW or later, either way, it doesn't scare me at all, i rest in the fact that HE knows all and knows what he is doing. bring it on uh?
is there a trust limit? no way. that means YOU are building walls with God,that makes YOU in charge.
can i ask you a question? are you feeling distant with God? beucase by your questions, it seems YOu have moved from God, thus, scared to give him 100% of your life, why. because he may 'hurt" you.. REJOICE my brother( if your a boy)when you suffer, For Christ sufered also. this is NOTHING. get through this life and RUN this race. and it will be over quickly-promise... but am questioning you walk with God, if you have one.

Anonymous said...

and don't you want to trust God with all your heart

Anonymous said...

well if we can trust god 100% then we can not be afriad of the future, i bet you are afraid of the future. if we trust in him completly then we have no worries, well we all do, so you can not say we trust in him fully.
~Anonymous(original)

AgapeTheologian said...

Anonymous,

We can not fully trust in Him as we should. You are right there. But as truly born again, believers, we strive for it. We want to learn how to love the Lord our God with All our Heart, SOUl, Mind, and Strength. But we will not 100% completely fulfill this til we die since we are still sinful creatures.

I am in God's hands? Why should I fear of death? I'll be with Him! It's because I am a sinner and I do not know anything else beyond this earth. God will take me in His time. Not Mine!

But I have more and more faith and trust about the future. There is NO need to fear it! Make sense?


-Justin

Anonymous said...

thought i do some times i don't trust God fully.
but since we are sinners and we r not perfect we can't trust God 100 percent, b/c if we did that would make us perfect right?
thought we should aim for 100 percent.

AgapeTheologian said...

We should aim for 100%, but we will never achieve it!

Anonymous said...

but aren't you afraid of the future? and also what you do not know and the mysteries of the world? And why would you throw away all your dreams and hopes for this? it does not make sense.
~Anonymous(original)

Pastor Timothy said...

Throw away your dreams for what? When you embrace God, your dreams are only enhanced! God doesn't call you to give up joy. He calls you to embrace true joy!

Anonymous said...

but the stories i have heard was that people left all they hoped from and dreamed of the live for god, i donot want to do that!
~Anonymous(original)

Anonymous said...

i still have dreams and a hope and i still trust God with all my heart

AgapeTheologian said...

Anonymous,

One of my dream is becoming a Navy Seal! He may call me to continue to pursue that, who knows. But God will change your desires in your heart. God will do His will with you but you will have joy doing it!

Pastor Timothy said...

The reason why people gave up their dreams is because they realized that there was a greater dream, a greater joy! So, they were willing to give up anything for the greatest of all!!

I would never want to give up something if I knew that it was greater than something else.

God calls us to give up "lesser things" for the greatest - Christ!

Anonymous said...

but why would you anyway?
~Anonymous(original)

Anonymous said...

how old do u think u need to be to like some one?

Anonymous said...

i don't know

Anonymous said...

is it wrong to admrie someone to help reach your dream?
~Anonymous(origianl)

Pastor Timothy said...

How old do you think you need to be to like someone? - Hmmm, what do you mean by that? Do you mean to date?

Anonymous said...

um... sure.. i guess.
~Anonymous(origianl)

Anonymous said...

yes

Anonymous said...

is there realy a limit

Anonymous said...

i think if are mom and dad say you can date then i think its ok. so if your mom and dad say yes then ok, but how old are your or are you not going to say?

Anonymous said...

pt2 ware r u?

Anonymous said...

i think he forgot about this one. sorry psalms 17:17

Anonymous said...

hey 17:17 person if u realy need to no post it some were that is more updated.

Pastor Timothy said...

Are people still interested in talking about dating?