Tag: God

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Are you ordinary?

Lee Parish

Are you ordinary? In some ways we are all ordinary, aren’t we? We don’t wield super-human strength, or the ability to see through walls. We are not faster than a speeding bullet, nor are we stronger than a locomotive. And we can’t leap tall buildings in a single bound. We are not world-famous artisans. Nor are we wise beyond all measure. And that is all quite fine. God can still use us to do great things.

Since the beginning, God has used the ordinary to accomplish extraordinary things. He created all things by a word (Genesis 1:1-3). With God, a word is powerful enough to bring entire galaxies into existence out of nothing. The Bible’s description of the creation of light is very simple, “And God said.” Does that not thrill you to know that our God only has to say the word to change the universe?

Continue reading “Are you ordinary?”

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God judges because he loves

A. A. Neale

Theologians make their fine distinctions and hard classifications. They like the old idea of taking one thing at a time. They consider God’s holiness, then move on to his love. Such an approach is probably acceptable, as far as it goes.

The various and wonderful aspects of God’s nature and personality are a single unit. Westerners like to break things down into their component units. The ancient Hebrews, however, liked to pull things together, considering them as a whole. The former group excels in analysis; the latter, in synthesis.

When it comes to the one true God, the Hebrew approach recommends itself. If God is one, his nature partakes of that oneness. Continue reading “God judges because he loves”

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The voice of God

Guest Writer

By Johnny O. Trail — At the close of World War II, there was some concern that Japan would not surrender. Hiroshima and Nagasaki had already been devastated by atomic bombs, and America continued to bomb various regions of Japan as the USA prepared a third nuclear bomb. To further encourage the Japanese to surrender, Americans dropped pamphlets from airplanes.

When the Japanese emperor, Hirohito, came on broadcast radio to announce the surrender, it was the first time that many of his subjects had ever heard his voice. Many of Hirohito’s followers believed he was a “demi-god.”/1 Some who heard him surrender to the Americans were hearing the voice of their “god” for the very first time.

For a moment, one might consider what it means to truly hear the voice of God. Continue reading “The voice of God”

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7 truths about God in Ezekiel 33

A. A. Neale

The Old Testament is a rich mine of truths about God and his ways. The prophets reveal the divine heart and intentions. Get a taste of truths about God from this little slice of Ezekiel 33.

No. 1. God is a revealer. “The word of the Lord came to me” (Ezekiel 33:1, ESV). He tells man what he is doing and what he expects. God does nothing without letting us know his intentions and actions (Amos 3:7; Ephesians 3:5). Things he reveals are for us all, that we might obey his commands and thereby find joy and peace (Deuteronomy 29:29). God’s revelation to us, now contained in the Bible, is for our salvation. “The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations” (Psalm 98:2). Continue reading “7 truths about God in Ezekiel 33”

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With all your mind

John Henson

What is the most important commandment of God in the Bible?

The lawyers of Jesus day, men trained in the text of the Old Testament, sent one of their own to ask the Lord that very question. Opinions differed. Some thought sacrifice was the most important of God’s commandments. Others thought there were so many commandments it was impossible to determine which was most important.

Jesus said, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength (Mark 12:30). Continue reading “With all your mind”

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A God that feels

John Henson

The ancient Greeks believed their gods were completely devoid of feeling and emotion. The gods, they thought, were so far above humanity they could not feel sorrow, pain, or grief.

Imagine a Greek who was alive in the first century and managed to read John chapter 11. In this text the son of God is overcome with feelings of sadness and grief at the death of his friend, Lazarus. Jesus was overcome with a wide array of emotions. Continue reading “A God that feels”

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Start with God

J. Randal Matheny

The world started with God. He spoke, and it came into existence. God existed before all else. He is not created. He created all things.

Human beings started with God. Before the world was created, God planned to make man. In fact, everything else was created for man’s benefit.

Salvation started with God. He gave free will to man, so that the choice to love and serve God would be a real one. But man rejected God. God was not content to leave it at that. He had decided to bring man back to himself. Continue reading “Start with God”

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God loves numbers

J. Randal Matheny

God loves numbers. He counts the number of hairs on each human head. In fact, he likes numbers so much, he makes things uncountable by human means. The stars cannot be numbered. And who can count the grains of sand in the sea or all the drops in the oceans of the world?

But God knows. “He counts the number of the stars; he names all of them” Psalm 147.4. So he not only counts them, but names them all. Continue reading “God loves numbers”

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Being a father

John Henson

I love being a father.

If every bit of progress of my children isn’t imprinted on film or memory card, it is in my mind as fresh as the day it happened. Those memories include when each of our three children walked, when they learned to ride a bicycle, and graduated from college. Sure, there have been trials and difficulties but the joys outweigh them all.

Each child has repeatedly assured us of their love for their mother and me. I know their love is genuine because they show it often. Continue reading “Being a father”