The Personhood of God

What is God like?... We often wonder what He looks like, sounds like, or if He's even there.  We were created in the image of God, that means He looks like a man - He has a face, hands, legs, feet, hair, etc.  The Bible says that when you've seen Jesus you've seen God, which means Jesus looks like His Father!  There is a family resemblance!  But, as I was in prayer today, the thought was given to me that God is more than just a "person"; He is a lot of things that we need, hope for, long for!

1. God is rest.

Out of all the things I need, this is the deepest need I have at times.  Rest is not something we do; it is something God-given.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11: 28

2. God is peace.

Any peace of mind, heart, or body that we have can not last apart from the Presence of Christ.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:7

3. God is Love.

This is a statement we often hear, but don't always understand. Love is not what or who we want it to be. Love is what or Who it is -- it is God. When we tell someone we love them or think that we love someone we must ask ourselves if we are acting or feeling the way the God would. If we aren't, then it is not love but a cheap substitute.

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

1 John 4:8

4. God is liberty!

Everyone wants to be free. Most people think freedom is doing what you want when you want. This is not the case. True freedom is being what or who we were meant to be or intended to be. God has formulated a plan for each of us to become our best, but freedom involves trusting the One who made us and knows us better than we know ourselves!

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

2 Corinthians 3:17

5. God is hope!

This world is depressing. Days are long; nights go by in "the blink of an eye". The world keeps growing worse - farther away from the pristine condition in which it was created. But most people cling to the hope that one day their lives will be better or that there is an afterlife. This world is doomed (hate to say it) but we can live in hope for our lives to have meaning if we accept the God of hope. And of course there is an afterlife of which we hope and long for.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

In conclusion, if we're looking for love, or tired and need rest, or sorrowful and need hope, or feel bound by anything, we are looking for a person - a being - and not on this earth.  We are looking for God - the Author and Finisher of our faith - which can only be found in the person of Jesus.

"For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made us understand that it is the brightness of his glory that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ."

2 Corinthians 4:6

"How to Have the Best Christmas Ever"

As I think about what Christmas means to me and others, I am reminded that some people are very sad at this time of year.  Is there anything wrong with that?  Absolutely not!  Sadness, depression and anxiety are sicknesses and can not be snapped out of -- I know from my own experiences.

Grief is another misunderstood emotion.  Grieving is a process that can't be rushed.  Being thankful for things doesn't lessen the pain of losing something or someone.  It doesn't work that way.

Is Christmas a time to "suck it up" and put on a happy face?  No, but it is a time to lean upon the Lord as never before.  Finding the joy that only comes from God is the only way to get through the rough times that inevitably come.

What about gifts?  Is that what's important?  If you've ever seen "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" you'd know it's not what it's all about.  Celebrating Christmas is about having a giving heart and receiving the love of Christ.  A lot of people give and receive gifts but have a hollow, meaningless day.

Christmas is when we celebrate the gift of God in the form of a human baby.  He came in the most humble fashion -- born in a smelly barn -- to a young, unmarried lady and her fiancee.  He came to die that we might live forever.  He only asks for our heart in return.

Merry Christmas!!!

Philippians 2:6-11

6  Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 

rather, he made himself nothing

    by taking the very nature of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

8 

And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    by becoming obedient to death—

        even death on a cross!

9 

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

My Reasons to Believe

Do you believe in God?  If so, do you know why?  If not, why not?  Quite simply, here are the reasons why I believe:

1- He answers prayers!

My mom prayed for a husband and the Lord spoke to my dad and told him he was going to marry Phyllis Kellar!

2- He provides for our needs.

God has sent people with food when we were hungry or given money at the exact right time.

3. His Word is True.

The science in the Bible is correct and the prophecies contained therein have come and are coming true.

4. You can feel His Presence.

If you pray and seek Him, He will show Himself to you through a feeling that can't be explained.

5. He speaks through promptings. or a "still, small voice". 

It's not all the time but sometimes if we listen really closely we can hear something deep inside telling us something we need to know.

6. Protection

There have been times where an accident was avoided by a second or in the case of my family: one time my mom was upset about not getting a particular house... a week or two later it burned down!

7. Healings

My dad shouldn't be able to walk (since he was injured as a teen).  The eye doctor told me I shouldn't have an eye and that I "must have a guardian angel". My brother died three times and shouldn't be as smart as he is.

8. Inexplainable Peace

Simply put, there is a wholeness and completeness that only comes from a relationship with the Lord.

Remember Lot's Wife! (Luke 17:32)

We are living in the last days.  I know we have heard this over and over again, to the point that many don't take it seriously.  In reference to the coming of the Lord we are cautioned to remember Lot's wife. 

Lot lived in the land of Sodom.  Sodom looked appealing but ended up being an ungodly place, characterized by homosexuality.  Lot and his family were instructed to leave, but his wife looked back, and ultimately ended up destroyed.  What does Sodom remind you of?...

America was once a thriving, godly land that is now characterized by all kinds of ungodliness.  God continues to bless America because of the remnant of His people and for those who pray as Abraham did for Lot and his family.  Abraham prayed, "Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25)

These days other countries are sending missionaries to America and praying for America's salvation or revival. I pray that we are apart of the coming move of God....

When I was growing up I would hear stories of how it was in my parents' day, of how the fire of God came and consumed the house of God. People were changed, healed, delivered. Even as a child things were different than they are now -- people would seek the Holy Spirit and be filled; there would be dancing and no one would want to leave after service.

But now are we so used to living among and around ungodly people that we don't really want things to change? When God is moving us more towards Him and what He wants for us to do are we willing to sever our ties with our ungodly, unfruitful ways? Are we making a difference or simply surviving?

It's time to enter our prayer closet, be immersed in His Word, and live out our faith everyday. It's not time to shrink back and give in to the culture around us. It's time to stand up for what's right, in love.

Ponderings

The problems of our lives are not intended to test how smart or resourceful we are, but how vulnerable and trusting we will allow ourselves to be.

We are like little children with a puzzle and we can't put the pieces together while our parent stands watching, waiting for a plea of "Help!"

God is like a mother who sees their child hurting or suffering and wants to run and embrace him.

There is so much suffering in this world (Satan is the god of it) and God is not surprised!  Quite the contrary!... God wanted to allow us freewill so there must be evil to test us, a choice or choices to make.

I wonder sometimes if I'm wrong, if I have taken a wrong turn.... But I think it's a matter of perspective....  "God knows the way that I take and when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold."  This is my favorite Scripture!

I love our pastor.  Some of the things he says blow my mind!...  We've been studying about Creation and the Garden of Eden.  I always thought it was kind of cruel the way God kicked out Adam and Eve (although I understand why).  He made it clear to me that had they eaten of the Tree of Life after having eaten of the Tree of the Knowledtge of Good and Evil they would've been doomed forever!

People wonder how things would've been if Adan and Eve had not sinned.  The truth is the next humans would've messed up!  We're all so flawed!  Out of the first children one of them killed the other!  It boggles the mind.

In a relatively short span of time there were only eight decent people on earth creating the need for Noah's ark, and in another relatively short time everyone joined up to build the Tower of Babel! 

And speaking of the flood if you look in part of the ceiling of Cumberland Caverns (locally) you will see seashells, and the tour guide will say that it's proof of a worldwide flood.

God is awesome!  Time is short.  Christ is at hand.

Men, Women, and God

The subject of the sexes and God is a deep one, and one I don't enter into lightly.  I'm not trying to meddle, but this is something I have wondered about from time to time, and it's come to my mind once again.
What started me thinking is the verse that says, "He tends His flock like a shephered: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young." - Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)  I love this verse, but especially the part that says He carries us close to His heart.  Why is this significant in terms of sex?  Mothers tend to carry their young on the left side, by their heart, and men tend to carry on their right side.
I've always wondered of my role as a woman in Christ.  I know Christ is the head of the church and man is head of the household (there has to be an ultimate leader).  I know man is made in the image of God and women were taken "out of" man.  So where do our feminine qualities come from?  Did we come from nothing?  I think not.
To say God is feminine isn't right, but God has many qualities associated with women, such as nurturing, tending to the sick, sensitivity, etc.
I think that we all have female and male characterisitics in each of us, and to differing degrees.  I think this is what confuses some about their sexuality.  Again - this is a deep subject, but it's on my mind. :-)
Jesus said in Luke 13:34, "O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem,... how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings...". (NIV)  I have found God, our Father, and Jesus, our older brother, to care for me similarly to a mother, but much deeper.  Our mothers can not always be there.  Our mothers can not read our mind.  But we can not surprise God!  Our earthly mothers can run away, be cruel, be neglectful, but God can not!
Certain sins are "black and white," but people's feelings are not.  I think we need to understand this.

" 'Mike and Molly' - A Fat Look"

Something's been bothering me, so I thought I'd write about it.  It's about the show "Mike and Molly."  I just started watching it, not because the main characters are fat, but because I was bored and thought I'd check it out.
It's actually pretty funny, in my opinion, and this surprised me as most shows on TV these days don't even give me a chuckle.
What irks me is the controversy surrounding the main characters being overweight or fat (not a bad word).  I don't believe there should be a controversy, and I don't believe their being fat promotes being fat!
I am fat.  I don't like it, but I'm not ashamed of it.  Being fat doesn't make me ugly or pretty; it doesn't make me happy or sad; it doesn't make me wrong or right.  It is what it is - I have a weight problem.
I do believe if the main character of this show was a man and fat it would be okay, but the main, female character is also fat, and that is the problem people are having.  Case in point is that other shows or movies with fat, male leads have been widely accepted.
Some of my favorite comedians and actors are male, overweight, self-depracating men -- like John Candy, Chris Farley, and Kevin James.  They too, like me, have or have had a weight problem (yes, it is a problem), and yet they are funny.
Being overweight isn't a choice - you don't wake up one day and say, "I think I want to get fat today."  But unhealthy choices often lead to this unhealthy condition.
I lost 115 plus pounds in a little over a year several years back, and I thought I conquered my problem.  I was slowly gaining weight back when I got pregnant with the twins.  At five months pregnant I was hospitalized at Vanderbilt in Nashville for two and a half months.  I couldn't get up except to go to the bathroom or take a shower.
The funny thing is that I had a world-famous "preemie" doctor caring for me.  The man was probably in his upper 50s or lower 60s.  I thought his hair looked like he had two horns on his head, lol.  He was so crass toward me, and was missing the edit button between his brain and mouth.
One day he came in and said, "You're getting fatter everyday."  Because of my unborn babies I kept my mouth shut.  But I wanted to say, "Yeah, and you're getting older and more bitter everyday."
So I guess what I'm saying is why knock people when they're down?  What good does it do?  Why not love people where they are?  Some one doesn't need to point out someone else's problems.  Most people aren't stupid.  But if someone's delusional you're not going to change their minds anyway.
I will continue to watch "Mike and Molly" because it's funny, until I get bored or if it gets taken off the air.  If you don't like watching fat people then don't watch it.  But if you're open to humor and bored it's kind of funny to me.
Thanks for listening to my rant.  And pray I lose weight, lol. :-)