The Mighty Grace of Knowing the Almighty God
The Mighty Grace of Knowing the Almighty God
Why do our lives as Christians seem so powerless?
Perhaps one of the reasons is our concept of God is too small. The true God is truly awesome and beyond large, but our understanding of Him and His mighty acts is oftentimes like that of a pre-school child. We content ourselves with trite little sayings and "how-to" books rather than opening our eyes to the vast and wonderful treasure that God is in our lives. We fail to realize that as much as our view of the world is shaped by culture, gender, career, and upbringing, our understanding of God is the most profound influence in shaping who we are and what we do. For what we understand by faith about God absolutely determines our choices, relationships, careers, character, and destiny! From the major- marriages, friendships, choices, life goals- to the mundane- dress, speech, schedules, and fun- your understanding of God is running your life. The main question is, "Do you really know the true God of the Bible, or some cheap self-made knock-off?"
So let's put down the coloring books and how-to books for a while, and let's catch a glimpse of the vast and wonderfully terrifying God. Let's look at the mighty acts of God in Exodus that reveal the God who is bigger, better, and more frighteningly holy in His grace and love than our trite phrases can express or our powerless lives have experienced. To do so guaruntees that we will come away never being the same...
"Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other. For, in the first place, no man can survey himself without forthwith turning his thoughts towards the God in whom he lives and moves; because it is perfectly obvious, that the endowments which we possess cannot possibly be from ourselves; nay, that our very being is nothing else than subsistence in God alone." - John Calvin
Sermon Series coming May 2010
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from birth, we are moving closer to HIM. This may symbolic to "dying to self" (not physically). Didn't Mother Theresa say "we must get over ourselves to really love & serve HIM?" Truthfully, when I survey myself it brings me straight to the floor on my knees! What I understand about GOD through faith brings me to the very same place~for a totally different reason!
Posted by Karen Newberger, 06/05/2010 2:00pm (3 months ago)
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Indeed, "The endowments which we possess cannot possibly be from ourselves," so where did the "coloring books" originate? Obviously it is a "cheap, self-made knock-off." So we will do well to put them down and pursue a true relationship with the Glorious One who wrote the "Was, IS, and Is To Come" book.
Looking forward to a wonderful series.Posted by Karen Dammeyer, 04/23/2010 5:56am (5 months ago)