I know that I just blogged this morning, but a certain study today in a theology book on Gods "immutability" shook me to the core. I just wanted to give you a brief summary of what I learned,and give you somthing to chew on. I really look forward to some kind of comment.
When we first look at the Immutability of God (the fact that he is unable to change in his being, purposes, promises, perfections) it may not seem like that much of an importance, until you actually stop and look at it. Lets look at it from the view of “if God could change”(in his being, perfections, promises, purposes). If God could change, it would either be for the better, or for the worse. If it were for the better, then we can conclude that he was not already the best possible being when we first trusted him, therefore wondering if he is the best being now? If it were for the worse, then what kind of God would he become? He could become a little evil, other than wholly good. Then, if he was a changing god, he could become wholly evil instead of wholly good if he so chose to. “Thus the idea that God could change leads to a horrible possibly that thousands of years from now we might come to live forever in a universe dominated by a wholly evil, omnipotent(all powerful) God. It is hard to imagine any thoughts more terrifying”. Grudem. Also, if God was a changing god, he could go against his promises about Christ return, or he could change his mind concerning the fact of our salvation. A little reflection like this brings to reality the importance of the immutability of the Lord.
May He forever be praised, seriously!...K.P.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Prayer and Faith
I am just going to throw some qoutes out from a book I am reading, "The complete works of E.M. Bounds on prayer". I'd rather do this, than try and sit here and communicate my thoughts on this. I will just let you take it for what its worth... K.P.
"In any study of the principles and procedure of prayer, of its activites and enterprises, first place, must, of necessity, be given to faith. it is the intial quality in the heart of any man who essays to talk to the unseen. he must out of sheer helplessness, stretch forth hands of faith. He must believe, where he cannot prove. In the ultimate issue, prayer is simply faith, claiming its natural yet marvelous prerogatives-faith taking possession of its illimitable inheritance. True godliness is just as true, steady, and persevering in the realm of faith as it is in the province of prayer. Moreover: when faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live."
"Faith is kept alive by prayer, and every step taken, in this adding of grace to grace, is accompanied by prayer."
"Faith does not grow disheartened because prayer is not immediatly honored; it takes God at his Word, and lets him take what time he chooses in fulfilling his purposes, and in carrying on his work. ther is bound to be uch delay and long days of waiting for true faith, but faith accepts the conditions-knows there will be delays in answering prayer, and regards such delays as times of testing, in the which, it is privileged to show is mettle, and the stern stuff of which it is made"
"If Jesus dwells at the fountain of my life; if the currents of his life have displaced and superseded all self-currents; it implicit obedience to him is the inspiration and force of every movement of my life, then he can safly commit the praying to my will, and pledge himself, by an obligation as profound as his own nature, that whatsoever is asked shall be granted. Nothing can be clearer, more distinct, more unlimited both in application and extent, than the exhortation and urgency of Christ "have faith in God".
"The nature and meaning of faith is more demonstrable in what it does, than it is by reason of any definition given it."
"Faith is not an aimless act of the soul, but a looking to God and resting upon his promises....faith isn not believing just anything; it is believing God, resting in him, trusting his Word."
"It is not the intelleectually great that the chruch needs; nor is it men of wealth that the times demand. It is not people of great social influence that this day requires. Above everybody and everything else, it is men of faith, men of mighty prayer, men and women after the fashion of the saints and heroes enumerated in Hebrew, who "obtained a good report through faith", that the church and the whole wide world of humanity needs."
"many men, of this day, obtain good reports because of their money-gicing, their great mental gifts and talents, but few ther be who obtain a "good report" because of their faith in God, or because of the wonderful things whcih are being wrought through their great praying. today as mcuh as at any time, we need men of great faith andmen who are mighty in prayer."
"Faith is increased by exercise, by being put into use...Faith grows by reading and meditating upon the Word of God. Most and best of all, faith thrives in an atmosphere of prayer."
"Faith makes prayer strong, and gives it patience to wait on God.......Yet faith is narrowed down to one particular thing-it does not believe that God will reward everybody, not that he is a rewarder of all who pray, but that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him. Faith rest its case on diligence in prayer, and gives assurance and encouragment to diligent seekes after God, for it is they, alone, who are richly rewarded when they pray."
"In any study of the principles and procedure of prayer, of its activites and enterprises, first place, must, of necessity, be given to faith. it is the intial quality in the heart of any man who essays to talk to the unseen. he must out of sheer helplessness, stretch forth hands of faith. He must believe, where he cannot prove. In the ultimate issue, prayer is simply faith, claiming its natural yet marvelous prerogatives-faith taking possession of its illimitable inheritance. True godliness is just as true, steady, and persevering in the realm of faith as it is in the province of prayer. Moreover: when faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live."
"Faith is kept alive by prayer, and every step taken, in this adding of grace to grace, is accompanied by prayer."
"Faith does not grow disheartened because prayer is not immediatly honored; it takes God at his Word, and lets him take what time he chooses in fulfilling his purposes, and in carrying on his work. ther is bound to be uch delay and long days of waiting for true faith, but faith accepts the conditions-knows there will be delays in answering prayer, and regards such delays as times of testing, in the which, it is privileged to show is mettle, and the stern stuff of which it is made"
"If Jesus dwells at the fountain of my life; if the currents of his life have displaced and superseded all self-currents; it implicit obedience to him is the inspiration and force of every movement of my life, then he can safly commit the praying to my will, and pledge himself, by an obligation as profound as his own nature, that whatsoever is asked shall be granted. Nothing can be clearer, more distinct, more unlimited both in application and extent, than the exhortation and urgency of Christ "have faith in God".
"The nature and meaning of faith is more demonstrable in what it does, than it is by reason of any definition given it."
"Faith is not an aimless act of the soul, but a looking to God and resting upon his promises....faith isn not believing just anything; it is believing God, resting in him, trusting his Word."
"It is not the intelleectually great that the chruch needs; nor is it men of wealth that the times demand. It is not people of great social influence that this day requires. Above everybody and everything else, it is men of faith, men of mighty prayer, men and women after the fashion of the saints and heroes enumerated in Hebrew, who "obtained a good report through faith", that the church and the whole wide world of humanity needs."
"many men, of this day, obtain good reports because of their money-gicing, their great mental gifts and talents, but few ther be who obtain a "good report" because of their faith in God, or because of the wonderful things whcih are being wrought through their great praying. today as mcuh as at any time, we need men of great faith andmen who are mighty in prayer."
"Faith is increased by exercise, by being put into use...Faith grows by reading and meditating upon the Word of God. Most and best of all, faith thrives in an atmosphere of prayer."
"Faith makes prayer strong, and gives it patience to wait on God.......Yet faith is narrowed down to one particular thing-it does not believe that God will reward everybody, not that he is a rewarder of all who pray, but that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him. Faith rest its case on diligence in prayer, and gives assurance and encouragment to diligent seekes after God, for it is they, alone, who are richly rewarded when they pray."
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