This show is titled, "Where is God?" and it's the last show of the foundational aspect of my book, God & the Bible. Remember this one thing as you listen... You can choose to do the wrong thing, you can choose to say the wrong thing, you can choose to not choose, but in the end, whatever it is that you DO choose to do, why not make a biblical choice? If everything we do is supposed to be "to the Glory of God", then how much more important should each and every one of our choices be? Get ready to learn!
Another interesting segment, looking forward to the upcoming segments. (Also, got the book just before the hurricane, so great timing there!)
A few thoughts as the program was running through.
I thought Dennis Prager had an interesting view point on why we choose to believe: we want to believe in something fantastical, if we don't then we start to expose ourselves to other fantasies. I believe he was trying to explain the feeling of what it means to have faith from a psychological/secular aspect.
On God's will, I find that much of the direction we receive in our lives from God is meant to bring us closer to fully relying on God. The "when we are weak, we are strong" in God. Which, I think you all touched on in this. I find the harder thing to wrap my head around is: when do we take charge in our lives, when do we listen? Like the joke of a man stuck in a flood and praying to God, and He sent a boat and a helicopter and the man refuses because he's waiting for God.
I never understood the idea that Jesus was *just* a prophet. I'm always left with, did you even read what he said? Admittedly, there are times where Jesus is being mysterious, but as you said on the radio: he straight up says he came to fulfill the prophecies. I get especially baffled with Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, etc. communities that say Jesus is a prophet, but then don't heed what he said.
Perhaps a good topic for another day: why is it important that God is a Father ( rather than a mother, or "non-gendered").
If I knew Dennis personally, I would remind him to keep his "viewpoints" biblically centered. Mostly because that particular viewpoint is in direct contravention to what God has to say about our faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Too many wrongly believe that statement points *ONLY* to salvation, but if you read it carefully, it's clearly pointing to *BOTH* salvation and our faith.
To say that our faith is something we "choose to have" is akin to saying that "we are in complete control of our lives". Basically it leaves God out of the equation.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 - There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, *to another faith by the same Spirit*, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, *distributing to each one individually as He wills*.
Of course it's verse 11 that locks it all in. What better way to explain what a "gift" is than to say, "distributing to each one individually as He wills".
I no more believe that I "chose" to have faith than I do that you happened upon this site by mistake. ;)
Matthew 13:12 - For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Another interesting segment, looking forward to the upcoming segments. (Also, got the book just before the hurricane, so great timing there!)
ReplyDeleteA few thoughts as the program was running through.
I thought Dennis Prager had an interesting view point on why we choose to believe: we want to believe in something fantastical, if we don't then we start to expose ourselves to other fantasies. I believe he was trying to explain the feeling of what it means to have faith from a psychological/secular aspect.
On God's will, I find that much of the direction we receive in our lives from God is meant to bring us closer to fully relying on God. The "when we are weak, we are strong" in God. Which, I think you all touched on in this. I find the harder thing to wrap my head around is: when do we take charge in our lives, when do we listen? Like the joke of a man stuck in a flood and praying to God, and He sent a boat and a helicopter and the man refuses because he's waiting for God.
I never understood the idea that Jesus was *just* a prophet. I'm always left with, did you even read what he said? Admittedly, there are times where Jesus is being mysterious, but as you said on the radio: he straight up says he came to fulfill the prophecies. I get especially baffled with Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, etc. communities that say Jesus is a prophet, but then don't heed what he said.
Perhaps a good topic for another day: why is it important that God is a Father ( rather than a mother, or "non-gendered").
James,
ReplyDeleteAll excellent points, thoughts and musings.
If I knew Dennis personally, I would remind him to keep his "viewpoints" biblically centered. Mostly because that particular viewpoint is in direct contravention to what God has to say about our faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Too many wrongly believe that statement points *ONLY* to salvation, but if you read it carefully, it's clearly pointing to *BOTH* salvation and our faith.
To say that our faith is something we "choose to have" is akin to saying that "we are in complete control of our lives". Basically it leaves God out of the equation.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 - There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, *to another faith by the same Spirit*, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, *distributing to each one individually as He wills*.
Of course it's verse 11 that locks it all in. What better way to explain what a "gift" is than to say, "distributing to each one individually as He wills".
I no more believe that I "chose" to have faith than I do that you happened upon this site by mistake. ;)
Matthew 13:12 - For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Glad to know the book arrived.