We can trust God because of who he is. We know that he is sovereign, so he’s completely in control and able to carry out his plans. We know that he is infinite in wisdom, so he knows the best way to accomplish those plans. And we know that he is perfect in love- and the gospel is a primary way we see this, through his Son Jesus Christ, and his plan for our redemption. So what is his special purpose for us beyond that? What’s the reason for all of this? What does God want from us?
Read moreI want to tell you this story, because I think it illustrates God’s sovereignty, wisdom, and love. It was a time where he showed me that he is with me, that I am never alone. This is one of my more dramatic stories. Most of what I experience in my daily life with God more subtle. Most of His work in my life is behind the scenes, and sadly, I’m sure I miss noticing the majority of it. But this time, he chose to show his love in a way that I couldn’t miss.
Read moreMy soul will rest in your embrace. What does that even mean? That phrase comes, once again, from Oceans (where feet may fail) by Hillsong. The soul, according to Merriam Webster, “is the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life”. It’s the spiritual part of us. It’s the part of us that trusts God- or doesn’t. How does our soul rest in His (God’s) embrace? I think it means that we need to trust in his unfailing love, and trust that he will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, in order to accomplish his will. He will show us what and how to do what we can do, and give us the strength to do it. We don’t need to be constantly striving and achieving on our own strength.
Read moreAs I said earlier, I don't have a hard time believing in the sovereignty of God, or in his wisdom, but in his love? That one has been a little harder. I know what I'm like. I know my weaknesses. I know I'm not deserving. That's probably why trust is a big thing for me and why I'm writing a book about it. Because like I've said, if God was only sovereign and wise, but not loving, I would still be full of fear, not trusting. The good news is this....
Read moreThe plan for the initial content of this blog, God willing, is for me to eventually put it into a book about trusting God. I have eight chapters outlined. So far I have written an introduction with some basic Christian doctrine. I’ve given some examples of what trusting God looks like and explained why we can’t trust God on our own power (we need the Holy Spirit to help us). That brings me to chapter three, where I want to spend a little time considering God’s trustworthiness and who he is.
Read moreThat previous story about me as a little kid, trying to walk on water, blaming my inability to do so on my lack of faith is funny, but unfortunately, I held onto some wrong ideas about God, long after, the result of which led to some tremendous pain. I don’t want to tell this next story- but I will, because out of the pain came something beautiful.
Read moreHere’s where you’re going to find out what a strange child I was. Keep in mind, I was a church kid- and if you were a church kid too, don’t even try and tell me you never did this. I won’t believe you. I tried to walk on water.
Read moreWhen I refer to the names Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I’m talking about a God, who eternally exists in three distinct persons. They are each fully and equally God, in eternal community with each other. I say they are persons, but I’m not saying they are human beings. I only mean that they are not impersonal forces. Each member of the Trinity thinks, acts, feels, speaks, and relates. They all share the attributes of being eternal, of being all knowing, all-powerful, and present everywhere.
Read moreIn chapter one, I wrote about what trusting God looks like, and about the foundation of that trust, which is a faith in the gospel of what Jesus has done for us. I talked about why even the ability and the desire to believe in the gospel is gift from the Holy Spirit. We can’t muster that up on our own. Once we accept those gifts and decide to live in relationship with God, trusting and loving him, he sees us as holy, as part of his family. That’s what it means to be a Christian. And we are changed when that happens, with new desires.
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