Glory of God

Alex Bangle on January 17, 2011

“God’s glory is the created brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of himself” – Wayne Grudem. Also described as the visible manifestation of the excellence of God’s character. Now while in day-to-day life we may not all experience this heaven meets each encounter with God, we can see His glory around us. We only need to look at God’s revelation, which does surround us in His own creation. And those who trust and follow Jesus Christ will view His fully glory in heaven (Rev 21:23)

But even now we should seek to be people that reflect His Glory “…being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another…” (2 Cor 3:18). This same idea also repeated in Matt 5:16 & Phil 2:15. Clearly showing that we reflect the Glory of God, maybe not in a visible light but in great splendor by how we serve and love our God.

God is Everything

Alex Bangle on January 17, 2011

How great is our God, how majestic is everything He does. We cannot escape his Presence and we cannot reach his Holiness. He loves us without any condition and His common grace covers everyone in every situation. His Wrath will be seen and His name will be Glorified above all. He will never run out of Love or Mercy and all we see Him for who He is. And we can rest assured we will bow before Him in His splendor and His Justice will be exercised in the end.

We are people under a great and Sovereign God, please don’t miss that today. Don’t miss the opportunity to love the least as Christ commanded, don’t forget about the lost and the hungry. Rather in every situation put aside our selfish desire and place God first and maybe just maybe we’ll get the chance through Him to reach out to someone.

God Infinite and Personal

Alex Bangle on January 16, 2011

If we ever stop to think about God and answer the hard questions we will often find ourselves struggling with balance. In our minds it is hard to grasp how big God is yet how personal He can be to each one of us. On one side He is not limited by anything that is or could exists, yet He can be very personal in our lives to where we experience His love and comfort.

Think on this though of God. Because here’s the hard part, we know by scripture God is infinite in all things, which would mean He does not need anything, including us. Yet by scripture we see He is personal to us and many of us have experienced that. And if even for a moment God needed that personal attention, He would loose His being infinite, so He is both. This truth is not a contradiction but to me an amazing view of our creator and how wonderful He is in all that He is.

Relationship with God

Alex Bangle on January 13, 2011

Through all science or doctrine or evidence there is nothing greater to our hearts then the relationship we can enjoy with God. And the wonderful thing is God is the pursuer in the relationship, He will actually come after us and reveal who He is to us. “… and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27 ESV) “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” (Romans 1:19 ESV)

These verse bring humility to my mind as I realize that I am not the one who initiates the relationship with God. But then we are relived to know that God in all power initiates it. “the Son chooses” and “God has shown it” both confirm this idea of God’s pursuit of us in His Love and Grace.

Existence of God

Alex Bangle on January 12, 2011

I’m really torn on what to write on tonight, so many big thoughts that I can ‘t put into a paragraph. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. ” (Psalm 19:1 ESV). It ‘s a beautiful thing to marvel at the existence of God. I realize that it is only us that we have been blinded from seeing it, that we suppress the truth. Because once opened to the universe around us it is astounding how everything points back to God.

All things have a cause, therefore must have been caused. There is harmony, order and design in our word, so it has to be set that way. We have a sense of right and wrong as God will cast justice one day. We all deep within cannot shake the fact that there is a God and when you stop to think and reflect on that it is truly amazing. I realize many people would argue many of those truths but again it comes back to we are so depraved from God that we naturally reject Him.

Sufficiency of Scripture

Alex Bangle on January 11, 2011

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV) All that we need is in scripture, it is sufficient for our salvation and to our walks with Christ. Yet here’s the challenge to that… “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29 ESV).

So then are we content to say I will let the Bible be what God gave it to be? And when we don’t understand we go to His Word and prepare ourselves to hear what the Word says and to be okay if it doesn’t answer our question fully or to our likening. Although other teachers may inspire us, we must never rely on their teachings alone, but compare all to the Bible and it’s full truth.

Scripture is Necessary

Alex Bangle on January 9, 2011

“…from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”(2 Tim 3:15). “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”(Matt 4:4). “Just as our physical lives are maintained by daily nourishment with physical food, so our spiritual lives are maintained by daily nourishment with the Word of God.” – Wayne Grudem

I truly hope we grab hold of that truth; we must keep ourselves in God’s Scriptures, the Bible. Whether it’s a daily verse/devotional, a few minutes reading before your day begins or before it ends, or maybe even an hour long bible study. Find ways to keep your self in scripture, because the bible makes it clear it is important to salvation and to continue to grow our walks with God. It is a Necessity!

Obey the Bible

Alex Bangle on January 6, 2011

As I mentioned yesterday the bible has authority because it is the Word of God. However we should also be clear since that is true then if we disobey scripture then we are disobeying God. “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.” (2 Thessalonians 3:14 ESV). Just one of many verse that deal with obedience to the Word of God.

On the surface yes we agree in the truths of the Bible, but how many of us read something we don’t like and try to push it off by saying, it doesn’t mean that. Take this command from the Bible from Jesus. Matthew 5:34 “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. And that is very difficult for many of us to do every day or maybe at all. Yet we should be striving towards that through the grace of Jesus Christ. Let His Word take root in your life and be blessed by it.

Authority of the Bible

Alex Bangle on January 5, 2011

In order for us to allow the words of the Bible to have authority in our lives we must first fully believe and trust them to be the actual Words of God. This comes by studying the scriptures, seeing their accuracy and as you read seeing the claims the bible makes for itself in the quotes such as “Thus says the Lord”. In the end it will take faith in God and a desire and will to follow and serve Him.

Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”. The authoritative stance of the bible sets it apart and gives it impact in our lives. This view and approach is critical in our reading of God’s Word, why read it if we did not believe it is truth and from God. I would argue next to Jesus Christ the Bible or The Word is our greatest gift and we take it for granted everyday

Scripture

Alex Bangle on January 4, 2011

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you” – Deuteronomy 4:2. I think we would agree with this passage that we should not add or remove from the Word of God. However, we too often in our daily living and thinking add or remove from the scriptures of the Bible. Not to say we can’t interpret or reflect on scripture but more so that we must be very careful what we allow ourselves to hear and take to heart.

We too often take what some says, from what they learned and then use it to formulate what we believe, and we never take it to the scripture to see if it’s truth. I’ve seen to many times someone or myself have been lead astray by false words or belief. I find it crazy that we have access to the very Words of God in the Bible, yet we don’t read it to teach us who God is. Let truth be spread as truth and let the distorted truth and lies be washed away.