Omniallinfinitude Posts

Faithful and True 6: Journal 5.3 - Let's Clean Up our Act

mahelland — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:59:38 +0000

It comes with the territory. You are not alone. We are all born with it. So now - what to do about it? The first step is admitting we are sinful people. We dealt with this when we talked about Worldviews and saw the different stances on this subject. Just look around you. And then look within you. Even the smallest hints of sin is enough. Sin is sin – no degrees, no blaming. Next we need to deal with the impact this has on our life – should we care at all? Can anything be done about it? Then we need to decide if something can be done about it, how do we participate in that? Our journey with God requires a lifetime of confession as He gently reveals to us the ways we fall short. The best thing to do at that time is confess and move on. But that is such a battle for us. Confession is a practice of Engagement best combined with Solitude, Silence and Prayer. He reveals the sins we need to confess - if we don’t already know them. As we confess, He is able to provide the power to help us turn around and go the other way – to not continue in sin. We also need to confess to one another – share our struggles, ask for prayer and assistance. This provides depth of relationship and shared battle as we let others know our deepest weaknesses and failures. The benefit to us becomes depth of faith and transparency in our relationship with God and others. The first step to forgiveness is the realization there is a problem and what we can do about it. Confession is our part – forgiveness is Jesus’ part COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post) What are some of the roadblocks that keep us from admitting we are sinful? Author Frances Schaeffer stated that without adherence to an internal, God given moral code, people will allow almost anything to occur as long as it does not affect their own personal peace and prosperity…..Based on your own experiences and observations would you agree or disagree…..explain. Is this true for you? Our next blog post will be Faithful and True 7: Practice – Confession.

Faithful and True 5: Investigate - Faithful and Trustworthy and 10 Things

mahelland — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:05:59 +0000

investigate

Faithful and Trustworthy

Define: Please write a brief definition for each word below in your journal or the PDF using a regular dictionary, not a Bible dictionary. (Click on any word to link to dictionary.com for the word’s definition)

∞	Faithful
∞	Dependable
∞	True
∞	Reliable
∞	Constant
∞	Confidence
∞	Loyal
∞	Steadfast
∞	Trustworthy
∞	Responsible
∞	Truthful
∞	Sure
∞	Genuine
∞	Right
∞	Correct
∞	Actuality

Now write your own definition for Faithful and True. Share it as a COMMENT. Review: The Promises of God Because God is faithful and trustworthy He will keep His promises 100% of the time. Read the following verses and briefly state what God has promised to you. This is just a partial list as there are hundreds of promises to us who believe. Click on each verse to read online.

Verse	God’s Promise to Me
Genesis 8: 20-22
Genesis 9: 12-17
Psalms 103: 12
Proverbs 3: 5-6
Isaiah 26: 3
Isaiah 40: 31
Jeremiah 29: 11-13
Matthew 5: 3-10
Matthew 7: 7-8
Matthew 7: 11
Matthew 11: 28
Matthew 17: 20
Matthew 21: 22
John 3: 16
John 8: 31
John 10: 27-28
John 14: 1-3
John 14: 14
John 15: 7-8
John 16: 13-14
Romans 8: 1
Romans 8: 28
I Cor. 10: 13
Galatians 6: 7-8
Eph. 2: 8-9
Phil 4: 7
Phil. 4: 19
1 Thess. 5: 23-24
2 Thess. 3: 3
Hebrews 4: 15-16
Hebrews 10: 23
Hebrews 13: 5
James 1: 5
I Peter 5: 7
II Peter 3: 13
I John 1: 9
I John 4: 1-4
Revelation 3: 20

Conclude: Pick one or two of the promises above that really speak to you at this point in your journey and answer the following questions about them. Why do you think the Promises you chose are especially important to you right now in your journey? Have you personally experienced the fulfillment of these Promises? Describe this. Which kinds of Promises do you find the hardest to believe in? Which do you find the easiest to believe in? COMMENT: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post.) Share your definition for Faithful and True. Then share some of your answers to the questions in the Conclude section for this post.

10 things

Faithful and True

Migweh Yisrael is the name for God that means Hope of Israel. Because God is trustworthy we have hope that everything will turn out as He has promised no matter what our current circumstances. Hope is dependent on our belief in His faithfulness as He proves to us over and over that He cares and will care for us, watches over us, strengthens us, and saves us.

A. W. Tozer – “His immutability presupposes His faithfulness. If He is unchanging, it follows he could not be unfaithful, since that would require Him to change.”

Bruce L. Shelley – “When Israel went too far, and God had to bring judgment upon his people, even then God was true to his promise. A remnant of Israel and Judah survived the exiles. God would not be untrue to himself. He would fulfill his loving purpose for Israel, even when Israel itself was the major roadblock to it.”

When someone proves unfaithful to us, we are quick to judge and ready to punish.

There are no crooked dealings with God. He always does right.

Jeremiah – “But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope: GOD's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I'm sticking with GOD (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left.“ Lam 3:21-24 (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Beth Moore – “God will do what He says He will do”.

Unfaithfulness is the most common sin of our age.

Apostle John – “I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.” Rev. 19: 11 NIV

God - " I'm putting my rainbow in the clouds, a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth. From now on, when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will floodwaters destroy all life." Genesis 9: 13-15 (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

References for the above quotes can be found in the back of the PDF version of Faithful and True. COMMENT: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section of this post. Pick one or two of the above quotes or statements and share any insights or challenges it presents to you. Continue to review the Remember Verses and make sure you are up to date on all the prior postings. Our next blog post will be Faithful and True 6: Journal 5.3 – Let's Clean Up Our Act.

Faithful and True 4: Journal 5.2 - Houston, We have a Problem

mahelland — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:29:48 +0000

We are very good at cleaning up the outside of our lives. We look good, we act good, we obey the rules, we’re better than those other people. But we still have that battle within ourselves, the battle over how to use our Free Will, whether to glorify God or glorify ourselves, seek our own good or the good of others – I mean how good is good enough, who decides? And what about our motives, our heart’s deepest desires, the secret things that nobody else knows…..except for God. Our intentions are good, but we drift, and soon our desires have become the idols we worship instead of God. We worship created things and they rule us. What we worship, we will serve, and it will rule over us. God has clearly commanded us to worship only Him as the ONE TRUE GOD– and no other gods. And then He goes on to command us to worship him in Spirit and in Truth – as He truly IS, not as we want Him to be. When we redefine Him in our image, we create an idol – and then we try to save ourselves through it. Sin is so much more than just doing wrong…..cleaning up the outside will not hide it from God. Remember God knows everything and sees everything. He sees into places inside us we can’t even think of going. It’s pervasive, the more we try to clean it up, the more we bring it into the light. Sooner or later it all comes back to us – our Self. Our Self will have to die, and usually it is a very slow death. Do you see yourself, as I do, in any of these questions?

Do you have something within you that rebels at taking orders from anyone? Do you not like being told what to do? Do you like to be in control of your own destiny? That’s Self Will – 1 Sam. 15:22
Are your feelings always getting hurt? Do you have a long memory and keep records of wrongs others have done to you? That’s Self-Sensitiveness – Heb. 12:15
Do you continually put yourself down? Do you find it hard to accept compliments or praise? Do you lack self assurance? That’s Self–Deprecation – Phil. 4:13
Do you blame others or circumstances for your actions? Do you always seek to justify yourself? That’s Self-Defense – Psalm 62:2
Do you always bring attention to yourself? Do you seek to continually be the center of attention and bring the conversation back to yourself? Do you comment about how you look, either good or bad, when you see yourself in a picture? That’s Self-Centeredness – Phil. 2:4
Do you seek power, seek to lord it over those not as fortunate as you, since their situation must reflect who they really are? That’s Self–Conceit – John 15:5
Do you always find something to complain about? If only this, If only that? Are you more often part of the problem instead of the solution? That’s Self Complaining – I Thess. 5:18

COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post.) What are some of the justifications we come up with to excuse our sin nature or to deny it even exists? What are some of the ways we try to wash away our own sins, deal with our own sin nature, and save ourselves? Our next blog post will be Faithful and True 5: Investigate - Faithful and Trustworthy and 10 Things.

Faithful and True 3: Analyze - Chapter Summary

mahelland — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:23:14 +0000

analyze

Chapter Summary

When the Bible was originally written it had no chapter or verse divisions. These were added by Bishop Stephen Langdon in 1228 to make it easier to read. There are 66 books with a total of 1189 chapters in the Bible. It was written by over 40 authors under the power of the Holy Spirit, in three languages (Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek) over a period of about 1600 years. It has to date been read by more people and translated into more languages than any other book in history. The Chapter Summary method will familiarize you with the content of one chapter in a quick overview. No other study tools will be needed. Pick one of the Reading Chapters assigned for this week (Isaiah 53, 53, Luke, 23, or 24) and answer the following questions.

Read it again one more time

Give it a short title.

Briefly outline the chapter.

List the main characters.

Pick a main verse and write it out.

Write down key words (make sure you know what they mean).

Is there something we learn about Jesus in this chapter?

What is the main lesson?

Did you learn something new?

COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post.) Share with us some of your answers using the above Bible Study method and how it helped you better understand the chapter. Our next blog post will be Faithful and True 4: Journal 5.2 – Houston, We have a Problem.

Faithful and True 2: Journal 5.1 - Starting to Rub Off on Us

mahelland — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:44:26 +0000

Our journey so far has revealed that the transcendent One and Only God – the God of the Bible – is also infinite, eternal, immutable and omnipresent. Or in simpler words, He exists beyond and outside of time and space, there are no limits to any of his attributes. We live in space traveling through time. He created both and lives beyond them - which allows Him to be everywhere at the same time, in all time. He never changes because change comes within time. And then things began to get personal as we discovered just how God’s attributes and our lives collide. We now know He is in charge, working out His plan because He has all the power, all the knowledge and the ability to work them together to use the right means to the right ends for the right reasons. These include turning evil and suffering into ways to work out our Good and His Glory. Moving forward from these great foundational truths, we see God’s attributes not only impacting our lives, but rubbing off on who we are at our core. We are made in His Image….He created us, and as a result, a human sized portion of some of his attributes can be seen in us. As He is perfectly Faithful and Trustworthy, we also show glimpses of these very attributes in our relationships with others. COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post.) What does it mean when we say that someone is “rubbing off” on us? What usually has to happen for someone to rub off on us, or for us to rub off on someone else? List some good and bad ways people rub off on each other. Our next blog post will be Faithful and True 3: Analyze - Chapter Summary.

Faithful and True 1: Remember and Read

mahelland — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:28:34 +0000

remember

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged. For the LORD, your God, will be with you wherever you go." (NIV)

Additional verses to remember : 1 Corinthians 10:13 - No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (NIV) 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV) Lamentations 3:22-23 - Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning: Great is your faithfulness. (NIV) Psalm 33:4 - For the Word of the Lord is right and true, He is faithful in all He does. (NIV) We always begin by memorizing the theme verse for each journey (including Book, Chapter and Verse). Think of this as the necessary foundation for future excellence – like practicing scales on the piano or doing wind sprints or swimming laps, or taking your vitamins, or eating your vegetables. What is that I hear? – OH NO! Not memorization…. We actually recall or remember all kinds of things we’ve memorized without really even trying. Can you think of any? How about your phone number, email address, street address, zip code, social security number, birthday, names of your family, how to get to work, how to drive a car, that secret recipe….or how to spell or multiply, song lyrics, movie scenes, jokes, what someone was wearing, what car they drove, sports statistics, what chocolate tastes like, what the ocean smells like, and on and on. That’s why we call this element Remember – it’s the remembering that is important. Why do we remember what we remember? Actually, recollection is just the tip of the memory iceberg. Within our marvelous and mysterious brain the memory works in collaboration with us and the world – it uses all our senses and emotions. We associate smells, colors, places, rituals, symbols, landmarks, even people, with memories and when we sense the trigger, we remember. For now you will just have to take my word for it – there are tremendous spiritual benefits from Remembering Bible verses:

Strengthens our faith
Shapes how we view the world
Makes God’s Word immediately accessible
Guards our minds

Here are some hints to help you get started. We all learn differently – so don’t be afraid to try some of the more unusual methods. Plus – some of them are just plain fun. And not only do we need to remember the verse, we need to remember to work on remembering the verse….double whammy!

Write the verse on several post it notes or index cards and put it where you will see it such as the car, the bathroom mirror, the kitchen sink, a bulletin board, your computer screen saver, your cell phone, your Facebook status, by your bed…..
Make plans to spend five minutes, twice a day (usually as you get up and before bed) to review. Review often…..
Say it slowly, 15 times in a row, emphasizing each word.
If you have already learned it in another translation, review that one. Once you know it in one, look it up in a couple of others to see what is different.
Review it when you are waiting in line, or on hold on the phone.
Sing it – make up a tune to go with it, or say it with an accent.
Rap it, paint it, draw it, doodle it, or diagram it like in Pictionary
For extra credit, add the verse before and the verse after.

I like to think of this remember process as Texting or Tweeting My Brain and then having my brain Text or Tweet me back. Also, remember there is a downloadable PDF available for this Journey – click on the graphic to the left of this blog. You can download it and save it on your computer where it will link to the online Bible, a dictionary, the videos and the songs for this Journey. You can also type into it and of course you can print it out. We highly encourage – however you chose to record your discoveries and experiences – everyone to periodically comment online and read each other’s comments. COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post) Don’t forget the REMEMBER verses from Journeys 1, 2, 3 and 4 – What were they? Keep reviewing them daily. Try to use them in conversation and to encourage others.

read

Isaiah 53 , 55, Luke 23 , 24

(you can change translations after you click the blue chapter links to read in other translations)

Please read through these four chapters in one sitting, on three separate days; once from a modern translation, once in a modern paraphrase, and then finally with a pad and pencil by as you record your thoughts and observations. It is also helpful to read the selections aloud. As you read, underline words that describe who God is or the names He is called. The blue Bible Chapter links above will bring up an online Bible and you can change the translation to whatever you want. This element is about reading what it says – try to put aside any preconceived ideas about what you think it says, or what you may have concluded based on other studies or classes. We are not saying those ideas are wrong, but for this Element, we just want to read it as if for the first time. Please read for the storyline – and see if you can then faithfully retell it in your own words. Since you cannot type into this blog – we suggest you record your answers in a journal or download/print the PDF version. First Reading: Modern Translation – which one did you use? Second Reading: Modern Paraphrase – which one did you use? Third Reading: Reading Notes Isaiah 53: Isaiah 55: Luke 23: Luke 24: Descriptions of God: Names used for God: COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post.) Share with us any names or descriptions of God you discovered. Also share any personal observations or experiences from just reading to see what it says. Our next blog post will be Faithful and True 2: Journal 5.1 – Starting to Rub Off on Us.

Faithful and True - What comes to Mind?

mahelland — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:41:35 +0000

What comes to your mind?

Your dog at the door, That old car that always starts, The phone call from your Mom on your birthday The money that shows up in your bank account each month. Or maybe it’s the young wife waiting for her husband to return from war, or a business trip The friend who believes only the best and puts rumors to rest. The clock that keeps perfect time, and the light that always shines. Keeping their commitments, the Faithful are dependable and steadfast Their Yes is always Yes, and their No is really No, What you see is what you get……..loyalty, honesty, genuine to the core, real. They’re Promise Keepers – True Blue no matter what In the best of times and the worst of times, Thru thick and thin, and in sickness and in health Thru the laughter and the tears. The Faithful They are there for us….make us feel safe, hopeful, and comforted They walk the extra mile with us And will be the last ones standing for us. We might even take them for granted, use them, even ignore them. Old Faithful……..so constant we count on them– sometimes to a fault They are true to form and a dream come true. Until they aren’t there – Promises, Promises…..from doing the dishes to cutting taxes Like a True False Test that we continue to fail Sometimes our True Colors come shining through and they aren’t True Blue, But often, Green, or Red or even Black. We expect others to be faithful to us – we demand it, raise our fists Yet we don’t return it. We just keep making promises to ourselves, to others, to God. It’s just the way it is – true to life We say, So true! and How true!, all the while looking for the True Story amongst the True Lies Whatever happened to all those True Friends? Those Best Friends Forever, all those promises we made to each other. Where did our True Love go? Why do we only appreciate them when they’re gone? It takes some True Grit to be a True Friend……There is only One who truly can He is the Promise that came true The only True Love we will ever need. Truly Faithful and Faithfully True. COMMENTS: Before you begin Journey 5, what comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, Faithful and True?

Holding Pattern

mahelland — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:39:58 +0000

Been down this road before

Are we there yet?

Beginning a journey is always exciting, The anticipation... The planning and preparation... You’re finally ready, walk out the door and off you go! But you soon discover the journey is long, and sometimes boring. It takes time to get where you’re going - and along the way there are roadblocks and detours, breakdowns and distractions. Sometimes you stop, or take a wrong turn, or turn around and go back. On one road a bridge is out, on another a tree down, still another, a mudslide across the road. It’s always good to have some traveling companions – and you quickly recognize, to your benefit, that some look straight ahead, some enjoy the company and some the view, while others are always checking out the rear view mirror. You watch out for each other, inspire each other, distract each other, misunderstand each other. Are we there yet? How much longer? Who knows? Haven’t we been down this road before? It seems so familiar, like we’re going in circles. Round and round, circling the runway, but never landing. How do we break away, break out of this wilderness? How do we turn our dreams into reality? How many times do we have to learn this lesson? Just over the next hill or around the next curve, we look for a sign, any sign – but there is nothing to see for miles and miles, in all directions. There is no gas, food, water or cell coverage. Just the road... and the journey goes on. Have we wandered into danger? Are there enemies all around? Can’t we go back to ordinary and boring? Do you ever notice how the seasons are just long enough – how we are always ready for the next one, even though they are the same every year. Each life journey has its seasons - the wintertime and the summertime and over and over again. God has much to show and teach us no matter what season our journey is in. Let Omniallinfinitude help empower your Journey. We are now blogging Journey Five - Faithful and True. 12 Blog Journeys Investigating the attributes of God Implementing the spiritual practices Join our online blog experience and discover for yourself. If you are just beginning with us, please begin with Journey One – Highest Honors. Each Journey has it’s own blog and can be accessed from the Top Menu or from the left side bar. For more information please read Getting Started as well as this blog’s earlier posts below. A click on the Current Journey graphic on the left will always take you straight to the blog to which we are posting at this time. New blog posts appear on Tuesdays and Fridays. Each Journey takes 8 weeks to completely post. If a Journey is fully posted participants proceed at their leisure. If you submit your email address – you will be notified of each new blog post. Go here for Journey One – Highest Honors Go here for Journey Two – The One and Only Go here for Journey Three – Beyond Time and Space Go Here for Journey Four – Large and In Charge Go here for Getting Started information

Large and In Charge

Greg — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:23:04 +0000

Welcome to Journey 4 – Large and In Charge

Continue your Omniallinfinitude™ Journey Here

Large and In Charge is the fourth of the twelve Omniallinfinitude™ Journeys. Each Journey is presented through 16 blog posts. Even though we are now pausing or blogging a different Journey, we highly recommend completing the journeys in order at your own pace. Each Journey is made up of Journey Elements – you can view this list in its entirety, like a Table of Contents, on the left sidebar. You can also view or download the PDF version of this Journey by clicking the Large and In Charge graphic at the top of the left sidebar.

Here’s how to participate:

Read each blog post in the order they were posted.
Complete the Journey Elements contained in each post. Each Journey covers one attribute group and one spiritual practice. All of the Elements relate to these in some way.
Return to the Blog Post – we encourage you to comment based on the specific assignment. Read other’s comments and engage in an online conversation. These posts and comments are ongoing.
For more information see How Does This Work on the Main Omni page.
Then move on to the next post. You can access the individual post pages from the top menu bar under Journey Elements, or by clicking the Element name in the Table of Contents on the left sidebar.
When you complete a Journey – move on to the next Journey. The format and Element structure will be the same in all the Journeys.
Each Journey will also have its own blog, and each post will have its own page, in addition to appearing in the complete blog. This will make it easier to complete the blog at your own speed, as well as for others who start later. We will eventually have 12 active blogs with people participating in all of them at the same time.

Complete the Blog Posts below in this order:

Click on the links to go to the individual blog posts with their respective comments. Once you click to the Journal pages, scroll up to get to the beginning of the blog post. Each Journal post will also appear on the Journey Element Page that it follows. For example, Journal 4.1 will appear on the same page and directly under Remember and Read. Large and In Charge: What comes to your mind? Large and In Charge 1: Remember and Read Large and In Charge 2: Journal 4.1 – Collision Course Large and In Charge 3: Analyze – Making It Personal Large and In Charge 4: Journal 4.2 - Control Freaks Large and In Charge 5: Investigate – Sovereign and Omnipotent 10 Things Large and In Charge 6: Journal 4.3 – Well, What do you know? Large and In Charge 7: Practice – Simplicity and Slowing and Why? Large and In Charge 8: Journal 4.4 – The Big "But"... Large and In Charge 9: Inventory - Your Stuff Large and In Charge 10: Journal 4.5 - Look in the Mirror Large and In Charge 11: Adventuring – Clean Sweep Large and In Charge 12: Journal 4.6 – It's Not Over 'til it's Over Large and In Charge 13: More Cool Stuff - Evil FAQs Large and In Charge 14: Journal 4.7 - Nitty Gritty Large and In Charge 15: Lyrics Large and In Charge 16: Closure While we encourage you to leave Comments, we totally understand if you want to participate anonymously. This format also works well for small groups meeting in person. It’s ok to print out the PDF – just remember to keep a copy on your computer so you can use the links. Credits for quotes, music, lyrics and videos appear in the Credits section in the back of the PDF. Omniallinfinitude™ material may be reproduced as long as credit is given. There is no fee for using this material.

Enjoy the Journey…..take your time….but take the Journey!

Large and In Charge 16: Closure

Greg — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:27:20 +0000

closure

Because it matters what we think about God

We have come to the end of Large and In Charge, the fourth of the 12 Omniallinfinitude™ Journeys. This journey has caused us to Remember “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) and Read Psalms 23, 24, 91, and 139. We Analyzed by Making It Personal and Investigated the Sovereign and Omnipotent One, as well as Practiced Simplicity and Slowing. We also took Inventory of our Stuff and went on an Adventuring Clean Sweep. We were also challenged by Evil FAQ's in More Cool Stuff. And finally, Lyrics spoke to our hearts and souls as we pondered the impact of God's Sovereignty and Power on our lives through music. The Journal guided us through discovering that eventually God's attributes and our lives collide. He created us with free will and we want to be in control of our lives, to be free. Yet God alone is in control so the battle continues between the Free Will of man and the Sovereignty of God. God also knows it all - He's omniscient, and can do anything - He's omnipotent - and as a result of these, He is all wise. This perfect wisdom allows Him to order events to obtain the highest goals and purposes - His own Glory and for our greatest Good. But the question always comes up - What about evil if God is sovereign? Where did it come from and why can't God do something about it? We discovered that all creation was deemed Good by God and mankind Very Good. Because He gave Mankind free will to make moral decisions, the potential for the highest good, there was also the potential to choose the not good - or evil. Our Free Will became the beginning of our Free Fall. We realized that for God to wipe out evil He would also wipe out free will. His ultimate goal for Mankind is for us to choose to be in a loving relationship with Him - or the Highest Good, which opens up the possibility for us to reject Him - the Greatest Evil. Love does not coerce and true love requires free choice. The best way to restrain evil is to ask God to begin with us. We begin to understand that evil, although a temporary situation, will be a fact of life in our world. Because God is not done extending grace to humanity, evil continues to exist and cause great suffering. Yet, God's answer to suffering is not an answer, it is a person - The Answerer - someone able to make the payment for sin and be an example on how to handle suffering. Jesus is the Answer. His solution is Forgiveness. God has done something about the problem of evil. We need to ask Him to begin with us. Now it’s time to think back over this part of your journey and reflect on what you have discovered and learned. The categories below may help jog your memory. Describe the details of any areas that apply to you.

New Things I Learned

Old Things I was reminded of

Questions I have

Areas I was challenged in

First steps I took

Areas I would like to study more

“AHA!” moments

Dreams and visions

COMMENT: (In the PDF, your journal, or in the Comment section of this post) Please share any personal reflections from the above closure categories. This is the last post for Journey Four – Large and In Charge. Please join us next at the Journey Five – Faithful and True blog for Faithful and True 1: Remember and Read.

Large and In Charge 15: Lyrics

Greg — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:05:24 +0000

You might wonder why lyrics are included in a study like this. We believe lyrics, or poetry put to music, as well as the accompanying music, have always been used by the Most High to impact our hearts and minds – either by our part in its creative process – or through our participation in its expression – or through our pleasure as a recipient of its sensory benefits. Clicking on the song titles will take you to another page to listen and watch a music video of each song. The lyrics and questions that appear below will also appear under each video. The lyrics may not always be spiritual in their original context – but much can still be gained from applying them to how they describe and point to the the God who is Large and In Charge. Please return to this page to enter your Comments.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Words and Music by Paul Simon, 1969

When you’re weary, feeling small, When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all; I’m on your side. When times get rough And friends just can’t be found, Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down. Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down.

When you’re down and out, when you’re on the street, When evening falls so hard I will comfort you. I’ll take your part. When darkness comes, and pain is all around, Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down. Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down.

Sail on silver girl, sail on by. Your time has come to shine. All your dreams are on their way. See how they shine. If you need a friend, I’m sailing right behind. Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind. Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind.

COMMENT: (In your journal, the PDF, or the Comments section of this post.)

Living in a world where God has yet to completely deal with evil (at least from our perspective) brings all of us to journeys through troubled waters. At this point people either look to God or blame Him. How does this song express the comforts only a mighty sovereign God could provide?

Orphans of God

Performed by Avalon Lyrics and Music by Twila LaBar and Joel Lindsey

Who here among us has not been broken Who here among us is without guilt or pain So oft abandoned by our transgressions If such a thing as grace exists Then grace was made for lives like this

There are no strangers There are no outcasts There are no orphans of God So many fallen, but hallelujah There are no orphans of God

Come ye unwanted and find affection Come all ye weary, come and lay down your head Come ye unworthy, you are my brother If such a thing as grace exists Then grace was made for lives like this

O blessed Father, look down upon us We are Your children, we need Your love We run before Your throne of mercy And seek Your face to rise above

“As an adoptee myself, it was our prayer that God would use this song to  minister to hurting people and let them know that we are never abandoned by our Heavenly Father, no matter what our circumstances in life may be.” Twila LaBar

COMMENT: (In your journal, the PDF, or the Comments section of this post.)

How or why are children orphaned?

Why are there no orphans of God?

What attribute of God is necessary for there to be no strangers or outcasts?

The Winner Takes It All

Performed by ABBA Lyrics by Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Benny Andersson

I don’t wanna talk about the things we’ve gone through Though it’s hurting me, now it’s history I’ve played all my cards and that’s what you’ve done too Nothing more to say, no more ace to play

The winner takes it all The loser standing small Beside the victory That’s her destiny

I was in your arms thinking I belonged there I figured it made sense building me a fence Building me a home, thinking I’d be strong there But I was a fool, playing by the rules

The gods may throw a dice, their minds as cold as ice And someone way down here loses someone dear The winner takes it, all the loser has to fall It’s simple and it’s plain, why should I complain.

But tell me does she kiss like I used to kiss you? Does it feel the same when she calls your name? Somewhere deep inside you must know I miss you But what can I say, rules must be obeyed

The judges will decide the likes of me abide Spectators of the show always staying low The game is on again, a lover or a friend A big thing or a small, the winner takes it all

I don’t wanna talk if it makes you feel sad And I understand you’ve come to shake my hand I apologize if it makes you feel bad Seeing me so tense, no self-confidence But, you see, the winner takes it all The winner takes it all...... © 1980, EMI WATERFORD MUSIC INC; UNION SONGS

COMMENT: (In your journal, the PDF, or the Comments section of this post.)

This song was written to express the emotions of a fictional divorce. What kinds of pictures do these lyrics paint of God, rules, authority, fate?

How does this differ from what you’ve learned about the One True God?

Our next post will be Large and In Charge 16: Closure.

Large and In Charge 14: Journal 4.7 - Nitty Gritty

Greg — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:28:32 +0000

The term Nitty Gritty means to get to the heart of the matter, the basic essentials or realities of something. The concepts below are the main points or the Nitty Gritty of the Large and In Charge journey you have almost completed. Take some time to review them. 1. God is in control and has a plan - the only plan and He is working it. 2. Free will is only the freedom to choose which side we will be on, but not the freedom to negotiate the results of that choice. 3. Perfect Power used with Perfect Knowledge governed by Perfect Wisdom allows a Sovereign God to rule his creation perfectly. 4. The goal of His wisdom is to order the events of our lives for a double purpose: Our Good and His Glory. 5. Our Free Will became the beginning of our Free Fall. 6. God wants us to freely choose to be in a loving relationship with Him – the Highest Good, which also opens up the possibility for us to reject Him – the Greatest Evil. 7. God’s answer to evil and suffering is not an answer – It’s a person – The Answerer. 8. God hasn’t completely dealt with evil in the world yet because He’s not done extending grace to humanity. 9. Extra Credit Reading Recommendation: Case for Faith by Lee Strobel and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal or the Comments section of this post) Please share which concepts presented above were new to you, challenged your current thoughts about Large and In Charge, or refocused you on areas from which you may have wandered. Please share any other concepts from this journey that have impacted your concept of Large and In Charge. Make sure you can Remember all the verses. Also make sure you have completed all the Journey Elements and Journal readings so far. Our next post will be Large and In Charge 15: Lyrics.

Large and In Charge 13: More Cool Stuff - Evil FAQ's

Greg — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:41:05 +0000

more cool stuff

Evil FAQs

From the beginning of time, the problem of evil in the world has both drawn people to God as well as turned them away from Him. Evil can scare us into submission, and we often use it as an excuse for all kinds of behavior, including denying the existence of God altogether. Many do not believe evil exists and many others see it behind every bush. The following is just the tip of the iceberg. Study on your own is always encouraged.

What is evil?

Evil is not subjective, it is real - It is not a being, a thing, a substance or entity. It is not created and things are not evil in themselves.

Evil is a corruption of good – the lack of good. It is as darkness is to light. Darkness is nothing in itself – simply the lack of light.

It is misused freedom, good things in a wrong relationship - Evil appears when good is not where it is supposed to be.

Things left to themselves do not improve - in fact they run down, fall apart, become corrupted, everything literally goes to hell, if left alone, or on its own.

Like tarnish on a silver pitcher, someone must intervene to bring back proper order. It needs to be polished. Weeds need to be pulled, mildew in the shower cleaned, cars tuned, bridges repainted, streets repaved, carpets cleaned, clutter put away.

But even the most diligent care or concern on our part won’t keep evil away or the process from continuing on and on – We need some help…

Listen to what Jesus said in Luke 11:23-26

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first." NIV

Someone good needs to move into our clean house. We cannot leave it vacant.

There are three kinds of evil

Each one is a corruption of its original intent. Demonic or Spiritual Evil – the serpent in the garden

This preceded human sin because Satan and his demons were originally angels in heaven serving God. Once they were good, the most beautiful creations, but now are corrupted and ugly.

Satan is a real and personal being. He was the real cause behind Job’s suffering – but he still had to get permission from God first. Read the actual account below.

The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"

Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. Job 1:6-12 NIV

And he did strike everything Job had.

Listen again to what Jesus says in Luke 22:31-34 to Peter

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." But Peter replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." NIV

And he did.

Satan’s modus operandi is deception and lies. He appeals to our natural selfish desires to be in charge – to be the boss of ourselves, all the while using sinister and sustained personal attacks and temptation to encourage sin and sideline us from the greater battle.

This greater battle is his epic struggle with God in the heavenlies – that started way before the incident in the garden. Satan’s downfall was pride. He wanted to be God, not a servant of God and the battle continues to this day. (See Isaiah 14: 12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-18)

His ultimate desire is that we believe he does not exist at all.

Moral Evil – the evil we do – or sin

This results from our current state of alienation from God and is universal to all mankind. We are born into it.

It exists because long ago one man and woman betrayed a trust by believing the very clever lies of Satan over the truth of God. Adam and Eve misplaced their allegiance, misused their free will and sin entered the world.

Sin can be blatant and obvious, but also very subtle, manifesting itself through pride, sensuality, fear, self pity, envy and greed. These are common to all men and women and if not properly dealt with will result in guilt, bondage, death, and hell.

We cannot overcome it by our own efforts – someone needs to move in.

Physical evil – impact of moral sin on creation

This is the result of the winding down of creation and the effects of moral sin on creation, mankind, culture and society. It will manifest itself in natural disasters, disease, accidents, and the groaning of creation resulting in individual or mass physical suffering.

While we may think we are evolving into a better, modern, healthier, safer and saner society - evil is taking its toll in the underbelly of our world, distracting us from God and encouraging us to believe only in ourselves – hoping we won’t bother to look under the covers, or do anything about it.

Not only do we need someone to move in – we need someone to recreate us and our world.

Does evil disprove God?

Well, this is the big question isn’t it? Somehow many claim to believe that the existence of evil proves that God can’t exist because if He really was a God worth believing in He would certainly do something about it, keep bad things from happening, save all those starving children, keep our loved ones from dying, make our lives free and easy all the time…… But there we go again, making ourselves the judge of the Transcendent God, like we are His moral equal. Let’s consider the following.

The fact that we are upset and concerned about outrageous evil presupposes there is a difference between good and evil.

Where did that standard come from? From the moral law we received from God when we were made in His image. It’s still within us even though we are separated from Him, our conscience knows what is right and wrong.

If you don’t believe any moral code or law exists, then anything goes – feeding the poor is no different than burning down an orphanage or blowing an airplane full of people out of the sky.

And who decides? What one person thinks is ok may be the opposite of what another believes. Eventually our moral codes will rub up against each other and innocent people will be caught in the crossfire. What about them?

It is self defeating to acknowledge evil and then claim there is no God.

You can’t know a line is crooked unless you put it next to a straight line.

Why do we ask Why?

How does the world respond to evil? Why do we expect better? Why is it that only the horrible, monstrous cases, without any extenuating circumstances make us ask, "Why?". One murder is no longer shocking - But a schoolroom of children, or an entire building blown up gets our attention. Some evils we accept as necessary because they have extenuating circumstances. Maybe there was a good reason for it, it’s understandable. We can see ourselves in the same situation doing the same thing. Or, perhaps we think the people must have deserved it - had it coming, were asking for trouble. We pretty much live in Denial - We focus on the good in the world and rationalize the bad. If we did acknowledge our evil potential, then we would have to change. We really don’t want to change, we just want to escape the consequences. We think it would be wonderful if we would all try to make a difference. But, in a voyeuristic way we are drawn to evil, excited by it, entertained by it, and yet seem surprised when it becomes a reality. We marvel at the readiness of normal decent people to harm or allow harm to others if the conditions are right - seeking to realize goals of security, ego gratification or satisfaction of bodily desires. Most of us know we need to change from within and most of us want to – if we could still be in charge. Instead we try to produce justice, peace and prosperity by restraining ourselves and others – by putting restraints upon what would harm us. We make laws, we regulate, we judge. Personal responsibility is no longer good enough. We know ourselves and we are not to be trusted. We need no training to sin. We blame others, we blame God. Then we decide there must not be a God, because if there was – He would never allow these things to happen. But we still ask Why?

Can evil be redeemed?

How do we respond to evil?

Can any Good come of it?

As Job was going through his numerous trials, he asked the age old and often asked question, “Why is this happening to me?”.

His wife’s answer was to “Curse God and Die” – she had stopped believing in God - but was still blaming Him.

His friends encouraged him by proclaiming it must have been his fault and he was only getting what he deserved.

What was God’s answer? He just showed him Himself and that was enough for Job. Job’s suffering had brought him face to face with God. It had hollowed out a big space inside him that only God could fill. As Corrie Ten Boom said following her sufferings in the Nazi prison camps of WWII .......

“No matter how deep our darkness, He is deeper still.”

God can create Good from the sufferings caused by Evil.

It brings us closer to God as we share in His sufferings – we don’t usually seek Him when all is well. We need to get to a place where we are not capable of controlling the outcome to give the control to Him. Rom.8:17, I Cor. 10:13, 2 Cor. 4:17-18
It provides correction – hopefully we learn from our mistakes and develop experience and wisdom to help others. We learn right and wrong – even as we suffer the logical consequences. Ps. 119:71
It develops, refines and purifies our character – James 1: 2-4, John 15:1-2
It produces courage, wisdom, temperance and justice – Rom 5: 3-4
It protects us in the sense that it warns us of impending danger – Acts 20:30-32
It will change our direction by scaring us to death – we run the other way. Prov. 20:30
It provides that well needed wake up call - For many of us pain and suffering are the means by which we finally become motivated to deal with our sinfulness – we realize the limits of our control.
It perfects our faith - Only in a world where faith is difficult can faith exist. It allows us to see the promises of God in action. Heb. 2:18, John 16:33, 2 Thes. 1:6, 2 Cor.11:23-31,12:9, I Peter 5:6-9, 2 Tim. 1:8-12
If we have absolute proof then faith is unnecessary.
It prepares us for ministry as we learn from experience how to comfort, aid, advise, train, and walk beside others as they experience evil’s impact. 2 Cor. 1:3-7, 2 Tim. 3:10-17,

As others watch God work to overcome evil in our lives, they are moved to action, inspired, and become interested, engaged, and empowered to join the battle against it by teaming up with God. The world is watching. God is at work and He is using us.

Sdrawkcab delleps evil si live.

(Evil is live spelled backwards.)

COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post) Share anything new you learned from the above information. Share some examples of Demonic, Moral and Physical evil. Consider and share your answers to any of the following questions.

What are some "necessary evils"?

In what ways are you drawn to evil?

How does evil draw people to and away from God?

How does the world respond to or try to control evil?

What are some different ways you have responded to evil?

In what ways does evil masquerade as good?

Our next post will be Large and In Charge 14: Journal 4:7 – Nitty Gritty.

Large and In Charge 12: Journal 4.6 - It's Not Over 'til it's Over

Greg — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:20:20 +0000

What does God know about evil that we don’t? In the Bible God shows us that evil will be a fact of life in this world – We will have trials and tribulations – (John 16:33). We should not be surprised, but prepared. He also promises to Deliver Us from Evil – He knows it is only a temporary situation – (Matt. 6:13). This world is not all there is – He knows how the story ends. So what is He waiting for? God also knew that someone had to pay the penalty for that first wrong choice so it could be reversed. He hasn’t completely dealt with evil in the world yet because He is not done extending grace to humanity – Remember He is outside of Time, and sees things from a perspective we do not have. He is patiently waiting for us. 2 Peter 3:8-9 says “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” NIV His answer to suffering is not an answer – It’s a person – The Answerer, someone able to make the payment for sin and be the example on how to handle suffering. His solution is forgiveness and he models it for us. (John 8:1-11, Matt 22:15-22) To love evil is to succumb to it, but to hate evil is also to succumb to it. Our natural response is to get payback, seek revenge, plot, set boundaries so it doesn’t happen again, make rules, condemn, control, and self righteousness and legalism seep in. Our hearts become hardened, and evil ends up winning momentarily – but not forever. But Forgiveness neither condemns nor condones. It admits evil is evil and sets the sinner free. Action is required on our side, we must repent and turn around and go the other way – back to God and away from evil. Everyone needs to do this….there is not one of us that can survive evil without God. And so He waits…….as our hourglasses slowly empty. COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal or the Comment section for this post.) Why is it so hard for some people to turn around and go the other way? What are some of the “good” things that evil and trials and tribulations can produce in our lives? Our next post is Large and In Charge 13: More Cool Stuff - Evil FAQs.

Large and In Charge 11: Adventuring - Clean Sweep

Greg — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:09:46 +0000

adventuring

Clean Sweep

During this journey we are going to stay at home or at work and go adventuring. No field trips. Instead, we are going to simplify our lives by cleaning out or straightening up something around us. It could be as big a job as an entire room or garage, or as simple as a desktop or junk drawer. Maybe you need to go through a pile of magazines, or organize a sock drawer. Maybe it would be nice to actually park your car in your garage. Whatever you choose, start by removing everything from the area you are working on. Then clean the area thoroughly. Next, only put back into the space what you are keeping or what belongs there. Finally, there should be stuff left over. Make three piles.

Things you want to keep but belong somewhere else (Put them where they belong)

Things to give away or sell

Things to throw away – do it now before you change your mind.

So, how does it look? Does this matter to you one way or another? How do you feel? What was the hardest part of this exercise? The easiest part? What did you learn? What will you do differently in the future? COMMENT: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post) Share any of your observations or answers from the questions above. Our next blog post will be Large and In Charge 12 – Journal 4.6: It's not Over - 'til it's Over.

Large and In Charge 10: Journal 4.5 - Look in the Mirror

Greg — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:59:49 +0000

Once again you ask: So why doesn’t God just wipe evil off the face of the earth? Because to wipe out evil would be to wipe out free will. We would cease to be human, the crown of creation.

We would be robots or puppets or cause and effect machines with no control over our actions, only the fittest would survive.

God wants us to freely choose to be in a loving relationship with Him – the Highest Good, which also opens up the possibility for us to reject Him – the Greatest Evil. We all understand you can’t force someone to love you. Without the possibility of experiencing the greatest evil, we could not have the possibility of experiencing the greatest good.

Love does not coerce, true love requires free choice. Free will is the ability to make an unforced decision between two or more alternatives. That decision will actualize the potential for good or evil.

When people reject God’s love, they affirm the potential for evil within themselves, which then affects every other relationship they enter.

God created a universe where the greatest good is feasible – but to do this, humans had to be created with the ability to choose or reject it. HE obviously thought it was a risk worth taking.

If we really want God to stop evil, we need to ask Him to begin with us. It’s time to take a good, long look in the mirror. COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post.) Explain how most of the time we live in denial about evil. What are some ways you could stand against evil, both inwardly and outwardly? What are some of the ways societies and governments seek to combat evil? Our next post will be Large and In Charge 11: Adventuring – Clean Sweep.

Large and In Charge 9: Inventory - Your Stuff

Greg — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:44:15 +0000

inventory

Your Stuff

In light of our emphasis during this Journey on the Practices of Simplicity and Slowing, we are going to Inventory our STUFF. As you walk around your place of residence or work, take a brief look in all closets and drawers, your car, your purse or briefcase. What do you have too much of? What do you need more of? What do you need to replace? Why? Is there something you don’t have that you need? Is there anything you could throw away or give away? List 5 of your most precious things and why 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. List 5 of your most necessary things and why 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Would you rather have less at higher quality or more at lesser quality? What thing would you struggle the most with giving away to someone who needed it more than you? Any insights as to why? COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post) Share the answers to the questions that impacted you the most. What are some of your most precious things? What are some of the things you couldn't live without? What would you take with you if you were going to spend a month on a desert island? Our next blog post will be Large and In Charge 10 – Journal 4.5: Look in the Mirror.

Large and In Charge 8: Journal 4.4 - The Big "But"....

Greg — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:34:52 +0000

Wait for it….It always comes up……The big question… “But what about________ ?”:

The Holocaust, Stalin, Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The Killing Fields of Cambodia
Bosnia, Rwanda, the Sudan
Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, drought, famine
Katrina and 911
Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot, Idi Amin
Aids, Cancer, Poverty, Hunger, Homelessness, Mental Illness
Divorce, Infidelity, Lies, Bankruptcy, Debt
Rape, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Murder, Serial Killers
Crime, Greed, War, Corruption, Slander
Hatred, Death, Destruction, Despair, Suicide???
Fill in your own example

What about evil ?....... if God is Sovereign? Here are some common questions:

If God is all-powerful why did he create a world with evil in it?
Why can’t God just stop evil and keep people from suffering?
What has God done about evil?
Obviously God is not really in control, or if He is allowing it, He must not be loving or good.
Who can believe in a God like that?

The answers to these questions begin at the beginning in Genesis. So why didn’t God create a world without evil? He did. – Originally creation was good – it was paradise. (Gen. 1-2) There are no evil molecules or matter – and that is still true today. Then He created mankind. And Mankind wasn’t just good, they were very good – Gen. 1:31 Made in God’s image, with high intellect and reasoning capacity, mankind was the crown of His creation and He gave them something very special that nothing else in creation had. (Gen 1:27) [caption id="attachment_692" align="alignleft" width="214" caption="(c) Don Mason/CORBUS"][/caption] He created them with Free Will – the ability to choose, to make moral decisions – ultimately offering them the ability to experience the highest good – choosing to love and obey God, living with Him forever in paradise. But – one thing, only one thing, were they told NOT to do – eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If they did this, they would die. They were warned. They already had access to the Tree of Life, which provided them everything they needed for life with God. (Gen.2:16-17) You know the story – all was paradise until the serpent approached Eve with his lies and convinced her it was ok to eat of the very tree God had forbidden. The serpent appealed to her desires as well as demeaning God’s true motives. As heaven watched, she took that fateful bite. (Gen.3) And moral evil entered the world. Evil wasn’t God’s choice for them. Our Free Will became the beginning of our Free Fall. God didn’t create evil - but the potential had to be there. By choosing it, man created it. And what was the result? – spiritual separation from God because of that one sin - for all mankind to come. Thank God this is not the end of the story. COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post) What is your first response when you run up against or become aware of something evil? How do your determine if something is evil or not? What are some of the ways evil impacts your life and the world? How does it manifest itself? Some people are enticed by evil – why do you think that is? Our free will always allows us to choose and then live with the consequences. Does the devil make us do it? Are there any excuses or extenuating circumstances that would justify evil actions? How could you stand against evil? Evil masquerades as good. Name some things that used to be considered evil that are now portrayed positively and even championed. Our next blog post will be Large and In Charge 9: Inventory - Your Stuff

Large and In Charge 7: Practice - Simplicity and Slowing and Why?

Greg — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:57:31 +0000

practice

Simplicity and Slowing

The Spiritual Practices put us in a place where we are better able to interact with our environment and God. Then God can reach inside our spirits and transform them. Just as our body needs to eat, breathe, exercise, drink, sleep, etc., so our spiritual self needs to make sure it is being sustained, cared for, and trained. The results include spiritual growth, a life controlled by the Holy Spirit, evidence of the fruit of the spirit, and the ultimate goal – living life like Jesus did. The Spiritual Practices are not:

Meritorious laws that earn favor with God
A way to show how spiritually mature we are
Unpleasant or difficult

Instead, they are:

Intentional
Activities we do that when practiced allow us to do activities we cannot now do.
Adaptable to work with our temperaments and gifts
Adjustable according to the rhythm and seasons of our lives

There are two kinds:

Practices of Abstinence - when we stop doing something that is perfectly normal to allow ourselves to focus more on God, His Word, and growing in godliness. These also help us resist our tendency toward sins of commission (when we do something we shouldn’t do). We withdraw to breathe in all that God can provide to us, breaking the hold that the world has on our lives. Practices of Abstinence help ready us and create room for the Practices of Engagement. Practices of Engagement – when we do certain activities that help us grow in Christ and obey his commandments. The Practices of Abstinence have opened up the time and broken up the preoccupations so we are now free to learn of, focus on, and practice those things that God commands us to do. These assist in keeping us from our tendency toward sins of omission (not doing the things we should do). We engage to breathe out all that God commands us. This Journey Element requires more time than most to complete so break it down into sections. The three opportunities to Comment provide obvious breaking points.

Simplicity: Focusing on the One Thing

Before we discover what Simplicity is, we need to rule out what it isn’t. It is not The Simple Life. It is not selling all your possessions and living in a cave somewhere. It is not taking a vow of poverty. It is not asceticism. SEEK FIRST: It is focusing on the Kingdom of God, living out Matt 6: 33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” It provides perspective, focus and the ability to prioritize between many good things. Nothing comes before the Kingdom of God in a lifestyle of simplicity. We simply cannot serve two masters. VISIBILITY: Simplicity is one of the most visible practices and as such, becomes open to corruption, temptation, and legalism. We tend to focus more on what others are doing, or not doing outwardly, and make judgments as to motives, when we have no idea what is going on. Just because someone has been blessed by God with wealth or riches, should not cause them any guilt or any condemnation from others. It is the inner attitude that governs the use of the riches that determines whether simplicity is in force. MATERIAL STRUGGLE: Simplicity reveals our struggle with the materialism in our society. If we don’t have it, we want it. If we have it, we want more of it, or a newer model. We need to begin to pay attention to why we have things, and try to stop using them to gratify any desire for status, control, or luxury. TRUST ISSUES: Who or what are we trusting in? Our bank accounts, stocks, retirement plans, jewelry, cars, homes, balance sheets? Or the One who has provided us with all we have? SO WHERE DO WE START?: Simplicity is a lifestyle attitude and will often only be known to you and God. Here are some ways to begin to refocus on the One thing. Give it time. Share your answers to the questions below as a COMMENT on this post.

The next time you want to buy something nonessential, stop and pray about it. Ask God to either provide it for you or to take away the desire for it. Then wait and see what happens. What happened?
Try #1 with something essential. What happened?
Is there anything you own you would struggle with giving away to someone else in need?
What do you have right now that you could and would share with someone in need?
Ask God to reveal to you someone with the need for something you have. What did you do about it?

Personal Reflections on Simplicity: Simplicity is a practice of engagement and abstinence – what normal activities could we stop doing that would help us practice simplicity? Then what kinds of activities could we start doing? What do you think it means to “Seek First the Kingdom of God”? In what ways are we tempted to legalize or make rules about simplicity? Many people believe that only the wealthy need to practice simplicity. How might a less well off person also benefit from it? Are material struggles and trust issues dependent on how much money or material things you have? What different kinds of struggles would the Haves and the Have Nots each have? Simplicity can also apply to other areas of our lives. Which areas of your life could use a little simplifying? What struggles or rationalizations do you have with beginning to simplify your life? COMMENT: (In your own journal, the PDF, or the Comments section of this post) Record any insights or struggles, any new things you learned from this practice of Simplicity as Comments. Also share some of your answers to the Personal Reflections on Simplicity section.

Slowing: Obtaining the Unhurried Life

LEARNING TO WAIT: Slowing is the practice of cultivating patience by deliberately choosing to place ourselves in positions where we have to wait. We have become slaves to the pace of our culture, which with the advent of time saving technology has allowed us to fill our lives with ever increasing demands to go faster so we can get more done, faster, so we can then do more things, faster. As a result we have less free time, we are scheduled to the hilt with no margins or buffers for the unexpected, we are unavailable, distracted, multitasked to death, stressed, frazzled, impatient, angry and afraid. UNAVAILABLE IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE: We would all agree that life is more than just hurrying from one task to another, but in reality we have no idea how to make it work in our own lives. Hurry is one of the great enemies of spiritual life. We have no time for God, our families, other people, for unexpected emergencies or for unexpected encounters with God. We aren’t looking, listening or paying attention. There is no time to help. We are unavailable. The Do Not Disturb sign is on the door. WHERE TO START ?: Here are some suggestions of ways to practice Slowing during this journey unit. Pick a couple and try to do them as often as possible. Record your actions and reactions as a COMMENT on this post.

Drive in the slow lane for the entire week.
Chew each bite of food 15 times before swallowing.
Get in the longest line at the grocery store and then let someone go ahead of you.
Don’t wear your watch for a whole day.
Review your calendar or schedule and see if you can plan to leave an entire day or evening with nothing to do. See what God has planned for that time.
Plan realistically. Say no if there is no realistic way for you to add something into your schedule. Take into consideration prep time, driving time, time to get ready, etc.
Spend an entire day or evening without using any time saving technology such as microwave, cell phone, computer, tv, PDA, email, etc.
Do something spur of the moment.

Personal Reflections on Slowing: What did you notice about your response to participating in any of the activities above? What do you have trouble waiting for? Why do you think that is? How do you create margins in your life? What happens when you don’t create margins in your life? Slowing is a practice of abstinence – you are stopping the rushing, the hurrying, the over scheduling of the time in your life – so you can be available. What could and should you be available for? Do you ever see delays, cancellations, interruptions, detours, or changes in plans as divine appointments and not random accidents? How could this perspective change your attitude? What kinds of things could God be doing for you or through you? COMMENT: (In your own journal, the PDF, or the Comments section of this post) Record any insights or struggles, any new things you learned from this practice of Slowing as Comments. Also share some of your answers to the Personal Reflections on Slowing section.

why?

Simplicity and Slowing

Paul – “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3: 13-14 St. Antony – “…both those who have lived in modest circumstances and those who had wealth and fame, leave this life like an inn, taking with them no worldly comforts or riches, but only what they have done in this life, whether it be good or bad.” Dallas Willard – “Riches are not holy, riches are not evil. They are creations we are to use for God.” Richard Foster – “Simplicity is the only thing that sufficiently reorients our lives so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying us. Without simplicity we will either capitulate to the “mammom” spirit of this present evil age, or we will fall into an un-Christian asceticism. Both lead to idolatry. Both are spiritually lethal.” Wealth is not for spiritual neophytes. John Ortberg – “ We have largely traded wisdom for information, depth for breadth. We want to microwave maturity.” Meyer Friedman - “Hurry sickness is, above all, a continuous struggle and unremitting attempt to accomplish or achieve more and more things or participate in more and more events in less and less time, frequently in the face of opposition, real or imagined from other persons.” John Ortberg – “Hurry is a disordered heart”. Busyness boosts our self-esteem. We think it proves how needed, significant and important we are. We wear it like a badge of honor. There will be seasons of busyness, but they should be short lived and the exception rather than the rule. The opposite of simplicity is anxiety. Jesus – “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 41-42

References for the above quotes can be found in the back of the PDF version of Large and In Charge.

COMMENT: (In your own journal, the PDF, or the Comments section of this post) Pick one or two of the above quotes or statements and share any insights or challenges it presents to you. The next post is Large and In Charge 8: Journal 4.4 – The Big "But"....

Large and In Charge 6: Journal 4.3 - Well, What do you know?

Greg — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:52:07 +0000

God knows it all – everything, He’s omniscient.

He knows the future, the purposes of everything in all time and beyond. He knows you and me and Himself perfectly. He has all the answers, all the time.

He knows Why and the answer to every question you’ve ever asked. He also knows those who belong to Him, the true believers, as well as every sin ever committed, and everything we have ever done or thought or will do or think. He knows what is going on in the spiritual realms and He knows what is going on in Heaven.

All knowledge belongs to Him. (1 Cor. 2:11, I John 3:20, Ps. 139:1-4, Acts 1:24, Jer.16:17, 2 Tim. 2:19)

God can also do anything, anytime, anywhere. He is omnipotent, all powerful.

Nothing is too hard for Him, He doesn’t need our help. But he only acts in ways that are consistent with His nature – He only does what is meaningful and possible. (Matt.4:1-11)

You could say there are some things God does not do - ever:

Lie – Titus 1:1-3, Heb 6:18
Sin - Hebrews 4:15
Sleep – Ps. 121:1-8
Deny Himself – 2 Tim. 2:13 (go against His nature)
Break His promises – Heb. 6:17-18, Romans 4:21,
Become tired or exhausted – Isaiah 40:28-31
Make mistakes, change His mind – Numbers 23:19

Wisdom is choosing the right means to the right ends for the right reasons and requires the ability to see the end from the beginning and everything in proper relation and focus. No one can do this like God.

An all powerful, all knowing God adds His perfect wisdom, then creates both the means and the ends worthy of Himself. He orders events to obtain the highest goals and purposes with flawless perfection.

The Goal of His wisdom is to order the events of our lives for a double purpose:

Our Good –reclaiming the image of God in our being - Rom. 8:28
His Glory – fulfilling our appointed purpose in the lives of people of God - I Cor.10:31

The question then becomes, not so much Can He do it?, but Will He do it? The “can” is omnipotence, the “will” is wisdom.

Perfect Power used with Perfect Knowledge governed by Perfect Wisdom allows a Sovereign God to rule his creation……perfectly.

COMMENT: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post.) If we really believed God is omnipotent, how would it change our behavior? Once again, if we really believed God is omniscient, how would it change our behavior? And finally, if we really believed God was all wise how would it change our behavior? Our next blog post will be Large and In Charge 7: Practice – Simplicity and Slowing.

Large and In Charge 5: Investigate - Sovereign and Omnipotent and 10 Things

Greg — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:14:01 +0000

investigate

Sovereign and Omnipotent

∞	Sovereign
∞	Rule
∞	Providence
∞	Authority
∞	Will
∞	Control
∞	Almighty
∞	Omnipotent
∞	Create
∞	Power
∞	Knowledge
∞	Information
∞	Omniscience
∞	Wisdom
∞	Discretion
∞	Discernment

Now write your own definition for Large and In Charge. Share it as a COMMENT. Review: Read the verses below and then make the two lists below in your own journal or the PDF:

What God Knows and What God Can Do

(click on each verse to read online)

Deut. 32: 39-41	Isaiah 42:16	Luke 1: 37
Job 21: 22	Isaiah 44: 6-8	John 21: 17
Job 33: 26	Isaiah 45: 7, 12-13	Acts 17: 26
Job 42: 2	Isaiah 46: 9-10	I Cor. 2: 11
Psalms 33: 9-10. 13-15	Daniel 2: 21-22	Ephesians 1: 19-20
Psalms 94: 11	Daniel 4: 35	Ephesians 3: 10-11
Psalms 135: 6-12	Amos 5: 8	2 Timothy 2:19
Psalms 139: 1-4, 13-14	Nahum 1: 3-5	Hebrews 1: 3
Psalm 147: 5	Mark 10: 27	Hebrews 4:13
Proverbs 3: 19-20

Conclude: Record the answers to the following questions based on the two lists you made above - either as a Comment below, or in your own journal or the PDF.

What does God know in general?

What does God know about mankind?

What does God know about you?

What can God do in general?

What can God do with respect to mankind?

What can God do with respect to you?

COMMENT: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post.) Share your definition for Large and In Charge. Then share some of your answers to the questions in the Conclude section for this post.

10 things

Large and In Charge

El Shadday is the Hebrew name for God translated God Almighty, the one for whom nothing is impossible. The literal translation is “God, the Mountain One” and just like the mountains, God is seen as strong and unchanging. God is not only seen as the creator and maintainer of the universe, but also the One who keeps His promises to his people.

Adonay is the Hebrew name for God translated Sovereign Lord or Lord God. This is the God of all power and strength, the One who is in charge, who sees the beginning from the end, who watches over us, sustains us, and knows what is best for us.

There are some things God cannot do. He cannot lie, tempt us to do evil, or deny Himself. He cannot do anything that is inconsistent with His nature and purposes.

J. I. Packer - “Wisdom without power would be pathetic…power without wisdom would be frightening. God’s wisdom is not, and never was, pledged to keep a fallen world happy, or to make ungodliness comfortable.”

A. W. Tozer – “Because God knows all things perfectly, He knows no thing better than any other, but all things equally well. He never discovers anything. He is never surprised, never amazed. He never wonders about anything nor (except when drawing men out for their own good) does He seek information or ask questions.”

Stephen Charnock – “The power of God is that ability and strength whereby He can bring to pass whatsoever He pleases, whatsoever His infinite wisdom may direct…..God’s power is like Himself: infinite, eternal, incomprehensible; it can neither be checked, restrained or frustrated by man.”

Arthur W. Pink – “Before man can work he must have both his tools and materials, but God began with nothing, and by his word alone out of nothing made all things.”

David L. Hocking – “The circumstances of our lives are all known to Him, not only in terms of the event that is happening, but also in terms of why it happens.”

A. W. Tozer – “Science observes how the power of God operates, discovers a regular pattern somewhere and fixes it as a “law”. The trustworthiness of God’s behavior in his world is the foundation of all scientific truth…Religion, on the other hand, goes back to the nature of God and is concerned with the One who is the source of all things, the master of every phenomenon.”

Wisdom is choosing the right means to the right end for the right reason. In God’s case it involves infinite power, knowledge and all authority. He never needs to ask permission or apologize for making a “mistake”. His ultimate Glory and our ultimate Good are His eternal purposes.

References for the above quotes can be found in the back of the PDF version of Large and In Charge. COMMENT: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section of this post. Pick one or two of the above quotes or statements and share any insights or challenges it presents to you. Continue to review the Remember Verses and make sure you are up to date on all the prior postings. Our next blog post will be Large and In Charge 6: Journal 4.3 – Well, What do you know?

Large and In Charge 4: Journal 4.2 - Control Freaks

Greg — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:10:39 +0000

Ah - Freedom - we all yearn for it, demand it, try to control it, fight for it, we protest for it, even die for it. We are all control freaks…We were created with free will – the ability to choose, to go our own way, to be stubborn, to make the same mistake over and over, to not listen to the benefit of other’s wisdom, and to suffer the logical consequences of our actions……

And then there is God – who has the ultimate freedom to do what He wills, unhindered. No one can compel Him or stop Him. He does not need permission – all authority is His, it all belongs to Him, He can do what He wants with it. It’s His stuff.

Yes, He is in control and He has a Plan – the only plan and He is working it. He governs His creation like a King but provides sustenance and love like a Father – He establishes rules and laws and rewards and punishments – Yet, His Sovereignty is tempered by his grace, love and mercy as well as his wrath and justice. He is permissive, long suffering, but in the end, His holiness will win out. He is Absolutely Sovereign and this requires all authority, power, knowledge and wisdom.

Of all the attributes, we have the most trouble with this one because we want to be in control over our own lives and think we know better. So the battle between the Free Will of man and the Sovereignty of God continues. Who is really in control? Are there limits on our free will – the amount of good or evil we can create?

Since we are finite beings there are limits to the havoc we can cause. But as great as our ability is to effect evil, so is our ability to do good. And yet, we are only free to exercise our free will because God IS in total control. A God less than sovereign would be afraid to let us do so.

Remember, free will is only the freedom to choose which side we will be on, but not the freedom to negotiate the results of that choice. We may repent a wrong choice and alter the consequences by making a new choice. But that is as far as we can go.

Human choices can never obstruct the purposes of a sovereign God – in fact, He uses the free choices of humans to accomplish His purposes. COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post) What kinds of things cause you to doubt whether God is sovereign? Why? In what ways do we judge God’s sovereignty and control? What information or perspective does He have that we don’t? If we really believed God is sovereign, how would our behavior change? Our next blog post will be Large and In Charge 5: Investigate – Sovereign and Omnipotent and 10 Things.

Large and In Charge 3: Analyze - Making It Personal

Greg — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:06:44 +0000

analyze

Making it Personal

Pick one of the four Psalms from this week’s Reading (Psalms 23, 24, 91 or 139.) Your Psalm: Next give it a Title: Now answer the following questions about the Psalm you chose.

What does it say about God?

What does it say about you and mankind in general?

Is it true for you?

Next, pick a couple of verses from the same Psalm. Ask and answer your own “Do I?” questions. See the examples below: Example: Psalms 91: 2 - I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge, and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Is this true for me?

Do I say this of the Lord?

How is He my refuge and fortress?

How Do I trust in Him?

Example: Psalms 139: 17-18 – How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

Is this true for me?

Do I even think about God’s thoughts?

What do I think about when I first wake in the morning?

What verse did you choose? What are your "Do I?" questions and answers? COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post.) Share your answers to the above questions and what impact the process of Making It Personal has had on your ability to see how the Bible relates to your own life. What parts of this were challenging to you? Our next blog post will be Large and In Charge 4: Journal 4.2 – Control Freaks.

Large and In Charge 2: Journal 4.1 - Collision Course

Greg — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:03:44 +0000

Let’s catch up... God, the transcendent One, has revealed Himself to us He’s left Proof of Life everywhere – (Otherwise known as general revelation.)

We choose What we believe and How we respond to this revelation This becomes our Worldview – whether we realize it or not.

Our Worldview impacts all areas of our life.

Because General Revelation can only take us as far as Theism – the belief in One God –

God provided The Bible – the Word of God.

The Bible reveals the Rest of the Story – God’s Special Revelation to Us - ALL we need to know about the Triune, Almighty, One and Only God of Christianity.

The Bible is true, grounded in history, trustworthy, unique and accurate. The probability that the prophecies it records would come true (which they have) is astronomical. It’s inspired by God and as such it becomes worthy of study and belief.

Large and In Charge 1: Remember and Read

Greg — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:23:05 +0000

remember

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." (NIV)

Additional verses to remember : Romans 8:28 - We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV) Job 42:2 - I know that you can do all things, no plan of yours can be thwarted. (NIV) Genesis 50:20 - You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (NIV) Acts 17: 26-27 - From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so men would seek him and find him and perhaps reach out to him, though he is not far from each one of us. (NIV) We always begin by memorizing the theme verse for each journey (including Book, Chapter and Verse). Think of this as the necessary foundation for future excellence – like practicing scales on the piano or doing wind sprints or swimming laps, or taking your vitamins, or eating your vegetables. 10 words……this is not too hard at all. What is that I hear? – OH NO! Not memorization…. We actually recall or remember all kinds of things we’ve memorized without really even trying. Can you think of any? How about your phone number, email address, street address, zip code, social security number, birthday, names of your family, how to get to work, how to drive a car, that secret recipe….or how to spell or multiply, song lyrics, movie scenes, jokes, what someone was wearing, what car they drove, sports statistics, what chocolate tastes like, what the ocean smells like, and on and on. That’s why we call this element Remember – it’s the remembering that is important. Why do we remember what we remember? Actually, recollection is just the tip of the memory iceberg. Within our marvelous and mysterious brain the memory works in collaboration with us and the world – it uses all our senses and emotions. We associate smells, colors, places, rituals, symbols, landmarks, even people, with memories and when we sense the trigger, we remember. For now you will just have to take my word for it – there are tremendous spiritual benefits from Remembering Bible verses:

Strengthens our faith
Shapes how we view the world
Makes God’s Word immediately accessible
Guards our minds

Write the verse on several post it notes or index cards and put it where you will see it such as the car, the bathroom mirror, the kitchen sink, a bulletin board, your computer screen saver, your cell phone, your Facebook status, by your bed…..
Make plans to spend five minutes, twice a day (usually as you get up and before bed) to review. Review often…..
Say it slowly, 15 times in a row, emphasizing each word.
If you have already learned it in another translation, review that one. Once you know it in one, look it up in a couple of others to see what is different.
Review it when you are waiting in line, or on hold on the phone.
Sing it – make up a tune to go with it, or say it with an accent.
Rap it, paint it, draw it, doodle it, or diagram it like in Pictionary
For extra credit, add the verse before and the verse after.

I like to think of this remember process as Texting or Tweeting My Brain and then having my brain Text or Tweet me back. Also, remember there is a downloadable PDF available for this Journey – click on the graphic to the left of this blog. You can download it and save it on your computer where it will link to the online Bible, a dictionary, the videos and the songs for this Journey. You can also type into it and of course you can print it out. We highly encourage – however you chose to record your discoveries and experiences – everyone to periodically comment online and read each other’s comments. COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post) Don’t forget the REMEMBER verses from Journeys 1, 2 and 3 – What were they? Keep reviewing them daily. Try to use them in conversation and to encourage others.

read

Psalms 23, 24, 91, 139

(you can change translations after you click the blue chapter links to read in other translations) Please read through these four chapters in one sitting, on three separate days; once from a modern translation, once in a modern paraphrase, and then finally with a pad and pencil by as you record your thoughts and observations. It is also helpful to read the selections aloud. As you read, underline words that describe who God is or the names He is called. The blue Bible Chapter links above will bring up an online Bible and you can change the translation to whatever you want. This element is about reading what it says – try to put aside any preconceived ideas about what you think it says, or what you may have concluded based on other studies or classes. We are not saying those ideas are wrong, but for this Element, we just want to read it as if for the first time. Please read for the storyline – and see if you can then faithfully retell it in your own words. Since you cannot type into this blog – we suggest you record your answers in a journal or download/print the PDF version. First Reading: Modern Translation – which one did you use? Second Reading: Modern Paraphrase – which one did you use? Third Reading: Reading Notes Psalm 23: Psalm 24: Psalm 91: Psalm 139: Descriptions of God: Names used for God: COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post.) Share with us any names or descriptions of God you discovered. Also share any personal observations or experiences from just reading to see what it says. Our next blog post will be Large and In Charge 2: Journal 4.1 – Collision Course

Omniallinfinitude Posts

Faithful and True 6: Journal 5.3 - Let's Clean Up our Act

Faithful and True 5: Investigate - Faithful and Trustworthy and 10 Things

investigate

Faithful and Trustworthy

10 things

Faithful and True

Faithful and True 4: Journal 5.2 - Houston, We have a Problem

Faithful and True 3: Analyze - Chapter Summary

analyze

Chapter Summary

Faithful and True 2: Journal 5.1 - Starting to Rub Off on Us

Faithful and True 1: Remember and Read

remember

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged. For the LORD, your God, will be with you wherever you go." (NIV)

read

Isaiah 53, 55, Luke 23, 24

(you can change translations after you click the blue chapter links to read in other translations)

Faithful and True - What comes to Mind?

What comes to your mind?

Holding Pattern

Been down this road before

Are we there yet?

Large and In Charge

Welcome to Journey 4 – Large and In Charge

Continue your Omniallinfinitude™ Journey Here

Here’s how to participate:

Complete the Blog Posts below in this order:

Enjoy the Journey…..take your time….but take the Journey!

Large and In Charge 16: Closure

closure

Because it matters what we think about God

New Things I Learned

Old Things I was reminded of

Questions I have

Areas I was challenged in

First steps I took

Areas I would like to study more

“AHA!” moments

Dreams and visions

Large and In Charge 15: Lyrics

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Orphans of God

The Winner Takes It All

Large and In Charge 14: Journal 4.7 - Nitty Gritty

Large and In Charge 13: More Cool Stuff - Evil FAQ's

more cool stuff

Evil FAQs

What is evil?

There are three kinds of evil

Does evil disprove God?

Why do we ask Why?

Can evil be redeemed?

How do we respond to evil?

Can any Good come of it?

God can create Good from the sufferings caused by Evil.

Large and In Charge 12: Journal 4.6 - It's Not Over 'til it's Over

Large and In Charge 11: Adventuring - Clean Sweep

adventuring

Clean Sweep

Large and In Charge 10: Journal 4.5 - Look in the Mirror

Large and In Charge 9: Inventory - Your Stuff

inventory

Your Stuff

Large and In Charge 8: Journal 4.4 - The Big "But"....

Large and In Charge 7: Practice - Simplicity and Slowing and Why?

practice

Simplicity and Slowing

There are two kinds:

Simplicity: Focusing on the One Thing

Slowing: Obtaining the Unhurried Life

why?

Simplicity and Slowing

References for the above quotes can be found in the back of the PDF version of Large and In Charge.

Large and In Charge 6: Journal 4.3 - Well, What do you know?

Large and In Charge 5: Investigate - Sovereign and Omnipotent and 10 Things

investigate

Sovereign and Omnipotent

10 things

Isaiah 53 , 55, Luke 23 , 24