Are You Fighting God?

 "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD" (Prov. 21:30, NIV).

If you’ve heard the song, “I fought the law, and the law won!” you may realize that if you fight God, He will always win!

“You may even find yourself fighting against God, “(cf. Acts 5;39, Gamaliel).

On the road to Damascus Jesus confronted Saul that it was "hard for [him] to kick against the goads." (Cf. Acts 26:14, ESV). The NLT says, "... It is useless for you to fight against my will." God's will is stronger than ours--He's the Almighty! He gets His way! His power "works mightily in us" (cf. Col. 1:29). We have a will, but God decided our nature, and we act according to our nature, which God has the power to manipulate.

If everything seems to be against us, perhaps we are going the wrong way ourselves! For God is at work within us, "both to do and to will of His good pleasure" (cf. Phil. 2:13). He will make us willing on the day of salvation (cf. Psalm 110:3). God's will overcomes ours and it is vain and futile to oppose God: "... For who can resist his will?" (Rom. 9:19, ESV).

When God decides to save us, He doesn't just help us to believe (we cannot believe apart from God, as it says in John 15:5 that "apart from [Him] we can do nothing"), but He makes believers out of us (quickening our spirit with faith), by virtue of irresistible grace, called the effectual call of God (cf. Rom. 8:30). When we call someone they may or may not respond, but when God does it, the result is guaranteed and efficacious. Jeremiah proclaims "...[Y]ou are stronger than I and have prevailed..." (Jer. 20:7, ESV). We must not find ourselves contrary to God!

We must not find ourselves contrary to God's revealed or preceptive will (which can be thwarted), because God will find a way to work out His plan regardless: "If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'" (Job 9:12, NIV); "... No one can hold back his hand or say to him: What have you done?" (Dan. 4:35, NIV). God gets His way: "... 'Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen'" (Isa. 14:24, NIV); "For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him [going against His decreed or secret will]? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?" (Isa. 14:27, NIV); and finally, "'Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old, I planned it; now I have brought it to pass...'" (Isa. 37:26, NIV). Even the Gamaliel recognized the futility: "'... You might even be found opposing God!'..." (Acts 5:39, ESV).

God accomplishes His will in us: He will "equip you with every good thing that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight.." (Heb. 13:21, ESV). God will accomplish His will with or without our cooperation, and it is our privilege to be the clay in His hands, our Potter. For this reason, we ought to stop fighting God or kicking against the goads and get with the program. We are made to do His will and this is the only way to find fulfillment (in His will). Our wills follow our minds and God can change our minds and give us a "knowledge of the truth" (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25, NLT).

Isaiah wondered: "O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart so that we fear you not?..." (Isa. 63:17, ESV). God can "uphold [us] with a willing spirit" (Psalm 51:12, ESV). It is for our own good that we pray the prayer of relinquishment and put ourselves in God's hands, praying that His will be done through us willfully, with our cooperation. Wycliffe's tenet applies: "All things come to pass of necessity," and we must realize God's sovereignty, that He is in complete control, working all things for our good (cf. Rom. 8:28) if we love Him. It is important to know that we are aligned with God's will, to know whose side we're on; it is vain to fight God the Almighty One, for He is stronger than us, His creatures, and there is not even "one maverick molecule in the universe," according to R. C. Sproul!

"...'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will...'" (Acts 22:14, NIV). Christians are exhorted to seek His will and have the unique privilege of knowing it. We also pray in His will and all our prayers are answered if they comply with His will (cf. 1 John 5:14). One petition of the Lord's prayer is for God's will to be done. God's will is laid out to us in Scripture and revealed and illuminated through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Even Paul tells the Greeks: "For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God" (Acts 20:27, NIV). We are responsible for what God has opened our eyes to; to whom " much is given, much is required" is the principle (cf. Luke 12:48).

Jesus said that those who do the will of God are His brother, mother, and sister! (Cf. Matt. 12:50, NIV). And so it is paramount that we seek, know, and do God's will. Why? "... For whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17, NIV); "you need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised" (Heb. 10:36, NIV); "... [That] you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured" (Col. 4:12, NIV).

Note: one reason David was a man after God’s own heart was that he fulfilled all God’s will (cf. Acts 13:36). Soli Deo Gloria!

Is God Beyond Existence?

I’m not quite sure what you mean by “beyond,” but God is above and beyond; He is both transcendent or other-worldly and immanent or nearby and close at hand or His everywhere-ness or ubiquity or omnipresence is obvious. He is God nearby and far away (cf. Jer. 23:23). He fills the heavens and the earth (cf. Jer. 23:24). He is also fully present everywhere and we call that His immensity. He is not far from every one of us! (cf Acts 17:27). And He indwells all believers through His Spirit. (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16). The Scriptures say the heavens cannot contain Him! (cf. 1 Kings 8:27). In Him, we live and move and have our being.” (cf. Acts 17:28).

But His existence itself is called self-existence or aseity. That means He is totally and fully complete in and of Himself needing no one or nothing besides His own self. (cf. Acts 17:25). We are dependent and contingent beings but not God. His presence is surreal in a sense because we cannot comprehend what spirit is and how He can be a Spirit (cf. John 4:24–25). “Canst thou by searching find out God?” (cf. Job 11:7).

“God is not a man,” (cf. Hosea 11:9; 1 Sam. 15:29; Num. 23:19; Job 9:32). We think of persons as having bodies but God has nobody except for in His incarnation or personification in the Personage of Christ, His only begotten Son, who is as real physically as we are; “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead [deity] bodily,” (cf. Col. 2:9).

God is without limit and can't be defined in terms of space, time, or dimension either for He is spirit (cf. John 4:24) without beginning or eternal. Only that which begins to exist can indwell the time-space continuum. He created that and is independent of it just like the rest of His creation. God never began to exist His name I AM says that) which proves He is not an effect, which all have beginnings, but the First Cause as Aristotle reasoned. That’s why His name can be interpreted: I CAUSE TO BE.  Soli Deo Gloria! 

What's The Power Of Love? ...

 

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“Now, these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these love.” “Love bears all, believes all, hopes all, endures all.” Perfect love also casts out fear! (stronger than the enemy of fear!). I don’t think it says love conquers all in so many words. But love never fails! (very good to know). Love is simply a stronger and longer-lasting emotion than hate and a better motivator: “Many waters cannot quench love.” “Love covers a multitude of sins.” “Let all you do, do in love.” Note: it was Christ’s love that kept Him on the cross, not the nails!

It is God’s defining trait and describes His relationship with us. Love needs a recipient, a person to express it with! I would say love is strong because it’s God’s will and He is with us as we fulfill Christ’s command to love another even as He has loved us. I believe love is stronger than hate because God is love and one avails himself of godliness and God’s nature. When we are obedient to God, we spread His love and love one another to fulfill the Law. Jesus did sum up the whole Law in the act of love: loving our neighbor as ourselves.

We are to know the love of God in Christ whose love surpasses understanding. We are to be motivated by love and this is not sentimentality or touchy-feely love but the right attitude towards one and not just in words but in deeds and truth. We can do great things but if we have no love they amount to nothing; love is the determining factor of their value.

God conquers all because He is omnipotent (having all power over creation) and the Almighty or El Shaddai, not because He is love. God also hates and has other emotions, He loathes sin and evil and must judge it in His wrath. But this does not define His deity or nature. For instance, God doesn’t let the emotion of hate force Him to immediately cast people into hell; He is also patient with the sinner and desires them to repent and takes no pleasure in their death.

Note: Some think that just because their motive is love (and I do not mean being a people person) this is all that matters to God. God sees the methods as well as the end results. We cannot get by saying, “O, I meant well!” Christians have no excuse since love is the fruit of the Spirit and should be our calling card to our neighbor. Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Is The God Of Abraham Most Popular?...

 

Why is the Abrahamic God the most popular (known) god out of all the rest of the gods?

Karl Broberg, Blogger on worldview, student of philosophy, and researcher.

Answered 6h ago

That’s only because, in the West, Western Civilization or Christendom, became predominant and the Bible has had much influence and impact on culture. The Judeo-Christian worldview still thrives despite growing secularism. Jesus is the most important historical figure in the West. In AD 313, with Constantine’s Edict of Milan, Christianity became a legal religion in the Roman empire and soon thereafter the prevalent one and it spread throughout Europe.

Even today, despite the rise in Secular Humanism, Christianity holds lots of clout in the public square and open marketplace of ideas of the West such as in human rights and moral absolutes. Even the seven-day week and the rule of law are of Christian origin. It is a fact, Common Law in the UK is founded upon the Bible. And most, if not all, major social reform we did was via Christian influence. And many citizens are at least Christian in name only or nominal Christians. It is no coincidence that in the West most people celebrate Christmas in some fashion, even if not Christians themselves.

For example, in courts and in oaths of office we still swear on a Bible. And on our coins, it says, “In God we trust.” In our Pledge of Allegiance, we say the words, “One nation under God.” Yes, Christianity has made its permanent mark on our Euro-centric culture that America assumed especially amongst the founding fathers who were mainly Christians or familiar with it. The Declaration of Independence, says, we are “endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.” Even on the Liberty Bell, it quotes Leviticus 25:10 to proclaim liberty throughout all the land and unto all the inhabitants thereof!!! All this has a psychological and social impact and contribution to the worldview of the West, especially America.

Now, Islam failed to make any ground in Europe and was literally booted out of Spain and forced into Africa and Asia where it still flourishes. However, now it is the second-largest religion and fastest-growing one there due to immigrants. But Christians do not accept Allah as the same God as the Judeo-Christian one of the Bible despite the fact that Muslims claim to be the children of Abraham.

As far as other gods prevalent in the East (Brahma, Krishna, etc.) like the Hindu ones, remain largely predominant only in India, and Buddhism doesn’t believe in any God as we would know it. Europe had pagan gods such as the Norse gods before these barbarians and heathens became converted to Christianity and “civilized.” (That is not just my judgment of their culture but what contemporaries believed.) Even today, despite its secularism, Christianity is still the official religion in several nations (e.g., Lutheran in Scandinavia, Anglican in England, and Roman Catholic in France and Italy).  Soli Deo Gloria! 

The Goodness Of The LORD

 There is a reason that we are to seek God with all our hearts, soul, and spirit; we will find Him but only because He first sought us. We must have the eyes of our hearts opened and the door of faith by the Almighty Himself.   (cf. Isaiah 65:1.  King David exhorts us to "taste and see, that the LORD is good." (cf. Psalm 34:8).  Once we do, we long to recapture the experience and make it our own  We need to own Christ as our personal Lord.  In other words, put out the fleece for God and put Him to the test as God invited it.  Find out for yourself and don't go by second-hand knowledge but know first hand.  Capture the rapture of knowing God in person.  

It can be problematic trying to recapture that unforgettable encounter with god or even describe it to others.  In a sense, it may be like chasing pots at the ends of mythical rainbows or some will-o-the-wisp. No one can adequately describe God in detail or define Him to our specs or even know Him exhaustively, but we can be content to know Him truly. God wants our faith to be a properly basic belief or one interwoven into our experience and one that cannot be taken away from us.  It becomes a personal thing.   

As Oswald Chambers said, that of maturity is not ecstasy but obedience, we must not base our assurance on our experience though but keep faith in God.   Our own experience with God is unique and personal and we know what God means to us in our own experience  This can be our own experience and differ from the individual.  To know the loved of God that surpasses knowledge!  But it is unforgettable and you associate it with something that remains in your mind and you long for it if you are deprived.  No one has our unique experience and can relate to us in this way.  The LORD is meant to be a heavenly experience but what doesn't mean we always walk on Cloud Nine or on some perpetual religious high as if everything is Pollyanna.  

God is the source of all goodness and all the good we have comes from God, the Supreme Good, as Plato called Him.  Without God's goodness, we couldn't know what goodness is, relate to it nor measure it.  We want to experience the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living (cf. Psalm 27:13).  Note that God is good to all in some ways and to some in always.  (cf. Psalm 145:9).  We all deserve a taste of heaven to know what to look forward to and in worship, we gain the experience of a personal encounter with God.  For example, we all experience the love of God sometimes in life. But we must be careful not to seek the benefits without the Benefactor!  To know God is to love him and this is what it's about: love in God. God's love reaches down to us in grace and we reach up to Him in worship.  We thank our Provider for all His provisions. This is only a foretaste of glory in heaven and gives us all the more expectation and hope to live on in aspiration doing His will.  Once we taste, we'll never "settle," we'll want Him and only Him. 

God's goodness is shown in manifold ways: answers to prayer, freedom from fear, deliverance from enemies, protection from evil, healing of broken hearts, consolation in loss and grievance, encouragement in depression, comfort in trouble and pain, victory over sin, power over sin, provision of needs, the taste of glory, justification in condemnation, presence in loneliness, and healing of broken hearts. God promises that our afflictions will never overwhelm us or overcome us as we can pass through the fire and not be burned (cf. Isaiah 43:2).  

Our Christian experience isn't just about the bye-and bye or hope in the future but in the here and now as we are called to live the more abundant life of flourishing in Christ as He prospers us and gives us success in all we do in His name and even provides the means and needs for them.  Our eternal life doesn't begin in eternity but now upon salvation (cf.. John 3:36; 5:24). We learn on a daily basis what it means to experience the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living (cf. Psalm 27:13). 

Our salvation is in three tenses: we are saved from the penalty of sin, we are being delivered from the power of sin, and we shall be delivered from the presence of sin.  Our past is forgotten and forgiven, or present is given meaning, purpose, and fulfillment, and our future is secured! How much more could goodness be than that blessed hope and salvation?  "How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?" (cf. Heb. 2:3).   Soli Deo Gloria!