God in His Creation and His Revelation







Christian theists believe that God has revealed Himself to people in a general way through creation and in a special (personal) way evidenced by His divine words and acts contained in the Bible and especially in the person of Jesus Christ.
FROM: Noebel, David (2005-01-01). Understanding the Times: The Collision of Today's Competing Worldviews (Kindle Locations 1395-1397). Summit Press. Kindle Edition.

Just thinking about the above statement in David Noebel's book. God has revealed Himself in nature.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Here in Romans chapter one Paul is writing about the wrath of God on the unrighteous. Here we see God revealed in His Creation and man has no excuse for not believing in God. There is no dought that Creation, with its design and complexity, had to have a designer. All reasonable men should come to that conclusion. God is very jealous over His creation and executes wrath against those that distort the reality of His great design. The bottom line is that man will or can see God in His Creation.

God does not leave man with Him being revealed in creation but He sent His Son to further reveal Himself. Before Jesus came to earth, God revealed Himself to many individuals and even to the Jewish tribes with supernatural revelation. Most were written down in the Old Testament. In Genesis 15 God even makes a covenant with Abraham and that covenant started a chain of events that is still revealing God to man.

So God has revealed Himself in a personal way to mankind through encounters in the Old Testament and now through Jesus. Jesus showed us what the Father was like. Jesus gave us a living, breathing example of how to be pleasing to the Father; How to understand His plan and how to be like Him.

When Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples the charge to go into all the earth and share the revelation He had revealed. Although the disciples had troubles at times, overall they were faithful to spread that revelation. God moved upon many of them to write down not only what Jesus taught while on earth, but what the disciples learned as they matured in their Christian walk. Not only did God reveal Himself in the Old Testament but once again in the New Testament.

Now it is up to us to partner with God in revealing Him and His goodness to the world around us. We have the evidence in Creation and we have His personal testaments handed down to us. As it says in Romans chapter 1, “[we] are without excuse”.

Saturday Morning 7-23-2011

Psalms 92: 12-14
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,

Facts from Wikipedia:

Palms are among the best known and most extensively cultivated plant families. They have been important to humans throughout much of history. Many common products and foods are derived from palms, and palms are also widely used in landscaping for their exotic appearance, making them one of the most economically important plants. In many historical cultures, palms were symbols for such ideas as victory, peace, and fertility. Today, palms remain a popular symbol for the tropics and vacations.

As well as being morphologically diverse, palms also inhabit nearly every type of habitat within their range, from rainforests to deserts.

The Lebanon Cedar is an evergreen coniferous tree growing up to 40 m (130 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) in diameter.

The Cedar of Lebanon was important to various ancient civilizations. The trees were used by the Phoenicians for building commercial and military ships, as well as houses, palaces, and temples. The ancient Egyptians used its resin in mummification, and its sawdust has been found in the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs. The Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh designates the cedar groves of Lebanon as the dwelling of the gods to which Gilgamesh, the hero, ventured. Hebrew priests were ordered by Moses to use the bark of the Lebanon Cedar in circumcision and the treatment of leprosy. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah used the Lebanon Cedar as a metaphor for the pride of the world. According to the Talmud, Jews once burned Lebanese cedar wood on the Mount of Olives to celebrate the new year. Foreign rulers from both near and far would order the wood for religious and civil constructs, the most famous of which are King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem and David's and Solomon's Palaces. Because of its significance the word Cedar is mentioned 75 times in (Cedar 51 times, Cedars 24 times) the Bible, and played a pivotal role in the cementing of the Phoenician-Hebrew relationship. Beyond that, it was also used by Romans, Greeks, Persians, Assyrians and Babylonians.

Wow! To be planted in the house of the Lord; covered by the canopy of the Most High. I want to flourish like the palm tree and to be strong and tall like the Cedar of Lebanon. Mainly I want to be useful in the Lord’s house.

The fact that the palm tree can inhabit nearly every type of habitat shows me that God wants to send us into every culture and flourish in righteousness. We see the Lebanon cedar as a peacemaker bringing cultures together.

God is just so amazing in His creation.

To me the House of the Lord is all His creation, on earth and in heaven. Also the Courts of the Lord is anywhere His manifested presence is at. His manifested presence is where His joy is felt, the unexplainable is accompanied by His peace and where we are being changed into His likeness.

Now I really like the promise in the above verse; “They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,” My God will use me in my old age for His glory.

While in the Prayer Center (ANHOP) this morning I was led to the following verses.

(New KJV) Acts 20: 19“serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20“how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21“testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22“And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23“except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

(Amplified) Acts 20: 24 But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God's grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy).

(The Message) Acts 20:24 What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.

I do think the Message says it best. The translator takes the word grace and expands upon it. I see from the above passages that Paul didn’t let the pressures of life deter him from what matters most. The Lord asks us to finish what he started; simply just show everyone you meet His “incredibly extravagant generosity”. I have found that His extravagant generosity is “His presence in our lives.” The assurance and joy He gives ranks way above prosperity, health and physical security. As we acknowledge His presence we just naturally share His presence with others. His joy simply overflows on to others.

It never fails, I start acknowledging His blessings in my life and the world’s troubles fade away.

I remember singing the following song when I was growing up in a Baptist church.
Words: John¬son Oat¬man, Jr., in Songs for Young People, by Edwin Excell (Chicago, Illinois: 1897).

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Refrain
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
Refrain
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
Refrain
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Refrain
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May the Lord bless you today as you bless others. May you use that measure of wisdom He has blessed you with to extend His Kingdom today.