The Nature of God and the Image of God

Excerpt from my paper on the Christian Worldview & Culture...

What our culture teaches about the nature of God fills a wide spectrum of belief from God is nonexistent or unknowable, to god is in all and we are all gods. What someone believes about the nature of God has a direct impact on what they believe about themselves and the nature of humanity. For example, if God is non-existent or unknowable, is an individual person of any real value compared with the mass of humanity? In this instance what gives value to a human being are the material possessions they accumulate or what they contribute to society. Those without a contribution may be neglected or disposed of. These kinds of teachings have cheapened the value of human life in our culture and have made options such as abortion and euthanasia acceptable and even preferable for some.

Unlike our culture, the Christian worldview presents a very definitive answer to who God is and what he is like. Perhaps the strongest emphasis is placed on the truth that “God is love” (I John 4:16, New International Version). In fact, the very cohesion of the God-head, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is a result of their love for each other. In addition to God’s love nature is the attribute of his holiness. God’s holiness is often seen as being in tension with his love because his holiness demands that we also be holy if we are to approach him. Peter writes, “just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (I Peter 1:15, NIV). Because of the uncomfortable and seemingly impossible nature of this command, some Christian circles are reluctant to emphasize holiness. However, we must reconcile God’s love with his holiness, seeing these two aspects of his nature as complementary, not contradictory, if we are to understand the nature of humanity in the original design of God.

In the original design of God it was not a list of rules, religion or laws that governed the interaction between God and humanity or between Adam and Eve. Just as the character of God governs the relationship within the Godhead, it governed the relationship between God and mankind. It was the natural inclination of Adam and Eve to manage their choices in a way that allowed them to remain connected with God and fulfill the responsibilities he had given them. It is because of the loving and holy nature of God that he did not just give the command to be holy, but created in Adam and Eve’s nature the capacity for holiness. God’s desire was for relationship with mankind and he created them in his own likeness so that Adam and Eve could have communion with their creator. This impartation of the divine nature of God to Adam and Eve is what made them, and all those created in God’s likeness, valuable and deserving of life.

Wisdom & Revelation

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:17-19 (NIV)

This prayer that Paul prays for the Ephesians has always been a favorite of mine. The words stir a sense of empowerment and the thrill of being alive inside of me. They remind me of who I truly am and what I have in Christ. I've needed that reminder from time to time and, especially in the day we are living in, so do the people around us. You don't need to look far to find people who are just trying to get by. They are numbly checked out as they go through the motions of their daily life. Maybe life is too scary right now to want to be fully experiencing it, or maybe people are just exhausted. I know I felt the sense of exhaustion myself at the beginning of the summer. That kind of existence keeps us from taking risks, reaching out, and boldly believing the promises God has made to us.

The Lord has gently been reminding me lately to pray for a Spirit of wisdom and revelation for His people. I recently began reading a book by John Eldredge called "Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive." In it Eldredge reminds us how imperative it is that we have both wisdom and revelation if we are going to walk with God.

It is by wisdom that I know that this season, this economy, will not last forever. Too many times in my youth I believed the enemy's lie that this was the way life would always be. My mother said to me on many occasions that I felt were the end of the world, "This too shall pass." So many times the Lord has echoed those words in my heart, as in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 which says "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." My prayer is that in the years to come, when the intensity of the moment has passed, I will look back on this season knowing I was not overwhelmed by the momentary trial but that my eyes and heart were steadfast on the eternal glory God has for me.

It is by revelation that I see the signs of transition all around us. God is moving, there is no doubt. Perhaps now, more than ever, we can not afford to be checked out. We must hear his voice. As Pastor Jon has said, we must follow the sound of the river. We must be as John 3:8 describes us, "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit" (NIV). In his book, "The World Aflame" Rick Joyner describes how the leaders of the Welsh Revival took this verse to heart. "They did not try to figure out where the Spirit was going next, they only tried to stay close enough to hear the sound of it" (page 16).

And so Lord Jesus, I ask that you release a Spirit of wisdom and revelation to your people, especially at New Life, that we may know you, and that our hearts may be fully alive with hope. That we would live as children of rich inheritance and glory and incomparably great power. That we would move at the sound of your voice without hesitation or fear. In Jesus name. Amen.

Transition

Transition is a word I've heard a lot lately, especially from the prophetic types. I've felt it in my own life too. I have this sense that life as I know it is about to radically change. Being a pioneering adventurer at heart there is definitely an exciting element to that thought. However, its also a very uncomfortable season and I have to battle the temptation to get into fear and worry about what's coming next and what I might have to leave behind.

As a worship leader I know that the transition time between songs is as important as the songs themselves. The goal is to keep the flow of the anointing going and not have abrupt starts and stops where suddenly were not worshipping anymore, then suddenly we are. That is the way I want the transitions in my life to be as well. The temptation is to check out, escape the sense of uncomfortableness and fear through distraction and busyness. I don' want to live my life that way. So here are some things I'm trying to do to get me through this transition season.

First of all I'm waiting. The season demands that you wait because you don't know what's coming next. But instead of an anxious impatient waiting, I'm trying to wait on the Lord. To rest in him so that I have strength for whatever is next. Isaiah 40:31 promises that "they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (ESV). Waiting for me looks like doing what the Lord puts in front of me each day, resting, and doing the things that give me joy like painting and worship. So what is it that renews your strength; quiet time, family, the outdoors? Make time for those things and then while you're doing them be in communion with the Holy Spirit. Let his presence rest on you. This is what will get you ready for whatever God is going to do next.

I've also been focusing on what I know God has called me too. Such as relationships for starters. Also, I know He has called me to pour my life out for the church and to be a conduit of transformation to the people around me. Whatever he has next for me will involve that. Do you know what God has called you too? If you don't, start thinking about what you're passionate about. Our passions and dreams are tied up with our destiny. New Life also has some excellent tools to help you discover your place in ministry, your gifts and the way God has wired you.

During this season of transition I also have found myself revisiting the prophetic words over my life. I have words on cd and written out that I've been listening to and reading. It is awesome to see what God has already done in my life and the words that He has fulfilled or is fulfilling. It also feeds my excitement for why He is transitioning me. I know that at the end of this season I'll be stepping into more of the destiny for my life.

Above all remember that God is good. Everything he does is good. He takes all our ashes and turns them into beauty (Is. 61:3). He works out everything for our good (Rom 8:28). He has plans to prosper us and to give us a hope and a future (Jer 29:11). Whatever it is that I have to leave behind to move ahead into the new season will be totally worth it. I've seen it time and again in my life. God is good.

HOPE

Hope is the "red-headed stepchild" of the virtues; faith is big because "without faith it's impossible to please God", and faith can move mountains. Love is big because "the greatest of these is love"! So, "hope"sort of falls through the cracks. But hope is a big deal. Without it, people often commit suicide - one way or another. I love the quote from Bill Johnson: "Any area of your life where you don't have hope is under the influence of a lie"! So, are there any areas of your life where you need an infusion of hope? Are there lies that you're believing that are crushing hope out of your life? Here's a great promise/prayer: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

Lavished On

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" I John 3:1 (TNIV)

When you think about the love the Father has for you, does it feel lavish?  When you think about being God's kid do you have a warm, secure feeling on the inside?  I know that sometimes we have to choose to believe the truth because its the truth whether we feel anything or not.  But how can you really believe you're loved, if you've never experienced being loved?

That's why Paul's prayer for the Ephesians (the church who had everything going for it) was, "I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know (by experience*) this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19 (TNIV) 

For a long time now I've been mesmerized by the thought of being "filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  What must that be like?  It must be possible if Paul is praying it for the Ephesians.  But it's not possible by any other means then growing in our experience of God's love.  You can't behave well enough, pray enough, go to church enough, give enough money or serve enough.  

So maybe we can help each other grow in our experience of God's love by sharing how it is that you experience the love of the Father.  Somehow God's brought me to a place where all I have to do is think about him or read a bible verse about his love or sing a love song and I feel wrapped up in His love all over again.  I'm going to have think for a while about how I first started experiencing God's love.  What about you?

*Italics mine

What do you think?

What do you think about the "What we Believe" page. at the new site (www.newlifegrandrapids.org)? Do you believe, "what we believe". I certainly do... for the most part,,,,,,

 I wish we had a line that says, "we believe in love". Cuz I really do.

Changed the name again.

12:13am - Not even going to tell you what the other name was. Going to sleep now. Hopefully when I wake up, the current name won't turn out to be radically offensive.