Monday, November 12, 2012

I have only been studying the bible through the method of BSF for 4 1/2 years. But in that three and a half years it has been so interesting that the Holy Spirit has not only made the bible come to life but he has slowly change the "depth of field", if you will, in my view finder. Here's where I've going with that:
And these will sound elementary but its remarkable how profound they impacted my life when I learned it myself and not heard  from a pew:

In John I saw that everything Jesus did was culminating to the cross. And that nothing was the ultimate plan and nothing could stop that.

In Isaiah I saw that nothing and no one can thwart the will of God. (Is 14:27)

In Acts I saw that every detail of Paul and the disciples journey was orchestrated BY God in order to spread the gospel. Nothing was a mishap or detour. It was all intentional.

In Genesis, he has completely blown my mind with his brilliance. And I see that from the beginning, before there was anything…God set into motion his will. And nothing and no one has been able to stop it.
(sidebar: the great thing about studying the bible for yourself is that the more you read it the more you know about God and the more you know ABOUT God the more you learn his character and the more you know his character the more you can say things "without a doubt" because the things that are true of God's character DO NOT CHANGE…because that also part of his character is that he does not change…again, he's magnificently brilliant)

So along with being unstoppable, he's also sovereign and all knowing. And here's where people get into great debates and especially about things in Genesis, over things like; did God know that Adam and Eve would eat the apple?(which implies there's a chance there was something God couldn't foreknow). Did God actually regret making man in the days of Noah (which implies that again he didn't foreknow what men would do?)

And I admit that these are the types of things that I have to chew on, for a long time, just like predetermination and election. But what is so (again) brilliant about the bible is that everything in is can be another layer. As we learn he layers on our understanding. But what I'm finding essential is first, to understand his very character. Because then, that can be the lens or the filter through which you view history and then also present circumstances. (ie: he has to be faithful to his promises because if he's not faithful then he's a liar and if he's a liar then he's not infaliable…and so on.)

So where am I going with this? This week we studied the tower of Babel. And what a stark contrast of man's plans versus God's will. In short, God told Noah's family to be fruitful and multiply and fill the whole earth, they do some but then decide to build a tower to get to heavens, make themselves famous and keep it "just us, right here, where we feel comfortable" which is the opposite of what God told them. So he actually comes down and confuses them and scatters them. Which as you see later, is exactly what needed to happen for the rest of the bible to happen.
So…man's plans? Confused and scattered.
God's Plans? Unstoppable.

This is what the Lord has been widening my eyes to see. Since the beginning of time, everything was culminating to the cross. After the cross everything is about spreading the gospel and culminating to his second coming and beyond. And my plans when they are about me will get confused and scattered like the fall leaves from the trees. But his plans? When my life goal is to make HIS name famous and advance his kingdom? I will be unstoppable for him.

That's what I want. I want to be unstoppable for him. I'm done trying to prove myself. I'm done promoting myself. I'm done trying to be what the world thinks I should be. I'm done making my own plans. I only want to dream the things that God has dreamed for me (and in light of all I've just said…I can't even imagine what they could be.)

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