#revelation #endtimes

I was away last weekend and when I came home I asked my wife what the message was about in Sunday mornng. Our pastors are going through Revelation. She said, "it was about good deeds". Now, I am sure it was about much more than that, but this was her synopsis. This sounds like every person who doesn't have faith in God when they say; "I am a pretty good person, I am definitely not the worst person in the world, I do a lot of good things."

The people of faith at Ephesus had certainly not stopped doing good deeds.

Rev 2:2-3 "'I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary."

Doing good deeds was not the problem, Jesus commended them for "not growing weary"! Somehow their deed doing had become a danger to them.

Rev 2:4 "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first."

When the love of our deeds comes from a sense of pride or guilt,rather than from faith we are in danger. If we have not made our whole sense of happiness in a relationship with Absolute Love and through the "strength that He supplies" then go on to loving others the removal of the light of Absolute love is imminent.  When we forget the foremost commandment of loving God with all heart, soul and mind and then try to love our neighbor as ourselves; warning! warning! warning!. 

We become like those have no idea of Absolute Love, we become like the world, we lose focus on Absolute Love, we lose the source of our faith. I have heard it said of the Nicolaitans that they were focused on pride and personal power. It is their deeds that Jesus (and the believers in Ephesus) hated. Were they becoming worldly in focusing deeds on how their deeds look to others, not doing it in love that works through faith? Was it becoming a platform for personal pride and merit? Had they lost the humble reliance on God and lost their enthusiasm for hearing and knowing the Word of God?

Where does the faith that causes us to love others come from. "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God. In the early 1980's I grasped on to something I heard John Piper say, I am sure he gleaned this from Jonathan Edwards.
"I make it my first duty every morning to become happy in the delight of God, through the Word of God."

It is truism we only do things that we ultimately believe will make us happy. People who live for fame and people who live for the fame of God's glory both can appear to do good deeds, the difference is where their sense fulfillment is focused and where do they get their drive and happiness. Where is their love at in the doing or in Absolute Love? Where is it that they are looking for ultimate happiness.   

Are you focused on the Absolute Love, are you seeking your happiness in Him?

It is a matter of heart.

Pro 3:3-8 "Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones."

Do you blame others, despise the faults or differences of others, look at someone else in disdain? Our hearts are really the problem. Faith is the remedy.

 Mar 7:5-23 "And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men." And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, "Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban"' (that is, given to God)-- then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do." And he called the people to him again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. [If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.] And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

Who are you putting faith in today; Moses, Abraham?

Heb 3:1 "Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses--as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.' As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'" Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end."

Do you want to be a child of Abraham, a child of the promise, a child of faith, a child of God?

Gal 3:5-7 "Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith-- just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham."

#DGNC aftermath

John Piper reflecting after the conference.  Great Psalm to memorize

Psa 96 "Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity." Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness."

Great Song to listen to in the car on the way home! 
Aftermath"
written by Joel Timothy Houston hear the song by Hillsong United; Hillsong Music

The skies lay low where You are
On the earth You rest Your feet
Yet the hands that cradle the stars
Are the hands that bled for me

In a moment of glorious surrender
You were broken for all the world to see
Lifted out of the ashes
I am found in the aftermath

Freedom found in Your scars
In Your grace my life redeemed
For You chose to take the sinner's crown
As You placed Your crown on me

In that moment of glorious surrender
Was the moment You broke the chains in me
Lifted out of the ashes
I am found in the aftermath

And in that moment You opened up the heavens
To the broken the beggar and the thief
Lifted out of the wreckage
I find hope in the aftermath
And I know that You're with me
Yes I know that You're with me here
And I know Your love will light the way

Now all I have I count it all as loss
But to know You and to carry the cross
Knowing I'm found
In the light of the aftermath



Absolute Love puts a song in you that nothing can extinquish.

#DGNC

Impressions from the Desiring God National Conference.


Louie Giglio- "We are not at our leisure, we are under a mandate to become the amplifier of the Love of God and the Grace of Jesus."
Psa 40:3 "He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD."

David Platt- "The Glory of God among the nations is not why we have conferences. The Glory of God among the nations is why we have breath!"
Psa 150:6 "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!"

David Ramsden- God is being lifted up in places, among persons and groups we would never think or imagine! Holy God- Dangerous God- Triumphant God
Are we hesitant to go because of uncertainty? Is the answer not coming because of how you are asking?
Questions of cynicism and skepticism? -Luk 1:18,19 "And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news."
Or Questions of doubt and confusion?- Luk 1:30-35 "And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God."

Michael Oh- Have we put the provision in first place above the purpose?
Mat 6:9-15 "Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Ed Stetzer- Missional Living to be Missions Minded with the Gospel Message through the Spirit's empowerment.
Psa 57:5-11"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah! My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! "

Joh 10:16 "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd"

Rev 5:9-12 "And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"

Absolute Love never fails!

#DGNC

I know of no one who gets into the heart of God in the Word of God as deep as John Piper.

Psa 67 "To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah  Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!"

God blesses us to bless others. There is no happiness in having, there is only happiness in giving.

Any other worshiper who doesn't worship Jesus as the Messiah does not worship God, who those worshipers, worship is man made, an idol and are idolaters. There is only one God, this one God is not who they are worshipping.

True worshipers 1. Make God's Purpose known, 2. Praise His purpose, 3. Display joy-delight in His purpose 4. Revere- Fear (are brought low through awe and humility) in Gods purpose.

That in Jesus Christ-His perfect life thereby offering perfect obedience to God as the only available representative of mankind to be acceptable to God, His sacrificial death on the cross to take on the justifiable anger and punishment demanded by an absolutely loving and absoutely holy and just God - His triumphant resurrection to life, thereby conquering death and hell, His overarching inescapable rule as the risen and glorified God seated at the right hand of the God the Father.

If you do not worship Jesus your God is not the same God.

They don't know the true God- John 8:19
They don't honor the true God John 5:23
They don't love the true God John 14:21
They don't have the true God I John 2:23
They don't hear the true God John 8:43-47
They reject the true God John 12:48

What is the purpose of God?
Joh 20:30-31 "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

The Absolute Love wants to give life to all peoples from every tribe, language, people and nation. None are left out unless they continue to refuse life in Jesus the Christ, Yeshua Messiah, Isa Al Masih.

#DGNC

One of the many benefits of going to the Desiring God National Conference is the Book Store. Many treasures to mine there.

This year I picked up one treasure I could not put down. I read between every conference event. Total Truth:Study Guide Edition  by Nancy Pearcy Crossway Books 2005. It is all about how thinking Biblically can transform us, our culture and the world.

From the Introduction p. 23
"Even ordinary people have a set of convictions about how reality functions and how they should live. Because we are made in God's image, we all seek to make sense of life. Some convictions are conscious, while others unconscious, but together they form a more or less consistent picture of reality. Human beings 'are incapable of holding purely arbitrary opinions or making unprincipled decisions,' writes Al Wolters... Because we are by nature rational and responsible beings, we sense that 'we need some creed to live by, some map by which to chart our course.'
The notion that we need such a 'map' in the first place grows out of human nature. The Marxist may claim that human behavior is ultimately shaped by human circumstances; the Freudian attributes everything to repressed sexual instincts; and the behavioral psychologist regards humans as stimulus response mechanisms. But the Bible teaches that the overriding factor in the choices we make is our ultimate belief or religious commitment. Our lives are shaped by the 'god' we worship-whether the God of the Bible or some substitute deity."

Rom 1:21"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

Rom 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

The Absolute Love is a transformational love.

#DGNC

At the Desiring God National Conference. One word summary "PASSION". All the speakers, all the worshipers/attendees passionate.

Psa 40:2-3 "He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD."

"If you aren't singing you are not saved!" Louie Giglio

The vision of being ruined in Isaiah, by seeing the unimaginable glory of God!  

Isa 6:5 "And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

Can only think of John seeing the glorified Jesus, Isa, Yeshua. Rev 1:17 "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." 

Psa 148 "Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created. And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the LORD!"

In anticipation of more "Passion For The Glory of God, For the Good of All Peoples" tomorrow. Can't wait to listen to  the "Word Of God" from John Piper in the morning.

Passionate about the Absolute Love.

# revelation #endtimes

Rev. 3:19-22 "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

Jesus Christ, Yeshua Messiah, Isa Al Masih is faithful, yet his warnings are not idle threats. He is always coming back holding out forgiveness and love to those who will respond.

The response needed is threefold.

1. Transfer your sense of shame and blame to His absolute love and forgiveness. He has paid for your rejection, failure and weakness.
2. Turn around- His absolute loving character will not embrace the path of destruction if you continue to walk away.
3. Take Him in and hold to Him with loving-passionate-abiding arms, it takes two to complete an embrace.

To the one who has ears let them hear!

Rom 8:35-37 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

New scientfic discoveries throughout history call into question theories once thought to be facts. The arrogance of sciences dismissal of mystery. Theory should be thought of as just that, not fact. Science must always be humble enough to submit to divine revelation.


http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/22/us-science-light-idUSTRE78L4FH20110922


God is bigger than anything beyond our imagination.

#revelation #endtimes

Rev 3:14-22 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

There is a certain kind of going through the motions that makes us think we are loving God. In fact everyone around us may think we love God. This going through the motions then convinces us we are acceptable, even worthy. We feel good about ourselves because we have done what we think we are suppose to do, but when alone it is empty and if honest meaningless.

John Piper talks of this; "Worship is a way of gladly reflecting back to God the radiance of His worth. It is not a mere act of willpower by which we perform outward acts. Without the engagement of the heart, we do not really worship. The engagement of the heart in worship is the coming alive of the feelings and emotions and affections of the heart. Where feelings for God are dead, worship is dead.
True worship must include inward feelings that reflect the worth of God's glory. If this were not so, the word hypocrite would have no meaning. But there is such a thing as hypocrisy- going through the motions (like singing, praying, giving, reciting) that signify affections of the heart are not there. 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me'". John Piper
Desiring God  Twenty Fifth Anniversary Reference Edition  p 87, 88 Multnomah Books 2011.

This engagement of the heart is both a duty and a gift, reveived by grace and vigorously sought after.

John Piper in quoting Jonathan Edwards writes, "To be sure, we Christian Hedonists endeavor to pursue our interest and our happiness with all our migh. We endorse the resolution of the young Jonathan Edwards: 'Resolved: To endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all power, might, vigor and vehemence yes violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.'". Ibid p 159

Everyday in whatever means possible make every effort to open the door to Absolute Love, he is knocking open up and feel the love come pouring in. Come buy food without money and wealth with no price, freely given, gladly received.

#Revelation #Endtimes

Rev 3:7-13 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 'The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. "'I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

The church that is not reprimanded has held on to the Absolute love in the midst of  error and  trial. The two anchors of truth and grace remain. Holding on to the absolute and the love, enduring in both ways is the narrow path. You can have all truth and be nothing before God and you can hold a kind of love "eros faith" and be completely in error, walking the wrong pathway. A pathway to destruction.

David F. Wells says; "Modernity's God is not nearly so morally angular as the God of the Bible. His sharp edges have all been ground down to make him less threatening, more comfortable, more tame. He is rarely perceived as the God of the outside who, in his awesome greatness, summond his people to worship, to hear the Word of truth that they cannot find within themselves or their world, to become agents of righteousness in a world that scorns this righteousness as alien and contrary. Robbed of such a God, worship loses its awe, the truth of his Word loses its ability to compel, obedience loses its virtue, and the church loses its moral authority. What has happened? Because it is the easiest route to take. The habits and appetites of modernity are more attractive than the sacrifice and discipline of orthodox faith. God's love seems less burdensome than his holiness. The church has succumbed to the seductions of therapeutic culture, and in that context it seems quite natural to favor the relational dimension over the moral dimension, mysticism over cognitive conviction, self-fulfillment over personal surrender, self image over character, pluralistic religious equality over the uniqueness of the Christian faith."
David H Wells
God in the Wasteland p 136  Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing 1994

"Hold fast what you have so that no one may come and seize your crown"

#Revelation #endtimes

Rev 3:1-6 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

Pursuing gifts and the pleasure of having and gaining can look a lot like being alive, but it is spiritual death. The more we pursue our own pleasure in what God has given the more we are drawn away from the giver of the gifts. He is the only true lasting joy and treasure worth our focus.

J. I. Packer writes; "That joy is deeper than and not dependent on pleasure is the first thing that needs to be said. Until this has been established, discussion about pleasure in Christian life is premature. But once it is established that joy does not depend on pleasure, then a positive theology of pleasure becomes possible....p 73
Pleasure, like joy, is God's gift, but whereas joy is active (one rejoices), pleasure is passive (one is pleased). ... pg 74
As God made us for pleasure, so he redeems us for pleasure- ours, as well as his. ... p 74
Pleasure (conscious enjoyment) has no intrinsic moral quality. What makes pleasure right, good, and valuable or wrong, bad,and sinful is what goes with them. ... p 74
In the order of creation, pleasures are meant to serve as pointers to God. Pleasure seeking, as such, sooner or later brings boredom and disgust. ...p 75
Hot Tub Religion  Tyndale House Publishers 1987

Are you tired of pursuing pleasures, but dying of lack of satisfaction. Come back to the joy of Absolute love.

#revelation # endtimes

Rev 2:18-29 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. "'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

The movement from "it's your choice" to tolerance and then to acceptance is a gradual slope, you don't go all at once, you slide down into accepting and then warming to the "once thought perversion".

Francis Schaeffer says: Truth carries with it confrontation. Truth demands confrontation; loving confrontation, but confrontation nevertheless. If our reflex action is always accommodation regardless of the centrality of the truth involved, there is something wrong. Just as what we may call holiness without love is not God's kind of holiness, so also what we may call love without holiness, including when necessary confrontation, is not God's kind of love. God is holy, and God is love."
The Great Evangelical Disaster  p 64 Crossway Books 1984

Absolute Love confronts us constantly with that which is absolute love, not tolerance, not whatever floats your boat, but a challenge to the narrow path of Agape faith.

#revelation #endtimes

Rev 2:12-17 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. "'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'"

When Agape faith is replaced by Eros faith, when it becomes more important to have the gifts of Absolute Love than to have Absolute Love alone then our choice and need becomes foremost. "We cannot really love others until we learn to love ourselves" Which really means putting self first and foremost before loving God and before loving others.

Os Guinness writes; "The processes of pluralization are fascinating and the possibilities they open up kaleidoscopic. But don't miss the wood for the trees. Our true concern is only with consequences.
What happens when choice becomes a state of mind? Obligation melts into option, giveness into choice, form into freedom. Facts of life dissolve into fashions of the moment. But the consequences we care about most is this: The increase in choice and change leads to a decrease in commitment and continuity."
The Gravedigger File p 96 Intervarsity Press 1983

Absolutes diminish when we slip away from loving focus on the Absolute Love. Faith and love becomes a "do your own thing, whatever floats your boat" eros faith.

#revelation #endtimes 

Rev 2:8-11 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life."'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'"

Jesus Christ, Yeshua Messiah, Isa Al Masih said that in the last days many people's love will grow cold. That coldness begins with a sense of personal loss. Jesus promised that those who really loved Him they would find opposition, persecution. Part of having love diminish is a focus on the temporal. A preoccupation and love of cosmetic and the facade of temporary wealth.

Os Guinness explains that sense in the present day culture.
"Substance is unimportant, style is what counts. Permanence is obsolescent, ceaseless change alone endures. Creation and creators are beside the point, consumption is its own purpose, Essences are ignored, only surfaces matter. Faces are seen by the millions, voices are rarely heard- and then only with words that are accessories to images. The tried and true are of no interest, only the novel and the new have allure. The meameaning of things does not count, the style's concern is for the mining of surfaces- for their look, touch, sound, scent. Intrinsic character is nothing, exterior personality is everything. Who we are takes second place to who we can become and who we appear to be." Os Guinness
Fit Bodies Fat Minds  p 92 Baker Books 1994.

Is your mind and focus on the eternal? Have you become enamoured with the temporal? Even though you are rich in Absolute love do you find yourself feeling poor because you don't have all the "things" you want?

#Revelation #EndTimes

Rev 2:1-7 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. "'I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

The progression of drifting away from Absolute Love is subtle and often gradual. We go from loving God first and foremost, to loving the benefits of walking in the path of God as a means of self exaltation, to feeling sorry for ourselves in being misunderstood and all the way to being lukewarm, complacent, faith having not even an inkling of vibrancy.

David Wells calls this progression, in part, a movement from Agape faith to Eros faith!

" By contrast in Agape faith, God is not loved simply for the benefits that flow from that loving such as forgiveness of sins. He is loved for what he is in himself. If Eros loves the sacred because it is worth doing, Agape, by contrast, loves God without ulterior motives, Agape surrenders, Eros grasps, Agape loves simply and only because it should, because God is most lovable. This Agape faith loves God because it is the consequence of His Agape and in his love there is no calculation." David Wells
Above All Earthly Pow'rs   Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing p 160  2005

There may be a sense of love of God left. Is it the first sense of love? Loving because God is intimately lovable in a sense that God is above all earthly treasures and powers.

#revelation #endtimes
apocalypse- removed from the covering, out of the veil. the revealing.
eschaton- last things, end times.

Exo 26:33 "And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy."

Exo 33:20-23 "But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live." And the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen."

Mat 27:50-54 "And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God.

He is the promised son in Isaiah 9 to be called Mighty God.
He is the "Son of Man" in Daniel; Dan 7:13-14 "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed."
He is the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.
Col 1:15-17 "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Rev 22:12-21 "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen."

"Indeed, he is himself the last One, the end, and even the goal of creation." p. 32
"Faith ony derives its value from its object" p. 159 Adrio Konig
The Eclipse of Christ in Eschatology:Towards a Christ-Centered Approach  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 1989

The only valuable person in existence is Absolute Love, all others derive their value from Him!

How do you do you gain the love overflowing from the Absolute Love? Same as always, from Abraham until the culmination of this world, by faith.

Rom 4:13-22 "For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring--not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"--in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be." He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."

"How radically this faith involves our whole life is shown by the New Testament's equation of faith with obedience. So it is clear that, because of the nature of faith, no tension can exist between 'Christ alone' and the 'addition' of faith. Faith lives solely from Christ, and is filled by what He has done. Stated in eschatological terms, Christ's attainment of the goal for us (but without us) and his attainment of the goal in us are not concurrent.
Yet it is this very emptiness of faith in itself which leads to its decisive character. Because it is directed solely to Christ and his work for us, faith is necessary-and its lack excludes one from salvation. Without faith, God's goal in us is not reached. Precisely because faith is neither a human accomplishment nor a human contribution, but rather a confession that everything has been done for us by Christ, we have no Christ without faith. This is why Scripture speaks so strongly about the necessity, value and power of faith. Faith receives value only from its object. And because of faiths necessity we are bound to speak of the mortal peril of unbelief. 9Rom. 9:30-33; 11:20-23; Heb. 3:18,19; 4:1-11)" Adrio Konig
The Eclipse of Christ in Eschatology: Towards a Christ-Centered Approach p 159
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 1989.

#Revelation #EndTimes 

Rev 1:12 "Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades."

"Even Jesus' sermons of woe and judgment are intended to save people. This does not mean that his wrath is less than real or that his warnings about hell are not to be taken seriously (Mark 3:5; 9:42ff; Matt. 23; Luke 16:19ff; John 5:28-29). But it does mean that he preaches thus in order to rescue people, to warn them, and to call them to repentance. Even when at his most emphatic in preaching judgment, he is still the Savior of the world. His wrath and judgment are in fact expressions of his love and mercy." Adrio Konig
The Eclipse of Christ in Eschatology: Towards a Christ-Centered Approach P. 49 Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing 1989

Who else would you want to hold the keys? He is Absolute Love, come to Him and live.

#Revelation #EndTimes

Rev 1:7, 8 "Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

"Our world, earth, and its inhabitants have, from creation, been racing toward a beginning. I AM, the three in one, has planned from before the creation of the world a perfect world, a world of fullness and fulfillment. God plans world where absolute love will transform those who love I AM here and now by His overflowing, steadfast, loving kindness because they will keep their eyes on him and not look away. We will love Him and He will transform us by His love. 1 Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” When He returns, we will become like Him in His love. 1 John 3:2– 3: “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” R. I Willroth

Get the book Absolute Love Westbow Press

p. 157 Chapter 12 "Love Never Fails"

#Revelation #EndTimes Started going through the book of Revelation today, what an awesome picture of Jesus Christ - Yeshua Messiah- Isa Al Masih, His love, power, justice and lordship over all history, over all creation.

Rev 1:3-6 "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

"The beginning and end of creation is a person. Beginning and end are not in the first instance indications of time. And the same applies to first and last, alpha and omega. The meaning of these concepts amounts to the following: That Christ is the alpha and omega means that there is a special relationship between Christ and the entire history of the world. That Christ is called 'the beginning' is not a reference only to a temporal relationship between Jesus and creation, but also includes the idea that Jesus is Lord of creation. As Lord he takes his creation along with him and sustains it. The same meaning is contained in the concept 'first' which indicates rank rather than sequence. Christ as the 'end' (telos) involves the idea of terminus and goal and amounts to the same thing as pronouncements (particularly of Paul) which depict Christ as the goal of creation. Christ as the 'last' emphasizes his decisive meaning for creation. There is no one whose significance can in any way be compared with his decisive meaning for creation. In brief then Christ is both Lord of the whole of the history of created reality and the destination toward which all creation is moving- the destination which will be reached through him, the decisive One." Adrio Konig
The Eclipse of Christ in Eschatology: Toward a Christ-Centered Approach  p 30,31
Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing 1989.

Absolute Love is- First and Last- Beginning and End- the goal, as in unfolding purpose of creation the goal of history. Absolute Love is a being.

Get the book. Absolute Love by R. I. Willroth 2011 Westbow Press.

Gal 5:13-18 "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."

"God in redemption finds us all more or less disintegrated personalities. Disintegration and loss of rational control are aspects of our sinful fallen state. Trying to play God to ourselves, we are largely out of control of ourselves and out of touch with ourselves, or at least with the great deal of ourselves, including most of what is central to our real selves. But God's gracious purpose is to bring us into reconciled relationship with himself, through Christ, and through the outworking of that relationship to reintegrate us and make us whole beings again.
The relationship itself is restored once for all  through what Luther called the "wonderful exchange" whereby Christ was made sin for us and we in consequence are made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Justified and adopted into God's family through faith in Christ, Christians are immediately and eternally secure: nothing can sever them from the love of the Father and the Son. (Romans 8:32-39) But the work of recreating us as psychophysical beings on whom Christ's image is stamped... is not the work of a moment. Rather it is a lifelong process of growth and transformation." J. I. Packer
Keep in Step with the Spirit   p. 222,223 Fleming H. Revell Company 1984

 Gal 5:19-25 "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."

Joh 16:7-15 "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.  And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;  concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer, concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

"The Spirit makes us see the love of Christ towards us, as measured by the cross,and to see along with Christ's love the love of the Father who gave his Son up for us(Romans 8:32).  ...
Then, together with that, the Spirit also makes us see that through Christ, in Christ, and with Christ we are now God's children; and hereby he leads us, spontaneously and instintively-for there are spiritual instincts as well as natural ones- to think of God as Father(Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6). ...
To know God as your Father and that He loves you his adopted child, no less than he loves his only begotten Son and to know that enjoyment of God's love and glory for all eternity are pledged to you brings inward delight that is sometimes overwhelming and this also is the Spirit's doing." J. I. Packer
Keep in Step with the Spirit   p. 77  Feming H. Revell Company 1984

Gen 1:1-2 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

Rom 8:22-28 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Absolute Love is completely set apart, no one can attain it or earn it. Absolute Love is given and received with much humility and gratitude.                       Isa 6:1-8 "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."'

"So the God who is love is first and foremost light, and sentimental ideas of His love as an indulgent, benevolent softness, divorced from moral standards and concerns, must therefore be ruled out from the start. God's love is holy love. ... God's love is stern, for it expresses holiness in the lover and seeks holiness in the beloved. Scripture does not allow us to suppose because God is love we may look to Him to confer happiness on people who will not seek holiness, or to shield His loved ones from trouble when He knows they need trouble to further their sanctification."
J. I. Packer
Knowing God  p. 110 Intervarsity Press 1973

Rev 4:2-11 'At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,  and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

Absolute Love is eternally beyond us, holy, holy, holy. Absolute Love overflows in lovingkindness towards us, will you receive from The Three in One?

Why not Unconditional Love?

The following is an e-mail conversation between a Christian Friend that I respect and myself about unconditional love. 

 My e-mail

One question: Is God’s love really unconditional?

I heard you say that, and it is a very overused phrase I hear, but I do not see it anywhere in the Bible. In fact I see lots of conditions that put us in the position to experience the love of God.

For instance, Deu 5:9-10  You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Even in John 3:16 there seems to be the condition of “belief” ; also see John 3:18 unbelief is basis of condemnation not of receiving God’s love.

I know that we cannot earn God’s love, or become worthy of God’s love. I only believe that saying God’s love is unconditional is counter to Scripture, a way to let us off the hook from fearing God “the beginning of wisdom”.

I think we can talk about God’s faithful love, unfailing love, steadfast love or even absolute love, but isn’t it a mistake to talk of unconditional love? I believe this sends a message counter to Scripture.

Friends e-mail response

Hmmm, good question, I have to say that I am not certain.  It might be semantics, but I think maybe you are talking about God’s favor instead of God’s love.  Certainly, there are many things that Israel did…and we can do…to get out of God’s favor.  However, his love seems to be pretty steady.

John 3:16 does say that Because God loved the world – in its current fallen state of sin – He sent His Son...then our ‘favorable position’ with God is dependent on our belief.

Romans 8 says “nothing” can separate us from the love of God.

I hear you loud and clear.  Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe God’s love to be unconditional to the humanity that He created.  His favor, on the other hand, is completely conditioned on our response to Him.

My e-mail response
Yes, I see your point. However I am still uncomfortable with the sense that unconditional love portends. It may be only semantics, I would be more comfortable with God's unceasing love, eternal love or never ending love.
>
> Unconditional love, I believe, sends the wrong message and may be often misused and misunderstood. (Jacob I have loved, But Esau I have hated)
>
> Pro 6:16-19 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
>
> Who are the people who cannot be separated from God's love? (Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.) Is this a conditional statement?
>
> Php 3:8-11 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

My friends e-mail response
I'll go with "eternal love".  :-)
 

How does learning to number our days lead to becoming wise?
Psa 90:11-17 "Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.  Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!"

"What does the Bible mean when it calls God wise? In Scripture wisdom is a moral as well as an intellectual quality, more than mere intelligence.or knowledge, just as it is more than mere cleverness or cunning. To be truly wise, in the Bible sense, one's intelligence and cleverness must be harnessed to a right end. Wisdom is the power to see, the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. 
Wisdom is in fact, the practical side of moral goodness. As such it is found in its fulness only in God. He alone is naturally and entirely and invariably wise." J. I. Packer
Knowing God  p. 80 Intervarsity Press 1973

Jas 3:13 "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

Absolute Love is eternal love, He gives eternal life.                                 Joh 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."    

"Our aim in studying the Godhead must be to know God Himself the better. Our concern must be to enlarge our acquaintance, not simply with the doctrine of God's attributes, but with the living God whose attributes they are. As He is the object of our study, and our helper in it, so He must Himself be the end of it." J. I. Packer
Knowing God p. 18 Intervarsity Press 1973

Are you getting to know God, or only about Him? Knowing Him is eternal life, He is Absolute Love.

Rom 11:32-36 "For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on al. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."               Is that the end? No just the beginning!                Rom 12:1 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."             God doesn't want dead animals, those were just pointers to a deeper reality and a heart attitude.             Psa 51:16-17 "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."            Actions shout and are a result of the hearts attitude.              Pro 21:3 "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice."               Absolute Love cannot be satisfied with lifeless acts of works that are mistakenly thought to bring about forgiveness.             Isa 1:11 "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats."            The sacrifice has been made for those who are experiencing cleansing. For those who are living sacrifices, giving reasonable worship to Him.                 Heb 10:4-14 "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"  When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."            What does it mean to be a living sacrifice? Who are those who are being sanctified?                       1Jn 3:2-3 "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."

Absolute Love consigns all people to disobedience, what do you make of that?              Rom 11:32 "For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all."                  God has made a way that through His eternal plan He is righteous to show mercy to anyone?  Even me? Even you?             Rom 11:33 "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!"           Isn't that only something that we accept by faith, who can know the absolute intricacies of His eternal plan?             Rom 11:34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"              As for me I couldn't even think of trying to tell God how to run His world. No one can. He is the only absolute.         Rom 11:35 "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"           I could never earn His mercy only lay myself at His feet for mercy. That is what I need to do everyday. Because everything (contemplate this "everything") is from Him. Everything is through Him. Everything is to Him.         Rom 11:36 "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."                Are you prostrated, full out face to the ground in worship yet?  Or are you still holding out a little rebellion against the Absolute love? 

Absolute love created all things and owns all things, there is nothing you can give to Him only receive.            Gen 1:29-31 "And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."                   Absolute love controls all things yet He has you in mind                          Psa 8:3-9 "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"           Are you singing yet? Are you filled with praise yet? Are you in awe of Absolute Love?  

                Isa 44:23-24 "Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel. Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,"              There is nothing you can give, just receive.                  Joh 1:1-13 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."                              Rom 11:33-36 "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."