|
Post by Natalie on Dec 26, 2019 15:31:20 GMT -6
Our pastor taught our Sunday School class Sunday, and I greatly enjoyed the topic. He has really been stressing the deity of Christ lately in his sermons coming up to Christmas, so the topic was on reading through the Gospels and really thinking about the fact that everything Jesus said and did reflects how God thinks and acts because He is God in the flesh.
I will add a couple of examples from Sunday when I get home (currently am in the waiting room at the dentist office waiting for my son's appointment to get finished).
|
|
|
Post by Natalie on Dec 26, 2019 16:39:42 GMT -6
So, one of the examples was from when the crowds were gathered around and Jesus made the comment about the harvest being plentiful but the workers are few. He said they should pray to the Lord of the harvest to send workers.
Jesus wants us to pray. But more than that, this story had a few workers and a lot of work. We can't do everything, and God knows that. We look around and see so much need, so much that could be done, so many wrongs we wish we could right. We can't do everything. But we can pray. Every time we see something. And sometimes we will be the person God uses and sometimes He will send someone else.
The other one I remember off the top of my head was when Lazarus died and Jesus wept. Our pastor made the point...who created Lazarus and numbered his days? Jesus may have wept for many reasons. Lazarus was probably a dear friend. He also knew how sad those people were who mourned for Lazarus. And it was a circumstance brought about ultimately by Jesus (and remember how He waited several days before they got to Lazarus). Even though it brought Him glory, is it possible that He wept because He knew He caused pain, even if joy would also come? Also, He's not a God that just does things on a whim; there is a purpose for what He does. And, He can also sympathize with us.
|
|
|
Post by mike on Dec 27, 2019 16:53:57 GMT -6
I think I had heard once that Jesus wept due to unbelief; Possibly part of the reason He waited
"John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby...11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep..15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him"
|
|
|
Post by Natalie on Dec 27, 2019 21:48:12 GMT -6
That could very well be true also.
|
|
|
Post by boraddict on Dec 27, 2019 23:18:10 GMT -6
So the other day I was considering the several encounters that I have had with the Savior realiziing that he may have worked from the past or future in giving his undivided attention to me.
For example: let's say that an infinite amount of time exists both before and after an individual is born. Since all time is present to God, and time exists forever to him in the present tense and not the past or future tense, then God may do a work now that will not occur until several hundreds of years into the future. That is, the time that God has spent in my life may have taken place hundreds or thousands of years from our current location in time.
That is, since God controls time then he can use time to his advantage. Thus, when he said that the labors are few then he can use his control over time to maximize any affect. Thus, God can look at the life of one of his labors and do a work in that individuals life and thousands of other lives giving each his individual attention to maximize the effect of their work. He can do this by focusing his attention during segments of time millions or even trillions of years from now. In fact, these encounters with God may have taken place before time itself existed.
Consequently, the few laborers are by design a part of his overall plan. Thus, we should see a miracle in the lives of the laborers with regard to the harvest that they participate in.
Post Script: So I was thinking about "the Lord of the harvest" as referenced in a previous posting (above). 1) we are instructed to pray to God the Father, 2) the verse states that Jesus instructed us to pray to the Lord of the harvest, 3) Thus, the Lord of the harvest is God the Father, 4) since the Father and the Son are one, then Jesus is telling us to pray to him (Jesus) to send workers.
That is, Jesus is telling us that the people whom come to him should be asking for the harvest workers. Thus, what do the harvest workers do for the people that come to Jesus; just a thought.
|
|
|
Post by socalexile on Dec 30, 2019 20:42:49 GMT -6
So the other day I was considering the several encounters that I have had with the Savior realiziing that he may have worked from the past or future in giving his undivided attention to me. For example: let's say that an infinite amount of time exists both before and after an individual is born. Since all time is present to God, and time exists forever to him in the present tense and not the past or future tense, then God may do a work now that will not occur until several hundreds of years into the future. That is, the time that God has spent in my life may have taken place hundreds or thousands of years from our current location in time. That is, since God controls time then he can use time to his advantage. Thus, when he said that the labors are few then he can use his control over time to maximize any affect. Thus, God can look at the life of one of his labors and do a work in that individuals life and thousands of other lives giving each his individual attention to maximize the effect of their work. He can do this by focusing his attention during segments of time millions or even trillions of years from now. In fact, these encounters with God may have taken place before time itself existed. IMO God is timeless, and thus may experience everything as one present event. That means that God in Jesus Christ always experiences the cross, which is why, IMO, only God Himself can atone for all sins for all time. It's also why I don't think there's any issue about praying for those who have already died; since God knows our prayers when that person was alive. BTW there's some science behind the idea of a timeless God existing in multiple dimensions. This is a video that talks about it - and it's interesting to me how the amount of these dimensions is similar to the numerical meanings in the Bible, especially 4 (creation) 7 (perfection) and 10 (totality):
|
|
|
Post by boraddict on Dec 30, 2019 21:04:24 GMT -6
So the other day I was considering the several encounters that I have had with the Savior realiziing that he may have worked from the past or future in giving his undivided attention to me. For example: let's say that an infinite amount of time exists both before and after an individual is born. Since all time is present to God, and time exists forever to him in the present tense and not the past or future tense, then God may do a work now that will not occur until several hundreds of years into the future. That is, the time that God has spent in my life may have taken place hundreds or thousands of years from our current location in time. That is, since God controls time then he can use time to his advantage. Thus, when he said that the labors are few then he can use his control over time to maximize any affect. Thus, God can look at the life of one of his labors and do a work in that individuals life and thousands of other lives giving each his individual attention to maximize the effect of their work. He can do this by focusing his attention during segments of time millions or even trillions of years from now. In fact, these encounters with God may have taken place before time itself existed. IMO God is timeless, and thus may experience everything as one present event. That means that God in Jesus Christ always experiences the cross, which is why, IMO, only God Himself can atone for all sins for all time. It's also why I don't think there's any issue about praying for those who have already died; since God knows our prayers when that person was alive. BTW there's some science behind the idea of a timeless God existing in multiple dimensions. This is a video that talks about it - and it's interesting to me how the amount of these dimensions is similar to the numerical meanings in the Bible, especially 4 (creation) 7 (perfection) and 10 (totality): It is beyond my skill level.
|
|
|
Post by mike on Dec 31, 2019 16:12:03 GMT -6
socalexileTrying to understand that God, who is clearly outside of time, would be able to honor prayer requests like this. I understand that He is capable however it would seem out of character to me. Could you help me better understand this? Or is it a matter of plausibility since we really can't understand time not affecting Him. One area I often wonder about is that somehow God must be constrained to do certain things in our timeline. For example Eph 1:10 & Gal 4:4 speak of a specific time for things to happen or have happened. Doubtful i could wrap my around it, but if you have means to help explain or understand, itd it appreciated
|
|
|
Post by stormyknight on Jan 2, 2020 12:45:46 GMT -6
This discussion went from 1 to 100 on the existential speedometer! Think about what God's ultimate goal is here. I believe it is to share His love. "All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:3So God made time. "God is love. Those who live in God's love live in God, and God lives in them."1 John 4:16 GOD'S WORD Translation For those of you who are Star Trek fans, think of the Borg. They assimilate every species they come across by incorporating their knowledge and technology into the unified Borg Collective. The only problem is that they do this without the species' consent and, for the sake of the story, against their will. God, on the other hand, wants us to choose Him, a.k.a. Free Will. So we have God, timeless and infinite in all aspects. How does He accomplish this? First He has to create time, or rather a timeline. We don't know what 'thing' He created first, but we know that the angels were here and sang with joy when the universe was created, so they were here before us. From His point of view, He knew Satan would fall and try to screw up His creation, but that was/is all part of the timeline. He knew, in order for us to be able to choose Him, there had to be something else to choose. BUT, He made it so that while we were in this physical state, we could change our choice. The angels that fell being the example of what happens when you only get to choose once.
Now, as for your question, mike , about God being constrained to do certain things in our timeline, remember; "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven" Eccl. 3:1Everything has to happen when it needs to happen in order for God's purpose to be fulfilled. What we do, as far as how we make our living/life, is trivial. A breath in the wind. I think you are correct in saying that Jesus wept because of unbelief. I mean, can you imagine? All the things He had done up to that point and they still did not believe?
What/how we think is what is important. We must endeavor to live in God's love! All praise to God for lifting the veil from our eyes so that we can understand and believe without having 'seen' Him these last two thousand years. When the video talks about the tenth dimension, it states that we have reached the end of the road. No where else to go. My mind tells me that that state of being is when you could say, "I AM", because that is when we will be with God. Forever! Not that 'forever' will mean anything any longer.
|
|
|
Post by mike on Jan 2, 2020 13:31:48 GMT -6
stormyknightWhat/how we think is what is important. We must endeavor to live in God's love! All praise to God for lifting the veil from our eyes so that we can understand and believe without having 'seen' Him these last two thousand years
Thanks for this, l need to hear it and refocus daily
|
|
|
Post by stormyknight on Jan 2, 2020 13:52:52 GMT -6
Thank you, mike . I feel so isolated most of the time that I don't think I'm doing any good with my "talents" (Matt. 25:15). I don't want to be the guy that hid his talent in the ground. We'll get there together, right? All in God's good time.
|
|
|
Post by mike on Jan 2, 2020 16:43:12 GMT -6
One of the things i am so thankful for with this community is "getting there together"
We are called to plant seed and water, God gives the increase
|
|