Two Things I Find Utterly Fascinating About Our God

I just finished up some reading for my classes, and I've just been praying a little bit and being still as my gorgeous wife lays resting on our couch. 

Here are two things—out of a myriad of truths that my human mind cannot begin to grasp—that just blow me away when I think about our incredible God:

1. God is a Trinity. He is one essence, but (somehow) three persons. Our God is bigger than any other god, or actually, than any other portrayal or possibility of deity from any people group, from any time. God can die a propitiatory death and still be seated on His throne above, he can burn with just wrath, and bring grace through mercy. Not only is He rightly seated on His heavenly throne, but He is also present in the hearts of the saints... ministering, teaching, leading, filling, loving, changing, sanctifying, encouraging, directing, shepherding.

2. God can speak, and things come into existence.  Let me repeat: God can speak, and things come into existence. God has power I cannot fathom. Thus, He has glory that I arrogantly reject and fail to praise. God can speak... and things come into existence. All He does is say words. How big, and how wonderful, and how mysterious, and how beautiful is our God?

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

Amen.

The host of heaven:

"...day and night they never cease to say,

'Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord

God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!' "

Revelation 4:8

Where is Your Heart Today?

I love You, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock and my 

fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom 

I take refuge, 

my shield, and the horn of my

salvation, my stronghold.

Ps. 18:1–2

The Realness of Blemishes

So I was sitting in my boss's office this morning and I had a thought. There is a rather large plant in the corner of his office, sitting by the window. And as I looked at it for a second, I thought, Hmm... is that plant real? After looking over some of its leaves, I came to the conclusion: sure it's real. It is real because it has blemishes. I'm not sure why the term "blemishes" popped into my head, but that's just what I thought. Isn't that a funny statement in itself?— "It is real because it has blemishes."

My thoughts continued: If it was a fake tree, they would not have made it with with faults. And this is true. My parents have one of those fake Christmas Trees that they put up every winter, and man, it looks awesome. It is perfect. But it is not real. This tree in my Boss's office had little black spots on some of the leaves, places of dead cells or whatever. And if the tree had been manufactured in a factory, it would not have had these spots, it would have been perfect. But even in its perfection, something artificial is only artificially perfect. 

Consider diamonds. The only perfect diamond is a Cubic Zirconium. A real diamond will always have some type of imperfection or blemish—however large or miniscule that may be. 

As human beings, we can easily project some artificial image of what we want to be. This is so common to my own thinking that often times I even convince myself that I am "better," or "more perfect," or even "holier" than other people. These have been the times when my relationship with the Lord has been the most artificial. 

"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, 

engaged in evil deeds, yet he has now reconciled you in His fleshly 

body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and 

blameless and beyond reproach."

Colossians 1:21–22

"Hear my cry, O God,

listen to my prayer;

from the end of the earth I call

to you

when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock 

that is higher than I,

for you have been my refuge, 

a strong tower against

the enemy.

Let me dwell in your tent forever!

Let me take refuge under the

shelter of your wings!

Selah

Psalm 61:1–4

Aim Lower, Think Smaller, Give Up, Go Have a Cup of Coffee

A new strategy for World Missions...

The Meat: Conversation With a Friend—Abridged

This is dialogue between my friend Andy and myself from earlier today. There is some good stuff going on there, so take a look.

 me:  You need to check out that sermon though, the thing that shocked me was the position on Creation. Not necessarily Evolution, but not 6-Day Creation.

(Dave's sermon)

 patton.andy:  yeah i've heard him say that before.

I am not sure if I should be bothered by it

I remember at Kanakuk the guy talking about how if you don't believe in a literal 6 day creation you may not be a christian... that seems a little extreme to me.

it was alienating. I am not necessarily against 6 day creation, but it makes sense to me that a god-guided evolution could be the way it went down

but the whole question just doesn't concern my that much (although I know it "probably should"... like politics)

 me:  I guess my problem with that, is that in my heart it dilutes God's Word. I feel like we are taking science and placing it in the Bible. I would prefer to take the Word and place that into our world, not vice-versa.

If that makes sense.

 patton.andy:  That makes sense. However, if God's word is the Truth then it ought to have no disagreement with science, in fact, science is just catching up with God. We are following God's trail, pursuing , but never exhausting the.

the wonders of his workmanship

so science and the Bible are not at odds

perhaps god created evolution, not secular evolution like they teach in school, but perhaps evolution was simply the means by which God built up an ordained end

or are you talking about how that means that then you would have to rethink the literalness of genesis

as in, God taking woman out of mans rib?

 me:  And I have no problem with that. But isn't a greater display of power to speak and have a glorious, beautiful creation, already mature and functioning? As opposed to taking millions of years? I just don't see the point of evolution outside from the secular, scientific view on the universe.

The "rib" is most likely Hebrew poetry. But I have no problem taking it literally.

 patton.andy:  Who are we to say what the greater display of power and glory is. Wouldn't it be a greater display of power to heal an amputee? or to answer my every prayer? But God doesn't do those things

 me:  Sure he doesn't. But that is a different arena of God working.

 me:  I fear that if we adjust the "literalness" of the Word too much to fit our present understanding of the universe, we may lose a lot of the glory that God has worked through time in light of our reason.

 patton.andy:  But God gave us science. Isn't science just exploring the mechanics of the glory of God

In that case, we don't see the glory of God until we understand it

 me:  Certainly. But Andy I think that every single thing that God gave to us we tend to corrupt and use it for evil. I know I do. With money, food, my freedom, my wife—the greatest example of this is His Word.

 patton.andy:  And you are saying that what we are talking about might be a corruption of science?

 me:  No. I think we can use science for means that are not glorifying to God. There is really no way to prove, or know, how exactly God created. But if He did do it in six days and we use the science of today to "prove" that He created over millions of years, he certainly isn't glorified in that.

Remember though... I'm not trying to be a tool or a jerk. I'm just thinking.

 patton.andy:  Yeah I don't think you are being a tool... i am loving this conversation.

here are my thoughts

 patton.andy:  1. We can use science in ways that are not glorifying to God (i.e. the new atheism using "science" to disprove God... or the atomic bomb being used to kill innocents) BUT science is still a good thing created by God to be used for his glory. If this is true then the MORE we understand science the more God is glorified.

2. Perhaps if science shows that creation was made in more than 6 days it is because it actually was made that way. Why would Christians view that science as an enemy?

What have we to fear from that?

 me:  Good point. There is nothing to fear except for the possibility (however miniscule) of scientific findings somehow being used by Satan to deceive or lead us away from God. Which ultimately, like you mentioned earlier, one of the finest qualities for a Christian to have (yet so few do) is humility.

 patton.andy:  Yes. Science being basically a good thing like any other created thing does not mean we are free to be undiscerning with it

other thoughts?

 me:  Not really. But I'm going to ponder the point about what "presents a greater display of God's power," either a 6-day creation, or a 6-million year creation. But ultimately it doesn't matter. In the Lord may we always take refuge, no matter what happens around us (Ps 11).

 patton.andy:  amen to that.

 me:  Amen.

Now you need to go get on that preaching list.

 patton.andy:  to add to that I would throw in the question: what business is it of ours to have an opinion on which is the greater glory

how could we even tell?

what could we ground our opinions in beyond mere cultural fancy?

 me:  We cannot. His ways are higher and far beyond our own. And we must only worship HIm because, truly, can his glory even be measured?

 

Conversation With a Friend—Unabridged

patton.andy:  Mr. Kyle A Reed

 me:  Hey Andy.

 patton.andy:  hey man. how are you

 me:  I am doing well. Last week I finished up a summer class, so it's really nice to have this week off.

 patton.andy:  great. we just took a staff retreat to covenant seminary this week. talked to some professors. it was a great time

 me:  Sweet. When are you gonna take some classes there, huh?

 patton.andy:  I am trying to decide if i should go next fall right now

 me:  Fall '09? Are you considering any other schools?

 patton.andy:  nope. the draw of going to seminary drops a lot when I think of not going to covenant b/c it's in st. louis and b/c of the professors

 me:  So you don't want to get out of Missouri? —and you're set on those  profs?  ... fair enough.

 patton.andy:  My brother is in St. Louis and I would love to live near him for a time. And one of the big reasons I would go to Covenant wold be Jerram Barrs, not to mention all the other things I have heard about certain professors

 me:  Tell me about Barrs.

 patton.andy:  Jerram worked with L'abri for 17 years and now is the director of hte francis schaeffer institute. he speaks at the l'abri conference we go to every year. he has written a few books and you can listen to a few of his classes on the covenant website such an incredible teacher and he is so humble that's the main reason I want to study with him, hoping to learn from his humility

 me:  That's awesome man. I will check out the Covenant website. Can I podcast any of his stuff?

 patton.andy:  go to covenantseminary.edu/worldwide

 me:  I'm there...

 patton.andy:  you can podcast three entire classes he teaches. they recorded every word said in lecture and put it online

 patton.andy:  the apologetics and outreach class is the one everyone says changed them after they come through covenant

its about understanding the culture we live in. loving people who aren't christians. learning how to communicate with that culture

he also teaches two classes on francis schaeffer which are great

 me:  You've already listened to them all?

 patton.andy:  jerrams classes

 me:  I'm trying to get that stuff into iTunes... But how about a question: Are we living in the "Seventh Day?"

 patton.andy:  i don't know what that means

 me:  I listened to Luke's sermon on the 3 tough questions... and then I listened to Dave Cover's about Science and God/The Bible. He made the point that Gen 2 doesn't "end" day 7 of Creation, so we're still living "day 7"

 patton.andy:  ok i missed that one. i was gone somewhere

 me:  Well dang it Andy. I actually was taken aback with some of the things Dave said.

 patton.andy:  I will have to listen to it. what was off-putting

 me:  And speaking of Luke, when are you going to get up there and preach?

 patton.andy:  ha. never probably

 me:  you should, man.

 patton.andy:  luke is what I call the "big leagues"

i am triple A

I'll have to get on the sign up list though

 me:  You would tear it up in there.

 patton.andy:  i would love it

have you done any preaching in seminary?

have you enjoyed it?

 me:  I've got my first preaching class this fall. It's funny though, because I know the "style," if you will, of Dallas Seminary Preaching, but the best preacher I've ever heard is pretty much the exact opposite.

 patton.andy:  hmm. funny how seminaries have styles

 me:  It's disturbing.

 patton.andy:  and who is the best preacher you've heard?

 me:  Matt Chandler. He's done some stuff with Mars Hill and the Acts 29 stuff. I know Luke's heard of him.

 patton.andy:  I have heard of him and I think heard one sermon. People say he is great

a lot like mark driscoll

 me:  Podcast him. Right now. Village Church.

Driscoll's outstanding. But Matt Chandler blows him away. No one has ever spoken and brought conviction to my heart like Matt Chandler. His teaching is unreal.

 patton.andy:  here is the thing about podcasting things for me right now... I just need to read the word. It is SO easy for me to listen to sermons. maybe too esy

i don't know if that is a true thought, but I have felt my desire to actually read the word myself drained lately and it annoys me

 me:  I understand completely. But honestly for me, being in Dallas, I spend about an hour and a half every day in the car, so I'm always listening.

 patton.andy:  yeah thats what i listen to in cars too

 me:  But don't let anything quench your thirst for God's Word. Matt Chandler will bring conviction, sure. But the Holy Spirit is pretty good, too.

 patton.andy:  check out the audio resources tab on our blog as soon as i finish it in about 20 minutes

 me:  Sure man.

You need to check out that sermon though, the thing that shocked me was the position on Creation. Not necessarily Evolution, but not 6-Day Creation.

(Dave's sermon)

 patton.andy:  yeah i've heard him say that before.

I am not sure if I should be bothered by it

I remember at Kanakuk the guy talking about how if you don't believe in a literal 6 day creation you may not be a christian... that seems a little extreme to me.

it was alienating. I am not necessarily against 6 day creation, but i makes sense to me that a god-guided evolution could be the way it went down

but the whole question just doesn't concern my that much (although I know it "probably should"... like politics)

 me:  I guess my problem with that, is that in my heart it dilutes God's Word. I feel like we are taking science and placing it in the Bible. I would prefer to take the Word and place that into our world, not vice-versa.

If that makes sense.

 patton.andy:  That makes sense. However, if God's word is the Truth then it ought to have no disagreement with science, in fact, science is just catching up with God. We are following God's trail, pursuing , but never exhausting the.

the wonders of his workmanship

so science and the Bible are not at odds

perhaps god created evolution, not secular evolution like they teach in school, but perhaps evolution was simply the means by which God built up an ordained end

or are you talking about how that means that then you would have to rethink the literalness of genesis

as in, God taking woman out of mans rib?

 me:  And I have no problem with that. But isn't a greater display of power to speak and have a glorious, beautiful creation, already mature and functioning? As opposed to taking millions of years? I just don't see the point of evolution outside from the secular, scientific view on the universe.

The "rib" is most likely Hebrew poetry. But I have no problem taking it literally.

 patton.andy:  Who are we to say what the greater display of power and glory is. Wouldn't it be a greater display of power to heal an amputee? or to answer my every prayer? But God doesn't do those things

 me:  Sure he doesn't. But that is a different arena of God working.

 me:  I fear that if we adjust the "literalness" of the Word too much to fit our present understanding of the universe, we may lose a lot of the glory that God has worked through time in light of our reason.

 patton.andy:  But God gave us science. Isn't science just exploring the mechanics of the glory of God

In that case, we don't see the glory of God until we understand it

 me:  Certainly. But Andy I think that every single thing that God gave to us we tend to corrupt and use it for evil. I know I do. With money, food, my freedom, my wife—the greatest example of this is His Word.

 patton.andy:  And you are saying that what we are talking about might be a corruption of science?

 me:  No. I think we can use science for means that are not glorifying to God. There is really no way to prove, or know, how exactly God created. But if He did do it in six days and we use the science of today to "prove" that He created over millions of years, he certainly isn't glorified in that.

Remember though... I'm not trying to be a tool or a jerk. I'm just thinking.

 patton.andy:  Yeah I don't think you are being a tool... i am loving this conversation.

here are my thoughts

 patton.andy:  1. We can use science in ways that are not glorifying to God (i.e. the new atheism using "science" to disprove God... or the atomic bomb being used to kill innocents) BUT science is still a good thing created by God to be used for his glory. If this is true then the MORE we understand science the more God is glorified.

2. Perhaps if science shows that creation was made in more than 6 days it is because it actually was made that way. Why would Christians view that science as an enemy?

What have we to fear from that?

 me:  Good point. There is nothing to fear except for the possibility (however miniscule) of scientific findings somehow being used by Satan to deceive or lead us away from God. Which ultimately, like you mentioned earlier, one of the finest qualities for a Christian to have (yet so few do) is humility.

 patton.andy:  Yes. Science being basically a good thing like any other created thing does not mean we are free to be undiscerning with it

other thoughts?

 me:  Not really. But I'm going to ponder the point about what "presents a greater display of God's power," either a 6-day creation, or a 6-million year creation. But ultimately it doesn't matter. In the Lord may we always take refuge, no matter what happens around us (Ps 11).

 patton.andy:  amen to that.

 me:  Amen.

No you need to go get on that preaching list.

 patton.andy:  to add to that I would throw in the question: what business is it of ours to have an opinion on which is the greater glory

how could we even tell?

what could we ground our opinions in beyond mere cultural fancy?

 me:  We cannot. His ways are higher and far beyond our own. And we must only worship HIm because, truly, can his glory even be measured?

• • •

Another question, one that I've been praying about—if you don't mind a change of subject? Or do you have to go?

 patton.andy:  I've got 15 minutes

write your question. i am going to take a 2 minute shower. brb

 me:  There may not really an answer to this question, at least not a simple one. Basically... I don't like the way we "do communion," and I don't like the way we do "baptism." Hmm. What do you think? (Now, I don't know how I would prefer to "do" the sacraments; I just know that I don't really think they are performed today as God intended them to be)

 me:  Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Do you care if this conversation is added to my blog? might be a good one to hold on to.

 patton.andy:  Add away. I was actually thinking of putting something on my blog too. Man, people with blogs are weird.

 me:  At least they think alike!

 patton.andy:  My thoughts are short seeing as how I  have not developed yet strong opinions on the sacraments

i guess i should have changed "short" to "non-existent"

but tell me more about what makes you say that

 me:  haha.

 patton.andy:  have T minus 2 minutes

 me:  [keep in mind, most of the churches I've been attending post-Crossing have been baptist]well, think about it for me. I've seen numerous "baptism celebrations," or whatever, and the church is supposed to be all excited when someone is baptized. At least that's what is always said beforehand, you know, "we should be celebrating more than at the super bowl!" all that jazz. And I look around at everyone, and some people are dumbfounded, but most are doing this fake, celebration yell thing. And it's weird. It feels artificial. I've heard often that "it's an outward expression of an inward change," but is that what it is in scripture? Is it really just to make a "public profession?"

 patton.andy:  1. yeah that is weird/artificial

 patton.andy:  2. It seems to be at least an outward sign of an inward change, but also seems to be, in a mysterious way, a means of grace. In the way that communion is to, somehow we are blessed/strengthened by the sacraments. Not saying "saving grace" or a special blessing as if we should try to do communion every day or get baptzed every time we are feeling tempted... but that they are good thigns

thigns

things

lit

but i don't really know

that seems like one of those seminary questions

which is probably why you are asking it you seminarian you

 me:  you tool.

Actually, it's just kind of been something I've thought about since college.

But you're definitely right about being a means of grace. I would say that GRACE is the purpose of the sacraments as opposed to an outward symbol.

 patton.andy:  yes

 me:  But I just think most have lost that in Churches.

you need to go...

but also... And communion... (1) a symbol? or (2) a meal of fellowship to be shared among the Body, and during that union to focus on ("remember") that Christ died for our sins.

 patton.andy:  i need to go

yes

to both

and means of grace

 me:  proud of you.

We need to do this again.

soon

 patton.andy:  good talk. see you out there

heck yes

i pick the topic next time

 me:  Agreed.

 patton.andy:  dispensationalism.

and no. i never listened to that sermon

i am a bad friend

where can i find it?

 me:  Haha... do you really want to get me started on the Big D?

 patton.andy:  no not really

i have to learn/care about it first

maybe next year

there definitely is a course i would have to take called covenant theology

ok i am going to be late

bbye

 me:  Open iTunes, do a Browse in the Podcast section for "Denton Bible Church" or "Tommy Nelson." It should be on there. It is from July 07. You can hear my voice in that podcast, too.

 patton.andy:  got it