South Dakota Skies

The Heavens Declare the GLORY of God!

These pics were all taken at different times.

God's creation is beautiful!

"I have loved thee with an everlasting love..."

Jer. 31:3

"The love of God has transparent purity. Concerning this aspect of the love of God no human words avail. There is no selfishness in divine love; God has never sought the benefits for Himself. He receives nothing; He bestows everything. Peter exhorts believers to love with a pure heart fervently (1 Pet. 1:22); but how very few love God for what He is in Himself apart from all His benefits! How different it is with God's love! Judging by ourselves, we are sure He needs our money, our service, or our influence. He needs nothing from us, but He needs us, and only because His infinite love cannot be satisfied apart from us. The title "Beloved" when addressed to believers is most expressive; for, in their relation to God, their highest function is to be loved." - Chafer/Walvoord

(I came across that quote in doing reading for Doctrine class today and wanted to remember it, so put it into a blog post.

"Wow!"

Yes... that is my single thought in response to it.)

Simple Concepts

Discovered something really neat in devotions recently and thought I'd share...

In James 4:4-8a I believe that Paul is talking to believers when he says "Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you."

Ok, so we can't be friends with the world, (Vrs. 4) desiring and doing what they do, lest we also be the enemy of God, but in verse 5 we are pretty much being told that there is absolutely no way we can do anything right on our own. The scripture tells us that the natural spirit in us only lusteth to envy (our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked!)...which means we are friends with the world and have absolutely no way of standing before God!

Uh-oh. We're in big time trouble!

BUT then...in the very next verse it says "But He giveth more grace!" Yes, our natural man can do nothing good in and of itself, but God's grace is greater and it's only by this grace that we have hope, not only for our regeneration, but also for our sanctification. (Yet, to also think that in God's grace He created the perfect plan where His character would not be changed, for He did not just 'forget the sin', but sent His Son to pay the sin debt, is incredible!)

Then right after telling us about God's grace, James says "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." I don't think "humble" is just talking about a quiet, meek kind of person who has a low opinion of himself. Rather it's dealing with our attitude of dependance on God. He wants us to recognize our helplessness and inability to do anything right on our own, for it's then that His grace can be shown. However, when our stupid pride gets in the way, and we blast forward trying to do things on our strength, not only is our heart in the wrong place, but God receives absolutely no glory.

So, instead, what are we to do in our helplessness?

"Submit yourselves therefore unto God."

Grasp the concept that I need His grace and can't make it on my own. Then, with a complete and utter dependance on this fact I am commanded to "Resist the devil", and to "draw nigh to God".

Just because I am under grace that doesn't mean that I have no responsibility; it means I recognize that there is no way the responsibility can be fulfilled without God's grace and help (which He freely offers, as I yield to Him).

Recognize my hopeless condition, be humbled (dependent) before such an awesome God, yield to Him, and receive help for life! THAT is when God will receive all the glory!

Amazing, isn't it? Such a basic, simple thing that I've heard before, but somehow it all just fit together in my mind recently.

God is good! Enough said!