Comments on: fiber optic god http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/ When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:04:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Sisterlisa http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1171 Sisterlisa Sat, 19 Dec 2009 11:09:59 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1171 "...we’ve gotten good at navigating ‘the way it’s always been.’" This really stuck out at me. So true, we become so good at how we were trained to be in the circle of ritual that we become VERY good at navigating there. That's the false sense of security we get from controlling our own lives instead of walking by faith in Christ. There comes a time when God rips that circle of 'security' right out from under us because He knows when our time to fly has come. "…we’ve gotten good at navigating ‘the way it’s always been.’" This really stuck out at me. So true, we become so good at how we were trained to be in the circle of ritual that we become VERY good at navigating there. That's the false sense of security we get from controlling our own lives instead of walking by faith in Christ. There comes a time when God rips that circle of 'security' right out from under us because He knows when our time to fly has come.

]]> By: Serena Woods http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1169 Serena Woods Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:16:25 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1169 Chuck Coleson thanks God for Watergate because he was converted through his failure. Jesus was glad that Lazarus died because it would give the others 'new grounds for believing.' John 11:14 I thank God for my horrible failure because God found me in my filth. You can hate the sin, but fall in love with a God who works 'all things for the good of those who love Him.' rom8:28 Chuck Coleson thanks God for Watergate because he was converted through his failure.

Jesus was glad that Lazarus died because it would give the others 'new grounds for believing.' John 11:14

I thank God for my horrible failure because God found me in my filth.

You can hate the sin, but fall in love with a God who works 'all things for the good of those who love Him.' rom8:28

]]> By: Lindsey @ A New Life http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1167 Lindsey @ A New Life Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:12:48 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1167 P.S. Saw this verse today in regards to a mother her recently lost her 12 year old son to cancer and it reminded me of this post. "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." 2 Corinthians 2:14 P.S. Saw this verse today in regards to a mother her recently lost her 12 year old son to cancer and it reminded me of this post.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." 2 Corinthians 2:14

]]> By: Lindsey @ A New Life http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1166 Lindsey @ A New Life Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:10:03 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1166 The best explanation I have heard in regards to the tragedies/injustices that happen is that God is ALWAYS found in the aftermath in a very visible way. A hurricane devastates a region; and people from all over and of all different backgrounds pull together and forge bonds to help each other. Serena's example above of the Adam alert created because of the terrible death of a young boy that has now saved countless children. The way God takes horrible things in our pasts and uses them for good--both in our hearts and to help others see God. If we can not see tangible evidence of God's work against the sin and devastation in this world, we wouldn't see our need for Him. The best explanation I have heard in regards to the tragedies/injustices that happen is that God is ALWAYS found in the aftermath in a very visible way. A hurricane devastates a region; and people from all over and of all different backgrounds pull together and forge bonds to help each other. Serena's example above of the Adam alert created because of the terrible death of a young boy that has now saved countless children. The way God takes horrible things in our pasts and uses them for good–both in our hearts and to help others see God.

If we can not see tangible evidence of God's work against the sin and devastation in this world, we wouldn't see our need for Him.

]]> By: Serena Woods http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1165 Serena Woods Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:42:31 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1165 That verse means a lot to me. :) That verse means a lot to me. :)

]]> By: lisasmith http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1164 lisasmith Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:14:06 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1164 Do you see God through yourself or do you see yourself through God? beautiful question. Been pondering the same verse ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.’ -Job; Job 13:15 KJV for the last few days. God is good. Do you see God through yourself or do you see yourself through God? beautiful question.

Been pondering the same verse ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.’ -Job; Job 13:15 KJV for the last few days.

God is good.

]]> By: Serena Woods http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1163 Serena Woods Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:23:19 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1163 Jen, we have to open our minds much wider than we have the capacity for. Trying to understand God is like trying to wrap your mind around the numberless number of eternity. It's like trying to reach the end of an endless space. God's reality/perspective is one that is supernatural to us. We are limited and numbered. We fit inside His eternal and endless existence. The more we understand about God, the more we realize how little we know. It's a matrix of mind blowing, entirely offensive and crippling truths that never seem to completely unravel. Can you start at the end of a life and look at the circumstances in reverse? How did things come about, who was involved? How did they come to be involved? Did they know they were involved? Can you trace the thread of cause and effect, action and reaction to the source? Every action is a reaction, do you know what is being reacted to? What do actions today look like in a thousand years? Does what hurts one help another? A woman loses her child in a store. She immediately notifies store employees who activate 'Code Adam.' The store is locked down and every square inch is searched until a little girl was found, five minutes later, in a men's bathroom with her head half shaved, shoes off and a plastic bag of boys clothing was lying on the floor next to her (true story). Code Adam saved her from God knows what. Multiply that story and implications by several hundred thousand. Multiply the several hundred thousand by at least three (to account for the child and parents) and that is how many people have been helped by a father whose son was decapitated by a man who kidnapped him from while he and his father shopped at Sears. How many millions of people praise God for the whoever made up 'Code Adam?' Your mind zaps between realities when you boil the statement down to 'praising God for what happened to Adam.' This is where most people exit the thought process. I'm getting wordy, but are sparks flickering in places that were resting before? I don't think we can have a very clear understanding of God unless we consider the implications of scripture actually says about the One who holds this entire endless system in His hands. If He is endless, and can hold in his hands what is endless, then.... terminology runs out when you're trying to scoop God up into something we can have a conversation about. Suddenly YHVH seems apropos... All the more, my point, it's ridiculous to sit around and make blithe statements about the ways of One we can't even properly name. Jen, we have to open our minds much wider than we have the capacity for. Trying to understand God is like trying to wrap your mind around the numberless number of eternity. It's like trying to reach the end of an endless space. God's reality/perspective is one that is supernatural to us. We are limited and numbered. We fit inside His eternal and endless existence. The more we understand about God, the more we realize how little we know. It's a matrix of mind blowing, entirely offensive and crippling truths that never seem to completely unravel.

Can you start at the end of a life and look at the circumstances in reverse? How did things come about, who was involved? How did they come to be involved? Did they know they were involved? Can you trace the thread of cause and effect, action and reaction to the source? Every action is a reaction, do you know what is being reacted to? What do actions today look like in a thousand years?

Does what hurts one help another?

A woman loses her child in a store. She immediately notifies store employees who activate 'Code Adam.' The store is locked down and every square inch is searched until a little girl was found, five minutes later, in a men's bathroom with her head half shaved, shoes off and a plastic bag of boys clothing was lying on the floor next to her (true story). Code Adam saved her from God knows what.

Multiply that story and implications by several hundred thousand. Multiply the several hundred thousand by at least three (to account for the child and parents) and that is how many people have been helped by a father whose son was decapitated by a man who kidnapped him from while he and his father shopped at Sears.

How many millions of people praise God for the whoever made up 'Code Adam?' Your mind zaps between realities when you boil the statement down to 'praising God for what happened to Adam.' This is where most people exit the thought process.

I'm getting wordy, but are sparks flickering in places that were resting before? I don't think we can have a very clear understanding of God unless we consider the implications of scripture actually says about the One who holds this entire endless system in His hands. If He is endless, and can hold in his hands what is endless, then…. terminology runs out when you're trying to scoop God up into something we can have a conversation about.

Suddenly YHVH seems apropos…

All the more, my point, it's ridiculous to sit around and make blithe statements about the ways of One we can't even properly name.

]]> By: Jen http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1162 Jen Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:22:32 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1162 I mean, I want to say that I don't serve a God who would allow that, but I can already feel that my thought process is wrong. I know there is something I'm missing. I KNOW God is good. I KNOW that bad, evil, things happen. My head is spinning, too. I do believe that God is sovereign. I guess I don't know exactly what that means, but the Bible says it, so I believe it. You see what you've done? :) I mean, I want to say that I don't serve a God who would allow that, but I can already feel that my thought process is wrong. I know there is something I'm missing. I KNOW God is good. I KNOW that bad, evil, things happen. My head is spinning, too. I do believe that God is sovereign. I guess I don't know exactly what that means, but the Bible says it, so I believe it.

You see what you've done? :)

]]> By: Jen http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1161 Jen Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:17:47 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1161 I'm hearing you, but I can't understand holding a good God responsible for the murder of children or the other meaningless crimes and tragedies that happen. Where is the sense and where is God then? I'd love your thoughts... I'm hearing you, but I can't understand holding a good God responsible for the murder of children or the other meaningless crimes and tragedies that happen. Where is the sense and where is God then?

I'd love your thoughts…

]]> By: Serena Woods http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/fiber-optic-god/comment-page-1/#comment-1160 Serena Woods Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:58:44 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1322#comment-1160 Angie: I speak every once in a while. I have a link on my home page where you can check locations and dates if you want. :) J: I wouldn't have this perspective if my 'fiber optic god' hadn't shorted out and burned my whole house of faith down. I realized, through a horrible situation, that I had no idea who God was. Angie: I speak every once in a while. I have a link on my home page where you can check locations and dates if you want. :)

J: I wouldn't have this perspective if my 'fiber optic god' hadn't shorted out and burned my whole house of faith down. I realized, through a horrible situation, that I had no idea who God was.

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