Chapter 12:
A. The God idea that God is omnipotent is very comforting to me. It is hard for us to imagine never being tired, or exhausted since that is how we feel for a lot of time in our life. However, God never tires, and he will never stop doing his work which is a huge comfort because there is no chance that he will ever abandon you. Also, since he has all power, he can take care of any situation you find yourself in, and it does not tax him at all.
B. I see God showing his omnipotence most clearly in his creation. He creates everything that is today, and it is effortless to him. He creates it with words. Also, the fact that God can make a network of how we affect each other, and use it all for good, and how the network of people affecting others, and then they affect other people is just an incomprehensible idea, but God can do it with ease.
Chapter 13:
A. If we try to describe God's transcendence, we end up using words like above, and outside of. These words describe how he is so far above us, but we really have no words that fit perfectly as to how much higher than us he is.
B. When I consider the transcendence of God in relation to myself, and nature, the image that always pops into my head is space. The universe is so vast and unexplored, and can make us feel so small. As creatures I believe we are supposed to feel a sense of awe when we look to the heavens and see the planets and stars billions of miles away, and that is what God is like to us. He is so far above us, but when we look at him, we are struck with an immense sense of awe.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Monday, November 9, 2015
The Wisdom of God
Chapter 11 is on the wisdom of God. One thing that stuck out to me this chapter is when Tozer says, "Indeed I wonder whether God could make us understand all that happened there at the cross (62)." This sticks out to me because many times I wonder if God could do things without personally coming and interacting with us. One of the main questions I wrestle with is could God have paid for our sins without sending his son to die? This statement that Tozer seems to be in a similar vein of my question, so it was a connection point for me. Also, Tozer says that he is thankful that God did many of his mighty deeds in secret, away from man and angels. This is an interesting concept that I have never really thought about before. It makes sense however, because God is the ultimate perfect being, and revealing his plans to creatures who are sinful, and who do not understand him perfectly could lead them into confusion, and we would probably not even be able to comprehend God's mighty works
Monday, October 26, 2015
Eternity of God
The question I have for chapter 7 is why would God create something that he would eventually end? Since the past, present, and future are all at once for him, it doesn't seem like there is a point from his perspective to create time, and eventually end it. It seems like it would be more logical for him to create time and the universe to last forever. However, we can never know in full extent why God does what he does, but we can know that whatever it is, it is perfect. The idea of God eventually ending time makes us need to think differently about our studies of history. We get into the rut of thinking that time will last forever, and that there has always been something created, and we don't often let it dawn on us that history is not infinite even though it may start to feel like it.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Free Response
Question: Tozer says that "The word Necessary is wholly foreign to God" and that nothing is above him. By this logic, he is above sin, and if he is so, why did he have to send his son to die for us to conquer sin? This is a question that has always bothered me since I was little. Since God has all power, couldn't he just pay for our sins by other means, and have everything accomplished that needs to be without the loss of his son? It is hard to fathom this, but in the end, though we may never know why this had to be, it was God's plan, therefore it is perfect. One idea that stuck out to me in this chapter is the idea that even if everyone on earth were to become atheist, it would not change God in any way. It is a strange way of thinking because we tend to think how what we do will affect God and the image he has of us, but there is nothing we can do to change him. Another idea that stuck out to me is that God does not need to be defended. We forget this often times because we are learning the art of persuasion and debate so we can support our beliefs, and defend our religion. However, God does not need to be given an argument for, he is the argument for himself.
Monday, October 12, 2015
The Self- Existence of God
2. This reality actually settles quite nicely with me. I have always kind of thought of God as constantly working in our lives. This makes God all the more awesome because he can orchestrate all our lives in such detail, and make them weave together so perfectly. It is amazing to see things that happen in others' lives, and how it affects other lives and it all works for good, and God can do that by himself.
3. I think that sin is anything that contradicts the nature of God. Sin is also many times something that makes us feel guilt, and something that we know we shouldn't do. Tozer describes sin as a result of our rebellious nature. Since we are made as moral creatures we have the ability to choose right from wrong, and we choose wrong. We sin because we challenge the sovereignty of God in our own lives, and that causes us to fall.
3. I think that sin is anything that contradicts the nature of God. Sin is also many times something that makes us feel guilt, and something that we know we shouldn't do. Tozer describes sin as a result of our rebellious nature. Since we are made as moral creatures we have the ability to choose right from wrong, and we choose wrong. We sin because we challenge the sovereignty of God in our own lives, and that causes us to fall.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
A Divine Attribute
1. There's a famous saying that goes like this: "Follow your gut..." While this may be a small, and loosely used, I think there is some truth to it. We are a fallen race, so our thoughts have been polluted, and sinful. I think then, that our mind can easily twist things in our mind. When we cautiously reason in our mind, we can easily tend to twist our thoughts into sin, however I believe our instinctive heart reactions are more pure than our mind. While both the "heart" and the "mind" are both the same, I think the part of our thinking that we call our "heart" is the more spiritually guided, and in touch part. I think that Tozer would say this not to disparage the theological mind, but as a warning as to how we can easily twist our thoughts, and we need the spirit to guide us.
2. It is hard for me to wrap my mind around God not being able to be given attributes. It's like trying to imagine a color that has never been discovered. It seems counter-intuitive that God is three beings, but does not divide himself to do different things. We have always learned about the trinity even since we were little, but (for me at least) we think of God as having the son to die for us, his spirit to work in us, and himself to create, and rule... three persons. However, that is not the case, and it is hard to adjust my thinking to that mindset.
3. This chapter in Tozer is some pretty heavy stuff. I admire Tozer for being so bold in his words, making such big claims, and totally challenging you to change your view on God and his nature. It is strange because we can write down a list of attributes we can think of for God, but in reality we are taking words we would use to describe other humans, and using them to describe the creator of humans which doesn't work, as he is unknowable. It is a lot to take in
2. It is hard for me to wrap my mind around God not being able to be given attributes. It's like trying to imagine a color that has never been discovered. It seems counter-intuitive that God is three beings, but does not divide himself to do different things. We have always learned about the trinity even since we were little, but (for me at least) we think of God as having the son to die for us, his spirit to work in us, and himself to create, and rule... three persons. However, that is not the case, and it is hard to adjust my thinking to that mindset.
3. This chapter in Tozer is some pretty heavy stuff. I admire Tozer for being so bold in his words, making such big claims, and totally challenging you to change your view on God and his nature. It is strange because we can write down a list of attributes we can think of for God, but in reality we are taking words we would use to describe other humans, and using them to describe the creator of humans which doesn't work, as he is unknowable. It is a lot to take in
Thursday, September 24, 2015
God Incomprehensible
1. I agree with this quote because we cannot possibly contemplate God accurately, so any visual picture we make will be not correct. God is so far above us that we cannot make an accurate picture, so it is not actually God.
2. I think that he would say the same for this generation since God has not fully revealed himself to us yet. I think that what he means by the contemporary God is only slightly above the Greek and Roman Gods is that the Greek and Roman Gods were all powerful, and could create which is the same as the contemporary Christian God.
3. I believe that this quote is true, because we are naturally curious people, and there is so much that is unknown to us, and we long to know about it all, including who we are, and where we come from, and we can sense that there is a divine creator. I think that we can see this in all humans because everyone comes to a point where they don't feel satisfied with the answers of the world, and feel like there is something more.
4. I think that Tozer uses a feminine pronoun to describe the soul because the church is the bride of Christ, so that means we are all brides to him.
2. I think that he would say the same for this generation since God has not fully revealed himself to us yet. I think that what he means by the contemporary God is only slightly above the Greek and Roman Gods is that the Greek and Roman Gods were all powerful, and could create which is the same as the contemporary Christian God.
3. I believe that this quote is true, because we are naturally curious people, and there is so much that is unknown to us, and we long to know about it all, including who we are, and where we come from, and we can sense that there is a divine creator. I think that we can see this in all humans because everyone comes to a point where they don't feel satisfied with the answers of the world, and feel like there is something more.
4. I think that Tozer uses a feminine pronoun to describe the soul because the church is the bride of Christ, so that means we are all brides to him.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
"One True Devotion"
1.
I think that the most powerful analogy for me is that devotion is spiritual sugar that removes bitterness from discipline and anything harmful from our consolations. This is most meaningful because it is easy to think of devotion as a chore or a burden, but this shapes our thinking of it as actually being the sweetener of our daily lives.
2.
I think that the meaning of true devotion is when we completely give ourselves to God, and love him in the way that he designed us to love him. This would be having a perfect love and devotion towards him. I think that this is possible for us to achieve when God puts his spirit into us.
3.
My favorite devotional practices are praying, and walking through nature. The hardest one for me is getting myself to sit down and read the Bible without any distractions.
4.
I think that the best devotional practice for me is praying throughout the day, and listenning to sermons before bed.
I think that the most powerful analogy for me is that devotion is spiritual sugar that removes bitterness from discipline and anything harmful from our consolations. This is most meaningful because it is easy to think of devotion as a chore or a burden, but this shapes our thinking of it as actually being the sweetener of our daily lives.
2.
I think that the meaning of true devotion is when we completely give ourselves to God, and love him in the way that he designed us to love him. This would be having a perfect love and devotion towards him. I think that this is possible for us to achieve when God puts his spirit into us.
3.
My favorite devotional practices are praying, and walking through nature. The hardest one for me is getting myself to sit down and read the Bible without any distractions.
4.
I think that the best devotional practice for me is praying throughout the day, and listenning to sermons before bed.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
The Knowledge of the Holy
1. In the preface to The Knowledge of the Holy, Tozer identifies the problem as "A low view of God." I believe this is very true because so many times in our lives we make the wrong choices because we think what we are doing is better for us, like we are bigger than God. We feel like we can go against what God teaches us without any consequence, and that leads into an abyss of sin.
2. I think what Tozer means about "The majesty of God" is the realization of the awesomeness (in the truest sense of the word) of God, and the ability that that has to touch us spiritually.
3. The further losses that Tozer identifies are a loss of religious awe, a loss of consciousness of the divine spirit, a loss of religious spirit, and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence. All of these have to do with our being in touch with the holy spirit.
4. I think that with time, our society has gotten less and less in touch with God. A huge factor in this is technology, and how much it is spreading, and how fast our lives are moving, so that we can easily forget, or be distracted from God. Our education however, shows us how to be aware of God, and stay in touch with him, even whilst we live in a society moving at breakneck speed. We can teach others how to slow down their lives, and how to stay in touch with God.
2. I think what Tozer means about "The majesty of God" is the realization of the awesomeness (in the truest sense of the word) of God, and the ability that that has to touch us spiritually.
3. The further losses that Tozer identifies are a loss of religious awe, a loss of consciousness of the divine spirit, a loss of religious spirit, and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence. All of these have to do with our being in touch with the holy spirit.
4. I think that with time, our society has gotten less and less in touch with God. A huge factor in this is technology, and how much it is spreading, and how fast our lives are moving, so that we can easily forget, or be distracted from God. Our education however, shows us how to be aware of God, and stay in touch with him, even whilst we live in a society moving at breakneck speed. We can teach others how to slow down their lives, and how to stay in touch with God.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)