Monday, December 14, 2009
HELLOOOO Anyone out there????
I am wondering if anyone is out there.. Did you get my last post???? Do you all want to wait until Jan 1 to start this...
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Should we wait?
Ok everyone..
So I notice that everyone is sluggish in posting and after speaking with some of you by phone, I know that it is a very overwhelming time of the year. I was wondering if it would be better for everyone if we waited until the first of the year to begin. I would love your responses on this so we can make a decision. Just let me know what you all would rather do. I am flexible.
So I notice that everyone is sluggish in posting and after speaking with some of you by phone, I know that it is a very overwhelming time of the year. I was wondering if it would be better for everyone if we waited until the first of the year to begin. I would love your responses on this so we can make a decision. Just let me know what you all would rather do. I am flexible.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Quick Prayer Request
Hello ladies...
One of our fellow authors on the blog, Barb, is going to have a stress test done today. I just wanted to let you all know so that you can join us in praying for her.
One of our fellow authors on the blog, Barb, is going to have a stress test done today. I just wanted to let you all know so that you can join us in praying for her.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Introduction
Well ladies, as some of you know, the sickness has struck yet again at my house. I had hoped to have my stuff posted on here sooner but the germs got the best of me and that was not to happen.
I do not know about you all but I am sooo excited about this study! Reading the intro got me all pumped up and ready to go!
I will start with the questions in the Study Guide. I will label the subtitle the question is listed under.
Reasons to Study Gods Attributes
1. Tozers four reasons to study the attributes were:
a. A worthy concept of God is crucial, because He is the cause behind all things and the only One who can give meaning to our existence.
b. For our own spiritual protection
c. to develop faith and trust in Him
d. Because we have lost the dignity and inwardness of true Chrisitianity, and we are desperately in need of revival.
Are their other possible reasons besides these for studying God's attributes? For me, the reason to study them is more personal. For those of us who "grew up" in church, it is so easy to know "about God" and never really "KNOW GOD." It is my hearts desire to have a REAL, clear view of who God is. Not my picture I have created over the years. Not the picture that other people have painted for me. I NEED to KNOW who my God is. His character, his nature, his attributes.. all of him.
What relationship does Tozer draw between our concept of God and our Christian walk? Tozer talks about mankind falling as soon as we lost our right concept of God. I just wonder how easily we are lured by false gods because we do not have a right concept of the God we serve! If we have a weak view of God, why would we choose a harder road? In our daily walk, we would want to take the easy way out or the most convenient ways but if we have a TRUE and LOFTY right concept of GOD, nothing will stop us! We will be bowling over anything that stands in our way.
2. How can learning God's attributes improve our concept of God?
I love this quote " If we just make up our own minds concerning what He is like, then we are just creating an idol in our heads." (Tozer book I) If you look up the definition of the word Concept you will find.. an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances. I was thinking about that and I thought, you know if I based my idea of who God is on specific instances, I would have a very weak version of who is really is. The bible has clearly laid out who God is and what his attributes are. If we base our knowledge of him on "instances" or experiences, or emotions, then we are not getting the ENTIRE God but only those parts of him. One of the things I loved in the first book is when Tozer talks about how what God is, He is infinitely! If my view of God is not based on learned information from his revealed word then I can not possibly see the infinitude of his character.
3. What attributes especially intrigue you?
All of them. Because I am enjoying learning each specific trait and how it so perfectly fits into a perfectly HOLY God.
I want to end with some quotes from the intro that really stood out to me.
"..because man lost his confidence in God. He didn't know God's character. He didn't know what kind of God, God was. He got all mized up about what God was like. Not the only way back is to have restored confidence in God. And the only way to have restored confidence in God is to have restored knowledge in God." (4)
"If we have lost only that which is inward and gained only that which is outward, I wonder if we have gained anything at all." (8)
To close, as Tozer talked about the book of Ezekiel and the Shekinah Glory of God, I would ask you join me in seeking the same. May our prayer be, "We must see God again; we must feel God again; we must know God again; we must hear God again. Nothing less than that will save us."
I pray that God would blow fresh life into each of us as we seek to learn more of him. I pray that we can put aside preconceived notions about who God is and that we would allow God to open our eyes and see him as he wants us to see him. I pray that we would begin this study blinded as Saul and we walk away at the books end with a Paul type vision of Christ. That our view of him would be so GRAND that we would be declaring ourselves as a bond-servant of Christ!
I do not know about you all but I am sooo excited about this study! Reading the intro got me all pumped up and ready to go!
I will start with the questions in the Study Guide. I will label the subtitle the question is listed under.
Reasons to Study Gods Attributes
1. Tozers four reasons to study the attributes were:
a. A worthy concept of God is crucial, because He is the cause behind all things and the only One who can give meaning to our existence.
b. For our own spiritual protection
c. to develop faith and trust in Him
d. Because we have lost the dignity and inwardness of true Chrisitianity, and we are desperately in need of revival.
Are their other possible reasons besides these for studying God's attributes? For me, the reason to study them is more personal. For those of us who "grew up" in church, it is so easy to know "about God" and never really "KNOW GOD." It is my hearts desire to have a REAL, clear view of who God is. Not my picture I have created over the years. Not the picture that other people have painted for me. I NEED to KNOW who my God is. His character, his nature, his attributes.. all of him.
What relationship does Tozer draw between our concept of God and our Christian walk? Tozer talks about mankind falling as soon as we lost our right concept of God. I just wonder how easily we are lured by false gods because we do not have a right concept of the God we serve! If we have a weak view of God, why would we choose a harder road? In our daily walk, we would want to take the easy way out or the most convenient ways but if we have a TRUE and LOFTY right concept of GOD, nothing will stop us! We will be bowling over anything that stands in our way.
2. How can learning God's attributes improve our concept of God?
I love this quote " If we just make up our own minds concerning what He is like, then we are just creating an idol in our heads." (Tozer book I) If you look up the definition of the word Concept you will find.. an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances. I was thinking about that and I thought, you know if I based my idea of who God is on specific instances, I would have a very weak version of who is really is. The bible has clearly laid out who God is and what his attributes are. If we base our knowledge of him on "instances" or experiences, or emotions, then we are not getting the ENTIRE God but only those parts of him. One of the things I loved in the first book is when Tozer talks about how what God is, He is infinitely! If my view of God is not based on learned information from his revealed word then I can not possibly see the infinitude of his character.
3. What attributes especially intrigue you?
All of them. Because I am enjoying learning each specific trait and how it so perfectly fits into a perfectly HOLY God.
I want to end with some quotes from the intro that really stood out to me.
"..because man lost his confidence in God. He didn't know God's character. He didn't know what kind of God, God was. He got all mized up about what God was like. Not the only way back is to have restored confidence in God. And the only way to have restored confidence in God is to have restored knowledge in God." (4)
"If we have lost only that which is inward and gained only that which is outward, I wonder if we have gained anything at all." (8)
To close, as Tozer talked about the book of Ezekiel and the Shekinah Glory of God, I would ask you join me in seeking the same. May our prayer be, "We must see God again; we must feel God again; we must know God again; we must hear God again. Nothing less than that will save us."
I pray that God would blow fresh life into each of us as we seek to learn more of him. I pray that we can put aside preconceived notions about who God is and that we would allow God to open our eyes and see him as he wants us to see him. I pray that we would begin this study blinded as Saul and we walk away at the books end with a Paul type vision of Christ. That our view of him would be so GRAND that we would be declaring ourselves as a bond-servant of Christ!
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