What is God's Objective in the World? Dr. Nicolas Ellen

What is God's objective in the world?

A. God's objective is to make the greatness of His character known throughout the entire world.

B. The greatness of God's character is seen in His salvation of people from all nationalities from the penalty, power, and presence of sin into a right relationship with Himself, resulting in His people showing forth His character through their service.

C. The greatness of God's character is the transforming of all the people He saves into His image to be with Him forever as He reigns in Heaven and on Earth.



For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.
                                                 Romans 11:36


How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.

Bu we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is.

Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
                                                     I John 3:1-3


Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

I saw the Holy City, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God.'

                                                      Revelation 21:1-3


After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb....And they cried out in a loud voice:

      Salvation belong to our God, who sits on the throne and to
      the Lamb...

      Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks for honor and
      power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!
                                                     
                                                    Revelation 7:9-12

From Understanding  & Developing a Biblical View of Life, by Dr. Nicolas Ellen

We are saved --

We have been saved -- from the penalty of sin.
We are being saved -- from the power of sin.
We will be saved -- from the very presence of sin when we live
                                 with Him forever.


Saved -- past, present, and future.

My Heart's Desire - by Steve Ragsdale

Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart...

Psalm 37:4

 

There's nothing I desire more than You

Nothing satisfies me the way You do

All the love inside this heart of mine

Will be reserved for You for all time.

 

 

You are my heart's desire

Other loves have been swept away

By Your all-consuming fire

Jesus, You are all that my heart desires.

Looking Toward Easter - #4 - 2 Hymns

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
And make a wretch His treasure

How great His pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.

-----by Stuart Townend, 2008 AD

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And this hymn from an earlier time...


O sacred head, now wounded
With grief and shame weighed down
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns Thy only crown
How pale Thou art with anguish
With sore abuse and scorn
How does that visage languish
Which once was bright as morn?

What thou, my Lord, has suffered
Was all for sinner's gain
Mine, mine was the transgression
But Thine the deadly pain
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
Tis I deserve Thy place
Look on me with Thy favor
Vouchsafe to me Thy grace

What language shall I borrow
To thank Thee, dearest Friend
For this Thy dying sorrow
Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever
And should I fainting be
Lord, let me never, never,
Out live my love to Thee.

   -- Paul Gerhandt, 1650 AD


Ageless words about the ageless
act.....Christ's work on the cross...
O how He loves you and me.....

Re-thinking diet - Solution #20

But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel.

In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test.

So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.
                       -- Psalm 106:13-15



They gave into their craving....they were in the wilderness desert, in a wasteland.

They were outside the Promised Land. They had not entered the land that flowed with milk and honey and all God's goodness.

Maybe we also need to move on.....

1. They forgot what?

2. They didn't wait for what?

3. Then they gave into what?

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #19

Rome wasn't built in a day -- No, it wasn't built in a day. But it was built by the day.

Stone by stone the mighty buildings went up. Mile by mile the highways sliced through the frontier. It took centuries, but even today we can witness the perseverance of the great Roman empire builders.

Rome didn't just drift into view, suddenly appearing on the landscape. It was designed and constructed by daring men with patience and vision.

And so it is with us.

We don't just "happen" to live healthy lives. It has to be a purpose that drives us to say "No" to some things and "Yes" to others.

It's about making choices. Decisions. Daily.

Not in a day. But by the day.

Victories are about the daily battles. Not about the war.

 One choice at a time.

 

     Make every effort to add to your faith goodness,

    and to goodness knowledge, and to knowledge,  self-control, and to self-control perseverance.

                            -- 2 Peter 1:5-6

 

 

1. We add to our faith,__________________.

 

2. And to goodness, we add________________.

 

3. And to knowledge, we add_________________.

 

4. And to self-control, we add_________________.

 

Any significance to the order of virtues?

 



Re-thinking Diet -Solution #18

I spread out my hands to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.
    -- Psalm 143:6


Crave food? Desserts? Extra fries? (After all, the super-sized is certainly a better buy -- doesn't that make us better stewards of God's money?)

It's all false - pseudo satisfaction.

Numbing us to our real thirst and hunger.

Lord, teach me to understand that what I really crave
is more of You in my life....not more food...

Teach me to seek the fullest measure of You  --  to recognize that all other earthly desires do not compare to Your satisfying presence.

Nothing in the world compares to You!

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #17

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
                                    -- Titus 2:11-15


1. What has the grace of God brought us?

2. This grace has taught us to live what kind of lives?
     (3 answers)

3. What are we to say "No" to? (2 answers)

4. What is the blessed hope we are waiting for?

5. Christ came to redeem us from what?

6. Why?

7. Finish this sentence: To purify for himself a people
that are his own,____________ to do___________
____________________.

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #16

Two realities at work in our lives: (1) God's fullness
and (2) our emptiness.

What we lack, God can supply.

Our greatest craving is for Him to fill our emptiness.



Taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8).

You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. (Psalm 4:8).

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #15 - C S Lewis - Be filled with God!

The Makeover

Imagine yourself as a living house.  God comes in to rebuild that house.
 
At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you know that those jobs need doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense.

What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to make it into a decent little cottage, but He is building a palace.

He intends to come and live in it Himself.

                  - C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity



     For this reason I kneel before the Father, from
     whom his whole family in heaven and on earth
     derives its name.

     I pray that out of his glorious riches he may
     strengthen you with power through his Spirit
     in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in
     your hearts by faith...

     that you may be filled to the measure of all the
     fullness of God.

                    - Ephesians 3:14-19


     Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If
     anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
     will come in and eat with him and he with me.

                      - Revelation 3:20

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #14 - C.S. Lewis

No man knows how bad he is til he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means.

This is an obvious lie.

Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not be giving in.

You find out the strength of the wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down.

A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later...We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it.

                   - C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Re-thinking Diet- Solution #13

     If you wait, your heavenly Father will pick you up,
     carry you out into the night, and make your life
     sparkle. He wants to dazzle you with the wonder
     of his love.
                            -- Paul Miller, A Praying Life


If we wait. I think about how many times I do not wait. Impulsive and anxious, I reach out for what
appears to be what would satisfy me most the fastest.

But if I wait...God can show me his wonders and
make my life sparkle with the glory of his love.

That really satisfies!

 

Don't be frazzled -- be dazzled --

 

 

Re - thinking Diet - Solution #12 - C S Lewis - Seek enjoyment!

The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself.


We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ; and nearly every every description of what we shall ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire.

If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit this notion...

that is no part of the Christian faith.

Indeed if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord find our desires not too strong, but too weak.

We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.

We are far too easily pleased.

                            - C. S Lewis, The Weight of Glory


Still making mud pies? God's provision is so much better!

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #11

Avoiding diet pitfalls . . .

   My Journal

 

Monday. I went to town. There was a big hole in the middle of the road. I fell in. I cried out, "Please save me! It was not my fault!" I finally found my way out.

 

Tuesday. I went to town. There was a big hole in the middle of the road. I fell in. I cried out, "Help! It was not my fault. Why is this hole here?" I finally found my way out.

 

Wednesday.  I went to town. There was a big hole in the middle of the road. I fell in. I cried out, "Oh God, this was my fault. I knew this hole was here. Please help me get out."  I got out.

 

Thursday. I went to town. There was a big hole in the middle of the road. I skirted around it and went on to town.

 

Friday. I went to town. I took another road.
 

 

Question: Why make it harder than it already is?

 

 

 

 

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #10

In the 'old days' our mothers would caution us about
eating snacks before dinner -- "it will spoil your appetite," she would say.

Frankly, I can't remember my appetite being spoiled very often - unless I was sick!

And look how often these days we serve "appetizers"
before a meal! The dictionary defines an appetizer as something served to stimulate the appetite!

I don't need anything to stimulate my appetite - I
look at those wonderful dishes as an extra course!

When we become Christians God gives us a spiritual appetite, so we will crave His Word and His will and His presence -- can "spiritual junk food" spoil that appetite?

I'm here to tell you it sure can! and will!

Feed on God's Word, on His presence, on HIM - and see how you always possess a healthy appetite!

And ask Him to stimulate your spiritual appetite so you will crave all He wants to give you!

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #9

 

Don't forget to exercise!

 

 

Weak and wounded sinner, lost and left to die
Raise your hand, for Love is passing by.
Come to Jesus! Come to Jesus!
     Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted and carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain
So sing to Jesus! Sing to Jesus!
     Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby, don't be afraid to crawl
Remember when we walk sometimes we fall
So fall on Jesus! Fall on Jesus!
     Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely and steep
And filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain
Cry to Jesus! Cry to Jesus!
     Cry to Jesus and live!


And when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside
Then dance for Jesus! Dance for Jesus!
     Dance for Jesus and live!


And with your final heartbeat,
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace and laugh on glory's side
And fly to Jesus! Fly to Jesus!
     Fly to Jesus and live!
                                     - Words by Chris Rice

The best exercise program of all:

 

DANCE FOR JESUS! 

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #8

People talk a lot about the "seven deadly sins."

Pope Gregory, in the 6th century, officially compiled the list, not as an act of condemnation, but to help understand the nature of sin.

The 7 sins he included were, he felt, the root of all sin: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride.

It wasn't that these were the worst, he determined, but all sin sprouted from these.

So what's so wrong with gluttony? Seems kind of mild when compared to murder and adultery.

Gluttony is a lack of self-control, a specific fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5). If we cannot control our response to food, our use of the Internet, TV, porn, etc. then we have allowed those addictions to control us.

We have given up the power to say "No!"

Instead of being controlled by the Spirit, we have turned over the ownership of our lives to a usurper, to another master - The evil One who wants to take God's place in the universe and in our lives.

Who is in control of our lives?
 
There is an inner battle taking place all the time in our hearts. A battle between our fallen nature and our new Christian nature.

When we practice self-control, or self-discipline, we are engaging the enemy.


Saying "No" can be fun! Keep a journal today of how many times you can say "No!" - to any addiction.


P.S. Around 1300 Dante wrote a poem called Divine Comedy. He is imagining a tour of Heaven, Purgatory and Hell. In the section he calls The Inferno (Hell)
he pictures nine great circles.  In circle 3 he places the gluttons. They are guarded by the great 3-headed worm-monster, Cerebus.

In order to get by Cerebus, he has to feed the monster's three heads with mud!

The gluttons are forced to lie a foul, vile slush, renewed with icy rain...forever! (Freezing is a preservative!)
 
It appears that as people begin taking steps toward self-indulgence their lives become solitary. The gluttons lie sightless and do not realize they have neighbors. They are totally self-absorbed and self-indulged with satisfying their own cravings, with no consideration for another's needs and comforts.

The true result of addictions is this vile, horrible slush, reminding us that what seemed attractive and allured us originally was actually nasty and foul.

As handfuls of mud pacified Cerebus, so gluttons are sustained throughout eternity -- in their abode of filthy slime! Like pigs in their sty.

But they are stuck with it forever, no longer able to make any other choices. Self-control is no longer an option.

(And Dante called his poem a Comedy!)

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #7

     I am the LORD your God, who brought you out
     of Egypt.

     Open wide your mouth and I will fill it...

     If my people would but listen to me, if Israel
     would follow my ways, how quickly I would
     subdue their enemies and turn my hand against
     their foes!

     ....you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
     with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.
                              --Psalm 81:11-16



Open wide your mouth and I will fill it! I will satisfy
you!

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #6

    
     But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in
     the desert against the Most High.

     They wilfully put God to the test by demanding
     the food they craved.

     They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread
     a table in the desert?"

     When the LORD heard them he was very angry...
     Yet he gave a command to the skies above and
     opened the doors of heaven.

     He rained down manna for the people to eat, he
     gave them the grain of heaven.
 
     Men ate the bread of angels.
                                  Psalm 78:17-25




Rebelling against the Most High?

They demanded the food they craved.

He gave them the bread of angels.

In the deserts of my heart,

let the healing fountains

start --

 

in the prison of my days,

teach this free man

how to praise.....

 

 

Stop craving...start praising!

 

 

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #5

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
--Luke 9:16-17


They all ate and were satisfied....do we often feel satisfied? Satisfied, the text says; not stuffed...not miserable from eating too much..not "I just couldn't eat another bite right now..let's wait a little while for dessert" not feeling guilty from overeating...just wonderfully satisfied....the perfect amount...

and there were left-overs...


     Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after 
     righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
                   --Matthew 5:6



Are we sometimes eating and just keep eating for the wrong reasons...or for no reason at all?

Pray to be "satisfied"

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #4

Sometimes it's about "just saying 'no'!"


Say "no" once, feel virtuous...
Say "no" twice, feel vitality....
Say "no" three times, feel victorious!


     Then he said to them all: "If anyone would
     come after me, he must deny himself, and
     take up his cross daily, and follow me."
                             -- Luke 9:23


He must deny himself daily....

Denying ourselves in smaller decisions will help prepare us to be able to deny ourselves in larger decisions.


Sometimes it's in the small things -- the daily things -- that we most honor the Savior.
 

                                            ~~~~~~~


What Is Virtue?

There is a difference between some particular just or temperate actions and being a just or temperate man.

Someone who is not a good tennis player may now and then make a good shot.

What you mean by a good player is the man whose eyes and muscles and nerves have been so trained by making innumerable good shots that they can now be relied on.

They have a certain tone or quality which is there even when he is not playing, just as a mathematician's mind has a certain habit and outlook that is there even when he is not doing mathematics.

In the same sense a man who perseveres in doing just actions gets in the end a certain quality of character. Now it is that quality, rather than the particular actions, which we mean when we talk of "virtue."
                                    --  C. S. Lewis

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #3

If we don't change the direction we are headed, we will end up where we are going.



     In the same way, count yourselves dead to
     sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

     Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal
     body so that you obey its evil desires.

     Do not offer the parts of your body to sin,
     as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer
     yourselves to God...and offer the parts of your
     body to him as instruments of righteousness.

     For sin shall not be your master...
                           -- Romans 6:11-15



Today is the first day of the rest of your life!


Today is the day to change the direction we are headed, so we won't end up where we are going!

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #2

Re-think yesterday. Did you eat (or graze, or nibble thoughtlessly) when you were?

Sad?
Bored?
Angry?
Depressed?
Anxious?

Would you have impulsively grabbed those calories and sought comfort in food if you have felt at peace?

     And the peace of God, which transcends all
     understanding, will guard your hearts and
     minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7



guard...protect...our hearts, our minds...our cravings....the peace of God transcends all understanding.....cultivating the peace of God will likely never make it into a diet book!

Re-thinking Diet - Solution #1

The bathroom scale is not the guide. Daily, hourly, minute-by-minute, making choices to honor God in all that I do - all that I do -- that is the true scale.

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
           (I Corinthians 10:31)