Does God Learn?

So I was in a conversation this Thanksgiving day weekend with another pastor of a Christian Church.  (Just in case you don't know, a "Christian Church"  is actually a denomination.  It is a sister church of the Church of Christ.)  Now they have some particular distinctives, one of which is baptismal regeneration, which is the idea that a person is not saved until they are baptized.  That's problematic.  But deeper than that problem resides how one views God.  Everything flows from how we view man and how we view God.  That's where the conversation got interesting.  It quickly rested--where it needed to--on the subject of God's sovereignty. 

But...what does it mean for God to be sovereign?

How to Delight in God

While I was reading the Scriptures this morning, I was struck with the design of God's word.  Two psalms (I'm sure there's more) that I came across-111 & 112-are both acrostic psalms.  That is to say that each line begins with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  Why?...Why would God inspire that?

What Does it Mean to Glorify God?

This IS what we were created for according to Isaiah 43:7--"Everyone that is called by name, whom I have created for my glory, I have made him, yes I have formed him"  So...if that is what we were created for, how do we glorify him?  To this I turn to Jonathan Edwards who waxes so elegantly:


"Now what is glorifying God, but a rejoicing at that glory he has displayed?  An understanding of the perfections of God, merely, cannot be the end of creation; for he had as good [i.e., might as well] not understand it, as see it and not be at all moved with joy at the sight.  Neither can the highest end of creation be the declaring God's glory to others; for the declaring God's glory is good for nothing otherwise than to raise joy in ourselves and others at what is declared."  

Knowing Scripture

So many times have I heard people say that 'the Pharisees knew Scripture far better than anyone else, and look where that got them!'  Knowing Scripture in that sense will always take us to that end--spiritual death.  The Pharisees knew the words of Scripture, but where hardened to the truth of it.  In fact, based on the testimony of Jesus, they didn't believe the Scriptures:

Contending for HIS Fame...

This being my first post, I would like to start out with a question and an explanation.  A very basic question that everybody should ask, but a large number don't; and an explanation for the title of this blog.  First the question:  Why did God create you?  Most people after thinking for a bit will answer: "He created me because He loved me"  Tis true that God loves His creatures--"God is love"-- but that is not the ultimate reason.  The ultimate reason for God creating you is for His own fame.  For His renown.  For His own glory.   Genesis 1:26 says  "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."  But really what the heck does that mean?  What does it mean that God made us in His image FOR His glory?