O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

God knows everything about us, even to the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30), and still he accepts and loves us. God is with us through every situation, in every trial - protecting, loving, guiding. He knows and loves us completely.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.

God is omnipresent - he is present everywhere. Because of this, you can never be lost to his Spirit. No matter what we do or where we go, we can never be far from God’s comforting presence (see Romans 8:35-39).

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

God’s character goes into the creation of every person. When you feel worthless or even begin to despise yourself, remember that God’s spirit is ready and willing to work within you. We should have as much respect for ourselves as our Maker has for us.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

David’s hatred for his enemies came from his zeal for God. David regarded his enemies as God’s enemies, so his hatred was a desire for God’s righteous justice and not for personal vengeance. Is it okay to be angry at people who hate God? Yes, but we must remember that it is God who will deal with them, not us. If we truly love God, then we will be deeply hurt if someone hates him.

David asked God to search his heart and mind and point out any wrong motives that may have been behind his strong words. But while we seek justice against evil, we must also pray that God’s enemies will turn to him before he judges them (see Matthew 5:44).

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

David asked God to search for sin and point it out, even to the level of testing his thoughts. We should all ask the Lord to search our heart and our thoughts and reveal our sin to us, so that we may repent and be forgiven…

Tags: psalms, christianity, bible

Psalm 139 in the NKJV (New King James Version). Notes are from the Life Application Study Bible by Zondervan.

One of the most beautiful illustrations of who Jesus is can be found in the gospel of John, at the very beginning. In this passage we read about the various manifestations of God. Now some people believe in what is commonly called “The Trinity”, while others have a “oneness of the godhead” belief. Regardless of which of those doctrines that believers adapt, when asked “Is Jesus God?” they will both reply with an emphatic ‘Yes!’

Let’s look at the gospel of John, chapter 1 verses 1-18 (NIV):

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

In this passage of Scripture, we learn that the ‘Word was God’. Then the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. In the very last verse, “the One and Only” (which it says “came from the Father”) is referred to as “God the One and Only”.

There is only one God, but throughout the bible we are made aware of the different manifestations of God - in the Word, in the Flesh, and in the Spirit. Each of these manifestations seems to have their own persona, yet they are all one with God in mission and purpose.

There is another passage in the book of John which you may find of interest as well:

• John 14:6-9 (NIV)
  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
   
  Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
   
  Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

 And in Matthew, regarding the birth of Jesus:

• Matthew 1:22-23 (NIV)
  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” - which means, “God with us.”

But some of the more eye-opening Scriptures that tell us Jesus is God can be found in the book of Revelation. While many believe that Revelation is simply full of ‘revelations’, specifically about the end times, one of the main purposes of this book is to reveal the true identity of Christ.

In Revelations 1:8 we read: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

In my bible these words are in red, which means that this is Jesus Christ speaking. When I first looked at this I was unsure if this was God speaking, or Jesus speaking… until I read further in Revelations…

Revelation 21:6 (and this is coming from the loud voice from the one seated on the throne) - “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

This was God speaking.

But in Revelation 22:12-16, the words are again in red - and this time we can be sure that this passage is spoken by Jesus Christ:

Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

And John concludes the book of Revelation by saying, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

The one question that many people ask is this: How can Jesus be God, or how can they all be “one” when they were clearly all three present when John the Baptist baptized Jesus? The answer to that question is this: God is Omnipotent and he is Omnipresent (which means being present everywhere at the same time).

Psalm 139:8
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Also see these recent bible studies:

• Doctrine of The Trinity
• The Names of Jesus

Tags: Jesus, God, trinity, revelation, christianity, bible study

In different settings, Jesus gave himself names that pointed to special roles he was ready to fulfill for people. Some of these refer back to the Old Testament promises of the Messiah. Others were ways to help people understand him.

• Son of Man (John 6:27)

Jesus’ favorite reference to himself. It emphasized his humanity - but the way he used it, it was a claim to divinity.

• Bread of Life (John 6:35)

Refers to his life-giving role. That he is the only source of eternal life.

• Light of the World (John 8:12)

Light is a symbol of spiritual truth. Jesus is the universal answer for man’s need of spiritual truth.

• Gate for the Sheep (John 10:7)

Jesus is the only way into God’s kingdom.

• Good Shepherd (John 10:11)

Jesus appropriated the prophetic images of the Messiah pictured in the Old Testament. This is a claim to divinity, focusing on Jesus’ love and guidance.

• The Ressurection and the Life (John 11:25)

Not only is Jesus the source of life, he is the power over death.

• The Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)

Jesus is the method, the message, and the meaning for all people. With this title he summarized his purpose in coming to earth.

• The Vine (John 15:1)

This title has an important second part, “you are the branches.” As in so many of his other names, Jesus reminds us that just as branches gain life from the vine and cannot live apart from it, so we are completely dependent on Christ for spiritual life.

Tags: jesus, names of jesus, jesus name, christianity, new testament, bible study

Personally I didnt give it a lot of thought, or I should say it didnt initially concern me. Baptism is baptism, right? But as I was studying the Word, I noticed some interesting things… and decided to go back and take a second look at water baptism.

I had just completed a study on the great commission, and also on water baptism. What is commonly referred to as “the great commission” is found in three of the four gospels, and it is the version found in the book of Matthew (28:18-20) that is most popular. This is where we find the instructions for baptizing “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.

 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded of you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)

This is the Scripture that is always pointed out in defense when someone declares that all baptism should be done “in Jesus’ name”. But let me give you something interesting to consider…

In the passage quoted above, Jesus was speaking to the 11 disciples at an appointed place just outside of Galilee. This took place after the ressurection, but before he ascended into heaven. In the gospel of John (20:21-23) we are told that Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into them himself, to prepare them for their mission.

Peter was one of the eleven.

Ten days later (Acts 2:38), we find Peter addressing the crowd after the Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost:

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Was Peter being disobedient? He had just been told 10 days before, and by Jesus Christ himself, to “baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. In fact, every account of water baptism after Jesus ascended into heaven was done “in the name of Jesus”.

You can’t take one scripture in the 28th chapter of Matthew, and ignore the rest of the new testament, to make a case for this issue. But at the same time, you cant ignore the words of Jesus Christ as he instructed his disciples.

So why did Peter baptize “in Jesus name” - and for that matter, why did Paul? I’ll give you two possible explanations:

Perhaps because Peter knew the name of the Father, and the name of the Son, and the name of the Holy Spirit. And he knew this name was Jesus. Perhaps he understood that all of those titles referred to his Lord and God - Jesus Christ.

It should also be noted that Matthew was Jewish. In the book of Matthew, you find many references to the “kingdom of heaven”, where in the other three gospels it is referred to as the “kingdom of God”. These phrases have the same meaning but Matthew used “kingdom of heaven” because the Jews, out of their intense reverence and respect, did not pronounce God’s name.

That is certainly something to understand in its context, considering that Matthew is the only gospel that records the baptism instructions for the early church. Could it be that Matthew wrote it the way that he did, stating the obvious?

See the following bible studies for more information:

• Water Baptism
• Jesus’ Name

Feel free to leave your comments/questions below… 

Closing Scripture, from Colossians 3:17 (NIV):

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Tags: baptism, water baptism, jesus, jesus name, great commission, acts, holy ghost, holy spirit, new testament, bible study

Instead, the bible speaks in parables and mysteries and leaves many people confused with interpretations. Wouldnt it be nice if it were just given to us in an easy-to-understand list, much like the ten commandments?

Actually, the bible is a mystery for a reason. God created us for true fellowship, and in order to do so he gave us Free Will. He wants us to actively seek him, and make a conscious choice to enter the kingdom. If it were all simplified, there would be a lot of half-hearted followers. But as it is, a person has to put forth a serious amount of desire and energy to understand the mysteries of the bible… and to come into close fellowship with God.

Consider our own relationships in comparison: When you choose who you would like to spend time with, is it the person who looks up to you and agrees with everything you say - but doesnt really get you or take the time to learn anything about you? Or is it the person who gets to know you sincerely, and contributes something to the relationship themselves?

Perhaps I didnt word that well, but I think you get the point… and thinking along these lines helps us to understand why God might have required so much of those who desire fellowship with him. God expects us to be obedient and sincere, and to put forth an effort on our end.

Jesus didnt speak in parables to confuse people. He did that to challenge those who sincerely sought the truth.

What does the bible say about its mysteries?

Matthew 13:10-17 (NIV)

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables:

Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Jesus was explaining the Parable of the Four Soils. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus goes on to say:

Luke 8:14-18 - The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.” (NIV)

‘Consider carefully how you listen’… Hmm. It is not enough to just hear the Word and to believe it. We must continue forward, become mature as Christians, ‘persevere’ and ‘produce crops’. That means we must take what we learn and do something with it.

What does ‘persevere’ mean? It means “to persist in or remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles or discouragement”.

In his letter to the Colossians (2:2-3), Paul said:

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Paul also said, in his letter to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:14 NIV):

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (NIV)

Every day people get online and search for an understanding of the mysteries contained within the bible. This list of search phrases is just an example of the active searching on this topic that occurs across the major search engines every single day:

understanding the bible 22.0 /day
study on understanding bible 16.0 /day
bible study for understanding 12.0 /day
mysteries of the bible 34.0 /day
bible mysteries 15.0 /day
how to read a bible and understand it. 7.0 /day
easy to understand bible studies 5.0 /day
how to understand and apply the bible today 5.0 /day
how to understand text in the bible 5.0 /day
easy to understand bible 4.0 /day
how do we understand bible words 4.0 /day
how can i understand the bible 3.0 /day

The key to understanding the bible, to getting revelation on the mysteries of the bible, is GOD. Your first step is to get into the Word, because when you do… the Word gets into you. Study daily, continuously seek the answers you are looking for, and pray sincerely that God will give you understanding and discernment.

Seek and you shall find. Ask and it shall be given. Praise God continually, and you will find that your eyes and mind are opened to the truths that lie within the pages of the bible!

If you came here hoping to find any other answer, I’m sorry to say there isnt one. I would encourage you to read through the individual bible studies here on this site, and to study for yourself. You’ll find truth in the Word, and in the Spirit!

It’s not enough to listen to your pastor at church on Sunday morning when he reads from the Word. It’s not enough to just complacently agree that “everything in the bible is true”. We must seek truth and revelation for ourselves, because nobody can lead us blindly into heaven - our salvation is our personal responsibility.

If you have a question about the bible, or would like to see a detailed study on a particular topic or parable from the bible, feel free to email me at Info @ BibleNewz.com (no spaces) with your suggestion. If I post a study on your topic, I will email you the link to it once it is live on the site.

Tags: christianity, bible, bible study, free will, mysteries of the bible, secrets of the bible, bible secrets, mystery, parables

The Bible Prayer Study Course is 232 pages of solid Scripture-based teaching that will help you to know the Word of God in regards to prayer and praying. You will find specific instructions on how to pray to God, the way that God intended.

This is a life-changing book that will forever change the way that you pray, and the results that you experience from prayer!

From Part 1: Learning how to pray effectively is one of the most important things a believer can ever do in his Christian walk. Really, a believer cannot be a success in fulfilling God’s purpose in his life if he does not know how to pray according to biblical principles.

A believer’s prayer life should be based and built upon the Word of God. In this study course, we’re going to discuss the many principles of prayer that are found in the Word of God.

As you study these principles of prayer, determine to get them into your heart so you can practice them in your own private prayer life. This is what I began doing more than fifty-five years ago, and I have been receiving the answers to my prayers ever since!

 
You can get this course for under $10, brand new! See: Bible Prayer Study Course on Amazon.com for more information and ordering instructions.

Tags: faith, hope, christian, christianity, church, divine intervention, spiritual healing, pray, prayer, prayers, answered prayers, how to pray, learning to pray, praying, unanswered prayers

Jesus’ name carries authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus gave us specific instructions about the use of his name in his teachings, and the apostles continued that teaching throughout the New Testament.

The New Testament represents a New Covenant - one where anyone can approach the throne of God, through Jesus…

Philippians 2:9-10
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Matthew 18:20
“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Mark 9:41
“I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.”

John 14:13-14
“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

John 20:31
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Acts 4:10-12
…then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed… Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

Acts 10:43
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

Ephesians 5:20
…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

James 5:14
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

1 John 5:13
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Revelation 19:13
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

In the 19th chapter of Revelation, we are told of the “rider on the white horse” who wears the words “King of kings, Lord of Lords”. In reference to his name being the Word of God, we can look at the gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1-18. For more on that, see the Is Jesus God? bible study linked below.

Related entries:

• Is Jesus God?
• The Names of Jesus
• Baptism in Jesus’ Name

Tags: jesus name, jesus, new testament, bible study

I am fairly new to the church I’m attending, and several times I’ve questioned whether I’m in the right place - or even a member of the right denomination. But every single week seems to bring confirmation that I am where I am supposed to be, and I feel lead to stay and get involved.

One of my closest friends stayed over last night, and as we were getting ready for church this morning I said, “TGIS!” with a big smile. She laughed and said “what’s that?” And I said, “Thank God it’s Sunday! I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

We both laughed because we knew that it wasnt very long ago that either one of us might have said “TGIF!” instead - glad for the weekend so we could get out and have some fun. It’s amazing how God can change you from the inside out, in the blink of an eye. (pause for praise)

Here’s a quick recap of my Sunday, to give you an idea why I enjoyed it so much:

I’ve just recently joined a Sunday School class. In fact, this was only my second week attending. They are in the middle of a study on the book of Acts, and today’s lesson was Acts chapter 3. Let me just say, too, that the Sunday School teacher and his wife impress me as two of the kindest people I have ever known. The very first Sunday that I attended church there, I ran into them at lunch afterwards… and they made a point to say hello and fill me in on other activities I might be interested in. Great people!

The church service was exceptionally good this morning too. One of the younger ladies got up and sang her heart out to a favorite hymn, which was a great addition to our usual praise & worship music. Everyone in the sanctuary was on their feet, clapping while she sang, and obviously moved judging by the smiles on everyones faces. She really brought a blessing to our service this morning, and I praised God for her - for her song - and for her courage.

Afterwards our pastor gave a powerful message that began in the 6th chapter of Isaiah. I’ve been studying Isaiah on my own lately, so I followed along with great interest. I could sum up the story he was referring to with the famous words: “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). He went into great depth giving us ways to look at God in a new light - to have a better understanding of Him.

I scribbled down a note, though now I cant remember if it was inspired by the pastor’s teaching, or if the pastor said it himself: “Praise God in everything that you do, and for everything in your life. There is more to prayer than needing something or asking favors.”

After a good lunch and an afternoon nap, I was refreshed and looking forward to evening service. Tonight was the beginning of a new study on the book of Revelation, to be continued each Sunday evening (though I am not sure how many Sunday’s the study lasts). Tonight’s study was on the first eight verses - Rev 1:1-8 and it was an incredible introduction to the book and to the study!

Afterwards there was a business meeting, which I stayed for - though that was the first time I had ever sat in on something like that. It was quite interesting actually, and I was glad I stayed. Our church participates in Awanis, which is an outreach program for the children. They send a bus out and pick up anyone who would like to come on Wednesday night… and the program has grown steadily for the last few years.

During tonight’s business meeting, they talked about Awanis, and the issues they were facing considering the steady growth in attendance - but the fact that the number of volunteers was about the same year after year. I am actually involved in my church because of this Awanis program… because my daughter was invited by a friend, and then ended up staying involved for three years.

During that third year, she decided to get baptized and become a member of the church, and so I attended that Sunday morning to see my daughter get baptized. I knew the moment that I walked into the sanctuary that I wanted to attend there myself.

As I was leaving tonight I spoke to the program director and told her feel free to place me where she needed me - that I would be happy to volunteer. After all, it’s the very program that was responsible for a series of life-changing events in my life over this past year.

Awanis kicks off in less than two weeks, and I am very much looking forward to being involved. Also coming up is a Tuesday night bible study on the old testament titled “Patriarchs” and a Thursday morning interdenominational study - both of which begin in September. God has given me many opportunities to grow, learn and become involved… and I am incredibly thankful for that!

Tags: sunday, church, christian, christianity, God, awanis, patriarchs

1. One God
2. The Father is God
3. The Son is God
4. The Holy Spirit is God
5. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three persons (i.e., they are not each other, nor are they impersonal; they relate to one another personally)

Source: The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity 

1. Sovereignty: Because the three persons have each other, we can be assured that God created us only to share the love they have and not as a means to His own end: Acts 17:25; John 17:21-26
2. Mystery: The trinune God is totally unlike anything in our world, and therefore greater than anything we can comprehend: Rom. 11:33-36; Isa. 40:18
3. Salvation: God alone planned our salvation, came to save us, and dwells in us to complete our salvation: 1 Pet. 1:2; Eph. 1:3-18; etc.
4. Prayer: We pray to the Father through the Son, and also pray to the Son directly, in the Spirit: John 14:13-14; Eph. 2:18; etc.
5. Worship: We worship Father and Son in the Spirit: john 4:23-24; Phil. 3:3; Heb. 1:8; etc.
6. Love: The love among the three persons is the basis and model for our love for one another: John 17:26
7. Unity: The unity of the three persons is the basis and model for the unity of the church: John 17:21-23
8. Humility: As the persons of the Trinity seek the glory of each other, so we should seek the interests of others above our own: Phil. 2:5-11; John 16:13-14
9. Sonship: We are “sons of God” as we are united with the Son of God by the work of the Holy Spirit and the adoption of the Father: john 1:12-23; Rom. 8:14-17
10. Truth: All those wo wish to worship and love God must seek to know Him as He is in truth, for God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is truth: John 4:24; 14:6, 17; 15:26; 16:13 

- See Also -
Resources on the doctrine of the Trinity  

Tags: trinity, doctrine, christianity

This came to mind to me tonight, the term Tough Love, as I was meditating on the Word. I recalled in Jesus’ teaching that he compared God to an earthly parent, so that we might grasp the concept:

Mat 7:9 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Mat 7:10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
Mat 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

In the book of Hebrews, the author quotes Proverbs in teaching us about God’s discipline:

Hbr 12:5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
Hbr 12:6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
Hbr 12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
Hbr 12:8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
Hbr 12:9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!

In Romans, Paul says:

Rom 8:14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Rom 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

We are God’s children. Imagine how our own children grieve us with their opposition and negative behavior. How it tears our hearts out that we can invest years of our time and energy… to have them tell us or show us that it meant nothing to them. Imagine loving your child more than anything else on this earth, but knowing there is nothing at all that you can do to help them.

Parents face these issues every day. With young children, teenagers… and even adult children. It is heartbreaking, and tough love is one of the most difficult things a parent ever has to put into practice. Yet they do it - for the benefit of their child - because they love them that much.

I’m not necessarily an advocate of ‘tough love’ (or not), but I do agree that you cannot go on enabling a bad behavior or a major negative problem. I know, as a parent myself, that discipline is necessary to raise a child. And you do have to set boundaries as to what you will and will not tolerate. Sometimes this means refusing a child until they make acceptable choices (such as discontinuing drug use, for example)… so that they can learn and change.

I thought of these things as I prayed to God, and called him Father. I imagined how grieved he must be with his own children at times. How sad it must make him, and how hard it is for him to watch us learn our own lessons along the way - because we didnt listen to his wisdom and truth…

But I am glad that He loves us enough to welcome us when we turn back to him. That he corrects us and disciplines us, and watches for our return - because this shows the depth of his love for us…

Mat 18:12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety‑nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?

Mat 18:13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety‑nine that did not wander off.

Tags: tough love, love, parents, parenting, children, kids, raising kids, christian, christianity, God, father, sin, bible, bible study