Search Results for: blog putting god in a box

Ignoring God’s Promptings

Have you ever felt prompted NOT to do a certain thing but went ahead anyway? Or you felt a prompting to do something but didn’t? Afterwards you realized you should have listened to that inner voice. A while back I had such an experience. For our 40th wedding anniversary my husband bought me a beautiful ring. I wanted to wear it to a 21st birthday party. So I did. We slept overnight at our son’s place, which meant I also wore the ring to the football game the next day. Even though I felt prompted to take the ring off, … Continue reading →

Putting It Into Practice – part 2

There’s a lot about the writing life that reminds me of the Christian life. As writers not everything we write will be accepted and published. Rejection, struggle and knock backs are part of most, dare I say all, writers lives. It’s how they are handled that makes the difference. It’s like I wrote about the other day – attitude. Our attitude can cause us to give up when rejection comes or to dig our toes in and think, ‘I’ll show you.’ This sort of attitude keeps us pressing on with determination. Sometimes that’s exactly what we need to do in … Continue reading →

Putting It Into Practice.

The Christian life is life being a learner driver. It’s not enough to master something once. We need to practice and practice it. We can’t sit on our laurels and assume we have mastered something. It’s never ceases to amaze me how God knows exactly where’re we’re at and what we need to learn or re-learn. Yesterday I wrote about attitudes to people and situations. This morning I had a chance to put it all into practice and I have to admit I did not come off as well as I ought. The day started when my puppy woke me … Continue reading →

Is It Okay To Be Angry With God? – part 2

In my last blog we looked at the question, is it okay to be angry with God? We looked at some Old Testament characters that were angry. Today we’ll look at some people from the New Testament. When we come to the New Testament and the sisters Mary and Martha, we find, in concern for their brother when he was sick, they sent to Jesus to come and help, John 11:3. Instead of immediately rushing to their aid, even though he loved this family, Jesus delayed another two days before setting out, John 11.6. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus … Continue reading →

Is It Okay To Be Angry With God?

Recently I heard some bad news about a dear friend and it upset me. I have to say my first thoughts were, ‘Why Lord? Why would you allow this to happen to someone whose only desire has been always to worship and serve you?’ Behind my questioning there was more than a hint of anger. So, what do you think? Is it okay to be angry with God? When we look at the Bible, our guidebook for living, we see several Old Testament examples of people who were angry with God and let Him know about it. Job is angry … Continue reading →

Does God Want us to Be Healthy, Wealthy and Wise? – Part 2

Job was one Old Testament example of someone who, despite being godly, experienced great suffering and lost his health and wealth. Today I’m going to look at a New Testament example – that of the apostle Paul. No-one would deny Paul was a godly man greatly used by God, as he spread the gospel message to the Gentiles. But did God bless him with good health, and wealth? A look at several passages will reveal the answer to this. Could anyone say because he was God’s servant Paul got everything easy? Have a look at 2 Corinthians 11:24-33. This shows … Continue reading →

Putting God in a Box – Part 4

Over a few days we’ve looked at some people who had distorted views of God. They did not see the all powerful God of the Bible but tried to put human restrictions and limitations on God. So often we can do that too. We can expect God to do the big, miraculous things and fail to see him in the everyday, little things of life. Elijah had seen a decisive demonstration of God’s power and might at Mt Carmel, I Kings 18. Mt Carmel was a victory for Isaiah’s God against the so called gods of Baal as Israel acknowledged … Continue reading →

Putting God in a Box – Part 3

Jesus broke free of the misconceptions and ideas the Samaritan woman had as we saw in yesterday’s blog. It was just the Samaritan woman tried to put Him in a box. Even the disciples had trouble with Jesus, His teaching and the fact that He did not fit the image they had of the Messiah. Some turned from Jesus when His teaching was difficult and did not please them, John 6:66. This departure obviously affected Jesus for he turned to the twelve and asked whether they also wanted to leave him, verse 68. Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we … Continue reading →

Putting God in a Box

Are you trying to put God in a box, telling Him how He should act, what He should do in your current situation and how He should resolve it? I think it’s something we’ve probably all been guilty of at times. Recently we had a guest speaker come to our church. Keith Fellows is involved with SECET and teaches Christian Education at our local high school Vincentia High. I’m thankful that in Australia, we still have the opportunity for Christians to go in to state schools and share God’s Word with those who may never go to church or hear … Continue reading →

Putting God In A Box – Part 2

In my last blog we looked at the idea of how we can try and box God in to fit with our expectations, plans and desires. In John 4 we meet a woman who was amazed when Jesus did not act as expected but broke out of rules and convention to meet her at her point of need. Jews would rather take the long way around rather than go through the Samaritan territory. Jesus did not. Verse 4 tells us ‘He had to pass through Samaria’– not because there was no there way but because Jesus knew in Samaria there … Continue reading →