God Is (T.H.E.O.S)... 

I Am (W.D.F.S.M.)...

 

 
Last Sunday I reviewed five values I believe in and we teach from God’s Word. Today I match them with the five aspects of living the covenant life, from chapter 4 in the Reformers Creed book.

    

T             God is transcendent (other, beyond, above like the top of the capital letter “T” -I am

                   a  worshipper  whom God  seeks.      (Jn 4:23-24)

H           God is re-presented delegated hierarchy. I am Christ's disciple so I can be 

                  discipled by another person and disciple others (Jn 8:31-32).

E            God shows his love giving us ethics  - I am  growing in love and the fellowship of

                  covenant relationships  by my obedience to God (Acts 2:42-46 and 1 Cor 13 “Love) 

O           God gives us his solemn oath of blessing and curses in covenant and I agree to His

                   terms-I am stewarding all I am and all I have been given for Christ (1Pet4:11).

S             God continues relationship and builds His kingdom through succession of

                   generational transfer, winning the lost and making discisples.  I am on co-mission  

                   with Christ for his kingdom and for the gospel (Mt28:18-19).

 

There is a progression from W   -->   D   -->   F   -->    S   -->    M  ...

Seeing God as He is, how could I not believe and worship? 

Seeing and believing and worshipping God, how could I not take up my own cross and follow him to be his disciple? 

Seeing, believing, worshipping and following God, how could I not love others, seeking their good and desiring fellowship and covenant with them?

Seeing, believing, worshipping, following and fellowshipping God with you, how could I not serve and minister to and with you (stewardship) using everything He has given to Me for His glory and joy? 

Seeing, believing, worshipping, following, fellowshipping and stewarding for God, how could we not go on co-mission with Him? How could we not want others to know Him and the good news of his kingdom? How could we not pray for them by name and nation, and invite them and befriend them and believe for them to belong and become re-formed with us and together participate With Christ in the re-forming of the earth in his image?

-PD

“So what?”

Reformers: We’ve learned that God has some traits we can’t have and other traits He imparts to us. This week our focus is “What should we be like?”
Another week we learn what should the world should like (God’s form to reflect His image).

Wednesday night, after watching a video of Patti Amsden teach chapter 1 from her book, I asked the youth and young adult Reformers Group this question: “So what?” OK, so there are things we cannot share with God but also traits He desires us to share with him in order to bear his likeness and image. What difference does that make to me? They shared the following:

“I can praise Him more.” “I can better represent him to others.” “I'm overwhelmed with Him and don't know how to express how I feel.” “I just want to swallow, digest, receive more of Him.” “It makes me know I'm never alone. No one is alone because God is always present.” “Everything is inter-related like “the butterfly effect” (a butterfly’s wings affects wind currents far away especially as combined with other effects). So I realized that everything matters and everything has a purpose. Therefore I will see and treat others differently because they matter.” “I can trust him. He never changes. He's always good and I can have more faith in God because his word is true.”

A Good Worldview begins with good thoughts about God - theology Matters! Once we answer questions like how things began and why we here we can apply a good theology to what we should be like and do. Then we apply good “God-thoughts” to what the world should be like. The result will be a clearer idea of what went wrong and what God wants us to do about it—be reformers!

God is not willing that any should perish. 2 Pet 3:9. God wants all men to be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4. The shepherd sought lost sheep; the woman sought the lost coin; the Father welcomed his lost son (Luke 15) all shared in great JOY. Those who go forth bearing precious seed shall come again rejoicing bringing their sheaves with them. (Ps 126)

-PD