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Posts Tagged ‘Ephesians 2’

Love and Loneliness

Posted in Benjamin Franklin, Creation, Explanations, God's Character, God's Favor, James Weldon Johnson, John Wesley, Quotes, tagged , , , on May 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Funny how literary works and old sayings get stuck in the back of the mind and we accept wrong ideas without thinking!

James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938)


Benjamin Franklin said, “God helps those who help themselves”, and over the years most think that is in the Bible. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism says, “Cleanliness is next to godliness”, and we think that’s somewhere in the Bible, too.

James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) wrote a poem in 1922 called, “The Creation”,

AND God stepped out on space,
And He looked around and said,
“I’m lonely—
I’ll make me a world.”

And it filters down that God was somehow lonely — creating us to keep him company.

While it is a great poem (I presented it in high school drama) it is not very accurate. God was NOT lonely, did not create us from a sense of need, and has never depended on us for anything.

Why is that important? Because there is a difference between Love and Loneliness.

Loneliness focuses on self whereas Love is selfless. Ever known someone who “loved” you because they were lonely? How about someone who really loved you (regardless of what it did for them)? Notice a difference, did you?

God created through selfless love even though he knew it would cost him what was most dear (Rev. 3:8). He gave his eternal Son because he Loved (John 3:16) though most would reject (John 1:11). And throughout eternity he shall demonstrate that selfless love by pouring grace and blessing on those who enter the “secret place”1 (Ephesians 2:7)

No, God is complete within himself needing nothing but decided to share that love with the universe so they could enjoy it, too.

— fritz

1 See “A Secret Place” — April 22, 2012

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A Secret Place

Posted in Bible Places, Christ's Body, Holy Spirit, In Christ, tagged , , , , , , , on April 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” — Psalm 91:1

The Bible says God has a secret place.

Is this just a euphemism for God’s general care or is there, really, a place (physical or spiritual) not even suspected by most?  Is it just a euphemism for heaven or can the living person enter?

Psalms 31:20 calls it a “Pavilion” or “tent” saying it is a place of God’s presence, a place of safety from pride and strife of tongues. Job calls it a place of wisdom and that it is “hid from the eyes of all living” (Job 28:21) so at this point it sounds a bit like heaven, but not so fast! The New Testament, using the term “mystery”, says it is now revealed!

Paul said he discovered it and we could, too!

“By revelation [God] made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words,  whereby, when ye read ye may understand…)”– Ephesians 3:2-4

He wrote the secret mystery is that God always planned to join himself with mere human beings — and actually does so in Christ! This mystery, he said, is “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27) and that we actually enter into Christ like we enter our clothing (Galatians 3:27).

More than a euphemism, the Bible says our bodies actually become a physical part of Christ and that what we do in our bodies, both good and bad, is being done with and to Christ’s body. (1st Corinthians 6:13-17) This is why we need to do right things with our bodies. That same passage says those joined to Christ are one spirit, the human spirit infused and one with God’s Holy Spirit.

God’s secret place, his pavilion? Safe in Christ!

“God raised us up and seated us in the heavens with Christ Jesus … to show future generations the greatness of his grace by the goodness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus.” — Ephesians 2:5-7 (CEB)

Start reading the Scriptures from this perspective and a whole new world opens!

– fritz
Related Post: “Thin Places” — March 20, 2012

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Thin Places

Posted in Bible Places, In Christ, Thin Place, tagged , on March 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »

But God, … quickened us together with Christ, … and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:…” — Ephesians 2:4-7

“But ye are come unto … the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn … and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus …” — Hebrews 12:22-24

“Thin Places” are where the boundary between heaven and earth is especially thin. The Jerusalem temple is considered by some to be a “thin place”. So are various other shrines. People seek these thin places to get in touch with the divine.

But the Bible says in Christ we have been raised with Jesus and are seated with him now!

Seems to me I don’t have to go to a thin place, I live in one!

— fritz

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