Origin, existence, intention...

Life's main questions are being answered in the Word of God; that is... if one decides to take time to read the ancient words of wisdom and prophecy.

Who am I?  Where do I come from and where am I going? What is my purpose here on earth? Just a few questions that have intrigued generations upon generations. I read somewhere that many people today struggle with existential questions.

The other day I came across a scripture that I had to read at least three or four times. Wow, so much truth and revelation in one verse! I am talking about Romans 11:36,

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

There you have it, three in one.

• Origin: everything comes from Him. It reminds me of John 1:3 where it is written about Jesus, God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. Our very origin is with God, how awesome is that?!
• Existence: everything exists by His power. That reminds me of Colossians 1:17 where it is written about Jesus, He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. If it wasn't for His power, everything would have fallen apart a long time ago!
• Intention: everything is intended for His glory. And that reminds me of 1 Corinthians 8:6 where it is written, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live. Our lives are no coincidence, not random, and not to be lived without purpose. We live for God through Jesus and that brings great joy and fulfillment.

Well, I don't know about you, but I am super encouraged by the richness of this verse.

The presence of God (1)

God, the Creator of heaven and earth, is omnipresent. A difficult word maybe, but it simply means that He is everywhere. Of course He is, because He is not bound by place, time or dimension.

If God is omnipresent, why do Christians often talk about experiencing the presence of God? Shouldn't we be able to experience Him anytime, anywhere? Or, are there any specific moments, places, or occasions where His presence is more noticeable?

On the other hand, many people ask themselves 'where was God' when it comes to war, terrorism, violence, abuse, or other misery. On a personal level, where was He when I needed Him so much? Perhaps that is a question you have asked as well...

I've decided to write a few short, simple blogs about 'The Presence of God' in a new series. Sometimes we use such terms so easily, but what does it really mean? And where are all those people who experience God's presence just about every day? To be honest, sometimes I don't notice Him at all.

So, it will be good to think about this topic for a while. Will you join me?

Why do conspiracies exist?

Nowadays there is a lot of talk about conspiracy theories and just as many warnings to stay away from them because they mostly fall in the category 'fake news'... well, so we are told.

The more information that is available, the harder it gets to filter true and false stories. It seems that with every secret revealed, a contra-theory rises up. It is a vicious battlefield we find ourselves in, whether we like it or not, whether we follow conspiracy theories or not.

May I point out that the Bible speaks clearly about conspiracies. 👉The question thereby is not whether a conspiracy is true or false, but rather why it exists. Let's take a look at one of the most intriguing questions in the Bible, as found in Psalm 2:1,

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?

It could be a question asked by many people today. WHY do nations (corporate level) and peoples (private level) engage in plots and schemes? Why can't we live in peace together? Why all this uproar? David answers the question in verse 2: The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.

In the Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) it is written like this: Why are the nations in an uproar, the peoples grumbling in vain? The earth’s kings are taking positions, leaders conspiring together, against Adonai and his anointed.

Kings are taking positions, leaders conspiring together against Adonai, against God and against the Messiah (Messiah means anointed one)... Somehow David received this insight, that all the violence, wars, and uproar of nations were acts of rebellion against God. I mentioned it in one of my previous blogs: ultimately this is all a battle between good and evil, between light and darkness, between God and satan. It would be dangerously ignorant to deny this, simply because it plays out right in front of our eyes, every day!

Yes, there is an evil plot to overturn all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy. Yes, there was, is, and will be a plot against Jesus and what He stands for: love, grace, righteousness, peace, forgiveness, purity, and joy. The early believers acknowledged it: Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed (Acts 4:27).

The other day I saw a picture of an individual in a big demonstration. He was holding up a sign that said, 'if Jesus comes back, kill him again'. The sheer hatred against the Son of God who went around doing good and healing all who were sick and oppressed, plays out on an individual as well as a corporate level. Yes, there is a conspiracy (a huge one), there is no denying it.

Our reaction? We should pray as the early believers did (Acts 4:29-30): Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

Where to find wisdom?

In my previous blog posts, I wrote about 'coveting' and 'healthy desires'. Thou shalt not covet ... who doesn't know these words from the Bible? To covet basically means yearning to possess something or greatly desiring something (especially when it belongs to someone else).

Are all desires wrong? No of course not. That same Bible says (Proverbs 8:11) that nothing we can ever desire can be compared with wisdom. Then it makes sense that we have to go after wisdom, right?

The search for WISDOM is a wonderful adventure. Do you know who wrote about such a quest? Job. When we think about Job, we usually think of all the drama in his life, but there was also a passionate search for wisdom. Job 28:13,

👉 But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

Let's continue reading what he has to say about it, verses 15-20,

It cannot be bought with gold. It cannot be purchased with silver.

It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.

Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above rubies.

Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it. It’s worth more than the purest gold.

“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

Quite honestly, the price of wisdom cannot be determined, it far exceeds everything of value. We live in a world where there is a lot of knowledge and science. But wisdom, true wisdom, where can it be found? In verse 23, Job says: God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found,

I think that is a valuable clue. Don't look for education, experience or science ... God knows the way. That takes us back to Proverbs 8, the chapter about wisdom. Several clues can be found in that very chapter. Do you see them?

More precious than rubies

"Go, and find out what healthy desires are," I wrote in my previous blog, quoting Mark 11:24 where it says, Therefore I say unto you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.

If we are allowed to pray for things we desire, 'desiring' in itself can not be wrong; although most of us have been taught it is. I think that is precisely why the tenth commandment is not a restriction, but a challenge to find out what we may and should desire. That has also been the point of view in my book My Neighbor's House.

Paul writes about the tenth commandment: I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” It is that simple, really. 😁

Do not desire covet) the things of someone else, but go after what God has reserved for you. I consulted the Bible and came to Proverbs, chapter 8, the chapter about wisdom. In verse 11 it says ...

For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.

Nothing, absolutely nothing we can ever desire can be compared with wisdom. Doesn't it make sense then, that that is the very thing we should go after?

To covet or not to covet

When I was a teenager, I found the Bible and Christianity a little oppressive. So many rules and laws. And fun things? They were prohibited, of course. I had this idea that becoming a serious Christian would limit my 'freedom' and so I kept postponing the choice to live for Jesus.

Although I did not grow up in a very "conservative" church, the Ten Commandments were an invisible guide in our family. I always thought the tenth commandment to be difficult: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. Well, can't we do anything at all then?

After I had given my life to Jesus, I slowly began to see that those words were not meant as a restriction, but rather as a challenge. A challenge to find out what we should desire. No, not our neighbor's stuff ... but the very things that God has reserved for us.

Have you ever read it that way? It became the approach in my English book My Neighbor's House. Go, and find out what healthy desires are. In Mark 11:24 it says: Therefore I say unto you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them. Obviously, this is not about our neighbor's stuff.  But then, what is it?

Solomon's question

I am a curious person by nature. I like to ask questions, simply because I like to learn. And yeah, I have questions for God as well.

Throughout the Bible we encounter many people who had  questions for God. Like Solomon for example. He had built a temple for God's presence but at some point he found it hard to believe that the Lord God would actually be there. You can read all about that in 1 Kings 8. In verse 27 he asks this question: ‘but will God really dwell on earth?’ I have used his question in my latest book In My Name. I quote:

"It might as well be one of our questions today. Are You really, really with us Lord? Are You there when we pray and prophesy in Your name? Can we trust You to show up when we need You? Is Your Holy Spirit in us and among us equivalent to the presence of Jesus on earth? Does that sound familiar?

Some of my questions over the years have been: How come nothing happened when we prayed for my sick friend? Why didn’t You show up when we called on Your name? Why didn’t You heal my niece when we prayed? I don’t know about you, but I can relate to Solomon’s question. Will God really dwell on earth?

We talk about Him and His presence, a lot. But talking about Him is not the same as experiencing Him. Many people talk about God, some of them even from a pulpit, but they never had a real encounter with God. The Bible states that God’s presence fills the heavens and the earth, but what about our living rooms or back yards? 👉What about our church buildings and religious gatherings? 

How come we can sit in a meeting and not sense God at all? How come we can be in a church setting where it is all about God, but it seems He decided not to show up? I don’t know about your experiences, but I have often felt disappointed about the emptiness of our religious activities. I have often felt powerless when my prayers weren’t being answered and God seemed a million miles away. Yes, I can certainly relate to Solomon’s question."

Can you?

In My Name is available in Kindle format on Amazon for $2.99.

Give me a Q

In my Bible Alphabet Blog Series Q stands for Questions.

FAQ, or better known as frequently asked questions. Frequently asked questions addressed to God by all men, whether Christian or not.

Why is there so much suffering? Why do You allow this? Why don't You do anything about this? Why don't I experience You more often? Etc. etc. Do you recognize this ongoing record?

Going through the Bible we discover that we often talk before we listen, asking these same questions over and over again. In doing so, we tend to take up God's position. Yes, in a way we do, because it is God Himself who is asking the really important questions.

Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye? Why do you have such evil thoughts? Why did you doubt? Why do you ask me what is good? Why do you not do what I'm saying? Why do you worry?

Somehow we have developed this habit to call the Supreme Ruler of the universe to be accountable for every disaster, every pain, for everything that doesn't happen to our liking and for the many things we cannot comprehend with our finite minds. But if we take an honest look at His Word we can and will discover that God has many questions for mankind, especially for the Believers.

Are we able to answer His questions?