I have posted on God’s omnipresence and His omnipotence. I wanted to discuss God’s other attribute last as it is probably the more difficult attribute to understand. This attribute is His omniscience. Understanding His omnipresence and omnipotence ties in and aids in understanding His omniscience.
Omniscient is the attribute of knowing and perceiving all things at all times. His knowledge is absolute. It neither increases nor decreases. It does not change. His knowledge cannot increase because He possess all knowledge at all times.
I recently read a website where the author of the article correctly stated that omniscience is “having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things.” Yet after correctly describing God as having complete and unlimited knowledge, the author went on to state that omniscience does not mean that God knows our every choice. He used Abraham and the test of sacrificing his son Isaac. The author stated that God did NOT know until the moment Abraham was ready to slay Isaac if Abraham would obey.
The ruined handkerchief
(J. R. Miller, "The Lesson of Love" 1903)
"We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
It is one of the wonders of divine love, that God will take even our blemishes and sins, when we truly repent of them and give them into His hands–and make them blessings to us in some way.
A friend once showed Ruskin a costly handkerchief, on which a blot of ink had been made. "Nothing can be done with that!" the friend said, thinking that the handkerchief was now ruined and worthless. Ruskin carried it away with him and after a time sent it back to his friend. In a most skillful and artistic way–he had made a fine design on the handkerchief, using the blot as its foundation. Instead of being ruined, the handkerchief was made far more beautiful and valuable.
I would like to introduce and recommend a new blog that I have recently come across. After reading a post, I was immediately drawn to read more. It is apparent that the author has spent a great deal of time studying the Word of God.
He is taking an approach that most Christian blogs do not and it is refreshing. He is starting at the beginning of Genesis and making his way through God’s Word. His posts are biblically sound while taking his readers systematically through the bible in such a way that will draw the reader into the message of God’s word. Passages that may be difficult are explained in easy to understand language.
I highly recommend reading Answers From The Book. The blog is set up so that it is very easy to navigate from the beginning. He has set up an index starting in Genesis which makes it very easy to navigate systematically.
If anyone wants to take the journey through the bible, this is a good time to start reading this blog as the posts are still in Genesis. It is not a verse by verse exegesis but a book by book, theme by them journey. Click on the above photo to be taken directly to this blog or click here “Answers from the Book.” It is a biblically sound, slow journey, through the bible. I, for one, look forward to reading the messages. I believe you will too.
One of God’s attributes is that He is omnipresent which means that He is present everywhere at all times.
God is unlimited and not confined by space. God is everywhere at all times, present at all times in His fullness at all times. He fills all things with His Being. He comprehends all things at all times in all places in His being. It is the whole of God, not a part of Him that is present everywhere at all times. God, in His triune being, is omnipresent. He is not “more” in one place than another. The full essence of God is equal at all times at the same time. Omnipresence is infinite term. God is infinite. Had God made the universe billions and billions time bigger, God would not have needed to make Himself bigger. As an infinite God, His presence, His Being would have equally been everywhere.
Omnipotent is an attribute that only God possesses. God alone is omnipotent. There is no other being, angel or otherwise, that is omnipotent. Omnipotent means “possessing unlimited power; all powerful.” Out of nothing, God spoke into existence the heavens, the earth, all the stars, the galaxies, planets, moons, holding them together in perfection at the right distance from each other. He did not mold them together; He spoke all of creation into existence out of nothing. “Let there be light” and there was light. The definition “possessing unlimited power” does not really convey to us God’s omnipotence. We are limited in our understanding.
Omnipotence is the attribute which describes God’s ability to do whatever He wills. There is no end to God’s power. There is no limit to God’s power. It is as easy for Him to cause a leaf to fall by saying “leaf fall from the tree” as to create a universe by saying “universe, be” and there’s a whole new universe.”
The Two Birds
(J. R. Miller, "Finding God’s Comfort" 1896)
"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty." Job 5:17
He is not happy at the time, at least, in the world’s way. No affliction for the present seems to be joyous–but grievous. No one enjoys having troubles, sufferings, trials, sorrows. Therefore this statement made by Eliphaz appears very strange to some people. They cannot understand it. It is contrary to all their thoughts of happiness.
Of course the word ‘happy’ is not used here in the world’s sense. The world’s happiness is the pleasure that comes from the things that happen. It depends on personal comfort, on prosperous circumstances, on kindly and congenial conditions. When these are taken away–the world’s happiness is destroyed.
I have been posting my personal bible studies or my thoughts and views on different subjects. Recently I 
decided to share a sermon every Sunday from great preachers of days gone by. Yet there are so many great teachings or information that I like to read that I think would be great to share. On Saturdays, I would like to take the opportunity to share a website, a blog or even a book that I read. Saturdays will be my “plug” or “recommend” day.
Today I would like to recommend Grace Gems.
Grace Gems is a website that has compiled a wealth of sermons, devotionals, books and other collections. A sampling of the preachers who sermons they have on their website are: Archibald Alexander, Andrew Bonar, Horatius Bonar, Jonathan Edwards, Arthur W. Pink, Charles Spurgeon, among many, many others.
I have spent many hours reading through their collections, quotes and sermons. They have also compiled a vast amount of audio devotionals and commentaries.
The vast amount material they have compiled are from preachers who have brought much comfort, influence and theological insight to God’s word.
If you are hungry for good old fashioned preaching, Grace Gems can provide that in either audio, reading the material on their site or they will print their material in a book format and charge you their cost. The material on their site has been revised for modern reading.
And speaking of cost, they not only do not seek donations, they will not accept donations.
The reading of good sermons is the most underrated kind of Christian literature on the market today. In former centuries, the reading of sermons was the bulk of the mature Christian’s reading diet. Most Puritan books, for example, are sermons edited for print. Sermon reading keeps believers in the Word, matures the soul, and whets the appetite for good preaching. It promotes Christ-centered thinking, healthy self-examination, and godly piety in every sphere of life. Though nothing can replace the Word preached, sermon reading has one advantage over preaching—the sermons that made it into print are usually the minister’s best! Tolle Lege—”pick up and read” great sermon books, especially those of past centuries that are packed with spiritual meat.” —Joel Beeke
Image Of Virgin Mary Appears In Bird Dropping On Area Family’s Truck
The Virgin Mary appears yet again and this time she has appeared to the Catholics in bird feces. I would like to say that as I read this article, I was in shock and disbelief. Sadly, I was not. It is becoming a very common occurrence. The verse that came to mind was Matthew 16:4:
An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed. Matthew 16:4 (ESV)
As I was reading the article, it the thought that kept crossing my mind is did not the folks that discovered this image ask themselves why would God send Mary, who Catholics bow to and pray to, to appear in bird feces? The folks that discovered Mary in the feces are bowing and praying before this feces. The word is out. Since this image was discovered, “a steady stream of family, friends, neighbors and strangers has stopped by to pray and take pictures of the image.” Folks, this image is in a bird dropping. A bird dropping is bird feces. Catholics are taking photos, bowing and praying before bird feces?
The word “legalism” is a term that is frequently thrown around in the Christian community. Christians don’t want to be known as legalists and no Christians will see themselves as a legalist. It is critical term that Christians will use against another. How can this word be so widely used? And why is it that everybody else is a legalist except for ourselves. The reason is not everybody really has a grasp of legalism. What is it? Are you a legalist? Am I a legalist? It depends on what legalism is.
When we read God’s Word, an interpretive method is used to understand what God 
is saying. In fact, we always use a method of interpretation when we read any book or whether we are listening to someone talk. In a conversation, we interpret not just by the words spoken, but we also use the speaker’s body language to interpret. With God’s word, there are two methods that people use, exegesis or isogesis. Exegesis is defined as “reading out of the scripture.” Isogesis is defined as “reading into the scripture.” Some incorporate a little of both, maybe a little bit more of one over another. Unless one is critically aware of their method of reading and studying scripture, both meth0ds are used to some degree though a person leans more heavily towards one over the other. The correct method to read and understand God’s word is exegesis. This means that we come to the table and allow God’s word to define our theology.
In Ephesians 2:14-16 it is often taught that the wall of partition referenced is the separation between the Jews and the Gentiles. While it is true that there was a wall of partition in the temple in which the court of the Gentiles was separated from the Jews, Jesus did not come to reconcile Jews and Gentiles. He came so that “He might make the two into one new man,” reconciling both Jew and Gentile to Himself.
- For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. (Eph 2:14-16 NASB)
- It is important to read Ephesians 2:14-16 very carefully in order to understand what Jesus is doing. He is making the two into one new man thus reconciling them both to God through the cross as one new man.
Academic studies
Letters of John Newton
Dear friend,
I truly pity those who rise early and study late–with no higher prize and prospect in view, than the obtaining of academic honors! Such pursuits will before long appear (as they really are) as vain as the foolish games of children! May the Lord impress them with the noble ambition of living to and for Him. If these scholars, who are laboring for pebbles under the semblance of goodly pearls, had a discovery of the Pearl of great price–how quickly and gladly would they lay down their admired attainments, and become fools–that they might be truly wise! Their academic studies, if taken in the aggregate, are little better than splendid trifles!
Friend, what a snare have you escaped! You would have been nothing but a scholar–had not God visited your heart and enlightened you by His grace! Now I trust you account your former academic gains, but loss–compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus. What you have attained in the way of learning, will be useful to you–if sanctified, and chiefly so by the knowledge which you have of its insufficiency to any valuable purpose in the great concerns of life–knowing God and walking with Him!
I hear well meaning Christians, when sharing the Gospel, sometimes advise their listener “believe, you have have nothing to lose but everything to gain.” This statement is true. We very much want people to believe. We will do almost anything and say almost anything to convince them. We want them to have what we have more than anything especially if they are a loved one. We know the consequences of non-belief. We know the eternity for those that do not believe. But there’s a problem with this statement. A person cannot conjure up a belief. How does one go about conjuring up a belief “just in case” what we are telling them is correct. That’s not a belief. Repeating a “sinner’s prayer” after us just in case what we are saying is true is not a belief. It’s an insurance policy just in case it’s true albeit an ineffective insurance policy. I went to Israel and purchased an insurance policy just in case I was injured in a terrorist attack. I didn’t think I was going to be injured, in fact I didn’t believe I would be. I bought one “just in case” since my U.S. policy does not cover “acts of war or terror.” I never needed the insurance policy.
I was reading a website and the author was a Christian vegetarian. The author attempted to portray that eating meat will “destroy human sensitivities that would enable us to develop the knowledge of God which would lead to a kingdom of peace here on earth.” The author is incorrectly using Isaiah 11:6-9 to justify the above quote. The author obviously has a heart for God’s critters. That I applaud. I too have a heart for animals, probably a bit over the top in some people’s opinion. God did command us to treat the animal kingdom humanely. I was a vegetarian for at least 15 years and have only recently started eating fish. I became a vegetarian those many years ago because I was extremely uncomfortable with how animals destined for our dinner plates are treated.
![Bible[3]](http://tishrei.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/bible3.jpg?w=244&h=164 "Bible[3]")
There is a teaching within Christianity called Pauline Dispensation. In a nutshell, it teaches that Christians should gain all their theology from the Epistles and the rest of the Bible is not meant for Christian theology. The reasoning is that the rest of the Bible is not directed at Christians and that when reading the bible, we need to understand who is being spoken to. It is true that we need to be aware of who is being spoke to. I say this is true — with a caveat. What is the message? Is the message only for the targeted audience or is it a universal message?
We have all heard the song “Amazing Grace.” And I am sure we have all heard the definition of “grace” which is “the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him.” What is so amazing about grace? Non Christians don’t understand what is this amazing grace God bestows on us and Christians do not really grasp the grace that God bestows on us. We know that we have it, we appreciate and love God for granting us grace.
"He is altogether lovely!" Song of Songs 5:16
(William Dyer, "Christ’s Famous Titles")
Jesus is most desirable in Himself–and all things that are desirable are in Him. Beauty is in Christ, bounty is in Christ, riches and honor are in Christ. Jesus Christ is the treasure hidden in the gospel, the pearl of great price; He is the sun in the firmament of the Scriptures, whom to know is everlasting life. He is . . .
a spring full of the water of life,
a hive of sweetness,
a storehouse of riches,
a river of pleasures, wherein you may bathe your souls to all eternity!
Oh! He is all fullness and sweetness! "He is the chief among ten thousand!" Song of Songs 5:10
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6
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but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (ESV)
What does this verse mean? The Greek word that we translate as “form” means “appearance, fashion, shape, sight.” The command is that Christians are to abstain from the APPEARANCE of evil. How far do we take this commandment? Are we to examine everything that we do from every possible angle to ensure that not one person will find fault? Of course not. Christians are commanded to live a life that is above reproach. Our lives before God can be seen by Him not only in our actions but also in our hearts. While we know that God is aware that we are not engaged evil, His command is that we must not have the appearance of doing evil in the sight of man.
How Should Our World be Defined? To understand a Christian worldview, it is necessary to understand what is a “worldview.”‘
The Dictionary.com defines worldview as: “The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world.”
A ‘worldview’ is an individual’s perspective that is used to understand our environment and the world around us and how we process and understand our experiences.
We all have different worldviews based on our environment, our upbringing and other factors that come into play. Everybody has a worldview in which they process their positions or beliefs about events, their life’s experiences and the world around them. A person raised by liberal parents likely has a different worldview than a person raised by strict conservative parents. Worldviews change or evolve as we develop our own beliefs and outlook.
Picking any newspaper or listening to the news on television we read and hear about despicable acts that are taking place around us. There is no other way to categorize many of these acts except as they are, vile, evil and despicable. As Christians, how do we judge? What should we judge? Are we to judge others? Do we judge their acts? Sure we do. Should we go beyond judging the acts of a person? Their character? Should we wish them damnation?
