Hi there,
Paul Sames here. I am constantly amazed at how short and risky life on planet Earth is. Many people act as if they will have a long problem free span in this world.
The reality is, that we will all have a short stay here. (even living 100 years is a short blink, by eternal standards)
We would all love to live free of sorrow, worry, lack, illness and difficulty. The only problem with this expectation though, is that it is impossible. Someone once said "Problems are normal". How true.
From the moment we are born (sometimes even before we are born, while still in our mothers womb) we all experience problems. We usually cry at our first breath, somehow knowing we will soon have a problem on the horizon.
Its usually more of a problem if we dont cry at birth because it probably means we are not breathing. Get the idea? "Problems are normal".
The Good News is that the Creator didnt leave us here without a problem solving Helper. In fact, The Helper is one of the names given in Scripture to the Holy Spirit. He comes along side us and within us to offer "Unlimited Means of Invisible Support"
Jesus Himself said " Ask and it shall be given, Seek and you shall find"
The primary solution to our problems, is to ask the Primary Problem Solver into our lives to give us solutions to lifes insoluble problems.
Wow! What a thought. Is God even interested in helping us? Yes indeed! So interested that He sent His Son as a Man to die a cruel death on a tree at Golgotha 2000 years ago. Why?
Because in dying this death he gave His Life, to all who believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from death.
"He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthains 5:21 KJV
What a deal, nothing in the universe comes close to this, this means we dont have to go through endless reincarnations doing Karma Yoga to reach God. All we have to do is believe in the work of His Death and Resurrection and receive Him as Lord and we are guaranteed a great eternity.
In the meantime while here on earth we have the Power of the Holy Spirit to help us solve or overcome lifes sufferings and problems. Awesome Stuff!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Friday, January 1, 2010
New years Day 2010---Dynamic and Didactic
Dear Whosoever,
Happy New Year for 01/01/2010!
Today I thought I would do a slight ramble regarding the Didactic and the Dynamic. There is always a juxtaposition and tension between these two essential elements to life.
Here are 2 dictionary definitions on the word didactic.
1. didactic (plural didactics)
(archaic) A treatise on teaching or education
2.The term "didactic" also refers to media that are "burdened" with instructive, factual, or otherwise "educational" information, sometimes to the detriment of a reader's (or viewer's) enjoyment.
Here are Dictionary definitions of dynamic
1Dunamis or dynamis (Greek δύναμις) is an Ancient Greek word meaning "power", "capability", or "force". It is the root of the English words "dynamic", "dynamite", and "dynamo".
2lso dy·nam·i·cal \-mi-kəl\ a : of or relating to physical force or energy b : of or relating to dynamics
2 a : marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change b : energetic, forceful
In regards to The Bible and Christian truth the didactic speaks of the teaching and instructional aspect of teaching The Word. This speaks of the informational fixed Truth of The Logos. An everyday example of didactic would be the rails, the locomotive that runs on the rails speaks of the "dynamic".
The fixed immutable and immovable quality of the Word of God is like the rails that the Spirit or "dynamic" rolls or runs on. The moving of the Spirit without the fixed immutable word is like a locomotive off the rails. The rails without the locomotive are also irrelevant, what is the use of rails without an engine? On the other hand,the locomotive running off the rails is an accident waiting to happen.
Another example would be a cartridge or bullet, The gunpowder without the lead projectile is only a blank, it makes a noise like a real bullet but is impotent and useless in battle, conversely, the lead without the gunpowder is only a dead immovable weight. Both of these scenarios are useless.
When the lead bullethead (the didactic) is propelled by the gunpowder (the dynamic) a powerful and effective weapon is in action. When the Word is only taught as information without the accompanying power and demonstration of the Spirit, it is like a lead projectile without dynamic thrust. One commentator likened it to going to a restaurant and reading the menu without ever ordering the specified item.
What good would an arrow (the didactic) be without a bow (the dynamic). The bow provides the thrust for the arrow to reach the target. A bow without an arrow would be equally stupid.
What we need is equal cooperation between the Word and the Spirit, then we will truly grow up into Christ and receive the full inheritance of Biblical promise..
Dead orthodoxy and dynamic heresy are both wrong. Theology is not an informational study only, like Mathematics or archeology. Theo (God) ology (study) is the study of God Himself, we are not just studying Biblical Knowledge but we are coming into intimate union with the Author of the Bible Himself. This is why prayer and worship are an integral part of a real Bible College, it is not just memorizing Scripture and learning the Greek and Hebrew ( as important as this is).
It is also communicating with the Triune God in deep worship and being filled with Dunamis Power from Heaven ( then we not only have the Arrow (Word) we have the bow (Spirit)
On the other hand, we dont just have experiential "spirit" experiences without having deep and detailed knowledge of the Word. We always check our experiences out with Scripture to make sure we are "on the rails" as it were. We dont want to be an off the rails railway locomotive running down mainstreet smashing through peak hour traffic and causing casualties to ourself and others.
We also dont want to be a deadhead Christian who reduces God to a boring archaic study of past experience without having our own " Book of Acts experience." This also is a misrepresentation of who Jesus is and what Christianity is meant to be.
As an old preacher said--" If your all Word , you will dry up. If you are all Spirit, you will blow up. If you are a mix of both you will grow up.
Go Forth, Full of the Holy Ghost and Power with a mind that has been washed and renewed in the Word of God.
John 6:63 (King James Version)
63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
2 John 1:9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
Happy New Year for 01/01/2010!
Today I thought I would do a slight ramble regarding the Didactic and the Dynamic. There is always a juxtaposition and tension between these two essential elements to life.
Here are 2 dictionary definitions on the word didactic.
1. didactic (plural didactics)
(archaic) A treatise on teaching or education
2.The term "didactic" also refers to media that are "burdened" with instructive, factual, or otherwise "educational" information, sometimes to the detriment of a reader's (or viewer's) enjoyment.
Here are Dictionary definitions of dynamic
1Dunamis or dynamis (Greek δύναμις) is an Ancient Greek word meaning "power", "capability", or "force". It is the root of the English words "dynamic", "dynamite", and "dynamo".
2lso dy·nam·i·cal \-mi-kəl\ a : of or relating to physical force or energy b : of or relating to dynamics
2 a : marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change b : energetic, forceful
In regards to The Bible and Christian truth the didactic speaks of the teaching and instructional aspect of teaching The Word. This speaks of the informational fixed Truth of The Logos. An everyday example of didactic would be the rails, the locomotive that runs on the rails speaks of the "dynamic".
The fixed immutable and immovable quality of the Word of God is like the rails that the Spirit or "dynamic" rolls or runs on. The moving of the Spirit without the fixed immutable word is like a locomotive off the rails. The rails without the locomotive are also irrelevant, what is the use of rails without an engine? On the other hand,the locomotive running off the rails is an accident waiting to happen.
Another example would be a cartridge or bullet, The gunpowder without the lead projectile is only a blank, it makes a noise like a real bullet but is impotent and useless in battle, conversely, the lead without the gunpowder is only a dead immovable weight. Both of these scenarios are useless.
When the lead bullethead (the didactic) is propelled by the gunpowder (the dynamic) a powerful and effective weapon is in action. When the Word is only taught as information without the accompanying power and demonstration of the Spirit, it is like a lead projectile without dynamic thrust. One commentator likened it to going to a restaurant and reading the menu without ever ordering the specified item.
What good would an arrow (the didactic) be without a bow (the dynamic). The bow provides the thrust for the arrow to reach the target. A bow without an arrow would be equally stupid.
What we need is equal cooperation between the Word and the Spirit, then we will truly grow up into Christ and receive the full inheritance of Biblical promise..
Dead orthodoxy and dynamic heresy are both wrong. Theology is not an informational study only, like Mathematics or archeology. Theo (God) ology (study) is the study of God Himself, we are not just studying Biblical Knowledge but we are coming into intimate union with the Author of the Bible Himself. This is why prayer and worship are an integral part of a real Bible College, it is not just memorizing Scripture and learning the Greek and Hebrew ( as important as this is).
It is also communicating with the Triune God in deep worship and being filled with Dunamis Power from Heaven ( then we not only have the Arrow (Word) we have the bow (Spirit)
On the other hand, we dont just have experiential "spirit" experiences without having deep and detailed knowledge of the Word. We always check our experiences out with Scripture to make sure we are "on the rails" as it were. We dont want to be an off the rails railway locomotive running down mainstreet smashing through peak hour traffic and causing casualties to ourself and others.
We also dont want to be a deadhead Christian who reduces God to a boring archaic study of past experience without having our own " Book of Acts experience." This also is a misrepresentation of who Jesus is and what Christianity is meant to be.
As an old preacher said--" If your all Word , you will dry up. If you are all Spirit, you will blow up. If you are a mix of both you will grow up.
Go Forth, Full of the Holy Ghost and Power with a mind that has been washed and renewed in the Word of God.
John 6:63 (King James Version)
63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
2 John 1:9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
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