Description
God seems so far away does he really love me? / Published by A LION BOOK
UPC: 0745914497
- Publisher : Chariot Victor Pub (January 1, 1988)
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 0745914497
- ISBN-13 : 9780745914497
- Item Weight : 1.6 ounces
God seems so far away does he really love me? I feel I'm just a cog in a vast machine. Can I be sure that death is not the end? We all have questions, doubts and fears. This clear and honest book examines
how we may be sure: how we may have a certain faith.
We live in unsettling and uncertain times. The rejection of absolute truth has thrown this world into turmoil. No longer is the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness a given. Even scientific and historical “facts” are being questioned. Things as basic as biological gender are up for grabs. What matters today is what a person “identifies as” or “feels” more than the reality of their circumstances. It’s a confusing time to be alive.
What are we as Christians, to do? Our times are not unlike the times of Jesus. When Jesus walked the earth, the world was ruled by Rome. Pax Romana, or the enforced peace throughout the Roman Empire, was used to subjugate and squash dissenting opinions that Rome felt threatened their “peace.” An Empire as expansive as that of Rome, looked upon disagreements and disturbances as a threat to their rule. Rebellion was a capital offense in Rome. Governors and local rulers were held accountable by Rome to maintain the peace. This is something we will see a lot of in our study of Luke’s gospel.
The Christian is commissioned by Jesus “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:47-48). Jesus instructed His first disciples to wait for the “Promise of My Father” that would endue them “with power from on high” to fulfill this task (Luke 24:49). We are not saved to be silent. We are saved to speak up!
Later in the New Testament the Church is described as a restraining force against evil in this world (e.g. 2 Thessalonians 2:7). We are called to expose the darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Jesus came with a mission of bearing witness to God’s truth (John 18:37). We are called to be conformed to His likeness, to follow in His steps, to walk as He walked (Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6). Therefore, we too must bear witness to God’s truth. It takes a brave Christian to take a stand against the onslaught of sin in our day. It takes a Christian who has a certain faith.
Being uninformed leads to uncertainty and uncertainty leads to a lack of courage. The remedy is to know what you believe and then live it out in the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s what A Certain Faith intends to help you to do. When we are certain of what we believe, confidence leads to courage and courage leads to concrete pillars of truth that will withstand and even defeat the turning tides of this world.
Jesus was known as One who lived and taught “the way of God in truth” (Luke 20:21). In John’s gospel Jesus prayed for His disciples saying, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). A disciple of Jesus Christ is one who is “sanctified,” or set apart, uncommon, distinguishable, unique. And what makes the disciple of Jesus distinctive is living by the truth of God that is found in His word. That implies we know the truth of God’s word.
What are we as Christians, to do? Our times are not unlike the times of Jesus. When Jesus walked the earth, the world was ruled by Rome. Pax Romana, or the enforced peace throughout the Roman Empire, was used to subjugate and squash dissenting opinions that Rome felt threatened their “peace.” An Empire as expansive as that of Rome, looked upon disagreements and disturbances as a threat to their rule. Rebellion was a capital offense in Rome. Governors and local rulers were held accountable by Rome to maintain the peace. This is something we will see a lot of in our study of Luke’s gospel.
The Christian is commissioned by Jesus “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:47-48). Jesus instructed His first disciples to wait for the “Promise of My Father” that would endue them “with power from on high” to fulfill this task (Luke 24:49). We are not saved to be silent. We are saved to speak up!
Later in the New Testament the Church is described as a restraining force against evil in this world (e.g. 2 Thessalonians 2:7). We are called to expose the darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Jesus came with a mission of bearing witness to God’s truth (John 18:37). We are called to be conformed to His likeness, to follow in His steps, to walk as He walked (Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6). Therefore, we too must bear witness to God’s truth. It takes a brave Christian to take a stand against the onslaught of sin in our day. It takes a Christian who has a certain faith.
Being uninformed leads to uncertainty and uncertainty leads to a lack of courage. The remedy is to know what you believe and then live it out in the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s what A Certain Faith intends to help you to do. When we are certain of what we believe, confidence leads to courage and courage leads to concrete pillars of truth that will withstand and even defeat the turning tides of this world.
Jesus was known as One who lived and taught “the way of God in truth” (Luke 20:21). In John’s gospel Jesus prayed for His disciples saying, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). A disciple of Jesus Christ is one who is “sanctified,” or set apart, uncommon, distinguishable, unique. And what makes the disciple of Jesus distinctive is living by the truth of God that is found in His word. That implies we know the truth of God’s word.
The Gospel of Luke lays out God’s truth in practice. We need to be ready and unashamed to share the truth of God’s word and in particular the gospel of Jesus Christ. But many Christians are ill-prepared to share the truth of God’s word and the gospel. They are confused about the gospel. They are ignorant of God’s truth. They are unsure of themselves and therefore ashamed when confronted by unbelieving worldlings. Some have been delinquent about studying God’s word. Others have fallen prey to scripture twisting and the embellishment of God’s word by false teachers. Consequently, they are uncertain, fearful, on shaky ground scripturally, and ashamed of what they ought to be joyfully sharing with people who are in great need. But there’s hope! You can be certain of what you believe and in the power of the Holy Spirit, you can live it out in life. That’s what this study in Luke intends to help you and all of us to do, to make our faith in Jesus certain and trust Him to empower us to live it out.
