April 8, 2012—SnyderTalk Editorial: God’s Thoughts and Ways Are Not Like Ours

Old Posts

Welcome to SnyderTalk!

________________________________________

God’s Thoughts and Ways Are Not Like Ours

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares Yahweh.  ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55: 8-9

We like to think that God sees things the way we do.  It probably stems from arrogance on our part because we tend to believe that we are right most of the time.  Arrogance is a serious problem that prevents us from understanding God.  His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways.  God knows what He is doing so we need to focus our attention on Him and get onboard with His plan.

I enjoy watching National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, Smithsonian Channel, Biography Channel, and History Channel on television.  Regularly they air programming that appears on the surface to have a Judeo-Christian theme.  I’ve seen programs addressing questions like:

  • What really happened at Sodom and Gomorrah?
  • Did God really part the Red Sea?
  • Was Jesus resurrected?

Listening to so-called “experts” explaining miracles from God that make no sense using human logic amuses me.  Invariably, they introduce one or more theories about what happened, and at the end of the program they conclude that their hypothesis was correct.  It’s as if they are saying, “There you have it: the truth.  As it turns out, we were correct all along since there is a rational explanation for this ‘miracle.’”

That is the epitome of arrogance.  They can’t understand God, so they substitute something they can grasp in place of what God said actually took place.  God’s mighty deeds should encourage us because nothing is impossible for Him, but so-called “experts” would have us believe that He can’t be trusted.  Questioning God’s ability to perform miracles is actually the irrational perspective because He is a miracle working God.

As I said, the traditional church model that is common in the United States isn’t like the one presented in the New Testament.  That’s an example of the arrogance gene working in the Christian community.  People with good intentions make decisions that they think are right, and implement them.  Since major changes in most churches require a vote by the congregation, the decision-makers take their ideas to the church as a whole and get a positive vote.  That sets in motion forces that are difficult to reverse.  In a short time, the changes are cast in concrete and altering them once they’re in place is virtually impossible.

At the University of Virginia, we had a joke that helps to explain what is going on in these situations, and like all good jokes, there was a lot of truth in it:

Question: How many UVA students does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer: Four.  It takes one to change the bulb and three to talk about how good the old one was.

At UVA, we used to say if we do something twice, it’s a tradition, and to appreciate the power of tradition at a school like UVA, you’ve got to know something about the school.

Thomas Jefferson founded the school, and the Rotunda at UVA that he designed was touted as the best example of American architecture in the 200-year history of the United States during our country’s bicentennial year celebration.  An orientation toward student self-government is arguably the most powerful tradition at UVA, and the honor system is a close second.

Christian traditions make the traditions at UVA seem insignificant by comparison.  Some of them are essential and others are of little or no consequence, but in either case, they are like principles or laws in that they govern the way we think and act.

For example, most churches set aside time for Sunday School classes.  That’s when small groups of people meet to discuss God’s Word, and it’s the part of church tradition that is most like the New Testament church.  In small groups, bonding takes place, and there is a sense of unity and purpose.  But the formal church service is very different.  It’s typically held in an auditorium or maybe an arena if it’s a megachurch.  The setting rules out personal contact and one-on-one interaction.  I believe the tradition of holding Sunday School classes is essential.  It’s the lifeblood of any active church.  Without it, a church might shrivel up and die.

Other traditions are absolutely irrelevant, but they are treated as if they are critical.  For instance, thepastormay meet with his staff on Monday mornings at 9:00 to discuss church business.  That tradition may have been in place for decades, and it may or may not be the right time to meet, but the meeting is held on schedule every week anyway.  Why?  It’s because that’s the way things have been done for years.  There is no other reason.  The timing of the meeting is of no consequence, but anyone attempting to change it should expect to encounter stiff resistance because it’s a tradition.

Traditions shape our view of reality and limit our choices.  In the Christian community, many people see them as sacred.  There should be no doubt that they influence us in profound ways.  Traditions really do matter.  We should examine them regularly to make sure that they are consistent with God’s Word.  If they aren’t, they should be changed or abandoned.

This is an excerpt from What Will You Do with the Rest of Your Life?

To see other SnyderTalk editorials, click here.

________________________________________

________________________________________

Thomas Jefferson

“For here we are not afraid to follow the truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it.”

________________________________________

Email Distribution List:

I have created an email distribution list that I use to notify people when I post a new SnyderTalk.  If you would like to be on that list, send your email address to nhsny@yahoo.com, and put “add me to your distribution list” in the subject line.  If you know others who are interested in SnyderTalk content, tell them to send me their email address, and I’ll put them on the list.

________________________________________

Jeremiah 51: 8-11

“Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail over her!  Bring balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.  We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not healed; forsake her and let us each go to his own country, for her judgment has reached to heaven and towers up to the very skies.  Yahweh has brought about our vindication; come and let us recount in Zion the work of Yahweh our God!  Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers!  Yahweh has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; for it is the vengeance of Yahweh, vengeance for His temple.”

________________________________________

His Name is Yahweh explains why the Name of God, Yahweh, is so important.  It’s available in eBook format and in paperback.

  • God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This [Yahweh] is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” (Exodus 3: 15)
  • “Therefore behold, I am going to make them know—this time I will make them know My power and My might; and they shall know that My name is Yahweh.” (Jeremiah 16: 21)
  • “Behold, the days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.  In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘Yahweh our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23: 5-6)

________________________________________

#####

#####

________________________________________

Hosea 4: 6

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

________________________________________

Stand! is a suspense novel that exposes the lies, corruption, and greed underlying the theory that man-made CO2 emissions are responsible for global warming.  Professor Wes Carlyle and Karen Sterling, his research collaborator, carefully scan the audience for their would-be attacker—a member of the enviro-gestapo who has been following them for days.  Wes spots his man in the back of the room leaning against the wall.  Suddenly, another man in the audience steps forward and moves toward Karen at a menacing pace.  With a vicious stroke, he swings a billy club at her head.  Click here to order the eBook.  Click here to order the paperback.

________________________________________

________________________________________

#####

Top 5 diggtm articles yesterday:

#####

________________________________________

#####

The Jerusalem Post:

Haaretz:

Other:

#####

________________________________________

What Will You Do with the Rest of Your Life? deals with a question that every Christian has to consider: what should I do with my life?  Click here to order the eBook.  Click here to order the paperback.

________________________________________

#####

Business:

World:

United States:

Opinions:

#####

________________________________________

Blessings in the Book of Revelation is a book that you need to read, especially now.  There are blessings throughout the Scriptures but Revelation is the only book in the Bible actually containing a specific blessing for reading it. It’s repeated twice, once at the beginning and again at the end. This is the reason that I believe Revelation should be the first step toward studying biblical prophecy. Though not easy to do, Revelation can be broken down and understood by anyone, not just the academic elite. So, Revelation’s blessings are for everyone.  Click here to order the eBook.  Click here to order the paperback.

________________________________________

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

#####

#####

________________________________________

http://www.tehrantimes.com/

#####

#####

________________________________________

Falsely Accused is a true story about a young woman who was accused of committing a double homicide.  It’s about a travesty of justice, and it reveals Yahweh intervening in the life of a believer to rescue her from danger in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.  Everyone will enjoy the book, but young people in particular need to read it because the mistakes made that led to the problem could have been avoided.  They were the kinds of mistakes that young people are prone to make.  As they say, forewarned is forearmed.  Click here to order the eBook.  Click here to order the paperback.

________________________________________

http://www.americanthinker.com/

#####

#####

________________________________________

http://www.weeklystandard.com/

#####

#####

________________________________________

If you haven’t been there already, you should take the opportunity to visit Natural Healthcare Store.  Each product selected for sale at Natural Healthcare Store undergoes rigorous research to make sure that it is the highest quality at an affordable price.

Natural Healthcare Store carries skin care, hair care, and oral care products.  Be sure to check out the Dead Sea products imported from Israel and support the Israeli economy with your purchases.  Natural Healthcare Store carries makeup, deodorant, and detoxification products.  It also carries supplements, weight loss products, and loose leaf tea.  Rounding out its product mix, Natural Healthcare Store carries natural household cleaning products.

Katie and I believe strongly in healthy living, and we use the products.  We’re proud to say that our daughter Melanie owns the store.

________________________________________

http://www.economist.com/

#####

#####

________________________________________

http://www.bbc.co.uk/

#####

#####

________________________________________

http://rt.com/news/

#####

#####

________________________________________

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/

#####

#####

________________________________________

http://pjmedia.com/

#####

#####

________________________________________

http://www.nationalreview.com/

#####

#####

________________________________________

#####

#####

________________________________________

http://clickhere.igetpaidtodrinkcoffee.com/

“The scales at my doctor’s office said I weighed 201 when I began drinking the B-Skinny coffee. Today, four weeks later, my scales said I weigh 188. I love this stuff.” Pat Parks

________________________________________

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/

#####

#####

________________________________________

If You Voted for Obama in 2008 to Prove You’re Not a Racist, You Need to Vote for Someone Else in 2012 to Prove You’re Not an Idiot explains why voters in the United States need to elect someone besides Barack Obama to lead them.  Whoever is elected President of the United States in 2012 will have to contend with the monumental problems that Obama’s misguided policies have caused both at home and abroad.  One thing is certain, though.  It should not be Barack Obama.  Click here to order the eBook.  Click here to order the paperback.

facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/SnyderTalk?skip_nax_wizard=true
Twitterhttps://twitter.com/hisnameisyahweh
FollowFollow us

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *