PaulPrins.net

There is nothing outside of the glory of God. Everything that has ever been created, seen, known, and felt is to bring glory to God. Every purpose every given to us by the Lord has been that His glory might increase. The end goal of the life of Jesus was the worship and glory of God. The very reason I’m in france is that God might receive Glory.

To draw a comparison to something more tangable. The pursuit of every christian endeavor must be the Glory of God. Everything in scripture has been done for the Glory, for Him to receive praise. Even the very basics of the Christian life are focused on God’s Glory; prayer, evangelism, and fellowship. So what was different today then yesterday, why is this some new ‘insight’?

Looking back on what Jesus showed me a couple days ago about beauty, today He helped me make another connection. God receives glory when we are in Nature, and Nature being created by God just radiates and overflows with His glory. This is why I love getting lost in the woods and just being away from the ‘city.’ It allows me to really get an overwhelming taste of the glory of Jesus.

This series has become very well known across Christian circles in the united states (and potentially other countries as well) and it is difficult to not see why. It offers a non-confrontational way to proclaim the gospel with those we know. Yet when I read the gospels and epistles I don’t see this strategy ANYWHERE. Now I’m not going to go as far as to say that this method isn’t biblical, but there is a major emphasis missing. We as servants of Christ are to be Bold in proclaiming the King and Creator of EVERYTHING (even time), to the point where we realize our chains to the procession of Christ and nothing else matters. When the full grandeur of God is in your sight there is nothing else that matter but His glory. Your friends and there possible rejection of you/your beliefs is secondary.

Next is the attempt to provide a formula for telling others about Christ. The bible shows us over and over again that there are no formulas. When the prophets where called they were each different (personality), every time Jesus healed someone it was done differently (method), and the only consistency was that it was for the Glory of God.

Nowhere in this book do those truths come forward. If the Apostle Paul needed others to pray for his boldness, how much more we need it! This book does provide a good starting point for people, but it must be followed by the truth that God doesn’t like formulas. Every person, life, and moment is uniquely written by Him.

God’s children need tools (like how to first prepare their testimony and an easy starting point with the gospel) to build confidence, which this series does well. If you do go over this with your small group make sure to place emphasis on the uniqueness of God’s plan for everyone, and how to be open and lead by the Spirit. Look into the book of Acts and see how God responded when the Kingdom of God was boldly proclaimed. I would love to see this series completed in a way that encourages people to put God drastically first in their lives.

4/7

While these are two separate books (the former written before the latter) they were together in the edition I was lent to read. Wow is my first reaction. There was such a hard truth laced through the words, a truth that is so often ignored by today’s church and believers. I could go on for pages to tell of the things that God challenged me with through this author. Causing me to re-look at scripture that I always used to understand because it was taught to me, not because God revealed it, or I experienced it.

If you are someone who is a Christian, and is wondering if what your faith hold is everything. I encourage you to pick up a copy of either book (or both) and dive in. You’ll be challenged and encouraged, see God as bigger and more glorious, and be more excited about what it means to know Jesus.

I give it a Seven out of Seven rating.

(I like rating things out of odd numbers because then you can’t cop out and give an ‘average’ rating).

Review of “By the Power of the Spirit” and “Surprised by the Voice of God” by Jack Deere

In general I’ve always felt ashamed of my weakness, it was the reason my eyes lit up the first time I heard the phrase Renaissance Man. He was what I desired to be, a man without weakness, adequately versed in every area. This however is exactly contrary to how God desires to use us. Throughout the bible God uses our weaknesses for His Glory, His Kingdom, and His purposes. Moses was a stuttering fool who was to approach the most powerful ruler and demand he release thousands of slaves… Even the apostle Paul, who was intelligent and respected as a Jew, needed to forget everything He once knew, and pointed to that as a sign of his conversion, and the power of God.

God uses us in our weaknesses and inadequacies. Not because of them, not to make us more whole, but so that we know it is God. To humble us and cause us to dance through the streets screaming praise to the name Jesus.

God is the source of all beauty that has every been and ever will be. The most beautiful canvas’ are that way because they capture and reveil part of God. An autuem landscape of rolling amber hills, a snowcaped mountain, and the beautiful smile from a stranger are only beautiful because of God. When God created Eve within her He put His beauty. I can’t imagine the burden of walking around as such an amazing example of divine beauty. In everything there is beauty, for God is in all things. The Lord knows the number of hairs on your heard, ever thought of your mind, and desire of your heart.

“One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.”
Psalm 27:4

This shot is easily my favorite from the trip. It was our free day to spend as we liked. The majority of the conference left Nerja for the prospect of discovering something that their anxious hearts pulled them to. I stayed behind, wandering the streets of this small coastal nook on the coast of the Mediterranean. The sunset was an hour later than here in Toulouse, and I was over near some markets when it started unfolding. I put some thumbs below showing it’s progression. It was a time to try to capture a moment, only to realize that it was him who didn’t realize that it was a moment that I felt held something. And he was content with me watching, praying, and waiting.

It was beautiful down in Nerja, Spain and here is just one of the hundreds of pictures I took during the week there. I had originally looked past it as just another one of the several sunset shots I took from our balcony one night, and then Jordan took note of it and got me to give it a second glance. While I don’t like all the cars on the street (maybe if I’m ever feeling very ambitious I’ll paint them out) I’ve really fallen for the rest of the scene. The way the sea seems fake, and the leaves blowing in the northeastern wind feel so plastic and unreal. Thanks for pointing this one out sweetie.