By way of Introduction

I still don't totally get life. But mine is probably half over, so maybe I'm old enough to have learned something, and young enough to learn a whole a lot more.

Jesus said that He came to give us life and that more abundantly. Apparently, His idea of an abundant life and mine are not the same thing. My idea of an abundant life would be to win the lottery and live a life of pleasure. But that isn't happening, so He must have something else in mind. According to John 17:3 His idea of life is to know Him. So that's what I'm trying to do (get to know God), and hope to help others to do too.

The name of this blog is my attempt to express this. I choose the term FOG as an acronym for Friend Of God, but also as a way of saying the way isn't always clear to me.

Anyone who knows me knows I can be blunt at times. So was Jesus. The difference is that He was blunt and loving at the same time - I am not always. I don't mean to offend people (honest), but chances are I will at times. Please try to forgive me and not be afraid to come back.

Jerrid



Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Relating to an unnatural God

It occurred to me the other day that the main reason for my struggle with relating to God is that He is unnatural. Yes, I know I'm supposed to say "supernatural" - and He is certainly that - but I think unnatural more expresses what I am trying to say.

I have lived every moment of every day of my life relating to the world on the level of my five physical senses: taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight. But God usually doesn't relate to the world via those avenues. I know we use those terms (except maybe the smelling one) for God but when we do we mean something different than when we use them in reference to virtually anything else in life. Don't believe me? Open your mouth right now and try to take a bite of God. Or reach out your hands until you touch Him. Or download His podcast. Or call Him on His cell. See what I mean?

We simply don't use our natural senses (usually) to relate to God. Maybe that's what Paul meant when he said (in 2 Corinthians 2:14) "the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." Think of that, the natural person is not able to understand the things of the Spirit. It is impossible.

There are allot of metaphors in Scripture for what it means to follow Christ, but perhaps the one that best sums up biblical doctrine is "born again" or "born of the Spirit". One of the many implications of that is the ability to relate to a spiritual God in a spiritual way. To develop (not just tune, but actually develop) spiritual senses which by "nature" we don't have.

How do we do that then? Glad you asked, but in trying to keep my blogs short I can only tell you that I have some ideas which I'll expound upon next week.




Saturday, June 26, 2010

Trying this Again!

Welcome back to my new and (hopefully) improved blog. I really appreciate everyone who commented on the previous edition. You encouraged me to start again. Perhaps the biggest difference this time around is that I am going to make a real effort to not be too cynical. Not to ask questions simply for the sake of stirring up an argument. And not to complain.

These posts take time, and I really don't need to hear myself ramble, so please give me honest feedback.