Interviewing God I

INTERVIEWING GOD

(Serialized Version)

by

Michael A. Lawrence

Part I

“The World is a Stage”

MANY SAY YOU ARE SOVEREIGN. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?


Many say that, but few believe it entirely. Put quite simply, I am completely in charge. I control everything. Nothing happens by chance. There are no accidents. Think of what most would call reality as if it were a huge stage play. I write, produce, and direct. I create the lighting, set decoration, costumes, and special effects. I am also in charge of casting. I choose the players as well.[1] Most of them think that they decided to try out for it and could have turned down the part if they wanted to. Not so. Actors can be a proud lot, you know. Like I say, it’s a huge production, but everything and everyone is under my command to carry it off. It has everything, even audience participation.[2]


BUT WHAT ABOUT FREE WILL? WE’RE NOT JUST ROBOTS, ARE WE?


A good director allows an actor to develop, to explore, to become related to others in the production in ways that, hopefully, will enhance the entire effort. To use a pun, there is a whole lot of character building going on here. On the other hand, we don’t compromise the ultimate goal of the creative mind behind it all in order to accommodate the whim or impure motive of a character. An actor’s free will, if you must, continues to function only to the extent that it fits, however loosely, under the sovereign will of the one in charge.[3] That’s me. To the naked eye, things seem out of control at times, but – you’ll have to trust me on this – they never are.[4]


HOW WOULD THE BIBLE FIT INTO THIS ANALOGY?


A stage plays success or failure should hinge upon whether or not it effectively conveys the message intended from the heart and mind of its creator. Key players, both on stage and off, have to get to know the director for this to work out. The extent to which they get to know the one in charge will have a direct bearing on the quality, focus, and ease of production. The Bible introduces the one in charge to his charges. They get to see his past works and, hopefully, learn his ways in the process.[5] Key players will come to understand from this rather lengthy introduction the essence of his character plus the history of and ultimate goal of the work they have been chosen for. The success of the endeavor will come from an intimate trust relationship developed with the director and with each other. The Bible is designed to kick-start this creative process. It is written primarily to those key players and not to casual passers-by,[6] even though all can gain from it.


SOME THINK THAT THE BIBLE CONTAINS ERRORS. DOES IT?


No. Not the original autographs. They say exactly what they’re intended to. I couldn’t have said it better myself.[7]


BUT DON’T THE CRITICS MAKE A STRONG ARGUMENT? WHAT ABOUT HUMAN ERROR?


We’re back to your first question again. I told you that most people just give lip service to the sovereignty thing. Think about it. I’ve got this huge production going. I am not exactly some doofus who’s going to let errors creep into my story – especially not the part where I introduce myself to the production crew, reveal my very nature and purpose to them. No, it’s been closely supervised throughout the years, as you can imagine.[8]


SO, YOU REVEAL YOURSELF TO PEOPLE. CAN ONE LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU THAN WHAT IS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE?


Short Answer. Practically, yes – in essence, no.


WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?


Well, through my spirit, I can become quite intimate with folks if they want and I want – it’s all based on trust – but essentially, no matter how deep we go in the relationship, I am the same person they would find in the introductory remarks. For instance, if you looked, you did not find a thing in the book that told you about this interview. Even so, I had one guy pen, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”[9]


BUT THE BIBLE – THE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, AS YOU CALL IT – SEEMS TO INFER THAT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, PEOPLE ARE NATURALLY ALIENATED FROM YOU. WHY WOULD THEY DRAW NEAR?


Good question. I cause them to.[10] If I didn’t, they would stay out to lunch indefinitely. Everything and everyone is at my discretion, so I use it all.[11] No one chooses me, initially – they just think they do. No, I do the choosing around here.


WHAT ARE YOU SAYING – YOU’RE THE ULTIMATE CONTROL FREAK?



Not at all. But seriously, don’t you recall, “Apart from me, you can do nothing”[12]? My son heard me say it, and he repeated it.[13] My spirit caused his close friend to remember it,[14] and he wrote it down. Many choice players suffer a lot of grief until they are made privy of the fact that, before I enabled them, they had not the slightest inclination or ability to access me. If I don’t reveal myself, nobody has a clue – with or without the introductory remarks.


End of Part I



Coming soon: Part II, “Suffering – What’s That All About?”


______________________________________________________________________________
[1] Unless noted otherwise, all Scriptural references are from the New King James Version. All parenthetical items contained within scriptural references are my emphasis.


“I do not speak concerning all of you (for) I know whom I have chosen . . . For you did not choose me, but I chose you . . . I chose you out of the world, therefore, the world hates you” (John 13:18a, 15:16a, 19b). “. . . just as He chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world . . .” (Ephesians 1:4a). “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth” (James 1:18a).




It’s the author’s belief that a failure to grasp and/or accept the truth of just Who chose whom is the basis for much of the confusion and immaturity that presently grips the Church. A faulty belief that I chose God makes me an easy mark for insecurity attacks. To believe such, results in much the same angst as a child experiences when he is put in charge of his own life instead of being protected and kept in check by his elders. If I chose God, then I can “un-choose” Him as well. To be in charge of one’s own destiny is to be in varying degrees of bondage to pride and fear. Two of the characteristics of such bondage are a faulty human “fairness doctrine” and what is commonly known as “survivor’s guilt.” In our immaturity we ask, “How could God be fair and still pick one person over another? Why am I saved and so many are perishing?” These issues may be so painful to address that blindness to the truth becomes a safety blanket of subtle encumbering bondage for many. We simply don’t want our belief that we had something to do with our own salvation tampered with. “Who’s in charge?” is the controversy of the universe – the one that Lucifer dealt with rather poorly.




[2] “. . . since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses . . .” (Hebrews 12:1a).




[3]“The king’s heart is in the hands of the Lord. Like the rivers of water, He turns it wherever He wishes” (Proverbs 21:1).




[4]“And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas my master, what shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:15-17).


“And he (Elijah) said, ‘. . . the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your alters, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.’ Then the Lord said to him: ‘Go (and anoint kings plus a ) prophet in your place. . . . (for) I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all those whose knees have not bowed to Baal . . . ‘” (1 Kings 19:14-16, 18a).




[5]“When your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they saw My work. For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and do not know My ways’” (Psalm 95:9-10). “Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power, who can understand?” (Job 26:14).




[6]And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). “For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore, take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will given . . .” (Luke 8:17-18a).




[7]“And so we have the prophetic word confirmed . . . no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved on by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19a, 20b, 21).




[8]“Then the Lord said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it’” (Jeremiah 1:12, New American Standard).




[9](James 4:8a)




[10]“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (and/or) . . . no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” (John 6:44a, 65b).




[11]“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1).




[12](John 15:5b, New American Standard)


“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 127:1a).




[13]“. . . I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him” (John 8:26b). “. . . as My Father taught me, I speak these things” (John 12:28b). “. . . just as the Father has told me, so I speak (John 12:50b).




[14]“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John14:26).

TITHING WITH EXPECTATION

By Ed Gibson

Honor the LORD with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine (Prov. 3: 9-10).

I was taught to tithe as a child, and early on I had the conviction that the first ten percent belonged to God without question. So tithing has always been kind of my “default” setting. Because of this, I probably developed more of a mentality of obligation than was really healthy. I would look at the tithe as just something that I needed to do to have peace with God and to walk in covenant with Him.

In college the Lord clearly revealed to me to increase my “tithe” beyond a tenth. He gave me a percentage amount that would henceforth be my “tithe.” I did not know why, but obeyed in faith that He would always provide for me. Since that time I have experienced great blessing in my life. I have always had an abundance, though not always an abundance of finances.

A few years ago the Lord was dealing with my fears about finances. I had just come through a financial trauma (our house flooded), and I was wanting to reduce my financial obligations by getting a smaller house, a lower overhead, and a more comfortable position. While considering this, the Lord led me to look at some building lots for sale. I resisted...I did NOT want any more financial stress. I did NOT want to live outside of my comfort. But I knew this was God’s direction to me. As I obeyed Him and began to investigate building a new house, He encouraged me one morning. It was on my early-morning run. I was just a few steps away from my house when, in mid-stride, He spoke to my spirit, “I am the God of Opportunity.” I KNEW that He had spoken to me. 'Nuff said... He spoke, and my faith rose.

I realized that my hope and my expectation had not been in my covenant relationship with Him, but in my ingenuity, and in protecting myself. I wanted to walk in faith, but I had some fears that were not yet dealt with. I was feeling a little bit on my own, like I kind of had to watch out for myself. But God was revealing to me that He took my faithfulness to Him as something very serious. He was in no way casual about His commitment to my success.

Over the years, the Lord began to teach me to have a positive expectation when I tithe. He began to show me that even though the tithe belonged to Him, and that I was tithing in obedience, when I showed my trust in Him, He would in no way, shape, or form let me go without everything I needed and even an abundance of everything that I needed.

Since the day that the Lord revealed to me that He is the God of Opportunity, I have had tremendous increase in every area of my life. I have not gone without anything for sure, but more than that, I have truly prospered.

Now I know that when I tithe, I should have the kind of positive expectation that a faithful son has of a Father. The Father is never going to let the son go without every blessing that the child needs. But even more, the Father wants the BEST for His kids.

Now I tithe with more faith and expectation than ever!

Interviewing God

Michael Lawrence has a new series, Interviewing God. This series will post weekly here on Present Truth.  Upper left on the blog page you will find a label "Interviewing God" that will pull all the posted issues to date.  This will update with each posting. Enjoy and if you have comments or questions, please feel free to leave them and a response will be given.

Here's an excerpt:

Members of the Christian community often have questions about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Most of us have either said or heard someone say “When I get to heaven, the first thing I want to ask God is …” In aggregate, the pool of questions becomes quite large. The drama, INTERVIEWING GOD, depicts a female news correspondent in an informal setting asking God a number of questions. The answers she receives are from His Word, which the Lord inspired the prophets and apostles to write. Scripture references are given throughout the interview along with the author’s notes. The interview is lengthy, as one might imagine, so here it is broken into parts. Part I, “The World is a Stage,” begins the series.

Calculating My Value

By Byron Hamilton

In a recent interview with Rush Limbaugh, Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, asked the renowned conservative political commentator about the eight-year contract he had signed worth $400 million. He asked the incredulous question, “How can you possibly be worth that kind of money?” Rush responded:

Value is determined by what somebody will pay you to do what you do.... You’re worth whatever your value is, and that's determined by what somebody's willing to pay you for it. And the only reason I get that money is because the people who invest in me get results beyond their expectations.

The discussion of somebody’s value, based upon what another person is willing to pay for them, intrigued me. Some people are worth more than others. The 2009 infamous media exposé of Tiger Woods revealed the golf legend to have a net worth of $600 million, with his career earnings totaling over $1 billion! The recent 2010 Super Bowl saw ads being run at halftime worth approximately $100,000 per second! These are astounding figures—yet even with a staggering economy people are willing to pay them because of the value the commodity brings. With 100 million enthusiastic viewers glued to the television at half-time, that’s only 3 cents per viewer for a 30 second advertisement. Companies vying for the coveted halftime commercial spots bank on more than a 10% return for their investment.

I began to wonder what I was worth. Scientists tell me that the total monetary value of the elements in my body, including my skin, is approximately $4.50! So, based upon the current yield from the NY stock exchange, my chemical and mineral composition is worth about the same as a decent sized hamburger! Not much!

There’s nothing like the Easter season to help bring focus on our worth. As Rush Limbaugh said, it is truly based upon what someone is willing to pay for you.

When I consider that the great Creator of the universe was willing to offer the life of His only Son for my life, I regard myself of unimaginable worth. God’s selfless act was based upon the worth He saw in me even when I was unworthy.

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8).
Not only did Christ’s death restore me to relationship with my Creator, it was the means by which He endowed me with spiritual riches and a colossal current and future inheritance.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-7).
Easter is a great time of year for me to center on my value. I am worth more than the millions of dollars earned by sports figures and Hollywood stars. Because of this, God, my Father, has told me not to be anxious or fearful. He has declared me holy, chosen, a special treasure, His very own.
For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you… (Deuteronomy 7:6-8a).