Rebecca Stark is the author of The Good Portion: Godthe second title in The Good Portion series.

The Good Portion: God explores what Scripture teaches about God in hopes that readers will see his perfection, worth, magnificence, and beauty as they study his triune nature, infinite attributes, and wondrous works. 

                     

Tuesday
Feb032015

Theological Term of the Week

names of God
The names for God found in scripture, which he reveals to us to teach us who he really is. 

  • Three names of God in scripture: 

    Yahweh: God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD [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 is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. (Exodus 3:15 ESV)

    Elohim: In the beginning, God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 ESV)

    Jealous: [Y]ou shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God … . (Exodus 34:14 ESV)

Click to read more ...

Monday
Feb022015

Status Report: February

Sitting…on the couch in the living room.

Watching…Antique Roadshow. My excuse is that I’m dull and lazy because I’ve been sick today. Nothing serious, but my stomach and head are both wonky. 

Feeling…a little better now and hoping to be all well by tomorrow.

Not loving…the weather forecast. I’ll show you.

I think it’s been a couple of years since we’ve had -40 temps, and I was hoping we’d skip the very cold stuff this year, too. At least when the colder temperatures come in February, it’s more likely to warm up a little during the day. When -40 comes in January, it often stays -40 all day long because there’s so little warmth in the January sun.

Wishing…I’d remembered to my my frayed block heater cord while the weather was warm.

Loving…The bright blue sky and the sundogged sun of the cold winter days, and the bright moon and the northern lights of the cold winter nights.

Telling…this story. Two-year-old granddaughter and her mother dropped by yesterday evening. I wasn’t expecting them and had a candle burning on the coffee table in the living room, and forgot about it. I was standing in the kitchen chatting with my daughter when my granddaughter came in, carrying the still-burning candle. “Put this up, Grandma” she said. “Candles are dangerous for kids.”

Thanking…God she didn’t drop the candle, or spill liquid wax on herself, or start her clothes on fire. She did, I’m told, burn her finger on the stovetop today, but it’s just a tiny blister. So I’m thankful for God’s protection today, too. (No child would make it to adulthood without it!) 

Reading…Can We Still Believe the Bible? by Craig Blomberg. We have it in the church library and I plan to review it for the church newspaper once I finish. I don’t agree with everything in it, but still, it’s a good defense of the reliability of scripture.

And I’m still reading Made for More: An Invitation to Live in God’s Image by Hannah Anderson.

Wishing…you a February full of friends and family and fellowship. And no flu.

Monday
Feb022015

Heidelberg Catechism

Question 73. Why then does the Holy Ghost call baptism the washing of regeneration and the washing away of sins?

Answer: God good reasons for these words. He wants to teach us that the blood and Spirit of Christ wash away our sins just as water washes away dirt from the body. (a)

But more important, he wants to assure us, by this divine pledge and sign, that the washing away of our sins spiritually is as real as physical washing with water. (b)

(Scriptural proofs after the fold.)

Click to read more ...