Soaking Music

Good music for soaking in the presence of the Lord. Take some time to marinate in His glory and goodness. For more information about the artists, got to www.soaking.net and click on "Artists Pages" or "Ministrils."

The Passion of Christ in Sand Art

Artist and narrator Joe Castillo presents the message of the Cross in sand art. Amazing presentation.

Partakers of the Divine Nature

Currently, I am reading Partakers of the Divine Nature: The History and Development of Deificiation in the Christian Tradition. It is about how the Church historically has understood 2 Peter 1:4, concerning the promises of God through which we have been made “partakers of the divine nature.” In it, I have located a few intriguing quotes from early Church Fathers.

From Irenaeus (2nd Century):

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through His transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself. (Against Heresies, Book 5, Preface)

From Athanasius (4th Century):

For He was made man that we might be made God. (On the Incarnation, chapter 54)

Therefore He was not man, and then became God, but He was God, and then became man, and that to deify us. (Against the Arians, Discourse 1, Chapter 11)

For He has become Man, that He might deify us in Himself, and He has been born of a woman, and begotten of a Virgin, in order to transfer to Himself our erring generation, and that we may become henceforth a holy race, and ‘partakers of the Divine Nature,’ as blessed Peter wrote. (Personal Letter 60:4)

Godfrey Birtill >> Just One Touch from the King

Godfrey Birtill >> Lord, Turn Your Footsteps

Looking Forward to Reunion

Suzanne and I are looking forward to the upcoming reunion of the alumni and former students of Florida Bible College, our old alma mater (over 30 year ago). It will be in Marietta, GA over the Labor Day weekend. It will be a time of looking back, but we hope it will also be a time of looking forward.

The Bible says, in Joel 2 and Acts 2, that when the Spirit comes, the young men see visions and the old men dream dreams. It is good to remember, but it is striking that He did not say that the old men would reminisce, but that they would dream. Memories speak of what was. Visions speak of what is now. Dreams are about what will be. They look beyond the present generation.

When we were young, we had engaging visions. But now that we are ... um ... not so young, what are the dreams? When we gather, I will greatly enjoy hearing the memories of what once was and catching up on what now is. But what I really want to know are the dreams, what will be, because there is yet more to be told.