Photo 2: stuart mckay photography prince street, february 3, 2022
BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.
By my Reformed theological reasoning, I have probably been a regenerated (John 3, Titus, 1 Peter 1: 3) Christian believer, since I was approximately 4 years old or so, back in the Prairie Avenue and Finley Street, Port Coquitlam days.
My Mother used to tell me that when I was very young, I blamed God for everything...
I have as a finite and sinful human being (Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Hebrews as examples for reference), prayed since being young. I have also, with God's help, developed into a Christian intellectual, PhD, Wales.
In conjunction with my weight loss regiment, recovering from the lifelong results of sleep apnea, I am finally getting a handle on this issue. Besides the UPPP, rhinoplasty surgeries from years ago and the permanent, low carbohydrates, low sugar diet, I have continued my lifelong exercise program.
This includes my often one hour, prayer walks in my condo, usually before bed. I need to admit that I am not theologically a charismatic, but probably a couple of times in my life, I would consider that a supernatural event occurred with a message from the Lord for me.
Never expected...
When I seek the Lord to tell me truth, I consider that is God naturally communicating to me, or at least largely so.
In Reformed theology, God is the first cause of all things. So, when I am praying I ask the Lord, not mainly for a supernatural message, but for the Lord to naturally put proper thoughts and ideas into my head concerning me serving God, including my life ministry and life problems.
What has come to my mind recently is that my clearest understandings of truth is not when I am using my PhD intellect to dwell on problems and solutions. Rather, my clearest understandings of truth are when I am using my PhD intellect, in intense prayer, as a secondary cause, being led by God as the first cause, to understand truth and reality by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This in the applied atoning and resurrection work of God the Son, Jesus Christ, through God the Father.
Surprisingly, on a key issue, my almost entirely, negative, intellectual, conclusions when I am thinking and pondering on this issue, become more positive conclusions when I am intellectually, thinking and pondering on the issue in intense prayer.
Self-deception?
Attempting to put a positive spin on a problem and problems?
These are always possibilities, admittedly.
But strange things have happened in 'real life' praying on this issue that are in agreement with ideas that came into my head, as I asked the Lord for the truth, well before they actually occurred.
Again, I do not claim to be a charismatic, theologically.
This intense prayer is often done by walking and specifically asking the Lord to take any Satanic or human deception, lack of clarity and falsehoods, out of my mind, and telling me the truth. It is not exhaustive truth, as the Lord always requires an aspect of faith. Not blind faith, but faith and reason connected to biblical, theological, philosophical and other sources of truth. But I have to admit, that I have been especially lately, provided some clarity in intense prayer. These ideas seem to largely agree with the ideas from others that know me well that are also praying on this issue and other issues.
BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.
BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.
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