People argue that there is no reason for faith, and thus it is unreasonable. And yet, there are all sorts of things for which we can find no reason, especially not with the scientific method. They’re all around us. Here are a few:

1. 1. Love… At least not real love or the logic of love: self-sacrifice.
2. 2. Beauty, what the Bible calls “the Good” or the “Glorious.” You can’t reason your way to Beauty.
3. 3. Light. For light, there can be no temporal reason, but perhaps it is the reason for temporality.
4. 4. Life. Darwin did not explain life, but death. Life is a communion of self-sacrifice.
5. 5. Persons, Consciousness, Spirit. Even physicists will tell you that matter doesn’t matter, but you, the observer, do. That’s the “I” that observes “me.”
6. 6. Existence. Not things in existence, but existence. Philosophers refer to God as the Uncaused Cause or Necessary Beingness (“ousias” in Greek). Yahweh’s name is “I Am that I Am.”
7. 7. Reason. There is no reason for Reason. How could there be?

Many experience the fear of believing they’ve committed the unforgivable sin, but is there a sin that's too big for God or His grace to handle?  It’s time to look at this sin through God’s eyes of Grace.

All creation is the manifestation of a Love (God) Song, the Logos (logic) of God. Music is not illogical but more “logic” than we can comprehend. And so, to appreciate Music, the Music, the Logos, must comprehend us. Physicists argue that all elementary particles are different ‘notes’ on a fundamental string, such that “The universe… is akin to a cosmic symphony,” (Brian Green). Aslan sings Narnia into existence. In Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, God through angels sings creation into existence, and when a fallen angel sings discordant notes, God Himself sings those discordant notes into a deeper harmony. The dissonance creates a longing for consonance and ecstatic delight in a deeper resonance. In the Revelation, a slaughtered lamb stands on the throne (the top of the ark) and sings meaning into the Seven Sealed Scroll as all creation worships. Reality is a dance, and if you’re not dancing to the Logos of Love, perhaps you don’t actually exist. When you nail the Logos to a tree, what do you get? Sheet music, dance steps, science, and technology — it has its place, but it’s not the same as feeling happy or dancing in the moonlight.

“The Logos became flesh and we have seen his glory—grace.” Jesus lived gracefully; He lived His life like a dance. The dance fulfilled the law, although it was not at all what we expected. We had the sheet music; we had the knowledge of good and evil; we had the law in a coffin in a stone temple. We had the dance steps, but we were all surprised by the Dancer and His Dance.

In this conversation, Malcolm and Cheryl Smith explore the profound themes of relationship and covenant in the context of the gospel. Malcolm emphasizes the importance of understanding the gospel as a relationship rather than a mere contract, highlighting the significance of covenant as a deep, trusting connection.The discussion delves into the nature of Jesus’ incarnation, his suffering, and the ultimate goal of his mission, which transcends mere forgiveness of sins.

The conversation culminates in a reflection on righteousness and the commandment of love, emphasizing intimacy and union in our relationship with God. They also explore the profound themes of friendship, identity, and the transformative power of faith. Malcolm and Cheryl emphasize the importance of understanding one’s identity through Christ and the concept of metanoia, which signifies a shift towards seeing oneself and God in a new light. The discussion delves into the significance of the Eucharist as a celebration of the incarnation and the mysteries of faith that connect believers to the divine.

They discuss the impact of cultural and religious beliefs on one’s ability to trust oneself and the importance of reconnecting with intuition to understand God’s heart. The dialogue emphasizes overcoming barriers to self-expression, the role of metaphors in understanding intuition, the concept of the flow state as a pathway to enhanced productivity and creativity, and the importance of partnering with God to bring about healing and transformation.

If we always belonged in Christ, why does the Bible talk about adoption?

In this weeks episode, Baxter and Jason respond to one of the most common questions asked on belonging and adoption. Join them as they unpack  adoption, sonship, and what it means to live fully as true sons and daughters of the Father, in Jesus. 

To Donate:

USA:    https://eschurch.com/donate   ( check ‘Still Growing in Grace’  box )

CANADA:   https://growingingrace.ca/

Weekly Blog and previous content: https://mikezenker.blog/

Panelist & Guest Info And Links

Richard Murray: https://thegoodnessofgod.com/

Bill Thrasher: https://www.facebook.com/groups/444411502587439

Fred Young: https://eschurch.com/

Randy Elstrott: https://www.randyelstrott.com/

Mike Zenker: www.hopefellowshipycc.com

To Donate:

USA:    https://eschurch.com/donate   ( check ‘Still Growing in Grace’  box )

CANADA:   https://growingingrace.ca/

Weekly Blog and previous content: https://mikezenker.blog/

Panelist & Guest Info And Links

Richard Murray: https://thegoodnessofgod.com/

Bill Thrasher: https://www.facebook.com/groups/444411502587439

Fred Young: https://eschurch.com/

Randy Elstrott: https://www.randyelstrott.com/

Mike Zenker: www.hopefellowshipycc.com

To Donate:

USA:    https://eschurch.com/donate   ( check ‘Still Growing in Grace’  box )

CANADA:   https://growingingrace.ca/

Weekly Blog and previous content: https://mikezenker.blog/

Panelist & Guest Info And Links

Richard Murray: https://thegoodnessofgod.com/

Bill Thrasher: https://www.facebook.com/groups/444411502587439

Fred Young: https://eschurch.com/

Randy Elstrott: https://www.randyelstrott.com/

Mike Zenker: www.hopefellowshipycc.com

Embracing grace, we realized on the cross Jesus demonstrated His forgiveness of all sin for all time.  And then we come to 1 John 1:9, telling us if we confess our sin we will be forgiven.  Did Jesus single sacrifice release us from all sin for all time or didn’t it?  And this is what this episode, “Confessing Sin,” digs into.  Enjoy.   

Introduction:  God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and inclusion often are rejected because of God’s wrath.  Ironically, biblical wrath reveals God’s unconditional grace.  In the next 28 minutes, you just may see wrath as you’ve never seen it, in God’s grace. 

 Website thrivwithin.org  Within our consciousness lies a world of endless possibilities waiting to be explored. LEARN MORE: Read my book, Thrive Not Just Survive: How to Live from Within. We're also a podcast and YouTube @scottcook9734! Give at thrivwithin.org/donate.