Slideshow image
This morning I was thinking through
'What forms my Theology?'
and how does my Theology
'form my actions'.....?

theology = 'speaking' about God
- the systematic study of the existence and nature of the divine and its relationship to and influence upon other beings.
- the systematic study of revelation concerning God's nature and purpose
- Origin - mid-14c.,  from "theos" - god  + "logy" - discourse, treatise, doctrine, theory

1st question;
What are the things that create my picture of who God is?
- My personal context - family upbringing, my society, my personal experiences
- and what I feed my mind - TV, Media, books, my friends, my passions
create a CONTEXT for understanding God
But more importantly what are my 
SOURCES of knowing About or/and actually Knowing God?
- Personal experiences of God's activity in my life
- Experiences of others
- Recorded Activities of God
Then this morning I read Acts 7
You know....
Stephen's chat with the religious leaders
because they couldn't stand his wisdom... ref Acts 6:9-12
Stephen reminded them of their history of ignoring God
even though He kept stepping into their national life...
- Stephen's final condemnation was that they like their forefathers
ignored
the God of their history
the 'person' in the texts they so expertly read  ref Jn 5:37-40
the 
Holy Spirit. ref Acts 7:51-53
While I was in Jerusalem I visited the
'Shrine of the Book'
a large building that holds copies of some of the Dead Sea Scrolls
among other ancient manuscripts.
The strange thing is....
that the building honours the manuscripts
but not the God of the 'book'
Hmmm....
The Holy Spirit.
the 'counselor' and 'instructor'
the one who makes sense of my 'sources' of God
The One who IS God 
and 
IS my Knowing God....
I have 'Jesus' Mind!'  ref 1Cor 2:6-15
John even said that I don't need instruction
on how to refute 'anti-Christ thinking'.... I have His Spirit
who teaches me!  wow!  ref 1Jn 2:20-28
Lord Jesus
You meet with me
to reveal WHO You are
by Your activities
in Your Word
in Your Spirit in me
in Your body
and as I observe
and
Abide
You Teach me.
You create a true picture
of Who You Are
and
what my response should be.... (answer to 2nd question)
Lord
Thank You
that it is not by
being
Smart that I 
'figure' You out....
Or by having the 'right texts'
or by knowing the right 'things'
but by
Listening.... to You
and
Hearing... from You
with a heart that is 
childlike.....
Thank You 
Jesus.
PJ
Description of why the Shrine was built