Wednesday, July 20, 2011

God of the Quakers


THE GOD OF THE QUAKERS

The God of the Quakers

George Fox and John Woolman both had a passionate love and a deep belief in God. They both wrote about this love and belief in an extraordinary way, as few people have. George Fox is the human founder of the Society of Friends; John Woolman, a Quaker mystic and social activist, lived a remarkable life in the eighteenth century that shows how to be a good Friend.

Creator


Creator

Holy


Holy God

GOD IS SEEN WHO IS HOLY

God is seen who is Holy,

     and without holiness no one can see Him.

    see the transgressions which have separated you from God.

    see the Kingdom of Heaven, 

    see him whose name is called the Word of God

    see the scriptures 

    see the Savior of thy Soul

    see the Son of God

    see thyself 

    sees Christ Author of they Faith, who gives thee faith. Heb.12.2.


    see godly fear Col. I.27. I Pet.


    see Christ by the light.

    see the way to the Father of Light.

    see from whence light comes.

HOLY: SET APART TO THE SERVICE OF GOD

HOLY GOD




Blessed be His holy name!


       When Holy is a name, it may only refer to God, and it commands absolute reverence and adoration.


       When we call a man or a woman holy, it means that they are behaving in a godly way.


       God’s Power is pure and holy. We are to worship the holy God who is righteous and just. Nothing can get between us and the Lord God if we keep in His "holy and heavenly order."

GLORY: THE RADIANT BEAUTY OF GOD

GLORY: THE RADIANT BEAUTY AND RESPLENDENT ASPECT OF GOD


Glory and praise be to His Name forever.


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GOD

All are to live to the praise and glory of God; all must keep holy and righteous to the Glory of God; all are to bring forth fresh green fruit to the Glory of God.

    Eternal glorious God of heaven and earth.


    Keep our glorious, heavenly, comfortable Fellowship in this glorious Gospel of Peace.

GOD IS BOTH JUST AND MERCIFUL

Two parables –the wheat and the tares and the workers in God’s vineyard – show God’s mercy and justice.





Pastoral Letter 3: Now is the time of harvest, that both wheat and tares are seen, and each distinguished from one another.
From the King James Version of the Bible: Gather ye together first the tares and bind them into bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew 13:30
There is no way to make the parable of the wheat and tares warm and cuddly. The wheat is put in a safe place, i.e., Heaven; the tares are burned. i.e., Hell.

Wheat and Tares

GOD OF UNLIMITED LOVE

GOD OF UNLIMITED LOVE

       God is not just a God of Love but a One of unlimited love. This love is pure and peaceable. Friends should dwell in it in unity of the Spirit for it warms our hearts and knits and unites us together. If we do this, we will be able to look above all outward suffering.

       This Love enables us to bear all things; whatever wicked men do to us, or what God may try us with. For His Love casts out false fear, unites the hearts of His people in heavenly joy, concord and unity. Mind the "pure Refreshings in the unlimited Love of God."

       For God preserves us by his eternal arm, carries us in his hand, and opens his ears to our cries when we suffer.

THE POWER OF GOD IS OVER ALL

POWER IS BOTH A NAME OF GOD AND A DIVINE ATTRIBUTE

       Christ has all power; Friends also have power. Power protects us from those in the world who would harm us; Power defends us from the devil, the power of darkness.

POWER AND ALMIGHTY ARE GOD’S NAME

       Power is God’s name; Almighty is God’s name. Almighty is also an attribute of God; God is all-sufficient and Almighty.

THE MIGHTY GOD OF POWER

       Mighty is an attribute of God. Friends should know the Power of the mighty God; His arm, how it works; His hand, how it carries us.

       This mighty Power of God enables us to stand over all the world.

       Omnipotent, which means all powerful, is a word that can only apply to God. But this all powerful God hears the cries of the oppressed and afflicted ones, day and night.

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD'S POWER

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD'S POWER

POWER PRESERVES

The Power of God keeps and preserves us on His holy Mountain.

POWER AS TRUTH AND WISDOM

Power is blessed Truth. This blessed Truth should be spread abroad, for Truth and Power make an end to all unholiness.

POWER DISCOVERED US

The Lord God Almighty has discovered us – that is, revealed Himself to us – by His prophets and servants.

POWER IS OVER ALL

The universal Power of God goes over all.

POWER IS ORDER

Power is the Law and Order of Life and of the Gospel.

This Power will order and keep down that which would be hasty or that which would be disobedient.

GOD OF PEACE

GOD OF PEACE

Blessed are those whose minds are stayed upon the Lord, for they shall be kept in perfect peace ... for it is a whole Peace, which cannot be broken. So here is not only a perfect Peace, but a blessing which comes from the God of all Peace. Letter 249, 1667

Fox never writes anything once when he can write it several times. But it is worth repeating for peace is whole, perfect and a blessing. We are heirs of the God of Peace so we may walk in Peace with Him and with one another. We have the promise of everlasting peace, which comes from the mountain, so we may stand fast in Him and He will keep us. The God of Life, Peace and endless Love is with us all and clothes us with the garment of everlasting praise.

GEORGE FOX'S MYSTICAL IMAGE OF GOD

CREATOR, LIVING GOD
FATHER OF LIFE

God is the creator of the universe and this
creation reveals His incredible power.


       But Fox just mentions in passing the creation of the world, how God divided the great sea from the land and the light from the darkness.

     What really interests him is that creation continues each day. God is interested in, and intimately involved in, these day to day changes.  He causes the snow to melt and the rain to water the plants.