Life Is Beautiful 1 10
Laurene Arrison
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 10, and 11; V.1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. V.10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. V.11 He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
God has planned a satisfying life on planet Earth and it is found within His purpose. Purpose is His intention for our life and the reason for our existence Ecclesiastes 3:1. Ecclesiastes 3:10, 11 goes even further and says purpose is what makes life beautiful or pleasant.
Pastor John Rasicci is the founder and Pastor of Word of His Grace Church in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where we are building people who are building the Church. Pastor's ministry mission is to help people discover God's dream for their Life, the Local Church, and the Last Days' Harvest. With a strong emphasis on the grace of God and with a prophetic voice, Pastor John preaches and teaches in churches, conferences, and crusades both locally and throughout the world. He has produced books, tapes, and other teaching materials to empower, enable, and equip Believers with the Word of God. Pastor John is married to his wife Candy who with their three children, Krista, Joanna, John Anthony, and two son-in-laws, Matt and Doug, serve together in the ministry. After graduating from Kent State University, Pastor John pursued a career in professional baseball before accepting the call to the ministry. He and his wife, Candy, received their ministry training from Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Howard: [to Brigitte, personification of Death] I've heard all of your platitudes. I got them, I know. "She's in a better place." And, "This is all a part of a master plan." Heard that one, too. Here's my favorite. "God looked down and saw the most beautiful rose, so beautiful that he picked it to have it in Heaven all for Himself." Then there's the science, biocentrism, and we're all living and dying in infinite universes all at the same time. And then the religion, the Christians and their salvation, and the Buddhists and their Samsara, and the Hindus and their 41st sacrament. And can't forget the poetry. Oh, the poetry. "To die is different from what anyone supposed and luckier." Whitman. And, "Rage... Rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right." Thomas. And then...
Howard: [singing] Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream Merrily, merrily merrily, merrily, life is but a dream! I got it. I got it! It all basically says that you're a natural part of life, we shouldn't hate you, we shouldn't fear you. I guess we should just accept you, right? That's it? I get it. Here's the thing. It's all a bunch of intellectual bullshit because she's not here holding my fucking hand.
The name of Jesus is beautiful, wonderful, and powerful. He is Creator, one with the Father, a rescuer, brings the Kingdom of God on earth, loving, defeated death, without rival or equal, is the name above all names, a king, to which nothing can stand against.
The name of Jesus is beautiful, wonderful, and powerful. Many will not understand the rest of it unless they have studied Christianity for themselves; However, the main thrust of this song will not be lost on the uninitiated.
You may have noticed a consistent theme in this reply, namely CONTEXT. There can be no proper interpretation of anything without it. From Bible verses to a recipe for Chocolate Chip cookies, from song meanings to figuring out complex math equations, everything is about context.
Peter, I have felt as you have about What a beautiful Name. It did strike to me as well a kind of spiritual narcissism that is contradictory to what our attitude about our eternal home.
What changed my mind about that line was the actual words of the Lord Jesus Himself. He is preparing a place for us. John 14:2,3. In the meantime He is active in His ministry of intercession for us. Part of that ministry is founding His high priestly prayer in which He wants us there with Him and the Father in order to behold His Glory. (John 17:24)
The irony of this song is that it teaches accidently solid Reformed teaching of the sort that puritan John Owen or John Piper today would heartily shout amen to. Out of our Pentecostal, Arminian brethren can come humbling teaching of our eternally secured home in heaven. I honestly feel that my preservation as a believer is in the hands of a glorified Savior, High Priest, Christ, Jesus. Hope that encourages you!
If you refer to the posts above from April 12 between Vince and myself, you will see that your argument is only supportable by taking the first line of the second verse in isolation from the rest of the verse.
I will reiterate here what I stated in a past comment on this very song. A song should not be penalized for how it MIGHT be taken especially if it must be taken out of context to arrive at a false conclusion.
In my opinion, (and I believe that you agree at least in principle) it is not necessary for every single phrase in a song to have solid, irrefutable scriptural backing as long as that phrase does not contradict what the Bible says about a certain subject. I seek to show you that this phrase does not undermine anything in the Word of God.
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
a. To everyone among you: Paul will soon speak about how we should exercise spiritual gifts in the body of Christ, but a warning about humility is in order, given the inordinate pride that often arises from those who regard themselves as spiritually gifted.
i. We should remember that spiritual giftedness does not equal spiritual maturity. Just because a person has substantial spiritual gifts does not mean they are necessarily spiritually mature or a worthy example.
b. Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think: Paul does not tell the believer to take an attitude that finds pleasure in humiliation or degradation. Rather, the idea is that we should see the truth about ourselves and live in light of it. When we see ourselves as we really are, it is impossible to be given over to pride.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.[ Amen.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and ABOUNDING IN STEADFAST LOVE
9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
It is always important to remember that most songs are poetic in nature, in that the songwriter will use linguistic devices (such as metaphors, hyperbole, similes, alliteration etc.) to portray the thought that they are trying to make.