Baroni Bloggin’

Excited to announce the release of my new book “Dreams, Kings and Unseen Things: musings of a songwriter”

Godrest and Godspeed,
David Baroni

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I originally called this article: “Needless Arguments Over a Multifaceted God.” That sounded too fancy-shmancy, hence the current title.

Many of you are familiar with the story of how 5 blind men were placed into close proximity with an elephant and asked to describe the elephant.
One man grabbed the elephant’s tail and said, “An elephant is like a rope”.
Another man ran his hands along the elephant’s side and said, “No, it is like a wall!” Yet another blind man felt the huge leg of the animal and described the elephant as being like a palm tree. You get the idea. All five men were accurate, yet very limited in their understanding of what an elephant is like by their perspective.

That’s how we get into arguments about God. We all have limited perceptions of Who God is. The Apostle Paul said that “we look through a glass darkly.”

There are some people who have wonderfully discovered Jesus as their Savior. This is the main aspect of God that they emphasize. Obviously this is a very important attribute of the Lord, but He is more than a Savior. Others see God as Father. Indeed, He is; however He also nurtures like a mother. Still others are in love with Jesus as their heavenly bridegroom. Scholars and others emphasize God as the Master Teacher. Scientists may zoom in on the “Creator” aspect of God.

The fact is, all of the above are right and yet only seeing just a part (however important) of Who God really is. In my own life I have gone through phases of relating differently at different times to this multifaceted God. In one season I have leaned on (and still do) the Fatherly aspect of God. In another season I became intoxicated with the thought of Jesus as the Lover of my soul, my Heavenly Bridegroom and I wrote songs of intimacy (as some derisively say- the “Jesus is my Boyfriend” kind of songs.) From one who has been on a quest for real intimacy that was severely thwarted by abuse in my childhood, this facet of God is very important to me. But that, by far, is not all that God is.

He is the Creator, the Sustain-er of that creation. He is Redeemer, He is Teacher, He is Healer, He is the Mighty Warrior. (For awhile we in the church focused almost exclusively on that aspect of God.)

We could save ourselves a lot of time and energy if we could learn that, like the blind men with the elephant, God is bigger than we individually could describe. Let others focus on the trunk or the tail or the side or the leg for awhile, and trust that God will help them get to know Him in other ways. Hope that they also will be patient with you, because, like it or not- believe it or not, your view of God is limited too! Let’s all extend grace to each other and honor each person’s process of getting to know the Lord.

After all, I will eventually get around to an aspect of God that you are also discovering and we can rejoice that God is so vast that it will take eternity to get to know Him!

Check out this excerpt from a recent message “The Great Unveiling”

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Adam and Eve once enjoyed face to face communion with the Lord God Almighty. Walking and talking with Him in the garden of Eden in the cool of the day. They were naked and unashamed- enjoying closeness with God and with each other and God’s creation.

Of course after listening to the evil one and eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil the word says that “their eyes were opened” and they knew they were unclothed and they heard the “sound (some translations say “voice”) of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and they hid themselves from the Presence of the Lord.” (Gen. 3:8)

We have been self-sufficient (and woefully lacking) and hiding ever since. But because of Jesus Christ we don’t have to hide anymore! Once again by the grace of God and the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, we can walk and talk in freedom with God- clothed with His righteousness and unashamed. We were servants to ourselves, slaves to sin but in Christ we have become sons of God!

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name”. John 1:12

The entire creation is waiting anxiously, eagerly for… the return of the Lord? Romans 8:19 says that creation is waiting for the manifestation, revealing, UNVEILING of the sons of God. Jesus preached the gospel of the Kingdom. He embodied the life of His Father through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said “OF myself I can do nothing, I only do what I see the Father doing. The Father in Me does the works.” Jesus lived His life on earth as a man, totally yielded to His Father. Totally dependent on His Father.

The Word made flesh and dwelt among us!

The Bible teaches us that Jesus Christ is the firstborn among many brethren. Not only is Jesus our Savior, Redeemer, Lord, Heavenly Bridegroom, etc. He is also our Big Brother!

As the Lion King told Simba: “You’ve forgotten who you are”, and “You are more than you’ve become.”

If anyone is in Christ he or she is a new creation. Led by the Holy Spirit, we are the sons of God! If Jesus is the King of kings (and He is), who are the “little k” kings that He is the King of? That’s right, you and me! All who have come to God through the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ have been given the incredible privilege of an eternal relationship with God… what an adventure- to rule and reign with Him by His power, by His love, by His Spirit and Life and Word within us! Talk about abundant life.

Enjoy the song “Unveiled!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVDjelIwoT8

We don’t have to hide from the Presence of the Lord anymore. Christ in us is the hope of glory!

Godrest and Godspeed,
David Baroni

“Unveiled!”
David Baroni/Kingdomsongs Inc./CCLI# 5525166

Verse 1:
To see the invisible
Hear what can’t be heard
Explore the unsearchable
Wonders of Your Word
Things of earth fade away…
Things of earth fade away
As we look into Your Face

Chorus:
Unveiled unveiled
Changing from glory to glory
Unveiled unveiled
Heart to heart Face to face
This is what we’re yearning for
The cross has made the way
For us to stand before You
Unveiled!

Verse 2:
Creation is crying out
Longing for the day
When the sons of the Kingdom
Show the world Your ways
Walking in Father’s Love
Walking in Father’s Love
By His Spirit and His grace

Chorus: (repeat)

Bridge:
Elders bow
Angels shout “Holy Holy Holy”
Multitudes and millions worship You alone
Worthy is the Lamb of God The Lord forever reigns
Blessed is Your Name
Blessed is Your Name
And blessed are the ones who stand before Your Throne

Godrest and Godspeed!
David Baroni

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