The With-ness of our God: Relationship in Every Dimension

The With-ness of our God cover temp 3

Now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, WestBow Press, and others. But first read what others are saying:

This incredible book by Jan Loyd is not a quick read…it is not a fluffy feel-good book…it is a powerful interactive book that pulled me into the truth of God’s word. To glean the fruit available within its pages, I needed to take my time in order to engage in meditation, reflection, journaling, application, and worship. This is such a powerful book because the author has built into its structure the opportunities for individual growth and personal experience – it is a text, a workbook with prompts and study questions, and a doorway to capturing my thoughts on paper.Jan does a masterful job of interweaving personal experiences, song lyrics, and metaphors with rich Bible studies and deep dives into solid theology. The book takes the reader from making biscuits and chocolate orange cake; to a walk in the vineyard and enjoying an ocean sunrise; to the life, salvation, sanctification and redemption found in Christ. Don’t miss this spiritual journey.I have a little plastic, blue boat on my office desk…once you read this book you will want one too. As I begin to walk the Appalachian Trail this summer, I plan to join Jan’s Sunrise Club and I am putting a few handwritten notes from this book regarding courage and St. Patrick’s Breastplate in my backpack. Jan’s insights will provide me (and you) with powerful truth in times of loneliness and adversity.Little words like prepositions will never be the same after an encounter with this book. These powerful words of motion, movement, and rest communicate the truth of the gospel with such significance. Jan’s insights provide wonderful windows of nuance into familiar passages of scripture. I highly recommend this book for a personal read, a group study, or a Sunday school class…but before you pick up this book, be ready to be pulled into the exciting reality of God’s word. David Rough, Ed.D. Academic Dean Dayton Christian School System

I was so blessed when I read the study that Jan Loyd has written on the “WITH-ness of our God”. It came at a time when I was weary in my spirit. I was so refreshed with the heart of the study, which is that God wants to be with us. Jan helps the learner to discover so clearly that God not only wants to be with us but He is always for us and lives in us as believers. In her study, she helps the student of Scripture capture the message of the spiritual rest that we can only have in Jesus Christ. I wholeheartedly encourage all believers to do this study. You WILL BE BLESSED! Dr. Wayne Barber Senior Pastor, Woodland Park Baptist Church Former teacher, Precept Ministries Chattanooga, TN

We have been blessed by Jan’s book, and her deep commitment to explore the depths of these ‘prepositions.’ What a gift to the body of Christ! Jan’s humble approach in this work will not only touch your heart, but I predict will help transport you (by His Spirit) to a remarkable place of meditation and devotion to God’s Word for you and yours! When you and I find ourselves in those blessed places, we are often given, by His grace, moments of insight and understanding that are not only refreshing, but are also pieces of our continuing transformation. Please join me in thanking the Holy Spirit for His leading in the inspiration and development of this book. God bless you, Jan, and thanks! Pastor Jim DeJonghe Soul Winners for Jesus Christ Dayton, Ohio

God used the truths in this study to open up a deeper understanding of what I have been given in the person of Jesus Christ, and how that understanding works itself out experientially in my daily life. Jan takes deep spiritual truths and makes them very personal and accessible to those whose hearts yearn for the deeper things of God. Let this study lead you to the richest treasure of all that we already possess–Christ Himself, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Kathe Bricker wife, mother, Women’s Bible Study leader Patterson Park Church, Dayton, Ohio

This study changed the way I read and study Scripture. Jan shows how these seemingly insignificant words we call prepositions are relevant and packed with meaning. She takes her love for grammar and combines it with wisdom, insight, and experience to bring God’s Truth to life in an easy to understand way. Cynthia Travis wife, mother, sister in the Lord homeschool mom

This study is like worshiping for me. It’s about our relationship with, in, and through Christ. Jan has been a friend and mentor to me for over 20 years. She has a way of speaking God’s word that has brought me and many more to maturity in Christ. She once said to me, “If Christ isn’t speaking, I have nothing to say.” Amen. Shirley Wharton friend, student, and sister in Christ.

For more details about the book as well as additional endorsements, click here.

The With-ness of our God: Relationship in Every Dimension

Now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, WestBow Press, and others. But first read what others are saying:

This incredible book by Jan Loyd is not a quick read…it is not a fluffy feel-good book…it is a powerful interactive book that pulled me into the truth of God’s word. To glean the fruit available within its pages, I needed to take my time in order to engage in meditation, reflection, journaling, application, and worship. This is such a powerful book because the author has built into its structure the opportunities for individual growth and personal experience – it is a text, a workbook with prompts and study questions, and a doorway to capturing my thoughts on paper. Jan does a masterful job of interweaving personal experiences, song lyrics, and metaphors with rich Bible studies and deep dives into solid theology. The book takes the reader from making biscuits and chocolate orange cake; to a walk in the vineyard and enjoying an ocean sunrise; to the life, salvation, sanctification and redemption found in Christ. Don’t miss this spiritual journey. I have a little plastic, blue boat on my office desk…once you read this book you will want one too. As I begin to walk the Appalachian Trail this summer, I plan to join Jan’s Sunrise Club and I am putting a few handwritten notes from this book regarding courage and St. Patrick’s Breastplate in my backpack. Jan’s insights will provide me (and you) with powerful truth in times of loneliness and adversity. Little words like prepositions will never be the same after an encounter with this book. These powerful words of motion, movement, and rest communicate the truth of the gospel with such significance. Jan’s insights provide wonderful windows of nuance into familiar passages of scripture. I highly recommend this book for a personal read, a group study, or a Sunday school class…but before you pick up this book, be ready to be pulled into the exciting reality of God’s word. David Rough, Ed.D. Academic Dean Dayton Christian School System

I was so blessed when I read the study that Jan Loyd has written on the “WITH-ness of our God”. It came at a time when I was weary in my spirit. I was so refreshed with the heart of the study, which is that God wants to be with us. Jan helps the learner to discover so clearly that God not only wants to be with us but He is always for us and lives in us as believers. In her study, she helps the student of Scripture capture the message of the spiritual rest that we can only have in Jesus Christ. I wholeheartedly encourage all believers to do this study. You WILL BE BLESSED! Dr. Wayne Barber Senior Pastor, Woodland Park Baptist Church Former teacher, Precept Ministries Chattanooga, TN

We have been blessed by Jan’s book, and her deep commitment to explore the depths of these ‘prepositions.’ What a gift to the body of Christ! Jan’s humble approach in this work will not only touch your heart, but I predict will help transport you (by His Spirit) to a remarkable place of meditation and devotion to God’s Word for you and yours! When you and I find ourselves in those blessed places, we are often given, by His grace, moments of insight and understanding that are not only refreshing, but are also pieces of our continuing transformation. Please join me in thanking the Holy Spirit for His leading in the inspiration and development of this book. God bless you, Jan, and thanks! Pastor Jim DeJonghe Soul Winners for Jesus Christ Dayton, Ohio

God used the truths in this study to open up a deeper understanding of what I have been given in the person of Jesus Christ, and how that understanding works itself out experientially in my daily life. Jan takes deep spiritual truths and makes them very personal and accessible to those whose hearts yearn for the deeper things of God. Let this study lead you to the richest treasure of all that we already possess–Christ Himself, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Kathe Bricker wife, mother, Women’s Bible Study leader Patterson Park Church, Dayton, Ohio

This study changed the way I read and study Scripture. Jan shows how these seemingly insignificant words we call prepositions are relevant and packed with meaning. She takes her love for grammar and combines it with wisdom, insight, and experience to bring God’s Truth to life in an easy to understand way. Cynthia Travis wife, mother, sister in the Lord homeschool mom

This study is like worshiping for me. It’s about our relationship with, in, and through Christ. Jan has been a friend and mentor to me for over 20 years. She has a way of speaking God’s word that has brought me and many more to maturity in Christ. She once said to me, “If Christ isn’t speaking, I have nothing to say.” Amen. Shirley Wharton friend, student, and sister in Christ.

For more details about the book as well as additional endorsements, click here.

Verbal Keys that Unlock God's Eternal Purpose

We have been considering Christ who is our Key, not only to the Christian Life, but to all else besides.

Before we move on in our meditations, I would like to share a post from our brother, David Bolton's website, Christ-Centered Christianity.  In this study, David explores three key Greek words (prepositions, if you will) that will help unlock the treasures of God's Word regarding His eternal purpose in Christ.

Be blessed and enlightened as you read and prayerfully meditate. Thank you, dear brother, for sharing what God has given you.

As we explore further the centrality of Christ, I would like to offer a small set of “keys” which can help to unlock much of God’s Word concerning “the mystery of His will”, God’s eternal purpose. One thing about keys is that, although they are small, they can unlock and open large doors. The understanding of God’s eternal purpose and of the centrality of Christ within it are not just large doors, they are immense doors.  The small set of keys that work to open them up are four little, seemingly inconspicuous, Greek words:

“ek”,   “dia”,   “en”,   &   “eis”

In this meditation we will use the first three of these keys, and in the next, we will use the fourth.

As we look at the definition for the word “center” for this meditation, we will use the first three keys to help unlock our understanding of the centrality of Christ as:

“A point of origin, as of influence, ideas, or actions.” (American Heritage Dictionary – online edition)

The first of these “keys” is the little Greek word “ek”. This word in Greek is a primitive root denoting “origins” (Strong’s), and is often translated, “out”, “from” and “of”. In relation to the eternal purpose of God, the word “ek”  is used in Scripture exclusively in relation to the Father. This little key unlocks for us the deep and mysterious truth that in God’s eternal purpose, “all things” are “out”, “from”, and “of” the Father as their Source.  He is revealed in Scripture to be the Origin of “all things”.

A verse that clearly declares this truth is 1 Corinthians 8:5. The literal “Expanded Translation”, by Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest, expresses it beautifully:

“Yet to us there is one God, the Father, out from whom as a source are all things and we for Him,”

The words “out from…as a source” are the literal translation of the little word “ek”. This verse clearly states that “all things” originate with the Father, and are out from Him as their “source”. This word “ek”, therefore, is a primary key to understanding the role of the Father in the eternal purpose as the Source and Origin of all things.

~ ~ ~

The next key that we will look at is the little word, “dia”. This word is a primitive root denoting “the channel of an act” (Strong’s), and is primarily translated as “through”. When we take this key and see where it is found in Scripture in regards to the eternal purpose, we see that it is primarily used in relation to the Son. The Son is revealed to be the “channel”, or the Mediator through which all things come into existence in the eternal purpose.

We turn again to Kenneth Wuest’s Expanded Translation of 1 Corinthians 8:5 and focus on the second half of the verse:

“Yet to us there is one God, the Father, out from whom as a source are all things and we for Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whose intermediate agency all things exist and we through Him.”

Here the words, “through (whose) intermediate agency” , and also “through”, are the literal translations of the Greek word “dia”. It is “through” Jesus Christ, as the Father’s “intermediate agency”, that “all things” come into existence. This word “dia”, therefore, is a primary key to understanding the role of the Son as the Channel and Mediator of “all things” in the eternal purpose of the Father.

~ ~ ~

We will now consider the third key, the little Greek word “en”. This is a primitive root denoting “a (fixed) position”, with the implication of “instrumentality” (Strong’s.) It is often translated as “in” and “by” in the New Testament. The word “en” , as with “dia”, is found in Scripture primarily in relation to the Son in regards to the eternal purpose. Not only are “all things” “through” (“dia”) the Son, “all things” are also “in” and “by” (“en”) the Son as the “fixed instrumentality” of the Father for the accomplishing of His eternal purpose.

In Ephesians 3:11, for example, where “en” is translated as “accomplished in”, we read:

“…according to his (the Father’s) eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The eternal purpose is “accomplished in  (“en”) Christ Jesus our Lord.” He is the fixed instrumentality of the outworking of the eternal purpose in all things.

Furthermore, in Colossians 1:16-17, where “en” is translated “by”, we read:

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;”

Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son, is the means, the method and the way by which the Father accomplishes His Divine Will. All things are mediated, channeled, executed, administered and dispensed through the Lord Jesus Christ as the fixed instrumentality and intermediate agency of the eternal purpose.

The Father, therefore, does nothing but that He does it “through”, “in” and “by” the Son of His Love. When the Father wills to create, He employs His Son, the Word. When the Father wills to redeem, He employs His Son, the Lamb, the High Priest. When the Father wills the Church, He employs His Son, the Second Man, the Bridegroom, the Head. When the Father wills the Kingdom, He employs His Son, the Son of Man, the Lamb, the Lion, the King of kings. This is the central and supreme place and vocation ascribed to the Son of God in the everlasting economy of God.

This little Greek word “en”, therefore, is a second primary key, along with “dia”, to unlock the revelation of the position, purpose and function of the Lord Jesus Christ in the eternal purpose.

According to the three keys that we have looked at so far, “ek”, “dia” and “en”, we have come to understand that in the eternal purpose all things are “out”, “from” and “of” the Father as Origin and Source; and all things are “through”, “in” and “by” the Son as Mediator and Instrument of the Father.

How immense are the doors that are opened up by these three little “keys”!

~ ~ ~

We now come to our present definition of the word “center”:  “A point of origin, as of influence, ideas, or actions.” ? How does the understanding that has been “unlocked” for us reveal the “centrality” of Christ  in this way?

First, we must recognize and acknowledged that in the highest sense, it is the Father who is the supreme “point of origin, as of influence, ideas, or actions.” All things originate with Him and are out from Him as the Source. That being said, however, in relation to the dispensation, manifestation, administration and consummation of the eternal purpose, the Father has delegated the central and supreme position and role to the Son. Everything channels  and is executed through Him.

To illustrate the centrality of Christ in this regard, let us  consider a fountain in the center of a reflecting pool. The source of water is hidden and comes from elsewhere, but the dispensation of the water is in, by and through the fountain. All that fills the pool flows in, up, and out through the one central fountain. Jesus Christ is the Central Fountain of all of Creation, Redemption, the Church and the Kingdom. Everything has come, is coming and will come through Him, in Him, and by Him.   He is, in this sublime position and role, the “point of origin, as of influence, ideas, or actions.” He is the Center of all of God’s Ways (“influence”); He is the Center of all of God’s Wisdom (“ideas”); and he is the Center of all of God’s Works (“actions”). The Father does nothing but that He does it through, in and by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

How great and glorious is this Son of God!

It has “pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell”,

and that “in all things He might have the supremacy.”

Colossians 1:19 & 18

Have your eyes been opened to see this Jesus?

Unlocking God’s Eternal Purpose (“Christ the Center” series revisited – Part 4) Posted on 04/30/2015    by David Bolton

Coming soon!

Coming in late fall/early winter 2014, a new devotional/ Bible Study book to be published by CrossBooks:   The WITH-ness of Our God: Relationship in Every Dimension by Jan Loyd

Do you realize that the Triune God offers us a relationship that encompasses every dimension, every direction, every angle, every aspect, every nuance, every everything, and every everyplace?  That’s right, our God longs that we know the reality of His loving Presence totally cocooning us in His Son by faith.

To explore this awesome truth, we go to the Holy Scriptures, to some small words that we could quickly gloss over.  Don't let these little words fool you.  These words, called prepositions, are power-packed with truth for our minds, hearts, and lives.

Lest you fear that you must know grammar to do this study, please put that fear to rest.  In each chapter, the author explores one of the prepositions in some key passages of Scripture.  Then the reader is guided through seven days of study and reflection on the truths unveiled.

So please join us in this journey through the unfathomable treasures of the Scriptures as we catch a fresh glimpse at our relationship with the Living God…all through some verbal treasures called prepositions.

TABLE of CONTENTS:

Chapter 1    Prepositional Truth

Chapter 2    The WITH-ness of our God: the Really Good News

Chapter 3    Christ FOR Us: Paid in Full!

Chapter 4    The WITH-ness of God Revisited: Life Union WITH Christ

Chapter 5    IN Christ:  the bottle IN the Ocean

Chapter 6    Christ IN Me:  the Ocean IN the bottle

Chapter 7    Living OUT OF Christ:  Life Outflowing

Chapter 8    Come TO Me: His Invitation to Faith

Chapter 9    Come INTO my Boat: My Invitation in Prayer

What OTHERS are saying...

I was so blessed when I read the study that Jan Loyd has written on the “WITH-ness of our God”.  It came at a time when I was weary in my spirit. I was so refreshed with the heart of the study, which is that God wants to be with us. Jan helps the learner to discover so clearly that God not only wants to be with us but He is always for us and lives in us as believers. In her study, she helps the student of Scripture capture the message of the spiritual rest that we can only have in Jesus Christ. I wholeheartedly encourage all believers to do this study. You WILL BE BLESSED!

Dr. Wayne Barber Senior Pastor, Woodland Park Baptist Church Former teacher, Precept Ministries Chattanooga, TN

This incredible book by Jan Loyd is not a quick read…it is not a fluffy feel-good book…it is a powerful interactive book that pulled me into the truth of God’s word. To glean the fruit available within its pages, I needed to take my time in order to engage in meditation, reflection, journaling, application, and worship. This is such a powerful book because the author has built into its structure the opportunities for individual growth and personal experience – it is a text, a workbook with prompts and study questions, and a doorway to capturing my thoughts on paper.

Jan does a masterful job of interweaving personal experiences, song lyrics, and metaphors with rich Bible studies and deep dives into solid theology. The book takes the reader from making biscuits and chocolate orange cake; to a walk in the vineyard and enjoying an ocean sunrise; to the life, salvation, sanctification and redemption found in Christ. Don’t miss this spiritual journey.

I have a little plastic, blue boat on my office desk…once you read this book you will want one too. As I begin to walk the Appalachian Trail this summer, I plan to join Jan’s Sunrise Club and I am putting a few handwritten notes from this book regarding courage and St. Patrick’s Breastplate in my backpack. Jan’s insights will provide me (and you) with powerful truth in times of loneliness and adversity.

Little words like prepositions will never be the same after an encounter with this book. These powerful words of motion, movement, and rest communicate the truth of the gospel with such significance. Jan’s insights provide wonderful windows of nuance into familiar passages of scripture. I highly recommend this book for a personal read, a group study, or a Sunday school class…but before you pick up this book, be ready to be pulled into the exciting reality of God’s word.

Dr. David Rough, Ed.D. Academic Dean Dayton Christian School System

We have been blessed by Jan's book, and her deep commitment to explore the depths of these 'prepositions.’ What a gift to the body of Christ! Jan's humble approach in this work will not only touch your heart, but I predict will help transport you (by His Spirit) to a remarkable place of meditation and devotion to God's Word for you and yours! When you and I find ourselves in those blessed places, we are often given, by His grace, moments of insight and understanding that are not only refreshing, but are also pieces of our continuing transformation. Please join me in thanking the Holy Spirit for His leading in the inspiration and development of this book. God bless you, Jan, and thanks!

Pastor Jim DeJonghe Soul Winners for Jesus Christ Dayton, Ohio

God used the truths in this study to open up a deeper understanding of what I have been given in the person of Jesus Christ, and how that understanding works itself out experientially in my daily life.  Jan takes deep spiritual truths and makes them very personal and accessible to those whose hearts yearn for the deeper things of God.  Let this study lead you to the richest treasure of all that we already possess--Christ Himself, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Kathe Bricker wife, mother, Women’s Bible Study leader Patterson Park Church, Dayton, Ohio

This study changed the way I read and study Scripture.  Jan shows how these seemingly insignificant words we call prepositions are relevant and packed with meaning.  She takes her love for grammar and combines it with wisdom, insight, and experience to bring God's Truth to life in an easy to understand way.

Cynthia Travis wife, mother, sister in the Lord homeschool mom

This study is like worshiping for me.  It's about our relationship with, in, and through Christ.  Jan has been a friend and mentor to me for over 20 years.  She has a way of speaking God's word that has brought me and many more to maturity in Christ.  She once said to me, "If Christ isn't speaking, I have nothing to say." Amen. 

Shirley Wharton friend, student, and sister in Christ.

This study has truly been a blessing to me! Jan shows how the smallest of words (prepositions) points us to the most enormous and glorious of truths. “God’s greatest desire is for an intimate and loving relationship with each of us!"

Penny Mandeville wife, mother, grandmother, friend, sister in Christ

Jan takes you on an intimate journey with Jesus.  Her insight and word pictures concerning prepositions deepen your walk with the Lord ...and isn't that what we are all seeking!  Whether you are a new Christian or studied the word for years, you will grow in your understanding of Him.

Susan Brixey Program Assistant Institute of Defense Studies & Education and Center for Professional Education Wright State University Bible study student, Prov. 3:5-6

Does God speak to us?  The answer is an overpowering YES.  In Jan Loyd's new Bible study, The WITH-ness of our God, I found just how much He wants to communicate with us.  Jesus, God in the flesh, came to earth to fulfill the promises made in the Old Testament.  Jan brings to life through the study's nine chapters how much He wants to speak to us.  We see how Jesus walked among us, teaching of his love, and how he died FOR our sins, so we are forgiven, and through faith He lives IN us. This study opened my heart to these little words, Christ IN me, my life together WITH Him, He stands IN front and BEHIND me, but most important was the understanding that all I had to do was ask FOR Him to do what He has planned for my life.  Ask Jesus INTO my boat.  Through prayer and scripture with an open heart He will speak.

Mary Medley friend, Bible student, sister in Christ

Jan’s book blessed me with each page I turned and each chapter I read. Seeing and feeling that God and Christ are WITH me, FOR me, Christ is IN me, living OUT of me, His invitation to come TO Him and my inviting Him INTO my boat, INTO my life, my total surrender to Him.

Catherine “Kitty” Green Christ Follower wife, mother, friend

As I started this study, I did not anticipate the outcome of how common vocabulary functions, within a sentence, can apply such deep meaning to the truths of God's love already contained in the Word. Sharing personal stories and lessons learned throughout her own spiritual journey, Jan not only invites the reader to open their heart to these truths, but also encourages you to continue living life in, with, and for Jesus Christ.

Melinda Pinkerton sister in the Lord, author of mylifewithnf2.com

CHECK BACK again SOON for more!