Blog - Devotional
March 8, 2025
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The Mind
I heard a sermon where the presenter was released from being enslaved to bitterness. The release occurred during worship music at a church service. It reminded me of how vital worship of God is, and that for no other reason than He is God. Which reminds us of the importance of choosing what we fill our minds with.
(Php 4:8 NKJV) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
What do we think about when you have discretionary thinking time available? Of course, we must meet our responsibilities of work and all else in this life. But when we have discretionary time available, what do we use it for? Do we try to use a few percent of thinking time for memorizing scripture? Some Christians have reported that just one minute daily at embedding a Bible verse in memory makes a difference over time. Aside: how many minutes are in a day? For most people, I don’t think the question is how long can you remember the verse. The question is, did you try? Most of us don’t ask whether we spent discretionary thinking time on what could be harmful, but did we spend it searching for ideas that may enable humankind to achieve an altruistic goal, like providing the best medical care to all.
(Luk 21:2 NKJV) and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
The question is not did you try, it is did you obey God?
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Church
Regular church attendance can be quite a blessing in many ways. The following science is a metaphor that will be used later.
I review the science of lightning and electrical discharges in the atmosphere every few years. Lightening has been around forever, so it is easy to think that no more research is needed. One helpful aspect of lightning is that you can hear the static on an AM radio tuned between stations. This can be a low-cost alert to judge the distance if you hear the thunder.
A quick search reveals that if we could convert all of the power of one lightning bolt, including what is consumed to produce thunder and light, it can be about the same as 38 gallons of gasoline.
Not long ago, I was present when a pastor, with a pleasant smile, delivered a sermon potent like a lightning bolt. But how is that possible?
A song in that service was about God at work; sometimes we discern it, and sometimes not, regardless, He is at work. I witnessed God at work that morning.
As a footnote, I felt that God’s love for us was expressed through the sermon.
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This will probably be a temporary posting. Later to be moved to an article.
Seeing or Not Seeing Miracles
Does anything seem a bit odd about verse 21?
(Mar 3:21 NIV) When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
In verse 21 we read that Jesus’ family were going to take control of Him because they said He had lost His mind. How can this be? Jesus, son of God and His own family could not understand Him for what He was.
(Mar 6:43 NIV) and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
The disciples knew that five loaves of bread and two fish were all they could find, v 21. After a multitude were fed, there were several basketfuls of bread and fish remaining. They had reason to shout for joy, praising God for what they had been a part of. But they didn’t. That seems odd. Well, the Bible is relatively sparsely written so perhaps that part was left out. Alternatively, I can imagine discussion amongst the disciples going something like, Jesus must have made arrangements for more food. Or, people were holding back food, later to release it so that everyone had enough. Speculating, someone present was thinking, wow, how did He do that?
(Mar 6:51-52 NIV) Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
From verses 49 and 50 we know the disciples, seeing Jesus thought He was a ghost. How can this be? Perhaps the storm was obscuring their view of Him? From life experience they knew men and women cannot walk on water. That violates everything they know about water. Furthermore, no person can do that. Of course they were terrified, but then He called out to them and climbed into the boat. First, they are terrified because a spirit or ghost appears to be coming at them, then the wind stops. In verse 52 we read the explanation. The disciples had not been given the gift of spiritual discernment. But why did they not believe what they saw?
Have you wondered why no one seemed to notice Jesus turning the water into wine as it happened? It was later, after tasting it they knew it was wine. Consider the possibility that signs and wonders empowered by God through a believer are how nature was before the first sin. They were natural to people. When a sign or wonder occurs, do the lights blink, and the earth rumbles? Mostly, no. When it happens, God is making a special point. Perhaps signs and wonders should be natural and common for today’s Christians. All of this, and the rising education of the population and increased requirement for critical thinking for everyone now, combined for our case for signs and wonders to be solid. Writers for this site hope for all power, wisdom, and success for you.
Given the conditions of this present era and records of how people reacted to Jesus, we speculate as follows.
- What we cannot explain by science, we suspect is trickery. Because if it is not trickery then it is supernatural. The exceptions are those who are given the discernment. Discernment can come as a gift or through spiritual growth. As stated elsewhere, think of spiritual growth like tuning, being trained.
- If a man or woman works wonders in the name of Christ, usually these will feel and appear completely natural, subtle. They happen at a level below most Christian’s ability to know exactly how each takes place, but not always.
- The state of people and other conditions of the present era will continue to cloak miracles performed by God through Christians. Exceptions exist.
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If the salt loses it saltiness…
(Mat 5:13 NRSVA) “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
Christians are God’s representatives on earth today. Sometimes, they help meet the needs of the poor; sometimes, they are like a physician, healing the sick. So what would happen if we do not work at being His representatives? Some believers might think that if God wants me to protect the poor, He will make it happen. So, is He? Perhaps He is for some believers, but others must consciously choose to invest resources, time, and maybe money.
Treatment of the poor in court:
(Exo 23:2-3 NRSVA) You shall not follow a majority in wrongdoing; when you bear witness in a lawsuit, you shall not side with the majority so as to pervert justice; 3 nor shall you be partial to the poor in a lawsuit.
Think of loaning money to the poor as your service to them:
(Exo 22:25 NRSVA) If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them.
There are times to make allowances for those who cannot afford as much, particularly as it relates to the church:
(Lev 14:21 NRSVA) But if he is poor and cannot afford so much, he shall take one male lamb for a guilt offering to be elevated, to make atonement on his behalf, and one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering and a log of oil;
But what if the Christians are not meeting the needs of the poor? Enter a shift toward the government taking care of the poor. The government does this for free. Well, to be forthcoming, they may not charge the poor anything, but taxes will increase for the people who pay taxes. Some taxes exist for social engineering, so a second tax increase can exist for people. I wonder if we knew in advance what it would cost us for the government to care for the poor if we would let the government do that. Perhaps we would do as instructed in the Bible.
What do we read in the Bible?
(Deu 15:10-11 NRSVA) Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so… 11 …there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.”
What are we to do? “Give.”
Do we require more instruction to convince us?
(1Jn 3:17 NRSVA) How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?
We do not give to get. When we hear from the pulpit messages that state or imply give, and God will repay in abundance, we must remember that some audience members have difficulty trusting God for their needs to be met.
(Deu 15:10-11 NRSVA) Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11 Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.”
(2Co 9:8 NRSVA) And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.
Is there anyone exposed to this writing who does not have enough food to be healthy and productive? If so, try going to a church and ask them to direct you to sources of help.
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Does the following verse describe your God?
(Luk 1:78 NIrV) …our God is tender and caring. His kindness will bring the rising sun to us from heaven.
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Sacrifices
Adam and Eve
God created Adam and Eve without sin. Their bodies functioned perfectly, there was no bias toward sinning. [Later, we will work through one extra canonical book which seems to frame their perfection differently.]
Appetites are important for maintaining health. If we are thirsty then we drink water. God provides ways to satisfy the appetites. There are also ways to satisfy an appetite which disobey God. When faced with their creator, what was Adam and Eve’s reaction?
(Gen 3:8) Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the orchard.
Adam and Eve hid. Aware that they are fully exposed to a holy God, they feel embarrassed. Perhaps they felt bad about the sin. Did God turn His back on them? No. HE sought them. HE wants a reconciled relationship with each of us.
A loving heavenly Father, the One who created them and knows exactly what His created children did, calls out to them.
(Gen 3:9 NET) But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
Did God approach them angrily? No. It appears that He was giving them a chance to confess.
(Gen 3:11) And the LORD God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
The account of the first sin appears to depict a loving God expressing concern for them because of their disobedience. Disobedience to God has consequences. At the very least most of us feel bad about disobeying God and say a quick apology.
Cain
(Gen 4:9 NET) Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?”
We can easily understand Cain’s reaction. He knows he did wrong, and his anger seems to keep him from seeking forgiveness. Stiff-necked he stubbornly refuses to reconcile with the person, in this case, his God. Aside: try putting yourself in the position of Biblical characters to understand the situation and the meaning of the passage.
Jesus, introduces the new covenant. Sacrifices for sin are no longer necessary.
(Mat 26:28 NIrV) This is my blood of the new covenant. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many.
(Rom 3:25 GW) God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God’s approval is given through faith in Christ’s blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past.
Suppose a holy God loves the sinner. Verse 25 (above) does not sound like the sinner is in the hands of an angry God. However, keep an open mind because their’s could be a culture best reached for Christ presenting God that way. God accepts into His family, each sinner, just as they are. The verse reads like God as a loving father. With this as a premise, what might His course of action be? Because no one can save themselves, He might choose to overlook offenses against Him until a proper way to reconcile the relationship were made possible.
The following idea is based upon reasoning through scriptural evidence.
The average person feels bad when they offend someone, we see evidence in scripture that this has been true for generations. It would be natural, perhaps emotionally healthy for a believer who knows they have offended God to either say a quick but sincere, sorry God. But why? What does it profit the person that apologizes? The sinner may not want to pay the price for their sins. The believer, humbled before God apologizes because even if God was OK with what the believer perceived as sin, we who have sinned are not. We need a clear conscience.
Many reading this will have studied O.T. sacrifices for wrong doing, and probably have one or more reasonable explanations for their purpose. Let us try inverting the situation.
Most people like being nice to their animals. If you had to give up one as a sacrifice for your wrong doing you would probably feel bad. Perhaps you would notice the financial loss. Consider a burnt sacrifice. A viable animal looses its life and fire changes the remains into ashes and smoke. But why? Does anyone think God reconstitutes the animal in heaven? None of this makes sense. Suppose a loving father wants their child to enjoy spending time with him, but the child has offended him. Perhaps for the child’s emotional well being or to give them time to learn from their actions the father will specify a punishment such as sitting on their bed for ten minutes. The child knows that after they have accepted the punishment the conflict will be over, their relationship with the parent is restored. Their father will treat them like it had never happened. The child eagerly returns to play with their father.
Perhaps the sacrifice was never created to appease God. Perhaps the sacrifice was created because God understands human emotion, He knows how it works in us. HE knows that His children are moral beings and wants nothing more than a two-way loving relationship between them and their God.
Notes
NIrV, the New International Readers Version
GW, God’s Word version
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When my son was born, we would visit my parents, and inevitably, he would need a nap. We traveled with an audio baby monitor to hear when he woke up. My dad would sit on a stool near the receiver, listening to his grandson sleep. What did he hear? Not much, just the sounds of a baby sleeping. His grandparents cared about his every breath.
I am beginning to think God’s care for us is greater than I had thought. Paying attention to us, listening to us, caring about our every breath. HE watches over us like a dad.
(Song of Solomon 2:4 NIV) Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.
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Bible Interpretation
This blog converted to artical in BnB website section.
It is in editing.
A new draft version is online.
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A Theory
(Joh 3:3 TCENT[1]) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Think back to your salvation - when you became a Christian. Many would testify to a peace with God they had never experienced, the guilt of sin gone. Still others would characterize it as overwhelming joy. We should not limit to emotion-based responses, the point is that we each became born of the Spirit, new creatures in Christ Jesus.
(2Co 5:17 TCENT) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
That day you were saved, did you immediately buy a theology textbook and start studying? Someone may have, but not most of us. Most of us were leaping with a new type of joy, although perhaps on the inside. We see other believers and nature in a new way.
At a recent breakfast with others, I listened to a conversation about a church I do not know much about but have always found the members nice to be around. Their early theologians were martyred, and I have been told that they do not have many textbooks explicitly written from their perspective. Yet, I sense a kindred Spirit, the same Father.
Earlier that week I had just begun to look at The History of Christian Doctrine by Ernest Heinrich Klotsche, 1875-1937, which I accessed through www.archive.org. When we look at the actual development of Christian understanding of the faith, we sometimes discover things are a little bit different than we thought. So, regardless of what we may think, this is what matters:
(Rom 8:16 BSB) The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
- How then are we to rest in our Salvation? Trust in God. Spend time in the Bible and prayer.
Suppose a doctrine you and I dearly hold to did not exist in its modern-day form when any part of the New Testament was written. If that were the case it might be cause for concern. But if it is a source of concern, perhaps we are missing the point. Maybe the point of Christianity is not fundamentally theology, but after salvation do our lives demonstrate love as described in 1 Cor 13.
(1Co 13:8 NRSV) Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.
The following verse was written at Pentecost.
(Act 2:12 ESV) All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
If we were in the audience, we would probably recognize the Spirit at work and be astounded. If not astounded, then perhaps we would be thinking, I wonder if that is God at work. When you see something new, never seen before and it is compatible with scripture, do not dismiss on the grounds you have been told that God does not work that way.
(Act 2:13) But others jeered at the speakers, saying, “They are drunk on new wine!”
Anyone who did not have the spiritual vision to see God at work, or accept that as a possibility, would probably be condemning.
(Act 2:14) But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to what I say.”
Put yourself in Peter’s role. Do you think he was yawning, having trouble staying awake? He was probably in elation. Did the theology matter to him at that moment? In the moment God was at work and Peter knew it.
(Act 2:15) “In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.”
If Peter could not hear conversation from the crowd, he knew what they were thinking. Now, let us read what Jesus said before He was resurrected.
(Mat 5:16 ESV) In the same way, let your light shine before others…
Christians are like seasoning is to food. We make a difference and that difference is intended to be in a positive direction.
Question: Could there be a church where the members are on fire for God to such an extent that preferences for almost anything, the color of the carpet, do not matter much?
For the church denomination lacking published theology textbooks written by their members, I suggest they have everything they need to be the salt of the earth, living as Jesus instructed in verse 16 (above).
(Mar 9:50 ESV) “Salt is good … Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
There is a partial quote of verse 50 above. This really seems to fit many Christians that I know.
Notes
[1] Text-Critical English New Testament [2] (Rom 12:1-2 God’s Word version) …I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him… 2 Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants…
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Through the years different aspects of Christianity vary in their importance to each person. This changes as time passes, sometimes gradually and other times more like a leap. God works with us today, doing what only He can do, and we change, we are being conformed to Christ. A few days ago I was listening to a conversation about a type of church that I suspect I would be happy attending long term. I have never clearly understood their beliefs. I have been told that many of their early theologians were martyred. Let’s return to this later.
Are you are aware of something about you which you know God would prefer to be different? Starting a habit like reading the Bible each day. Stopping a practice, perhaps a TV show, some particular thought pattern of anger, revenge, or others. You are probably familiar with verse 8 but let us take another look at it and think about it for several moments. Do your thoughts and actions comply with the following verse?
(Php 4:8 NKJV) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
If you can not bring yourself into compliance with the verse, and you believe you should, then test God. Put God to the test. If anyone has told you that it is impossible during this life to achieve victory then take a look at the following verse with the previous verse as context.
(Php 4:9) The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
A few decades ago I engaged in a theological discussion with a person rigidly set on a different perspective of Christianity then me. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind of his salvation. At the end of the year I realized that it was time for me to step back. Later, I would understand that there are people who will only excel to there greatest use by God with a precepts, covenants, promises approach to salvation and later spiritual life. At the time, I would have said that Christianity is both, promises, and the mystical (outside of science) witness of the Spirit in our hearts. My friend and I had a solid relationship, neither of us would ever stomp away in anger. Developed over time was the freedom to say what we really thought, both of us staying within the bounds of courtesy as defined by our environment. Starting some months into the year he reported two experiences that I would classify as mystical, genuine works of God and both were were mystical, outside the natural world. From my perspective, the Spirit, to his spirit, resulted in a manifestation of the Spirit. In the moment he was confident both were God working, as was I. I know this because we talked the folioing day. Through the year our commitment to one another as friends remained solid. As many of us have experienced, over time we may be tempted to reinterpret supernatural events. Having been through this, many of us keep a spiritual journal. At the end of the year, I detected the need to drop out of the conversations and did. No breaking of fellowship, nothing like that. As stated above, some people will be best used of God with a covenants perspective of life as a Christian.
Perhaps you are like many if not most Christians and have tried to change some part of your life bringing it into compliance with God’s will, only to relapse. Put God to the test.
(Heb 12:14 NKJV) Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: Regarding the word “holiness,” the verse indicates we are to pursue it. But then there is the second part which in the context of the first part can be a deep subject for some. It can also be fairly uncomplicated for other believers. This is outside of our scope for this post. Guessing from a human perspective this website is years away from commentary on the subject. God often rewrites my schedules so that is nothing more than a guess. Regarding holiness, simply put, after receiving salvation we are commanded to work toward being holy.
This website values sound reasoning where the same ‘reasoning’ principals may be used through all areas of life, both the sacred and the secular. Human reasoning fails when God as the Holy Spirit interacts in the life of a woman or a man. When this happens the man or woman testifies to God working in their life. One a Saturday evening I attended what I thought was a business meeting at a church, but it was so much more. A man said that when he agreed to move to America he knew he had to have a car and from a human perspective that was impossible. His wife and him trusted God, when they arrived there was a car in the driveway for their use. I went to bed that night not thinking much about that part. I woke up Sunday morning, Father’s Day, with his story running through my mind. I knew that we serve a God of abundance, who owns the sheep on a thousand hills. But then reality entered my thoughts, that is all well and good but what do sheep have to do with my life? I got ready for church and before arriving I realized something very important. God owns the cars in a thousand parking lots! How? It is you and I, His faithful children, He works through us, we are to be the light that shines before others. We apply sound reasoning to develop theology or doctrine, depending on how you define terms, then God makes possible communicating the gospel to all, those with a very poor existence in one way or another side by side with the world’s greatest thinkers. The mystical aspects of the faith are what a woman or a man can testify to God interacting in their lives.
In retrospect we may be able to explain it logically in common sense human terms, but to the people whose lives were affected, it is they who witness of the Spirit. THE Spirit to their spirit, and that God cares about them. Perhaps we learn that He cares so deeply for his created sons and daughters, you and I, that He knows and cares(!) about how many follicles of hair we have. Think about it. When you care for another person to the greatest extent humanly possible, you demonstrate this by caring about everlasting elements. You care about their life. Ponder this for a moment. What do we say? God is all about us. What does it take for a mom to send her son to die for another? What does it take for a dad to send his son to die for another person? God is like that, only so much more. There may have been two pastors I have heard where God has given them insight into what Jesus gave up for us.
Let us ponder the following verse together. The verse below is about tithing. Do you think it may apply to other challenges we face as we strive for holiness?
(Mal 3:10) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
To provide a bit more context, see what comes next.
(Mal 3:11 NKJV) “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts;
Back to the type of church I wanted to learn about, the one with their early theologians martyred. I have been told by their leadership that the result of martyred theologians is less (quantity) formal theology. I am a technical guy, that is the most uninteresting characteristic I have ever heard for a church.
A couple years ago I was working on a theory which I cannot prove. More specifically, this past week I was reading about the history of theology in The history of Christian Doctrine by Klotsche, E. H. (Ernest Heinrich), 1875-1937, accessed through archive.org. What struck me was that some of the doctrines we care most deeply about where not settled with unified agreement until 200 or more years after Jesus crucifixion[2]. Have you wondered why? Why were not they considered top priority to agree upon early? Here are some verses which may answer that question.
(Num 11:25) Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.
(Act 19:6 NKJV) And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
(Jdg 6:34 NKJV) But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.
[1] There are several sources on the can be found on the web and lectures such as pod casts. If you can, try to use a few sources for information.
[2] Christians never say the following phrase, ‘Jesus crucifixion, God rest his soul…’ So why might that be? Because we serve a resurrected Saviour. Jesus is alive, He is well, and active. HE know what you have just read.
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Glory to God
PS 19.2-3 broad interpretation Nature, the world around us does not speak with words. Yet, day after day it cries out glory to God.
The psalmist knows as we do that nature cannot communicate in any language used by people, say for teaching, or conducting business. We can describe many parts of nature that we encounter in everyday life numerically and pretty accurately. At the human level, many natural events in everyday life are predictable and reasonably accurate.
Yet there is something about nature that declares the glory of the Creator.
Ask in Prayer
John 14:13 NIV And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Jesus said to us, ask. So what are we supposed to do? Ask.
Mt 6.8 NIB … your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Let us reconsider Jn 14.13, above.
We think we ask because of a need, and I’m sure that is true. Upon further examination of v 13, we learn that fulfilling the request has something to do with the Father being glorified. How would you make common sense out of Jn 14.13 and Mt 6.8 as both true? If we think of vs. 13 as a request and fulfillment and vs. 8 as a statement of fact, then perhaps the purpose for the asking includes a need being met and two more profound concepts, glorifying God through Jesus and possibly something else. We know God loves us; maybe it has to do with desiring us to spend quality time with Him.
John 14:12 (NIV) 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
There is too much in Jn 14.12 to cover in a single blog post, so we will focus on the first half.
Recall some of the verses about the church after Jesus’ resurrection and before Revelation.
Acts 2:44-45 (NIV) 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
The need to share resources.
Acts 12:12 (NIV) 12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
They met in people’s homes.
If we compare the modern church building and services to the early church, our technological innovation, donation, and labor have done great things. We have done them in the name of Jesus to bring glory to God. Amplifying our sacrifices to make this possible is that it has been done to prepare a space to gather in Jesus’ name in greater comfort, I think, a richer experience, and fewer distractions all at the same time for the worship of God.
In verse 40 below, the stones would cry out if Jesus’ followers did not shout out glory to God in the highest about Jesus coming here.
Luke 19:40 (NIV) …if they (the disciples) keep quiet, the stones will cry out.
Now, apply that to the church today. When the brethren are together for God’s purposes, we have heated air when the weather is cold; many have cool air when the weather is hot, and we have audio amplifiers to help us all hear clearly and more. So what can we say then? Fewer distractions, consistently, than ever before.
The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning glorify God.
The sound systems used during services glorify God.
The electric lighting of our services glorifies God.
The electricity running through the wires, powering electronics, lights, and more, glorifies God.
So, let’s conclude by praising God, all glory to Him for the modern church.
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Sometimes Seconds are Enough
So, if you have not heard from God lately, perhaps it is time to go on a spiritual retreat. No time for that? Then make it one hour, but do it. Stay up late, get up early, or skip the news that evening, or a meal.
On some occasions, or perhaps for some people, the moment they direct their attention to God, they hear Him.
Consider the following verse.
(Heb 2:17 NET) Therefore he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Does the verse say we were made like Jesus when He came to earth? No. It says that He was made like us when He came to earth.
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Song: I Know Whom I Have Believed
The first half of published article “The Story Behind The Song – I Know Whom I Have Believed” at https://churchchoirmusic.com/the-story-behind-the-song-i-know-whom-i-have-believed/ is of general interest and inspirational. The second part is relevant theology.
Some might find value in paraphrasing the verse below.
(Rom 10:10 NET) For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.
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Eternity
Find a globe of the Earth or visualize one. Notice that latitude lines follow an East-West path. Now, pick a point on the globe and a direction, East or West. Start an imaginary journey in that direction. Let’s say we decide to travel directly East. Question, if you travel directly East far enough, will you discover you are now going West, the opposite (inverse) of East? You won’t.
In mathematics, the multiplicative inverse of zero, 1 ÷ 0, is not permitted. We may think we have defined infinity. If the context were time, we may think we have have moved from time as we experience it today, to eternity.
Discussion of some topics in Christianity requires the word eternity. If our context were mathematics, we would use the word infinity. Here is the important part: some scientists researching related topics assert that infinity is not a number. Infinity is a direction. It can be difficult to describe eternity so that we can intuitively understand it (where we feel like we ‘get it,’ we understand it). We understand direction, so as each believer enters eternity think of it as a continuation, but now in a new orientation to God and perhaps what is around us.
(Rev 21:5 NASB) And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
170b (additional information appended)
This is a pre-article blog post. At some point, we expect this to be moved to the Conflicted area of the website.
Not long ago, I attended an early morning Christian meeting. They gathered together for a relatively informal prayer, comment, and music. In what seemed to be a low-key manner (nonchalantly), the presenter mentioned a dream and then continued. I knew that was important but could only guess as to how. Another word caught my attention a little later, which is included in the last paragraph. This is the first post with material that naturally contracts other material on the website. We pray that all Christians are moving forward into the more profound things of God. As such, worldview changes. Worldview, in part, is based on our experiences. So, as our perspective changes, what was once invalid changes.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
(2Co 5:17 ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
(Eph 2:13) paraphrase But you are now in Christ Jesus …
Has anyone moved forward in spirituality because of you? If you are a believer, and you have been active in the things of God, then let us proceed to an affirmative answer - - God has indeed used you, your presence, your praying, and your actions to move someone forward in their spirituality.
Do you expose yourself to the Holy Bible? If so, let us decide now that because you are a believer and regularly use the Bible, God has somehow worked through you for the spiritual benefit of others.
You have taken classes in counseling. You use your skills in therapy to help others, and as their emotional health improves, it clears a way for them to move forward spiritually. God uses you.
To continue, you have had a Bible or doctrine class and have been prepared to study and teach Christianity. God works through your teaching to enact spiritual growth in others.
We will finish establishing the context for the point of this post with preaching. If you preach or evangelize through domestic (for example, a traveling evangelist) or international missionary work, we can accept on faith that God works through you.
This is a partial list. For example, we could add video editing of Christian content as a ministry, or soundboard mixing, or janitorial.
(Isa 14:12 ESV) “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!
Commentators have stated that verse 12 does not refer to a human. For whoever verse 12 refers to, if God works through them, the divine enabling has stopped or will stop.
Suppose a Christian is active in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, but their interest shifts to activities outside the church over months and years. A few months or a few years pass, and now their daily devotional time is as little as showing up for church services, sometimes. They no longer consecrate themselves in prayer to God. The cessation of daily devotions results in a lack of interest in practicing the gifts of the Spirit. They stop. As a side note, God did not change; the person did. Time passes, and on a rare occasion, they become aware of a need that a spiritual gift could have met, but the gift is not available. Suppose an awakening occurs, and the Gifts of the Spirit slowly emerge over time. What might we learn if we could find someone like this and interview them privately?
What we can learn from such a person varies from person to person. Consider the possibility that the Holy Spirit enables us throughout the day in ways we do not know. We do not know them for many reasons. The following is what we may learn during the interview. The believer testifies to the Spirit’s abilities that they could not perform for a time, abilities that they could not imagine losing, such as interpreting scripture. If we were to discover this to be confirmed through our own experiences or those of another, then we would have reason to suspect that growing Christians are enabled in various ways by the power of God.
Can we agree that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are somehow made possible by the indwelling presence of the Spirit? If yes, and if we could know the Spirit helps us in ways we do not know, then we would have reason to believe in gifts of the Spirit that are not itemized explicitly in the Bible. Do you spend time submitting to God? Are you maintaining the faith, as you know, too? Do you help others, perhaps silently as unto the Lord? You are probably doing some things made possible by God’s Spirit in you. This post’s point is that we may not know many ways God enables us. This is why you may have heard someone say, “I sometimes wonder if there aren’t a thousand gifts of the Spirit.” We have well-documented dramatic gifts of the Spirit in the Bible, but what about the actual writing of the Bible? Can it be that written content may also be a work of the Holy Spirit?
The verses before v. 6 in Isaiah 48 may provide insight to someone.
(Isa 48:6 ESV) “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known.
Sometimes, God moves, thunder rolls, and everyone knows something big is happening, although some will doubt God is the cause. There are other times when God works through everyday Christians. To them, it feels like a natural ability or knowledge from a class, perhaps an unexpected thought seemingly from the imagination that reveals insight into scripture. How do we get to that point? You already know. Spend time being exposed to inspired content such as the Bible. Spend time with the saints. Spend time with God through prayer, practicing a sense of full compliance with Him in whatever way, to whatever extent you can. Teachers educate us. Now consider Jesus’ words.
(Joh 16:7 NASB 95) “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
How is it possible that the disciples be better off with Jesus gone?
(Joh 14:26 NASB 95) “But the Helper, … He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.
So, the Helper will remind them of Jesus’ words and teach them. But where is the Holy Spirit now? The following verse answers.
(Joh 14:16 NASB 95) “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever;
Additional
Scripture exists which introduce the Gifts of the Holy Spirit as dramatic events. But scripture also exists where the gifts are mentioned in a way in which the word “natural” could describe them; like an everyday event.
(1Co 14:18 ESV) I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
We were designed by our Creator for comparability with Him.>
(Gen 1:26 NASB) Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.”
Index No. 160b
Science
Science, edited and moved to article in Conflicted section. Work in process. 8/13
Index No. 155
The Church
Parts of our faith are tangible, for example the Ten Commandments. We can’t touch them as of the date of this writing but we accept the very materials they were formed from, the exact same particles which constituted them, exist today.
(Exo 32:19 NKJV) So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.
Other verses in the Bible convey a good feeling. When the concept in the verse cannot be captured for video streaming, we may think there is no way to experience it. If God is present right now, He is so in spirit, the Holy Ghost. If one of our traditional senses cannot detect Him, and scientific instruments fail, then He exists in another way, a mystical reality. Note that we use the word ‘mystical’ as defined in two recently published popular dictionaries of English.
(Mat 18:20 NASB) “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
We all agree verse 20 is true, but does it contain a literal fact that exists in a mystical realm or is it a metaphor for something else? Perhaps a verse in Ephesians will add clarity allowing us to rule out verse 20 (above) being a mystical truth.
(Eph 5:31-32 NASB) FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
Did Paul create verse 32 as the product of reasoning? I do not think so. Did he write verse 32 to tell us that Christian gatherings can be emotional? Worship services and evangelistic meetings may teach and emotionally inspire, but so do many secular experiences. Can we agree that verse 32 is inspired by God? If so, then perhaps Paul, being a person who really lived, is testifying to a fact that he experienced. Apparently mystical.
150v.b edits
Revival renamed “Waking Up,** edited and moved to article in website section Distant.
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Parts of this will be moved to Conflicted area of the website.
Real People, One Thing After Another
I am more convinced than ever that the Bible tells the stories of real people.
The following contains elements of website core content. Some readers in a healthy spiritual state may want to read this casually. But if your spiritual health has taken a downturn, then you might try privately viewing the following as an experiment.
Prophecy - the Foretelling of Events
The Bible records many future events and prophecies and their fulfillment. Let’s say you want to create a prophecy, a foretelling of what will happen. What are your options, and how would you do it? You may pattern match with historical data, carefully observe the current state/situation and each element’s effects on the other components (as with people, gears, or bicycle gears), and make a prediction. We all must remember that some experiences others have had, we have not. Sometimes, God directly communicates the future to a person.
Science - Randomness Exists - The Choices We Make
For the most part, we live in a complex, deterministic world. Complexity can completely hide determinism, which causes some outcomes to appear non-deterministic. According to science, there are natural non-deterministic events. No human or computer can predict (foretell) the outcome of a non-deterministic event. It is perfectly reasonable, and in compliance with science to believe that many factors will influence the next decision we each make. It is also sensible to say that a non-deterministic factor could play a role. Perhaps in the future it will be shown that every event is a combination of randomness and determinism, some weighted one way and the others the other way. Given the same situation, you may choose differently from time to time. For information and examples, search on non-deterministic.
When science conflicts with theology, many say that the science is wrong. Consider for a moment that the science may not be wrong. This topic will be the subject of a future post under the Conflicted section.
God in Time - One Thing Happens After Another
We say God exists outside of time; He always is, always was and always will be. Yet, as He works with a person, He seems to confine Himself to linear time for their benefit (linear or sequential, one event happens after another).
When a Christian Sins
Most Christians would agree that sinning after salvation happens. But do Christians who sin need to do anything about it? Yes, but don’t lose sleep over it unless the Holy Spirit is impressing a sense of urgency upon you.
We hope for all believers enthusiasm in faith. Also peace. Perhaps there are exceptions for each of us, you may be able to think of some for you.
If we read all of First John, chapter 1, we get the sense that this letter is intended for those who are believers. In chapter 2, he continues with principles and specific examples.
(1Jn 4:7 NRSV) Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
It can be helpful to contrast two passages to develop an understanding of their purpose. Paul engaged in two types of evangelistic approaches: reasoning (Acts 17-21) and sermons, (Acts 17.22-34).
(Act 17:17 NRSV) So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
(Act 17:27 NRSV) so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.
Compare 1 John to the evangelistic sermons in Acts 17; you should detect a distinct difference in their purpose. Most interpretations of 1 John agree that it was written to believers.
Prayer
Christians have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. When they did, many felt that some things must change to comply with Jesus’ teaching. Many Christians would include repentance as part of the salvation event, probably depending on the Bible teaching you had been exposed to. Repentance consists of two components. Firstly, relates to what we seek God to forgive. This can be exceedingly difficult when personal ego interferes. Secondly, when we were saved, we all knew that the path forward meant to quit deliberately doing what we believed God disapproved of. Some were sins of commission, and some were sins of omission. One example of omission could be a failure to set aside the time we should spend in prayer.
Real People
The Bible is about real people. All of the people in the Old Testament did wrong. Some repented and returned to be in favor of God. Some did not repent and continued doing wrong. A discussion of wrongdoing we are unaware of will be a future post, probably under Conflicted.
If there is anything in your life you know God is opposed? Why not apologize to Him?
(1Jn 1:9 ESV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Note
The intended audience for this website knows alternatives to concepts presented here. If you are spiritually well, growing deeper in the knowledge of God, and sometimes aware of His presence, then it is between God and you whether you need to apologize to God. God and only God knows the true intentions of your heart.
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This post contains website core content. It is intended for those whose lives are moving away from God.
(Gen 2:17 ESV) but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
When Adam and Eve attained moral knowledge, they became aware of right and wrong, that which opposes God and that which is in compliance with Him. Then, it was only a matter of time before people began to choose wrong. The world had entered into a fallen state starting with the original sin, eating from a tree God forbade.
Paraphrasing and interpreting Jeremiah 31.33, the law of the Lord is written on our hearts. So, should we conclude that God Himself has given us the knowledge to be the lord of our own lives?
By no means! It is by submitting to Him that we receive divine insight. How is this possible? Taking a step deeper, it is the presence of the Holy Spirit, the gift and infilling of the divine presence by and of His Spirit.
God’s chosen people are not determined by genetics nationality, or chance. Their story is recorded in the Old Testament, and new. But how or why did God choose them, despite their shortcomings? Because over and over they repented, returning to obedience in the Lord. This highlights the importance of personal decisions in God’s response, as He does not randomly choose His sons and daughters.
(1Ti 2:3,4 NKJV) … God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Are there any religious beliefs or practices that might be hindering you from fully embracing the verse below? It’s important to consider if these barriers are preventing you from experiencing the fullness of God’s grace.
(2Ch 7:14 NKJV) …if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
- God is both absolutely correct and precisely accurate.>
Some readers will have reasons not to repent of wrongdoing. Biblical accounts of God’s interaction with His people suggest that when Christians become aware of their wrongdoing, God is the only other person who knows with absolute certainty their heart’s intent.
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(Psa 27:14) Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!
At a recent main service at a local church, a song included the words “Wait on the Lord.”
A week ago, I mentally reviewed the spiritual lessons I had learned from the previous year. It seemed to me that the number one lesson was, as much as possible, that I am to practice having a submissive attitude toward God.
So what about the current month? Self-examination reveals that this has not been happening. But why? The answer is that thinking the words “have a submissive attitude toward God” does not make it so. What to do?
As of yesterday, I know what to do. In private time with God, I am to wait on the Lord.
Waiting on the Lord may mean different things to various believers. I know what it means to me, but I cannot tell you what you should do. So, if nothing comes to mind, then ask other believers. Christianity was designed for individuals practicing it in the community of believers.
(Luk 11.5-10 NET paraphrase) It is the middle of the night, your family is sleeping, > snuggled into their blankets when…knock knock knock. Dazed, wondering if it was a dream, you hear it again. The neighbor, a friend of yours, is knocking on the door requesting to borrow bread and eggs. Your reply, go away and come back in the morning. But He keeps knocking. You finally give him what he wants not because he is a friend and neighbor, but to stop the disruptive pounding. Do you know why your spiritual state is the way it is? It is because you are not persisting in doing what you can to seek God. Seek, and you will find, ask and you will get.
Persist. Wait on the Lord.
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Choice-ed
We all know what the word “chosen” means. We also each have a concept of what it means in a Christian context. The idea below proposes an experiment with that word but with specific restrictions. So, we manufactured the word “choice-ed” for this post’s title.
Consider the following as a prayer or meditation experiment. As much as you can, temporarily replace your definition of “chosen,” as typical for a Christian context, with the meaning described below.
The meaning we need is the basic, common English language definition, like what you can find in any English language Dictionary. More specifically, let’s say that God knows you, the content of your heart, what you are capable of and not capable of, and He has chosen you for something. Now the question becomes, for what? This is the crux (most important point) of this post.
Here are the instructions: ponder, contemplate, in a prayerful state of mind, “I am chosen for…” Here is another option: “God has chosen me for…” What works for some people is simply an abrupt stop after meditatively thinking I am chosen. Once you have issued the incomplete sentence, be silent.
If the idea seems good to you, use it when it comes to mind for a few days.
(Isa 43:18, 19 ESV) “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. (19) Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
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(Isa 64:8 NKJV paraphrase) O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; we are the work of Your hand.
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I can’t think of any more excellent gift in the last nineteen hundred years to the people of the world than to have the Bible in our language - - thank you, sixteenth-century theologian Martin Luther.
The church splits I have been close to, at the time, it felt like the fiery darts of the enemy were winning; we were all distracted.
For the final thought, you decide which church beliefs you would classify as essential, the essentials to be Christian.
Available to the modern believer are various belief sets containing the essentials and various worship styles. The enemy must be very frustrated at seeing his work, church splits, turned around by God. God takes each fragment from the split and shapes them into something a little different than the others. The product is that we each have a church option that fits our imperfections and personal biases: every believer can find a worship venue to propel them to their best in God. Salvation, growth, and being with like-minded are all possible when we get together in the name of Jesus.
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How has your spiritual health been doing this year? Some of us have undergone many path corrections.
Let’s consider a few ways many have experienced the Christian faith at different points along their pilgrimage. We’ll keep the list short; some may have fun extending the list.
Role-playing can be instructive; we’ll try that. All answers to questions must be about the person responding, not what they have observed in others.
Interviewer: Please tell me, in your own words, what does it feel like to be a Christian on an average day?
New believer: I try to resist temptation. I do OK at it. Also, I make it to church most weeks and want to know more about the faith.
Interviewer: Please tell me, in your own words, what does it feel like to be a Christian on an average day?
Experienced believer: I read the Bible every day, pray with a member of my family, and try to find some time to pray by myself.
Interviewer: Please tell me, in your own words, what does it feel like to be a Christian on an average day?
Senior believer: Well, on an average day, it feels like it is not I that lives, but Christ that lives in me?
Interviewer: How is it possible to testify to such selflessness? Your statement sound like Galatians 2.20?
Senior Christian: Every believer has ‘arrived.’ At the same time, every believer is still on a journey to take the next step as God’s will becomes known.
Narrator: I have seen the senior believer. I run the race to be like that person one day, during the present life. It seems impossible for me. I keep running for the prize, trusting that salvation through Jesus will make it a possibility even for me. So what is possible after Ga 2.20? I do not know but I know who to trust to guide me.
(Php 1:6b NKJV) … He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
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Do you feel like you need something of a spiritual nature, but you need help figuring out what? Here are two simple ideas. Try something different. For some, this might be fasting or extended prayer. The following may lead to another idea. Some Christians have reported a transformation in an established Christian when a senior Christian prayed for them. They really could not explain what they meant; really, it sounded that good.
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Let’s create a fictitious Christian and give him the name Sir Audire (the word ‘audire’ is Latin for to hear, as in hearing).
Sir Audire begins a sentence with, “God told me…” What does Sir Audire mean when he states that God told him?
So, let’s reason through the words. God only speaks the truth. So, if Sir Audire did hear from God, then the message is accurate. We say that the Bible is the word of God. [Someday, we should clarify what we mean when we talk about the Bible being alive, sharp as a sword, etc.] Let’s accept that when God speaks, it must be compatible with the writings in the Bible. So whatever God said to Sir Audire must be accurate and compliant with God’s teaching in scripture.
Many believers say that God speaks through various paths, such as the Bible or a recent sermon. This fits with many people’s life experience. We can easily find believers who will testify to hearing from God through a Christ-purposeful communication path, such as a devotional book or sermon.
Some people are recipients of hearing God speak something, but not precisely hearing an audible voice. We can understand this concept to include words, a sentence, or sentences that emerge in the consciousness of a believer.
There are other ways God communicates. Some people, while in prayer with a heart-attitude of submission to God, ask Him a question. The answer may come in the form of a circumstance. Take the following illustration: another Christian, we’ll call him Mr. Beleever, prays. He prays, Lord, should I buy the bicycle that costs $50 more than the other bike? The next day, a miserly relative visits and apologizes for forgetting Mr. Beleever’s birthday, handing him $50. At this point, there are two or more possible interpretations. The most likely are coincidence and God answering the prayer. Either is possible, but timing, cost, and the uncharacteristic gift from the relative could convincingly point to God answering Mr. Beleever’s prayer.
Some Christians can also derive God speaking to them through a circumstance, without a thought-out analysis. With a heart-attitude of submission to God, they have spent sufficient one-on-one time with Him to recognize His pattern or Spirit in the circumstance. These people are not dependent upon assessing the circumstance as a low-probability random event with miraculous timing. They discern God moving in the circumstance, perhaps via a spiritual gift.
The next time you hear a believer say, ‘God told me,’ consider the possibility that God may be working in a way that you have not experienced. My advice, at the very least is to use this as a reminder to spend time in the Bible and alone in the prayer closet. Church work, priest, pastor, custodian, and street ministry are not substitutes for personal spiritual nourishment. Our various ministries are in addition to staying spiritually fit for God’s service.
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Termination, Good and Bad
A world leader issuing a public statement today said that we are all human. Lets extend that concept into an area of life on earth that he was not addressing.
Life on earth is terminal. That is bad. But that is also good. First we will look at the good that can come from the bad. Second, from the bad we learn a good lesson.
It is good because wrong doers eventually age-out, we all do. My advice to wrong doers, stop. You do not have forever to change. Life is terminal, after this life we face our maker.
To those who are trying to help others. Take care of yourself, get fit. The rest of us need you.
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Good news!
Jesus understands! It is true, Jesus understands. Jesus walked in my shoes. Jesus understands. Jesus walked in your shoes. Jesus understands. What joy. What peace. Jesus understands. It is OK, Jesus understands. It will all be OK, Jesus understands.
Jesus knows all. Jesus really understands. It is going to be OK. Jesus understands. What peace. Jesus understands. What a great reason to celebrate. Jesus understands.
Imagine your best work that you have ever done. Perhaps it is a table built from nice, knot-free wood, or a computer sorting algorithm. For me it was most likely a diagram. When you have a diagram of a system it can serve as a visual tool for understanding the system. The use of diagrams offers an opportunity to make predication about how a change in a part interplay with other parts and if all goes well you can predict the influence on overall system behavior. We can see how everything fits together. If the diagram were intended to represent all that there is, the universe, people, unseen powers, various influences such as gravity and magnetism, then it may qualify as Gnostic, that is, if Gnostics knew about such things. But the diagram is not alive. Our God is alive. Jesus walked in our shoes. Jesus understands. It is going to be alright.
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Bible verse clustering.
In a recent daily Bible reading I may have detected a pattern. So, if the pattern really is present then how did I miss it so many times. In addition to the daily verses, I have been pondering Noah and Jonah. Both Noah and Jonah must of have had substantial resources because of the record of their actions. Both were so certain that they clearly heard God that they expended what would seem to be a large amount, one to obey, and one to flee the other way.
How do we recognize the voice of God as clearly as Jonah and Noah? We read the Bible and spend time in prayer. With a clear conscience before God, hearts submitted to God, we spend time with Him in prayer.
To keep this from being too long, let’s jump to a few points and then conclude.
Hebrews 11 contains a list, but if it is an ordered list, a sequence, then how did I miss it so many times? What can I do differently in the future? Perhaps, copy the verses in reverse sequence, and then following accepted interpretation guidelines create paraphrases of each one. This may aid attention to verses in between the outstanding ones.
Consider the following pair of verses.
(Rom 8:25,26 NKJV) But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (26) Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
If you can, look these up in a few commentaries. Do the commentaries all agree? What thought process were the commentators going through when they produced the interpretation, recorded as commentary. In my opinion, there is much to be learned from commentaries on these verses. But I think there is another message, one I did not see in a commentary. It could be that one verse is a cause, and the other verse the effect. What do you think? “Likewise,” implies that one is in some way can be used to understand the other. So perhaps that is it, that’s all there is. Now is the time to reach for the classical Greek dictionary. (Because, by reading several English interpretations we get an idea of how scholars interpreted the words in the text.)
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| But there is no way for me to do it. |
|---|
| If God is calling, |
| We assess what He is asking of us, |
| there is no possible way we can obey, |
| And if we start saying ’no’ to God, I can’t do it, |
| And if it is our habit to go before Him regularly, |
| And if we intend to be in a constant state of submission to Him, |
| Then we are going to become very unhappy as He calls, and we keep saying “It is beyond my capability.” |
| If God is calling, |
| and you are incapable of obeying, |
| Perhaps, now is the time for |
| - prayer |
| - fasting |
| - a spiritual retreat |
(Psa 27:13) I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! (Psa 27:14) Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! [ESV]
Sometimes we must wait on the Lord. Sometimes we need wisdom to obey.
2Co_12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [ESV]
Sometimes, we step out in faith. In a submissive spirit we take a step trusting in God.
Additions below
(Psa 25:4) Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.>
(Isa 30:21 NET) You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,” whether you are heading to the right or the left.
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| Lesson from Life Observations |
|---|
| If you believe you have discerned something in somebody’s heart, that their intention is to direct others’ attention to Jesus Christ, then see if you can find a way to align yourself with them. They are a gem. |
| That probably opposes the wisdom of this world. |
| Sometimes, we find a group of people like that. In such a case, you have found a treasure. |
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Heart
(Deu 4.29) …you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
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| An idea…Hezekiah 1:1 |
|---|
| Blessed is the woman, blessed is the man, in the presence of spiritual leadership that is not spiritually stagnant. Blessed are they who’s spiritual leaders are growing in the faith. What more could any of us ask for? Hezekiah 1:1 (Hezekiah is not a book in the Bible. The content of verse 1 is not in the Bible as stated.) |
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| Time |
|---|
| 1. Where do you spend your time? Would you agree that that is where your heart is? |
| 2. What do you value? Would you agree that is where your time is spent? |
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| Treasure |
|---|
| Inspired by content from a recent Sunday morning: |
| (Mat 6:21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. |
| 1. Where do you spend your money? Would you agree that that is where your heart is? |
| 2. What do you value? Would you agree that is where your money is spent? |
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| The Investor |
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| - Every time you attend a worship service with with preaching, music or teaching, Jesus is investing in you. |
| - When you earn income, or receive a compliment, Jesus is investing in you. |
| - When you have five minutes of free time, or can schedule it, Jesus is investing in you. |
Notes
Bible Versions
A goal for site content is to be independent of the Bible version. This is the reason many articles contain quotes from several versions. The literal interpretation of a verse may conflict with some church denomination’s teachings. If we know that a concept being promoted in an article or blog post conflicts with any mainstream church, we try to use the version of the Bible that the denomination prefers. Exceptions will exist for various reasons. See the Bible interpretation series (currently being written or edited) in the BnB section.