Adam and Eve and The Serpent and Decision-Making Consequences

When making decisions in life, like those involving morality, business, relationships, & competitions, key attributes in decision-making processes involve understanding ramifications and consequences.

There are cases at one end of the spectrum where people move “full steam ahead” without understanding or adequately considering consequences, and then later adjust as they go-along in life. On the other end of the spectrum exist cases where dwelling upon potential implications causes extreme-paralizing delays in decision-making. Scenarios at either end of the spectrum and scenarios in-between can be beneficial or detrimental to varying degrees in diverse forms depending upon each situation.

It is often practical for people to make decisions in life based upon partial & incomplete information, and then adjust course accordingly. It can be difficult to understand ahead of time what information is relevant and irrelevant. It can be tricky to understand what sources to trust to appropriate degrees in each area. It can be challenging to detect & attribute appropriately any “alterior motives”. It can be challenging to properly foresee ramifications and consequences to our decision-making. All these became obstacles to humankind making the proper decisions in their own best interest and in the best interest of their posterity.

(1) How did The Serpent adversely manipulate humankind into making poor decisions?

The Serpent tempted humankind to eat the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, yet clearly aimed both (1) to avoid and/or taint consultation with God and (2) to minimize consideration of any adverse consequences, to potentially undermine people making good decisions

The Serpent sought to inappropriately alleviate the concern of consequences by asserting that “You will not surely die”, to alleviate concerns they’d die by eating the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, based upon what God previously told them.

The Serpent’s assertion by itself could have triggered further consultation with God to more fully understand the potential consequences. To reduce the likelihood of that happening, The Serpent took steps to “poison the well” by asserting God really had “alterior motives” in saying they would die.

The Serpent made the statement that “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” This statement implied God would not be a good source to consult in this “decision-making” process, since it implied that God’s own interests above theirs would prevent reliable & trustworthy advice during any future consultation. This also glamorized “knowing good and evil” as beneficial, even if it was before God agreed humankind was ready for knowing more in this area. This tended to favor humankind’s relying upon The Serpent and also consulting their own minds in isolation in the decision-making process to detrimental effect.

The Serpents first question “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” sought to establish humankind as the source of what God instructed previously. This appeared to reinforce the notion to consult their own mind & memories if there were any questions on what God said, rather than to seek out further consultation with God directly.

(2) What clues existed that either The Serpent had “alterior motives” or The Serpent was “not fully informed”?

Taking a step back, The Serpent exhibited “alterior motives” and “ill will” to harm humankind. It’s possible if humankind consulted God that people would have uncovered truths behind The Serpent’s deception. Alternatively, the seeds of doubt & distrust sowed by The Serpent “possibly” would have “undermined” relying upon God’s future good advice to people if people had directly consulted God further.

The first question where The Serpent asked “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” does provide the first clues that the Serpent either had “alterior motives” or was “not fully informed”. How so? Humankind knew God permitted them to eat of the Fruit of any Tree in the Garden except the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good an Evil. If the Serpent knew this, then why would the Serpent’s question imply the opposite? If the Serpent did not know this, then how reliable were the Serpents future assertions? The initial question provided clues to the Serpent’s “alterior motives”, “misinformation”, “disinformation”, and/or “manipulation”.

The second set of clues as to The Serpent’s “alterior motives” were humankind’s prior interactions with God, where God created humankind & provided good things as part of their relationship. It is reasonable to infer that Humankind would have personally directly & indirectly experienced God’s Good Will, Good Motives, and Good Intentions multiple times, even though the Bible does not explicitly document all that happened between the time of creation and the time of the temptation in the Garden of Eden. How would the Serpent really know the internal intentions of God to as to malign God’s Good Character to imply poor motives? The bold assertions maligning God’s Good Character were an indicator that “alterior motives”, “misinformation”, “disinformation”, and/or “manipulation” were potentially involved, which warranted further investigation.

The third set of clues as to The Serpent’s “alterior motives” were the denial & downplaying of potential adverse consequences & glamorization of potential actions & outcomes. Humankind’s desire to eat the Forbidden Fruit left a blind spot where even “misinformation”/”disinformation” aligned to actions humankind desired to do increased the likelihood it would be favored advice despite lacking evidence. The “misinformation”/”disinformation” playing into what people “wanted to hear” then itself became a potential fourth set of clues as to The Serpent’s “alterior motives” while husband & wife were together by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The temptation in the Garden of Eden was a test/trial where humankind faltered/failed to make the right decisions with ramifications & consequences for their generation and generations to come.

The temptation in the Garden of Eden also served as a test/trial to The Serpent as well, where The Serpent failed to fully consider eventual ramifications/consequences of misleading others & not assisting others to make good decisions. These actions continued to accumulate increased future debt/transgression/punishment to The Serpent. As an “evil” spiritual leader, the eventual end for The Serpent’s leadership will not be the gratefulness of the misled angels & people, since that evil leadership lies along the road to eternal punishment & eternal pain.

In our already fallen state, Our challenges are to understand past mistakes to make better future decisions. Our challenges are to learn from past good decisions to make future good decisions. Our challenges are to recognize our own poor past decisions to learn better decision-making. Our challenges are to properly recognize manipulations/misinformation/disinformation/ill motives, so as to take those into account in important decisions to the degree practicable. Our challenges where past decisions represent moral lapses are to repeatedly repent, seek forgiveness, and focus on how to improve our heart & our mind & our ways in the future to please God. Our challenges are to build up treasures in heaven with a life lived by faith as a follower of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

References:

Bible Genesis Chapter 3: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

Bible Matthew Chapter 6: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206&version=ESV

Bible Matthew Chapter 28th: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2028&version=ESV

Adam and Eve and The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO)

Today people talk about the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO). The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) can be a motivator for action.

The Serpent claimed “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Bible Genesis 3:5 ESV)

This assertion “potentially” triggered a background Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) on the opportunity to be like God by eating the Fruit of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

This last claim triggered action by Eve then Adam to Eat of the Fruit of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The Serpent deceptively tricked Adam and Eve into becoming more like the Serpent by distrusting God then disobeying God by digesting the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

References:

Genesis 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3&version=ESV

A Poetic Rhyme about Humankind’s Fall

— With Curiosity Aflame
Satan’s Deceptions Took Aim
Tainting What Humans Became
— Responsibility Disclaimed
After the Fall Came the Shame
Adam then Eve Spewed Out Blame
Embedded Sin In Our Frame
Human Souls Never the Same
— Accountability Proclaimed
The Serpent’s Head God would Mame
The Rescue Plan is God’s Fame
Tree of Life Access Disclaimed
Stopped by Cherubim & Sword Flames

References:
Bible Genesis 3: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

Rhyme Zone: https://www.rhymezone.com/r/rhyme.cgi?Word=game&typeofrhyme=adv&loc=advlink

Queen Esther’s Extreme Threshold for Intervention — What thresholds are reasonable?

When Queen Esther appeals to the King for the Life of Her People and Herself, she mentions that if her people had instead been sold into slavery, she would not have intervened as she explained in part of the Book of Esther that “If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king“. It was only because her people’s very lives were sanctioned for extinction/eliminate/extermination that Queen Esther intervened.

Wonder if it was because Queen Esther would not intervene unless the stakes were extremely high for her people & herself, whether that is the reason God permitted Haman the adversary to obtain initial official approval for such a drastic deadly measure against Queen Esther & her people, so God could encourage and support Esther and his people.

Queen Esther successfully intervened with Mordecai for her people. The timing of the account illustrates God working behind the scenes for his people.

If a person’s threshold to intervene is extremely high, would that person be a good candidate for God to use in a high stakes situation? Yes, at least in some situations as in Queen Esthers life, God can & does use those with high thresholds for invention.

Is this the only way to operate? No. Recommend to look inside oneself mentally to introspectively consider different scenarios under which interventions would be appropriate, and to understand the scenarios under which one would be willing to contribute appropriately.

• Consider ways oneself & God could more readily work in tandem under a broader range of scenarios
• Consider options to contribute to possibly prevent situations from becoming more extreme

Recommend to also consider situations where it would be appropriate to not intervene

• If interventions (at least certain kinds) would make things worse (depends)
• If interventions (at least certain kinds) demonstrably against God’s word/laws/statues/will
• If interventions (at least certain kinds) are inappropriate/meddlesome behaviors

Life challenges us with opportunities to contribute to the well-being of others, so others are better off due to our existance. God challenges us each day to do what is right because we thirst to be righteous and do righteously. People act within different thresholds under which they are inclined to act. Let’s deliberately consider the willingness to adjust our thresholds to more readily work in tandem with God’s purposes under a broader range of scenaris.

References:

Bible Esther Chapter 7 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther+7&version=ESV

Adam Blames God and Eve rather than The Serpent and The Married Couple Both Avoid Embracing Self-Accountability

After Adam & Eve disobeyed God by eating of the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam implicitly blames both God and Eve when recounts actions, as recorded in Genesis 3:12 (ESV) when ‘The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” ‘

Adam’s Wife Eve recognizes her Husbands omission and Blames The Serpent while similarly avoiding embracing Self-Accountability when recounts actions as recorded in the second part of Genesis 3:13 (ESV) when ‘The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”’

Both Adam and Eve truthfully recounted that they did eat The Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which testified to a residual amount of honesty still residing in them, even as they started to process the implications of their decisions via attempts to skirt accountability via blame.

God’s questioning gently encouraged Adam & Eve to be forthcoming about what happened while giving them some space, even though God already knew what Adam & Eve did and where Adam and Eve were located. God’s questioning also provided the option for Adam & Eve to lie as well when in Genesis 3:11 (ESV) ‘He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” ‘ Pleasantly, Adam & Eve each correctly recounted their actions with “and I ate.”

God’s pronouncement of punishment to Adam & Eve and to The Serpent communicate accountability & consequences that result from choices made.

God’s actions to keep Adam & Eve away from the Tree of Life indicates a desire to keep Adam & Eve from potentially harming themselves and the human race while in their fallen state, as God peered into future reprocussions.

Historical accounts show no signs that The Serpent repented as The Serpent still continued to pursue harm to humankind.

The historical account in the Bible does not share many details as to what transpired in the many days, months, and years after Adam & Eve disobeyed God and plunged humankind into a sin-infected future, related to the personal relationship between Adam & Even and their Creator.

• Unknown whether Adam & Eve later in life apologized to God for their disobedience

• Unknown whether Adam later apologized to Eve for not intervening in Eve’s disobedience

• Unknown whether Eve later apologized to Adam for offering Adam disobedience

• Unknown what boundaries/guardrails or other strategies Adam & Eve later explored/embraced to minimize future disobedience

• Unknown whether Adam & Eve ever discussed with God how they could have made a better decision

• Unknown what efforts Adam & Eve made to further strengthen their relationship & trust in God

The net result is that it is unclear the full level of self-accountability that Adam & Eve embraced or failed to embrace after their rebellion against God’s Good Guidance.

It is also unclear the full level of estrangement or reconciliation that permeated Adam & Eve’s future relationship with their Creator after this incident.

This account acts as a reminder to all to follow the Good Guidance God Gracefully Gives, knowing God is looking out for the best interests of those who follow him. Even when God forgives repentant followers, self-inflicted consequences from sinful choices often exist & persist. When God’s followers face temptations to sin, learning from both successful & unsuccessful encounters is important to improve our character growth.

References:

Bible Genesis Chapter 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

Humankind Worse Off After The Serpents Intervention – God Intervened to Benefit Humankind

Humankind ended up worse off after The Serpents Intervention steered the human race to plunge into sinful behaviors including lies, murders, hatred, idolatry, envy, theft, sexual immortality, and more.

The Serpent lost a valuable opportunity to show kindness to humankind and to assist humankind to avoid the types of regrettable path choices that the Serpent previously made related to the Serpent’s Fall.

• Rather, the Serpent used that opportunity to engineer an interaction designed to propel humankind towards a fall of its’ own, to disasterous effect.

Scriptures continue to show The Serpent remaining stubborn, refusing to repent, and continuing to pursue harm to humankind rather than pursuing humankinds benefit.

• The Scriptures Reveal that the Serpent’s continued evil ways will eventually lead to The Serpents eternal downfall, eternal punishment, and eternal torment.

Humankind’s fall left open options for people to choose good and/or evil pathways in their lifetimes, leaving hope for people to turn towards God’s mercy & guidance in trust before it is too late, as God Intervened from Generation to Generation.

Granted, the generations became so sinful that God sent a worldwide flood to destroy nearly everyone on Earth — representing a mammoth scale failure scenario.

• Humankind still produced at least some people who followed God, who received God’s Mercy, who sought God’s guidance and who trusted in God.

The Bible records generations of people who believed in God & acted in faith, and whom God strengthened through adversity.

• Many who learn useful lessons in their lifetimes, whether from confronting prior poor choices or from overcoming adversity, use that knowledge to show kindness to help others to avoid harmful situations and/or to face/overcome troublesome situations.

Jesus’s own Earthly ministry Intervention set the stage to fulfill the Prophesy in Daniel for God to “set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed” for those that Believe in Jesus & Follow Him.

References:

Bible Genesis Chapter 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

Bible Hebrews Chapter 11 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+11&version=ESV

Bible Daniel Chapter 2 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%202&version=ESV

Bible Revelation Chapter 20 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2020&version=ESV

Eve & Adam’s Trust in God Severed Severely when Tempted

The Serpent embarked upon targeting Eve & Adam’s Trust in God when tempting Eve & Adam in the Garden of Eden to Eat of the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good & Evil.

The Serpent’s attacking Eve & Adam’s Trust in God took place on several levels even as the Serpent was simultaneously positioning his own advice as more Trustworthy:

(1) Undermining the certainty & reliance upon what God Commanded them with “Did God actually say?”

(2) Questioning the understanding of grave consequences with “You will not surely die”

(3) Implying that disobeying God’s Command would lead to replacing their ignorance with the benefits like “your eyes will be opened” in “knowing Good and Evil”

(4) Asserting that God was depriving them of benefits readily there for their taking of “being like God” in “knowing Good and Evil”

The sway of the Serpent’s cunning misguidance lead to the eroding, fracturing, and cracking of Eve & Adam’s Trust in God.

Eve & Adam were exhibiting Distrust in God‘s Good Intentions for their lives by actively actioning awful adversarial advice by eating the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

After leading Eve & Adam into deliberately disobeying God, Eve & Adam were starting to realize issues with their decision, which severely severed their Relationship with God.

God worked through humankind throughout the generations to work toward restoring a relationship with God built upon Trust in God.

Each individual, society, and group faces the challenge on whether to embrace leaning towards righteous living daily with Faith in God & Trust in God, or instead to embrace grave consequential leanings towards Distrust in God.

God exhibited trustworthiness and faithworthiness though Jesus as God in Flesh coming into the World, revealing the character of God & love of God towards humankind for the purposes to draw many to the Eternal Life offered to those who faithfully follow as they Trust in God.

References:

Bible Genesis Chapter 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

Bible John Chapter 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=ESV

Was the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil meant to always be forbidden?

Adam and Eve ate The Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil while it was still forbidden, yet questions remain as to whether there would be future conditions under which it would not have been forbidden.

• The scriptures reveal God knows both Good and Evil, yet this knowledge did not corrupt God.
• The serpent knew Good and Evil, yet the Serpent was corrupted.

Suspect one of multiple key hinge-points as to when to Eat The Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is when knowing Good and Evil would not corrupt Adam and Eve and Humankind.

• That hinge-point would depend upon the character of Adam and Eve and Humankind

If a person’s character was sufficiently solid, then that would provide a case to ask God’s advice and council about eating The Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

• There could be additional hinge-points, even specific to each person’s character

It is conceivable that succeeding at the trials around whether to eat The Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil itself formed a critical step in the journey to solidify one’s character.

• Why? Facing trials & overcoming produces endurance to solidify each person’s character

Knowing God cares deeply about Humankind, one can infer God meant for the trials in life to strengthen and build up Adam and Eve and Humankind’s character in the journey to reveal more to Adam and Eve and Humankind over time.

• In Contrast, The Serpent’s desire was to leverage trials to corrupt Adam and Eve and Humankind

Humankind’s curiosity about The Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil could have lead to a deeper relationship with God as a Trusted Advisor as explored that interest together.

• This curiosity could have been used to work with God together on pathways to advance their character through conversations and experiences

While Adam and Eve could have asked God further tough questions before & perhaps during & after their temptation experience, without first eating the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the final short-circuited decision was tragic.

God still remained available to assist Adam and Eve and Humankind as they faced additional trials in life, and God foretold that eventually “the offspring of the woman” was to bruise the Serpent’s head.

• God fulfilled prophesy in sending Jesus The Christ “the offspring of the woman” to guide people to God as revealed God’s character through his life & death, to forgive followers sins as each follower strives to do what is right as a new creation, and to strengthen followers character in faith on the narrow pathway to obtain Eternal Life.

References:

Bible Genesis Chapter 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

Bible Romans Chapter 5 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+5&version=ESV

Bible Hebrews Chapter 5 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+5&version=ESV

Bible James Chapter 1 (ESV): https://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/james/1.html

Additional Perspective:

Forbidden Fruit by RORY SHINER 2019-12-09 https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/forbidden-fruit/

Humankind’s Fall Highlights The Need to Recognize when Truth Tidbits Weaponized

Satan, The Enemy of God and the Enemy of Humankind, weaponized tidbits of truth against us to encourage Adam & Eve to Eat the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil when God advised against it, so as to propel humankind into a comparatively disastrous future.

How so? The Serpent leveraged tidbits of truth about “knowing good and evil” when stated that “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.””

Understanding that Eating The Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil would open the Door to knowing good and evil is the tidbit of truth.

God later confirms the tidbits of truth about “knowing good and evil” when in the historical account that it is later confirmed that “Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” “

The net result is even when advice to influence our actions contains tidbits of truth, it does not mean the guidance is: (1) wise (2) moral (3) reasonable (4) safe (5) the best decision (6) in our short to long term interest (7) advisable by God or (8) advisable when considering the consequences (9) required to be followed (10) intended as good advice when consider who proposing.

Humankind’s Fall highlights our need to take a step back in similar situations that appear to contain tidbits of truth to reframe our choices and to (1) consider the broader picture (2) incorporate additional knowledge & insights (3) analyze consequences (4) assess the morality (5) look at our short to long term interests (6) search out what would be advisable by God as appropriate (7) assess the intent of advice sources whether direct or indirect (8) probe for wise options (9) question what might first appear to be required to be followed.

While many of the above items people could do on their own at times, be careful to recognize times when it is also advisable to pursue further good advice from trusted advisors, especially when apparent tidbits of truth factor into the decision-making process.

There are consequences to poor decision-making especially when tidbits of truth are weaponized, so please ponder the following:

(1) What other factors would you consider to avoid making poor choices and to encourage making better choices?

(2) What could help you to step back and recognize when tidbits of truth getting weaponized?

References:

Bible Genesis Chapter 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

Consequential Decision-Making and Humankind’s Fall into Sin

When Adam & Eve contemplated eating the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Eve recounted how God advised against it with — “lest they die” — which indicated a grave consequence.

When dealing with consequential decision-making like life & death decisions, there are cases where decisions needs to be made rapidly, even when aware of potentially adverse consequences.

There was no need to immediately exercise the option to eat the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Why? The potential consequences could prove fatal if ate it right away “lest they die”, while not eating it allowed time for more careful fact finding & deliberation before finalizing a decision.

References:

Bible Genesis Chapter 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

Wonder if Adam and Eve were loitering around The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

As Eve talked with the serpent about eating the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, it appears Eve simply picked and ate the fruit before also giving the fruit to her husband Adam to eat it too.

While not definitive, it looks probable that Adam and Eve did not need to “travel” to the location of the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, because they were already there.

If Adam & Eve were already right there contemplating eating the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, then the Serpent could simply observe the loitering as a signal to then take advantage of their likely susceptibility at that moment.

This reminds us as we face our own challenges & figurative “forks in the road”, to be careful to avoid detrimental signaling of our current “weaknesses” to those opposed to our best interests.

References:

Bible Genesis Chapter 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

The Serpent Inferred a Better Future and Humankind Ate The Bait

When The Serpent implied a better future where Humankind would know Good and Evil, Eve believed the inference and supposed this as a path to wisdom.

• Adam did not intervene, so Eve ate the forbidden fruit, and Adam too.

• Eve fell ill with sin as “Eve-ill” — “Evil” — entered Our World.

• Our World has been sick –“ill” — with sin ever since.

The irony is the path to wisdom resides by asking God.

References:

Bible Genesis Chapter 3 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+3&version=ESV

Bible James Chapter 1:5-8 (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A5-8&version=ESV

Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality & Video Game Worlds Point to the Reality of God Creating the Universe

Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality & Video Game Worlds Point to the Reality of God Creating the Universe with Spoken Words, just like Programming Languages are utilized to Create mini-Universes. Any tool can get used for good or bad or neutral purposes. Recommend look for how technological advancement also points us to understand God and Creation too.

What if Asked God’s Favor than Oppose His Followers

Wonder what Gifts God might have bestowed through Paul & Silas if the Slave Girl’s Owners decided to request the Apostles to intervene with God to replace their prior means to Great Wealth.

See Acts 16:16-40 (ESV) for the historical account of what the owners actually did to oppose Paul & Silas.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+16%3A16-40&version=ESV

Escape Sinning when Tempted, Learn Either Case

Knowing God does not allow us to get tempted more than our ability imparts hope to look for the way out.

Case 1: When successful, this a reason to Thank God.

Case 2: When falter, this witnesses against us to our guilt, and our need for forgiveness. Do not stop the journey at forgiveness, otherwise could repeat similar missteps.

Both Cases:

Reflect upon one’s own character weaknesses and behavioral defenses to both acknowledge weaknesses yet to also seek to fortify the defenses.

• Do not limit yourself to your own ideas.
• Seek also more advice from scriptures and learn from who those who previously faced similar temptations who shifted gears successfully.

If tactically certain situations too challenging, then may consider ways to avoid those situations.

If there exist early warning signals can pick up during emerging situations, then can take countermeasures sooner.

Depending on situations, exiting could be best, or other ways to shutdown & shift gears & change directions, obtain reinforcements, or shine transparency lights when appropriate in appropriate manner.

The goal to bring out the best in ourselves and others and fortify our character along the way.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 English Standard Version (ESV):

12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

https://esv.org/1Cor10.12-13https://www.esv.org/1+Corinthians+10/

God Created The Universe Thoughts

God created the Universe

God created the Universe from things that we do not see 

Per Scripture (See Hebrews 11:3), that means Universe Not Created from Nothing 

Hebrews 11:3 (ESV – English Standard Version):

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

God designed many self-sustaining attributes in the Universe, as evidenced by “program codes” like DNA, that even contain ability for great variety & diversity.

Think about how people create “artificial worlds” using computers. At a level of abstraction, God conceptually created “our world” similarly.

• That’s why God can speak & creation obeys …
• That’s underlies why God’s miracles consistent with reality … 
• That underpins how God can know our thoughts real time … 
• That underscores how God can “port” us into the “afterlife”, just like programs can get ported to “new” platforms … 

The types of “machinery” that powers our world likely share some conceptual similarities to advanced firmware / hardware, even though there limits to what can know. 

• Observing nature at physical level can infer capabilities of underlying infrastructure powering Our World God Created, though implementation details can vary a lot, just like different technology architectures can power different games / compute platforms. 

From Scriptures, definitely know Our World Contained a Beginning and that God’s Word critical to create it,

• For those who work in fields with programming languages, there no surprise that language a key ingredient underlying virtual worlds … 

• Likewise, see from scriptures underlying Our World’s Creation …

The extra understanding definitely also adds to how God can 100% keep us accountable for our thoughts, actions, words, and the State of Our Heart (not the biological heart) 

• This also consistent with how God can bring “books” on Judgement Day that recorded what people did.

Our World Created, so Our World did not exist before God Created It. 

The building blocks God used clearly not fully understood though they outside our world as predate Our World’s Beginning. 

A programming language sits upon an infrastructure. 

• Expect God leveraged what existed to create infrastructure specifically to support Our World. 

Depending on the context of scripture, “The Word” can refer to Jesus/God himself as in “The Word became flesh”, or a Command “Let there be light”. 

• That’s the polymorphic nature of our own language. 

Psalm 33:6 (ESV – English Standard Version):
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. 

Expect at some level “programming languages” involved to create Our World’s Content.

• Clearly can see “programming language” of sorts in DNA & RNA inside Our World. 

The deeper question involves to what level “programming languages” used in powering Our World’s ongoing time-slices / interactions. 

• Borrowing from electronic architecture (GPU’s, CPU’s, ASICs, PLCs, FPGA’s, …) know various design decisions on what specifically in “hardware switches” versus “firmware” versus what level up to a software layer. 
• Many technical designs can work, likely decisions much beyond our awareness / comprehension at this stage … 

Physical observations like “action at a distance” & “quantum calculations” (etc.) hint at an infrastructure powering what observable.

At a high level consider there two main abstractions:

1. “Data/Content”, and
2. “Calculations/Rules” 

The “Data/Content” underpins the different materials see in Our Universe. 

• This similar to “memory” in electronics world 

The “Rules/Calculations” corresponds to “operations” in Our Universe as time passes. 

• Potentially many Universe Operations to move time forward in Our World follow more a “hardware/firmware” approach in a mechanistic way.
• Possible there additional software layers that overlay that to also allow for the spoken “Command & Control”
• Unsure how much of that Command & Control works more like a “virtual assistant” versus more like a “God’ “brain-gate” interface

If you look at what God allowed Satan to do to Job for a higher purpose to give hope to many in situations they do not understand, this does suggest an ability to intervene in Our World that even allowed to a created being like Satan

• There many ways this intervention can get enabled when look across plethora of “hardware/firmware” and “software” and “direct interactions”

As fast & quick & rapid Our World seems to advance from nanosecond to nanosecond, God able to stay on top of what happening in the short term, yet also able to execute the Grand Plan over the long term

2 Peter 3:8 (ESV- English Standard Version):

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

While God accomplished a lot with the Spoken Word, clearly the Bible also mentions concepts like “The Finger of God”, which means God retains multiple ways to interact in Our World beyond the Spoken Word. 

Luke 11:20 (ESV – English Standard Version):

But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

The first two verses of the Bible do not mention the Spoken Word, suggesting able to leverage a full plethora of tools to put in place the Infrastructure underlying Our Universe & put in place the Earth & Space & underlying Rules governing planets & elements. 

Genesis 1:1-2 (ESV – English Standard Version):

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 

The Bible does testify that “The Word” (Also Interpreted as Jesus, The Son of God) thoroughly involved with God (The Father by Default & Holy Spirit implicitly) to Create Our World in a very participative way since involved in anything that made. 

John 1:1-3 (ESV – English Standard Version):

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

Because “The Word” was God, this also a testimony that Jesus is God. 

• From a “programming” / “logos” point of view, “The Word” embodies the character of God. 
• God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit All Embody the essential “character/program/attributes/operations/software” that Encompass God. 

The goal of children of God to embrace the “New Creation” “character/programming” enhancements God bestows.

Galatians 6:15-16 (ESV – English Standard Version): For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

God’s Word the Final Authority.

Improving our nuanced understanding of God’s Word does lead from time to time to different conclusions than past respected scholars proposed.

• That’s Fine because the Past Scholars also investigators rather than the inspired Word of God themselves.

Lifetime Reap What You Sow

The concept of “you reap what you sow” covers life aspects ranging #from physical to spiritual, from good to bad, from transactional to relational, from ignorance to wisdom, from impractical to practical, from past to future, from poor to rich, and from birth to eternity.

Galatians 6:7 English Standard Version (ESV):
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

Not Offended by Jesus? –> Blessed

Matthew 11:6 English Standard Version (ESV):
“And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Quote of Jesus

Creator Created Universe Rules

The Rules underlying the Universe also needed to get created by The Creator

John 1:3 (English Standard Version): All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made

God’s Eternal Existence

God’s Eternal Existence:

 

Please find below short elaboration on God’s Eternal Existence related to audience discussions about article “Did God Create Our Universe from Nothing? No“. These below questions touch briefly upon scripture passages testifying to God’s the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’s involvement in creating Our Universe.

Question #1: Who existed eternally prior to Our Universe Creation? God Existed from Eternity Past and Exists in the Present and Exists into Eternity Future. The Bible confirms  “from everlasting to everlasting you are God”. This implies both God’s eternal nature and eternal supremacy.

Psalms 90:2 (English Standard Version – ESV): Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Question #2: Besides God the Father, who else existed prior to Our Universe Creation? God’s Son Jesus Christ, known as “The Word” participated with God the Father to Create Our Universe. God’s Son Jesus “The Word” is also God. Like God the Father, Jesus also creatively involved in making Our Universe.

John 1:1-3 (English Standard Version – ESV): In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:14-17 (English Standard Version – ESV): And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Question #3: Besides God the Father and God the Son, who else existed prior to Our Universe Creation? God’s Holy Spirit also existed prior to Our Universe Creation and found active during Our Universe’s Creation.

Genesis 1:1-2 (English Standard Version – ESV): In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

The net result that a brief look at Biblical Scripture reveals God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all existed prior to God Creating Our Universe, and all involved in God’s Creation of Our Universe. See related articles and presentation materials for further details.

Related Articles:

(1) “Words Creating Worlds“, https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/words-create-worlds/

(2) “Did God Create Our Universe from Nothing? No” https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/did-god-create-our-universe-from-nothing-no 

(3) “Bible Genesis Creation Account Universe Tools Paradigm & Comparison & Literal Creator Days” https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/bible-genesis-creation-account-universe-tools-paradigm-comparison-literal-creator-days/

(4) “Bible Genesis Creation Account” Presentation At SlideShare at http://www.slideshare.net/creationary/bible-genesis-creation-account

 

In Midst of Life’s Vanity, Store up Heavenly Treasures

1.0 Life Under the Sun Filled with Vanity

King Solomon as the Wisest Person who ever lived, reflected upon life “under the sun” from an Earthly perspective.

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1:2-3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/ecc.1.2-3.esv

2.0 Vanity (Hebrew Word Hevel ) Defined

The definition of vanity available on several word meaning websites shows English word vanity (Original Hebrew Word Hevel הבל) includes descriptions like breath, emptiness / empty, fruitless, futility, hollowness, valueless, vapor, and worthless / worthlessness.

• Vanity Definition @ FreeDictionary.com: http://www.freedictionary.com/vanity
• Vanity Definition @ Dictionary.com: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/vanity
• Vanity Definition @ Merriam-Webster.com: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vanity
• Hebrew Word Hevel @ Wikipedia: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/הבל

3.0 Activities Inherently Vain

From the Earthly perspective of things, peoples activities inherently as vain as chasing the wind. Picturing a person chasing the wind, it appears an non-ending lifelong effort in futility & busy-ness.

“I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/ecc.1.14.esv

4.0 Pursuing Wisdom & Foolishness Like Chasing the Wind

The situation is so dire that even pursuing wisdom & even foolishness also is like chasing after the wind too.

“And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/ecc.1.17.esv

5.0 Jesus Greater than King Solomon

Jesus the Savior lived on the Earth and is greater than Solomon. Jesus shares both Earthly and Heavenly perspectives.

The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

Luke 11:31 English Standard Version

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11:31&version=ESV

Jesus shared a way to create lasting value in our lives & the lives of others. Jesus is co-creator of our Universe with God the Father & the Holy Spirit. Jesus left Heaven to come to Earth as a human and returned to Heaven after his death & his resurrection.

6.0 Earthly Treasures Not Ultimate Aim

People’s lifelong pursuits often encompass striving to obtain money & possessions. When looking to find treasure, Jesus revealed worldly wealth & possessions are not the ultimate aim in life.

“”Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.6.19.esv

7.0 Aim Life Towards Heavenly Treasures

Ultimately, Jesus instructed people to aim their lives pursuit of treasure away from Earthly treasure and instead towards lasting treasure in heaven as more important & more permanent than Earthly treasures.

“but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.6.20.esv

8.0 Treasures Valued Reflect Heart Values

Earthly treasures ultimately may get stolen or lose value or get damaged. Earthly treasures left behind when life over.

Heavenly treasures are a lasting gift for this life and the next life in the New Heaven & New Earth.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.6.21.esv

The things individuals treasure (value) provides insights into their character as reflected in references to “The Heart,” which reflects what ultimately is important to a person.

• To the degree our possessions & wealth & power & position get valued above people, it reflects our sinful nature & our need to reach out to Jesus to redirect Our Hearts.
• To the extent our faithful obedience to Jesus & love for God dominates us inwardly & gets evidenced in our lives externally through our love for others exhibited in our actions, then reasonably expect our heavenly treasure to accumulate.

9.0 Heavenly Treasures & Righteousness

What hints does the Bible’s Holy Scriptures provide about what constitutes these heavenly treasures?

One hint provided to find out what constitutes heavenly treasures is in what God says is our first priority in life.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.6.33.esv

Seeking God’s Kingdom and his righteousness is the first priority.

• To clarify, people don’t automatically understand what’s important to God, so people need to learn from Jesus the Son of God which behaviors & characteristics God desires us to live out.
• Even with a partial understanding of what’s important to God, people don’t always pursue what’s important to God.
• People don’t always engrain what’s valued by God into their personal character at “The Heart” of their innermost self.

10.0 Heavenly Treasure Types

What other types of treasures get stored up in Heaven?

God provides another hint through the lives of apostles & disciples who followed Jesus’s teaching in their lives after Jesus resurrection & later ascention into Heaven.

“For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭2:19-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/1th.2.19-20.esv

Early Apostles & Disciples like Paul, Silas & Timothy cared deeply that others came to know & believe in Jesus “The Christ” & attain eternal life. The treasure in Heaven in this context corresponds to people getting admitted into Heaven. These believers build up their own heavenly treasure troves, being transformed inwardly into the image & character of Jesus. These believers live out that reality while still in their mortal human bodies.

Even misguided people with misguided theology get converts to their religious beliefs, and this does not provide them nor their converts heavenly treasure.

11.0 Heavenly Treasures & Seeking God’s Heart

What additional hints does God provide on what leads to treasure in Heaven?

God’s looking for people who will follow his will by pursing a heart like God’s. The Apostles point back to King David whose inner character God highlighted as striving to align with God’s heart, even though King David also needed to seek forgiveness for his sins too.

“And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭13:22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.13.22.esv

King David’s Son Solomon, as the next appointed King of Israel, affirmed the character attributes God valued in King David. God wishes to see these values in all people walking a life in faith towards God with a proper heart reflecting these values. This involves exhibiting a righteousness aligning with God’s views, consistent with seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.

“And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭3:6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/1ki.3.6.esv

12.0 Righteous Live By Faith & Evidential Works Follow

God provided many examples recorded in scripture of people in history who followed him & set their heart towards God through faith. The righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus “The Rock” & living that faith results in evidential works.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written:

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall,
    and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.

Romans 9:30-33 New International Version (NIV)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+9%3A30-33&version=NIV

13.0 Jesus’ Nature The Divine Nature

Ultimately, all these examples point to God’s Son Jesus “Emmanuel / God with Us”, who reveals God’s heart & what God expects from us & points us to store up treasures in heaven.

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Hebrews 1:3-4 (English Standard Version):

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+1%3A3-4&version=ESV

14.0 Does Heavenly Treasures include Material Rewards & Companionship Rewards ?

Reason infers heavenly treasures is not money and not material possessions, though possibly heavenly treasures include material possessions also. Of course, for those who make it to Heaven, expect God to provide needs wonderfully. Scriptures mention receiving hundredfold (or manifold / many) more fields/lands/houses for those faithful followers who left lands/fields/houses for Jesus’ name sake. The same likewise true if needed to leave for Jesus’ name sake sisters, brothers, fathers, mothers, and children.

• Do you think these material rewards mentioned awarded on Earth or in Heaven or both?
• Likewise, do you think companionship of sisters / brothers / fathers / mothers / children awarded on Earth or Heaven or both?

Positions of authority & power & judgement getting awarded to the Apostle Peter in the New World, along with other faithful Apostles in Jesus’ time.

Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Matthew 19:27-29 (English Standard Version)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+19&version=ESV

15.0 Divine Nature Path &  Life of Godliness Path to Accumulate Heavenly Treasures 

Reason suggests treasures in heaven encompass wealth that is spiritual in nature & pertains to how well our inner nature approaches God’s Divine nature & our resulting outward accomplishments mirror God’s will for our lives. The path to accomplish accumulating treasures in heaven through individual faith in Jesus Christ God’s Son.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

2 Peter 1:2-4 (English Standard Version)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter+1&version=ESV

Starting in our mortal bodies, a life of godliness rooted in Jesus is the key to our sharing in God’s divine nature & to accumulate heavenly treasures for eternity.

16.0 Pursuing God’s Image Path to Heavenly Treasures

As God created humankind’s original mental brain capabilities in his image, God’s original intention for his people to aspire to grow further into maturity in godliness into God’s image, as knowledge of God increased & people learned from lives experiences under God’s mentorship & tutelage & friendship.

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27 New International Version (NIV)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1&version=NIV

17.0 Richly Accumulate Heavenly Treasures

Knowing that Jesus points the way to treasures in Heaven, does God in the scriptures share if there exists a way on Earth to now accumulate greater wealth in Heaven? Yes.

2 Peter 1:11 (English Standard Version):

For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter+1&version=ESV

18.0 Character Attributes to Accumulate Great Treasures in Heaven

What specific additional guidance does the scriptures contain to accumulate great treasures in Heaven in our Faith Walk with Jesus?

1. Faith supplement with Virtue
2. Virtue supplement with Knowledge
3. Knowledge supplement with Self-Control
4. Self-Control supplement with Steadfastness
5. Steadfastness supplement with Godliness
6. Godliness supplement with Brotherly Affection
7. Brotherly Affection supplement with Love
8. Love

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

2 Peter 1:5-7 (English Standard Version)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter+1&version=ESV

What benefits result from adding the above traits to our character as follow Jesus Christ in Faith? The beneficial results enable each person to become productive in their personal faith walk as their own character improves.

19.0 Lacking Character Attributes to Accumulate Great Treasures in Heaven

What if an assessment accurately shows these qualities not improving? If not improving, then lose effectiveness, so need to refocus on faith in Jesus & again work on those character traits in the spirit of first seeking God’s Kingdom & righteousness.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

2 Peter 1:8-9 English Standard Version

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A8-9&version=ESV

20.0 Your Chances to Succeed at Accumulating Heavenly Treasures

In the business arena’s pursuit of worldly wealth, it’s known that seeking monetary & material wealth is not guaranteed to result in success due to both foreseen & unforeseen risks & events.

In our religious pursuit of heavenly treasures, what’s the chance to succeed in accumulating Heavenly wealth of eternally superior value? Success comes when diligently done properly as these traits become embedded into our character in living out our faith walk in Jesus.

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

2 Peter 1:10 English Standard Version

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1&version=ESV

21.0 Accumulating Heavenly Treasures a Lifetime Lifestyle

Is this a lifetime pursuit, or something you do once & then move onto something else? This a lifetime pursuit & process & a lifestyle that encompasses each person’s entire life.

In Heaven, Jesus’ true faithful followers in a privileged situation to become like Jesus in nature after more fully then comprehending God’s character & heart that Jesus reveals.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

1 John 3:1-3 (English Standard Version)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John+3&version=ESV

22.0 Accumulating Even More Abundantly Heavenly Treasures

In business, it’s known that acting wisely with good advice increases chances of business success, and also improves likelihood that succeed even more abundantly.

Likewise, to increase your chance in eternal matters, in faith ask God for Wisdom, so you can better understand & discern & navigate & live out a life that abundantly stores up treasures in Heaven.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:5-8 (English Standard Version)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1&version=ESV

23.0 Challenger Bonus Rounds to Accumulate More Heavenly Rewards 

When people play challenging games & doing well in game, then sometimes presented with challenging bonus rounds where can accumulate more points / rewards.

Likewise, in some cases real life provides “bonus rounds” where believers face intense opposition & persecution.

• It’s important this persecution not due to a believers poor mistreatment and/or disrespect of opposition
• It’s important this persecution related to opponents rewarding good behavior with persecution

Preparation for bonus round includes previously mentioned heart-work & character attributes overlaid upon individual faith & love. Basically need own heart in proper position where you love God & secondly love all people. The involves care & consideration towards others.

As it’s important your own faith exhibits a great depth to best prepare to endure & succeed past bonus round, please later review below materials too:

• Review “Invitation to Delve Deeply into the Parable of the Sower” & accompanying Parable of Sower Presentation materials

What scriptures highlight these challenging bonus round to achieve Great Bonus Rewards in Heaven?

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:11-12 New International Version (NIV)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5&version=NIV

1. Does above scripts imply all persecution bonus rounds result in great heavenly rewards?  No, not all, since scriptures listed terms / conditions.
2. Why Not? On several occasions people claiming to follow Jesus & Christianity actually very inconsiderate & disrespectful & uncaring towards others. When persecution a responsive byproduct of improper treatment of others, then above great heavenly rewards mentioned by Jesus not necessarily guaranteed.
3. Why? The great heavenly rewards Jesus mention apply when the persecution because of Jesus. If persecution not due to Jesus, then not necessarily get these great heavenly bonus rewards. As per above Bible verse, the persecution to fit into conditions where “people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of” Jesus.

To handle this challenging bonus round to earn great heavenly rewards difficult, as it involves a character that responds in love & prayer towards persecution & persecutors especially when mistreatment undeserved & unwarranted based upon believers conduct & care towards others.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48 New International Version (NIV)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A43-48&version=NIV

24.0 Recap Path to Successfully & Abundantly Accumulate Heavenly Treasures

To summarize, our lives already filled with vanity & chasing after the wind. To add lasting value, people need to leverage faith in Jesus Christ to store their own eternal treasures in heaven & guide others to store their own eternal treasures. In Faith, ask God for Wisdom to abundantly increase your treasures in Heaven & become a blessing in the world.

Accomplish this by first seeking God’s righteousness & Kingdom & and then internally working on a living faith exhibiting the identified character traits in increasing quality to become successful. Ultimately our Faith in Jesus leads us to properly share & exhibit the Love God intended & even commanded people to exhibit.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 22:36-39 (English Standard Version)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A35-38&version=ESV

Wishing you a fruitful journey as your explore the scriptures to understand God’s Character to solidify your faith in Jesus to live out your life as a blessing to others.

As it’s important your own faith exhibits a great depth to best prepare to endure & succeed past bonus round, recommend review below materials too:

• Review “Invitation to Delve Deeply into the Parable of the Sower” & accompanying Parable of Sower Presentation materials

25.0 Key Points Fill in the Blank:

1. Life “under the sun” from an Earthly perspective filled with ___________ and a striving after the ________.
2. Jesus instructed people to aim their lives pursuit of treasure away from Earthly treasure and rather towards lasting treasure in ___________.
3. “For where your treasure is, there your __________ will be also.” (Matthew‬ ‭6:21‬ ‭ESV‬‬)
4. To accumulate great treasures in Heaven due to our Faith Walk with Jesus, enhance your Faith by adding _________, enhance _________ by adding knowledge, enhance knowledge by adding ____-________, enhance ____-________ by adding steadfastness, enhance steadfastness by adding _________, enhance __________ by adding Brotherly Affection, enhance Brotherly Affection by adding _____.
5. God’s looking for people who will follow his will by pursing a heart like ________.
6. To increase your chance to succeed in eternal matters, in faith ask God for _________ to better understand & discern & navigate & live out a life which abundantly stores up treasures in Heaven.
7. Accumulating Heavenly Treasures a _________ pursuit & process & lifestyle.
8. “Therefore, brothers, be all the more ___________ to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never ______.” (2 Peter 1:10 English Standard Version (ESV))
9. If _______________ traits not improving then lose effectiveness, so need to refocus on faith in Jesus & again work on those _____________ traits in the spirit of first seeking God’s Kingdom & righteousness.
10. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your __________ in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12 New International Version (NIV) )

26.0 Credits:

• Special Thanks for Earth Globe Courtesy Microsoft Office used in Visual Graphics, Microsoft Corporation, https://www.microsoft.com/

27.0 Related References:

• How can we store up treasures in heaven? https://www.gotquestions.org/treasures-in-heaven.html
• What ‘Storing Up Treasure in Heaven’ Really Means, Newspring Church, by John Weirick, https://newspring.cc/articles/what-storing-up-treasures-in-heaven-really-means
• Treasures in Heaven, Billy Graham Evangelical Association, by Peter V. Deison, https://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/december-2012/treasures-in-heaven/
• Treasures in Heaven, Our Daily Bread, ODB.org, 2015-10-16, by Lawrence Darmani & etc. authors, https://odb.org/2015/10/16/treasures-in-heaven/
• Don’t Be Anxious, Lay Up Treasures in Heaven – Part 1, by John Piper, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/dont-be-anxious-lay-up-treasure-in-heaven-part-1
• Lay Update Treasures in Heaven, 2017-08-07, by Brian Tabb, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/lay-up-treasures-in-heaven-joy-driven-sacrifice/
• What Does “Storing Up Treasure in Heaven” Mean?, Article by Jason Topp, https://christianpf.com/storing-up-treasure-in-heaven/
• Store your treasure in heaven, not on earth (Matthew 6:19-34), Bible Commentary, Produced by Theology of Work (TOW) Project, https://www.theologyofwork.org/new-testament/matthew/the-kingdom-of-heaven-at-work-in-us-matthew-5-7/wealth-and-provision-matthew-6/store-your-treasure-in-heaven-not-on-earth-matthew-619-34
• How Can You Store Up Treasure in Heaven?, 2015-02-21, by Rick Warren, http://pastorrick.com/devotional/english/how-can-you-store-up-treasure-in-heaven
• Storing Up Treasures in Heaven, 2017-11-27, https://theminimalistsouls.wordpress.com/2017/11/27/storing-up-treasures-in-heaven/
• Treasures, 2017-09-29, by Don Merritt, https://lifereference.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/treasures/
• Treasures in Heaven Are Laid Up When Treasures on Earth Are Laid Down – Matthew 6:19-21, by Pastor Levi Durfey, https://montanapastor.wordpress.com/2017/11/12/treasures-in-heaven-are-laid-up-when-treasures-on-earth-are-laid-down-matthew-619-21/
• Sower Parable – Invitation to Delve Deeply into the Parable of the Sower, https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/sower-parable/
• Parable of the Sower & Reapers Roadmap SlideShare Presentation, https://www.slideshare.net/creationary/parable-of-the-sower-and-reapers-roadmap-slide-share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life’s Eternal Way & The Christian Reformation

The Christian Reformation Insights to Faith & Works:

The date 31 October 1517 celebrated as when Martin Luther posted “The 95 Thesis“, which marks a critical juncture in The Reformation Movement 500 years ago. The Catholic’s Church hypocrisy & power players felt “scared” by this document.

The challenges to prevailing assumptions at that time lead to deeper understandings of God’s Word. Faith’s primary role emerged from careful study of God’s Words in the Biblical Scriptures.

Acknowledging nuanced interplay between Faith (being) & Works (doing) as subtle yet important, created a visual with accompanying explanations to showcase the process from God’s intervention to each person’s eternal life.

While this visual & explanation focuses upon the “sunny day” path for true believers who reach heaven & eternal life with God, Biblical scriptures also contain much about the destination of unbelievers & people who presume they’re true believers incorrectly.

Life’s Eternal Way Summarized:

God intervenes to instruct people who hear God’s word to initiate a living faith resulting in a new Godly Creation (i.e. new internal character) leading to willful obedience showcased by evidential works used in divine judgement to determine an individual’s destination in an eternal home where true believers fellowship continues forever with God & The Church as Christ’s Bride.

God Instructs People:

God intervenes to instruct people who hear & read & experience God’s word, which serves to to initiate a living faith in Jesus our Savior.

Romans 10:17 (ESV): “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

While some people believed in God’s Word and Jesus God’s Son, others did not believe & did not obey God’s Word.

Romans 10:16 (ESV): “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”“

For those uncertain, recommend follow examples of those of Berea, who searched God’s Word to ascertain eternal truths.

Acts 17:11 (ESV): “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. “

God recognizes the value of those who search for God’s righteousness to understand what God expects & to know God’s character & what God expects in our personal character.

Matthew 6:33 (ESV): “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Seek God’s Righteousness a lifelong process to better understand Jesus’ character which the exact nature & image of God.

Hebrews 1:3 (ESV): “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, …”

The goal our of searching for God’s Righteousness & God’s Kingdom to enter into a living faith.

Living Faith:

A living faith more than simply an intellectual acknowledgement that Jesus Christ is Son of God & came to restore people to God.

Romans 1:17 (ESV): “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”“

Even Satan’s Demons & Satan knows God & knows Jesus is The Christ. This evidences that intellectual knowledge itself insufficient. Many people unable to even realize that knowledge in their lifetime.

Luke 4:41 (ESV): “And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.”

A living faith impacts how one makes decisions & what risks take as learning what God expects & seeking to follow Jesus’ example. See Hebrews 11 for examples of those who lived by Faith & even risked their lives.

A living faith is not a counterfeit faith. A counterfeit faith where people try to follow rules without pursuing fixes to their underlying character. In Jesus’ day, the highly regarded religious Pharisees obeyed all types of man-made rules & even God’s rules like the tithe, yet their inner hearts far from what God expected, even rejecting & seeking to kill Jesus & lying about it too.

Galatians 2:16 (ESV): “yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”

A living faith results in a new Godly creation, where a person “born again” spiritually.

John 3:3 (ESV): “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”“

The living faith that comes leads to receiving of God’s Holy Spirit, rather than following any specific law whether human-made or divine law.

Galatians 3:2 (ESV): “Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?”

A New Godly Creation:

A living faith a way of life rather than mere intellectual accent, which results in a new transformed Godly character.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

This new Godly character a spiritual reality rather than merely something which comes about via any external religious traditional, even traditions instituted by God.

Galatians 6:15 (ESV): “For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”

Because of a changed internal character, then a person looks for opportunities to do good to others.

Galatians 6:10 (ESV): “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.“

As a new Godly creation, then a desire to follow God’s Word and do what is right via willful obedience to God.

Wilful Obedience to Christ:

While it’s important to obey God, it’s even better when do it cheerfully & willingly because you get to participate & help out, as God desires willful obedience.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV): “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

When people desire to obey God and do what’s right, then know they will often do even more than asked.

Philemon 1:21 (ESV): “Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.”

Our role to focus on the spiritual & the good character God wishes to see inside each of us, so as to get victory over our sinful nature.

Galatians 5:16 (ESV): “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

The Apostle Paul exhibited such a willingness in the inner being to follow God, so as to even exhibited heightened awareness to his failings in doing all God desired.

Romans 7:19-20 (ESV): “19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.“

God wishes us to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit in our walk with God in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.“

Evidential Works:

A living faith resulting in a new Godly character ready to willfully obey God will naturally live life doing good works as a by-product of the new inner self.

James 2:18 (ESV): “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

What each person does evidences their faith or lack or faith. Because of this, God able to judge & justify people by looking at their works.

James 2:24 (ESV): “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

If good works that proceed naturally don’t exist, then person must evaluate whether possess a living faith rather than a dead faith.

James 2:26 (ESV): “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”

Divine Judgement:

The evidential works of each person who followed Jesus used on Judgement Day, based upon record keeping God put in place.

Revelation 20:12 (ESV): “12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.”

Even those who did not follow Jesus judged also by their works.

Revelation 20:13 (ESV): “And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.“

Eternal Home

God sent his son Jesus for all people to get opportunity to spend eternity with God.

John 3:16 (ESV): “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

God plans to create a new Heaven and a new Earth for those who followed him with a living faith with their names written in The Book of Life:

Revelation 21-1-2 (ESV): Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Even before the new Heavens & new Earth created, know God prepared a paradise for believers. How much more a paradise the new creation!

Luke 23:43 (ESV): “And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” “

Fellowship Continues with God:

Those who exhibit a living faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God and Savior of the World desire to fellowship with God & become more & more like God. God plans to fulfill this desire in true believers for eternity by dwelling with people.

Revelation 21:3 (ESV): “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. “

Once in Heaven with God, then true believers will become like Jesus in matters of character in fulfillment of their aspirations.

1 John 3:2-3 (ESV): “2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.“

A deeper mystery concerns God’s Church as the Spiritual Bride to Jesus the Christ as the Bridegroom (i.e. groom or groom to be), which expect spiritually consummated in Heaven. This also consistent with God’s condemnation of God’s people the Israelites as unfaithful in the Old Testament.

Ephesians 5:31-32 (ESV): ” 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” “

Life’s Eternal Way Wrap-up:

Shared scriptures showing God instructs people who hear God’s word to initiate a living faith resulting in a new Godly character leading to willful obedience showcased by evidential works used in divine judgement to determine an individual’s destination in an eternal home where true believers fellowship continues forever with God & The Church as Christ’s Bride.

For those interested, Biblical scriptures also contain much about the destination of unbelievers & people who presume they’re true believers incorrectly, which you welcome to research further.

Additional References:

• “Better Counterfeits or Better Believers?” https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/better-counterfeits-or-better-believers/
• WikiPedia: Ninety-Five Thesis, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninety-five_Theses

 

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule sets a high standard of conduct in our treatment of others in raising the bar as high as we raise our expectations of others treatment of us.

The Golden Rule (ESV): Matthew 7:12 (ESV): 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Golden Rule (NIV): Matthew 7:12 (NIV): 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

A shallow surface understanding misinterprets treating others how’d we’d like despite others preference on treatment.

• A better understanding embraces others’ treatment preferences, just as we ourselves prefer others to take into account our own preferences.
• At a high level, people move in maturity from only operating from their own understanding & preferences to embracing how others prefer to get treated.

The Golden Rule best understood in  context of Jesus’ Command to “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself”.

Mark 12:31 (ESV): 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

When you love your neighbor as yourself, there exists a greater desire to respond in an appropriate way taking into account social & situational factors in context of individual considerations.

In practicality, often people’s responses represent a best effort governed by group norms & limited by our own understandings & misunderstandings, in efforts to live peaceably & in harmony with others.

Romans 12:18 (ESV): 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Each of us may come into contact with others quick to misunderstand & take offense, especially under strained situations & poor timing, where hope able to identify misstep to avoid situation in future & perhaps to find a good way forward.

When find ourselves more likely to take offense, recommend to consider the wisdom to pause & overlook offenses so much as depends on us.

Proverbs 19:11 (ESV): Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Parents with children also know that to properly raise their children, sometimes need to say no to their children’s preferences so their children to understand deeper truths & handle life better.

God’s treatment of others even beyond our limited abilities as God knows truly what people need to improve, even if that not their own treatment preference. God likewise also takes into account broader implications to entire community.

Hebrews 12:7-9 (ESV): 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

When God allows tricky circumstances into our lives, recommend to take a step backward & ask God to help identify what expect us to learn & how expect to move forward.

James 1:2-10 (ESV): 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Recognize wisdom & comfort gained from above in our handling tough circumstances also meant to help others as they face trials in life.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV): 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

The few points presented today represents just a handful of numerous references of how expected to treat others when consider what The Golden Rule means in practice.

In summary, Jesus’ example & Bible scriptures contains so much more about love & friendship & helping others that must take into account when understanding & applying The Golden Rule.

Recommend search the Bible to identify so many more ways to show kindness to others, seeking continual improvement in our interactions with others as mature in life.

The Greatest Commandments

Mark 12:28-34 (ESV): 28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Contribution Credits:

1. Microsoft PowerPoint for Trophy Image
2. Wall Paper Cave Gold Backgrounds  at http://wallpapercave.com/gold-backgrounds

Additional Links on The Golden Rule by Other Authors:

• Our Daily Bread (ODB.org) on The Golden Rule (2014-03-12) http://odb.org/2014/03/12/the-golden-rule/
• Wikipedia.org on The Golden Rule https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule
• What’s Wrong With The Gold Rule, 2001-06-17, http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Fellowship/Edit_Golden.Rule.html
• The Failure of the Golden Rule, Naturalist Philosophy, 2o16-06-16,  https://naturalistphilosophy.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/the-failure-of-the-golden-rule/
• Principles of The Golden Rule, The Leader News Online, December 5th, 2016, http://theleaderassumpta.com/2016/12/05/principles-golden-rule/
• Sowing, Reaping, and The Golden Rule, Escape to Reality, 2016-08-13, https://escapetoreality.org/2015/08/13/sowing-reaping-the-golden-rule/
• The Golden Rule, Winter Walk, and Snail Shell, https://mybeautfulthings.com/2014/01/04/the-golden-rule-winter-walk-and-snail-shell/
• The Golden Rule (Sermon Transcript), https://simsmarc.wordpress.com/2014/07/20/the-golden-rule-sermon-transcript/
• Why The Golden Rule is both Dysfunctional Tyranny and Invitation To Joy, May 8th, 2015, https://paulvanderklay.me/2015/05/08/why-the-golden-rule-is-both-dysfunctional-tyranny-and-invitation-to-joy/
• SOTM-Prayer and The Golden Rule, https://tnk1250.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/sotm-prayer-and-the-golden-rule/
• The Golden Rule – Seven Minute Sermon, Pastor Bill Pomerhn, 2011-11-20 https://sevenminutesermons.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/the-golden-rule/
• FFOZ TV Review The Golden Rule, 2013-11-13, https://mymorningmeditations.com/2013/11/13/ffoz-tv-review-the-golden-rule/
• First Fruits of Zion – A Promise of What is to Come – The Golden Rule, http://tv.ffoz.org/a-promise-of-what-is-to-come/the-golden-rule.html

 

 

 

 

The Divine Logos Incarnate

The Word Logos Greek Origins

The Bible’s Gospel of John Chapter 1 reveals fundamental truths about God’s Nature describing God as “The Word” and explains “The Word Became Flesh and dwelt among us”, referring to Jesus Christ the Son of God entering Our World as a human.

John 1:1-5 (ESV):  1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:14-18 (ESV): 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known

The Greek Language original word “Logos” typically translates to “The Word”, yet scholars reveal a more accurate historical understanding of “The Word” refers both to “Word” and “Reason”. (Reference: Bible Study Tools Encyclopedia, Logos, http://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/logos.html )

Logos Word & Reason in Technological Content

Let’s view the “Logos” concept embodied in the combination of “Word” & “Reason” through our modern programming technology lens (a lens focuses our ways of seeing & perceiving). Let’s view our own mind’s capabilities as integrated programs combining words & reasoning, and likewise God’s mind similarly. Today’s programming tools only augment our mental capabilities, as much of our minds capabilities still mysterious. Our human reasoning severely limited compared to God’s in Heaven.

Isaiah 55:6-11 (ESV): 6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

In the digital electronics context, programs conceptually use words eventually implemented via underlying logical machine code detailing what to do in certain order & circumstances. Likewise, our ability to reason & understand limited by the mental cognitive abilities inherent in our brain’s physical platform implementation, which also designed with reliance upon God for proper living.

Proverbs 3:1-6 (ESV): 3 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths

Trinity Integrated & Distinct Three in One

Programmers who design & codify programs often create new programs by integrating distinct programs together. As a technical analogy, think about The Trinity encompassing God the Father, God the Son (Jesus The Christ), and God the Holy Spirit as distinct minds / persons each programmatically manifesting the divine character nature & operating together as a unified integrated whole.

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV): 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Mark 12:28-32 (ESV): 28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.

The Logos Word & Reason Dwelt Among Us

Christian Gospel writers eye-witnessed Jesus Christ personally in our world and recorded witnesses of others too, in their report of Jesus’ words, actions, obedience, love, grace, truth, and sacrifice to die on the cross for our sins.

John 1:6-7 (ESV): 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (ESV): 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

When God created humankind (male & female) in the image of God, God effectively created a mental physical platform capable of housing the essence of God’s character, even though that character became corrupted by sin. Because of God created people in his image, Jesus Christ the Son of God, able to come into the world with a human mind platform as an infant & grow into an adult.

Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV): 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

1 Corinthians 15:22 (ESV): 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

Jesus’ mental programming, the Logos of Jesus, implemented the essential reason & character of God, though limited physically by processing capabilities of just a few mere pounds of brain material. Jesus embraced human restricted capabilities yet with the divine nature, so Jesus increased in wisdom & knowledge as aged in years. Jesus likewise subjected to human weaknesses & even temptations & handled without sinning.

Luke 2:52 (ESV): 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV): 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 2:17-18 (ESV): 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus’ divine character never corrupted by sin, and Jesus came to lead us back to God, as the living example showcasing God’s love, holiness, and character.

Colossians 1:13-20 (ESV): 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

God ensured the physical incarnation of the Son of God received the divine mind character programmed into the brain of Jesus known as “God with us” (“Immanuel”) & “Son of the Most High” starting before birth though the Holy Spirit’s Divine Power. With Mary’s consent, the child in the virgin Mary not conceived by physical relations with God, since  Mary remained a virgin until after the child’s birth (References https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/pointed-ponder-virgin-pregnancy/  and https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/pointed-ponder-virgin-birth-and-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf/)

Luke 1:30-33 (ESV): 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Matthew 1:20-23 (ESV): 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Children of God

The Bible reveals the way people become Children of God through Jesus the Christ who is the Way, The Truth, and the Life.

John 14:6 (ESV): 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Romans 8:14-17 (ESV): 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Jesus followers embrace reprogramming our minds willingly by God the Father, God the Son (Jesus The Christ), and God the Holy Spirit, according to God’s Word in the Scriptures, and ongoing guidance by the Holy Spirit, as a new creation.

Psalm 51:10 (ESV): 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Galatians 6:14-16 (ESV): 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

A signature mark of true Christian followers of Jesus that even non-followers can recognize is exhibited by followers demonstrated love for one another, which witnesses becoming born as a new creation by God’s will.

John 13:34-36 (ESV): 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 1:9-13 (ESV): 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

1 John 2:10-12 (ESV): 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him[a] there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

The Temple of God:

As new creations, the followers of Jesus the Christ through faith individually & collectively are God’s temple inhabited by the Holy Spirit with responsibilities as service workers for God temple with divine help from God.

1 Corinthians 3:9-17 (ESV):  9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV): 5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

The Word of God:

Delve into The Word of God starting in The Bible’s Book of John Chapter 1 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+1&version=ESV):

 

John 1:1-18 (ESV): 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known

 

 

 

Creation Common Sense

Creation Common Sense:

Modern technology replying upon physics accomplished a lot via explanatory & inferential tools. Though great, physics is limited to what it can explain by itself. Physics itself feeds into many present day people’s common sense understandings & misunderstandings of Our Universe. What physics accomplished in combination with engineering led us to compute platforms, typically exhibited by Android, Apple, Microsoft, and Linux-Unix Devices. Understanding these compute platforms allows us to explain & model much more about how Our Universe works fundamentally. These compute platforms enable a more scientifically sophisticated common sense understanding of creation.

Compute Platforms:

Compute platforms power “virtual worlds” with many types of programmed physical “rules”. Think of Our World as powered by a grander compute platform, where God designed, engineered, and programmed Our Universe, which God oversees via interventions. The compute platform model explains how God intervenes in numerous ways recorded in the Bible, in ways highly interwoven into the history of people & nations. To better understand Our Universe requires going beyond the two extremes where people either (i) just disregard evidence too quickly as unbelievers or (ii) just accept supernatural interventions as believers. As Christianity is reasonable, achieving greater maturity pushes people to ponder God’s interventions in context of the compute platform paradigm (also known as Universe Tools Paradigm).

Evidences to Consider — Yes, Really!

• Genesis Account: When you examine the Genesis Account, event sequences fit more closely from a compute platform perspective than from a purely physics model, though physics clearly involved. (Genesis 1 & Genesis 2)
  • Agile / Iterative Design & Development: Programmers use Iterative Software Life Cycle (SLC) methodologies to build software capabilities in stages. Think about God’s Genesis Account showcasing the iterative cycles God used over seven “Creator Days” to form Our Universe, the Planet Earth, and its’ inhabitants.
• Exodus Interventions & Miracles: God controlling nature from compute platform perspective makes it easy for God to defeat the great Egyptians.
  • Parting the Red Sea: God used winds overnight to create dry ground over which Israelites crossed in their escape from the Egyptians (Exodus 14)
  • Water from Rock: God controlling the data in compute platform, made it easy for water to come out of rock (Exodus 17).
  • Pillar of Cloud & Pillar of Fire: God speaking to Moses in a Pillar of Cloud next to Moses on Earth where Israelites observed Moses talking with God makes sense from a platform perspective rather than a physics perspective (Exodus 33:7-11). God guiding the Israelites with a Pillar of Cloud by Day & Fire by Night makes sense from platform perspective. (Exodus 13:21-22, Nehemiah 9:12-21)
• Oversight & Interventions:
  • Heard Prayers: When looking at prayers being heard, a platform perspective shows this corresponds to looking at underlying data to understand thoughts in our minds.
  • Prayers Answered: God the Creator intervening periodically in Our World in response to our prayers, either by guiding thoughts of others or intervening in nature itself
  • Prison Deliverance: Angel releases Peter from Prison in response to Church Prayers (Acts 12)
  • Counting Hairs: God counting our hairs & not allowing even one to fall out outside of God’s consent, makes sense under a platform model. (Matthew 10:26-33)
  • Daniel in the Lions Den: God shut the Lions mouths when Daniel thrown into the Lions Den, only to allow the Lions to feast once Daniel’s underhanded adversaries thrown into the Lion’s Den. (Daniel 6)
  • Walking in the Furnace: Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego thrown into Furnace by orders from the King without any harm to themselves, even though the guards throwing them in their burned up by the Furnace heat. God’s Angel walked in the Furnace with them until they came out of the Furnace by the command of the King. (Daniel 3)
• Various Miracles: When examining miracles, often they appear to contradict physics, yet from a platform model, miracles make perfect sense, as creator controls underlying programming (“rules”) & data.
  • Healing People & Curing Diseases: God applies intervention based upon how biology operates at cellular & molecular levels.
  • Raising the Dead: God raised people from dead on multiple occasions (Elijah Raises Child – 1 Kings 17:17-24, Bodies Falling on Elisha’s the Prophet’s dead body come back to life – 2 Kings 13:20-25, Jesus raises Lazarus – John 11, Jesus from Heaven Raises Earthly Body Back to Life – Matthew 28, John 10:17-28, Luke 23:39-43)
  • Controlling Water / Nature:
    • Walking on Water (Jesus & Disciple – Matthew 14:22-33)
    • Speaking to Waves to Calm Storm (Jesus with Disciples – Mark 4:35-41)
    • Controlling Waves (Storm at Sea Calms once Disobedient Jonah thrown Overboard – Jonah 1)
  • Coin in Fish: Jesus instructed disciple to go fishing, and that fish caught contain a coin, so able to pay taxes / tribute, so as to cause no offense. (Matthew 17:24-27)
  • Curing Blindness: Jesus heals man born blind since birth (John 9)
  • Moses & Abraham on Mountain with Jesus & Disciples: God is God of the Living. (Matthew 17:1-13, 2 Peter 1:16-21, Malachi 4:5-6)
  • Ascend into Clouds: Jesus taken up into Clouds (Acts 1:1-11)

• Special Effects:
  • Chariots of Fire: Elijah taken up to heaven in horses & chariots of fire predates “Hollywood” style special effects, in God’s “Holy-World” interventions. (2 Kings 2)
  • God’ Angel After Prophesy: The Angel of the Lord went up in flame of the alter, in way representative of Hollywood-style special effects. (Judges 13)

Clues Evidence Fits Proper Model:

God shares clues into the nature of Our Universe throughout the Bible. God does not tell us how’s it’s done to an infinitessimal degree. Rather, when our understanding of Our Universe is more accurate, then God’s miraculous interventions increasingly make more sense. God provides historical accounts, poetry, prophesy, and revelation. The proper model shines much explanatory power both into what God does and into what God reveals.

Who, How, What:

Some people assert that God’s Genesis Account really just about the “Who”, yet this provides an incomplete picture. Clearly Genesis Account not just about “Who”. It’s also about “What” & “How”. The brief Genesis Creation Account does not cover every detail and does not describe all creation (Genesis 1 & Genesis 2). The clues God provides throughout the Bible enable us to delve deeper into “How”.

Time Scale:

Which Time Scale really referenced in Genesis Creation Account? The compute platform model views time scale in God the Creator’s Realm outside Our Universe. From the Compute Platform view, Our Universe really just represents computation applied to data via rules, which can be implemented at different speeds, just like compute platform speeds different. This provides a decoupling of time scales “inside Creation” from “outside Creation in Creators Realm”, even though relationship exists between both. The time the Creator spent in the Creator’s World called “Creator Days’ in this compute platform paradigm. Important not to jump immediately to conclusion that (i) seven days of creation necessarily 24-hour Earth days or (ii) seven days inconsistent with science’s millions to billions of years. Why? Clearly something special happening in creation itself when Our Universe created.

Physics Alone an Obstacle:

The World of Science leverages the tool of physics frequently, due to its’ explanatory power, and tried to use that as pinnacle of knowledge to explain the Creation of Universe. Physics itself a brick way. Powerful, yes — but incomplete. Physics itself led to compute platforms, which ushers in much better explanatory power. Physics alone is weaker. Physics plus the compute platform is powerful since provides a much better understanding. Physics provides insights into default rules implemented in the platform. The platform helps us understand the Creator’s Power to control waves, heal people of sickness, appear in one place & disappear, ascend into the clouds (Acts 1:1-11), sending horses & chariots of fire, to go up like a Hollywood Event as disappear out of sight. So much readily explained easily from the Compute Platform Perspective. The Compute Platform Perspective enabled by applying physics together with engineering & understanding of language.

Creation Account Elevates the Word:

The Genesis Creation Account elevated the “Word” as a key participant in creation with phrases like “Let their be Light”. The “Word”, a form of logic & control, points us to a tools type of programming. This enables us to understand how God can speak and things happen. Consider modern day digital assistants like Apple Siri, where its’ common sense to tell digital assistants to do things & it does. God asks creation to do something and it does.

Distribution to Billions of People:

Modern advanced technology tools like Smart Phones / Smart Devices (compute platforms) used by recent generations point to God. Billions of these devices getting distributed to Billions of People over time. Many devices designed to fit into our hand & place into our pockets & bags. These provide witness in our generation to the creative power of Our Creator, and to the creative power God placed into people, who God created in his image & likeness.

God’s Ultimate Design:

God creating Our Universe goes beyond “what” God created & “how” God created into “why” God created. Part of God’s ultimate design is to present the Church (The Bride) with Holy & Good & Loving & Caring Character like God (Ephesians 5, Revelation 19) to Jesus, The Son of God. God foreshadowed this plan by creating humankind in his image, and starting them off as a married couple (Genesis 2). While people started off like God being made in God’s image, that image got corrupted through the decision to sin & do wrong (Genesis 3). God provided people a free will and an eternal soul. God points our soul towards the proper character that Jesus, The Christ, the Son of God demonstrated, and to which the Bible scripture testifies in Old Testament & New Testaments. God showcases the fallen nature of people and how it contrasts to God’s will for our character. God stresses the importance of love & caring for others.

Limits of Knowing How:

You can understand “how” God made All Creation & how miracles work, yet if lacking love, then missing bigger picture of God’s plan for our lives (1 Corinthians 13). While hope explanations enable you to understand bigger picture of “how” God Created Our Universe, recommend embrace what’s more important than “how” God created Our Universe too.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (ESV): 1. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Matthew 22:36-40 (ESV): 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Did God Create Our Universe from Nothing? No

Did God Create Our Universe from Nothing? No

Carefully reading the Bible reveals God did not create Our Universe from nothing. God created our observable Universe from things we do not see. Creating Our Universe from things we do not see differs greatly from creation from nothing.

Hebrews 11:3 (ESV): 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Historical Theological Views:

If you ask many Christians today, several will share a contrary inaccurate theological viewpoint asserting God created Our Universe from nothing, as stated by the thoughtful Westminster Short Catechism.

“Quest. 9. What is the work of creation? Ans. 9. The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.(1) (1) Gen. 1; Heb. 11:3.” Reference: http://www.westminsterconfession.org/confessional-standards/the-westminster-shorter-catechism.php

It’s reasonable to infer that if our Westminster Catechism human authors were still living today with sufficient time & energy to research this finer subtle point more closely, that they’d graciously agree to reconsider & update the Westminster Catechism accordingly. As these authors passed away already, how do useful references like this that people study get updates? As Commentary?

Earlier Technology Era:

Prior to modern technology showcasing words creating worlds via programming languages on physical hardware platforms, it is reasonable to infer creating via words appeared to many like God was speaking our world into existence from nothing and/or simply by supernatural divine powers.

New Lens:

Modern technology provides a new lens (way of seeing & perceiving) to view God’s inspired word as divulging Divine hints into Our Universes’ underlying technical & engineering architecture.

Related Reference: “Words Creating Worlds“, https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/words-create-worlds/

Understanding Our Universe architecture this way explains God’s capabilities, miraculous interventions, and how God knows even our unspoken prayers.

Modern Electronic Era:

Today billions of people hold in their hands modern electronic platforms where words are creating worlds (i.e. words of programming languages & tools for example). These modern electronics include mobile smart phones, tablets, and computers, where game designers create game-play worlds & other virtual worlds to explore. Reason infers that God controls much more robust platforms & capabilities at a much grander scale used to create & sustain Our Universe via underlying data & rules. The platform implements many underlying Universe “physical laws” like gravity, conservation of matter & energy, electricity & magnetism, among others. God’s Universe platform enables God to inspect & control underlying “data”, and even “rules”. Just like a “Game World” on modern electronic devices have a beginning, so too “Our Universe” had a beginning. Just like “Game Worlds” can implement different rule sets, likewise God chose which physical rules to put into operation. Scientists attempt to understand these rules more precisely. Our Universe’s beginning did not violate any rules of physics, yet rather implemented physical rules under which Our Universe operates. Likewise, matter being created is similar to specifying certain types of “data” in the underlying Universe Platform.

Related Reference “Bible Genesis Creation Account Universe Tools Paradigm & Comparison & Literal Creator Days” “https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/bible-genesis-creation-account-universe-tools-paradigm-comparison-literal-creator-days/“

Disappearing Matter:

Once you understand God ‘s Universe Platform Paradigm (also known as Universe Tools Paradigm), you’ll understand how God can make people & matter even disappear from Our Universe.

Genesis 5:24 (ESV): Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

The way to think about this is parallel to how “data” can be arbitrarily changed on electronic platforms, since God has access to underlying data, rather than to think about this as constrained by “Conservation of Matter & Energy”.

Reasonableness:

Even reason itself supports our Universe originating from something rather than nothing. If nothing was all there was, then nothing is all there would be forever. Everyone can observe Our Universe exists, so it is reasonable to conclude something existed for all time. Christians assert that God has existed for all time, with the Bible’s documentary evidence showcasing God’s character & existence & interventions.

The Word of God:

Learn more about The Word of God starting in The Bible’s Book of John Chapter 1 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+1&version=ESV):

John 1:1-5 (ESV): 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Related Topical References:

1. “Did God Create Everything Out of Nothing?” by Hank Hanegraaff August 7, 2013:  http://www.faithgateway.com/did-god-create-everything-out-of-nothing/#.VWetcmDdVFI

2. “When God made something out of nothing” http://creation.com/when-god-made-something-out-of-nothing-day-1

3. “Creation out of nothing” http://www.theopedia.com/Creation_out_of_nothing

4. “DID GOD CREATE THE WORLD FROM NOTHING?” http://booksnthoughts.com/did-god-create-the-world-from-nothing/

5. “Creation out of Nothing” http://www.catholic.com/tracts/creation-out-of-nothing

6. “Ex nihilo”, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_nihilo

7. “Did God Create the Universe? No” Discovering Religion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r2eE5tHRlA

8. “How could God create a material world out of nothing?” http://evidenceforchristianity.org/how-could-god-create-a-material-world-out-of-nothing/

9. “Did God Create Everything Out of Something or Out of Nothing?” http://churchofchristarticles.com/blog/administrator/did-god-create-everything-out-of-something-or-out-of-nothing/

10. “A Universe from Nothing?” by Jake Hebert, Ph.D. http://www.icr.org/article/universe-from-nothing/

God Said It. I Believe It. That Settles It. Wrong!

Many Non-Believers & Believers Agree that the Statement “God Said It. I Believe It. That Settles It” is fundamentally Wrong! Why this agreement? What’s Wrong with the statement? The statement incorrectly assumes individuals accurately understand & know how to apply what God communicated. The statement subverts further reasonable discussion on topics discussed by implying incorrectly that further discussion must be due to lack of belief and/or an inherent underlying abundant clarity. God’s word can sometimes be tricky to understand & apply properly, yet is open to reason using our God given mental capabilities.

Misunderstanding:

The Bible is very often misunderstood, which is acknowledged by the Bible itself. The Bible is misunderstood by both believers and non-believers.

2 Peter 3:14-17 (ESV): 14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Believers do periodically misunderstand God’s Word & even share these misunderstandings. At times non-believers misunderstanding is the reason they do not believe the Bible, and speak against God, God’s Word, and God’s People. For this reason, it is even more important that believers take extra care to understand God’s Word, for the sake of non-believers, as well as themselves, and believers.

Jude 1:10 (ESV): 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

James 3:1-2 (ESV): 1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

Misunderstanding Scenario: Revised Quotation:

“God Said It. I Believe It. I misunderstand it! That Surely Doesn’t Settle It“

Misapplication & Out of Context:

Even when Bible statements seem clear, people misapply them, typically out of context, or in a substantially different context than intended. Satan vainly attempted to trick Jesus into misapplying one part of God’s Word to get Jesus to sin. Jesus knew this was a misapplication, because Jesus knew what God instructed in the other scriptures, to properly understand contexts under which scriptures apply.

Matthew 4:5-7 (ESV): 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'”

While the Bible is known as God’s Word in Christian Circles, the Bible also contains words of others, which are put in their for our instruction, even if other peoples’ words are sometimes inaccurate & even untrue. People may inaccurately think the statement “God Said It. I Believe It. That Settles It.” applies to anything in God’s Word, rather than just what God had spoken. One illustration of this is Job’s friends, who made several statements that sound correct on the surface, yet were not.

Job 42:7-9 (ESV): 7 After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite:”My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the LORD had told them, and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer.

Misapplication & Out of Context Scenario: Revised Quotation:

“God Said It. I Believe It. I misapply it! That Surely Doesn’t Settle It“

The Solution:

God also provides others who sharpen our ability to correctly understand & properly apply God’s Word.

Proverbs 27:17 (ESV):  17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

When properly understood & applied, Wisdom from Above is open to reasonable dialogue respectfully & considerately with others.

James 3:13-18 (ESV): 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

God provides many types of instructors & guides so we’ll understand God’s Word better, so as to properly apply it, and gain salvation leading to eternal life.

Ephesians 4:11-16 (ESV):  11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Christians are to ask God with unwavering faith for Wisdom to understand God’s Scriptures.

James 1:5-7 (ESV): 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Seek God & his righteousness & pray that God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, via your faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God, will share with you the intent of each scripture passage.

1 Corinthians 2:11-14 (ESV): 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Recognize there are limits to what our God given minds are able to understand in this lifetime.

2 Peter 1:16-21 (ESV): 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

It’d seem reasonable that God is even able to use non-believers speculations in the right dosages to strengthen believer’s discernment, as believers turn more deeply to God to understand & apply God’s Words as revealed in The Bible.

When you do find God’s Words in the Bible, you can acknowledge that “God Said It’, and then use your mind to seek to understand it, look to apply it properly, and be reasonable & respectful when sharing it. Recognize that often you’ll find it beneficial to learn from others (i.e. preachers, teachers, …) who have spent time analyzing areas of scripture of which you are focused.

1 Peter 3:13-17 (ESV): 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

While some things are useful to build people up, others are controversial & divisive & unhelpful, and are best avoided.

Titus 3:9-11 (ESV): 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

When subjects are discussed, be respectful and courteous toward all people. It is profitable for believers to discuss the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who came to deliver us from our sins, and transform us into godly people who do good works as faith is lived out.

Titus 3:1-2 (ESV): 1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

Christians Believe & Trust God, despite gaps understanding portions of Scriptures. What God says is truthful. This brings us to a better way to think about scriptures than “God Said It. I Believe It. That’s Settles It – Wrong” mindset. Bring a mindset that seeks to know & understand & follow God properly that is respectful of others.

“God Reveals. Seek Understanding. Live Faithfully. Courteously Discuss.“

Related Articles:

1. “God said it, I believe it, that settles it”, http://www.dictionaryofchristianese.com/god-said-it-i-believe-it-that-settles-it/

2. “God Said It, That Settles It!”, http://www.sermons4kids.com/that_settles_it.htm

3. “GOD SAID IT, THAT SETTLES IT”, http://lifehealingministries.us/newsletters/god-said-it-that-settles-it-2/

4. ““God Said It; I Believe It; That Settles It” by Jarrod Jacobs, http://knollwoodchurch.org/yr2014/b05_settles_it.html

5. “People Wrote It, You Believe Them, That Settles…Nothing”, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/2013/09/people-wrote-it-you-believe-them-that-settles-nothing.html

6. “GOD SAID IT . . . AND THAT UNSETTLES IT” http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/3677/god-said-it-and-that-unsettles-it

7. “Is The Bible Reliable?- Part 5”, http://www.woodburypres.com/sermons/Reliable%205.htm

8. “God Said It; I Believe It, and That Settles It!” by Ernest Angley, https://www.ernestangley.org/read/article/god_said_it_i_believe_it_and_that_settles_it

9. “You Have Heard It Said: “GOD SAID IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT.””, http://yhhis.blogspot.com/2014/04/you-have-heard-it-said-god-said-it-i_1.html

10. “Claim CH100: God’s word, the Bible, must be our ultimate authority. The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it”, http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CH/CH100.html

11. “The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it (Talk.Origins)”, http://creationwiki.org/The_Bible_says_it,_I_believe_it,_that_settles_it_(Talk.Origins)

Words Creating Worlds

Computer Science is the primary field where language is used to create & design, where words can be used to literally type/speak things into existence. This parallels God speaking things in our populated Universe into existence in an orderly fashion.

Hebrews 11:3 (ESV): 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Technology advances led to our current reality where words create worlds via computer programming & engineering design. Our Universe’s Creator used words to bring into being the Stars within Our Universe.

Genesis 1:14-15 (ESV): 14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. Isaiah 40:26 (ESV):  26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.

Before God’s words were spoken to create Stars in our Universe and other objects, God had already made Our Universe platform.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

The initial creation of Our Universe platform can be viewed similarly to creating a hardware & software platform under which applications operate via computer languages (words). Think about how hardware & software platforms for smart devices (i.e. phones & watches & other consumer devices) are engineered to support a myriad of application & capabilities, typically with built-in initial applications. Add-on applications are powered by words that encompass both programming languages & standard engineering design document formats. There are numerous computer languages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programming_language) that include C, C++, C#, Java, Swift, Visual Basic, JavaScript, Assembly/Machine (Binary Codes / Microcode) Languages , Fortran, Cobol, and many more. Applications powered by computer programming languages are available via web sites, and via downloadable / installable apps. One currently popular engineering design firm is AutoDesk (http://www.autodesk.com), which makes programs like AutoCad (Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoCAD ), where product advancement is accompanied by document format upgrades. People are working to make it so that more digital designs can eventually be rendered directly into physical objects, as exhibited in a Ted Talk on 3d Printing (http://www.ted.com/talks/joe_desimone_what_if_3d_printing_was_25x_faster?language=en). While our planet Earth can be viewed as an initial application, God reveals each essential subsystem underlying our eco-system, from water to land to plants to animals to people (Reference: Genesis 1 (http://biblehub.com/esv/genesis/1.htm). The Bible reveals that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit were all involved in creating Our Universe.

Genesis 1:2 (ESV): 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. John 1:1-3 (ESV): 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. Colossians 1:16 (ESV): 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him.

Repeatable scientific experiments reflect rules written into the programming & engineering underlying Our Universe. These physical rules are reflected in observations in sciences like physics and chemistry. These rules are subservient to the Universe’s Creator, who is able to directly “program” what happens in Our Universe & directly operate externally on objects in our Universe. The Creator has access to the underlying programming beyond what normal physical rules permit to which we as people are able to wield via natural processes. Periodically people recognize God’s interventions and call them miracles: sometimes correctly, and sometimes incorrectly. Real miracles revealed in the Bible are not a violation of Universe rules, so much as tapping into the underlying environment under which Our Universe rules are operational, to which the Creator has access. Likewise, worlds created in applications via software are able to implement diverse sets of physical rules, where the application programmer chooses how the world works.

2014 in review

Thanks to all the visitors in 2014! The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 15,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 6 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Prayer Partakers

Prayer Partakers:

This Prayer Partakers articles reviews recorded cases in Biblical Scriptures where communication with God via prayers were answered affirmatively.

Pregnancy Prayer Partakers:

God instructed humankind to be fruitful and multiply to have children and populate our planet. What do you do when you wish to have children, yet there is no pregnancy? God has been very generous today to provide many medical & social & technological aids to help families in having children biologically & alternatively via adoption. Historically, before todays modern medical advances, primary solutions included time, prayer, & even surrogate parents. In Abraham’s son Isaac case, Isaac prayed for his wife Rebekah.  God granted his request and Rebekah his wife became pregnancy & birthed twins.

Genesis 25:19-26 (ESV): 19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” 24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

1 Samuel 1:1,5-6,11,17,19,20,26-28 (ESV): 1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. …  5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb. 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. …   11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” …  17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” … 19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the LORD.” …  26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD. 27 For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.

Interesting Pregnancy Quotations:

“How you approach birth is intimately connected with how you approach life” Quote by William Sears (The Pregnancy Book: A Month-By-Month Guide). Courtesy GoodReads.com at http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/255094-how-you-approach-birth-is-intimately-connected-with-how-you

Pregnancy Prayers Key Points:

• God made our natural process to be fruitful & multiply.
• God hears & grants prayers for families to have children.
• God has provided opportunities to grow families via medical advances & adoption.

Pregnancy Prayers Discussion Points / Questions:

• Does God still grant prayer requests for children?
• If a good friend wanted to children, under what circumstances would you pray for them, or guide them to pray to God?
• If God wanted you to learn some more valuable lessons before having [more] children, how would you handle it?
• What if children were not a dear friends future who wanted them? Elaborate. What if that applied to you?
• Why is it important in this life on how people approach pregnancy, birth, and even adoption? Share your thoughts on the pregnancy quotation.

Life Prayer Partakers:

God ultimately has authority over when & where we & our loved ones live & die. God granted prayers to bring people back to life. Scriptures record few rare occasions that this was done. One time was when Elijah brought a boy back to life. Another time was when Jesus brought a girl back to life. When Jesus the Christ who is God (shares the same nature / character with God the Father and the Holy Spirit) informed us that the girl was sleeping, that set the expectation that when she returned, she would not be sharing stories about the afterlife.

1 Kings 17:17-24 (ESV): 17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” 22 And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”

Mark 5:35-43 (ESV): 35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Interesting Life Partakers Quotation:

“You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you.” Quotation by C.S. Lewis Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/37597

“Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one” Quotation by Bruce Lee Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/4146

“A man’s life will not come again, once it has slipped through his teeth. And no power on earth can bring it back. This is the mortal law. Then no longer will his bones be held together by wet sinews. Then no longer the soul flutter in his mouth. But by Death’s blazing light, he is ground out and spent.” Quotation by Paul Pope (Escapo) Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1334716

Life Prayer Key Points:

• God listened & acted to perform miracles to bring children back to life when asked via prayers & when asked in person.
• God holds the keys to our life and death both in our earthly temporal life, and also for eternity.

Life Prayers Discussion Points / Questions:

• Does God still perform miracles today, such as raising children back to life?
• What comfort does God offer when the answer is “not this time” to miracle prayer requests?
• Have you know any family or friends who have lost a young child to death?
• How does God use the medical profession & technology advances to answer prayers?
• Share your thoughts on the Life Quotations.

Wisdom Prayer Partakers:

God gave King David’s Son Solomon a dream. In the dream, God asked Solomon what he wanted. Solomon responded by asking for wisdom to rule God’s people. God recognized tremendous value in asking for wisdom. Wisdom can contribute to good eternal decision-making. God granted King Solomon his request, along with riches and long life. An even longer life was contingent upon King Solomon’s continued faithfulness. The Bible endorses our also asking God for wisdom. Wisdom is best when combined with a living faith, so we are to ask for wisdom out of our faith.  For an exploration of Wisdom & Faith & Love, consult The Three Guides articles & presentation materials later.

1 Kings 3:5-14 (ESV): 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” 10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

James 1:5-8 (ESV): 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Interesting Wisdom Quotations:

“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” Quotation by Isaac Asimov Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/4078

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”
Quotation by Mark Twain (The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain) Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/4957

“I’m not young enough to know everything.” By J.M. Barrie (The Admirable Crichton) Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/120011

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” Quotation by Confucius Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/83

“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens” Quotation by Jimi Hendrix Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/22276

Wisdom Prayer Key Points:

• God instructs individuals having a living faith, yet who lack wisdom, to ask God for wisdom.
• God was pleased to grant King Solomon’s request for wisdom, even providing much more than was asked.
• God is also able to grant riches and long lifetimes.

Wisdom Prayer Discussion Points / Questions:

• Under what circumstances should you not expect to get anything from God as a result of your prayers?
• Explain why wisdom is best when combined with a living faith.
• Have you asked, or do you plan to ask, the Lord God for Wisdom.
• Share your thoughts on the interesting wisdom quotations.

Longevity Prayer Partaker:

While each of us does not know how many temporal years of life are allocated to us initially, God has shown us how to increase those years by honoring our parents. God left open options to answer his followers prayers for a longer lifespan. Followers are also referred to as Saints. God added 15 years (close to 5,500 days) of life to loyal & faithful King Hezekiah when he prayed to the Lord.

Exodus 20:12 (ESV): 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 5:16 (ESV): 16 “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Ephesians 6:1-3 (ESV): 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Isaiah 38:1-5 (ESV): 1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover.” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

Phillipians 1:21-28 (ESV): 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

Interesting Longevity Quotations:

“Like anybody, I would like to have a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will.” Quotation by Martin Luther King Jr.  Courtesy of GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/16768

“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.” Quotation by Martin Luther King Jr. Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/24547

“I want to live for a very, very long time, but it’s important that I take care of my body. When I am 851 years old, I don’t want to look it. No, I want to look 158.” by Jarod Kintz (Who Moved My Choose?: An Amazing Way to Deal With Change by Deciding to Let Indecision Into Your Life) Courtesy GoodReads.com at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/466989

Longevity Prayer Key Points:

• God promises individuals longer life spans when they obey God’s commandment to honor their parents.
• Saints of God are permitted to ask God for a longer life span. God may actively intervene to make this happen.
• Tradeoff’s exist for Saints leaving this Earth to be with God versus staying to support God’s Mission.

Longevity Prayer Discussion Points / Questions:

• Discuss to what age would you like to live. Are you inclined to ask God for more years of life? Explain.
• Explore under what circumstances God is likely to decline prayers for increased longevity.
• What are ways in which you & your family can honor your parents?
• How could you support God’s Church, Mission, and Saints prior to your departure?
• Share your thoughts on the longevity quotations.

Your Prayer Partaker Journey:

Our Prayer Partaker Journey is meant to provide us a lifeline to God for support through life events, whether related to family expansion, life & death, wisdom, or longevity. God documented specific circumstances where these request types were answered, as God cares deeply for the life of his true followers. God has heard & granted prayers for families to have children, and has setup a myriad of health specialists & technologies to support these request types today. Cultivate & establish a firm & stable faith to come to God with confidence with our prayer requests like when asking for increased wisdom. Reflect upon how long a life you’d like to live, since God has the power to provide followers a longer life. Remember to honor your parents as instructed in the Ten Commandments, as this is the first commandment including a promise of a longer & better life.

God’s scriptures recorded in the Bible on prayer touch upon many more topics & examples, so take some time to search the Bible (for example, on websites like https://www.biblegateway.com).

Credits:

The visual of an human ultrasound with this prayer article is Courtesy Microsoft Corporation.

Learning Prayer by Counter-Points & Points

Learning Prayer by Counter-Points & Points:

When we pray, we offer up our thoughts to God. Prayer can be done in public locations, in private locations, and silently in our inner beings in-between thoughts while going about our day to day activities. Prayers range from sharing our concerns with God, asking about the future, seeking justice, desiring discernment, pursuing guidance, appealing for help, and showing appreciation.

What does the Bible say about prayer as it is supposed to be done, and how it is not to be done?

Hypocrite Counter-Point Examples:

The Bible instructs Jesus Christ’s followers on how not to pray to God and on how to pray also. The ultimate aim is to show us how to pray in the context of a living faith. Since it is natural to come at prayer with many of our own & our culture’s assumptions & approaches, God’s inspired scriptures take extra care to showcase the prayer life God desires.

Matthew 6:5-6 (ESV): 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Hypocrite Key Points:

• Prayer is not about looking good in front of others.
• Prayer is about turning to God personally.
• God created people as relational beings.
• God desires each person to have a meaningful relationship with God.
• God intends for prayer to draw us away from hypocracy.

Hypocrite Discussion Points / Questions:

• Is it ok to lead a group in prayer? Explain.
• Describe circumstances under which it allowable to be seen by others when you pray.
• How is God able to see us when we pray in secret places? [Hint: Check out the Universe Tools Paradigm Presentation later]

Verbosity Counter-Point Example:

God already knows what you want, so there is little point in taking extra steps to inefficiently communicate what you want to God.

Matthew 6:7-8 (ESV): 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Verbosity Key Points:

• Using many words to pray to God makes your prayers needlessly lengthier.
• Be real with God, as God already knows what you need and want.

Verbosity Discussion Points / Questions:

• Are shorter prayers always better? Why or Why Not?
• Does God know what you need more than you yourself knows? Explain.

Lord’s Prayer Example:

Jesus provided a prayer, known as the Lord’s Prayer, which serves as a example of how to pray our own prayers, covering similar themes.

Matthew 6:9-12 (ESV): 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Lord’s Prayer Key Points:

• Joining the Christian Faith is like joining a heavenly family, where God is the Father
• God’s name is to be honored, because of all God has done & continues to do
• God desires us to seek our voyage on Earth to be in line with God’s will in heaven
• God knows our daily needs and it’s reasonable to ask God to allocate provisions
• Forgiveness of others is central to our faith & relationship with God
• Because of personal weaknesses, we ask God’s intervention in keeping us away from temptation & evil

Lord’s Prayer Discussion Points / Questions:

• How does our earthly father / family compare to our heavenly Father / Family?
• List ways can we show honor to God’s name & reputation.
• Even if you pray a lot, will God forgive your sins if you do not forgive others their sins?
• Besides in a private location like our closest, how else can our prayers be private between us and God?

Persecuted Counter-Intuitive Prayer Example:

Intuitively, many people would normally be inclined to offer up prayers to God to punish their enemies, especially those who have caused them harm through persecution. Counter-intuitively, God instructs us to pray for our enemies out of love for them, which implies a concern for their reform & eternal well-being. Even personal human enemies are created in God’s image.

Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV): 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Persecution Key Points:

• God instructs us to Love Our Enemies rather than Hate Our Enemies
• God commands us to Pray for those who persecute us out of love for them

Persecution Discussion Points / Questions:

• How willing are you to pray that your enemies will come to know God the Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit and repent of their sins and be transformed inwardly?
• Discuss the good that would come into many nations in the world, if each resident were to come to know & follow Jesus Christ personally.
• God provides sunlight for both righteous and evil people. Discuss how this informs behaviors of those providing products & services to others with different religious & moral beliefs.

Good Gifts Prayer Points:

Make a habit of coming to God in prayer about your needs, because God is already inclined to give good gifts to his children.

Luke 11:5-13 (ESV): 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Good Gifts Key Points:

• As Heavenly Father, God wants to provide his children/followers what is good for them.
• Ask God for the good gift of the Holy Spirit.

Good Gifts Discussion Points / Questions:

• Is God providing a blank check when he says “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened”? Explain.
• What would those who properly follow God under the Holy Spirit ask for, and not ask for?

Persistent Prayer Points:

When something is important to you, it is reasonable to expect you’ll come to God in prayer persistently about it.

Luke 18:1-8 (ESV): 1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Persistence Key Points:

• Be persistent with God across different prayer sessions.
• Pray during the daytime and evening too.
• Remain faithful to God even as you Ask God for justice speedily, and wait for your prayers to be answered.

Persistence Discussion Points / Questions:

• Does being persistent mean repeating the same words over & over again?
• Provide examples of what is meant & what is not meant to ask God for justice.

Righteousness & Forgiveness Prayer Points:

Many people have trouble seeing their own sin, even though they find it easy to point to others’ sins & imperfections. In contrast, many other people see ways in which they’ve done wrong & need God’s forgiveness.

Luke 11:9-14 (ESV): 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV): 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Righteousness & Forgiveness Key Points:

• Before God, all people except Jesus have sinned.
• When we come to God, admit our sin.
• Pray to God for forgiveness and to redirect your heart anew to repent and follow God.
• Make sure you also forgive others so God will also forgive your sins.

Your Prayer Journey:

Our Prayer Journey is meant to lead us far away from hypocrisy to recognition of our sins, with a heart leading to repentance & forgiveness. Prayer is not meant to be an abundance of wordy verbose words, but instead sincere communication with God. Prayer is meant to recognize God’s Greatness, his ability to help us, and to direct us to desire God’s will to become increasingly more prevalent on earth, including the administration of justice. God is ready to provide good gifts like the Holy Spirit to all people who follow God the Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. Prayer is meant to call us to be forgiving of others, and to love & pray for others, even enemies.

The Bible has much more to share about how to pray, so take some time to search the Bible (for example, on websites like https://www.biblegateway.com).

Credits:

The Closet image visual with this post is Courtesy Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft.com).

Explaining Scriptures

God’s Word supports both its’ reading and explaining its’ gist (or sense) of what is being communicated from the Divine so people will understand, as is done today with books, Churches, Bible Studies, with individual believers, online sermons, articles, audio, video, and blog posts. While explanations abound about scriptures inspired by the Holy Spirit, recognize limitations to individual private interpretations to prophecies. To understand Divine Wisdom more fully, we are to aspire & to seek to advance towards spiritual maturity through learning, thoughtful reflection, and applied actions. It’s a process, so recognize the progress individually and collectively will vary.

Nehemiah 8:8-12 (ESV): 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

1 Corinthians 2:6-7 (ESV): 6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

2 Peter 1:16-21 (ESV): For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 1:24-29 (ESV): 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Hebrews 5:11-14 (ESV): 11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Revelation 22:12-21 (ESV): 12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

 

Bible Genesis Chapter 5 Visualized

The Bible Genesis Chapter 5 is primarily a timeline showcasing the first 1,656 years after Adam was created, and before the Great Flood on the Earth, providing a genealogy ancestry slice from Adam to Noah and his three sons Sham, Ham, and Japheth. Like any history with many dates and people, understanding and picturing this can be a challenge. The Time-Spans Timeline^2 Squared chart presented here shows the timeline in a novel way to how it is usually depicted. This one-page chart highlights the (1) birth years (2) father & sons, (3) longevities (ages), (4) relative years since Adam was created, and (5) overlapping lifespans visualizations.

Genesis 5 Timeline Squared One-Pager

You can use the above timespan chart to answer numerous timeline based trivia questions, like the following:

Genesis Chapter 5 Trivia: // Besides other sons & daughters
(1) Who was alive when Enoch was on Earth?
(2) Who could Jared not get to know?
(3) Who was Enosh’s Grandfather?
(4) Who lived a longer lifespan than Adam?
(5) Whose disclosed lifespan was the shortest?
(6) Who died 1,290 years after Adam was created?
(7) Who was Jared’s Great Grandfather?
(8) How long after Enosh was Jared Born?
(9) Who would have had no chance to know Noah?
(10) Who lived at right time to know all mentioned by name?

The Bible Genesis Chapter 5, while primarily a written recorded textual timeline, also contains a few special verses outside the timeline.

Genesis 5:1 (ESV): 1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.

God re-iterated that humankind was created in his image, which means in the context of scriptures that people with God’s divine intervention, have the ability to be holy, loving, kind, generous, forgiving, and merciful like God. Jesus Christ who came as the Savior of the World, as the Son of God, who lived a perfect life, died to bear the sins of many people who are repentant and come to a living & enduring & growing faith. Jesus Christ is the way we come to know the truth about this life of ours, and come to know God the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 5:2 (ESV): 2 Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.

Because God made humankind, starting with Adam and Eve, with the ability to reproduce, future generations of Adam and Eve are a result of the biological reproduction processes Our Creator established.

The Bible Genesis Chapter 5 lifespans illustrate an untapped scientific & behavioral opportunity to increase our lifespans to hundreds of years. At the time of this writing, many people considered to live a full life have lifespans ranging from 70 to 120 years. Whether humankind will find out the secret to longer life spans is presently unknown, yet God illustrated the potential exists. At this juncture, it is speculation on whether humankind in following God and searching the sciences will be granted access to this door to longevity.

Genesis 5:28-29 (ESV): 28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”

The statement of Lamech who fathered Noah, foreshadows the the importance placed upon the birth of Noah. As history unfolded after hundreds of years, God sends a great flood upon the Earth. God spares Moses and his wife, and his sons, and their wives, and pointed to a brighter future for humankind.

Genesis 5:24 (ESV): 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

To better understand the mystery of how God took Enoch, please see the related presentation on the Bible Genesis Creation Account at http://www.slideshare.net/creationary/bible-genesis-creation-account and the related post at https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/bible-genesis-creation-account-universe-tools-paradigm-comparison-literal-creator-days/, which covers Genesis Chapter 1 & 2 in the context of scriptures, and answers question about the time Our Creator used in designing, rending, and operating Our Universe. The key point is how Enoch walked with God can be thought of as similar to how digital application programs are ported from platform to platform. God is likewise able to port people to Eternal Life or Torment Forever, depending upon a righteous judgement based upon the life each person has lived. Like Elijah later, Enoch was taken & did not die. One wonders if all humankind, before our fall into sin with its’ death penalty, was originally to have this option to graduate from life on Earth to be taken by God to have a close relationship with God in Heaven.

You are welcome to download the Bible Genesis 5 Timeline Squared Presentation PDF, at https://bibleopia.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/bible-genesis-5-timeline-squared-pdf.pdf which also contains the answers to the trivia questions posed earlier.