Tag Archives: Believe in God

by Guestspeaker | 2023/01/02 · 2:13 pm

Blogging into the New Year

Blogging into the New Year, in a certain way as bloggers we might feel connected with other bloggers from all over the world. Its the magic of the internet that catches us.

How many bloggers are not on the internet willing to shine a light, not wanting to hide, hoping to bring some nice reading and some positive vibes to others, somewhere in the world. Some target a specific public, others do not mind sharing their diary with the world. Whatever reason they blog, is that what they write would be read by ‘some one’.

Janie Leeds writes

I happen to think that there’s a teensy bit of fear in all of us from time to time that squelches our ability to shine our heartlights and I’m choosing to figure out how to allow my heartlight to shine without fear! {This Little Light o’ Mine}

Many therefore just let the words roll over the screen, without fear. Perhaps they too think like J. Leeds that

we have to build our confidence and find someone trustworthy to shine with when we feel that desire to shine and to brilliantly explode our special brand of light into the universe. {This Little Light o’ Mine}

Though many might feel

It’s scary when we choose to be our authentic selves without fear. It’s being vulnerable which sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable. {This Little Light o’ Mine}

We always can wonder why or for whom those bloggers write. For themself? For their community/friends? For the world at large?

Judgy Young Pessimist or Jewish Young(-ish) Professional has the same question as us on her lips:

Maybe we write for different people at different times or maybe we write for all of them. {For Whom Do You Write?}

New Year’s Day finds one reflecting on some of their past resolutions and their outcomes. Bloggers might then perhaps think about what they wrote in the past year or how many blogposts they managed to create.

Lots of bloggers shall express and live by the hope that this fresh year will bring us something better than we had for the last years. So many want to forget Covid (though it is still not finished) and want to see an end to ‘that war‘ going on in Ukraine. Many bloggers leave that war in the fridge, only writing about other and hopefully also better things. Good tidings.

Let’s hope for the best and do our level best to make this year a memorable one for the people around us. Let’s resolve to spread happiness, empathy and goodness in the world. Let’s be humane and humble. {Happy New Year 2023}

writes a freelance writer who finds he is doing fine and has a lot to be thankful for, because “Allah, the Almighty” has been so kind to him. He is also aware we do not know much about the future. He thinks we can not predict the days ahead.

Can we not rid ourselves of unfounded fears? Can we not enjoy this precious MOMENT (present), instead of living in the past or worrying about the future? {Why Do We Worry About The Future? Why Don’t We Enjoy The Present Moment?}

Those who believe in God can find enough advice in the Book of books, the Bible, where the ‘bloggers’ of ancient times wrote down what we should know. In those books is enough said about times still to come, and as such do we know what to expect. Concerning those end times there are several bloggers on the net talking about how we can prepare for those times.

Many other subjects gain much more attention. Many blogging platforms are being used, but also many disappeared and bloggers had to change platforms again last year. The greatest change last year was the leaving Blogger and Blogspot by many bloggers, because those blog systems had become too slow and unworkable. This could be an asset to WordPress, but it was also discussed last year, due to its introduction of the less practical Gutenberg Block editor system.

Several bloggers let themselves be guided by prompts or requested tasks by other bloggers.

sometimes, prompts provide that inspiration for a piece that may have been ruminating,

writes JYP. We also admit some blogposts find their origin in something we notice on the net or some event that reached the news. In any case, the main reason to write such a post is for many to share something they find interesting or has something to do with their community or faith. As such, JYP for example wanted to share about Jewish community prompted by one of Fandango‘s Provocative Questions

– and it’s since become the basis for the whole pond/community/housing search tortured analogy saga. Prompts can provide both the inspiration for something I never expected to write and the necessary nudge to write something that were already ruminating. {For Whom Do You Write?}

Some bloggers like to tell the world about their very private things, whilst others prefer to stay in the anonymity or would not dare to talk about something personal. For some personal self-expression is the primary motivator for writing their blog and wanting to get an audience.

These are the posts that arguably could have been written in a private diary. These are the posts that might have less “polish” because sharing a message with an external audience isn’t the primary goal. These are the blog posts that feel less like public speaking, and more like casual conversation, or even just venting. {Blogging About Judaism: Promotional vs. Personal}

These posts are the casual conversation, maybe even the therapy sessions, of blogging – intimacy, sweats, and all. Photo by Ekaterina Bolovtsova: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-women-talking-to-each-other-4051134/

The problem with some of those blogs is that we feel more like in a café, catching up on some conversations. Others have a message they want to promote like we too have some good new to tell.

According to JYP promotional blog posts are those that:

Have a message that the author wants to share externally. (eg. This is not a post that the author could have written in their private diary)
Because the author wants to share this message, the post tends to have some “polish”. {Blogging About Judaism: Promotional vs. Personal}

she rightly compares this to public speaking

– the most heartfelt, sincere, genuine speaker is going to make a point of revising and editing, practicing, and putting on more professional attire/ hygiene/ grooming/ makeup etc. (vs. brain dump whilst looking disheveled) to look more presentable to an external audience so the message comes across better. {Blogging About Judaism: Promotional vs. Personal}

For her

the promotional vs. personal classification applies to all kinds of blogging {Blogging About Judaism: Promotional vs. Personal}

What we notice, looking at the Blogosphere and social media, is that lots of people want to be part of a community.

JYP thinks

the sense of community is probably the greatest strength of a well-run prompt. {For Whom Do You Write?}

In our globalising industrialist capitalist world, where there are so many people walking around, most people are just lost in the mass. Several people hope to escape their loneliness, but on the internet, they also find such an empty space. By blogging they do hope to have some reactions by which they would not feel so on their own. By writing a blog they want to break the silence and their loneliness.

Look, the internet is a big, lonely place. Blogging helps build community. Prompts can create a sense of community rituals and norms. It’s been fascinating to see the way bloggers will show up for each other, even within the simple forum of a prompt response. And it’s incredible to see how a prompt “ritual” goes beyond that, like when fellow bloggers share sad news with other prompt participants who respond with tributes and memories. {For Whom Do You Write?}

It is by such reactions the blogger may feel his or her work is appreciated and worthwhile doing. Responses on blogs also may trigger curiosity to go and look at that blogger his pages. If answers are given to a blog post, those comments may prompt the blogger to check his or her blog with that responding person. In this way, an exchange of ideas can arise among certain people who eventually become part of a small or larger group of regularly exchanging people.

To be clear, I think blogging without prompts can build community as well. But if you imagine the blog world as a religious community (bear with me), while you absolutely can and should socialize with fellow congregants outside of regularly scheduled services, some members will really appreciate the regular weekly meeting times to connect with their fellow congregants. {For Whom Do You Write?}

writes JYP. As such we can find bloggers who make it a custom to publish every week on a certain day an article. They even go to apologize when they did not. Or certain bloggers want to see for every day another sort of blog, be it a poetry day, haiku day, tanka day, garden day, short story day, thriller day, relaxation or meditation day …. Some even want to have days for an amount of words.

We may not forget

Not all of our followers will care about everything we say. And even in blogging where we create more community through prompts, not all of our fellow prompt participants are going to be interested in our other writings. {For Whom Do You Write?}

Another aspect we may not forget or overlook

The reality is that almost none of us will become famous or make any real money from blogging, so you might as well write for yourself in addition to whomever else you’re writing for.

If, in the course of blogging and responding to prompts, you don’t feel like you’re writing for yourself, it might be a sign to take a step back and figure out how to incorporate prompts in a way that feels more authentic to you. {For Whom Do You Write?}

In our busy world, we have limited time to do certain things for ourselves, like reading. On the net there is so much to read, it is impossible to read everything or to follow every blog full-time. Even when we are following a blog or others are following our blog, we can not expect that they read every blog, and certainly not that they notice or look at every blog on the day it is written.

we’re not necessarily interested in every post that another blogger writes. {For Whom Do You Write?}

It is logical that everyone has their own preferences for certain subjects and will look for interesting literature in this area. In that respect, it is not bad that the internet offers such a variety of subjects so that everyone can find something to their own liking.

We from our site are happy you came to read this post, and honestly do hope you’ll have also got a taste for reading here a bit more than just this article.

Welcome to From Guestwriters in 2023, and hope to see you more.

Preceding

Asking for a Re-Blog

When you think you have nothing to say or to show

Readers, likes and comments

Additional reading

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Tagged as Anonymity, being Part of a community, Believe in God, Blogger, Bloggers, Blogosphere, Blogspot (Blogger CMS), Community, Diary, Fellow congregant(s), Future, Gutenberg Block editor, Internet, Janie Leeds, JYP = Judgy Young Pessimist or Jewish Young(-ish) Professional, Loneliness, Preparation for endtimes, Prompt(s), Religious community, Sense of community, Sharing a message, Social media, to Blog, to Socialise, Weekly meeting(s), WordPress, WordPress users, Writing, Writing articles

by Guestspeaker | 2021/04/01 · 4:03 pm

Obediance 😎

Try to get it!

Obediance is against creativity
Our Minds create our reality
Following others kills identity
Every finger has a unique print
And this is definately a clear hint
We can Not accept others
Unless we accept ourselves
All societies suffer from a social disease
Which can diminish Or increase
Some societies reject discussion
Others accept argumentation
Allah accepts to hear
He has a kind great ear
But some humans refuse to hear
Except only for their cheer
Hearing others is an art
Bestowed only by the smart
Hear and fiter what you receive
You May refuse Or believe
Sohair
Allah says
This is a blessed book which
We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded
كِتَٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ إِلَيۡكَ مُبَٰرَكٞ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوٓاْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ
SAD chapter
Verse 29
😊

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Tagged as Accepting others, Accepting yourself, Argumentation, Believe, Believe in God, Creativity, Fingerprint, Hearing, Hearing others, Human mind, Identity, Obediance, Social disease, Sohair

by jeshuaist | 2019/07/16 · 1:27 pm

How to Go Forward without Fear

Lots of our brethren and sisters do not dare to come in the open. Most Jeshuaists prefer to stay in the darkness of this world hidden. They are afraid of being discovered or unmasked as Jew or Jeshuaist.

Many of our friends wonder how we live life when the world seems to be spinning in ways we did not expect it to be and where so many are against other religious people. Many Jews in Belgium and France are afraid. Several already left these regions, because they did not find it safe any-more for their kids to grow up here, and remembering what happened to those who wanted to leave Europe in the 1930ies too late.

Perhaps we should go to the Scriptures to find some advice, for being able to cope with our fear.

The first chapter of the book of Habakkuk is essentially a long complaint followed by God’s response. It then continues with yet another complaint and another response from God. The book concludes with a prayer or a Psalm from Habakkuk. This book was written, proceeding the fall of Babylon, yet the date of composition of the book cannot be guaranteed just by perusing the book itself. Most likely, individuals who lived after the fall Babylonia in 539 BCE understood much of this book is a meditation on life in an unjust world. They wondered how to relate to God when nations “slays nations without pity,” and “seize homes not their own.”

Today we can see many places in the world where nations are slain. We can see that political leaders do not mind what happens to those living in their country. Some even not having a blush on their face when they use gas-bombs on areas where many innocent people (inclusive many children) live.
We find lots of places where there are people who say they fight in the name of Allah (= God) but do the most atrocious things one can think of. Often they say it is the suffering people their own fault, not trusting in the right god.

What do we do when individuals do not place their trust in God, and how can a pious person deal with this unwieldy situation?

God responds that the answer is clearly written on tablets, perhaps as described in the book of Deuteronomy.

He then says:

הִנֵּ֣ה עֻפְּלָ֔ה לֹא־יָשְׁרָ֥ה נַפְשׁ֖וֹ בּ֑וֹ וְצַדִּ֖יק בֶּאֱמוּנָת֥וֹ יִחְיֶֽה׃

“Lo, his spirit within him is puffed up, not upright, But the righteous man is rewarded with life For his fidelity.” (Habakkuk 2:4)

This verse, initially describes a person whose life is swollen with not good things and who lives a twisted or unjust life. Perhaps it is one full of deception or one full of egotism. It then moves to a pious person whose faith is in God even under the most dire circumstances. Even though they must live life where justice is delayed or denied, that time according to God will be short-lived. Habakkuk goes on to draw a parallel with Isaiah chapter 11:9, that there will be a time when everyone will know God…

We agree today does not seem to be such a time, because not many are knowing God. Several people may say they believe in God, but they do not worship God, or many even believing in a three-headed god, they call the Trinity, and as such not believing in the God of Moshe, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Christ and his disciples.

Today sometimes it looks like we are living in a world where everything is permitted, as long as it is not a matter of religious expression. Then suddenly no religious symbols are allowed or persons are not allowed to wear what their religion demands. In several countries we can see demonic people offering themselves as the leader who shall make their nation great again. With the stroke of a pen those men think they themselves can play for god and decide what to do with other people and with other nations. Every occasion, be it even the national day they use for putting themselves in the picture and throwing hate words against others.

Today many people are confronted with difficulties to come around, not earning enough, but working hard enough to have not much time for the rest of the day. Several people in Europe are wondering and struggling, what can they could do to make this world a better place and to assure it to make Europe a safe haven for all sorts of people.

In a world of greed, where materialistic values often take first place, money or financial gain and pleasure have become the gods of today next to the many starlets and idols from entertainment and sports.

In this world today there seems not much place for integrity, the moral value that makes people the same on the inside as they are on the outside — with no discrepancy between what they say and what they do, between their walk and their talk. Many people around us prefer to wear a mask and present themselves differently on social media than they are in reality. that is also an important factor why so many in our community are so afraid to show themselves in public.

Though I believe we should not hide, but come out of our cocoon and show people that it might go different ánd better. The answer is that the most impact we will have is on those who surround us. It is their lives that we can make better. We can and should speak up when we see injustices, and we can remove blind spots by becoming more aware of the world around us and the systems that work in it – systemic poverty and racism for example. We need to focus our energies on walking in the footsteps of God as a community. The book of Habakkuk ends by saying:

“my Elohim Hashem Jehovah is my strength: he makes my feet like the deer’s and lets me stride upon the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:19).

You should know it is inside of us all that God is found and when we unite our hands together we can bring the divine into this world through our very actions.

Those who believe in God should join hands and show the world their unity. It may not always be easy to live our lives full of tackling difficult and challenging issues, but let those experiences cause ourselves to grow and become better individuals and communities more focused on God and assisting those around us.

Additional reading

Racist tirade on Columbia’s university campus

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Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Being and Feeling, Crimes & Atrocities, Lifestyle, Political affairs, Religious affairs, Social affairs, Welfare matters, World affairs

Tagged as 539 BCE, Babylonia, Ban on all religious symbols, Belgium, Belief in God, Believe in God, Book of Deuteronomy, Book of Habakkuk, Dignity, Donald Trump, Faith in God, Fall of Babylon, France, Habakkuk 2:4, Integrity, Isaiah 11:9, Jeshuaist(s), Jews, Materialism, Poverty, Prayer from Habakkuk, Psalm from Habakkuk, Racism, Religious dress-code, Religious expression, Safe-haven, Social media, to Speak up, to Wear religious symbols, Unity

by Christadelphians | 2018/11/25 · 11:04 am

Do you really know what you say you believe in?

In this world lots of people (not to say the majority) is caught up by human teachings. Be them atheists, christians or people to other religions, they mostly prefer to hold on human teachings and philosophies.

When they encounter people who believe the Biblical Truth, they often are so afraid of them and their teaching they want to avenge them and want to make sure others would not listen to those followers of the Bible.

Today’s Guestspeaker has tried in many articles to expose the truth behind our assumptions and belief systems that were created and pushed upon man for centuries.
He writes correctly:

“Every single one of our traditions has a beginning and most of the time those beginnings have nothing to do with the True God or his Son.”

By a lot of people who call themselves Christian we can clearly see that they do not follow the biblical Truth bu are caught up in the false human doctrines, like the one of the Trinity. We also can see that those who quote Scripture to people directly from the Bible that goes against the church theories they are considered to be a heretic even though they aren’t even using their own words.

Scripture directly from Christ own words in

John 20:17.

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

show over and over again that Christ wanted his followers to know that he had a God and in his opinion that God was the Father for him and for us all.

It is that heavenly Father of Jesus Christ Who should be our Only One True God. It are His Words which we should show to the world and spread the gospel news of the coming Kingdom of God, where Jesus as the authorised one from God shall be king and be mediator between God and man.

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Read also

Human & Biblical teachings

Approachers of ideas around gods, philosophers and theologians

God’s forgotten Word 6 Lost Lawbook 5 Heretics

Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian

A participation in the body of Christ Do Christadelphians belong to Protestantism

Thechurch

While sitting talking to a friend something came up that I knew but I didn’t know how far it reached until today. The trinity concept that really is doctrine but not explained in churches to the membership for one reason or another is even misunderstood by those that refuse it. Above is a clear outline of the trinity doctrine( this is one the oldest shields of the trinity). Now don’t freak out if you don’t recognize it as a explanation taught to you, most don’t. The reason why is because down through the years the concept of the trinity has became a source of attacks so much that even the original followers have tried to step away from it in their attempt to explain it to others so much that its become forgotten even to their own believers. Most people will tell you the example of water, ice, and steam…

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Tagged as Belief system(s), Believe in God, Believe in Jesus Christ, Biblical truth, Christians, Church theory(ies), Followers of Christ, Followers of the Bible, Heavenly Father, Heretic(s), Human doctrines, Human teachings, Only True God, Philosophy, Seeing Biblical truth, Trinity

by Guestspeaker | 2018/08/23 · 9:06 pm

The Rage Against God

To remember

burning the Bible = way of showing finally rejected all the things that I had been brought up to believe

current intellectual assault on God in Europe and North America= specific attack on Christianity

God does not believe in atheists

I thought this gesture [burning the Bible] was a way of showing that I had finally rejected all the things that I had been brought up to believe, and I went on to behave for the next 20 years of my life exactly as if I didn’t believe in him [God], and that’s how I discovered in the end that what I had rejected was right.

The current intellectual assault on God in Europe and North America is, in fact, a specific attack on Christianity – the faith that stubbornly persists in the morality, laws, and government of the major Western countries. . . .The God they fight is the Christian God. . . .God is the leftists’ chief rival. Christian belief, by subjecting all men to divine authority and by asserting in the words ‘My kingdom is not of this world’ that the ideal society does not exist in…

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Tagged as Attack on Christianity, Believe in God, Burning the Bible, Faith, Intellectual assault on God, Peter Hitchens, Rejection of God, The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith (by Peter Hitchens)

by Guestspeaker | 2018/07/06 · 8:49 pm

A vital question for believers

At Selah Ministries they ask

Do you believe in God, or do you believe God? {A vital question for believers}

And that is a question we should seriously take at heart. The same as atheists believe in many things we find people who say they believe in a god or believe in the God. When you question those who say they ‘believe in god’ or ‘believe in God’, we can hear many concepts or ideas about that god/God and find that several of those people believe in different gods than the others.

Lis from Selah Ministries which says it

is about bringing folks closer to God through His word and through experience, and recognising the works of satan in these days. {A vital question for believers}

brings up as next question

Do you believe what He put down in writing and preserved for two thousand years so that we could walk rightly with Him? Walking in obedience requires us to not just believe that God is real, but to believe what He says! {A vital question for believers}

When looking at Christendom, we see the great difference with those from Christianity. The majority who calls themselves Christian really do not follow Christ and even have not the God of Christ, but made Christ Jesus into their god.

Coming closer to the end-times, all people should come to know that it is getting high time that people should start thinking seriously about what they do want to follow, human doctrines or Biblical doctrines.

Perhaps it’s time to walk away from church doctrine, and to get into the word of God? He preserved His word for you so that you could know how He wants you to live. {A vital question for believers}

Many in this world are been deceived. Lots of people are caught up in the human doctrines and tangles of their church. In the Book of books, the Bible or Holy Scriptures, already in the first book (Genesis) it is explained why things are today like they are. In many of the following books is given direction why and how we may have hope for the future and for better things. In that compilation of books (hence: Library or bibliotheca = Bible) mankind is able to see how it is necessary that the Most High God shall come to be known all over the earth. Lots of people do not see how important it is for them to fear the right person and to spend more time and attention to Some One Who can not be seen but Who is a serious reality of the universe. It is Some Supreme Being Who shall be willing to draw close to you when you are willing to come to close to Him. That Most High Supreme Being has given His Word, but not many people are really interested in reading it. Though they would better do that so that they may come to see the truth and unmask all those who are against that Biblical Truth, but also react strongly against those who proclaim that Biblical Truth. It is even told in the Bible, God’s infallible Word that close to the end-times more people would react against those lovers of God and against those who spread the Gospel.
For that reason recently there has been created a new website, to show how those adversaries of God sent all sorts of false sayings or untruths in the world. At that new website, Unmasking the anti-Jehovah people, a first series has been started to show how the Bible has all the truth in it and how we as human beings best should read those ancient books, which form perhaps the most interesting and most important Bestseller of all times. The first articles are already published, and we would kindly advice you to have a look at them ( A Book to trust #1 Background book for debate and A Book to trust #2 Book of Truth) and to follow up the coming chapters.

There are people who say

Faith can not come by hearing

and partly they are right but also partly wrong. Hearing is an important factor to come to the truth. Without willingness to hear and to see one can not come to the truth. Hearing is an essential part in the formation of faith. Without hearing the Word of God or without hearing preachers to confess how people can be saved, and without coming in contact with people who proclaim the Kingdom of God, telling the Good News and presenting the Gospel to man, it is much more difficult to come to know the Bible and to come to know the Most High God.

Preceding

Consider your own journey in life

May we have doubts

Hatred and hostility against God

Arguments about believe and About Christianity versus Atheism

On the Edge of Believing

Fear in your own heart or outside of it

When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation

Mishmash of a legal code but importance of mitzvah or commandments

Additional reading

+++

Farewell to Those Days of Wrestling With Fate
There is a God
A Two-Word Sermon: But God!H-o-l-y-b-i-b-l-e
Review of Faith in God: Interpreting the True Meaning of Faith in God | Eastern Lightning
Embarking on the Path of Belief in God (Part 2)
Facts and Revelation Made Me Seek; God’s Word Made Me Fall Before Him
Establishing a Proper Relationship With God | As a Christian, Regularly Attending Gatherings Cannot Be Neglected!
The “Rural” Mom Meets the “Urban” Daughter-in-Law
How to Keep Faith in God When Mother Got Terminal Lung Cancer
Finding the Salvation of the Last Days on Facebook (Ⅱ)
Competing in This Way, I Benefit Tremendously! (Audio Article)
I acknowledge the words expressed by Almighty God as the truth, but my family have been confused by rumors disseminated by the CCP and by pastors, and they do all they can to obstruct me getting in touch with Christians from the Church of Almighty God. I don’t dare to investigate Almighty God’s work of the last days, but neither do I want to lose the chance to be raptured and saved by God. How should I solve this problem?
Word of GOD: Wisdom
Truth and Righteousness versus Lies and Wickedness.
Rejecting and Reinterpreting
Doctrine of Christ or AntiChrist?
Clear doctrine strengthens the church
Spiritual War: Truth versus Lies. Life versus Death.
A world of Foolishness (1 Corinthians 3:19)
A Lamp for my Feet and a Light on my Path
Limited Atonement and the Divine Command to Believe Falsehood
Lucifer’s Desideration: God of gods (5)
Jehovah’s Witness Myopic View Of Jesus (I)
Bible Contradictory: Light of Truth is Within
Behaving as a Christian is an Act of Worship
Walking In Obedience
Series: Saying Yes to God!
Faith Cannot Come by Hearing
Is Jesus Christ an Imposter?
Truth or Lie Pick One
What Are The Father And The Son’s Name?
Is The Law Done Away With?
On going to church (or not), church, connecting to God, and prayer

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Tagged as Adversaries of God, Belief in God, Believe in God, Bestseller, Biblical doctrines, Book of books, Bringing Good News, Christendom, Christian, Christianity, Church doctrine, Coming to know God, End-times, False sayings or untruths, Formation of faith, God’s Word, gods, Hearing, Human doctrines, Lovers of God, Most High, Most Trustworthy Supreme Being, Name Christians, Proclaiming Good News, Reading the Bible, Selah Ministries, Sharing Good News, Spreading Good News, Supreme Being, the Unseen, to be Deceived, to Come to the truth, to Obtain the truth, to share Good News, Unmasking anti Jehovah people (website), Walking in obedience, Willingness to hear, Word of God

by Vragensteller - Inquirer | 2017/02/05 · 6:30 pm

Seeds and weeds for being the greatest nation

Today the world seems to be struggling with seeds sown after a horrible experience which brought millions of people to end their life earlier than it should have been.

Nearly hundreds years ago everybody had said “never again”, but less than 30 years loomed the ghost ship already from the waves. soon the European battlefield was again full of blood and tears. this time one tiny man had shouted loud and had made many grand gestures getting the crowd to believe this time it would be different and he would made their nation, their own country, the greatest again and forever the greatest.

The Jews where blamed for all the poverty and misery in the country. They where considered also to be the murderers of Jesus Christ and if Europe was not going to be careful they would conquer Europe.

World War I era US poster by James Montgomery Flagg, 1918, lithograph, color; 56 x 36 cm. Columbia (female allegorical personification of the United States of America) broadcasts seeds in a plowed field. Text:”Sow the Seeds of Victory! Plant and raise your own vegetables”…”Every garden a munition plant”. Urging civilians to raise their own food to free up resources for the war effort. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today there is an other Izegrim who is telling his compatriots they should be aware for a people that supposedly would have conquered Europe already and soon would be conquering the United States of America. The bully, neatly his head being covered with his blonder peruche, wants others to believe he is the clairvoyant who knows what is best for the nation and who is the only one who can make the nation great again. Lots of people have put their hope in him. Worse is that many who voted for him say they are Christians. Though clearly they show not a Christian attitude by liking the use of weapons, killing others and spreading the hate against Jews and Muslims. Those last ones seem to be the cause of all trouble today. They are consider a very dangerous breed of people, worshipping a strange and dangerous god. Those christians mostly worship a false three-headed god, though they claim to be worshipping the Only True God. And there is what the problem of today is…..

In the contemporary world the seed of the adversary of God is sown and germinating. Thought that seed starts seeing that the seed of God, the people who want to worship the Only One True God is starting to shine more. Jews, true Christians (non-trinitarian) and true Muslims are those who follow the teachings of the Holy Scriptures, the Words of Allah, the Most Almighty Elohim Hashem Jehovah. The false Muslims and false Christians see a danger or threat in those lovers of God and try to do everything to bring them in a bad light.

First there are the ones who take Jesus as their god but do not follow the teachings of peace of that master teacher. Rabbi Jeshua was always an ear and a good heart to those who where different than others or who had difficulties. He always was there to come to help them and to be there to defend them who had no voice or did not belong to the main community.

The photo depicts the Sowing the Seeds icon from the Greek Catholic Cathedral of Hajdúdorog, Hungary. It was painted on the end of the 18th century by unknown painter (most probably by Mihály Mankovics). The painting decorates the pulpit of the cathedral. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In our Holy Scriptures we are told that this master teacher told many parables and many of them concerned our faith and our behaviour towards people around us and towards God. We also consider him as the sent one from Allah was not going to keep his mouth shut, but would open it with illustrations so that people would be able to come to see.

“هذا كله كلم به يسوع الجموع بامثال.وبدون مثل لم يكن يكلمهم” (متى 13:34)
“All this Jesus spoke to the crowds in (sayings or stories) parables; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them,” (Matthew 13:34)

In our Holy Scriptures we are told that this sent one from the Most High Allah, the son of man, is the sower of the fine seed.

“فاجاب وقال لهم.الزارع الزرع الجيد هو ابن الانسان.” (متى 13:37)

“He answered them Hm.alazara, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,” (Matthew 13:37)

Fine seed is naturally very delicate and may (perhaps) be easily damaged. That is the problem with some seeds Jesus could sow on this earth. They might have found Jesus, though not knowing their master or sower very well, they thought they knew him enough to say that they are his. We see lots of people who say they are Christian, which should mean being a follower of Christ Jesus. But what we can see is that they have that son of man made into their god and where even not afraid to make graven images of him, though Allah is very clear that we never should make any graven image of a god nor of Him.

“لا تصنع لك تمثالا منحوتا ولا صورة ما مّما في السماء من فوق وما في الارض من تحت وما في الماء من تحت الارض.” (خروج 20:4)

“”You shall not make for yourselves a graven image or any likeness of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters under the earth:” (Exodus 20:4 )

The One having to be the Only One God should be Allah, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah Who is One and Who is not a man of flesh and blood but an eternal Spirit.

“اسمع يا اسرائيل.الرب الهنا رب واحد.” (تثنية 6:4)

“Hear, Asiraial (Israel): Jehovah is Allah our Lord God; Jehovah is just (the only) one:” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

“انا الرب هذا اسمي ومجدي لا اعطيه لآخر ولا تسبيحي للمنحوتات.” (اشعياء 42:8)

“”I am Magdi Jehovah, that is my name. I will not give him (the Magdi or glory) to time or to another, nor my praise Zbhristi (Haem or glorification) to sculptures or engraved images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

“لا تنطق باسم الرب الهك باطلا لان الرب لا يبرئ من نطق باسمه باطلا.” (خروج 20:7)

“Do not pronounce the name of Jehovah your Allah in vain; for Jehovah will not acquit of His name in vain (or will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain)” (Exodus 20:7)

that is what we can see what happened in this world. Many have taken the Holy Name of Allah and changed it from Jehovah into Jesus and made sculptures, paintings and several objects with drawings of him and his heavenly Father, though this is an abomination in the eyes of that Father of rabbi Jeshua, who is the only One God Spirit.

“الله روح.والذين يسجدون له فبالروح والحق ينبغي ان يسجدوا.” (يوحنا 4:24)

“Allah is spirit, and you should worship Him in spirit and truth.”” (John 4:24)

Instead of worshipping Allah in truth many fake their devotion for god by worshipping not at all or having more interest in (or worship of) money and material possession. That love of possession brings also certain people to use the title of God to bring fear over man and to oppress those around them. Often they use Allah His Words in the wrong way, distorting or twisting them so that they can justify their wrong acts, like attacking other believers and non-believers, humiliating women, selling people, etc.

Brooklyn Museum – The Enemy Sowing Tares – Elihu Vedder – overall (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most Christians do not worship Jehovah, the Only One True God of gods, with spirit, but prefer to keep to human dogmas and therefore many became blind for the biblical truth, like we also can see in the Ummah, where several so called believers do not come to read the Holy Scriptures any more but follow just some verses, taken out of context by their teachers, which they follow without comparing their sayings with what is written in the Scriptures. Because so many Muslims and Christians not knowing their Holy Scriptures any more they can be mislead and be driven away from the truth and worse also from God.

Perhaps both Christians and Muslims should come to read Muslim scriptures where is written

And, likewise, their belief in beings or powers that are supposed to have a share in God’s divinity makes [even] the slaying of their children seem goodly to many of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God, thus bringing them to ruin and confusing them in their faith. Yet, unless God had so willed, they would not be doing all this: stand, therefore, aloof from them and all their false imagery!(6:137)

There and then will every human being clearly apprehend what he has done in the past; and all will be brought back unto God, their true Lord Supreme, and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.(10:30)

It is they who have squandered their own selves-for [on the Day of Resurrection] all their false imagery will have forsaken them:(11:21)

Is Then, He who has every living being in His almighty care, [dealing with each] according to what it deserves -[is, then, He like anything else that exists]? And yet, they ascribe to other beings a share in God’s divinity! Say: “Give them any name [you please]: but do you [really think that you could] inform Him of anything on earth that He does not know-or [do you] but play with words?, Nay, goodly seems their false imagery to those who are bent on denying the truth, and so they are turned away from the [right] path: and he whom God lets go astray can never find any guide.(13:33)

And [this retribution will befall all evildoers because] they devise that false imagery of theirs – and all their false imagery is within God’s knowledge. [And never can the blasphemers prevail against the truth – not] even if their false imagery were so (well devised and so powerful] that mountains could be moved thereby.(14:46)

As it is, they ascribe – out of what We provide for them as sustenance – a share unto things of which they know nothing. By God, you shall most certainly be called to account for all your false imagery!(16:56)

And on that Day will they [who had thus been sinning, belatedly] proffer their surrender to God; and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.(16:87)

when he said unto his father and his people, “What are these images to which you are so intensely devoted?”(21:52)

But, then, did those [beings] whom they had chosen to worship as deities beside God, hoping that they would bring them nearer [to Him], help them [in the end]? Nay, they forsook them: for that [alleged divinity] was but an outcome of their self-delusion and all their false imagery.(46:28)

Instead of becoming liberated in Christ they have become slaves of a new religion not afraid to set them up against other religions. In this can be seen the reason why so many can not see what are real Christians or what are real Muslims. True Christians and true Muslims should be bringers of peace. Again they better look at Muslim writings which say

And when Abraham said: “O Lord, make this a city of peace, and give those of its citizens who believe in God and the Last Day fruits for food,” He answered: “To those will I also give a little who believe not, for a time, then drag them to Hell, a dreadful destination!”(2:126)

Except those who take refuge with a people allied to you, or those who, weary of fighting you or their people, come over to you. If God had so willed He would surely have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. If they keep aloof and do not fight, and offer peace, God has left you no reason to fight them.(4:90)

You will also find persons who, while wishing to live in peace with you as well as with their own people, turn to civil war the moment they are called to it. If they do not keep away from you, nor offer you peace nor restrain their hands, seize them and kill them wherever they are. We have given you a clear sanction against them.(4:91)

O believers, when you go out on a journey in the way of God, be discreet and do not say to anyone who greets you in peace: “You are not a believer.” You desire the gain of earthly life, but there are prizes in plenty with God. You were also like him (an unbeliever) in the past, but God has been gracious to you. So be careful and discreet, for God is aware of what you do.(4:94)

Their confidential counsels are seldom for the good, save of those who talk of charity or goodness or peace among men. Whosoever does so for the pleasure of God, We shall give him an ample reward.(4:114)

The seeds of Jesus do not have to worry. Because when they truly believe their master teacher they can be sure Allah will guide and protect them.

Through which God will lead those who follow His pleasure to the path of peace, and guide them out of darkness into light by His will, and to the path that is straight.(5:16)

But man has to give something in the place. They should believe. They should believe in God and today they also should believe in the the sent one from God, Ishi (Jeshua or Jesus Christ) and would not mix their faith with that of pagans, or taking part in to pagan feasts like Halloween, Yule, Christmas and Easter e.g. and may not deny the position of each character God placed on this earth.

They alone have peace who believe and do not intermix belief with denial, and are guided on the right path.”(6:82)

For them is an abode of peace with their Lord. He will be their defender as reward for what they did.(6:127)

“الحق الحق اقول لكم ان من يسمع كلامي ويؤمن بالذي ارسلني فله حياة ابدية ولا يأتي الى دينونة بل قد انتقل من الموت الى الحياة.” (يوحنا 5:24)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hears my word and believes Him who sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)

Lots of Christians do not believe the One Who sent Jesus and said that man standing in the river Jordan was His only begotten son.

“21 ولما اعتمد جميع الشعب اعتمد يسوع ايضا.واذ كان يصلّي انفتحت السماء 22 ونزل عليه الروح القدس بهيئة جسمية مثل حمامة وكان صوت من السماء قائلا انت ابني الحبيب بك سررت 23 ولما ابتدأ يسوع كان له نحو ثلاثين سنة وهو على ما كان يظن ابن يوسف بن هالي” (لوقا 3:21-23)

“21 Now it happened, when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky opened up, 22 and the Holy Spirit in a bodily form as a dove descended on him; and a voice came out from heaven, saying

“You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”

23 Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, it was thought he being the son of Joseph, bin Hali,” (Luke 3:21-23)

Those Christians who made Jesus into their god also do not believe Allah’s Own Word, who tells mankind about the moment when it was begotten time to have that one promised in the Royal Garden to come to earth.

“ولكن لما جاء ملء الزمان ارسل الله ابنه مولودا من امرأة مولودا تحت الناموس” (غلاطية 4:4)

“But when the fulness of the time had come, Allah sent out his son, born to a woman, born under the law,” (Galatians 4:4)

He knew very well the Law and the Word of God, but the seed of the contemporary world has so much weed between it it nearly becomes suffocated in the field.

Some days after that preaching man told about the weeds, Allah once more declared who this rabbi was.

“وفيما هو يتكلم اذا سحابة نيرة ظللتهم وصوت من السحابة قائلا هذا هو ابني الحبيب الذي به سررت.له اسمعوا.” (متى 17:5)

“While he was speaking, a bright cloud and voice from the cloud overshadowed them, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him (or listen to him).” (Matthew 17: 5)

Today we have come into an age where we find again people of little faith and people of no faith and being a twisted generation, catching fear because they do not know the Word nor the people of God and how they should unite with all people of God, transferring from here to there (Matthew 17:20; 21:21; Mark 9:31; Luke 9:44).

the weed Atriplex patula

We today must be aware how the adversary is working hard to bring division between man. The adversaries of God sow seeds of weed to make sure many plants will die because the weeds not giving place for them. Please let us therefore listen to the wise words of the sent one from Allah, who explains his story about the seeds and weeds.

“37 فاجاب وقال لهم.الزارع الزرع الجيد هو ابن الانسان. 38 والحقل هو العالم.والزرع الجيد هو بنو الملكوت.والزوان هو بنو الشرير. 39 والعدو الذي زرعه هو ابليس.والحصاد هو انقضاء العالم.والحصادون هم الملائكة. 40 فكما يجمع الزوان ويحرق بالنار هكذا يكون في انقضاء هذا العالم. 41 يرسل ابن الانسان ملائكته فيجمعون من ملكوته جميع المعاثر وفاعلي الاثم. 42 ويطرحونهم في اتون النار.هناك يكون البكاء وصرير الاسنان. 43 حينئذ يضيء الابرار كالشمس في ملكوت ابيهم.من له اذنان للسمع فليسمع 44 ¶ ايضا يشبه ملكوت السموات كنزا مخفى في حقل وجده انسان فاخفاه ومن فرحه مضى وباع كل ما كان له واشترى ذلك الحقل. 45 ايضا يشبه ملكوت السموات انسانا تاجرا يطلب لآلئ حسنة. 46 فلما وجد لؤلؤة واحدة كثيرة الثمن مضى وباع كل ما كان له واشتراها. 47 ايضا يشبه ملكوت السموات شبكة مطروحة في البحر وجامعة من كل نوع. 48 فلما امتلأت اصعدوها على الشاطئ وجلسوا وجمعوا الجياد الى اوعية.واما الاردياء فطرحوها خارجا. 49 هكذا يكون في انقضاء العالم.يخرج الملائكة ويفرزون الاشرار من بين الابرار. 50 ويطرحونهم في اتون النار.هناك يكون البكاء وصرير الاسنان 51 قال لهم يسوع أفهمتم هذا كله.فقالوا نعم يا سيد. 52 فقال لهم.من اجل ذلك كل كاتب متعلم في ملكوت السموات يشبه رجلا رب بيت يخرج من كنزه جددا وعتقاء.” (متى 13:37-52 Arabic)

the weed Urtica dioica, often called common nettle, stinging nettle many of which have many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation when contacted by humans and other animals

“37 He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 44 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. 45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, 48 which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49 So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” 51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.” 52 He said to them, “Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”” (Matthew 13:37-52 WEB)

Those who really love should do their utmost best to come to know that Divine Maker of all things and should try to please Him more than to please man around them. they should be very careful for those people who promise they alone are the one who is able to make their nation great again. they should look at the fruits of such people and check if they are living themselves according to what they are preaching.

We should make ourselves stronger in the faith by regularly reading the Whole Word of God and not to take just a few verses from scripture out of context.

As lovers of God we should also show that we are really willing to be His children, living under His Fatherhood, enjoying the diversity in His family, people from different cultures with different skin-colour, different tongue, with different attitudes, ways of dressing and talking, but all united under His Holy Name.

Preceding

Seeds to be planted soon

Seeds of promise Seeds, weeds and kingdoms

Unbelief, faith and mustard seed

Seeds from the world creating division and separation from God

Additional reading

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Further related articles

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by Relating to God | 2016/05/11 · 11:38 am

Fear in your own heart or outside of it

Sea of Fear (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When we grow up, looking at others somehow we are also caught by fear. Many times in our life we come into situations where we do not feel at ease, to say the least. More than once in a lifetime we shall become confronted with moments that fear comes over us. Be it a difficult moment in a travelling situation, an accident whilst working, or hearing something bad about our health.

We should not want to be unaware of our affliction and should know that not only we are facing difficulties or burdens. We also should know that they also can go beyond our strength, so that we can also become despaired of life.

In such circumstances let us think about the apostles who also had the sentence of death within themselves so that they would not trust in themselves, but in God who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

Those apostles when they were with their master teacher also were caught by the fear. Though they should have known that this rabbi was a special sent one from God. But now he was sleeping and they were in such a big storm that their hearts were beating rapidly with fear.

Matthew 8:24-26 (RNKJV)
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, My master, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Mark 4:39 (RNKJV)
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Luke 8:24 (RNKJV)
And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

They did come up to Jesus and asked him for help, in the knowledge that he really could help them, because God was with him. When in those heavy waters, were they not of little faith, like on other occasions?

Matthew 16:8 (RNKJV)
Which when Yahushua perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

Mark 4:40 (RNKJV)
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

We should have faith in Christ Jesus and believe what he has told, that his heavenly Father is always with those who love Him. When we believe in God and believe in the sent one from God, we should have less reasons to fear than those who do not believe in the Most High. Because God is with those who believe in Him.

Isaiah 41:10-14 (RNKJV)
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy Elohim: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. 12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. 13 For I יהוה thy Elohim will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith יהוה, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Though it is normal to have fear and to be aware that we should be attentive and fearful.

A doctor delivering news of a life-threatening diagnosis or when we loose a job, we might have lots of worries and wonder what to happen next. More than once, in our life, we shall become confronted with unpleasant situations and feel like we are tested. Trials force us off of the proverbial fence. We do have to take a stand, make decisions, which can alter so much. Every time we shall have to make the right choices or the right decisions. and those decisions shall be heard and seen by others, who will make their conclusions. Our “I” shall be seen clear by others, and we shall have to feel if we are it our self or if we just go with the majority because that seems us the best choice not to be different. but than we betray not only ourselves, but also our Creator. When we do not doubt God’s promise, we should not have to be afraid to carry out.

Romans 4:20 (RNKJV)
He staggered not at the promise of יהוה through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to יהוה;

When we are not afraid to undergo these earthly sufferings by not feeling any shame to be a believer of God, than this fear shall become so small it will not hurt us, but shall make us to react in the right godly way. For we know in whom we have put our faith, and we are convinced that He is able to guard what we have entrusted to Him until ‘that day’ we know shall come.

2 Timothy 1:12 (RNKJV)
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Having enough faith in God and His sent one the fear shall soon be outside us.

Preceding articles

In your own heart or outside of it

How to Find the Meaning of Life and Reach a State of Peace

The Greatest Fear

Phantom Of Dreams

Home-stayers and their to do list

On the Edge of Believing

For those Christians who say they are the Victim

After darkness a moment of life renewal

There can only be hope when there is a will to be and say “I am”

You’ve got wings…

Christians remaining hidden not sharing the gospel

How To Get Started In Sharing Your Faith As a Christian

Additional reading

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Mishmash of a legal code but importance of mitzvah or commandments

Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild, working in England, writes

Interestingly while Judaism teaches that mitzvot are divinely ordained and therefore not to be questioned or even necessarily understood, it does at the same time try to explain them as a rational force, and many commentators suggest reasons for our doing them.

We are told: – “The essential reason for the commandments is to make the human heart upright” ( ibn Ezra on Deut 5:18); or “Each commandment adds holiness to the people of Israel.” (Issi ben Akavia, Mechilta on Ex 22:30); or even that “The purpose of the mitzvot is…to promote compassion, loving kindness and peace in the world” (Maimonides, yad, Shabbat) {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

The Covenant Confirmed, by John Steeple Davis (1844-1917), as in Exodus 24 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Those who believe in the God of Abraham, should know that this God of gods has given the many commandments to help man find his way in this universe and to live in a proper peaceful relation with God’s creation.

The world has been given Mishpatim, which we may consider judgements by ‘laws’ or ‘rulings’ and they will govern the community who agree to accept them. But not all humans will accept them, that’s a fact. Also in the previous times people of God did not have it easy at all times with those Mishpatim, though just after Moses has finished relating all the various laws to the Children of Israel, we can see in the Old Testament how often those People of God went astray.

Moses Showing the Ten Commandments, by Gustave Doré (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Real lovers of God should agree “to do all the things that God has spoken” (Exodus 24:3). They should cling to the Word of God as the only Perfect Rule Giver and should go for keeping “miẓwah”, the divinely instituted rule of conduct. As such, the divine commandments are divided into (1) mandatory laws known as , and (2) those of a prohibitory character, the . This terminology rests on the theological construction that God’s will is the source of and authority for every moral and religious duty. Many of the old laws were given to and concerned only special classes of people, such as kings or priesthood, Levites or Nazarites, or are conditioned by local or temporary circumstances of the Jewish nation, as, for instance, the agricultural, sacrificial, and Levitical laws.

For us today some rules may be curious, and that is why at a certain moment in time some changes were allowed. It was not God Who changed, but the people who changed and God came closer to them by adapting His rulings. As such we may now face other food laws and about sanitation than at the early beginning, plus about how to relate to others, because certain concepts changed, like the position of slaves.

Torah scroll and silver pointer (yad) used in reading

Of the more than fifty mitzvot to be found in the sidra, we have some that deal with the treatment of slaves, with the crimes of murder and kidnap, with personal injury and with civil damages through neglect or theft. There are rules about witchcraft and idolatry, about oppression and unfair business practise, about applying legal codes in a prejudiced fashion and not giving false testimony; laws about not mistreating widows and orphans, and about care for animals. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

When we look at those laws and regulations we may not forget that many still keep going and should be fulfilled by a lover of God. It is not because we have Jesus as our Messiah who liberated us from the curse of Law that the Law has ended. No, not at all. The Law still counts. Even now we have received a New Covenant, should we keep to those law covered in that covenant.

Too many Christians commit a mistake by thinking they do not have to do any works any-more. We still have to keep the works of faith, keeping to God’s Commandments.

In parshat Mishpatim, the Israelites learn that accepting the commandments is a 24/7 job. {Parenting by the Parshah – Mishpatim}

We also must be fully aware of the most frequent mitzvah in Torah, given at least 37 different times in the text,which is repeated in the Mishpatim too –

“you shall not wrong a stranger or oppress them, for you were strangers in the land of Israel.”

It is a mishmash of a legal code but what comes through loud and clear to the reader is the importance to the Jewish people of mitzvot, commandments.

From Torah we see that for the ancient people there were particular reasons for observing the mitzvot – firstly and most importantly because God tells us to. Secondly there was in the ancient understanding an idea that people who obeyed them would be rewarded, and people who disobeyed risked punishment. Then there were two different types of reason given in Torah – that the mitzvot were intrinsically imbued with divine wisdom, and that they would lead us to achieving holiness. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

Each person who wants to become a Child of God, or to belong to God’s People shall have to resign oneself to the Will of God. But none can belong to the children of God when they do not accept others to be their brethren and sisters, and loving them as their siblings. The agape love for the others is a indispensible necessary part of belonging to God’s family.

In Judaism as in Christianity too there might be a tension in their tradition

– do we do the commandments (mitzvot) simply because there is a Commander (metzaveh) who told us to do this and this should be enough, or do we search out a meaning behind each mitzvah? And if we do the latter, what happens if we cannot find a suitable reason and meaning? Do we abandon the mitzvah as unreasonable or pointless? Or do we continue to do it in the hope that meaning will emerge? After all, at Sinai the people famously answered “na’aseh ve’nishma, [first] we will do it and [subsequently] we will understand”. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

The tension and balancing between holding a religious belief and a rationalist position was as great in the ancient world as it is today. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

For those who love God ‘blind faith’ was never a prerequisite, neither of a Jewish life nor of a Christian life.

Judaism tends to the position of na’aseh ve’nishma – doing in order to understand, blending faith and reason and giving neither the upper hand, but instead knowing that if we behave “as if” we believe, if we follow the way of mitzvot, then further understanding may come. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

From Scriptures we should come to understand there is no way of doing “as if” because God sees the heart and He does knows each of us. We can not hide anything from Him.

1 Samuel 16:7 The Scriptures 1998+ (7) But יהוה {Jehovah} said to Shemu’ĕl, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him, for not as man sees, for man looks at the eyes, but יהוה {Jehovah} looks at the heart.”

Jeremiah 17:10 The Scriptures 1998+ (10) “I, יהוה {Jehovah}, search the heart, I try the kidneys, and give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.

Moses with the Two New Tables of Stone (illustration from the 1897 Bible Pictures and What They Teach Us by Charles Foster) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Our hearts may not be removed from God and by our way of living we should show to others how God is in our heart. Our heart, our feelings but also how we act should always be pure, full of love for God and His commandments. When we are willing to give ourselves into God’s Hands He will bring us where He wants us to be.

Proverbs 21:1-3 The Scriptures 1998+ (1) The sovereign’s heart is as channels of water In the hand of יהוה {Jehovah}; He turns it wherever He wishes. (2) All a man’s ways are right in his own eyes, But יהוה {Jehovah} weighs the hearts. (3) To do righteousness and right-ruling Is more acceptable to יהוה {Jehovah} than a slaughtering.

Each day we have to work at ourself taking care we keep to the commandments of God.

Meanwhile we are impacting on ourselves and on our world in a positive way as we are directed to behaviour that may not be our first instinct – to support the poor and downtrodden, to value life, to respect the boundaries of others, to rein in our own power and desires so as not to trample over the lives of others. The list goes on. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

As tradition says again and again in different words, the same message: “the commandments were given only to refine God’s creatures…”(Midrash Tanchuma). They change us, they cause us to think about what we are doing and not to act out of immediate self interest, they shape our behaviour and ultimately they may help us to bring holiness into our world. {Parashat Mishpatim. What is the purpose of mitzvot?}

Preceding

When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation

A Royal Rule given to followers of Christ

First man’s task still counting today

Whoopi Goldberg commandments and abortion

He who knows himself, is kind to others

Luther’s misunderstanding

January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works

Our life depending on faith

Romans 4 and the Sacraments

Is Justification a process?

Letter to the Romans, chapter 3

Letter to the Romans, chapter 4

Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans

Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4

Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works

Which is worse–works without faith, or faith without works?

Christians remaining hidden not sharing the gospel

Witnessing because we love

Leading people astray!

Crisis man needed in this world

Preaching Christ Is Not Enough

Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news

Preaching by example

A Christian has to have eyes and ears and a tongue to use in good ways

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach

What Should I Preach ?

Additional reading

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The works we have to do according to James

“2 You must consider it the purest joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, 3 for you surely know that what is genuine in your faith produces the patient mind that endures; 4 but you must let your endurance come to its perfect product, so that you may be fully developed and perfectly equipped, without any defects.
5 But if any one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask God who generously gives to everyone and never reproaches one with its lack, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without a doubt, for the man who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is whirled and swayed by the wind. 7 Such a man, indeed, 8 a person with two minds, unreliable in every step he takes, (1:7A) must not expect to get anything from the Lord.

9 Let the poor brother of lowly station rejoice in his exalted station as a Christian, 10 and the rich brother rejoice in his being on a level with the poor, because the rich will fade away like the flower of the grass.” (James 1:2-10 Williams)

“12 Blessed is the person who endures trial, for when he stands the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.

13 No one must say, when he is tempted to do evil, “I have a temptation from God to do evil,” for God cannot be tempted to do evil, and He never tempts anyone to do so. 14 But anyone is tempted to do evil when he is allured by his own evil desire and enticed by a bait. 15 Then evil desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin is completed, it brings forth death.” (James 1:12-15 Williams)

“19 You must understand this, my dearly loved brothers. Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to get angry; 20 for a man’s anger does not produce the uprightness that God requires.
21 So strip yourselves of everything impure and all the evils prevailing around you, and in humble spirit welcome the message which when rooted in your hearts is able to save your souls.

22 Keep on obeying this message; do not merely listen to it, and so deceive yourselves. 23 Because if anyone merely listens to the message without obeying it, he is like a man who looks in a mirror at his own face, 24 for he looks and then goes off and at once forgets how he looked. 25 But the man who looks at the flawless law that makes men free, and keeps on looking, proving himself to be, not a forgetful hearer but an actual doer of what it requires, will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives himself, his religious worship is worthless. 27 A religious worship that is pure and stainless in the sight of God the Father is this: To look after orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep one’s own self unstained by the world.” (James 1:19-27 Williams)

“1 My brothers, stop trying to maintain your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious presence of God on earth, along with acts of partiality to certain ones. 2 For if a man with a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, comes to your meeting, and at the same time a poor man clad in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the man who wears the fine clothes, and say to him, “Sit here in this fine place,” and say to the poor man, “Stand up, or sit there on the floor at my feet,” 4 do you not make improper distinctions among yourselves and prove to be critics with evil motives?” (James 2:1-4 Williams)

“8 But if you really observe the law of the King in accordance with the Scripture, “You must love your neighbor as you do yourself,” you are doing right; 9 but if you show partiality, you are committing sin, because you are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
10 For whoever obeys the whole law, except to slip in a single instance, is guilty of breaking it all.

11 For He who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but you do commit murder, you are just the same as a lawbreaker.

12 You must continue talking and acting like people who are to be judged by the law that treats them as free. 13 For merciless judgment will be the portion of the merciless man; yet mercy will triumph over judgment.

14 My brothers, what good is there in a man’s saying that he has faith, if he has no good deeds to prove it? Such faith cannot save him, can it?

15 If some brother or sister is thinly clad and has no food for the day, 16 and one of you says to him, “Blessings on you, keep warm, eat until you have a plenty,” without giving him the things that are needed for the body, what good does it do?

17 So faith by itself, if it has no deeds to back it up, is dead. 18 But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have good deeds. Show me your faith without any good deeds, but I will show you mine by my good deeds.”

19 Do you believe in one God? Very well; the demons, too, believe that, and shudder. 20 But, O senseless man, are you willing to learn that faith without good deeds is worthless?

21 Was not our forefather Abraham shown to be upright by his good deeds, namely, by offering Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 You see that faith co-operated with his good deeds, and by his good deeds faith was made complete; 23 and so the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham put his faith in God, and it was credited to him for uprightness, and he was called God’s friend.”

24 You see that a man is shown to be upright by his good deeds, and not merely by his faith.

25 Was not even Rahab the prostitute shown to be upright by her good deeds, namely, by entertaining the scouts and sending them off by a different road? 26 Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without good deeds is dead.” (James 2:8-26 Williams)

“13 Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him show by his noble living that his good deeds are done in humility, which wisdom prompts. 14 But if you cherish bitter jealousy and rivalry in your hearts, stop being proud of it and stop being false to the standard of truth. 15 This is not the kind of wisdom that comes down from above; no, it is earthly, human, demoniacal. 16 For wherever jealousy and rivalry exist, there will be confusion and all sorts of evil practices. 17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, free from doubts and insincerity. 18 The harvest of uprightness is grown from the seed of peace by those who are peacemakers.” (James 3:13-18 Williams)

“1 What causes wars and quarrels among you? Is it not your different desires which are ever at war within your bodies?
You desire things and cannot have them, and so you commit murder. 2 You covet things, but cannot acquire them, and so you quarrel and fight. You do not have them, because you do not ask for them. 3 You ask and fail to get them, because you ask with evil, selfish motives, to spend them on your pleasures.

4 You faithless wives! Do you not know that the friendship of the world means enmity with God? So whoever wants to be a friend to the world puts himself down as an enemy to God. 5 Or, do you think that the Scripture means nothing when it says, “He jealously yearns for the Spirit that He causes to dwell in your hearts”? 6 But He gives a greater spiritual blessing. He says, “God opposes haughty people but blesses humble people.”

7 So then, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will fly from you.

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Get your hands clean, you sinners. Get your hearts purified, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable, mourn, and weep aloud. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you high.

11 Stop talking against one another, brothers. Whoever is in the habit of talking against a brother or of criticizing his brother is criticizing and condemning the law. But if you are in the habit of criticizing the law, you are not a practicer but a critic of the law.
12 There is but one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who has the power to save and to destroy; then who are you that you presume to judge your brother?” (James 4:1-12 Williams)

“7 So be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer keeps on waiting and waiting for the precious crop from his land; how he keeps up his patience over it until he gets the early and the late rains.
8 You must be patient, too; you must put iron into your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is close it hand. 9 Stop muttering against one another, brothers, so as to keep from being judged yourselves.
Look! The Judge is standing at the very door. 10 As an example of ill-treatment and patience, brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:7-10 Williams)

“12 Above all, my brothers, stop swearing, either by heaven or by the earth, or by anything else. Let your “Yes” mean Yes, and your “No,” No, so as to keep from falling under condemnation.

13 Is any one of you suffering ill-treatment? He should keep on praying. Is anyone in a happy mood? He should keep on singing praise to God.

14 Is anyone sick among you? He should call in the elders of the church, and they should pray over him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 and the prayer that is offered in faith will save the sick man; the Lord will raise him to health, and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

16 So practice confessing your sins to one another, and praying for one another, that you may be cured. An upright man’s prayer, when it keeps at work, is very powerful.” (James 5:12-16 Williams)

“19 My brothers, if any one of you has wandered away from the truth, and someone brings him back, 20 you may be sure that whoever brings a sinner back from his evil ways will save the man’s soul from death, and cover up a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20 Williams)

Part of Dutch version / Gedeelte van de Nederlandstalige versie: De aanduiding door Paulus en Jacobus van de werken die wij horen te doen

Preceding articles

Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4

Peter Forbes comments:

4:2 In questioning Abraham’s righteousness Paul develops the point that he made in Rom 2:13 showing that the law does not bring righteousness.

4:3 ‘Abraham believed God …‘ the quotation is from Gen. 15:6. Righteousness is imputed by God on the basis of faith, not works of the law. Gen. 15 predates the giving of the law. This is the thrust of the argument in verses 4:4,5 and circumcision – the implications of this are developed in Rom.4:9-13.

Man reading Psalms at the Western Wall. Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine, March 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4:6-8 The appeal to Psalm 32:1-2 which is a Psalm that David wrote after Nathan had spoken of God’s forgiveness for David’s adultery [2 Sam.12:13] continues the theme of forgiveness from ch. 3:4 We should take great comfort from the fact that God was willing to forgive the repentant David.

4:7 Notice the subtle but important difference between the language of Psa 32:1 – and Paul’s words here. Whilst the Psalm has ‘he’ whereas Paul here says ‘they’. Paul generalises from the Psalm. The Psalm has specific relevance to David’s situation. Paul says that specific application of forgiveness actually extends to all who follow David’s example of repentance.

4:11 Whilst Israel seemed to see circumcision as the ultimate test of Jewishness Paul clearly says here that it is a sign of what has already been seen in Abraham – that is his faith in God which was counted for righteousness.

4:18 ‘against hope believed in hope‘ tells us that Abraham had to have faith in the promise of the seed as it was humanly speaking impossible.

4:23 The implication from ‘now it was not written for his sake alone …‘ is that Abraham had a written copy of the promise.

Cliff York comments

Romans 4 – To meet the views of the Jews, the apostle first refers to the example of Abraham, in whom the Jews gloried as their most renowned forefather. However exalted in various respects, he had nothing to boast in the presence of God, for he too was saved by grace, through faith, even as others. Without noticing the years which passed before his call, and the failures at times in his obedience, and even in his faith, it was expressly stated in the Scripture that “he believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness,” Genesis 15:6. From this example it is observed, that if any man could work the full measure required by the law, the reward must then be reckoned as a debt, which evidently was not the case even of Abraham, seeing faith was reckoned to him for righteousness.

It is clear from the Scripture, that Abraham was justified several years before his circumcision. This then is Paul’s point to those who prided themselves on their pedigree and/or on the very private mark they received in their flesh whilst they were too young to effectively protest otherwise. It is, therefore, plain that this circumcision was not necessary in order to that justification which is by faith.

It is truly fascinating to reflect on the great wisdom of the Father as one reads the 3 portions of Scripture each day, and often there runs a “Golden Thread” through them all. For example, one of the Golden Threads evident today, is the concept, that we can only be Justified by the Grace of God. Paul deals in great detail with the subject, of course, in Romans, Joseph in his life revealed how great a force faith in God is the life of each of His saints – Genesis 47:12, and the Psalmist captured the same beautifully in the closing verse of Psalm 50 – “Whoso offers praise glorifies me: and to him that orders his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God.”

John Wilson comments

Prayer of David, psalm 51 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Rom 4:7 As we read from Psa 32 the other day, and as we read from Psa 51 tomorrow, we can clearly see, and appreciate that the confession of sin is not seeking forgiveness, it acknowledges the righteousness of our Heavenly Father. We must also be aware of the fact, that our failings can not be forgiven unless we are prepared to acknowledge them.

Rom 4:17 “I have made thee a father of many nations.” Paul is quoting from Gen 17:5 Sarah was still barren at this time, but we see that this is written in the past tense. This was foreordained. There is a difference between pre-existence and being foreordained. The seed of Abraham, both Isaac and Christ were foreordained.

4:21 All promises that have been made by God, he is able to perform, certainly different from promises made by man. God never forgets a promise, while man frequently forgets, God’s promises are priceless, while promises of man are often times useless, God’s promises are always right, while mans are often wrong.

Michael Parry comments

Paul; the writer to the Hebrews; James; and Peter all talk about Abraham. He was the patriarch of the physical Jewish nation and also father of the faithful (4:16).
He was given the promises before the Law (Gen 17:5-8) – even before his circumcision (Gen 17:24). The particular seed of his promise was Christ who fulfilled the Law (Matt 5:17, Gal 3:16). However, God still has a covenant with the Jewish nation and the land of Israel even though they have not (yet) accepted Christ. It is a mistake to believe, as some groups do, that any prophetical reference or future application concerning the Land and people of Israel is purely spiritual and not physical.

Rob de Jongh comments

For many of us the intricate arguments of scripture are too much to grasp. That’s why we’re given Abraham as an example. All we need to do is read about his life, emulate what we see, and we will obtain the same promises as him. Rom 4:3, 11-12, 16, 20-25.

Preceding articles

Luther’s misunderstanding

January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works

Our life depending on faith

Romans 4 and the Sacraments

Is Justification a process?

Letter to the Romans, chapter 3

Letter to the Romans, chapter 4

Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans

Additional reading

+++

Letter to the Romans, chapter 4

“1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
4 Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works, 7 Happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Happy is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.”

9 Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it credited? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be credited to them. 12 The father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.
13 For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. 15 For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience. 16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

17 As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were. 18 Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your seed be.”
19 Without being weakened in faith, he considered his own body as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”

23 Now it was not written that it was credited to him for his sake alone, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:1-25 NHEB)

Woodcut for “Faith” depicting Abraham and Isaac (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Preceding articles

Luther’s misunderstanding

January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works

Our life depending on faith

Romans 4 and the Sacraments

Is Justification a process?

Letter to the Romans, chapter 3

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Filed under Quotations from Holy Scriptures, Religious affairs

Tagged as Abraham, Abraham's seed, Believe in God, Blessing, Circumcision, Disobedience, Father of circumcision, Father of many nations, God, God's promise to Abraham, God’s Grace, Grace, Justification, Letter to the Romans, Wrath

by Bijbelvorsers | 2015/08/11 · 6:04 pm

When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation

When you believe today and now it is one step in the right direction. Once you have the right faith that can move mountains, you also need to act according to that faith.

The Numbering of the Israelites, as in Numbers 1, engraving by Henri Félix Emmanuel Philippoteaux (1815–1884) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It means you are convinced that there is an Existent complete in all the senses of the word ‘existence.’ It means you do not doubt any more that He is the cause of all existence. You not only know that in Him all else subsists and from Him derives everything, but you want to share this knowledge with others. It is like when you are in love, you feel bright and full of fire with butterflies in the stomach. You do not want to be quiet about it any more. You want to tell everybody.

The existing Supreme Being making you to exist makes you longing for Him and out of thankfulness for your being you want to share your life with other creations of this Most High. You know

“for should He not exist the existence of all else would he extinguished, and nothing could persist.”

Like the Israelites possess a divine legislation — laws, commandments, ordinances, rules of life, instruction in the Will of God as to how they should conduct themselves in order to attain temporal and eternal felicity, we as Christians also are willing to accept those ordinances of the Most High Divine Creator as the only just solution for mankind. therefore we do know it is necessary that more people get to know those rules and regulations.

Foster Bible Pictures 0067-1 Moses Is Holding Up His Rod (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Moses revealed to the Israelites propositions and prescriptions of this kind in a miraculous and supernatural manner, but no doctrinal opinions, no saving truths, no universal propositions of reason. Moses wrote everything down so that next generations could also get to know what to do and how to arrange their life.

We have to come to see that we are obliged to believe in God and to follow His Given Word by which his only begotten son came to declare his heavenly Father and to make it clear what we have to do. This Nazarene Jew asked his disciples to go out in the world and to preach the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. In case we call ourselves Christian we should be followers of Christ. As followers of this son of God we should listen to his words and accept what he says. We should follow his teachings and follow up the tasks he has given his disciples.

Belief in God does not require us to comprehend the incomprehensible. It is impossible to know everything or to understand everything. But we should help each other. We should help each person around us to come to see more clear and to receive more wisdom in the works of God. The only way to do is when we are willing to share our knowledge and to accept more knowledge from others. Together we should exchange ideas.

From Guestwriters is one of those places where more than one writer, more than one believer can share his or her thoughts with others and give others the opportunity to think about certain matters.

When we truly believe in God and in His only begotten son to be the Messiah, it requires that we have a faithful life, living and behaving by our best understanding of God and the laws He has given us. It requires that we act honourably, with love and justice, with due respect for God’s creation, with humility before the Divine mysteries we cannot understand, and with loyalty to the God’s People, the Jewish people and to those who have chosen to follow Christ, the cornerstone of the new generation children of God.

Jeshua, Jesus Christ, opened the gates to the Kingdom of God for the gentiles, the non-Jews who are willing to come close to God and to accept Him as their Most High Supreme Master of everything.

Together we all should come united, embarking on a pathway away from the societal and cultural forces that lead us to such vile behaviour. For far too long American Jews and Israeli Jews have been wittingly and unwittingly nurturing the forces that encourage extremism and fanaticism to flourish and wreak havoc. As well as in the Jewish culture as in the Christian culture we have seen the right wing groups or very conservative groups bringing more fundamentalist groups in the foreground and protecting. Though those fundamentalists, Jews and Christians do much more damage to the Jewish religion and Christian religion, than good.

We have to show the world that Israel, God’s Chosen people shall have to get its nation, but this in respect to other people living in the surroundings of the future capital of the Kingdom of God (Jerusalem). We do have to let others come to understand that it are not the religious and the faithful to God who are misusing the Word of God to get their own agenda of having more power.

We must be glad that we see changes in Israel itself. The marching and speaking out against the terror of “price tagging” and religious fanaticism in Israel is a good thing we should applaud. We should also let others know this. As lovers of God we also have to show the world that Israel is God’s nation and that we all should work to it that we can come to a peaceful region where the lovers of God shall be able to live in unity. That unity is important. It is a matter of spirit and openness to the differences between each believer. Often it is misunderstood that we all should think and act exactly the same or should all follow exactly the same and only one worldly organisation. But we should follow a heavenly organisation, the one of God. For us Christians Jeshua (Jesus Christ) is that cornerstone of that ‘Church‘. He is the one we should follow.

With our different opinions we should not be afraid to let those different opinions exist one next to the other. We also should know there are lots of things we do not yet understand, so we may have different ideas about it. But when we trust God we shall come to see that in the end He will give guidance and insight and everything shall become clear. We only now, need patience, and that we should bring up, in the love for each other.

When we are prepared to share our knowledge and bring forth some interesting ideas, others can become stimulated and also get inspired. We should give one light to the other so that every next one can start a chain of lights which shall become brighter in the darkness of this world.

Therefore do not hesitate to become a preacher in the name of Christ. Let your voice be heard. Share your thought with us and others.

You too can become a co-author on this platform. You too can become a voice bringing support for the faith in Christ and in God. You too can show others ways of life. You too can open others their eyes so that it would be easier for them to make choices. Only when we understand what is going around us, we shall be able to place ourselves in the whole picture and be able to make the right choices.

We should help each other to see better and to go together on the path prepared by the Messiah, the sent one from God.

Lets unite and put the hands together, helping each other to move forward.

Preceding:

God’s wisdom for the believer brings peace

Background reading:

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Further related articles:

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Off the Hook? (wsforchrist.com)
What Must We Believe? (the-1000-year-view.com)
Shooting Your Arrow By Faith (10kreasons.wordpress.com)
“Where are you?” N:o 18 Faith is an ability to see the truth of God (docgreenlife.com)
‘I’m Insecure’ (jamaica-gleaner.com)
Parshat Va’etchanan: The oneness of Israel and God’s love (blogs.timesofisrael.com)
Only one person who has the power to cast the deciding vote that will kill your dream (christadelphianworld.blogspot.com)
Psst! Spread The Good Word! (fromguestwriters.wordpress.com)
Engagement in an actual two-way conversation with your deities (fromguestwriters.wordpress.com)
God, Justice, and Genocide (godsbreath.net)

48 Comments

Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Announcement, Knowledge & Wisdom, Political affairs, Religious affairs

Tagged as American Jews, Being united, Belief in God, Believe in God, Bringing Good News, Christian culture, Christian religion, Christians, Church, Church's cornerstone, Differences, Differences between people, Different opinions, Divine legislation, Divine mysteries, Doctrinal opinions, Existence, Extremism, Faithful life, Fanaticism, Followers of Christ, Fundamentalists, Gentiles, God Existence, God's Church, God's guidance, God's Kingdom, God's nation, God's ordinances, God's People, God's regulations, God's rules, Helping others, Humility, Israel, Israeli Jews, Israelites, Jerusalem, Jeshua, Jewish culture, Jewish people, Jewish religion, Jews, Kingdom of God, Listen to Christ, Lovers of God, Loyalty to the God's People, Moses, Most High, Non-Jews, Openness, Orthodox Judaism, Preacher, Preaching, Proclaiming, Right direction, Solution for mankind, Supreme Being, to Inspire others, to Make choices, to Preach, to Share, to Stimulate others, Trust God, Unity, Unity of the faith, Unity of the knowledge of God's Son, Words of Christ Jesus

by Guestspeaker | 2015/07/20 · 6:03 pm

Arguments about believe and About Christianity versus Atheism

If Christians believe God loves everyone, they shouldn’t argue with atheists. If atheists don’t believe in God, what’s the point of insulting Christians?

is what can be found at a voting for

Top Ten Reasons Not to Argue About Christianity vs Atheism

A diagram showing the relationship between weak/strong and implicit/explicit atheism. Strong atheism is always explicit, and implicit atheism is always weak. Explicit atheism can be either “weak” or “strong”. Based on a previous chart by User:FrostyBytes, in turn based on a previous chart by User:Silence. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Naturally you could think a Christian would not make such a list, but because humankind belongs to the weak beings such things happen. No matter what people might think, as long as we are in this time system, and as long the End of Days or Last Days shall not have taken place and the Kingdom of God having become a reality, man shall stay arguing about such matters.

Christians who would call other people who do not agree with them “demons” proof that they did not understand yet the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself respect other thinkers and wants us also to respect those of an other opinion.

People also should be fully aware that “Not all Atheists disrespect religion” and “Not all Christians disrespect Atheists thinking”

Many Christians may choose a flowchart, like Jeremy Myers presents on his blog “3 simple words to say to an atheist who criticizes Christianity”

arguing with atheistic criticism of Christianity

Preceding articles:

Summerholiday season time to read the Bible

Holiday making and dreaming

Home-stayers and their to do list

Genre – Playing by the Rules

The Need to Understand Genre

Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything

Great things, Voice of God and terrors

Hatred and hostility against God

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6 Comments

Filed under Quotations or Citations, Religious affairs

Tagged as Atheists, Believe in God, Christians, Demons, Disrespect, Respect, System of things, This time system, World-system

by Guestspeaker | 2015/07/20 · 5:17 pm

Hatred and hostility against God

“Recently, I have had a lot of conversations with atheists.
Many express a strong hatred of God.
I have been at a loss to explain this. How can you hate someone you don’t believe in? Why the hostility?
If God does not exist, shouldn’t atheists just relax and seek a good time before they become plant food?
Why should it matter if people believe in God?
Nothing matters if atheism is true.
– Don Batten

Preceding posts:

Summerholiday season time to read the Bible

Holiday making and dreaming

Home-stayers and their to do lis

Genre – Playing by the Rules

The Need to Understand Genre

Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything

Great things, Voice of God and terrors

University of Alberta Atheists and Agnostics (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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6 Comments

Filed under Quotations or Citations, Religious affairs

Tagged as Atheists, Believe in God, God Existence, Hate, Hating God, Hatred, Hostility, Hostility against God

by Christadelphians | 2015/03/31 · 3:28 pm

On the Edge of Believing

14 Nisan coming closer we look at the people liberated from enslavement by the ancient Egyptians but also for the liberation of Jews and goims or gentiles.

Crossing of the red sea (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The people of God got freedom after they had witnesses several plagues coming over Egypt. The land was on the verge of going in a disastrous killing situation. You would think after having seen all the remarkable plagues, the wonder of crossing the Red Sea, they would fully trust the Most High Elohim יהוה {Jehovah}. they were guided and could find themselves camping beside Mount Sinai witnessing the earth quaking, the clouds, the fire and the voice from the mountain! After that, the miraculous provision of manna, quails, and water from the rock could still not bring many to go for the worshipping of the Only One True God and letting them still having doubts about so many matters. It fortuned, the first day of the eleventh month in the fortieth year, that Moses spoke unto the children of Israel according unto all that the Divine Creator had given him in commandment unto them. God telling them that they had dwelt long enough in this mount and therefore could depart and take their journey going unto the hills of the Amorites and unto all places nigh thereunto, both fields, hills and dales: and unto the south and unto the sea’s side in the land of Canaan, and unto Lebanon: even unto the great river Euphrates.

Deu 1:3-4 The Scriptures 1998+ (3) And it came to be in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Mosheh spoke to the children of Yisra’ĕl according to all that יהוה {Jehovah} had commanded him concerning them, (4) after he had smitten Siḥon sovereign of the Amorites, who dwelt in Ḥeshbon, and Oḡ sovereign of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth in Eḏreʽi.

They had to know and to believe that God had set them the land before them and that no matter what would happen they should trust God going in to possess the land which Jehovah swore unto their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give unto them and their seed after them.

Deu 1:8 The Scriptures 1998+ (8) ‘See, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land which יהוה {Jehovah} swore to your fathers, to Aḇraham, to Yitsḥaq, and to Yaʽaqoḇ, to give to them and their seed after them.’

Instead of trust we see that the Israelites have so much fear that they doubt that the road would be safe for them.

“Destruction of the Army of the Amorites” by Gustave Doré. Jos 10:11 … the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones and than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Deu 1:20-40 The Scriptures 1998+ (20) “And I said to you, ‘You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which יהוה {Jehovah} our Elohim is giving us. (21) ‘See, יהוה {Jehovah} your Elohim has set the land before you. Go up and possess it, as יהוה {Jehovah} Elohim of your fathers has spoken to you. Do not fear, nor be discouraged.’ (22) “And all of you came near to me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we would come.’ (23) “And the matter was good in my eyes, so I took twelve of your men, one man from each tribe. (24) “And they turned and went up into the mountains, and came to the wadi Eshkol, and spied it out. (25) “And they took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us. And they brought back word to us, saying, ‘The land which יהוה {Jehovah} our Elohim is giving us is good.’ (26) “But you would not go up and rebelled against the mouth of יהוה {Jehovah} your Elohim, (27) and grumbled in your tents, and said, ‘Because יהוה {Jehovah} was hating us, He has brought us out of the land of Mitsrayim to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. (28) ‘Where are we going to? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we, the cities are great and walled up to the heavens, and we saw the sons of the Anaqim there too.” ’ (29) “Then I said to you, ‘Have no dread or fear of them. (30) ‘יהוה {Jehovah} your Elohim, who is going before you, He does fight for you, according to all He did for you in Mitsrayim before your eyes, (31) and in the wilderness, where you saw how יהוה {Jehovah} your Elohim has borne you, as a man bears his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ (32) “Yet in this matter you are putting no trust in יהוה {Jehovah} your Elohim, (33) who is going before you in the way to seek out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in fire by night and in a cloud by day. (34) “And יהוה {Jehovah} heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and took an oath, saying, (35) ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, (36) except Kalĕb son of Yephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and his children I give the land on which he walked, because he followed יהוה {Jehovah} completely.’ (37) “And יהוה {Jehovah} was enraged with me for your sakes, saying, ‘You do not go in there, either. (38) ‘Yehoshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Strengthen him, for he shall cause Yisra’ĕl to inherit. (39) ‘And your little ones and your children, who you say are for a prey, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they are going in there. And to them I give it, and they are to possess it. (40) ‘But you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the Way of the Sea of Reeds.’

We see that it were the Israelites who requested a look-see at what was ahead. God had made it possible for His people to go away from slavery and to go to a new land which they could call their own. Though now we see that their mind was not yet open enough for the mind of God and not trusting enough in the capabilities of the Most High Sovereign. Instead of believing God they once more doubted the possibilities laid in front of them. God had led them with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire. He had gotten them through the Red Sea in a most spectacular way. He had fed them with manna and quails and had provided them with water from a rock. Still they were not yet convinced of the Mighty Power of God. No wonder we can see how difficult it is for people today who cannot see those wonders of the Most High.

We do agree that it must not have been easy to walk day in day out for 40 years, but they knew it was their own fault. After all the walking and time enough for meditation you would think they would now have come to the faith and belief everything God promised them. Though still they were not all convinced and many let them be carried away by those who did not believe. The ones who continued to carry their fear, showing lack of trust and discontent, infected the others.

Fear had to be counter-balanced with trust and believing. God let them send spies, like they requested, and the results of their thinking and readiness was exposed.

Num 13:1-3 The Scriptures 1998+ (1) And יהוה {Jehovah} spoke to Mosheh, saying, (2) “Send men to spy out the land of Kenaʽan, which I am giving to the children of Yisra’ĕl. Send one man from each tribe of their fathers, every one a leader among them.” (3) And by the command of יהוה {Jehovah} Mosheh sent them from the Wilderness of Paran, all of them men who were heads of the children of Yisra’ĕl.

Num 13:30-33 The Scriptures 1998+ (30) And Kalĕb silenced the people before Mosheh, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are certainly able to overcome it.” (31) But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” (32) And they gave the children of Yisra’ĕl an evil report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land eating up its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. (33) “And we saw there the Nephilim, sons of Anaq, of the Nephilim. And we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so we were in their eyes.”

Again the Israelites thought the others were stronger than they and did not believe God would be helping them to conquer them. Afraid of those who looked like giants, the children of Anak which are of the giants. And they seemed in their sight as it were grasshoppers. Although 10 of the 12 spies sent to explore the land had come back, found and said the land was flowing with milk and honey they had such a negative frame of mind.

The encouragement of two of the 12 could not convince the group to go out because the fear of the other ten spies and their influence on the Israelites was bigger. Again the people of God found themselves on the edge of the abyss it seemed. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel that the land, which they passed through to spy it out, was an exceedingly good land. But this could not help against the rebellion.
They kept fearing the people of the land who lost protection from them God being with the Israelites who as such had nothing to fear.

Num 14:10-38 The Scriptures 1998+ (10) But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the esteem of יהוה {Jehovah} appeared in the Tent of Meeting before all the children of Yisra’ĕl. (11) And יהוה {Jehovah} said to Mosheh, “How long shall I be scorned by these people? And how long shall I not be trusted by them, with all the signs which I have done in their midst? (12) “Let Me smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” (13) And Mosheh said to יהוה {Jehovah}, “Then the Mitsrites shall hear it, for by Your power You brought these people up from their midst, (14) and they shall say to the inhabitants of this land they have heard that You, יהוה {Jehovah}, are in the midst of these people, that You, יהוה {Jehovah}, are seen eye to eye and that Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a column of cloud by day and in a column of fire by night. (15) “Now if You shall kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your report shall speak, saying, (16) ‘Because יהוה {Jehovah} was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’ (17) “And now, I pray, let the power of יהוה {Jehovah} be great, as You have spoken, saying, (18) ‘יהוה {Jehovah} is patient and of great kindness, forgiving crookedness and transgression, but by no means leaving unpunished1; visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ Footnote: 1This is confirmed in Ex. 34:7 and in Jer. 30:11. (19) “Please forgive the crookedness of this people, according to the greatness of Your kindness, as You have forgiven this people, from Mitsrayim even until now.” (20) And יהוה {Jehovah} said, “I shall forgive, according to your word, (21) but truly, as I live and all the earth is filled with the esteem of יהוה {Jehovah}, (22) for none of these men who have seen My esteem and the signs which I did in Mitsrayim and in the wilderness, and have tried Me now these ten times, and have disobeyed My voice, (23) shall see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor any of those who scorned Me see it. (24) “But My servant Kalĕb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me completely, I shall bring into the land where he went, and his seed shall inherit it. (25) “Since the Amalĕqites and the Kenaʽanites are dwelling in the valley, turn back tomorrow and set out into the wilderness by the Way of the Sea of Reeds.” (26) And יהוה {Jehovah} spoke to Mosheh, and to Aharon, saying, (27) “How long shall this evil congregation have this grumbling against Me? I have heard the grumblings which the children of Yisra’ĕl are grumbling against Me. (28) “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ declares יהוה {Jehovah}, ‘as you have spoken in My hearing, so I do to you: (29) ‘The carcasses of you who have grumbled against Me are going to fall in this wilderness, all of you who were registered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. (30) ‘None of you except Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh, and Yehoshua son of Nun, shall enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. (31) ‘But your little ones, whom you said would become a prey, I shall bring in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. (32) ‘But as for you, your carcasses are going to fall in this wilderness. (33) ‘And your sons shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your whorings, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. (34) ‘According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days – a day for a year, a day for a year – you are to bear your crookednesses forty years, and you shall know My breaking off. (35) ‘I am יהוה {Jehovah}, I have spoken, I shall do this to all this evil congregation who are meeting against Me: In this wilderness they are consumed, and there they die.’ ” (36) And the men whom Mosheh sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing an evil report of the land, (37) even those men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before יהוה {Jehovah}. (38) Of those men who went to spy out the land, only Yehoshua son of Nun, and Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh remained alive.

Their hesitation and disbelief did not help them to go further instead, this time, it angered God. Their fear caused them to wander and procrastinate and eventually kept them from what God wanted for them. They did it to themselves.

We should take such story as a lesson also for us. How much do we want to trust God? How much do we follow the path God has laid in front of us?

Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, later could tell he was forty years old when Moses the servant of Jehovah sent him from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land. Though he brought Moses word again as it was in his heart, his brothers who went up with him made the heart of the people melt. Because Caleb kept faithful to God, fully following Jehovah his God, Jehovah has kept him alive these forty-five years as He said, even since Jehovah spoke this word to Moses, while Israel wandered in the wilderness. This made Caleb being able to become eighty-five years whilst others had died already.

Jos 14:6-10 The Scriptures 1998+ (6) And the children of Yehuḏah came to Yehoshua in Gilgal, and Kalĕb son of Yephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which יהוה {Jehovah} said to Mosheh the man of Elohim concerning you and me in Qad??sh Barn?a. (7) “I was forty years old when Mosheh the servant of יהוה {Jehovah} sent me from Qaḏĕsh Barnĕa to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. (8) “But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I followed יהוה {Jehovah} my Elohim completely. (9) “So Mosheh swore on that day, saying, ‘The land on which your foot has trodden is your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have followed יהוה {Jehovah} my Elohim completely.’ (10) “And now, see, יהוה {Jehovah} has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years since יהוה {Jehovah} spoke this word to Mosheh while Yisra’ĕl walked in the wilderness. And now, see, I am eighty-five years old today.

The People of God who had received many proofs that God was with them still were not trusting God enough. Like for them you can say the edge of believing is always in front of us. From the fall onwards man got fear. Suddenly they were afraid to being naked and been seen by others. From then onwards fear stayed with man as a natural human emotion.

We should now that above fear there is the security of knowing. There is wisdom and healthy respect which shall be to our are benefit. Though we should be well aware that the danger is always looking around the corner. The adversary of God is always standing ready to bring us in doubt and to give us fear. This fear can shut us down when we don’t take it to God. We should be so convinced that we do not have to fear God by coming to Him with our doubts and questions. With all what we have in Scriptures we should know that we can trust Him. Jehovah is absolutely approachable with honest prayer and provides several means of reassurance. He also has given His only begotten son to be a mediator between God and man. In him too we should trust, that he can talk in our name with his heavenly Father and be our guide in distress.

Please do find to read further:

Like grasshoppers

Believing in God the Rewarder

Additional reading:

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Bulletin Articles: “The Wise Joshua Did Not Know the Source of the Problem” & “A Sword through Your Soul” (grantspasschurchofchrist.com)
Joshua said connected the name of Israel with the name of God, and if Israel suffered defeat, that would dishonor the name of God.

God then revealed to Joshua the problem, and he fixed it immediately, then Israel went back to winning their battles.
The Ages, are cycles within still other cycles and mankind would do well to note this. (onthehillgilayjun.blogspot.com)
For each Soul has free will to choose to move into their lower base nature and become a partaker in the destruction of Creation even if it is through ignorance.
Learning to Stand Still (christianmotivations.weebly.com)
If the Israelites had attempted to cross the Red Sea before it parted, they would have drowned. If they had fled north to try to avoid the Egyptians, God would not have moved in a miraculous way. God cannot work on our behalf if we continually try to solve our problem when He has instructed us to stand still. Standing still is sometimes the greatest action we can do, although it is the most difficult thing to do in the Christian walk.
23.5 Moses 23, Day 5 (thenotesaregood.com)
Unlike the King of Moab who rallied his troops in a defensive position to protect their land from their fear of trespassing Jews, Sihon brought out his army to attack – to vainly oppose both the people of God and God Himself.
A Little Man Attacking God (between2citiesblog.wordpress.com)
The Israelites were running for their lives from the Egyptians who were led by the most powerful human king in all the ancient middle east (Pharoah). He was not only perceived to be the most powerful king, but was actually thought to be a god. SO when the people of Israel saw their God opening up the waters for them to pass, and then the Pharaoh chasing them down, this would have looked a lot like the battle of the gods. But, instead of feeling like audience members at a WWE pay-per-view, the Israelites were terrified.
Red See (snopes.com)
On 24 October 2014, the web site World News Daily Report (WNDR) published an article claiming that chariot wheels and the bones of horses and men had been discovered at the bottom of the Red Sea, thereby supposedly proving archaeological proof of the Biblical narrative about the escape of the Israelites from the Egyptians. (According to the Book of Exodus, God parted the Red Sea long enough for the Moses-led Israelites to walk across it on dry ground, but closed the waters up again upon the pursuing Egyptian army and drowned them all.)
Exodus 19:10-11 – And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. (church4u2.wordpress.com)
There is a great need in this season for God’s people to be come into renewal and effectiveness in their faith. The Bible tells us that renewal comes when we are consecrated, or set apart, for the LORD. There is a season to be relevant to the culture around us, and there is a season to stand out. Church history tells us that setting ourselves apart for prayer and self denial can bring us into renewal.
Scripture for when you need a promise (notconsumed.com)
I’m much like those Israelites…clinging to the slavery of what is known (no matter what the cost) and forgetting the promises of my loving and merciful Savior. In the waves of the storm, I can’t see all that God has promised and I long for what was before.
God Called Moses The Exodus Story Continues (Part 4 Of 5) (vineandbranchworldministries.com)
Moses stretched out his hand to the skies. Thick darkness descended on the land of Egypt for three days. Nobody could see anybody. For three days no one could so much as move. Except for the Israelites; they had light where they were living.
- God Called Moses to Go and Rescuse His People From Slavery (part 2) (vineandbranchworldministries.com)
- God Called Moses to Go and Rescuse His People From Slavery (part 1) (vineandbranchworldministries.com)
- Exodus 10 – The Eighth and Ninth Plagues (graceofourlord.com)
- The Exodus Story God Calls Moses to Go Down to Egypt (vineandbranchworldministries.com)
- God Called Moses to Go and Rescuse His People From Slavery (part 3) (vineandbranchworldministries.com)
- Kee Teesa: Aaron as Substitute Teacher (blogs.timesofisrael.com)
Kee Teesa: Aaron as Substitute Teacher (blogs.timesofisrael.com)
Why did the Israelites build the Golden Calf? Barely three months had passed since God freed Israel from slavery, in the course of which they beheld the most extraordinary miracles and wonders: the Ten Plagues, the Splitting of the Reed Sea, and now the thunderous, magnificent descent of God onto Mt. Sinai, certainly not the most awesome of mountains.

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Filed under Being and Feeling, Lifestyle, Religious affairs, Spiritual affairs

Tagged as Ancient Egypt, Anger of God, Being discouraged, Believe in God, Caleb (son of Jephunneh), Children of Anak, Children of Israel, Disbelief, Discontent, Divine Creator, Doubt, Elohim, Exposition before God, Faith, Fear, Fear for man, Freedom, Gentiles, Grasshoppers, Hesitation, Human emotion, Israelites, Jehovah, Jews, Joshua (son of Nun), Land of Canaan, Land of God, Land of the Canaanite, Lebanon, Liberation of gentiles, Liberation of Jews, Moses, Most High, Mount Sinai, Nephilim, People of God, People of Israel, Plagues, Plagues of Egypt, Power of God, Promises of God, Rebellion, Rebellion against God, Red Sea, Respect, Sea of Reeds, Spies, Trust God, Wadi Eshkol, Wilderness, Wisdom

by Guestspeaker | 2015/02/13 · 5:35 pm

May we have doubts

Not all of us are sure about all things. Lots of matters may bring questions onto our mind.

Some may say doubt originates in a double minded person. Others say it is because a person is not enough believing in God. Others say he is not believing in Christ. Several Christians look at a doubter as a person not trusting Jesus.

Is this really so. Are we less better than other Christians when we have questions about certain matters? No, not at all.
Is doubt a sign of lacking faith? Perhaps. But it can be that you really do your best to walk in faith.
Is it because you do not believe in Jesus his victory over circumstances and trials? Perhaps, but not necessary so.

Is it because you cannot see the victory in your life you are seeking? Did you try already to check if you are really looking for the right victory?

Have you ever tried to think that what you would love to have and to see for yourself might not be in God His Will?

We are all human beings with our limitations and ‘malfunctions’. We all have our little problems and as such we should know that every house carries its own cross.

Having all those difficulties coming over us, no wonder that we sometimes worry and question of we are doing it right or if we are following the right coarse.

In the Holy Scriptures we are advised to question everything. This means that God does understand that we more than once shall have questions with what we hear or read, and that is good, because we should question all those sayings.

For many life is an ongoing cycle of wandering and restoration. And though many would wish it were otherwise, this makes many sometimes going to and fro, coming close to God and at other moments being far away from God. Though some may desire to never depart from God, they keep losing track. Also for Jesus it seems for many Christians often difficult to keep feeling him nearby. On many occasions confronted with the realities of life we may have lots of doubts about many things.

The reality of our sinful human condition makes it so that we also have periods where our relationship with other human beings, with Christ and/or with God is disturbed a lot.

In our technological age of communication it looks like many have lost the good communication with the Most High Divine Creator.

James Paulgaard, a fellow traveller on the journey of life, also sees some problems of this time and age. He writes:

For centuries, up until the Sixties, the Church was perfectly designed for our culture. When a group of immigrants settled in a new area, one of the first things that they did was to build a church in the centre of the community. People valued going to church as a good thing. It made people into good citizens. Encouraging the Christian faith was seen as a valuable in our society at the time. There were benefits to going to church. You could build your network of social and business contacts and perhaps even meet your future spouse there. The church was perfectly designed to develop people in that environment into followers of Jesus. {Following Jesus on His Mission: Doing the Simple Things}

Today people have found other networks which they do find more important.

This bridge was a well-designed and fully functional bridge, but in 1998 Hurricane Mitch dumped 36 inches of rain on the area in just a few days and amidst all the other damage caused by the hurricane, the deluge of water carved a new channel for the river around the bridge and the bridge now spans dry ground. It is a perfectly designed bridge that doesn’t work anymore because the river moved. (Photo from the article: Following Jesus on His Mission: Doing the Simple Things)

Now, being part of a Christian Church is no longer seen as a desirable by our culture. Encouraging the Christian faith is no longer valued by our society. People do not need the church for social or business contacts or to find a spouse. We have websites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Plenty of Fish for all those things. A church that was perfectly designed to make disciples in the world of sixty years ago and older struggles to engage with the mission of Jesus Christ in the world of today because the river has moved. {Following Jesus on His Mission: Doing the Simple Things}

When you follow the articles on Our World and perhaps form your newspapers or journals on television, you are probably aware how bad the state of church attendance is. All over the industrialised countries we do find a secularized community. In some countries there may still be a solid core of people continue to value faith; but a growing core do not. { find a.o. Reginald Bibby, A New Day: The Resilience and Restructuring of Religion in Canada (Lethbridge: Project Canada Books, 2012), 5, 10, 34.}

Lots of people got to hear from their preachers that Jesus is God because no human being is ever able to follow God’s Will. Because of that lie, people have no trust in that Jesus any more and do find it rubbish that at other moments priests or pastors say they have to take the armour of Christ and become like Christ. That then would mean they had to become like God, which is something impossible.

And in case it is impossible fro any human being to follow the Will of God, what use would it than be to even try, if no man ever could succeed.

Lots of people do forget that Jesus was a man who lived some two thousand years ago. He was a real person, others could see and not fall death (In the Bible is written that people cannot see God and live). That man, born in an Essene family from the tribe of king David, had to learn everything. People should know that God knows everything but this Jesus did not. He also had to disappoint those who wanted to know where they would be seated with him in God’s Kingdom. In case Jesus was God he could have told them because he would have known, but Jesus did not know it and had also to disappoint those who wanted to know when he would come back. Jesus always wanted to do the will of his heavenly Father and did not want to lie, like his heavenly Father does not tell lies. Not knowing when the end times or Last Days of this time system would fall, Jesus could not tell them, nor us, when he would be coming back.

In the Gospels we also can see that Jesus at moments had doubts and even wondered why God had abandoned him. So, in case Jesus dares already to ask God why He had left him, why should not such thoughts may or could come up in our minds.
What is important is how we cope with such thoughts. How we cope with our questioning God? And how we dare to question God.

We may ask God lots of things, but we have to do it in a proper manner. We also may request Him things, but we should know that God knows best for us.

Jesus has already done the hard work of living a perfect human life, dying on the cross and rising from the dead to reconcile all of creation to God. Jesus is the one doing the supernatural work of drawing people close to him and planting faith in their hearts.

as Greg Finke, {Joining Jesus on His Mission: How to Be an Everyday Missionary (Tyler TX: Tenth Power Publishing, 2014), 42-43} and James Paulgaard {Following Jesus on His Mission: Doing the Simple Things} puts it.

A statue of Jesus Christ at a church in India. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jesus paved the path to God; He restored the relation between God and man and has become our mediator, now sitting at the right hand of God (notice: not on God’s throne).

The problem of today is that most people do not know the real Jesus.

To help to find Jesus and to get to see better the importance of what he really did, dying for us all, whitewashing our sins, there has been started a new website. “Messiah for all” wants to show the world that Christ Jesus was and is there for the whole world. He does not want to miss any body. He gives everybody the opportunity to get to know him and to get to know the way to the Kingdom of God.

“Messiah for all” is there for you to help you find Jesus and to find he is worth all your trust and all your faith.

Please do find that site for you and me, and start reading: Are people allowed to have doubts

Find additional reading:

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Augustine on the Difference between Christianity and Platonism (booksontrial.wordpress.com)
The difference between Platonism and Christianity is not merely a difference of interpretation, but the difference between perception/speculation on one side, and reality/true knowledge on the other. To use a Biblical imagery, there is a great gulf fixed between them. It is the difference between death and Life, between an inanimate object and a living being. Though philosophy may delight man with a magnificent picture of truth and beauty, it is nevertheless dead, and so the greatest philosophical ideas cannot be compared with the smallest life-giving word of God.
Most Blessed State of Being for Now (relijournal.com)
A Christian is saying “I’ve got to be me” when the Holy Scriptures indicate we are to be crucified in Christ? I have to wonder how much spiritual damage was done to other by that worldly thinking. What “Christian” singers sing does not supercede the written Word of God. The Holy Bible does not indicate we have got to be “ourselves,” but it does state we are to be like Christ.
Living in the Wrong Time (histruthwillsetyoufree.wordpress.com)
The best days are when I live in the present, with my friend, the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. With Him, there is no room for Regret or Worry.
Evangelists Want to Convert Heathen Computers To Christianity, Create Army Of ‘Robot Pastors’ (addictinginfo.org)
On Wednesday, Gizmodo’s Zoltan Istvan reminded us that, soon, the world will be full of “autonomous, self-aware super intelligences” created by humans. Obviously, some Christians see this as an opportunity to convert something to their religion.

Evangelists told Gizmodo that these sciencey, autonomous computer brains probably can, and definitely should, be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Equal to Christ. Septuagesima 2015 (deprofundisclamaviadtedomine.wordpress.com)
Jesus gave Himself for us to make us His own people who are zealous, eager, passionate about doing good works. Christians have been born again so that they may live a new life of service to God in good works.
The Journey of Love and Commitment (vineandbranchworldministries.com)
When we wonder about in life, do we ponder the meaning of the many gifts before us and offer praise and thanksgiving or do we literally take life for-granted. Sanctification sets us apart and instills our hearts and spirit with the desire to follow the pattern Jesus gave.
Excuse My Scepticism (pastorcharleschipere.wordpress.com)
In our Christian Faith, we are taught to believe rather than to be a doubting Thomas. We are taught to trust rather than mistrust. We are taught to give a person the benefit of the doubt before we dismiss them. But my journey of faith has had some encounters with reality leading me to embrace some sceptical attitude towards some things I have observed in the land of the living. Before I delve into my observations, please excuse my scepticism. But this scepticism does not take away my faith in God.
An Unfathomable Gift (connywithay.wordpress.com)
“All other religions and sects teach that man has to perform many good works in order to gain bliss – salvation is dependent on man. The Christian faith is completely the opposite. It is God working salvation on behalf of man – salvation is dependent on God,” Jan Blonk writes in his book, The Unfathomable Gift: God’s Astonishing Grace.
The Other Side (culturalatheist.wordpress.com)
Do you have a people or place that you have determined God is not present and the places and people are demonic and unclean?
The Call of God (mississippipep.wordpress.com)
If God were human, how sick and tired He would be of the constant requests we make for our salvation and for our sanctification. We burden His energies from morning till night asking for things for ourselves or for something from which we want to be delivered! When we finally touch the underlying foundation of the reality of the gospel of God, we will never bother Him anymore with little personal complaints.

21 Comments

Filed under Being and Feeling, Religious affairs

Tagged as 1960s, Believe in God, Believe in Jesus Christ, Christians, Church, Coming close to God, Communication, Community, Difficulties, Doubts, Facebook, Faith, Going to church, Having doubts, Journey of life, Limitations, LinkedIn, Mission of Jesus Christ, Networks, Questioning, Questions, Relationship with God, Relationship with Jesus Christ, Relationship with others, Secularisation, Social networks, to Ask God, to Find Jesus, Trust Jesus Christ, Victory, Walk in faith

by Marcus Ampe | 2014/05/21 · 3:23 pm

Consider your own journey in life

Consider our own journey in life; how close are we to the climax of all that God has prepared for those who truly believe in and love Him?

Deuteronomy 16:20 has a blunt message,

“justice, only justice, you must pursue; so that you will live and inherit the land ADONAI your god is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 16:20 CJB)

We must face up to today’s challenges and make sure we “escape all the things that are going to take place” (Luke 21:36) as the Almighty prepares to cleanse the earth of its’ evil.

Let us “remember the day” when we made the commitment to join the Lord’s side and accepted his “deliverance” by being baptised. Don’t let “that day come upon you suddenly like a trap” (Luke 21:34) so that you fail to enter a far greater “promised land”.

“34 “but keep watch on yourselves, or your hearts will become dulled by carousing, drunkenness and the worries of everyday living, and that day will be sprung upon you suddenly like a trap! 35 for it will close in on everyone, no matter where they live, throughout the whole world. 36 stay alert, always praying that you will have the strength to escape all the things that will happen and to stand in the presence of the son of man.”” (Luke 21:34-36 CJB)

Deuteronomy 8:18, Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, 1901 Bible card published by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Additional reading:

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Turning the Corner (scribe312.wordpress.com)
I am at a point in life where I am turning a corner. Life as I knew it just ten years ago was very different than life at the present time. Getting older comes as expected, however feeling older is a kick in the butt. Accepting these facts is enlightning. When you turn the corner in life, you suddenly realize how finite life is.
We Choose (revelation217.com)
Aside the events that invade our lives, don’t we all have the lives we have chosen? Even when the not chosen events come, we get to choose how we will respond and how we will proceed from the event.

We choose the lives we live.
Trapped Inside (keithgarrettpoetry.com)
This world of mine was at one time much larger to these eyes,When all at once that which is out there made me start to hide.

Not knowing that somewhere deep inside there was a pain not described,

Slowly i started to run from myself but there was no escape from the monster,

I will not call it he or she as it deserves no respect for the damage it does to my soul.
Hugh’s News & Views (God) (fellowshiproom.org)
God is . . .1. Eternal. He had neither a beginning nor will He have an ending. He was in the beginning (Genesis 1:1) and created all things that exist (Acts 17:24). “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalm 90:2).
The Bible Verses That Destroy Fox News And Selfish Right-Wing Christians! (aattp.org)
Here’s a reality check for right-wing “Christians” especially those who like to live in the delusion that this country is a “Christian Nation” and/or “founded on Judeo-Christian principles.” You know who they are: They are the people who constantly rail against the less-fortunate, that show disdain for the poor. They’re the people who stereotype, who perpetuate lies and myths about people on welfare and disability. They are the people who advocate handouts to millionaires and multi-national corporations, but spit venom at the suggestion we should take care of the least among us.
Are You Paying Attention??? (ateenforgod.wordpress.com)
my dear diary, do you know I was still procrastinating this assignment. In fact, I didn’t even wonna go at all. The more I wasted time, things got worse. I decided to carve out time to accomplish my assignment. You won’t believe this, after I delivered this message, it took only a few hours (precisely from the night till morning) and a lot of things began to happen, open doors from all sides, instant favour and a lot more. Above all, I am glad to tell you my parents were more than overwhelmed and encouraged by this message. Twas then a part of me began to feel bad, I imagined how it would have been if I accomplished this assignment weeks before, they’d have been happier a long time ago. But oh well, everything turned out great.
Our Journey Through the Land of the Bible (laurelikwechegh.wordpress.com)
Shortly after the old tradition, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John got involved in Acts with the Romans who were behaving like the Corinthians, who were also always at loggerhead with the Galatians. At that time, the Ephesians realizing that the Philippians were close to the Colossians, suggested to the Thessalonians that they should first of all see Timothy who had gone to the house of Titus to teach Philemon his younger brother how to read and write in Hebrew. On hearing, James asked Peter to explain to him how the three Johns had disclosed to Jude the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Comments

Filed under Lifestyle, Religious affairs

Tagged as Being in Christ, Believe in God, Commitment, Escaping the world, Justice, to Love God

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