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1.
People trying so hard to wring all they can from this life when the Bible clearly says we are to live for the next life.
In one of my recent posts I pointed out the agape type of love that sent Jesus to the cross. The type of love that comes with a cost.
15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. 17The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
I was startled to discover in the above passage in 1 John 2 the same agape Greek word for love. In other words people can and do love the world with the same love that costs them just as we are commanded to love Jesus and people to our cost. That's sobering.
Still mulling over the ramifications of this.

2.
​My last post was about how people can love this world, this life, the same way Christians are to love Jesus. Christians are not to love this world which is expressed by spending our time, money and efforts on pointing others to Jesus. We can have fun times but that isn't our focus. Not by a long shot. And you can't follow Jesus passively. No lukewarm Christians allowed.
So who are those who agape love THIS world versus agape loving THE world as in “God so loved the world that He gave…?”
I'm thinking of those who spend their time, money and efforts on the fleeting pleasures of this world.
I'm thinking of those who spend their time, money and efforts on helping others but without Jesus. I compare this to trying to tidy up the Titanic.
I'm thinking of those who say they are Christians and spend their time, money and efforts on helping others but Jesus has to say to them “depart from Me for I never knew you.”
I don't want to stand before Jesus and have to tell Him I loved this world more than I loved Him.

​3.
This is a continuation of my last post. Alert: this is a long post.
So how are we as Christians supposed to agape love the world? Below is a group of verses all true Christians wrestle with.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[f] you did it to me.’
Christians are often accused by the world of not doing these things. There’s some truth to that. But I can tell you most if not all of the things mentioned in the verses above are very difficult if not impossible to do on a lone eagle, individual basis. You can’t just walk up to a jail and ask to speak with the inmates. And have you tried to help the poor or outcast by yourself? Go try it. This is why I believe these verses were meant to be put into the larger context of through the church. You may have a problem with the church but Jesus Himself began the church. I attend a mega church that does incredible outreach. Prison ministry, emergency responses for natural catastrophe victims and many outreaches into the local community. I mean, literally, your mouth would drop open. All because of the generosity of its members. Many churches have food closets and special offerings to help their communities. Find an outreach minded church. If they don’t have an outreach that you have a burden for, then see if they will let you start one under their auspices. And the true church is a family. You may have to find a smaller group within a big church but it’s there. The stranger and the widow can find a family there. Your small group will visit you when you are sick. Do you really think it’s plausible to go around by yourself looking for widows and strangers to help? Or even safe?
Bottom line: God expects each Christian to take these verses seriously. While you may have opportunity to accomplish some of the things individually, most of the time they are to be done through the church. You may be giving your money generously to your local church but you need to be open to actively joining one of the outreaches of your church if you feel God is leading you to do so. I feel much of the world’s criticism of Christians is unjustified. They don’t see all the church is doing because churches don’t shout it. Bible actually warns against doing that.

4.
​I know the church in America has problems. Even the early churches in Acts had problems. And Jesus’ words in Revelation to the seven churches are very, very sobering. How we function as individuals and as the church is critical.
Rather than try to list all that I see wrong with the church I would rather end with this: the Bible is a book of patterns. God lays out what we are to do and how we are to do it. People, either through lack of wisdom or thinking they know better, stray from the pattern That includes the church. The Bible talks a lot about the church. I would encourage everyone to do a word search on every place in the New Testament that mentions the church. That's the pattern.
Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[a] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[b] shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[c] in heaven.”

5.
​In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy, now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1
I think I have mentioned this but it's been awhile. People say if God would just show Himself in the physical then they would believe He exists. It's true but eventually you would resent being forced to believe that way. It would violate your free will which God will not do. Plus it would not allow your faith to be tested as the verses above describe.
God wants you to choose Him because you want to, not because you have to. And He requires your faith to be tested. The parable of the sower describes the stony ground which represents those who forsake their faith because of offenses.

6.
Luke 2:14. New International Version ... “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”.
Some Bible versions interpret “on whom his favor rests” as “good will towards men.”
God has indeed proclaimed that peace on earth and good will towards men is now possible through Jesus. That's what the angels were telling the shepherds on the night Jesus was born.
What the angels were not saying was that peace and good will among men was God's will and could happen any other way other than through Jesus. Peace on earth and good will among men without Jesus is more humanism.
Jesus is called the Prince of Peace but Jesus Himself said He didn't bring peace but a sword that would divide even family members.

7.
​I have found hope to be somewhat hard to quantify. We can grasp what it is but it's harder to find its place in our life. It's one of the big three in the Bible: faith, hope and agape love. So it must be pretty important.
There are multiple verses about hope in the Bible.
Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit"
Shooting from the hip here I'd say hope is the glue that holds our beliefs in place until faith can appear.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
So when things get tough hope will keep you afloat. Never lose hope in God.

8.
​1 Kings 19:11-12
And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.
And after the fire came a still, small voice.
Next post: hearing the still, small voice of the Lord.

Hearing the voice of God (part 1)
There are two Greek words for “word” in the New Testament. They are logos and rhema. Logos is the written word, the Bible. Rhema is the spoken words which God “speaks” only to you for your particular situation. There are many good books and articles on hearing the voice of God. My purpose here is to lay the foundation so you can have confidence God wants to speak to you.
The Bible talks about having “ears to hear.” When you are born again through Jesus you are reconnected to God. You can get thoughts and affirmations you know are from God. For me, I can't hear rhema words by sitting down and trying. It usually happens in the normal course of my day. Something will just come to me. I read where God spoke to one lady through a picture in a calendar. I will say this, you need to be seeking God. The lady I just mentioned was seeking. And I believe it also helps to be pursuing what you feel God is calling you to do. God has given each of us things we are gifted at. That means He wants us to use them for His glory. So obviously He would want to speak to you in how best to use your abilities. The Bible has many examples of rhema such as about Paul: I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12
Next post: some examples of rhema in the Bible and their significance.

​Hearing the voice of God (part 2)
The following are three examples of logos and rhema in the Bible. The question you ask yourself: is this for all or just for me?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
This verse is talking about Jesus. Is Jesus meant for all or just you? For all, so this word is logos.
Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
This word is rhema. Which means faith comes to you only when you hear God speak to you something only meant for you. You accepted Christ not from the sermon but because God touched you somehow through the sermon. The sermon was logos. The touching was rhema. That's how important rhema is to your faith.
But Jesus answered, “It is written:
Man shall not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
This word is rhema. God's spoken words to us will never contradict the Bible. So logos is the foundation for rhema. But we are to live by rhema. This means living with one ear pointed to God. For example we know from the Bible not to steal but God will speak a rhema to us about something we didn't think was stealing but God did. But really it involves every area of our life. How to be blessed. How to handle adversity even when facing death. How to be a blessing to others. Christians should be examples of these things. Do we too often fail because we are trying to live too much by logos instead of rhema?
Bottom line: you need to hear from God to live as God intended. We all do. It's a necessity.
Next post: concluding remarks.
​
​Hearing the voice of God (part 3)
Concluding remarks:
“.... Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (last half of Luke 18:8)
Here Jesus was pointing out that we are to be consistent and persistent in our faith. The implication of this verse is that many may have lost their faith as the Last Days approach.
I believe the ones who will lose their faith are those who were living by logos and not rhema. They knew the Bible but not how to hear the voice of God. Let's be ready if the Lord should return today. Rhema gives me hope for the church. I believe God is calling forth rhema-led people and giving them the blueprint for how He wants the church to best minister to this present generation. Our God is a living God.
Final verse:
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. John 6:63
Logos or rhema?
The app Bible Hub has a Greek Interlinear Bible that makes it fairly easy to look up whether it is logos or rhema.
Answer to above question: rhema
The real key is wanting to hear from God. The Bible says seek and you will find. God throughout the Bible has always been moved by a heart hungry for Him. And you need to get with other seekers. I don't know if you will be successful otherwise.
From Revelation:
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.”
Even so, come Lord Jesus.

9.
​The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'” is a line from Psalm 14.
I would like to focus on the “in his heart” part of the above verse. I believe that although our human spirit is born dead to God because of sin it can still sense the Holy Spirit. One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to convict our heart of the reality of God and our need for Jesus. I believe each person has moments of conviction. It's those moments God will ultimately judge us on. The little grandmother who lives down the street from a church may be judged more harshly by God than Hitler, not that Hitler will be judged any lighter. God looks on the heart.
Each person when he or she is standing before God will know they had moments of conviction. No one can plead ignorance.
I think I have permission from God to add an additional verse to the one above:
The bigger fool says in his heart there is a God, and still refuses to bend the knee.

10.
​Addendum to my last post:
When I said the bigger fool knows there is a God and still will not bend the knee, we get a mental image of a slave being forced to kneel before a fierce warrior king. That's not an accurate picture.
When we bow before God we are acknowledging that it is He who made us and not we ourselves as the Bible puts it. Secondly we are acknowledging His right to have control over our life. You were never created to be in charge. You don't have the tools. What you do have is the ability to walk with God in relationship as Adam did before he fell. This is no small thing. Best I can tell it's something no other creature or being can do. Bible doesn't say or imply angels have that ability.
You will only be content when you are fulfilling the purpose for which you were created. That's another thing you're acknowledging by bending the knee. And it's not bowing before a stern master in blind submission. It's bowing before a loving Father because you have found Him to be faithful and true.

11.
​You're a dead man walking. We all are. Bible says why (sin) and what God did about it (Jesus).

12.
​No, science has not disproven the Bible, as science and religion address different questions; science explores the "how" of the natural world, while religion explores the "why" and meaning of existence. (AI)
I love AI. I suspect certain atheist scientists hate it. Don't let anyone tell you science has disproved the Bible. Science has disproved certain assumptions by overzealous Christians. No, the earth is not flat. Bible doesn't give enough details about plate tectonics, age of earth, fossil record, etc. But since God created it all there has to be a way they all reconcile with the Bible. We just don't have God's perspective.



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