Beyond sight by Gary Rose

From the parallel sand waves at the bottom of the picture, you can tell that the disturbance at the water’s surface is a wave headed for shore. That fish probably has no idea what is going on, much less what land or sky is. How much humans are like that fish; we see things around us but often do not understand the whole story. God’s creation is both complex and wondrous and over time human beings have come to know a great deal about it. Yet, there is another side to God’s handiwork, a side unseen by human eyes…

Creation is more than just what we can see

Colossians 1 (World English Bible)

¹² giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;  ¹³ who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;  ¹⁴ in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins;  ¹⁵ who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  ¹⁶ For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him. (emphasis added)

A Spiritual realm exists, invisible to our eyes, yet real. I know this because the Bible says so and that is enough for me. And not all of that spirituality is good; for some of God’s wonderful creation have turned from following God (specifically Satan and his rebellious angels) and war against their creator and the summit of the Almighty's creation, mankind. Turning once again to the Bible, it says…

We are in a spiritual battle

Ephesians 6 (WEB)

 ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  ¹² For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.(emphasis added)  ¹³ Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.  ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  ¹⁵ and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace;  ¹⁶ above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.  ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;  ¹⁸ with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints: 

If you love God and try to faithfully follow him, you will be hated by evil. But God just won’t leave us hanging there, without help, he has given us spiritual armor. Its up to us to use what our heavenly father has given us and to fight back against whatever evil comes our way. But even if we fall short of using everything God has given us for our protection, there is more than just the armor of listed in Ephesians chapter 6, much more. Consider the following verse…

We have Jesus with us

Romans 8   (WEB)

³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

We may fail, but Jesus never will, believe that because its both true and right. If God is for us who can prevail against us. There is no power in any realm (physical or spiritual) that is greater than Christ Jesus our Lord. Some day we will see all of God’s creation with resurrected eyes, but until that day let us take heart that all the things mentioned so far are true. Yet, evil seems too powerful and we just not strong enough to overcome. Turning to the old testament, we are given an example of a revelation of the spiritual realm and its interaction with our own physical world…

Do not be afraid, numbers are irrelevant

2 Kings 6    (WEB)

  ⁹  The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you not pass such a place; for the Syrians are coming down there.”  ¹⁰ The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice.  ¹¹ The heart of the king of Syria was very troubled about this. He called his servants, and said to them, “Won’t you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?” 

  ¹²  One of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 

  ¹³  He said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” 

It was told him, saying, “Behold, he is in Dothan.” 
  ¹⁴  Therefore he sent horses, chariots, and a great army there. They came by night, and surrounded the city.  ¹⁵ When the servant of the man of God had risen early, and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 

  ¹⁶  He answered, “Don’t be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  ¹⁷ Elisha prayed, and said, “Yahweh, please open his eyes, that he may see.” Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha. (emphasis added) ¹⁸ When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” 

He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 

I await with eagerness a revelation of the true nature of all reality, just like the eyes of the young man that Elisha prayed for. When this does happen, I pray that you will rejoice with me for God’s true greatness will be revealed at the same time.

Then, we will know not only lies above that wave in the picture, but above the heavens as well. I can only wonder at the beauty I will see.

Bible Reading February 6, 7 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading February 6, 7 

World English Bible

Feb. 6

Genesis 37

Gen 37:1 Jacob lived in the land of his father's travels, in the land of Canaan.

Gen 37:2 This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father.

Gen 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colors.

Gen 37:4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn't speak peaceably to him.

Gen 37:5 Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more.

Gen 37:6 He said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:

Gen 37:7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf."

Gen 37:8 His brothers said to him, "Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?" They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words.

Gen 37:9 He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, "Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me."

Gen 37:10 He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?"

Gen 37:11 His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.

Gen 37:12 His brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.

Gen 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, "Aren't your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them." He said to him, "Here I am."

Gen 37:14 He said to him, "Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again." So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

Gen 37:15 A certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, "What are you looking for?"

Gen 37:16 He said, "I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock."

Gen 37:17 The man said, "They have left here, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.' " Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan.

Gen 37:18 They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.

Gen 37:19 They said one to another, "Behold, this dreamer comes.

Gen 37:20 Come now therefore, and let's kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil animal has devoured him.' We will see what will become of his dreams."

Gen 37:21 Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, "Let's not take his life."

Gen 37:22 Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him"--that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.

Gen 37:23 It happened, when Joseph came to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him;

Gen 37:24 and they took him, and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it.

Gen 37:25 They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

Gen 37:26 Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

Gen 37:27 Come, and let's sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh." His brothers listened to him.

Gen 37:28 Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt.

Gen 37:29 Reuben returned to the pit; and saw that Joseph wasn't in the pit; and he tore his clothes.

Gen 37:30 He returned to his brothers, and said, "The child is no more; and I, where will I go?"

Gen 37:31 They took Joseph's coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.

Gen 37:32 They took the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, "We have found this. Examine it, now, whether it is your son's coat or not."

Gen 37:33 He recognized it, and said, "It is my son's coat. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces."

Gen 37:34 Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

Gen 37:35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, "For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning." His father wept for him.

Gen 37:36 The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard.

Feb. 7

Genesis 38

Gen 38:1 It happened at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

Gen 38:2 Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her, and went in to her.

Gen 38:3 She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.

Gen 38:4 She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.

Gen 38:5 She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him.

Gen 38:6 Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

Gen 38:7 Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him.

Gen 38:8 Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to your brother."

Gen 38:9 Onan knew that the seed wouldn't be his; and it happened, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.

Gen 38:10 The thing which he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he killed him also.

Gen 38:11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;" for he said, "Lest he also die, like his brothers." Tamar went and lived in her father's house.

Gen 38:12 After many days, Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite.

Gen 38:13 It was told Tamar, saying, "Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."

Gen 38:14 She took off of her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn't given to him as a wife.

Gen 38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

Gen 38:16 He turned to her by the way, and said, "Please come, let me come in to you," for he didn't know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"

Gen 38:17 He said, "I will send you a kid of the goats from the flock." She said, "Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?"

Gen 38:18 He said, "What pledge will I give you?" She said, "Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand." He gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.

Gen 38:19 She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Gen 38:20 Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, but he didn't find her.

Gen 38:21 Then he asked the men of her place, saying, "Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?" They said, "There has been no prostitute here."

Gen 38:22 He returned to Judah, and said, "I haven't found her; and also the men of the place said, 'There has been no prostitute here.' "

Gen 38:23 Judah said, "Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this kid, and you haven't found her."

Gen 38:24 It happened about three months later, that it was told Judah, saying, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute; and moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution." Judah said, "Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."

Gen 38:25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "By the man, whose these are, I am with child." She also said, "Please discern whose are these--the signet, and the cords, and the staff."

Gen 38:26 Judah acknowledged them, and said, "She is more righteous than I, because I didn't give her to Shelah, my son." He knew her again no more.

Gen 38:27 It happened in the time of her travail, that behold, twins were in her womb.

Gen 38:28 When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This came out first."

Gen 38:29 It happened, as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out, and she said, "Why have you made a breach for yourself?" Therefore his name was called Perez.

Gen 38:30 Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

Feb. 6, 7

Matthew 19

Mat 19:1 It happened when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan.

Mat 19:2 Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.

Mat 19:3 Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?"

Mat 19:4 He answered, "Haven't you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,

Mat 19:5 and said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall join to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?'

Mat 19:6 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don't let man tear apart."

Mat 19:7 They asked him, "Why then did Moses command us to give her a bill of divorce, and divorce her?"

Mat 19:8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so.

Mat 19:9 I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery."

Mat 19:10 His disciples said to him, "If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry."

Mat 19:11 But he said to them, "Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given.

Mat 19:12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it."

Mat 19:13 Then little children were brought to him, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.

Mat 19:14 But Jesus said, "Allow the little children, and don't forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these."

Mat 19:15 He laid his hands on them, and departed from there.

Mat 19:16 Behold, one came to him and said, "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"

Mat 19:17 He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."

Mat 19:18 He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, " 'You shall not murder.' 'You shall not commit adultery.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not offer false testimony.'

Mat 19:19 'Honor your father and mother.' And, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "

Mat 19:20 The young man said to him, "All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?"

Mat 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."

Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.

Mat 19:23 Jesus said to his disciples, "Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty.

Mat 19:24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God."

Mat 19:25 When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"

Mat 19:26 Looking at them, Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Mat 19:27 Then Peter answered, "Behold, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?"

Mat 19:28 Jesus said to them, "Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Mat 19:29 Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.

Mat 19:30 But many will be last who are first; and first who are last.

Chapter 12 NAMES AND TITLES by CA Feenstra

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Feenstra/C/A/1931/ch12.html

Chapter 12

NAMES AND TITLES

Q. Does GOD'S WORD teach that we are to do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus and that we are to glorify God in His name?

"And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Col. 3:17

"But if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name." I Pet. 4:16

"And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved." Acts 4:12

"And he (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he (Jesus) might have the preeminence." Col 1:18

Q. If GOD'S WORD teaches that we are to do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus and that we are to glorify God in His name, why do men call themselves, their children, and all things by the name of a mere sinner whose body has returned to dust?

Q. Why do they use "Calvinist"?
"Young Calvinist"?
"Young Calvinist Federation"?
"Young Calvinist magazine"?
"Calvinist Conventions"?
"Young Calvinist Rallies"?
"Calvin Cadettes"?
"Calvinettes"?
"Calvin church"?
"Calvin college"?
"Calvin seminary"?
"Calvin grade schools"?
"Calvin high schools"?

Q. What does GOD'S WORD teach concerning the use of religious titles by those who claim to be God's children?

"Then spake Jesus... saying...
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, even he who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted." Matt. 23:1-2, 8-12

Q. As used in GOD'S WORD, to whom only does the term "Reverend" refer?

"Holy and reverend is his (God's) name. The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom..." Psalm 111:9-10

Q. Is the use of the religious title "Reverend", any less presumptious and less God dishonoring that the titles of "Pope" and "Father"?

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Fruit of the Spirit – Love (Part 1) (By Ben Fronczek)

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=1479

Fruit of the Spirit – Love (part 1)

Fruit of the Spirit – Love   (Part 1)

(By Ben Fronczek)

We are told that we are created in the very image of God. Since God is a spirit, so are we. In creating us, God also gave us a soul. When David wrote about God knitting us together in our mother’s womb, He actually put together an amazingly complex piece of work in each of us; one that is a spirit, with an individual soul, in a equally unique body for each of us.

By no means are we like an assembly line robot punched out in a cookie cutter fashion. Even though we all take a human form, either male or female, we are still unique and custom made according to God’s own design. When we come out of the womb and enter this world, I do not believe that we come out as a blank slate or with an empty mind. Rather I believe that we have been pre-programmed with information by God Himself.

God pre-programmed our flesh to function and take care of itself to some degree. I also believe that He pre-programmed our soul (that is our mind and being) with some of His own attributes. For example we have faith, hope, and demonstrate and feel love even a a very young age and it grows and matures as we grow older. We also love peace and sense the need for good morals and to some degree we know the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. We also seem pre-programmed to nurture and take care for things. We also seem to have this uncanny urge to create, investigate, and learn more and more; which seems to lead us to back to Him. I don’t believe that we are born with a totally blank slate.

Unfortunately when sin entered the world, many things that were meant to be used and utilized for our good got twisted around. But thank God He stepped into our history and our personal lives to help us sort things out and lead us back down the right path. That’s why Jesus said, “I am the way.”  Way to what? The way to get us back on that right path, and back to our Father.

He not only saved us from our self and our sin, He quite literally stepped into our life by sharing His own spirit with us to help us along.

Sort of reminds me of a computer. We buy a new computer. And when its bran new, its fresh, its clean or uncorrupted. But the more we use it and interact with the world on the world wide web, it has a tendency to get messed up and polluted with viruses and garbage that attacks some of the computer’s primary programs and it is left corrupted.

When that happens to my computer I have to take it over to the Geek Squad at the Best Buy store to fix it and clean out all the garbage. They usually do so by inserting a new program that cleans it out and helps protect it from future attacks.

When we returned to our maker, God, and accepted Jesus as our Lord, He cleaned us out. And rather than putting a new program in us to help protect us, He Himself entered us, that is His Spirit entered us to help us perform better and better if we choose to run with Him.

Even though we were once corrupted with sin, now we can daily take advantage of going back to the source to help us stay on track and even grow stronger.

As you know, we are not computers. We are a spirit with a soul that has the freedom to choose to utilize and enjoy His own attributes or not. We can choose to grow in these areas or to continue walking in the flesh which is contrary to the way of the Spirit. We are free to choose what fruit we shall bear.

As for me, I choose to learn more about and grow and walk in the way of the Spirit. I hope that you choose that path as well.

In the next few lessons I want to talk about some of these attributes which the Apostle Paul describes as, ‘fruit of the Spirit’.

The first and most important fruit, or natural by-product of God’s Spirit which He would like to see us develop in our life is God-like Love.

I stress God-like love because love is a very complex term describing a number of different feelings and behaviors.

We have a number of different words translated love from the Greek language, in our English Bibles. For example: Eros (έρως) means passionate love or sexual desire.   Philia (φιλία) means friendship or brotherly love. Storge (στοργή) means “affection”, like that felt by parents for their children.

But God-like love is very special. The Greek word agape is used here in the text. It is a very unselfish kind of love. It is always seeking the other person best, even though at times we may not feel very passionate about what that person is doing.

It’s not about giving in to, or always going alone with this person. It’s not about being gentle and pussy-footing around someone so you don’t hurt their feelings when they are doing something foolish, wrong or ungodly. It’s all about really caring for them and doing what you think is best for them even if it means you have to confront or discipline them.

Scripture teaches us that God disciplines those He loves. In Proverbs 3:13 it says; ” My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”

So sometimes agape love means that we have to confront someone because that may be what they really need.

Most of the time we don’t like to punish or discipline or confront others; including our kids. It can be very hard on us. Doing so can sometimes hurt us more because we know it will cause them pain. But we do it anyway because we love them and know it’s the right thing to do. And if we don’t do something we know it could lead to a worst problems in their future.

Going out of our way to correct or discipline someone we love is never an easy thing to do, especially when it comes to adults. Such a confrontation may stress you out. You may have to endure an argument, some hostility, some rejection and that hurts, especially when you know that you are telling the person, or giving them what they really need.

So this God-like love, agape love; can cost us something of our self. It may involve a major sacrifice on our part to help the other person. It may even hurt us but we do it anyway.

Or this kind of love may simply involve going out of your way to do something nice for someone; whether it is giving words of encouragement, sending someone a card, calling someone on the phone, or literally helping someone do something. It may just involve making yourself available, supporting someone with your presence. Sometimes words won’t even need to be said. Or it may just cost you something as simple as a hug, a gentle touch, or even a smile… whatever. Or it may even cost you financially. But in the end you believe it’s worth it all to bless the other person and seek their best.

Isn’t that what God did for each one of us? Isn’t that what He continues to do for us still? The very fact that He sent His son into the world to save us cost Him probably more than we will ever know. Why did He do it?

Because He loves us and He wanted to save us from Hell, seeking out our best and bringing us home one day. And for Him, for some reason what ever it cost, He thought it was worth it.

And now His Spirit who lives in us wants to help us reach a point of maturity whereby we will love others to the same degree. This kind of love is just the most obvious and most important natural by-product (or fruit) of the Spirit and living the Spirit filled life.

I personally believe that all of the other fruit of the Spirit (joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness), if they are going to be seen in us, they hinge on our ability to love like this, like God.

Think about it, could you really have inner peace, or Joy in your heart, or patience for others, could you be kind or gentle and faithful without having love?

The Spirit of God wants to help you learn to love that much.

I’m sure the devil wants to prevent you from even caring for others. He will always have you put yourself and your needs before others. But that’s what Paul calls the way of the flesh or acts of the flesh, which are selfish.

Want to drive the devil crazy and foil some of his plans? Then make a commitment each day to love others the way God would love them if He were in our place. That will drive the devil up the wall. Because there is nothing more powerful, and nothing more God-like in this world than this kind of Love.

In Mark 12:30-31 when asked what is most the important of all Jesus said to 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

1 John 3:16-18 John wrote “16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”  That’s Agape!

Do you want to demonstrate the power of God in this world, in this generation and in your own home and put the devil at bay? Then each day when you wake make a commitment to love others. Do what you believe is best for people you come in contact with. If you are not sure what that is, turn to God and pray and ask for His wisdom as you deal with the individual. And then be strong.

Are We “100% Sure” Goldilocks Planet has Life? by Kyle Butt, M.Div.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=3756

Are We “100% Sure” Goldilocks Planet has Life?

by	Kyle Butt, M.Div.

Associated Press science writer Seth Borenstein recently reported on a new planet that seems to be in what scientists call the “Goldilocks zone.” What is the “Goldilocks zone?” Very few places in our Universe maintain conditions that are suitable for life. One of those conditions is that liquid water must be present. The “Goldilocks zone” is a specific distance from any star that is “not too hot, not too cold. Juuuust right,”—a situation that allows water to remain in its liquid form (Borenstein, 2010). According to atheistic, evolutionary ideas about the origin of the Universe, in theory, there should be hundreds, thousands, or even millions of planets in our Universe that maintain conducive conditions for life to “begin.” In fact, we are incessantly informed by the media and the scientific community that it is just a matter of time before we discover other planets where life has evolved from non-living chemicals. One would think, according to the propaganda about life arising in other places, that a little liquid water and a few amino acids thrown together will inevitably produce life.

Thus, we have a report of the first Earth-like planet that could possibly “support life.” The planet, labeled Gliese 581g, is the sixth planet from a dwarf star named Gliese 581. Borenstein described the planet in the following way:

It is about three times the mass of Earth, slightly larger in width and much closer to its star—14 million miles away versus 93 million. It’s so close to its version of the sun that it orbits every 37 days. And it doesn’t rotate much, so one side is almost always bright, the other dark. Temperatures can be as hot as 160 degrees or as frigid as 25 degrees below zero, but in between—in the land of constant sunrise—it would be “shirt-sleeve weather,” said co-discoverer Steven Vogt (Borenstein, 2010).

Gliese 581g is of interest, then, because there is a chance that it could have liquid water on its surface. Of course, as Borenstein noted: “It’s unknown whether water actually exists on the planet.” What, then, is so important about liquid water, as opposed to any other constraints that are necessary for life to survive? Vogt said that “chances for life on this planet are 100 percent” since “there always seems to be life on Earth where there is water.” Wow! Look at that reasoning. This new planet might have some water, so we are 100% sure there is life on the planet. We are not even 100% sure it has water. How in the world could we be sure it has life?

The false idea that finding liquid water is the equivalent of finding biological life is easy to debunk. Take some water, kill all the microscopic organisms in it so that no life exists. Add any amino acids or “building blocks” of life that you want, then shock the mixture, blow it up, heat it, cool it, or whatever else you want to do, and see if you get life. News flash—you don’t get life! Louis Pasteur proved that almost 150 years ago (Butt, 2002). Yet Vogt boldly stated: “It’s pretty hard to stop life once you give it the right conditions” (as quoted in Borenstein). And what, pray tell, are the right conditions? Vogt can’t tell you, and neither can any other human alive. Water is certainly not “the right conditions” for life, because we can supply water to any mixture of non-living chemicals all day long for the next 20 billion years and not get life.

What, in reality, are the “right conditions” for life to begin? There is really only one: an intelligent Creator must superintend the process. “In the beginning was water,” will not produce life. But “in the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth,” will supply the necessary condition for life on Earth or any other planet—God. Beware of the false assumptions that fill the media and “scientific” discussions of other planets and life in outer space.

REFERENCES

Borentstein, Seth (2010), “Could ‘Goldilocks’ Planet Be Just Right for Life?”, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100929/ap_on_sc/us_sci_new_earths.

Butt, Kyle (2002), “Biogenesis—The Long Arm of the Law,” http://apologeticspress.org/articles/1769.