tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35026521131814739272024-03-13T04:25:43.673-07:00God ElusiveSamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-33031550317068670412014-08-02T18:57:00.001-07:002021-07-04T17:47:28.245-07:00Marriage Equality<div style="text-align: justify;">
How does God feel about marriage equality? <br />
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If you speak to the majority of Christians they would say that marriage is between a man and a woman, and that it is a "God idea". </div>
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I'm now going to say something controversial, and will continue to throughout this particular blog entry. Most Christians have the wrong perception of God, based on fundamentalist untruths contained within their dogma and the fallible word of God.</div>
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Hmmmm, I've said the unthinkable, and being a Christian how on earth can I say that? Well, if you can lay aside your prejudices and read the words contained within this post, without adding any hidden meanings, or innuendo's, and ask me questions if you are unsure, then please read-on, but don't "judge the splinter in my eye", when the "plank in yours" is HUGE.</div>
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Ha! More stirring. But I feel that I need to convey to you how passionate I am about truly conveying the nature of our God, who is, the same "yesterday, today and forever". Who has been around always, more than the 16 billion years our universe has been around. God is way bigger than we could "ever hope or imagine", and the Bible was written by fallible "man", who is renown for interpreting God "inspired instruction" to suit their own ends.</div>
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Oopsie: there goes more stirring. But, let's get to the nuts and bolts of this blog;</div>
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I would like you to consider this;</div>
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1) Biologically speaking with are created to have sexual intercourse between a man and woman, for the purpose of procreation.<br />
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2) As human begins we are programmed with the compulsion to love. <br />
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3) We live in a world that is completely broken and most of the inhabitants don't enjoy a personal relationship with God, so His hands are tied when it comes to doing something about it.<br />
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4) Due to 3), our relationships and how we relate to one another is also broken, so even though as per 1), we are biologically created to procreate with male and female, our brokenness makes this impossible for many people. (consider the number of broken relationships you have had personally, or others in your world have had).<br />
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5) As per our compulsion to find love as per 2) our brokenness means that we find love where we find love.<br />
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Let me explain further; God never intended (and please bear with me as I am merely generalising) for sickness, He never intended for disabled people, His perfect plan for us and our planet was, well, perfection. Therefore, and I know that it is weird to equate sickness and being disabled with homosexuals and I am by no means wanting to upset or imply that they are the same, but all these things appear to be broken as per the biological intention of the creator (not that God created in the 7 day sense of the meaning - see other posts on this).<br />
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So, what I am saying is that homosexuality is perfectly acceptable in our broken world. <br />
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Jesus said, Love one another as I have loved you. How did He love us? Unconditionally, and without judgement. <br />
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Jesus stated clearly that He hasn't come to judge but to reconcile us to the Father. Jesus warned us not to judge others, and stated that if we do we will be judged, at the end of our time, according to the way we have judged. <br />
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Love each other. Accept each other. In our broken world God brings wholeness and unconditional love, but this only occurs within a relationship with God, which less will be able to experience and find if we continue to judge as they will continue to be repelled by the concept of God due to our display of Him.</div>
Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-43923706882076469872013-12-23T14:28:00.002-08:002021-10-02T20:45:43.793-07:00Pope Francis<div style="text-align: justify;">
God is the same yesterday, today and forever; He has been around forever. Think about that for a moment. </div>
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I don't think our minds can actually comprehend that concept. God has always been. He is not limited by time. Our universe is more than 16 billion years old, and continuing to expand at an astonishing rate. Even that blows my mind.</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Third Vatican Council concluded recently (the second was in 1962) with Pope Francis making a statement which has literally rocked the Catholic world (click the link on 'His words'). <a href="http://diversitychronicle.wordpress.com/2013/12/05/pope-francis-condemns-racism-and-declares-that-all-religions-are-true-at-historic-third-vatican-council/" target="_blank">His words</a> have highlighted that God is love, BUT more than that, he encouraged all faiths to look beyond their dogma and doctrine and see God for who He is.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One thing that has always baffled me is that if Christ called us to 'make disciples' and 'preach the good news' then He left the salvation of the planet up to us, and surely that would not be wise. He called us to reach His children, each and everyone of them. And regrettably, thus far, us Christians have done a poor job. This means that billions have never heard of the gospel, and billions living today may not hear it as they were born in cultures that are actively adverse to Christianity, or they have a different religious upbringing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So I've often wondered, and asked God, whether there is something more to salvation. Whether God, who loves each of us unconditionally, regardless, has another way to bring us into His presence when we die. He IS God. He IS eternal. His thoughts are higher and better than our own.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He knows our upbringing, and the culture or environment that we were born into; He knows the opportunities Christians have had to bring the 'good news' and whether they were able to effectively communicate His truth, or whether they disobeyed or failed to look beyond their judgment of those they were reaching. If the salvation of the world is left entirely up to us Christians to preach and walk in love and light and hope, then few of the percentage of the worlds population will be 'saved'. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'm not discounting Christ's words that ANYONE who calls upon His name shall be saved, but the message that Pope Francis is conveying is of a greater depth and compassion than I have ever heard from a Catholic Pope. His words may not be entirely accurate (I don't know), BUT his words contain truth. The truth of Gods love; the truth of Gods compassion, and that we, His children, should desire to love God and love one another in the same way.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The early Christian church separated into many factions almost immediately after Christ's ascension, and there are multiple 'flavours' of Christianity. There are also many religions. These different flavour's of Christianity and religious faiths all appear to have common elements. If God, in His infinite nature, cannot even vaguely be understood my humanity, then of course multiple cultures will have seen different facets of Him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Christ has set me free. He came to preach the good news, restore sight to the blind, set the captives free (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2061&version=AMP" target="_blank">Isaiah 61</a>). I have been healed from Schizophrenia & infertility, to name a few. Christ came to point us back to the Father, to reveal God's true nature. Think on that for a moment. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, I pray that Pope Francis' words speak life and hope and truth into the greater Church. </span></div>
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Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-21238786763837480952013-11-30T15:42:00.001-08:002013-11-30T15:42:03.958-08:00White Wine in the Sun (Son)
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tim Minchin released a song a few years back entitled "White Wine
in the Sun". I really love this song, it epitomises all of
Christmas, but it reflects on the concerns about Christianity. The lyrics
of which I have copied in italics throughout, cos I just really like them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<b>Verse 1: </b></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'm looking forward to Christmas</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's sentimental, I know, but I just really like it</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am hardly religious</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'd rather break bread with Dawkins than Desmond Tutu, to be
honest</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Christmas to me is firstly celebrating the
immeasurable love of God and the freedom He intended when He sent His son, who in turn points us back to the Father.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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Secondly, Christmas is a time for loved ones and family. Christmas is
such a tough time for the majority of people. When I examine the human
heart and all that it means to be human, most of us are lonely and longing for
connection. We have become isolated from each other due to past hurts,
and spend all of our time protecting ourselves from being hurt again.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But why does Minchin state that he would prefer to break bread
with Dawkins than Tutu? I think this predominantly has to do with Christian
prejudices toward the majority of each other (including other
Christians). As Christians, we tend to be more fundamental, more
judgmental, and more prejudicial than every other human being ['selah' - think
on this]. We use our Christian belief to impose rules and regulations on
most people we encounter, and particularly ourselves, boxing ourselves within a
requirement to behave properly. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dawkins appears to have an open dialogue, he appears to be a
person who is open to the opinions of others, listens to others perspectives
and he professes that if he is wrong on a matter, he will reconsider his
position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The scientific community is open to peer review, this doesn’t
seem to be the case in the Christian community. If you have a different opinion
on God, or Christ, or any aspect of your faith or the bible, you tend to, in
the first instance, be told in no uncertain terms that you are incorrect, and
then if your opinion doesn’t ultimately align with your fellow Christians, you
are ostracized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is NOT who God is.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Christ came to 'set the captives free', to 'heal the broken
hearted', 'to restore sight to the blind' (lacking understanding of God and who
He is); Isaiah 61. Freedom in Christ is professed throughout the
scripture, BUT smattered within these same 'new testament' scriptures are more
rules to abide by. These rules, as instructed by Paul or Peter, or
whomever it may be, can lead to a great deal of confusion. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One such example, is the requirement espoused by Paul in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2011:5-6&version=AMP"><span style="color: blue;">1 Cor 11:5-6</span></a> where women are admonished to cover
their heads, and if they do not they dishonour their husbands, which in turn
dishonours God. This is a directive from Paul. So why isn't this
scripture followed in most churches today, while the other rule-like
teachings within scripture are vehemently professed and proclaimed. This is a double
standard; and, the Bible is contradictory and complex.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A wise friend of mine said that Pauls' letters were written while he worked out his own Christian
journey, and learning more about God as he spent time with Him. He was originally a judge of the Christians, executing those who
professed Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While his radical
transformation revealed Jesus to him, how to live like Jesus was a progressive
revelation for him, and is evidenced in his letters. So Paul used the doctrine
and dogma of the Jewish faith to teach us how to live, as he was still working
out his own Holy Spirit inspired faith, and regrettably in some instances his teachings are counter-intuitive. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many things contained within the Bible are truth, SOME are not
and are written from the perspective of the author, based on their fallible
nature. I'm sorry to say this, but the Bible is NOT the infallible word
of God, whenever 'man' gets involved in the things of God, the true meaning can
be lost, or interpreted from the perspective of the person, which taints the original intention or meaning. So when Paul
teaches on wearing head coverings he's doing so because of the era in which he
lived.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The fallible word of God is a complex thing, something about which
I've wrestled with and chatted to God about over many, many years. I am
not professing that I know the whole truth, and that my understanding is correct,
but what I am suggesting is that as I ask God about specific things in the
bible which are contrary to His 'love' He will show me, through His Holy
Spirit and other scripture, the answers. And, if I don't hear Him correctly, or reason
(misinterpret) what He has said, I am confident that He will reveal that to me
in time. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Christ gave TWO commandments, and a stack of wisdom throughout
His teachings; Love God and one another. Simple. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All scripture is to be interpreted with the divine inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, the only way to develop a relationship with God is by
spending time with Him and thus increasing the presence of the Holy Spirit in
your life. And this relationship is built on love alone. When you
love God, you become more like Him, and His love is unconditional, and
non-judgmental. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<b>Verse 2:</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And yes, I have all of the usual objections to consumerism</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The commercialisation of an ancient religion</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And the westernisation of a dead Palestinian</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Press-ganged into selling Playstations and beer</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But I still really like it</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The "reason for the season" is quoted constantly by
church-goers, but is Christ compassionately reflected in their lives? Do
they love God AND love one another? </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If the truth be known, I don't think many Christians spend a lot
of time getting to know their Heavenly Father. They have
"second-hand" faith, which they have learned from others around them,
who have learned it from others around them, and so on ad infinitum, which
leads to living a Christian life with rules and regulations, rather than love
and compassion.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This second-hand faith is not founded on love; not love of God
and certainly not of others, and so again judgment is portrayed, or hypocrisy
in professing one thing and acting contrary. The presence and power of God, and
a relationship with Him changes you, slowly over time. It is a direct
result of a relationship with God. You don't need to 'try' to be
anything, you simply, as His spirit works through you and changes you, become
more like Him and less "works" focused and broken. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is the truth of Christmas, and so I understand Minchin’s
concern that it is focused on consumerism. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<b>Chorus:</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I, I really like Christmas</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Though I'm not expecting a visit from Jesus</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'll be seeing my dad</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum</span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They'll be drinking white wine in the sun</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'll be seeing my dad</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My sisters and brother, my gran and my mum</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They'll be drinking white wine in the sun</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He's not expecting a visit from Jesus. Why? The
next verses for me partly explains why.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Verse 3:</span></b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don't go for ancient wisdom</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don't believe just 'cos ideas are tenacious
it means they are worthy</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I get freaked out by churches</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Some of
the hymns that they sing have nice chords but the lyrics are dodgy [sic] </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[Should be
"spooky"]</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Christianity has some pretty horrific origins, the crusades', the
dogma of various flavours of Christianity which bind its followers to behave
and act in particular ways, and I'm not going to delve into these areas much
further, as all religions, and all peoples, conform in order to feel secure, and receive acceptance and feel that they belong to that group. Suffice to say, the way Christianity is portrayed is detrimental to
the truth of who God is. He is NOT sitting in judgment, or requiring you
to behave perfectly, this is far from the truth. We can "come as we
are" to God. The end. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His love, when it permeates through your being, and changes you
over time as you commune (spend time) with Him, will affect every area of your
life and you will become more like the person whom God originally intended you
to be. No longer broken, or carrying the weight or burden of your past,
or insecure, or any number of things. His love, casts our all fear, and
helps you realise that you are "<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+139:14&version=AMP"><span style="color: blue;">fearfully and wonderfully made, and marvelous are the works
of your [Gods] hands</span></a>". The key component of Psalm 139:14 is the
last line, which states that "my inner self knows right
well". </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So many of us, Christian or not, lack self-confidence, feel
insecure, in some cases hate who we are; being in a relationship with God
allows you to realise, again over time, to be comfortable with who you
are. God is NOT a magician and does wave His magic wand to change us; our
change occurs over time as we fellowship with Him and allow Him to 'heal' and
'refine' one area of our life at a time. God IS a gentleman, and He
gently leads us. BUT, He does instantly ignite the power of the Holy Spirit within us when we acknowledge Him. But this is HIS power, and so we can be confident that we are not required to do anything in our own strength.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So the spooky dogma of rituals aren't needed, and are in actual
fact counterproductive. It's all about relationship.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Verse 4:</span></b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And yes I have all of the usual objections to
the miseducation</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of children forced into a cult institution and
taught to externalise blame</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And to feel ashamed and to judge things as
plain right and wrong</span></i><span style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But I
quite like the songs</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
This last verse highlights the main arguments levelled at Christianity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Externalise blame? This area alone is complex and multilayered. Simply put, stop pointing the finger, or laying blame, or focusing on the perpetrator of your pain. Allow God to lead you on past the pain. Don't permit yourself to remain a victim, trapped in the pain. Acknowledge the pain, take the time to understand why it happened. But don't fixate on it. Allow God to heal you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When Jesus instructed us how to pray, "The Lords Prayer", He
told us to;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1) Acknowledge our Father - tell Him how magnificent He is and love on
Him</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2) Let your will be done on earth as in Heaven - not pray can I have
this or that....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3) Give us this day our daily bread - help me live today the best that I
can, and acknowledge that God will provide as long as you follow His lead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4) Forgive us, as we forgive - I'm human, I'm going to stuff up, and I
can obtain forgiveness. I forgive others because it sets me, and them, free from
the burden of our failings. In actual fact, the bible states that if you
don't forgive, God can't move in your life, He can't help you, His hands are
tied. [<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206:14-15&version=AMP"><span style="color: blue;">Matt 6:14-15</span></a>]. The other side of forgiveness is choosing not to act poorly in the first place, being mindful of those around you, but this is a whole other discussion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5) And lead me not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one - this
doesn't say, blame the evil one, or rebuke the evil one, or concern yourself
wholly with the evil one. It simply says; help me to navigate life and as
I focus on You [God], You will lead me, and guide my path [<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%2037:23&version=AMP"><span style="color: blue;">Psalm 37:23</span></a>].</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's interesting to consider that as Christians we are called to walk
with God, being led by Him, seeking His will in our lives. The bible
teaches that when we pray, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20cor%205:7&version=AMP"><span style="color: blue;">ACCORDING TO HIS WILL</span></a>, He will answer. The
only way we can know His will is to spend time with Him. If we walk
through life with God, I believe, there is no need to blame others for anything, as we will be living the life 'abundant' that God
promises while we're walking in step with Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus was followed by the multitudes, people hoarded around Him.
The only way He could refresh Himself was by disappearing to spend time with
God. The scriptures make regular reference to Jesus going to pray to the
Father in the secret place. Jesus' empowerment came from the Father. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I would like to encourage you to live a life focused on God, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206:33&version=AMP"><span style="color: blue;">seeking Him first</span></a>. Don't blame others for
anything, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20cor%2010:5&version=AMP"><span style="color: blue;">take captive your thoughts which are contrary to God</span></a>.
If you've been hurt, etc., I'm not suggesting that what you experienced wasn't
painful, or left lasting scars, and I'm certainly not minimising that
pain. Pain has to be acknowledged and worked through by the love of God
and with the help of those close to you. But, what I am encouraging you to do
is take the courage to focus on God and allow Him to heal your broken
heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Plain right or wrong" - this implies a judgmental attitude,
which as I've stated earlier, many Christians have. Living your Christian
life with rules [insert laws here] is counterproductive. Firstly, it binds
you to continually judge yourself, and live your life by striving to attain
some perfection, and secondly, you will judge others. There is no
condemnation in Christ Jesus. Everything in God refines down to
love, and walking in His love refines us over time, and changes us forever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love - it's the simple answer and truth. It is the heart of who
God is. Love is not jealous or boastful, or exerts itself above others to
the detriment of others [see <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%2013&version=AMP"><span style="color: blue;">1 Cor 13</span></a>]. Love is not selfish, but ALWAYS
see's the best in others, encourages others to be the best they can be, and is
who God is. I've written about 1 Cor 13 in a previous blog, so if in
doubt about who God is, look there, and perhaps start to spend more time with
Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be a true Christian, just like Christ, this Christmas. Or consider
what a true Christian is. Don't base your opinion of God on Christians
you've encountered, UNLESS they resemble and reflect Him in love.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I just really like [love] it [Him].</span></div>
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Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-91602809138384613892013-07-02T00:27:00.003-07:002013-07-02T00:27:56.279-07:00What is Love? - Part 5<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Originally posted: SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2008</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">V11: A child is immature and doesn't have much life experience. They tend to be rather naive in their outlook. However, when you become an adult a certain amount of wisdom and life experience gives you a better understanding and you tend to be more in control of your actions and thoughts. As an adult, we "know better" and live life accordingly. So as we mature in our faith and understand Gods love, we no longer live a life that is contrary to the meaning of love.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">V12: Whilst living a human existence, prior to being united in Heaven with God, we can partly understand Gods nature and love for us, but when we do pass on into eternity we will have complete understanding (this can refer to all things relating to God. Whilst still living on planet earth we can only gain a meager understanding of God - but will fully comprehend Him once in Heaven).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">V13: So three things are important to our Christian life; Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest of these three things is Love. So "Love" IS the most important aspect of our Christian life, it will allow us to live life to the full and be fruitful in everything that we do. This will be regardless of whether the outcome is as expected, as when we live out of the right motivation (love), His Will will be done (on earth as it is in Heaven), as we won't be focusing on our own motivations and concerns.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">So with Love as the foundation of our Christian life, Faith and Hope then appear to be secondary. The word says that faith gives substance to hope (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb%2011:1-3&version=AMP" target="_blank">Heb 11:1-3</a>), so what does this mean? In simple terms; faith provides us tangible evidence that what we are hoping for will be achieved. Please don't think, though, that faith allows you to get whatever you want, as living by faith means living according to Gods word (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt%206:32-34&version=AMP" target="_blank">Matt 6:32-34</a>; {paraphrased} seeking Him first and His righteousness and then all things being added). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">When we seek God first our motivations and desires align with God's will for our lives (they become our hopes and dreams).</span></div>
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Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-21417892654694145732013-06-26T14:15:00.000-07:002013-06-26T14:46:36.189-07:00Gay Marriage<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Love: the fundamental need of all human beings. The drive to find love is embedded within us all. Our world is broken; no need to develop that thought any further.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hurting people find love where they can. And if someone truly believes that they are gay, then what is wrong with them finding love and unifying. God looks beyond our sin and loves us regardless. His love casts out all fear, and a relationship with Him brings fullness of joy. BUT, the world can't access this revelation if we (Christians) are continually condemning and judging. Jesus said "love God" and "love one another". </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jesus wept with those that were hurting before he rebuked them, in love. Jesus had compassion FIRST. He felt their pain FIRST. Then after showing this compassion, and building a form of trust, He rebuked, but only out of love.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Please stop pointing the finger. Christ walked in love. He rebuked out of a position of trust, not from a pulpit preaching to the masses (or in a blog). Each encounter described in the New Testament where healing of any kind took place was on a one to one basis. Out of physical closeness, and relationship with Him. NOT from a pulpit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Christ came for ALL. And it's our job as Christians to represent Him well. Walking in love, not in judgement. Love first. Compassion first. Weep first.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">God heals. Out of a relationship with Him; through the power of His spirit edifying ours, change comes individually to all who seek Him. Judging and pointing the finger and proclaiming that people are going against the Bible, will only divide further.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Allow God to move. Allow God to rebuke and correct. But this only happens in relationship with Him, and you will alienate the majority of the world if you proclaim judgment of any kind, in lieu of Gods love.</span></div>
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Final Thought: Recounting scripture in the bible as judgment is effectively perpetuating the law; a set of rules and regulations, which when followed means you're a godly person. Christ came to set us free. We can now walk "boldly and confidently into the throne room of GRACE" and talk to God directly. Seek first His Kingdom and His righteous. Seek Him and become more like Him as you seek Him. Our only "job" as Christians is to walk in His truth and love. And only on the prompting of the Holy Spirit are we to rebuke, which brings conviction not condemnation.</div>
</span>Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-47195945674609607872010-01-30T01:05:00.000-08:002010-01-30T01:20:13.621-08:00Who is God Anyway? Part 4 - What is Love?<div>Originally posted: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2008</div><div>What is Love? - Part 4</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Continuing with the breakdown of 1 Corinthians 13 ;</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%2013:2&version=AMP">V2</a>: 2nd verse same as the first.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%2013:3&version=AMP">v3:</a> Regardless of the things I do; whether giving to the poor, serving the needy, even surrendering my life unto death, if I do any of these things without understanding and knowing Gods' love in me (which requires loving Him as He loves us) these things will achieve nothing and in the end be pointless. Loving Him as He loves us requires us to live according to the God-kind of love. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%2013:4&version=AMP">v4:</a> This verse starts describing the God-kind of love. It states that love is long-suffering, in other words it puts up with a lot and doesn't get upset easily. Love is patient and kind (these are self-explanatory). Love doesn't envy or get jealous, which means that we don't live wanting what we don't have and are content in every situation (also see <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians%204:11-13&version=AMP">Philippians 4:11-13</a>). </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally love doesn't show-off! Love doesn't make everything about itself, it does not need to be the centre of attention and be boastful about things that have been accomplished. All these attributes should be displayed by someone who is living with Gods' love. Living with an outward focused nature.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%2013:5&version=AMP">V5:</a> Describes the grace associated with love. It shows again that love is considerate of others and not wanting to promote itself, particularly over others. This verse describes love as not being selfish and seeking its own desires and wants, and that someone displaying this kind of love would not get upset easily but extend grace where needed (one characteristic of God is that He is slow to anger - <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2086:15&version=AMP">Psalm 86:15</a>). </div><div><br /></div><div>One of the most important things in this verse, I believe, is the last definition of love, which basically says that it keeps no account of any wrong done to it. Someone exhibiting the God-kind of love immediately forgives and moves on from any wrong done to them so that God can do like-wise (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%2011:25&version=AMP">Mark 11:25</a>). </div><div><br /></div><div>So the next time someone does something that upsets you or deliberately harms you, don't hold a grudge, let it go, forgive them and move on. This will ensure that you do not become bitter and resentful and may even shock the other person, who might end up asking why you are being so gracious, which will result in a testimony of your faith.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%2013:6&version=AMP">V6</a>: Love seeks justice and is glad when justice can be found. Love also doesn't seek pay-back or retribution.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%2013:7&version=AMP">V7</a>: Love is prepared to believe the best in everyone, to seek out the gold within someone and look past any imperfections or attitudes. Love is willing to go to the ends of the earth for a person, to believe in them regardless of where they have come from or what they have done in the past. </div><div><br /></div><div>Love puts up with ANYTHING. It puts up with any mistreatment, wrong-doing and any abuse (etc.) and continues to love. However, the discernment of the Holy Spirit in such circumstances will advise you if the relationship is doing more harm than good (this is a completely different topic and may be covered somewhere down the track).</div><div><br /></div><div>Gosh! These few verses give an insight into the true nature of God by expounding on the definition of love. This type of attitude towards others and living with this type of love, can at times seem like an overwhelming thing to live up to. </div><div><br /></div><div>BUT as you continue to love God His likeness rubs off on you and the more you CHOOSE to live this way and ignore your own 'feelings' or 'flesh' (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt%2016:24&version=AMP">Matt 16:24</a>) the better life you will lead, but more importantly the more people you will point to God as you will truly resemble Him.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next time I will finish off the rest of this Chapter and the description of love. I'm hoping that this is challenging you to live BIGGER and more in tune with Gods nature, to be true "living epistles". </div><div><br /></div>Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-27560323524464713502010-01-29T20:44:00.000-08:002010-01-29T20:50:48.162-08:00Deviation from Love - Barack Obama Speech<div style="text-align: justify;">Originally posted: FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2008</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've decided to deviate from my usual Blog this week as I came across an interesting speech made by Barack Obama at Martin Luther Kings' Church on January 20th 2008. I have included a link to this speech as he articulates rather well many of the points that I will be discussing within this Blog. The issues Obama discusses and how to deal with them accurately reflect Gods heart and His true nature.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't impress easily, but when I was first introduced to Mr Obama on The Oprah Winfrey Show some time last year (2007), I noticed that there was something different about him. Whatever he said, he appeared to say with true conviction and spoke with intention. He has written a book entitled The Audacity of Hope (hope to bring about change and not just wishful thinking). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He is currently battling Hilary Clinton for the Democratic Vote for the up-coming Presidential election in November of this year (2008) in the US. I believe that God is stirring something in the political arena's of the world, to truly place the Government upon His shoulders. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The linked video goes for approximately 34 mins, but if you are interested the video will give you an insight into Obama's heart and perhaps prompt you to pray over the election for Gods will to be done. Not necessarily that Obama will win, as this may not be Gods will, but that the issues discussed during this speech are continued to be, not only discussed, but policies put in place that will bring about change, permanent change and that Gods' will be done ("on earth as it is in Heaven"). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I will continue with "What is Love?" shortly but hope that Obama's speech stirs something in you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf0x_TpDris">Obamas' Speech</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PS: Obama is now the President and my opinion of him has changed (proof in the pudding etc.) however regardless of this the issues discussed are still relevant [30/01/2010].</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-20069527816904409252010-01-29T15:22:00.000-08:002010-01-29T20:42:03.803-08:00Who is God Anyway? Part 3 - What is Love?<div style="text-align: justify;">Part 3 - What is Love?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Originally posted: FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2008</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What is Love? Great lyrics for a song right?! Not trying to digress here, however the next line of lyrics in that famous song by Haddaway are “baby don’t hurt me…”. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think we have lost the true meaning of love in our lives. We now have the perception that to love someone means you will inevitably become hurt. We guard our hearts (and not in the biblical sense of guarding our hearts) so strongly that we no longer allow anyone into our imitate zone and keep people at a distance. Or, if we do allow them in, we expect them to hurt us and so when they do our deepest fears are confirmed and the wounds go deeper. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In relationships, another famous lyric from a song pops into mind, “what’s love got to do with it, but a second-hand emotion”. Is our perception of ‘love’ so jaded that we can’t even allow ourselves to love or be loved? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I feel that we actually use the words “I love you” as a throw away line and in some circumstances use this to get our own way in a situation. We have become desensitised to the true meaning of the word love and we can't accept it when someone says ”I love you”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think this lack of understanding of the true meaning of love has caused us to be ignorant of Gods’ true nature and what He means when He says He loves us. So lets go back to the basics of love. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What is love? To examine the God-kind of love further lets go to the Bible itself and explore Gods definition. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The whole of <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%2013&version=AMP">1 Corinthians 13</a> describes in detail Gods’ meaning of love and how this manifests in our lives. This chapter is so critical and I believe foundational to understanding love and how we are to live our lives based on this love. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The most fundamental part of this chapter is v13; And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the GREATEST of these is love. {CAPS mine} </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the break-down of 1 Corinthians 13 I will only refer to the verse number rather than including the verse, please select the verse link to get the detail. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%2013:1&version=AMP">V1</a>: Even if I can minister to people with words, prophetic or otherwise, but do not convey those words from a position of love, and love that person in the same way that God loved us first, then I am wasting my time. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even though the words that depart from my mouth may contain the mysteries of God, or may be designed to help the person, they will not mean anything to the recipient as they will be jaded by my intentions. The recipient just ends up hearing words without impact and you may as well be talking to the proverbial wall. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">People receive whatever is said to them from their perspective and translate the intent of the words conveyed based on their perception of the ‘tone’ used. They can also misinterpret what was said, even when said in love, due to their own insecurities etc. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So if the meaning can be lost when conveyed in love, how much more should we speak in love to ensure that we do everything in our power to correctly convey ourselves? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So our words have different meaning based on our tone and motivation. Telling someone about Jesus can be lost if the words used are conveyed by, for example, a judgmental attitude. In other words, speaking to anyone out of anything other than love, causes the meaning of your words to be lost and received completely differently to that which was intended.</div>Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-36549217253284638392010-01-26T02:28:00.001-08:002021-07-04T17:50:31.173-07:00The Heart of a Heartless World Part 1- Scott Mann<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">One of my professors wrote a text a few years ago providing an explanation of why God has been introduced into human society, thus proving that He doesn't exist. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">His premise, in simple terms, lies in two parts: one, as a means to control the masses and provide them with the hope of an afterlife, one that is significantly better than their current poverty; thus the church was created. And two, based on a Freudian principle that as young children the experience of being weaned from our mothers left us with a void that needed to be fulfilled by a replacement parental figure, our lives became consumed by striving to prove our self worth. Our failure to do well, or live up to our parental expectations, leaves us feeling guilty and desiring absolution, and this is cyclic.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">I have only just started reading this text and I hope to finish prior to my return to Uni in 5 weeks. But my first comment is: Fundamentally, this text does not consider the true nature of God and is only based on the way "man" (being human beings) have utilised the church over the millennia to oppress and manipulate the masses. This function of the Church is so far removed from Gods' intention that shedding light on the truth of Gods heart has become my commission. I hope that as Christians we start to "get it" (i.e. our true mandate). I believe that this is happening. I can sense something stirring. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;">Anyway, I'm still reading, but will dedicate this part of my blog to rebutting Professor Manns' text. He asked me for my opinion and so I will be honoured to provide my humble position.</span></span></div>Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-70206026238256064922010-01-04T22:39:00.000-08:002010-01-04T23:17:37.587-08:00So who is God anyway? Part 2<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing:1.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-USfont-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Originally posted: THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2008</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; line-height: normal; white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So who is God anyway? Part 2</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So why does God elude so many people? There is only one way to begin to know God and that is found in (</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208:31-32&version=AMP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">John 8:31-32</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">) “[Jesus said] If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. 32And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.” </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As in any relationship, knowing God is a progressive revelation and you encounter more of Him the longer you invest in that relationship. So why do many Christians live a life that in many ways is contrary to Gods’ Word and thus portray an incorrect image of God? </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I believe they have “left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me], your first love” </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rev%202:4&version=AMP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(Rev 2:4 AMP)</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. Love should be the foundational principle of the Christian life. </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205:2&version=AMP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ephesians 5:2</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> AMP states “[Walk in love] Therefore be imitators of God as dear children”. If we do anything without love, then we are ultimately bound to fail as only the love of God can sustain us, otherwise we just end up pretending, losing our focus and the motivation to continue. Fundamentally we are "fake" without "love".</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The purpose of our Christian life is to reflect a true image of God, so that people who may not know Him, don't want to know Him, or may be learning about God, can easily witness Him. As a result of our relationship with God, we live more productive and abundant lives [</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%203:20&version=AMP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ephesians 3:20</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">] and become “living epistles” (or examples of God and His Word), thus portraying Gods true nature. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Jesus, who was constantly questioned (more usually than not) in order to undermine Him, gave us a simple instruction on how to connect t0 God & connect people to Him (found in </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2012:30&version=AMP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mark 12:30</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> AMP); “And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment.” In context, this statement by Jesus was after a succession of questions by the Sadducees and Pharisees and was in direct response to a question posed by a Scribe (writer of the Law – The Kings’/Military Secretary). </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Pharisees and Sadducees were two of three main Jewish political parties at the time of Jesus and can be distinguished respectively as “formalists” and “freethinkers”, and they spent a fair amount of time questioning Jesus’ knowledge of the law, in order to catch him out. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The exact origin of the Sadducees is not clear, however it is supposed that at the time of the desecration of Solomons’ Temple, they bestowed the mantle of the “kings priests” upon themselves, expelling the incumbents (Hasmonean high priests). </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Sadducees denied that the “Oral Law” (The Pharisees believed in the Oral Law) was the revelation of God to the Israelites and believed only in the written Torah (it is believed that the “Oral Law” was obtained by Moses on Mount Sinai, in order to clarify the Torah). The Sadducees also denied the resurrection of the dead and did not acknowledge the after-life (again in opposition to the Pharisees). </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So the questions being posed to Jesus were based on the written law (the Torah). The Scribe, who himself was competently versed in the Torah and who is described in this verse as acknowledging Christs’ comprehensive understanding of the law, then took the conversation back to basics and asked “which commandment is first and most important of all [in it’s nature]?” [v. 28]. Jesus' simple answer = “love”. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So what is </span><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/love"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">love</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">? The Merriam-Webster online dictionary explains love as “strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties”. Christian theologians describe Gods’ love as agape love or self-sacrificing, unconditional love. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2014:36&version=AMP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mark 14:36</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">; </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208:15&version=AMP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Romans 8:15</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%204:6&version=AMP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Galatians 4:6</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> all refer to God as “Abba Father”, which is a term used to express deep, warm affection from the perspective of His children. So we are to love the Father as His children. Now you're perception of a father may differ greatly from that of the image of our Heavenly Father so I will attempt to paint a picture of God from His word, using the discussions of love in the new testament. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Pure love - Heavenly Father - Unconditional Love. These are concepts that many of us will find very hard to grasp. So I hope that you will allow me to reveal Gods heart and His nature to you. At some time in the future I also hope to gain understanding of why the majority of old testament portrayals of God seem to depict Him as vengeful & full of retribution, which contradicts the new testament description. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So how do we prove God exists? We do! Our lives do! The example we set and the abundance of our lives prove He exists. </span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502652113181473927.post-89531329749600708702009-05-24T16:36:00.000-07:002010-01-29T15:32:14.749-08:00Who is God Anyway? Part 1<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Originally posted 23 March 2008:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.0pt;line-height:19.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am a Christian. Not ashamed to say that nor would I hide the fact from anyone I encounter. My husband, on the other hand, is not and has recently completed reading Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion". The premise of the book is simply this; there is no proof that God exists, and so the conclusion is that He cannot. Richard Dawkin's seeks scientific proof of His existence. So the hypothesis "Does God exist?" must be proven using various 'real world' tests.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In conjunction with this publication, Richard Dawkins also completed a documentary entitled "Root of all Evil" in which he continues to 'prove' that there is no God by interviewing certain members of various religious groups and asking pertinent questions. The questions Mr Dawkin's poses are valid; some of which should be answered with sober thought and Godly wisdom. Others will always elude us as God never intended us to know "EVERYTHING".</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In the "Root of all Evil" Mr Dawkin's spends considerable time 'proving' his hypothesis that God and Religion cause more problems on the planet than they solve, and regrettably I would have to agree here. He states that God and religion are the reason(s) behind most wars and conflicts and if God truly exists then why does He allow these wars to continue? If God is all-powerful, Richard implies, then why doesn't He just immediately intervene and stop them?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The simple answer to this question is that God GAVE the human race dominion over the earth and He gave us free-will. Therefore, He simply cannot intervene as this would take away our free-will and the associated responsibilities that free-will gives us (i.e. to manage the planet and our lives wisely). He can, of course, intervene if we ask Him (now you may be thinking at this point, well lots of people pray etc.; but biblically God cannot help in your situation unless you have a 'real' relationship with Him and live according to His principles). </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So the next obvious question is WHICH God is the one true God? The Jewish, Muslim, Christian, New Age, Buddhist etc.???? As these various factions, flavours and versions of God have caused His followers to bicker amongst themselves, claiming that they are better than everyone else and right.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Mr Dawkin's raises serious questions. If God exists, why is there so much pain and suffering?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Why is the God portrayed in most of the Old Testament a figure of retribution and destruction, when Christ clearly states in His two New Testament Commandments "Love the Lord, with ALL your heart....." and "Love your neighbour as yourself" (i.e. treat the people you encounter in your every day life with the same respect you would like to be treated), and the New Testament talks about LOVE often throughout the text? </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Bible also states that God is the same, yesterday, today and forever, so therefore there cannot be a different version of God in the Old and New Testaments, they have to be the same. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">These are valid questions, and there are many, many more; and I believe that these in particular need answers, and regrettably our religious leaders are shying away from this type of probing. So does the standard Christian rhetoric that it takes a "leap of faith" cut it? Why do Christians act in a pious manner, judging others, when Jesus Himself said "take the plank out of your own eye, before examining the spec in your neighbours" (paraphrased) - basically don't judge (worse still Jesus goes on to say "Judge not, or you will be judged with the SAME portion that you judged others by [again paraphrased]).</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ultimately, my hope in this blog is to explore some of the God Questions. Why does God elude us? Why do different 'flavours' of the same religion (particularly Christianity which includes, but is not limited to, Catholicism, Anglican, Baptist, Assemblies of God), have different perspectives on Gods nature and the Bible itself. Why do, for one example only, Catholics pray to Mother Mary, when the Bible clearly states to pray to the Father directly, in the righteousness of Jesus (He died for our sins, and so we are able to come directly before the Father) by the Holy Spirit (i.e. not just speaking idly with our own words but relying on the Holy Spirit to intercede - again, hopefully I may be able to explain things further as this blogs progresses)?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is little proof that God exists and none of this proof satisfies the scientific community. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So who is God? Jesus taught that God is love. He is our Father (in the purest sense of the word, Father) and He loves us unconditionally (unconditionally means without condition, so we cannot prove ourselves to God, we do not need to do anything [strive], other than love Him and have a relationship with Him, it is by grace alone). Getting to know God takes building a relationship so that He becomes less elusive over time. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This takes a commitment on our part to acknowledge Him and seek Him, thus the ultimate proof that Atheists require can never be attained as they may never reach the decision to "get to know Him", and thus find Him. However, with my meager understanding, coupled with the lessons I've learned in my walk with God, I hope that I may start to dispel some of the mystery.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Georgia;color:#2A303A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Samshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08696275707169066271noreply@blogger.com0