"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."
Richard, I will leave off for now. Your turn-tag you're it-so to speak. This is delightful to do this with you. Thank you. God is the only One who is truly worthy of our attention, study, and worship. Glory, honor and praise to Him!
".. because they compassions fail not; They are new every morning: Great is Thy faithfulness." So, so thankful!
For "G" I think that God is GOOD:
Only God is truly good, without any lack of goodness, nor does He have any evil in Him. He is perfectly, eternally good. There is no one truly good beside Him as Jesus said in Mark 10:18.
Romans 3:12 says that there is no one who does good, all of us have sinned and fall short of the good that is who God is. His goodness is the mark that we fall short of.
In Genesis 1 we see that all that God created was good. It was truly good, but not perfected as He is perfect. Satan and mankind were able to sin, but God had this in mind when He made the Everlasting Covenant within the Godhead before creation. His aim in creating was to perfect a people for Himself in eternity for all eternity so that, with the angels, we will forever do His will, love one another, worship God in the way He deserves, and sing of His goodness forever.
2Chr. 7:3 says that God is good; His love endures forever. How comforting it is to know that God will never do to us what is wrong! see Ps. 119:68-the Lord is good and all that He does is good. Ps. 145:9 says that the LORD is good to ALL!
Ps. 100:5 attests that the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures through ALL generations.
So knowing that God is truly Good all the time, we, who have been made sons and daughter of God by the Holy Spirit through the work of His Son, ought to seek what is good and hate what is evil. We should avoid company that would lead us into sin, situations that will tempt us to do evil. We should live as one who has been set free of the slavery of our sinful nature and live for God, being slaves to righteousness. We cannot earn our way to God with good deeds, but we are to live as He wants us to, and that is to do what is good and righteous, godly and God-honoring. We should despise our sins and flee evil, resisting Satan.
He is forever faithful. Deut. 7:9 says He is the faithful God. Psalm 33:4 says that He is faithful in all He does. And Ps. 89:24 says that His love is faithful. Ps. 145:13 says that the LORD is faithful to all of His promises.
1 Cor. 1:9 says that God is faithful (see also 1 Cor. 10:13. 1 Thess. 5:24 and 2 Thess. 3:3 firms that God is faithful and will keep us and establish us in our life in Christ. Even if we are unfaithful to God, He remains faithful because He cannot deny Himself-
2 Tim. 2:13
1 Peter 4:19 says we can commit our self to our Faithful Creator when we suffer. And 1 Jn. 1:9 says God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And gloriously in Rev. 19:11 Jesus is called Faithful and True.
So we can depend on God's faithfulness because it is true and trustworthy. It never fails and is never withdrawn or disappears. Nor does it this faithfulness ever deceive us as being unfaithful when He says He is faithful because God cannot be what He is not. Ps. 36:5 and 57:10 say His faithfulness reaches to the skies. It is immeasurably reliable.
Ps. 89:8 says:
"O LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You." It is part of His glory that comes from His essence. Ps. 117:2 says His faithfulness endures forever.
Is. 25 :1 says
"O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." God's faithfulness and truth cannot be separated, they are aspects of His Essence which is not divided up into separate attributes; all His attributes are unified in His One Essential Nature.
Is. 42:3 says that in His faithfulness He will bring forth justice. So true justice comes from His faithfulness to Who He is.
I love Lamentations 3:21-23:
"This I recall to my mind., therefore I have hope. It is of the LORD's mercy that we are not consumed,
Our best teacher and educator is the Word of GOD. We need not copy the failures of others to learn. Trust in the LORD and HE will bring it to pass.
Insanity is doing something repeatedly that clearly doesn't work, but expecting a different outcome. We have the wisdom of the LORD GOD in us through HIS HOLY SPIRIT, HIS preserved word in our hands and heart, HIS presence as HE promised; privilege of prayer; saints around us that we may be encouraged as we worship and praise the LORD together.
God has dominion over all things. He allows things to occur that are sinful, but does not lose control of anything. He determines boundaries of nations, natural things like the sea, and the rise and fall of kingdoms, governments, and peoples. Nothing gets "out of hand" for Him. he can bring glory out of dire circumstances, preservation in trials, blessing where things around are falling apart, and can humble whomever He wishes. Job 26 speaks of His dominion. Ephesians Ch. 1:19-22 tells us that God has dominion over ALL things in Christ, having put all powers under His feet.
Daniel 4:2-3 says:
"I though it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought towards me. How great are His signs! and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation (for all time and eternity).
Also see, Daniel 7:14
For "E" I think of ETERNAL" AND "EVERLASTING" and "EXISTANCE" "ESSENCE"
God has always existed. He, Himself is the only Self-Existing One (I Am Who I Am) His Essence is Life and Eternal Existence. he does not drive His life nor His existence from outside of Himself and it was never created. He just IS, period. Therefore, he cannot have a beginning nor end, But is, Himself ETERNITY. There is no aspect of eternity that is not God. Our eternal life is given to us by God as we live IN Him. And once we receive His Eternal Life it is Everlasting like He is. The difference in our existence from His is that we have a beginning and our life came from Him. The difference in our eternity is that we cannot have Eternal Life apart from Him. From everlasting to everlasting He is God ( Neh. 9:5; Is. 40:28; Hab Gen. 1:12
God is the Eternal God, Gen. 21:33; Jer. 10:10; Ps.93:2
His ways are eternal-Hab.3:6. See 1 Tim. 1:17. He is the true God and eternal life- 1 Jn. 5:20.
How comforting it is to now that we will never be without God!
I was thinking of God's compassion as I was out doing errands this morning. The verses you cited came to my mind.
God's caring ways towards ruined mankind is touching. His compassion does not fail us. He looks upon us in our ruined state and desires to "gather us under His wing" as Jesus stated about Jerusalem (and the Jewish people of His time, knowing what lied ahead in the destruction coming in 70 A.D.) He stated that they would not come to Him and therefore could not be gathered under His wing (salvation). But, although God knew that the Jews would reject His Son, He still had compassion on them in their sorry state. His compassion moves Him to draw us to Him for salvation, for salvation is the only remedy for our sinful state to be rectified. And, most of all, it is Him who we need the most. Coming to God through Jesus having been drawn by the Father is the most compassionate thing He does for us.
With regards to Covenants: I think of the Everlasting Covenant made within the Godhead before creation for the saving of mankind from sinfulness and its effects in order for us to be in union with Him. How wonderful is this Covenant! To think that this agreement was made before all things were made shows that God never intended to leave us in our sin, but to save us and to keep us is free with eternal life forever. This Covenant endures forever between the Godhead and between God and us who believe. God, in His great wisdom, thought that allowing for sin to be birthed in Satan, His angels, and mankind was the best way to show the glory of His sovereignty, power, love, and ability to make new what has been ruined beyond repair unless He does the work of redemption. We think that it would be better if there was never any sin, but God knows better in deeper and more intelligent and wise ways than we could every imagine.
God's attributes (D through G); Divinity; Essence; Father; God
These characteristics all are involved with the Trinity to some respect; but we will not attempt to "parse out" specific attributes related to any member of the Godhead in this posting but get into general characteristics here unique to the Lord. Divine has a sort of untouchable royalty associated with the sentiment behind the meaning; which of course sort of fits in with the "essense" generally of His precence. Father and God also are pretty well interchangeable as to our designation of the almighty Lord.
Divinity: God is high and exalted but not remote. Isaiah 57:15 states: "For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: 'I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.' Philippians 2:7 shows how Christ emptied Himself from divine form and became a servant. Divinity is used in a handful of other verses as well; but we understand the condescension Christ did for our behalf as part of the "Divine counsel" ( Psalm 82:1).
Essence: To sum God up would bring unique characteristics (the three "O"s-omnipresence; omnipotence and omniscience which will be discussed later in the O section). God is to be worshipped in "Spirit and truth" ( John 4:24). He also came bodily and we must believe He came in the flesh ( 1 John 4:2) to have saving faith; thus we don't adhere to a "gnostic" gospel. His Godhead is important and apparently evident from creation (King James version Romans 1:20) which also BTW mentions His Divine nature.
He who denies the Son doesn't know the Father ( 1 John 2:23). Therefore we must hold to the Christian faith where there is the Messiah in Christ promised in the O.T.; as well as God the Father and the Spirit which lives within His elect ( Ephesians 1:13-14).
Father and God: God was Christ's Father and our heavenly father.
New theology and I call it Quartet or Four Part Theology: We born again believers are God's based on Joh 17:20-23. I mean I am God, equal to HIM, and am part of Quartet. Trinity is based on 1Joh 5:7, 8 and Joh 10:30. Modern, corrupt Bible versions combined vv 7 and 8, and made it less tenable for it unfortunately. Although we are God's, we can't do miracles because Holy Ghost knows whom to empower them to as HE imparts various spiritual gifts to different believers. We are still imperfect, hence we can fall and commit sins. All born again believers received Holy Ghost (Joh 3:3) who is an empowering agent or a connector in Trinity so to speak. This Quartet theology puts us tremendous responsibilities or accountabilities on all born believers as to what and how they do or think on earth. In other words we are supposed to live very godly life; we are supposed to act like God no matter how difficult it sounds like living in this sinful world and exposed to Satanic temptations, difficulties, challenges, and etc. Our faith is tried all the time but we can overcome them. The more it is tried, the stronger it shall be ( 1Pe 1:7).
God hates sin. Sin means everlasting death in hell.
Everyday we live, we are 1 day closer to death, and then our final judgement.
This life is short. Are you willing to give up this world, and receive eternal life? If not, why not?
Nothing in this world is worth losing our salvation for, nothing.
Why do we try to hold on to material things? They don't belong to us. These things were here before we were born, and they will be here when we die. When God destroys this earth as promised, all material things that we see and admire will be destroyed - they mean Nothing!
God created this earth, and everything that man created came from God's earth. Man's creations do not impress God, so why should they impress us?
Please Pray For All Of Father God Almighty Within All Of Andrew Ryan Duncan Wilbanks Within All Of Jesus Christ To Succeed On All Sides In All Ways At All Times Together And For Andrew Ryan Duncan Wilbanks's Traumatic Brain Injury And For My Heart Condition And For My Memories And For My Ability To Hold Onto Them Successfully And For My Mother's Kandace Marie Solorio Wilbanks's Multiple Personalities/Identities/Heal Her Cancer/Her Successful Exorcism/Heal Her Past Childhood Wounds/To Stop Using My Feelings, Sympathy And Love To Try To Hurt Andrew Ryan Duncan Wilbanks And For My Mother's Kandace Marie Solorio Wilbanks's With All Of Her Personalities/Identities Full Conversion To Christianity And For All Of The Feather River To Be Healed/Converted Into Good And For All Of Hollywood Trailer Park To Be Healed/Converted Into Something Good And For Our Faith To Rise And For Our Love To Grow And For Our Christian Beliefs To Grow Stronger Than All And For Our Family The Wilbanks Duncan Family To All Accept Jesus Christ As Their Savior And For All Of My Family To Pray For Andrew Ryan Duncan Wilbanks To Succeed And For All Of Us To Be Protected And For All Of You And For All Of The Persecuted Christians Worldwide And For All Of Living Father God Almighty Within All Of The Living Christian Andrew Ryan Duncan Wilbanks Within All Of The Resurrected Jesus Christ Within All Of The Living Father God Almighty Together With And Through And Within All Of Our Christian Family Members Worldwide To Successfully ,Effectively, Actively, Spiritually ,Supernaturally ,Psychologically ,Mentally ,Emotionally, Subconsciously, Unconsciously, Consciously ,Chemically ,Thoroughly, Completely ,Carefully, Safely, Overcome, Conquer, Exorcise, Intimidate ,Suppress ,Take Down ,Overpower, Stand Up Against ,Exorcise ,Convert, Take All Power From And Pray Against All Of All Aaron C Plumliegh And All Of Wesley A Houck And All Of Laura (Lori)Ann Atkins Wilbanks And All Of Kandace Marie Solorio Wilbanks And A
God created everything, nothing was made the God didn't create. John 1:3 Yes, God states that He created everything, so that includes evil, he also created good, you my friend have the choice to choose which one you prefer. If God only created good, we wouldn't be talking. If everything he created could only be good and do good, that would be like God creating robots that could only do good, right?
Freewill.
He created all beings to have a freewill, many choose to sin. We all have to make a choice. The devil and his demons made a choice, Adam and Eve also, and all those living in the past, and living now in the present also get to make the same choice of living in the light or darkness. John2:19-20
God loved us so much that He sent His Son to save us. If we listen to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and pick up our cross and follow in His footsteps he will assure us of salvation. This is Love! God loves us and if we love Him we should reject this world, (satan) and follow Christ. If we are living worldly lives we are not following Christ! It's easy to spot true Christ followers, they are few, and they will not be living worldly lives. Easy to understand this verse Matt 7:14
There is another side to this Love/Fear coin. Fear (Wisdom). God tells us to fear Him so that we realise that we need to repent in order to be saved. So God provides us with a carrot (promise of Salvation) if we believe and follow Christ and incorporate what he teaches into our lives. He also provides a stick (Fear of dying and going to hell to suffer for eternity).
When we accept Christ, and follow His commands he indwells in our heart and we have his Holy Spirt to Chastise us, or approve of what we do. If we listen, and follow His Spirit we walk in the light, and grow in sanctification. John 14:20
Lastly, God states that He created everything so that includes evil, he also created good, you my friend have the choice to choose which one you prefer.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The Word is GOD, self-executing. Believest thou this?
Could not this man -JESUS- which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
Take ye away the stone. Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of GOD?
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will GOD bring with Him.(GOD is Life)
15 For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of GOD: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:(According Daniel 12:2-3)
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds(the same cloud that was seen by the disciples- Acts 1:9-11), to meet the Lord in the air(in the 3rd heaven that will be established from now on): and so shall we ever be with the Lord.(in he 3rd heaven, which will last a thousand years- Revelation 11:15).
The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely- Revelation 22:17.
20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Get ready, there will be a War, spiritual War - Revelation 16:13-15. The Word is GOD, self-executing. Get ready.
Romans 9:28-33 combined with Matthew 24:22 & Daniel 12:10
28GOD will finish the work,and cut it short in righteousness:because a SHORT WORK will the Lord make upon the earth( Matthew 24:22-And except those days should be shortened,there should no flesh be saved:but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened)
29And as Esaias said before,Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed,we had been as Sodoma,and been made like unto Gomorrha.
30What shall we say then?That the Gentiles,which followed not after righteousness,have attained to righteousness,even the righteousness which is of faith.
31But Israel,which followed after the law of righteousness,hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32Wherefore?Because they sought it not by faith,but as it were by the works of the law.For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33As it is written,Behold,I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence:and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed ( Daniel 12:10-Many shall be purified,and made white,and tried;but the wicked shall do wickedly:and none of the WICKED shall understand; but the WISE shall understand)
Revelation 22:11-17
11He that is unjust,let him be unjust still:and he which is filthy,let him be filthy still:and he that is righteous,let him be righteous still:and he that is holy,let him be holy still.
12And, behold,I come quickly; and my reward is with me,to give every man according as his work shall be.
13I am Alpha and Omega,the beginning and the end,the first and the last.
14Blessed are they that do his commandments,that they may have right to the tree of life,and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15Without are dogs,and sorcerers,and whoremongers,and murderers,and idolaters,and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.
17And the Spirit and the bride say,Come.Let him that heareth say, Come.And whosoever will,let him take the water of life freely.
You said that you "don't know if the angels can see the Father, or if for all eternity they saw the Godhead in the Son even before He was incarnated".
Remember that John the Baptist was an angel( Isaiah 40:1 to 14 reveal who is his person combined with Malachi 3:1), angels are born by the Power of the Word of GOD, by prophecy, even our Lord JESUS affirmed this( Matthew 11:9-10), and John the Baptist, the angel of the Lord, knew JESUS before His birth, as even he testified: John the Apostle wrote about the testimony of John the Baptist, saying: John 1:18 - 18 No man hath seen GOD at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.
By the way, we must know with certainty through the Word of GOD that the TRUE BELIEVERS will be angels of GOD from now on, by the transformation and changing of the nature of them all, the Word of GOD will do it in the true believers, do you understand? Because they was born from GOD-from the Word-the Word is GOD- Philippians 3:20-21 combined with 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 and Romans 8:18-25, Believest thou this?)
Our Lord JESUS said: Luke 20:35-36-
35 - They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world (next world-the Kingdom of GOD- Revelation 11:15-18) and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36 Neither can they die any more: for they are EQUAL UNTO THE ANGELS; and are the children of GOD, being the children of the resurrection.
Matthew 25:29 - For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Matthew 25:4-6
4 - The wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and SLEPT. (Similar Genesis 2:21-25)
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; GO YE OUT(yes, GO OUT)TO MEET HIM.
1 Peter 5:7 says that we should cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. Several passages in Psalms discuss God's compassion and or mercy. Romans 9:15 states that He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy; and compassion on whom He will have compassion. Ultimately; of course that involves those who come to saving faith in Christ; but of course for now it rains on the just and the unjust. ( Matthew 5:45). Luke 18:38 shows how Bartimaeus asked for mercy and Christ healed his blindness.
According to Lamentations 3:22 his compassions they fail not; and that is due to His mercy that we are not consumed. The theme there is the destruction of the Babylonians with the horrible famine in particular focus. This verse could be taken as physical survival of the ordeal but also spiritual preservation of the soul. God always preserves a remnant; and God honors His covenants and that is through the remnant that is purged in various trials.
God's Attributes: Covenants
I have discussed covenants in particular focus on the marriage covenant in previous posts. I have given at least an outline of the (imlied) covenant with Adam and the first one in scripture regarding the rainbow and God preserving the world from another global flood; the Abrahamic Covenant; the Mosaic Covenant; and finally the new covenant that Christ has given His people under the blood and how it is even more stringent with thoughts and intentions than the previous one (see Matthew 5:20 on exceeding the righteousness of the Pharisees). I will reinforce the fact that except for the abrogation of the Old Covenant in terms of the law and righeousness for the New under Christ; covenants in God's eyes are eternal; or at least as far as the terms made between men and God or even between men as to the length (in marriage it is until "death do us part" which fits in with 1 Corinthians 7:39.) We are not to take a vow flippantly ( Ecc. 5:4-6).
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground," and (God) "breathed into his nostrils."
The life of man gets a booster shot as it were, a familiar phrase in the post-Pandemic times. This life must explain the nature of soul. Since he is unseen we call him the inner man. In order to understand the nature of a living soul we need the following verse to help us along the way..
In v.7 the Spirit gives us two actions upon the man which have a bearing on the third and it is with regards to his context with the ground. This is the spiritual space that every man carries about him. It is thus Jacob sensed the gate of heaven from his own feelings. What caused him a dread? "And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not./And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. "(Ge.28:16-17). God revealed a vignette of images to him in a dream while he is asleep. He is spot on and the Spirit wants us to have a good grasp of our own native soil where the heart serves as a door and there is a gate opening which is heaven!
Like Adam arising from 'his deep sleep' and full well understands the identity of Eve we have the Spirit giving us the faculty of precognition. This is the spiritual twin of the cellular communication which is part of biology. What is knowable of God is an inextricable part of man whether he cares to admit or not. "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"(Matt.16:26) As the Psalmist would say, " I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." And that my soul knoweth well is what we are discussing here.
Who but a fool will sell his soul out for 'other man's riches." Prosperity theology is for the damned.
The psalmist asks, "or whither shall I flee from thy presence?"(Ps.139:7-10, 14).
I think it is fine for us to do this together. You can identify the attribute that comes to your mind, and I can do what comes my mind for the same letter. It would be good to get both insights since this is such an important matter.
I once led jr. high Sunday school and had the kids brainstorm aspects of God's character a-z and then had partners pick use concordance and bible to find Scripture that spoke about what is said about that aspect. Then they shared out by reading the Scripture.
The intention was for them to learn more about God's nature and revere Him and to learn to use a concordance to find things in Scripture
So, I am glad to collaborate with you on this stream. It is always good to remind ourselves on the greatness of God in a wide and true view of His nature.
For letter "C" I think of His CREATIVITY
He created all this, visible and invisible, all from nothing but His Word and Power. He created physical matter with it's atoms and the protons, electrons and neutrons that make up the atom. He also created the energy that causes atoms to work. He created the life of every living thing. Life comes only from His Being because He is the Life's source.
He caused the planets to form and stars/suns to give off life, being constant burning of gases that emit light and heat. He created moons to reflect light from the suns. The vastness of the universe is mind boggling for us. The way the solar systems have organization, magnetic and gravitation pull on planets to revolve around the sun. The way forces keep solar systems stable is amazing.
The diversity of life on this planet is astounding. I was just watching two spiders in my yard where one smaller and a different species) attached the larger one in the web and prevailed. To see how the larger one continued to fight for life even when disabled by the smaller one showed me how God put this survival instinct into living creatures. Life is precious and worth living.
Maybe you should do every other study or certain letters as it is clear you have more detailed scriptural insight and such into these matters. Certain themes tend to overlap such as wrath; anger; indignation; etc. or love; compassion; mercy and the like. (As a sidenote I could do "X" ray vision or with His "stripes" we are healed like a zebra.) My foresight and planning are nil as you can probably tell although I think fast and type quickly so maybe I am able to camoflauge those weaknesses. Since my organization is lacking I will take any suggestions on your part on what is lacking.
As to the subject I discussed in my last letter; I just received an email from someone on another video on divorce and remarriage where I was able to talk about some more stuff in detail. Maybe that's an answered prayer it was from something I posted weeks or maybe over a month ago. I should say that there is obvious blessings in those who are in godly marriages and it is noteable in the raising of children; as well as prayers that are answered. In general we can't claim anything from the Lord if there is deliberate sin in our lives; which also gives Satan and his demons legal access to our minds. Staying in fellowship where there is doctrinal truth preached is vital; just as it is destructive to continue where lies are taught. Society has made something honorable in God's sight to be looked down upon as boring or whatever. Good is evil and vice versa in our society.
Maybe I'll get into that with the goodness of God if I get that far.
Agape; thanks as ever for your prolific responses although hope you aren't my only audience...
"for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground./ But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground."
Rain is a concrete image of divine favor which is in the sense the man in charge of the four Hebrew children made an exception in their case at the risk of his own head. "Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs."Similarly those midwives found favor since they defied the edict of the Pharaoh. (Dan.1:9; Ex.1:20) What is man that God is mindful of him? When we consider favor it is thus we have been earmarked for blessings in his Son. We have been brought into tender love because of his Son. "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?"(Ps.8:4) Mist stands for the spirit of Christ which explains his Son in human likeness. God formed man of the dust of the ground which is from within.
"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed." (v.8) Adam was chosen in His son for all the spiritual blessings. Adam consequently is His workmanship, and God put him there for a purpose."For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."(Ep.2:10). Is our religion merely Jesus talk and our walk 50-50? Be not deceived we carry about a world where both worlds are there to keep us preserve. Remember the cherubs guarding the tree of life, "Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."(Ge.3:24) The Spirit has given us the significance of Mahanaim and iif it is what Jacob as the heir of promise had about him it is true for us. By the same token we ought to pay heed,"Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates./... which were prepared for an hour,(Re.9:14-15)
please remember me and my family in your prayers today , remember brother Bibleman and sister Gigi in your prayer and everyone else of the Prayer Warriors who pray for our needs , may the Lord bless you all
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
The Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters also garnished the sky. What Job says about it does not contradict the ch.1:2. "By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent."( Job 26:13).The crooked serpent is of same weight as the tree of knowledge of good and evil, a point which we discussed earlier. God is a Spirit and his kingdom rules over all. (Ps.103:19) When God said Let there be light, the stars did not evolve willy-nilly by some strange series of coincidences but by the word of God. "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." So what holds the dust, water vapor, the stars and the moon together? Is it not Jesus Christ the word become flesh?
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them./And God blessed them." God made man as His steward for the reason of the homogeneity that the word could create out of the two worlds. They are framed by the word of God and faith is what holds man and his world. Jesus Christ as the firstborn of His creation,
We shall see from what proceeds in the rest of this chapter that whatever knowable of God and his kingdom was imparted to Adam. Why would God do that? Jesus explains, "That where I am, there ye may be also".( John 14:3b)
The Spirit presents the man in full possession of his faculties so he did not need any other to teach him of good and evil. He was the son of God. ( Luke 3:38)
In the garden we have the word of the Spirit represented. Ch,1vv.11-12 informs as to in the vegetation that God caused to grow. Quality of the ground is also equally important is it not? This is the world of the body out of which the Spirit presents the tree of life as the crown jewel("also in the midst of the garden"-v.9) in the flora and fauna of the garden.
'A body has thou prepared me' refers to this world where we have to account for two worlds, that of the Spirit and of the body. This is a microcosm of the kingdom of heaven signifying world unseen and the world made to appear. (He.11:3). This is the spiritual space set about the heart of every believer called before the foundation of the world and God blessed man in his Son. Just as the world is not all about only saints in light there are entities that dare not come to the light so the calling and gifts of God are wasted. The tree of knowledge of good and evil represents them. 'The darkness and light are both alike' to the Lord God so according to the mystery of his will has let it.(Ps.139:12b)
With regards to the body we need examine closely. God blessed the vegetation and as a result the tree with seed in itself cannot produce brambles. God formed man out of the ground, which is not about the body we have been discussing hitherto. It is flesh and blood"signifying natural man. St Paul speaks of two kinds of bodies. "It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory:"(1 Co.15:43-44) God blessed man (Ge.1:28) and the Garden is all about abiding in Christ where the Garden represents the blessedness of being in heavenly places.
The Spirit instructs us by placing man in heavenly places as to what is the true state of a believer. The space about his heart where Spirit is that raised Jesus from the dead and the ground is the pit from where he was raised up. So Isaiah refers,"and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged' (51:1b) We negotiate two world of the Spirit and of the Spirit.
God is giving. He gives of Himself within the Godhead in relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They give each other love, and, and harmony, and glory in an eternal way. He gives to creation life and beauty and provision for physical needs, and salvation from sin for those elected. He promised to give good gifts to His children when they ask. Luke 11:13.
He gives us all we need for life and godliness: 2 Peter 1:3
"According as His divine power hath given unto all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him (Jesus) who hath called us to glory and virtue."
God even gives to the unbelievers and the believers alike, making the sun to shine on both, giving rain in season, causing crops to grow for a harvest.
So I think it is good to be content in all things, because all good things comes from His hands. We also should cultivate gratitude to Him for all we receive each day from Him. I try to do this more and more. He deserves our gratitude and for us to have thankful hearts before Him.
"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."
".. because they compassions fail not; They are new every morning: Great is Thy faithfulness." So, so thankful!
For "G" I think that God is GOOD:
Only God is truly good, without any lack of goodness, nor does He have any evil in Him. He is perfectly, eternally good. There is no one truly good beside Him as Jesus said in Mark 10:18.
Romans 3:12 says that there is no one who does good, all of us have sinned and fall short of the good that is who God is. His goodness is the mark that we fall short of.
In Genesis 1 we see that all that God created was good. It was truly good, but not perfected as He is perfect. Satan and mankind were able to sin, but God had this in mind when He made the Everlasting Covenant within the Godhead before creation. His aim in creating was to perfect a people for Himself in eternity for all eternity so that, with the angels, we will forever do His will, love one another, worship God in the way He deserves, and sing of His goodness forever.
2Chr. 7:3 says that God is good; His love endures forever. How comforting it is to know that God will never do to us what is wrong! see Ps. 119:68-the Lord is good and all that He does is good. Ps. 145:9 says that the LORD is good to ALL!
Ps. 100:5 attests that the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures through ALL generations.
So knowing that God is truly Good all the time, we, who have been made sons and daughter of God by the Holy Spirit through the work of His Son, ought to seek what is good and hate what is evil. We should avoid company that would lead us into sin, situations that will tempt us to do evil. We should live as one who has been set free of the slavery of our sinful nature and live for God, being slaves to righteousness. We cannot earn our way to God with good deeds, but we are to live as He wants us to, and that is to do what is good and righteous, godly and God-honoring. We should despise our sins and flee evil, resisting Satan.
For "F" I think of God's FAITHFULNESS
He is forever faithful. Deut. 7:9 says He is the faithful God. Psalm 33:4 says that He is faithful in all He does. And Ps. 89:24 says that His love is faithful. Ps. 145:13 says that the LORD is faithful to all of His promises.
1 Cor. 1:9 says that God is faithful (see also 1 Cor. 10:13. 1 Thess. 5:24 and 2 Thess. 3:3 firms that God is faithful and will keep us and establish us in our life in Christ. Even if we are unfaithful to God, He remains faithful because He cannot deny Himself-
2 Tim. 2:13
1 Peter 4:19 says we can commit our self to our Faithful Creator when we suffer. And 1 Jn. 1:9 says God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And gloriously in Rev. 19:11 Jesus is called Faithful and True.
So we can depend on God's faithfulness because it is true and trustworthy. It never fails and is never withdrawn or disappears. Nor does it this faithfulness ever deceive us as being unfaithful when He says He is faithful because God cannot be what He is not. Ps. 36:5 and 57:10 say His faithfulness reaches to the skies. It is immeasurably reliable.
Ps. 89:8 says:
"O LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You." It is part of His glory that comes from His essence. Ps. 117:2 says His faithfulness endures forever.
Is. 25 :1 says
"O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." God's faithfulness and truth cannot be separated, they are aspects of His Essence which is not divided up into separate attributes; all His attributes are unified in His One Essential Nature.
Is. 42:3 says that in His faithfulness He will bring forth justice. So true justice comes from His faithfulness to Who He is.
I love Lamentations 3:21-23:
"This I recall to my mind., therefore I have hope. It is of the LORD's mercy that we are not consumed,
(see next post)
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my GOD will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my GOD have I leaped over a wall.
30 As for GOD, his way is perfect: the Word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.
31 For who is GOD save the Lord? or who is a rock save our GOD?
32 It is GOD that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Praise our GOD
Insanity is doing something repeatedly that clearly doesn't work, but expecting a different outcome. We have the wisdom of the LORD GOD in us through HIS HOLY SPIRIT, HIS preserved word in our hands and heart, HIS presence as HE promised; privilege of prayer; saints around us that we may be encouraged as we worship and praise the LORD together.
Thank YOU LORD for YOUR great mercies and grace.
GOD bless all on this forum.
September 223, 2023
For "D" I think of DOMINION"
God has dominion over all things. He allows things to occur that are sinful, but does not lose control of anything. He determines boundaries of nations, natural things like the sea, and the rise and fall of kingdoms, governments, and peoples. Nothing gets "out of hand" for Him. he can bring glory out of dire circumstances, preservation in trials, blessing where things around are falling apart, and can humble whomever He wishes. Job 26 speaks of His dominion. Ephesians Ch. 1:19-22 tells us that God has dominion over ALL things in Christ, having put all powers under His feet.
Daniel 4:2-3 says:
"I though it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought towards me. How great are His signs! and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation (for all time and eternity).
Also see, Daniel 7:14
For "E" I think of ETERNAL" AND "EVERLASTING" and "EXISTANCE" "ESSENCE"
God has always existed. He, Himself is the only Self-Existing One (I Am Who I Am) His Essence is Life and Eternal Existence. he does not drive His life nor His existence from outside of Himself and it was never created. He just IS, period. Therefore, he cannot have a beginning nor end, But is, Himself ETERNITY. There is no aspect of eternity that is not God. Our eternal life is given to us by God as we live IN Him. And once we receive His Eternal Life it is Everlasting like He is. The difference in our existence from His is that we have a beginning and our life came from Him. The difference in our eternity is that we cannot have Eternal Life apart from Him. From everlasting to everlasting He is God ( Neh. 9:5; Is. 40:28; Hab Gen. 1:12
God is the Eternal God, Gen. 21:33; Jer. 10:10; Ps.93:2
His ways are eternal-Hab.3:6. See 1 Tim. 1:17. He is the true God and eternal life- 1 Jn. 5:20.
How comforting it is to now that we will never be without God!
I was thinking of God's compassion as I was out doing errands this morning. The verses you cited came to my mind.
God's caring ways towards ruined mankind is touching. His compassion does not fail us. He looks upon us in our ruined state and desires to "gather us under His wing" as Jesus stated about Jerusalem (and the Jewish people of His time, knowing what lied ahead in the destruction coming in 70 A.D.) He stated that they would not come to Him and therefore could not be gathered under His wing (salvation). But, although God knew that the Jews would reject His Son, He still had compassion on them in their sorry state. His compassion moves Him to draw us to Him for salvation, for salvation is the only remedy for our sinful state to be rectified. And, most of all, it is Him who we need the most. Coming to God through Jesus having been drawn by the Father is the most compassionate thing He does for us.
With regards to Covenants: I think of the Everlasting Covenant made within the Godhead before creation for the saving of mankind from sinfulness and its effects in order for us to be in union with Him. How wonderful is this Covenant! To think that this agreement was made before all things were made shows that God never intended to leave us in our sin, but to save us and to keep us is free with eternal life forever. This Covenant endures forever between the Godhead and between God and us who believe. God, in His great wisdom, thought that allowing for sin to be birthed in Satan, His angels, and mankind was the best way to show the glory of His sovereignty, power, love, and ability to make new what has been ruined beyond repair unless He does the work of redemption. We think that it would be better if there was never any sin, but God knows better in deeper and more intelligent and wise ways than we could every imagine.
These characteristics all are involved with the Trinity to some respect; but we will not attempt to "parse out" specific attributes related to any member of the Godhead in this posting but get into general characteristics here unique to the Lord. Divine has a sort of untouchable royalty associated with the sentiment behind the meaning; which of course sort of fits in with the "essense" generally of His precence. Father and God also are pretty well interchangeable as to our designation of the almighty Lord.
Divinity: God is high and exalted but not remote. Isaiah 57:15 states: "For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: 'I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.' Philippians 2:7 shows how Christ emptied Himself from divine form and became a servant. Divinity is used in a handful of other verses as well; but we understand the condescension Christ did for our behalf as part of the "Divine counsel" ( Psalm 82:1).
Essence: To sum God up would bring unique characteristics (the three "O"s-omnipresence; omnipotence and omniscience which will be discussed later in the O section). God is to be worshipped in "Spirit and truth" ( John 4:24). He also came bodily and we must believe He came in the flesh ( 1 John 4:2) to have saving faith; thus we don't adhere to a "gnostic" gospel. His Godhead is important and apparently evident from creation (King James version Romans 1:20) which also BTW mentions His Divine nature.
He who denies the Son doesn't know the Father ( 1 John 2:23). Therefore we must hold to the Christian faith where there is the Messiah in Christ promised in the O.T.; as well as God the Father and the Spirit which lives within His elect ( Ephesians 1:13-14).
Father and God: God was Christ's Father and our heavenly father.
New theology and I call it Quartet or Four Part Theology: We born again believers are God's based on Joh 17:20-23. I mean I am God, equal to HIM, and am part of Quartet. Trinity is based on 1Joh 5:7, 8 and Joh 10:30. Modern, corrupt Bible versions combined vv 7 and 8, and made it less tenable for it unfortunately. Although we are God's, we can't do miracles because Holy Ghost knows whom to empower them to as HE imparts various spiritual gifts to different believers. We are still imperfect, hence we can fall and commit sins. All born again believers received Holy Ghost (Joh 3:3) who is an empowering agent or a connector in Trinity so to speak. This Quartet theology puts us tremendous responsibilities or accountabilities on all born believers as to what and how they do or think on earth. In other words we are supposed to live very godly life; we are supposed to act like God no matter how difficult it sounds like living in this sinful world and exposed to Satanic temptations, difficulties, challenges, and etc. Our faith is tried all the time but we can overcome them. The more it is tried, the stronger it shall be ( 1Pe 1:7).
Everyday we live, we are 1 day closer to death, and then our final judgement.
This life is short. Are you willing to give up this world, and receive eternal life? If not, why not?
Nothing in this world is worth losing our salvation for, nothing.
Why do we try to hold on to material things? They don't belong to us. These things were here before we were born, and they will be here when we die. When God destroys this earth as promised, all material things that we see and admire will be destroyed - they mean Nothing!
God created this earth, and everything that man created came from God's earth. Man's creations do not impress God, so why should they impress us?
Live for God, store your treasures in heaven.
Happy Sabbath Day!
Answer. When we call on the name of ((the Lord)) we shall be saved.
( Acts 2:21) also ( Rom 10:13)
Now we look at (Lu 23:42) in the KJB. "And he said unto Jesus, ((Lord)), remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom".
The thief called on the name of the "Lord" (Lu 23:43) "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise".
Here's a number of modern version bibles that remove the "Lord" from that verse.
The Nasb, the Niv, the Esv, the Rsv, the Nrsv, the Nlt, the Asv, the Amp, the Hcsb, and the Isv.
Are these modern versions that remove the name "Lord" Inspired by God?
The answer to this question would have to be, NO, they are not Inspired by God.
The Body of Christ must "Grow daily" in understanding and accepting the Truth in the Word of God, we are running out of time!
((Every)) word of God is pure ( Prov 30:5-6) ( Ps 12:6-7) especially the word "Lord"!!
Blessings to all who seek His Truth.
God created everything, nothing was made the God didn't create. John 1:3 Yes, God states that He created everything, so that includes evil, he also created good, you my friend have the choice to choose which one you prefer. If God only created good, we wouldn't be talking. If everything he created could only be good and do good, that would be like God creating robots that could only do good, right?
Freewill.
He created all beings to have a freewill, many choose to sin. We all have to make a choice. The devil and his demons made a choice, Adam and Eve also, and all those living in the past, and living now in the present also get to make the same choice of living in the light or darkness. John2:19-20
God loved us so much that He sent His Son to save us. If we listen to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and pick up our cross and follow in His footsteps he will assure us of salvation. This is Love! God loves us and if we love Him we should reject this world, (satan) and follow Christ. If we are living worldly lives we are not following Christ! It's easy to spot true Christ followers, they are few, and they will not be living worldly lives. Easy to understand this verse Matt 7:14
There is another side to this Love/Fear coin. Fear (Wisdom). God tells us to fear Him so that we realise that we need to repent in order to be saved. So God provides us with a carrot (promise of Salvation) if we believe and follow Christ and incorporate what he teaches into our lives. He also provides a stick (Fear of dying and going to hell to suffer for eternity).
When we accept Christ, and follow His commands he indwells in our heart and we have his Holy Spirt to Chastise us, or approve of what we do. If we listen, and follow His Spirit we walk in the light, and grow in sanctification. John 14:20
Lastly, God states that He created everything so that includes evil, he also created good, you my friend have the choice to choose which one you prefer.
GBU
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The Word is GOD, self-executing. Believest thou this?
Could not this man -JESUS- which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
Take ye away the stone. Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of GOD?
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will GOD bring with Him.(GOD is Life)
15 For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of GOD: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:(According Daniel 12:2-3)
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds(the same cloud that was seen by the disciples- Acts 1:9-11), to meet the Lord in the air(in the 3rd heaven that will be established from now on): and so shall we ever be with the Lord.(in he 3rd heaven, which will last a thousand years- Revelation 11:15).
The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely- Revelation 22:17.
20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Get ready, there will be a War, spiritual War - Revelation 16:13-15. The Word is GOD, self-executing. Get ready.
28GOD will finish the work,and cut it short in righteousness:because a SHORT WORK will the Lord make upon the earth( Matthew 24:22-And except those days should be shortened,there should no flesh be saved:but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened)
29And as Esaias said before,Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed,we had been as Sodoma,and been made like unto Gomorrha.
30What shall we say then?That the Gentiles,which followed not after righteousness,have attained to righteousness,even the righteousness which is of faith.
31But Israel,which followed after the law of righteousness,hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32Wherefore?Because they sought it not by faith,but as it were by the works of the law.For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33As it is written,Behold,I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence:and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed ( Daniel 12:10-Many shall be purified,and made white,and tried;but the wicked shall do wickedly:and none of the WICKED shall understand; but the WISE shall understand)
Revelation 22:11-17
11He that is unjust,let him be unjust still:and he which is filthy,let him be filthy still:and he that is righteous,let him be righteous still:and he that is holy,let him be holy still.
12And, behold,I come quickly; and my reward is with me,to give every man according as his work shall be.
13I am Alpha and Omega,the beginning and the end,the first and the last.
14Blessed are they that do his commandments,that they may have right to the tree of life,and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15Without are dogs,and sorcerers,and whoremongers,and murderers,and idolaters,and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.
17And the Spirit and the bride say,Come.Let him that heareth say, Come.And whosoever will,let him take the water of life freely.
Greetings in Christ JESUS
You said that you "don't know if the angels can see the Father, or if for all eternity they saw the Godhead in the Son even before He was incarnated".
Remember that John the Baptist was an angel( Isaiah 40:1 to 14 reveal who is his person combined with Malachi 3:1), angels are born by the Power of the Word of GOD, by prophecy, even our Lord JESUS affirmed this( Matthew 11:9-10), and John the Baptist, the angel of the Lord, knew JESUS before His birth, as even he testified: John the Apostle wrote about the testimony of John the Baptist, saying: John 1:18 - 18 No man hath seen GOD at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.
By the way, we must know with certainty through the Word of GOD that the TRUE BELIEVERS will be angels of GOD from now on, by the transformation and changing of the nature of them all, the Word of GOD will do it in the true believers, do you understand? Because they was born from GOD-from the Word-the Word is GOD- Philippians 3:20-21 combined with 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 and Romans 8:18-25, Believest thou this?)
Our Lord JESUS said: Luke 20:35-36-
35 - They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world (next world-the Kingdom of GOD- Revelation 11:15-18) and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36 Neither can they die any more: for they are EQUAL UNTO THE ANGELS; and are the children of GOD, being the children of the resurrection.
Matthew 25:29 - For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Matthew 25:4-6
4 - The wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and SLEPT. (Similar Genesis 2:21-25)
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; GO YE OUT(yes, GO OUT)TO MEET HIM.
Come up hither- Revelation 4:1
Hallelujah, praise our GOD
1 Peter 5:7 says that we should cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. Several passages in Psalms discuss God's compassion and or mercy. Romans 9:15 states that He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy; and compassion on whom He will have compassion. Ultimately; of course that involves those who come to saving faith in Christ; but of course for now it rains on the just and the unjust. ( Matthew 5:45). Luke 18:38 shows how Bartimaeus asked for mercy and Christ healed his blindness.
According to Lamentations 3:22 his compassions they fail not; and that is due to His mercy that we are not consumed. The theme there is the destruction of the Babylonians with the horrible famine in particular focus. This verse could be taken as physical survival of the ordeal but also spiritual preservation of the soul. God always preserves a remnant; and God honors His covenants and that is through the remnant that is purged in various trials.
God's Attributes: Covenants
I have discussed covenants in particular focus on the marriage covenant in previous posts. I have given at least an outline of the (imlied) covenant with Adam and the first one in scripture regarding the rainbow and God preserving the world from another global flood; the Abrahamic Covenant; the Mosaic Covenant; and finally the new covenant that Christ has given His people under the blood and how it is even more stringent with thoughts and intentions than the previous one (see Matthew 5:20 on exceeding the righteousness of the Pharisees). I will reinforce the fact that except for the abrogation of the Old Covenant in terms of the law and righeousness for the New under Christ; covenants in God's eyes are eternal; or at least as far as the terms made between men and God or even between men as to the length (in marriage it is until "death do us part" which fits in with 1 Corinthians 7:39.) We are not to take a vow flippantly ( Ecc. 5:4-6).
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground," and (God) "breathed into his nostrils."
The life of man gets a booster shot as it were, a familiar phrase in the post-Pandemic times. This life must explain the nature of soul. Since he is unseen we call him the inner man. In order to understand the nature of a living soul we need the following verse to help us along the way..
In v.7 the Spirit gives us two actions upon the man which have a bearing on the third and it is with regards to his context with the ground. This is the spiritual space that every man carries about him. It is thus Jacob sensed the gate of heaven from his own feelings. What caused him a dread? "And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not./And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. "(Ge.28:16-17). God revealed a vignette of images to him in a dream while he is asleep. He is spot on and the Spirit wants us to have a good grasp of our own native soil where the heart serves as a door and there is a gate opening which is heaven!
Like Adam arising from 'his deep sleep' and full well understands the identity of Eve we have the Spirit giving us the faculty of precognition. This is the spiritual twin of the cellular communication which is part of biology. What is knowable of God is an inextricable part of man whether he cares to admit or not. "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"(Matt.16:26) As the Psalmist would say, " I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." And that my soul knoweth well is what we are discussing here.
Who but a fool will sell his soul out for 'other man's riches." Prosperity theology is for the damned.
The psalmist asks, "or whither shall I flee from thy presence?"(Ps.139:7-10, 14).
God knows who are his.
I think it is fine for us to do this together. You can identify the attribute that comes to your mind, and I can do what comes my mind for the same letter. It would be good to get both insights since this is such an important matter.
I once led jr. high Sunday school and had the kids brainstorm aspects of God's character a-z and then had partners pick use concordance and bible to find Scripture that spoke about what is said about that aspect. Then they shared out by reading the Scripture.
The intention was for them to learn more about God's nature and revere Him and to learn to use a concordance to find things in Scripture
So, I am glad to collaborate with you on this stream. It is always good to remind ourselves on the greatness of God in a wide and true view of His nature.
For letter "C" I think of His CREATIVITY
He created all this, visible and invisible, all from nothing but His Word and Power. He created physical matter with it's atoms and the protons, electrons and neutrons that make up the atom. He also created the energy that causes atoms to work. He created the life of every living thing. Life comes only from His Being because He is the Life's source.
He caused the planets to form and stars/suns to give off life, being constant burning of gases that emit light and heat. He created moons to reflect light from the suns. The vastness of the universe is mind boggling for us. The way the solar systems have organization, magnetic and gravitation pull on planets to revolve around the sun. The way forces keep solar systems stable is amazing.
The diversity of life on this planet is astounding. I was just watching two spiders in my yard where one smaller and a different species) attached the larger one in the web and prevailed. To see how the larger one continued to fight for life even when disabled by the smaller one showed me how God put this survival instinct into living creatures. Life is precious and worth living.
Col. 1 :16-17
As to the subject I discussed in my last letter; I just received an email from someone on another video on divorce and remarriage where I was able to talk about some more stuff in detail. Maybe that's an answered prayer it was from something I posted weeks or maybe over a month ago. I should say that there is obvious blessings in those who are in godly marriages and it is noteable in the raising of children; as well as prayers that are answered. In general we can't claim anything from the Lord if there is deliberate sin in our lives; which also gives Satan and his demons legal access to our minds. Staying in fellowship where there is doctrinal truth preached is vital; just as it is destructive to continue where lies are taught. Society has made something honorable in God's sight to be looked down upon as boring or whatever. Good is evil and vice versa in our society.
Maybe I'll get into that with the goodness of God if I get that far.
Agape; thanks as ever for your prolific responses although hope you aren't my only audience...
Rich P
"for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground./ But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground."
Rain is a concrete image of divine favor which is in the sense the man in charge of the four Hebrew children made an exception in their case at the risk of his own head. "Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs."Similarly those midwives found favor since they defied the edict of the Pharaoh. (Dan.1:9; Ex.1:20) What is man that God is mindful of him? When we consider favor it is thus we have been earmarked for blessings in his Son. We have been brought into tender love because of his Son. "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?"(Ps.8:4) Mist stands for the spirit of Christ which explains his Son in human likeness. God formed man of the dust of the ground which is from within.
"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed." (v.8) Adam was chosen in His son for all the spiritual blessings. Adam consequently is His workmanship, and God put him there for a purpose."For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."(Ep.2:10). Is our religion merely Jesus talk and our walk 50-50? Be not deceived we carry about a world where both worlds are there to keep us preserve. Remember the cherubs guarding the tree of life, "Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."(Ge.3:24) The Spirit has given us the significance of Mahanaim and iif it is what Jacob as the heir of promise had about him it is true for us. By the same token we ought to pay heed,"Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates./... which were prepared for an hour,(Re.9:14-15)
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
The Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters also garnished the sky. What Job says about it does not contradict the ch.1:2. "By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent."( Job 26:13).The crooked serpent is of same weight as the tree of knowledge of good and evil, a point which we discussed earlier. God is a Spirit and his kingdom rules over all. (Ps.103:19) When God said Let there be light, the stars did not evolve willy-nilly by some strange series of coincidences but by the word of God. "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." So what holds the dust, water vapor, the stars and the moon together? Is it not Jesus Christ the word become flesh?
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them./And God blessed them." God made man as His steward for the reason of the homogeneity that the word could create out of the two worlds. They are framed by the word of God and faith is what holds man and his world. Jesus Christ as the firstborn of His creation,
We shall see from what proceeds in the rest of this chapter that whatever knowable of God and his kingdom was imparted to Adam. Why would God do that? Jesus explains, "That where I am, there ye may be also".( John 14:3b)
The Spirit presents the man in full possession of his faculties so he did not need any other to teach him of good and evil. He was the son of God. ( Luke 3:38)
In the garden we have the word of the Spirit represented. Ch,1vv.11-12 informs as to in the vegetation that God caused to grow. Quality of the ground is also equally important is it not? This is the world of the body out of which the Spirit presents the tree of life as the crown jewel("also in the midst of the garden"-v.9) in the flora and fauna of the garden.
'A body has thou prepared me' refers to this world where we have to account for two worlds, that of the Spirit and of the body. This is a microcosm of the kingdom of heaven signifying world unseen and the world made to appear. (He.11:3). This is the spiritual space set about the heart of every believer called before the foundation of the world and God blessed man in his Son. Just as the world is not all about only saints in light there are entities that dare not come to the light so the calling and gifts of God are wasted. The tree of knowledge of good and evil represents them. 'The darkness and light are both alike' to the Lord God so according to the mystery of his will has let it.(Ps.139:12b)
With regards to the body we need examine closely. God blessed the vegetation and as a result the tree with seed in itself cannot produce brambles. God formed man out of the ground, which is not about the body we have been discussing hitherto. It is flesh and blood"signifying natural man. St Paul speaks of two kinds of bodies. "It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory:"(1 Co.15:43-44) God blessed man (Ge.1:28) and the Garden is all about abiding in Christ where the Garden represents the blessedness of being in heavenly places.
The Spirit instructs us by placing man in heavenly places as to what is the true state of a believer. The space about his heart where Spirit is that raised Jesus from the dead and the ground is the pit from where he was raised up. So Isaiah refers,"and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged' (51:1b) We negotiate two world of the Spirit and of the Spirit.
Another "B" attribute that comes to my mind is:
BENEVOLENT
God is giving. He gives of Himself within the Godhead in relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They give each other love, and, and harmony, and glory in an eternal way. He gives to creation life and beauty and provision for physical needs, and salvation from sin for those elected. He promised to give good gifts to His children when they ask. Luke 11:13.
He gives us all we need for life and godliness: 2 Peter 1:3
"According as His divine power hath given unto all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him (Jesus) who hath called us to glory and virtue."
God even gives to the unbelievers and the believers alike, making the sun to shine on both, giving rain in season, causing crops to grow for a harvest.
So I think it is good to be content in all things, because all good things comes from His hands. We also should cultivate gratitude to Him for all we receive each day from Him. I try to do this more and more. He deserves our gratitude and for us to have thankful hearts before Him.