“Shalom” means peace, and it’s Hebrew letters literally mean: “to destroy the authority attached to chaos.” See Genesis 3:15; Jer 29:11; Rev 20:10.
Its been well noted that: The strength of a ship’s hull is measured by the destructive, disruptive forces which it overcomes – not by those which overcome it. Mt 4:1-11 & Heb 4:15 speak of you and an open book test – “you will be tested in all points like as He.”
Christ, as the Divine Creator of heaven & earth was unveiling the unbounded love of Elohim as He incarnated, lived a life of perfect trust & dependence on His Father, then offered Himself as man’s Atoning Sacrifice, thus creating a pathway for any and all humans to, by their free choice, reunite with their Father.
A translation of Isa 56:2-6 & 58:13 using denotations & connotations taken from Strong’s and Websters Dictionary’s:
“A heightened state of happiness and joy from good fellowship has the man who does this: who keeps My Sabbaths, not using them secularly and keeping his hand from anything harmful while doing what is good & right.”
True Christianity begins with a knowledge of, contemplation of, appreciation of, & gratefulness for, God’s unbounded, limitless, love. Love leading each heart to pursue purity and nobility empowered by His absorbed and reflected character of measureless love.
In speaking of each of the “Ten Words” [Ex 34:28; Dt 4:13;10:12} of Exodus 20, the reciprocity of each in the New Testament is revealed exceedingly more by demonstration than vocalization. Don’t hide behind supposed lack of inscribed lists.
Our life’s proper focus is not on what he/she/they have done or are doing to me, or any one, but who am I representing to them.
Jeremiah 6:16 with word variations from Strong’s & Webster’s Dictionary’s: “Thus says the LORD, stand/halt at the intersection/crossroads and consider/look and ask (who? “The LORD”) for the most ancient/forever/eternal way/behavior 1, where the good/the best of the highest worth conduct is, and walk in it 2, and you will find rest for your souls” 3
1)Ge 2:2-3 the finishing day, the crown of creation week, the most ancient description of human behavior with it’s reciprocity made implicit in Ge 3:8 then imperative in Ex 20:8-11& 35:1-3, demonstrated > than 7000 times by the Christ while on earth, continuing through Rev. 14:7,11 then on through eternity Isa 66:23.
2) Isa 56:6-8 ; 58:12-14; 1 Jn 2:6.
3) Heb 4:5-11, with your Creator; the “Holy” of Ge 2:3.
A wilderness cabin of real value:
Picture a night, a night in which you had stepped out of your home for an evening walk. It’s dark and as you turn to go back a quickening cold wind makes you shiver. You see your home, maybe it is just a cabin in the woods but a beautiful glow comes from its windows and a brightly burning fire radiates warmth, peace, shelter. Then you hear God’s quiet voice speaking. The night is long, dark and cold for many of my children. They do not know me, They are alone in the dark, in the woods, in the coldness. Be for me at least a cabin in the night woods. Let me build a fire on your hearth. Let me fill you with warmth, peace and light. Let my light shine out in the dark, so even my wildest creatures will be drawn. Be for Me a cabin in the cold dark night woods.
The uniqueness of the Creator God as opposed to all “isms” lies in the infinitely high value He places upon humankind and on each individual.
The happiest people are not those getting more but those giving more.
Judge each day not by the harvest, but by the seed sown.
The Old Testament reveals what God was doing, made necessary by us, so He could get us all a Redeemer.
God is not about burdens but blessings.
The most dangerous neighborhood on planet earth is the human mind – Always take Jesus with you!
Seek to bless, not justify nor impress.
As with the Greek Athenians where nike (victory) was determined by Effort & Rules, ending in a prize, so the Christian life is dependent upon: Effort 1 Cor 9:27 & Rules Gal 6:15-17; 1 Thes 4:7; Php 2: 12-13 ending in a Prize Jn 3:36.
In Ghana, Africa I talked with a 16 y/o girl who had been raised Hindu but after hearing of God’s love, chose to follow Jesus and worship on the day He made, blessed, and made holy. Consequently in the previous 12 months she had been threatened by her butcher father to be cut to pieces in her sleep. She‘d been stripped and beaten with a horse whip till bleeding over her entire body. When I asked about how she felt, she simply and quietly said: “Jesus died for me.”
Are you a Jesus fan or follower?
The gospel of Christ is the enablement of the selfless law of God to be re-exemplified in the lives of fallen man via the infusion of His character welcomed into the life.
P redictors – that will mold your future – handle them well.
R eminders – that we are not self-sufficient. We need God & others to help.
O pportunities – that pull us out of our rut and comfort zones & cause us to think creatively.
B lessings – that open doors that we usually do not go through.
L essons – with each new challenge asking to be our teacher.
E verywhere – no place nor person is excluded from them.
M essages – that warn us about potential dangers.
S olvable – No problem is without a solution through Him. Jn 5:3; Php 4:13
The Hebrew word for evil is “ra” and the name of the Egyptian sun god is Ra.
Character is not the law nor the keeping of the law. Christ is the standard for the Christian character & is the essence or material of a purified character. The law is a concise outline of His character boundaries especially fitted to help direct fallen man back to Him.
God’s Sabbath of Gen 2:2-3 is spoken of every 10 pages in the OT & every 5 pages in the New.
“Where there is no law, there is no liberty.” Benjamin Rush
While numerous religions, past & present mime the serpent in Eden claiming that man can become a god. Only the Holy Bible proclaims & reveals that God became a Man – so to offer character redemption to all willing.
The Devil is out for blood – your blood – and he’s going to get it if you don’t get and remain under God’s wings Mt 23:37.
The temporal intended result of the gospel message is for God’s people to catch the reflection of the smile of God and reflect it to others.
The kingdom of heaven might be described as self-control motivated & empowered by boundless other-centered love – with Atonement the ingenious, infinitely costly, formed, paved and offered path back.
The true overcomer (victor) since Ge 3:15 has not been and is not defined by any nationality, denomination or creed Jms 2:19; Jn 10:16. True Creator (Messianic, Anointed One, Christ, adoration, respect & honor, is a humble appreciation of, an acceptance into (Rev 3:20) and the revealing through one’s entire being of a divinely enabled purity and selfless loving kindness – the overcoming of self & the installation of selfless loving kindness. Ro 12:2; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 Jn2:14; 5:4 ;Ge 32:28; Rev 3:21; 21:7 Ge 14:18; 5; 6:22; Jn 16:33 ; Ex 2:6; Dan 4:37; Ro 11:26, 2:28-29.
The foundation of the character of God & the kingdom heaven is faithful, everlasting, selfless loving-kindness.
The greatest homage we can pay to truth is to use it as soon as we perceive it.
When seen aright – to give is not a sacrifice but a rich privilege.
Christianity is less a noun than a verb activated by His Spirit within.
Death is not an obligation nor a sentence but a reality that will occur because of our choice as a race and as individuals. Yet God in His love has given us the choice of 2 out of 3 deaths [ #1,#2, #3]. A: die to self & live for God (#1) then the temporal death (#2): B: live for self then die the temporal death (#2) followed by the eternal – elimination – death (#3).
A bat sees light but does not delight in it. And like a bat we may see the light of truth yet opt to dive back into the cavernous darkness of our desires, traditions & errors. Truth is a reality, not merely words or thought. And even if a thousand old beliefs & desires are ruined in our search for truth we must continue searching with the realization that the greatest homage we can pay to truth and life is to use it as soon as we perceive it. To choose not to apply that light plunges us back into the cavernous blackness & loss of error. Search for and follow truth found in creation, in the didactic and in He who is the Living Truth so that you may be sons & daughters of light Jn 12:36; Ge 1:3.
You will be judged by your standard of life – not by your standard of living; by your measure of giving – not by your measure of wealth; by your simple goodness – not by your seeming greatness.
God in love carved out a sanctuary in time for both of us too, in voluntary reciprocal love meet and rejoice together. Then we in a power play refuse and demand He come to us on our choice of time & then foreshorten that time 90% from 24 hrs. to 2.5. Try that with your boss, surgeon, plumber, auto mechanic, lawyer. Who will be the one who will truly loose? Ge 4:3 ; Amos 3:3.
The old covenant and the new covenant are: not different in substance but in motivation; not different in what but who – [not “I” but Christ, not “we” but He], not in necessity but in submission; not in must, but in gratefulness; not in accomplishments but in acceptance; not in duty but in love. The change occurred in the removal of the fallen human “we” & “me” replaced with the perfect Messiah, the Son Of Man taking fallen Adam’s place as head of our human race & then saying: “I will,” a reality, if accepted, generated from the foundation of the world Ge 3:15; Rev 13:8; 1 Cor 2:2,7,8; Eph 1:3-6;3:11-12; Titus 1:2; Isa 54:10; Mt 25:34; 1 Pe 1:20. It’s all about the need of a relationship. We submit to, not out of base necessity or desire for gain but out of deep appreciation born out of our knowledge, appreciation, belief and trust in our Creator’s eternal love Php 3:9; 2:13; Gal 2:20; Jn15:4.
The gospel of Christ effectuates the law/instructions/prescriptions to be exemplified in the individual character via the fruits of the Spirit.
Romans 7:21-25 – There is a story, while known to have happened quite frequently by compassionate American folk, that is likely an agglomeration of many becoming an allegory. A story of a large scarred slave who unknown to himself was being purchased for manumission (freedom) & while on a slave market block, repeated with increasing volume with each bid, “I will not work for you”. He was purchased eventually for a high price and while being driven in a wagon home by the purchaser, repeated again and again “I will not work for you.” The new owner saying nothing eventually stopped by a lovely cottage by a river. The slave asked where is this? And was answered, “this is your new home, your’e free.” After a few minutes the slave broke down in tears saying master, I’ll work for you forever!” Working not for freedom but because of being set free. Obedience to Christ – Genesis1:1 to Revelation 22:21 was not and is not to gain salvation but because of salvation Mathew 1:21; Mt 23:34; Jn 8:36; Jn 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 1Cor 15:51-57; Rev 21 & 22.
In Philippians 2:12b & 13a Paul describes a reality that is commonly translated in a way that on the surface seems contradictory, both within its self and with Paul’s wider description of the [and there is only one] gospel. A denotative/paraphrase translation that makes Paul’s message clearer could read: “…let out that which you have requested and has been grown by God with-in you.” (my translation) A translation consistent with Christ’s words in Mathew 5:14-16 & Paul’s in Galatians 5:22-25.
Romans 7:21-25 – There is a story, while known to have happened quite frequently by compassionate American folk, that is likely an agglomeration of many becoming an allegory. A story of a large scared slave who unknown to him was being purchased for manumission (freedom). Who while on a slave market block repeated with increasing volume with each bid “I will not work for you”. He was purchased eventually for a high price and while being driven in a wagon home by the purchaser, repeated again and again “I will not work for you.” The new owner saying nothing eventually stopped by a lovely cottage by a river. The slave asked where is this, and was answered, “this is your new home, your free.” After a few minutes the slave broke down & in tears saying master, I’ll work for you forever! Working not for freedom but because of being set free. Obedience to Christ – Genesis1:1 to Revelation 22:21 was not and is not to gain salvation but because of salvation Mathew 1:21; Mt 23:34; Jn 8:36; Jn 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 1Cor 15:51-57; Rev 21 & 22.
Romans 7:21-25 – There is a story, while known to have happened quite frequently by compassionate American folk, that is likely an agglomeration of many becoming an allegory. A story of a large scared slave who unknown to him was being purchased for manumission (freedom). Who while on a slave market block repeated with increasing volume with each bid “I will not work for you”. He was purchased eventually for a high price and while being driven in a wagon home by the purchaser, repeated again and again “I will not work for you.” The new owner saying nothing eventually stopped by a lovely cottage by a river. The slave asked where is this, and was answered, “this is your new home, your free.” After a few minutes the slave broke down & in tears saying master, I’ll work for you forever! Working not for freedom but because of being set free. Obedience to Christ – Genesis1:1 to Revelation 22:21 was not and is not to gain salvation but because of salvation Mathew 1:21; Mt 23:34; Jn 8:36; Jn 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 1Cor 15:51-57; Rev 21 & 22.
In Philippians 2:12b & 13a Paul describes a reality that is commonly translated in a way that on the surface seems contradictory, both within its self and with Paul’s wider description of the [and there is only one] gospel. A denotative/paraphrase translation that makes Paul’s message clearer could read: “…let out that which you have requested and has been grown by God with-in you.” (my translation) A translation consistent with Christ’s words in Mathew 5:14-16 & Paul’s in Galatians 5:22-25.
LIFE EXCOGITATIONS 