Friendship (Elements of Existence) #atozchallenge

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91:1-2
New International Version (NIV)

       God is our Heavenly Father, but he would also like to be a friend to us.  He is the most perfect friend that any of us could ever imagine.  God is that friend who is always there and never lets us down.  He is one in whom we can have absolute trust.  However, he will not force his friendship upon us.  He waits patiently for us to invite him to come into our lives.  He draws us to him yet does not smother us with oppression.   We must believe and receive.

       The friend who will lay down his life for you is the most perfect friend that you can imagine.  Jesus did exactly that.  He bore your sin so you can be saved from the wrath of judgement.  That judgement is not the bad deal of a back-stabbing sort who says they are your friend then turns on you in the end.  The cards are on the table before you.  The inevitability of consequences of choosing sin and denial of the Creator are the torment of a life apart from God.  No force.  Your choice.

        A true friend is here before you ready to let you into the gates of Heaven.  Will you accept his generous offer or will you go down the dark road to your own destruction?   God wants you to walk with Him.   Seek his friendship now.

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
James 2:23

New International Version (NIV)

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Education (Elements of Existence)

 The Wisdom of Solomon, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!
Proverbs 16:16

New International Version (NIV)

      We were never intended to be dumb.  God expects us to learn as much as we can about that which we pursue.  Hopefully our pursuits are meaningful.

        Education doesn't all come from book learning either.  A college degree or not even a high school degree is a requirement to get into Heaven.  We should pursue those educational goals if we have that opportunity, but keep in mind there is other knowledge that isn't necessarily taught in school.

        Reading the Bible should be high on the list of the tools of the education we do on our own.  And not merely summary reading, but study and rereading.   Attending Bible studies can be a great help.  Asking questions of those with greater knowledge can give great guidance to us as we delve into scripture.   Ultimately, prayer is one of the greatest keys to accessing scripture.  The Holy Spirit can open up passageways of understanding that will continue our spiritual educational journey.

        We are never to old to stop learning.   We are never too wise to stop reasoning and studying.  Education is an important part of our existence on Earth.   Consider our education in life to be a prerequisite to the continuing education we have to look forward to in the afterlife of eternal life.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5

New International Version (NIV)

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More Than Colored Eggs and Chocolate Bunnies

Display of Lindt chocolate bunnies (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26

New International Version (NIV)

        This is the question that is asked of all of us.  This question is directed at you!

       What is your answer?

       Please be sure to visit my special post at the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Blog. 

Decision (Elements of Existence)

The Christian concept of apocatastasis includes a restoration of the world to its original state, as in the Garden of Eden (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
Joel 3:14
New International Version (NIV)

        In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve were presented with one decision--whether or not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.   They made the wrong decision and the Universe has been corrupted by sin ever since.  The act of sin is a decision that each of us continues to face on a daily basis.  We are tempted and our decision is the choice between life or death.   

        When we make that life or death decision our bodies don't usually literally die at that moment, but we are dead to God unless we make that next decision to repent of our sinful nature, ask forgiveness, and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  It's a simple choice that is made difficult by our fallen human nature.

         God allows us our existence here on Earth.  His only requirement is that we choose to accept or reject His way to eternal life with Him.   If we turn away from God then that is our final decision.   To ignore the choice and make no decision is a decision not to accept God as Lord

          Have you made your decision yet?  If your answer is no then what is it that you are waiting for?

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6
New International Version (NIV)

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Creation (Elements of Existence) #AtoZChallenge

The Earth seen from Apollo 17. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1
New International Version (NIV)

       Humans are creative.  Since we were created in God's image and we are creative then it stands to reason that God is creative.   After all, He created us and all of the universe.  God wants us to create.  We are not intended to just live at the whims of the natural forces of Earth and the universe.  As creative humans we are expected to construct shelter, and creative shelter at that.

        We build amazing structures.  We create beautiful artwork.   We develop cities and the inventions that allow us to have better lives.   Humans compose music and literature.  But do we do all these things for the glory of God?

         God's work supersedes anything than humans can come up with, but still we create for that is part of our legacy.   Perhaps when we create everything with God in mind just as we were created from the mind of God, then we will achieve all that we were intended to be.   This dream is not something that humanity will see in the current corrupted Earth.

           God created us to be creative, but the bounds of our creativity are limited in this fallen world.  Oh, what amazing things to come in the Kingdom of God!

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Hebrews 11:3

New International Version (NIV)

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Because ( Elements of Existence)

The Holy Spirit depicted as a dove, surrounded by angels, by Giaquinto, 1750s. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9

New King James Version (NKJV)

        Any parent is probably well aware of the easy answer we give to our children when they ask us a question that we can't answer or perhaps aren't ready to answer.   "Because" is an easy out that rarely appeases and usually just leads to more questions.

         Sometimes we can look up the answers to provide a learning experience for ourselves as well as the child who has asked the question.  This is a good opportunity for education.  At other times the child is too young to understand the answer so we simplify it with "because".   Or the child might be too stubborn to accept the answer so we eventually end the discussion with "because"and hope that will appease the child for a while at least.

         We are God's children and he is our Father in Heaven.  He is infinite and all-knowing.  We can never expect to know all of His ways or be Him, but we can certainly strive to be more like Him and know what He puts out there for us to know.  We have the Holy Bible which can provide many of the answers to the questions we might have.   Through prayer and listening for answers that he provides through the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives we can continue to learn.  Then sometimes we need to remain in wondering and wait for an answer that may never come in this life.

         Why do some things happen in this world that we can't understand or why does God work in the way He does?   Sometimes the best answer is "because".            

But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? ‘Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”’
Romans 9:20

New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

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Adoration ( Elements of Existence )

Look at Earth from the Heaven (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Psalm 116:1

New King James Version (NKJV)

       Since God is our creator then we should adore him.   Of course not all humans believe this concept and that is their burden to overcome.   What will they adore?  Themselves?  Nature?  The Sun?  Nothing?

         As humans we are hardwired to have adoration for someone or something.   When we adore the ephemeral then our adoration is limited and small which makes our adoration futile and only temporal.  Are we lifting ourselves up to worship that which will only let us down?

        When people indicate that God has let them down, has done nothing for them, or doesn't even exist I wonder if they have opened a line of honest communication.  God is not some sugar daddy or Santa Claus who dotes on you providing material comfort.  Nor is He a genie from a bottle beckoned to grant your wishes.  God is God the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

         If you do not start with adoration when it comes to your Father in Heaven, then you are bound by the chains of your own self-love and a delusional desire for the earthly mortal things that will one day pass.  An eternal life in paradise is adoration of the One who created all things.

And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

Revelation 5:13

New King James Version (NKJV)

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