The Story, chapter 1. Genesis chapter four. Adam through Noah.

 

Genesis 4

The offering of Cain and Abel

The bottom line, Cain, in a jealous rage, kills his brother Abel.

God has not turned his back on the man in a rage as we all expect, and so once again, God shows up. We do not know what that looked like. I understand as we make assumptions, and one we do not make very often is that even here, it is Jesus talking with Cain. If God’s character remains the same, then his actions should be consistent as well.

As I understand it, the Jewish basis of prophecy lies in repeated patterns. For something to dominate their mind as prophetic, it must have been repeated in scripture.

So do we find Jesus throughout the Old Testament?

At virtually every turn, He (Jesus) is there and is referred to on many occasions as the angel of the Lord, but why is that important? God made it very plain to Moses that man (in his broken state, could not look upon God), so if God could be looked upon in the future, why is it He can be seen by these fallen men?

We are looking for consistency.

Before the fall, humanity was the direct image of God, practically His shadow. A shadow can demonstrate the form but not the precise detail of the person, and I see no reason why Adam and Eve could not have continued to walk in a personal relationship with God.

At this point, some will tell you that they are hopelessly embroiled in sin, but you are ignoring that God himself slaughtered enough animals to make an instructed sacrifice, including the reasons why. The logic behind this is about to be covered, so keep reading. There is no reason to believe that this was not Jesus with them at this point, either. In other words, since Jesus was God, He may well have been here in the garden as well.

There are always repercussions for taking liberties

If I jump several thousand years ahead, to the point where Jesus has given his life for us, we come to the realization that the payment of death, demanded for the sin that we all inherited, is done away with.

My belief in Jesus Christ’s full payment on my behalf and acceptance of his sacrifice makes me free from the bondage of that death.

However, there are always repercussions for taking liberties, and that is what we see with Cain.

How does God handle this murder?

He shows Cain an amazing amount of mercy. Even before Cain murders his brother, God seeing his internal struggle with jealousy, has a talk with him.

Genesis 4:3-7 TLV  “So it happened after some time that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to Adonai,  (4)  while Abel—he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. Now Adonai looked favorably upon Abel and his offering,  (5)  but upon Cain and his offering He did not look favorably. Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.  (6)  Then Adonai said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  (7)  If you do well, it will lift. But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the doorway. Its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

There is much that happens in the background of these first four chapters, and they are not spelled out in scripture. Contrast this with God’s background activity in the life of Esther and Mordechai, and you will see what I mean. You could not ask these questions of your own sons if you had not made it clear what was expected of them. Since Adam had been deemed to have dominance over the earth, he was still the relaying body of information to his sons. Come on now, use some logic. God showed Adam how to make a sacrifice for sins, and Adam showed his sons.

Cain murders his brother Abel

^{Genesis 4:8-10 TLV  “Cain spoke to Abel, his brother. While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.  (9)  Then Adonai said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” “I don’t know,” he said. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  (10)  Then He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground.”}

Still, we anticipate God striking the man dead, but he does not. Abel is dead, and God approaches Cain once again, and like Adam, God asks, “Where is your brother Abel?” It is not a question of God not knowing. He knows exactly where Abel is. Perhaps he wants us to come clean, and that is more than likely what we are seeing come from the Apostle John when he writes:

If we say openly that we have done wrong, he is upright and true to his word, giving us forgiveness of sins and making us clean from all evil. (1 John 1:9 BBE)

However, Cain would not do that.

As I said before, there are repercussions for your actions.

The curse of Cain

^{Genesis 4:11-13 TLV  “So now, cursed are you from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.  (12)  As often as you work the ground, it will not yield its crops to you again. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”  (13)  Cain said to Adonai, “My iniquity is too great to bear!”}

This is where it gets a little weird, but again, there are no straightforward answers as to why Cain has an understanding that people would kill him unless he is aware that this level of activity is all ready going on out there. A filter that almost all of us apply is that we are looking at a tight chronological timeline that starts after sin in the garden. The problem with that thinking is that time began outside the garden and sin.

Once again, God shows mercy and love for those made in his image, and so He marks Cain in an effort to divert (these unexplainable, according to tradition) people from killing him.

While you might think that Cain’s lineage is over, however, through a couple of them, like Jubal, we have metal work, instruments of music, and Jabal, the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. While that may seem innocent enough, it is also the foundation for an evil, violent world that has no relationship with God.

The closest thing God has to his original creation is Adam and Eve, not that it matters now, for everything is broken, but there is a distinct difference, for it seems they are the only ones left that understand what it means to commune with God.

The birth of Seth

^{“Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and she named him Seth, “For God has appointed me another seed in place of Abel—since Cain killed him.” To Seth, also was born a son. He named him Enosh. Then people began to call on Adonai’s Name.” (Genesis 4:25-26 TLV)}

Two things that jump out here, Adam and Eve have had another son, he becomes the lineage that brings about Jesus, and after Seth has his own son Enosh, men begin to call upon the LORD. You would think that at least three people might have been doing that already. This has huge implications because we have so much activity going on in the background, and apparently, none of these people have been acknowledging God.

If you look the name Enosh up, you might not think it unusual:

'ĕnôsh The same as H582; Enosh, a son of Seth: - Enos. However, pursue it further and it defines Enosh with a little more detail: properly a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified 'âdâm ruddy, that is, a human being)

So Enosh marks a transition from God’s original creation, ADAM, to what is now defined as a mere mortal. This is another huge clue as to what is going on in the background.

You cannot lose your salvation because you are sealed. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22.

 Contrary to the religion I grew up in, many have been talking about NOT being able to lose your salvation. The context of this conversation should be obvious, what do you believe, and does it line up with the Word of God? 

If your beliefs, no matter where they came from, such as the faith movement, do not line up with the Word of God, dump them! While the terminology may not be precise, the idea that we are eternally saved is found in multiple locations throughout the Bible. Here is one of those places.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NASB (21) Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, (22) who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

Here, Paul is doing the talking, and he is referring to a "He", who establishes us, ("us" here has to be referring to those with Paul and the early church body in Corinth.)

To Establish is to confirm, render constant, strengthen, make firm, ratify, or establish by arguments or proofs.

Paul goes on to say, that this "He," has anointed the believers, the church body.

Anointed, according to the Word Study Dictionary, tells us that "Anointing had the significance of dedication to God;" "Priests were set apart by anointing;" "Kings were designated by anointing, and we see this with David and Saul;" and, "This act was accompanied by the gift of the Spirit. So when David was anointed, the Spirit descended on him and departed from Saul."

Jumping forward to 2 Corinthians 5, we get this.

2 Corinthians 5:1-6 NASB (1) For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2) For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, (3) inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. (4) For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. (5) Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. (6) Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--

The bottom line is that this "He" is God. Never forget that God, the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, is one. But pay attention to the fact that God gave us the Spirit as a pledge.

But a pledge of what?

The context of this secondary conversation shows you a conversation about how we long to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven. Notice verse four as it says, while dwelling in these mortal bodies we feel unclothed and long to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven; while we feel unclothed, we can KNOW that these mortal bodies will eventually, be swallowed up by life - God is life. And finally, God, gave us the Holy Spirit as a pledge. 

For those who fear as Christians, not knowing where their home is, I give you verse six.

"Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--"

Come back to 2 Corinthians 1:22 for a moment.

2 Corinthians 1:22 NASB (22) who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

Sealed is the Greek word sphragizo which means to seal, or stamp with a seal for the purpose of finalizing or to close up a transaction.

According to the Word Study Dictionary sealed also implies:

• to mark distinctively as invested with a certain character, John 6:27;

  Whose character are we talking about, Paul's? Not hardly; we are talking about God's character.

• to set one’s own mark upon, to seal as one’s own, a mark of acceptance, 2Corinthians 1:22;

  God has accepted us, sealed us, and marked us as His own.

• to deliver over safely to someone, Romans 15:28;

  And it is the Holy Spirit that will deliver us over, safely to the Father; this is a logical action considering that He paid for us.

Jesus made the final payment on our behalf and God closed the books, indicating ownership when we accepted that Jesus died and rose again for us. At this point, God sealed us, and He did it with the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is that mark upon our lives.

And note how 2 Corinthians 1:22 tells us that the Holy Spirit is in our hearts as a mark of God's pledge.

When did that happen?

On the day you accepted Him.

• Romans 16:25 says that you were established according to Paul's gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.

• 1 Peter 5:10 tells us that He is always working to perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

• King David, in Psalm 37:23-24, states that we won't be hurled headlong because the LORD is the One who holds your hand.

• Psalms 89:4 says, that He will establish your seed forever.

• And in Isaiah 9:7 We are told that it is the zeal of the LORD of hosts which will accomplish this in us.

How do you come to Jesus?

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NASB (1) Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, (2) by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you unless you believed in vain. (3) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

That Gospel is simply this. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was buried, dead, and raised again, to life, on the third day by the Father. Romans 1:16-17 tells us that this gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. And that we continue to live in this salvation through faith.

Perhaps this might help.

Jesus, I admit that I am broken and I need a savior. I understand that you died for me so that I could live eternally, with the Father, in heaven. I have nothing to offer you but my life and so I give that to you now. Thank you for forgiving my sins and accepting me into your kingdom.

God, who desires all men to be saved. 1Ti 2:1-15

 How did we end 1 Timothy chapter one? With a bang as Paul points out two false teachers within the church. Here is what he said.

“Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”

Read what Paul said to Timothy as he described the details of what these two were doing.

• They were teaching contrary to the truth, teaching strange doctrines.
• As Eugene Peterson's message states, they were occupying themselves and others, with legends, fables, and myths;
• and, they were paying far too much attention to myths and endless genealogies, these genealogies merely give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.

First off, genealogies seemed to be vitally important to the Jewish community, we can see an aspect of this in Matthew's gospel.

Matthew 1:1 THE BOOK of the ancestry (genealogy) of Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the son (descendant) of David, the son (descendant) of Abraham. [Ps. 132:11; Isa. 11:1.] (AMPLIFIED Bible)

The genealogy proved the heritage of Jesus Christ. For example:

Psalms 132:11 NASB The LORD has sworn to David A truth from which He will not turn back: "Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.

This was important to the Jewish community, and in scripture, we are given two different lines, both of which establish Jesus as the son of David, the son of Joseph and Mary, and therefore, the Son of God. (Yes, I took some liberties in saying it this way, and I was trying to make a point about how, for the most part, is that genealogies, for us, are pointless. Consider when Herod was told that an entourage of wise men was coming toward Jerusalem. Having learned that they were looking for a recently born king of the Jews, he called the chief priests and scribes, and asked them, is this true. Because of what Psalms 132:11, and what the other prophets had said, they affirmed that Yahshua, the Messiah, would have been born in Bethlehem, however, we will not accept this child nor worship him. Herod, on the basis of two sets of witnesses, had all the boys in the region, under the age of twelve, killed. What does this say to you about the genealogies?)

But what did Paul say?

He said that these two, Hymenaeus and Alexander, were blaspheming – God.

Based upon what we know (1 Timothy 1:3,4,) where do you see the act of blaspheming?

Let's ignore the genealogies for now, and focus on the other two points.

1. They were teaching contrary to the truth, and or, teaching strange doctrines.
2. The second thing that could be attributed to their blasphemy, would be what Eugene Peterson's message states, they were occupying themselves and others, with legends, fables, and myths.

Having said all this, through and to Timothy, how does pull the young man, and his audience, back on track?

He reiterates what truth is, and thus we start Timothy chapter two.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 NASB First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, (2) for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

Alright, what is an entreaty?

It is the Greek word deēsis and means a petition: - prayer, request, supplication. The dictionary says it is to make an earnest petition or request.

Either I am missing something, or I just can't see the logic of using a fancy word, only to say a moment later, “and prayers, petitions.”

The New Living Translation puts it like this.

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.

Ask God to help them;

intercede on their behalf,

and give thanks for them.

Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Eugene Peterson's Message conveys 1 Timothy 2:1-2 in this manner.

The first thing I want you to do is pray.

Pray every way you know how,

for everyone you know.

This last portion of Peterson's Message is especially critical today.

Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.

The next two verses continue the necessity and logic of prayer.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 NET. Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, (4) since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Why?

Because he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:5-6 NET. For there is one God and one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, himself human, (6) who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God's purpose at his appointed time.

Absorb these statements for a moment.

• God wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
• There is one God.
• There is one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus.
• Jesus Christ is human.
• Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all.
• So that Jesus Christ could reveal God's purpose at His appointed time.

Keep in mind that Paul is writing to Timothy, I suspect to encourage him. In that encouragement he says, the things above, some of the most precise statements about who He is; these statements are a definition of His nature and His character.

When I was 23 I had a dream/vision of Jesus. He laid out my entire life before me. I thought I will never forget this and so I did not write anything down. All I could remember of His being there was that I was filled with joy. Years later, after a horrendous marriage and a loss of everything, including my hope and joy, I was reading in the book of Numbers chapter 12, where it speaks about the attempted mutiny by Aaron and Miriam against Moses. God spoke to Moses and said,

Numbers 12:6 NET. The LORD said, "Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream.

Life continued with its twists and turns. The hope was restored one day, many years later, when I went to a prophecy conference. Sitting in the audience, the speaker that night pointed at me, and said, you have gone through three destructive phases in your life. God is saying to you, the destruction is done, and nothing will impact you in that manner again. There were other things said, but I do not remember them all. What I remember is that I felt like God loved and cared about me. This prophetic word did not speak to what I saw in Numbers 12:6, and I wondered what God had in store for me as time progressed. I never wanted to be a pastor, as I could not endure the responsibility of other people's lives. It has been years, and I post almost everything I write to the internet. But about two years ago the dream came true as I became the leader of a small Bible Study group.

The point is, that God has a plan and that will be fulfilled in His timeline.

Paul, when he was Saul, may not have seen teaching direction coming, because he had been aligning himself to be a Pharisee, not a teacher of God's grace and mercy, but here it is.

1 Timothy 2:7 NET. For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle -- I am telling the truth; I am not lying -- and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

When you read about Paul's life in the book of Acts what you see is a Jewish follower of Christ going to synagogues with every turn. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily, as Paul did what he knew best, and he preached Jesus from the Tanakh. In the course of teaching and preaching, Gentiles began to join the ranks. However, it was not until the harassment from the Jews escalated that we see Paul saying,

“It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46b NLT)

To be honest, for me, most of the rest of this chapter has become nothing less than an entanglement. Maybe what Paul preaches here is a command from God, if so then rebellion on the part of some, has over time, made it impossible to enforce.

1 Timothy 2:8-15 NLT  In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.  (9)  And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.  (10)  For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.  (11)  Women should learn quietly and submissively.  (12)  I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly.  (13)  For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve.  (14)  And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result.  (15)  But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.

• “In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.”

Starting with verse nine, Paul speaks to women. Now there might be a relational issue, but it is NOT often that you see women dressing so gaudy.

• “And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.  (10)  For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.  (11)  Women should learn quietly and submissively.

Verses twelve through fifteen are unusual, to say the least. Having been cast aside and practically made slaves, women have fought back, demanding respect. I agree a male and female lumberjack should get the same pay. But I do struggle with this idea of women teaching men. Perhaps someone like Joyce Meyers could shut me up.

• “I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly.  (13)  For God made Adam first, and afterward, he made Eve.  (14)  And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result.  (15)  But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.

Paul's reason may not seem logical to most, and, if you think about it, Adam was standing right there, listening to everything the serpent was saying to his woman. For this to make sense, you may have to go back to the creation of man.

In Genesis 1:26-30, it appears that God made man and woman, but there is more definition to come; and it is possible that this is nothing than a spiritual state, not so different from the angels. The biggest clue we have to understand this creation scenario comes from verse 27, which reads:

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27 NASB

John's gospel tells us this:

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24 NASB

So the initial creation of both the male and female was a spirit, just as every aspect of the trinity.

Genesis 1:26-30 NASB Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (27) God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (29) Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; (30) and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so.

Our second introduction to creation comes from Genesis chapter two.

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. (Genesis 2:7-8 NASB)

Here, we do not see the woman, so where is she?

Not formed yet.

And where does God put the man?

Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:15-17 NASB)

God placed the man in the garden, told the man about the tree, and gave him the only set of instructions necessary.

It quickly became obvious that something was missing, companionship, so God made animals. Well, that was not the answer, and so He makes a woman.

So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22 NASB)

So where was the woman when passed out instructions?

Not formed yet.

So who then told the woman not to eat from the tree in the center of the garden?

The one person, who had previously been given dominion and the command to subdue the earth and all in it, Adam.

“God blessed them: God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth."(Genesis 1:28 CJB)

To the legalistic, who read this and assume that the “them” would be the man and the woman. How quickly we forget that the earth is also filled with animals and flying things, all, like the serpent, had the ability to communicate and had no fear of man. (Oh, yes, this is a very scriptural thing.)

Subdue – Gk, kâbash meaning to tread down; to conquer, subjugate, subdue, and bring into subjection.

Whether you like the word subdue or not is irrelevant, for the man was to bring his woman into subjection, in this case, to the Word of God. The word dominion has comparable meanings.

We never see Adam dominating, in a negative manner, his woman; and, I suppose that is why Paul's directions toward women in the church are difficult to wrap the mind around.

So when we see the serpent, in chapter three, taunts the woman with “Indeed, has God said,” perhaps you can understand that the challenge/question comes more from the idea that Eve did not hear God speak the word, it came to her from Adam's mouth; and how can I truly know that he would not lie to me in order to control me.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1 NASB)

Do you see the subtlety and deceptiveness in this transaction?

These were NOT broken people as yet, and therefore Satan has to introduce possibility, probability, doubt; and for Adam, a treasonous motive – the potential that God has not given you all the power that He promised.

Because if, standing there, knowing full well that God did give those instructions, then what kind of evil went through Adam's mind?

After hearing these words, I felt like I could fit in somewhere. Romans 1:1-20

This study will look at Romans 1:18.

Romans 1:18-19 NASB: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (19) because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

Now, if you are one of those who advocate that all sinners should be sent to the Great White Throne and only find the portals of hell waiting for them, then perhaps this is for you, as the passage we are going to cover can give you that impression if you merely glance at the verse. But you should know me by now, as I tear everything apart, and we will do that; however, as I often do, I want to give you a glimpse into my life and hopefully make it relatable.

I recently had the opportunity to go to a men's retreat put on by two Vineyard Churches. We had done something like this two years before, and then it was titled “No Man Left Behind.” I felt like I got thrown under the bus, and I returned home as miserable as I came. These events, much like our relationship with Christ, will give you as much as you invest in them. With that in mind, I got to camp this time and almost immediately decided to jump in with both feet; besides, the speaker caught my attention.

The speaker was Dr. Eric Sandras (You can find several of his books on Amazon.com). We were told to call him Dr. E, and we came to find out that he has a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Relations, and that he has spent nearly a decade as a Human Sexuality instructor at various universities and colleges. So, at one meeting, we had an opportunity to ask any sexual questions we had. You might think that in a “holy” environment we wouldn't speak of such things, but our silence, discomfort, and false bravado, along with our phony acts of sucking up the horrible pains around us while trying to act brave, is nothing less than passive-aggressive behavior. (Passive-aggressive behavior has been a lifetime battle for me, and it is a battle that comes out of Co-Dependency.) 

The disastrous side of passive-aggressive behavior is that, like Mount St. Helens in Washington State, USA, you will eventually blow off that pressure with disastrous results. I know this from experience.

When Dr. “E” opened the series of meetings, the first thing he did was read off a card that they use to introduce people to the church. It looks like this.

After hearing these words, I felt like I could fit in somewhere. Since I am not in a position to move to Colorado Springs, I guess my mission is to make sure that others who correspond with this description fit in as well.

Many will see a description like the one in the photo, realize that some of us are accepting those who are broken, and complain, loudly, that we are NOT pointing out their sin; how could I respond to that?

Good lord, if they, in their broken conditions, are reading this, trust me, they know they are broken and thirsty; I know I did.

John's gospel tells us that Jesus had an answer to this.

Now on the last day of the festival, Hoshana Rabbah (the Feast of Tabernacles,) Yeshua stood and cried out, If anyone is thirsty, let him keep coming to me and drinking! John 7:37 CJB

There were no accusations or restrictions on when or how you should come; He merely said, come, and by your coming and getting closer to Jesus, the more you begin to look and act like Him.

Another example looks like this.

 

Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. (24) The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Matthew 4:23-24 NASB

Matthew 4:23, though many see this verse as talking about sicknesses for which you merely take some pill, it demonstrates the same attitude that the welcome card conveys: you are welcome here. 

Eugene Peterson's Message puts it this way,

"From there, he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God’s kingdom was his theme--that beginning right now they were under God’s government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives." Matthew 4:23 MSG

Jesus healed diseases, but the book of Acts in chapter 10:38 associated those same diseases with demonic oppression; however, there are, without a doubt, bad effects from our relationships and choices.

As I sat through these meetings, I heard things that my “religious” upbringing wanted to conflict with; but I also heard the Holy Spirit say to me, as He had done before, you relax and listen, and all will be explained to you. I don't expect many of you to understand this, but I cried all weekend. Imagine a six-foot-four-inch, 280-pound bear of a man, crying. I had powerful men praying over me all weekend long. Some I voluntarily submitted to, while others just approached me, asking me if they could share what they had heard from the Holy Spirit, and then proceeded to tell me things they would not have known otherwise. These guys poured into my life, life from the Spirit of God, and spoke healing over me. 

For my part, I have to trust the process as I continue to put the Word of God into my life.

With that in mind, let's look at Romans 1:18

Romans 1:18-19 AMP: "For God's [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative. (19) For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them."

After the question-and-answer session, I felt a little overwhelmed; in moments like this, I have learned to relax and let the Holy Spirit sort things out for me. I trust the Holy Spirit to lead me into all truth and to help me discern when something is not right. Simply because the topics are uncomfortable to me does not make them wrong, and this was not wrong. For several in the audience, the things that were discussed were pure ungodliness and reeked of unrighteousness; why? Because, as I explained to one of the attendees, some people, with their legalistic point of view, are wound much too tightly. After coming down off the mountain, I made this same statement to my friends/accountability partners, and one of them asked me, what does it mean to be wound too tightly? 

Since I had an excellent example of this at the camp, I demonstrated what a brother did and said while we were there. 

We had been given icebreaker questions, and one of the questions was, what was the funniest thing that happened to you this weekend? 

While my answer was not funny at the time, several hours later, at lunch, I could laugh about it. Now it was the turn of another Christian brother from the church I attend. 

When he opened his mouth, he began an angry rant about how we were merely accepting people's sin, and how none of the pastors among us were addressing God's wrath and outrage over such sins. I happen to know this brother, and he fatigues himself fretting about sin; and, when he attempts to teach mature believers, they too have to endure his rants about sin.

It is sad how many are focused only on God’s potential wrath and indignation. As I said, with a simplistic read, it is easy to perceive Romans 1:18,19 as nothing less than ominous. So let's tear the verse apart.

• Wrath is the Greek word orgē and means desire (by analogy) violent passion; by implication, punishment: anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.

If I substitute alternate wording in for the wrath, I get, For the violent passion of God. 

I always look at everything in light of God's character, which is Love. 

Can God get violently passionate? 

Absolutely, and we saw this when Jesus took the time to make a whip and drive the money changers and buyers out of the temple's outer court.

"And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." (John 2:13-17 KJV)

The word wrath shows up in the book of Revelation in three chapters: Rev 6:16-17; Rev 14:10; and Rev 19:15. 

There is no doubt that God is angry in these instances, but the recipients are spelled out in Scripture and have had their chances at mercy, no less than anybody else.

• Revealed is the Greek word apokaluptō, and it means to take off the cover; that is, to disclose: reveal. This word apokaluptō should be a familiar word, as it has strong similarities to the title of the Revelation; here, the Greek word is apokalupsis but still means disclosure.

To again substitute words in place of what we have so far: For the violent passion of God is disclosed from heaven, 

but for what purpose?

• Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. Well, that sounds relatively decisive.  The Greek word for ungodliness is asebeia and also means impiety and/or wickedness. Impiety is defined as ungodliness; irreverence towards the Supreme Being; contempt of the divine character and authority; neglect of the divine precepts. Unrighteousness is the Greek word adikia and means (legal) injustice (properly the quality, by implication the act); moral wrongfulness (of character, life or act): iniquity, unjust, unrighteousness, wrong.

In continuing to substitute words and phrases into the verse, we get: For the violent passion of God is disclosed from heaven, against all irreverence of God, contempt of His character, and neglect of His precepts.

The dictionary explanation of the word precepts goes like this: “In a general sense, any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action, but applied particularly to commands respecting moral conduct.”

We who follow Christ are deemed by God to be in Christ. 

This wrath that is to be poured out would have been meant for us, but since Christ took the wrath that we deserved upon himself, we do not have to endure that wrath. 

Here is where most have problems, as they cannot distinguish between the tribulations that are a part of being in this world and the wrath that is to come (see Romans 5:9 or 1Thessalonians 1:10). 

The wrath that is coming is to be poured out upon the nations, the Jews, and those who have displayed irreverence of God, contempt of His character, and neglect of His precepts. 

Sorry, you don't get to stop here, as the wrath is directed at particular people.

• Of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, Suppress seems simple enough, that is, until you look the word up in the Greek. It is the word katechō and means to hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively): - have, hold (fast), keep (in memory), let, X, make toward, possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold. Thayer's definitions indicate: to restrain, hinder (the course or progress of). Take a moment to read Romans 2:8,9

Working off what we have so far: For the violent passion of God is disclosed from heaven, against all irreverence of God, contempt of His character, and neglect of His precepts, of men who have restrained others from finding the truth, and in many cases have hindered the people from the truth.

Are you aware that Isaiah 53 is a forbidden chapter in Israel's Synagogues? 

What does Isaiah 53 speak of? 

The Messiah and the price He was to pay by His death.

I was angrily confronted one day when a brother in Christ tried to dispute the idea that Jesus could come back at any minute. 

This brother in Christ told me that everybody, according to Scripture, had to have a printed copy of the Bible before Christ could return. I think for some, this will be bad news, and Romans 1:19 is the reason why.

Romans 1:19-20 NLT: "They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.  (20)  For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God."

 Creation testifies of God, and therefore, nobody will have an excuse as they stand before God.

Micah 4:6-7. I will assemble the lame and gather those who were dispersed.

My initial thoughts and feeling on these next few verses trouble me.
Micah 4:6-7 CJB  "When that day comes," says Adonai, "I will assemble the lame and gather those who were dispersed, along with those I afflicted.  (7)  I will make the lame a remnant and those who were driven off a strong nation." Adonai will rule them on Mount Zion from that time forth and forever.

I can get rather adamant at times, especially when someone tries to shove legalism down my throat. Because of the life I lived and the mercy God has shown me, I know that legalism is not an aspect of God's nature or character.

I realize that many of you, operating on traditions and poor teachings that you received in your religious assemblies, do not recognize God any other way; that too was my dilemma. Thankfully, I am in a constant process of change for the better. I am using the word 'constant' because recently I voiced how I wanted a particular person to suffer for the wrongs they had done to me. I no sooner caught it coming out of my mouth when I heard the Holy Spirit say, you've got to fix that, you know why, and you know how. Yes, I do; I have had plenty of practice forgiving people, and one of my friends was quick to point out my frailty, (oh, just say it, SIN,) as well.

Alright then, a quick lesson on what it is to forgive.
This lesson comes in part because that same friend also voiced how he had forgiven someone who had offended him but was troubled because he wants little more to do with this person. That gets tough, especially when that person is your sister.

Forgiveness is an act of the will; it is probably easier to see this act of forgiving as a command, as you may be more responsive to the Holy Spirit when he tells you to take care of a situation. Since the Holy Spirit has multiple reasons for having us forgive people, an important one for us is that it keeps you out of the realm of judgment.

Do you want some proof?
Matthew 7:1-2 NASB "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. (2) "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

Pay attention to the second verse of the God's Word translation.
Matthew 7:1-2 GW  "Stop judging so that you will not be judged.  (2)  Otherwise, you will be judged by the same standard you use to judge others. The standards you use for others will be applied to you.

I can tell you from experience that the judgment for me, has come while here on earth, and, it came relatively quick. I suppose this swiftness makes more sense as I attempted to train a dog. Punishment for their doggie sins must be immediate, as in, at the time of the event; otherwise, all they understand is, blah, blah, blah, (insert dogs name here.) Your dog, hours later, has little to no clue what point you are trying to make. I suspect we are like that when it comes to judgment.

In my case, I knew exactly what the correlation was, for I had said to a fellow believer, I am ashamed of you, solely because they would not stop whining. [Other facts you might need to know. I was the supervisor for the day. It is much like marrying into a family with established patterns and children that don't want some new dictator in their life. Add to that, step-dads, in this day and age, can go to jail for trying to establish the rule of law in this situation, as I did with that coworker.] Six months later, for an unrelated event, I was ashamed of me, and it wasn't for whining; I whined later though. Secondly, in keeping your plate clean, you give yourself the benefit of a mind clear as well. One less thing to stress over is so beneficial.

• “When that day comes," says Adonai,”
• “ I will assemble the lame and gather those who were dispersed, along with those I afflicted.”
  So then, what could this mean?

I have become aware of times in which God has used this 'lameness' in me to test others. I typically see it in response to judgmentalism from religious folks. There is no denying that this often hurts, and later, as I nurse my wounds, the Holy Spirit tells me that I put you in front of them to test them; sadly, many of them have failed their testing. I don't know what, exactly that means for them, but I can tell you that the process of being used to test others is uncomfortable for me as well. Perhaps I too am being tested. The Apostle James speaks of this.

The Apostle Peter, who thought he could stand off those coming for the Lord with his mouth and sword, was helpless as the high priest ordered Jesus to be beaten in the dungeon below Caiaphas' home. And, Peter, not willing to be beaten or killed, denied Jesus the three times before Pilot's judgment against Jesus. Discouraged about his inability to live this life in Christ he quit and went back to fishing. Mark's gospel conveys this very well, as Peter is now disconnected from the disciples.
Mark 16:7 KJV  But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goes before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

This same Peter wrote this:
1 Peter 4:1-2 NIV  Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.  (2)  As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

1 Peter 4:8-10 NIV  Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.  (9)  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  (10)  Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

I get it, it's tough at times, but it is comforting to realize that Peter got it, and therefore, someday I will get it, hopefully, before I am dead or in heaven. I don't say that last part as though I will struggle with the idea of loving others deeply in heaven, but there is something in me that drives me to conquer my weaknesses. In this case, me, because I want to do anything but love some people.


If what I demonstrated through my actions is supposed to convey who God is, I can tell you that I have not always done an excellent job, and I imagine that I have managed to push more than a few people the opposite direction. As an example, I recently tried to discuss an aspect of Genesis 3:15 where it speaks of Satan's seed. I thought it was going to turn into a verbal brawl, as the older man began telling me that Satan had sex with Eve and therefore caused twins to born. And Cain was the bad seed, and that is why his lineage ends for no apparent reason. In response, there are reasons for Cain's heritage to virtually stop there, but the older man wanted to hear none of it. There was more loud, angry talk than I care to discuss here, but suffice it to say, I am now very uncomfortable with this “brother” as he would not, or could not give any evidence from scripture to back his claims. That style of teaching and manner moves him into the category of a false teacher. Now, how am I supposed to love this guy deeply?

Galatians 1:2-5. To settle all claims against him and to designate where he obtained this information on grace on mercy.

In verse one of this letter to the Galatians, we have Paul introducing himself. In so doing he spells out with one word, that he was sent by, and is a messenger of Jesus Christ and God the Father. That one word was apostolos – Apostle to us Gentiles. In proclaiming this he is immediately trying to settle all claims against him and to designate where he obtained this information on grace on mercy. To the skeptic (this tends to be religious folk,) there is much to argue over, especially since you may not have any concept of how or why God talks to us. With Paul, we have the dramatic incident where he was knocked to the ground and made blind. Jesus spoke to him and this could be the place where all his instructions and definitions began.

Something we seem to overlook when considering who Paul was. He tells us when he went by the name Saul, that he was a rising star among the ranks of the Pharisees; he was well versed in the law and the prophets, and, he was so zealous for the religious tradition of the Jews, that he went around arresting, torturing, and having many followers of this new “religion” -believers in Jesus Christ, imprisoned or killed. [You can find this testimony in the 26^th chapter of the book of Acts.] In Acts 7:58.59, Saul/Paul held the cloak of those who stoned Stephen to death.

You might wonder how someone so deeply invested in rules and tradition could find anything that looked like grace and mercy in the books of the law, and yet, these very books became the basis for our freedom.

In Matthew, we see Jesus, quite successfully standing his ground with the adversary, Satan by quoting portions of the Law back to Satan. If the law, this oppressive collection of writings we like to control people with, could bring peace, freedom, and a momentary respite from Satan's onslaught, then couldn't it do that for us? Perhaps this understanding will give you a greater insight into words like this: “Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”

With that let's dive into Galatians again.

Galatians 1:2-5 NASB and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4) who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5) to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

• "and all the brethren who are with me"

Acts 16:6 NASB They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;

It was on Paul's second great missionary tour, about A.D. 51, that, he in company with Silas and Timothy, passed through from Lycaonia in Phrygia and Galatia, and planted the seeds of the Christian faith (Act_16:6). From The People's New Testament (B. W. Johnson)

This region then called Galatia is now modern-day Turkey

A piece of evidence we have for who these brethren were comes from Acts 18 where we see Priscilla and Aquilla. Having spent some time in Ephesus he may have picked up some followers there, and there is always Dr. Luke to record everything.

Acts 18:23 NASB And having spent some time there, he left and passed successively through the Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

• "To the churches of Galatia"

As we saw in our example from Acts 16, Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia Minor, the region called Galatia.

• "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,"

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible tells us to look at his comments on Romans 1:7 where Paul uses similar terminology.

Romans 1:7 EMTV To all those who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace to you - χαρις υμιν; May you be partakers of the Divine favor, the source whence every blessing is derived.” “..the several acceptations of this word grace which occur in the sacred writings.”

When I look up this word grace in the Word Study Dictionary I get a rather extensive definition. I only included 1-4, but I made the lettering of the things I thought applied most directly. I gave you the large paragraphs as there are things in there that can add to your understanding. [I apologize as it makes this post so long.]

1. The word χαριν signifies in general favor or benevolence, but especially that favor which is powerful and active and loads its objects with benefits. Luke_1:30: Fear not, Mary, thou hast found Favor, χαριν, with God. Luke_2:40: And the child grew - and the Grace of God, χαρις θεου, the favor of God was upon him. Luke_1:52: And Jesus increased in Favor, χαριτι Grace, with God and man. Act_2:47: Having Favor, χαριν, Grace, with all the people. Act_4:33: And great Grace, χαρις, Favor, was upon them all. The apostles were at that time in universal favor with the multitude. In this sense, the word occurs in a great variety of places, both in the Old and New Testaments.

2. Hence it is often used for the blessing which it dispenses; for, if God be favourably disposed towards a person, his beneficent acts, in that person’s behalf, will be a necessary consequence of such favor. John_1:14: Full of Grace and truth; accomplished in all spiritual blessings. John_1:16: And Grace upon Grace: he who is full of the most excellent blessings, confers them liberally on all believers. Act_11:23: When he had seen the Grace of God, i.e. had the fullest evidence that they were richly endowed with heavenly gifts. 1Co_1:4: For the Grace of God which is given you - the Divine blessings conferred upon you. 2Co_9:8: God is able to make all Grace abound toward you; i.e. to enrich you with every benediction. This is also a very common acceptation of the word; and in this sense the word grace or favor is now generally understood among religious people. The grace of God meaning with them some Divine or spiritual blessing communicated.

3. It is sometimes taken for the whole of the Christian religion, as being the grandest possible display of God’s favor to a lost, ruined world: and in this sense it appears to be used, John_1:17: For the Law was given by Moses; but Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ: where the term Grace is evidently opposed to Law; the latter meaning the Mosaic, the other the Christian, dispensation. Act_13:43: Barnabas persuaded them to continue in the Grace of God; i.e. to hold fast their profession of the religion of Christ. Rom_6:14: Ye are not under the Law, but under Grace - ye are no longer under obligation to fulfill the Mosaic precepts, but are under the Christian dispensation. See also Rom_6:15; and see 2Co_1:12; 2Co_6:1; Gal_1:6; Col_1:6; 2Ti_2:1, Titus_2:11: The Grace of God, that bringeth salvation unto all men, hath appeared. The Jewish religion was restricted in its benefits to a few; but the Christian religion proposes the salvation of all men; and the author of it has become a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Heb_12:15: Looking diligently lest any man fall from the Grace of God - lest any man apostatize from the Christian religion, and the blessings of pardon and holiness which he has received through it. 1Pe_5:12: This is the true Grace of God wherein ye stand - the Christian religion which ye have received is the genuine religion of God.

4. It signifies all the blessings and benefits which Christ has purchased, and which he gives to true believers, both in time and eternity. See Rom_5:15, Rom_5:17, where the grace of God is opposed to death; i.e. to all the wretchedness and misery brought into the world by Adam’s transgression. 1Co_16:23: The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all - May every blessing purchased by Christ’s passion and death be the portion of you all. Gal_5:4: Ye are fallen from Grace - ye have lost the blessings of the Gospel by submitting to circumcision.

J. Vernon McGee tells us, This is Paul's formal greeting that he used in most of his epistles. The word grace (charis) in this verse was the gentile form of greeting in that day, while peace (shalom) was the religious greeting of the Jews.

Many commentaries state something similar when they say; this was a standard greeting for Paul; evidence for the commonality of his greeting is demonstrated in his letters as he opened with this statement five times. While that is evidently true, this was anything but a typical statement to Paul. He had learned what grace was, and it was probably something he had little to no concept of before his conversion.

We sing songs with the phrases like, I once was lost, but now I am found, and, who saved a wretch like me. The comprehension of what you were before you accepted His grace can often be the driving force in the impact you now want to make on others.

• Verse 4. “who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age,”

The greeting, deemed so common, included the name, Jesus Christ. In this case, Paul includes a brief definition of what Jesus did for us.

He gave Himself for our sins … that in itself sounds great but it is not compulsory to live here on this earth. Varying translations convey different implications and meaning; for example:

The Amplified Classic version tells us – [That it is Jesus] Who gave (yielded) Himself up [to atone] for our sins [and to save and sanctify us], in order to rescue and deliver us from this present wicked age and world order, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father-

The idea of “in order to,” leaves the door open to some choosing not to partake in this rescuing.

The American Standard Version conveys the idea that He might. “who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father:”

This in no way means that deliverance is merely something at God's whim. No, the effort has been for all and available to all. Clearly, not all choose to accept deliverance. This is the case with many of the Jewish people.

The majority of translations use the word might. I understand that God desires to rescue. If it is within His capabilities to save us, why doesn't He just do it? The answer is because He has never circumvented a human's free will, and we have a choice.

In speaking to Joshua, he said, choose you this day whom you will serve. You can find this in Joshua 24:15.

If it helps I have an analogy that came to me one day. Imagine that the earth is a great big adoption agency. God comes down, looks around at all the people, and knows immediately that He must have them all. In order to do that He pays the ultimate price, which happens to be the blood of His only son, who gave His life voluntarily, knowing full well the implications and ramifications, but the Son, and the Father, knew that the end result would be so glorious, that Jesus paid with His own blood. Having signed the adoption papers He loudly calls for everyone to jump in the truck. (There was a time when we could fill the back of the truck full of people and go off to town.) Some come quickly, while others take their time deciding if this comfortable life at the adoption agency isn't better. One young kid with purple hair, says okay, but I don't take out the trash. He quickly learns that there are responsibilities and that this new found life and the grace associated with it, does not give us license to act irresponsibly. Unfortunately, because of deception, life's hurts, misunderstandings forced upon them by others, or just their unwillingness to change, a few do not get into the truck. For us, the truck is an analogy of our trip we will someday make to heaven when He calls His church back home to Himself. The payment, of course, was the price for Adam's transgression, blood. The adoption agency is this planet we live on. If you understand the story of Adam's transgression, then you know that Adam, by his actions, signed the earth away to a fallen and mutinous angel named Lucifer.

Our life here is not to try and win back a conquered earth, as it will be restored by fire. Our job is to tell people that this God who paid the price for us, has our best interests in mind. If you understood His character, and most of us don't, then you would tell people that His goals are based in salvation, and since you have come to understand His love for you, then convey that.

Odd, how salvation means something different to everyone. Oh sure, there are similarities in every life story, but in the end, our stories are all as individual as we are. Most of the time, we can easily just call these struggles life. For me, I would say that the damage I have sustained has shown its ugly head through a need to feel useful. Some have seen the gifts or capabilities I have but the door has never fully opened, as far as I can tell, and therefore I am not teaching. Others, see nothing but the damage my past has caused, and though our life and relationship with Christ are entrenched in a God who has paid the price for our damage (past, present, and future) some will never let you get beyond your mistakes. God has forgiven and forgotten your mistakes; try to center your thinking around that.

• Verse 5 really needs no explanation and can stand on it own. “ to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.”

One of the occasional topics at church is worship. 

In worship, I try to recognize that it is to God that all glory belongs. But, in worship, God, through the Holy Spirit, tries to show me that same glory, now resting in me. 

How do I know that? 

I know that because the Word of God has taught me that in accepting Jesus Christ, I have come to be “in Him.” 

If I am in Him, then wouldn't His glory rest upon me as well? 

You would think so, and yet, it seems that is rarely the case. Perhaps, we just don't realize it.