A new start when the lockdown comes to an end

For weeks, we have been limited in what we could do and where we could go. It looked like one life or one period or age had come to a close and another way of living came to the forefront.

Several countries loosening the restrictions of the lockdown offer a totally different world than before the corona crisis. Many people had now several weeks to think about their way of life and are wondering how they shall have to continue in this world where nothing shall seem to be the same as before.

“Most of us think that we can change our lives if we just summon the willpower and try even harder this time around,”

says Alan Deutschman, the former executive director of Unboundary, a firm that counsels corporations on how to navigate change.

 “It’s exceptionally hard to make life changes, and our efforts are usually doomed to failure when we try to do it on our own.”

For New Year's resolutions it is well known that mostly when Spring arrives they are all gone or forgotten. To suggest that most people will never change, no matter how much they want to, seems almost giving no opportunity to believe positively in mankind.

In many of the so-called civilised countries, you may find bookstore shelves swollen with the latest self-help books, and life-change gurus like Anthony Robbins, Dr. Phil and, yes, Oprah are pop-culture icons. There are the Experience, Observation, Awareness, even a Fear Guru next to the guru who tends to demoralize us. And for all these gurus there was a lof of screening time on television lately. Bounded to the house, many also came hooked tot the screen wich brought all the bad news about corona, but also brought programs about people who had difficulties with coping with themselves as well with others.

For many people, it also looked difficult to accept themselves for who and what they are.

We noticed also that in this period of the CoViD-19 pandemic several people looked on the net for answers about the role of God in this matter. Many also sought for a spiritual guru. Others looked on social media to others to find out how they were coping with this present situation. Some also tried to learn from the one who hasn't reached the top. It was as if they needed a sibling to relate to their father.
What does not seem bad, is that some people went looking for themselves, and after knowing self, God, world drama history,... they found themselves more related to the divine Creator God. They came to feel that though at other times we are so busy to have contact with other people, that we forget a much more important contact.

In quarantine many become confronted with That Higher Being, coming to feel there is no one between them, there also not being restraints, Someone Who accepts them the way they are.

I t can well be that in this period we took more time to try to impress Him by moulding our character to the one He loves i.e imbibe virtues and give up our bad habits. Did you felt also closer to HIm? So that's kind of evergreen feeling because you are growing with Him and not just getting prepared to showcase self in front of Him after end of the present life. (?)

It is well know we all want to do some things our own way. 

"What the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies. The mind doesn’t direct the will. The mind is actually captive to what the will wants, and the will itself, in turn, is captive to what the heart wants." 

Having been captive now for some weeks, in our own cocoon, we had enough time to think about ourselves and about our relationship with others and with our Maker.

Having had so much time, many considered if this would not be the moment to go to do it differently. The 8th of June was for the kids as for the parents like a new schoolyear, or a new start of a new and a different life.
This new situation made some people making a resolution and summoning up all their willpower does little good if, ultimately, their heart isn’t in it. Does this mean you should abandon any hope of change? Not at all. If you’re going to make a resolution, you should determine if the resolution is actually good. always you should check what is the driving desire. Is it a good one?

If your resolution is actually a good one, just do it. Go ahead and work out more, smoke or drink less, read your Bible more, pay down your debt and save more for retirement, focus on your marriage, spend more time with your children.
In all cases, we shall have to place ourselves in the surroundings with others. Our interaction with them is always going to influence our aims and actions.

Jesus gave us an example to follow and provide a helper, the Holy Spirit, who can change our desires and empower us to love God and neighbour. As Paul tells us,

 “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

 With us and our willpower, Jesus says, change is impossible,

 “but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

 As Cranmer realized, our wills are captive to what our hearts love, and we are powerless to change ourselves without the work of God’s Spirit changing our desires.

When you think through the resolutions you want to make for after Corona, here’s a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer as you ask God to work on your heart:

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Preceding

 Catholics facing a totally different Holy Week

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Additional reading

1. Social media, sympathy & shocks
2. The unseen enemy
3. Broken daily routines
4. Staying at home saves lives
5. A virus giving the world an opportunity to re-evaluate and change the way we live
6. Unlikely silence
7. Covid-19 Psalm 19 Isaiah 26 and the Evangelical Proof-Texters
8. 7 Ways To Boost Your Immune System in Lockdown
9. So many being afraid – reason enough to step in the boat with Christ
10. Love in the Time of Corona
11. Hosting a Virtual Seder During a Pandemic
12. 2020 World Time to pause

Glory of only One God Who gives His Word

“((To the Chanter, a Psalm of David.)) The very heavens declare the glory of God, and the very firmament sheweth his handiwork.” (Psalms 19:1 TRC)

 “1  And God spake all these words and said: 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have none other gods in my sight.” (Exodus 20:1-3 TRC)

 “For thus sayeth the Lord GOD {|LORDE God|} there to; It shall not so go forth, neither come so to pass:” (Isaiah 7:7 TRC)

 “And with that, the LORD stretched out his hand, and touched my mouth, and said moreover unto me. Behold I put my words in thy mouth,” (Jeremiah 1:9 TRC)

 “Believest thou not that I am in the father, and the father in me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself: but the father dwelling {that dwelleth} in me is he that doeth the works.” (John 14:10 TRC)

 “And take the helmet of health, {salvation} and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God,” (Ephesians 6:17 TRC)

 “And he said: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exodus 3:6 TRC)

 “We know that the son of God is come, and hath given us a mind {understanding} to know him which {that} is true: and we are in him that is true, {be in the truth} through {thorow} his son Jesu Christ. This same {He} is very God, and eternal {|everlasting|} life.” (1 John 5:20 TRC)

 “thou art worthy ([O]) Lord ([our God]) to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy will’s sake they are, and were created.” (Revelation 4:11 TRC)

 “2 And God spake unto Moses saying unto him: I am the LORD, 3 and I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob an Almighty God: but in my name Jehovah {Iehouah} was I not known unto them.” (Exodus 6:2-3 TRC)

 “13 wilt thou therefore say: Tush, how should God know? Doth his dominion reach beyond the clouds? 14 Tush, the clouds cover him that he may not see, for he dwelleth in heaven.” (Job 22:13-14 TRC)

 “5 And the Levites, Jeshua, and Cadmiel, Bani, Hasabniah, Serebiah, Hodjah, Sebaniah, and Pathahiah, said: Stand up praise the LORD your God forever: and let thanks be given unto the name of thy glory, which exceedeth all thanksgiving and praise. 6 LORD, {|<thou art>|} thou alone hast made heaven, and the heaven of all heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is therein, the sea and all that is therein: thou givest life unto all, and the host of heaven bow themselves unto thee. 7 Thou art, the LORD, the God that hast chosen Abram, and broughtest him out of Ur in Chaldea, and called him Abraham” (Nehemiah 9:5-7 TRC)

 “7  Hear, O my people: let me speak, let me testify among you, O Israel: I am God, even thy God. 8 I reprove thee not because of thy sacrifice, thy burntofferings are alway before me. 9 I will take no bullocks out of thy house, nor goats out of thy folds. 10 For all the beasts of the field are mine, and thousands of cattle upon the hills. 11 I know all the fowls upon the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are in my sight. 12 If I be hungry, I will not tell thee: for the whole world is mine, and all that therein is. 13 Thinkest thou, that I will eat the flesh of oxen, or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer unto God praise and thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most highest. 15 And call upon me in the time of trouble, so will I hear thee, that thou shalt thank me. 16  But unto the ungodly sayeth God: Why doest thou preach my laws, and takest my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Where as thou hatest to be reformed, and castest my words behind thee?” (Psalms 50:7-17 TRC)

 “11 And the very same, made some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Shepherds, some Teachers: 12 that the saints might have all things necessary to work and minister withal, to the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we everyeachone (in the unity of faith, {|we all come unto one manner of faith|} and knowledge of the son of God) grow up unto a perfect man, after the measure of age which is in {of} the fullness of Christ: {|and become a perfect man in to the measure of the perfect age of Christ|} 14 That we henceforth be no more children wavering and carried with every wind of doctrine, by the wiliness {|wickedness|} of men and craftiness, whereby they lay a wait for us to deceive us.” (Ephesians 4:11-14 TRC)

 “And I brethren when I came to you, came not in gloriousness of {|in hye words|} words or of wisdom, shewing unto you the testimony of God. {|preaching of Christ|}” (1 Corinthians 2:1 TRC)

 “9 but as it is written: The eye hath not seen, and the ear hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath opened them unto us by his spirit. For the spirit searcheth all things, yea the bottom of God’s {Goddes} secrets. {|even the deepness of the God head|}” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 TRC)

 “14 For the natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God: For they are but foolishness unto him. Neither can he perceive them because he is spiritually examined: {|can not perceive it: for it must be spiritually discerned|} 15 but he that is spiritual discusseth all things: yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who knoweth the mind of the Lord, other who shall inform him? but we understand the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 TRC)

 “Who hath reformed the mind of the LORD? Or who is of his counsel to teach him?” (Isaiah 40:13 TRC)

 “5 which mystery in times passed was not opened unto the sons of men as it is now declared unto his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit: 6 that the gentiles should be inheritors also, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise that is in Christ, by the means of the gospel, {gospell}” (Ephesians 3:5-6 TRC)

 “that their hearts might be comforted and knit together in love, and in all riches of full understanding, for to know the mystery of God the father and of Christ” (Colossians 2:2 TRC)

 “Tell nothing into the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” (Proverbs 23:9 TRC)

 “1  These be the last sayings of David. David the son of Isai said: And the man is lifted up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob and pleasant Psalmist of Israel said: 2 the spirit of the LORD spake in me, and his words were on my tongue.” (2 Samuel 23:1-2 TRC)

 “Ye men and brethren, this scripture must {have} needs be {been} fulfilled which the holy ghost thorow the mouth of David spake before of Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.” (Acts 1:16 TRC)

 “When they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word: well spake the holy ghost by Esay the prophet unto our fathers,” (Acts 28:25 TRC)

 “searching when, or at what time the spirit of Christ which was in them should signify, which spirit testified before, the passions that should come unto Christ, and the glory that should follow after:” (1 Peter 1:11 TRC)

 “20 So that ye first know this, that no prophecy in the scripture hath {|is done of|} any private interpretation. 21 For the scripture {|prophecy|} came never by the will of man: but wholy men of God spake as they were moved by the wholy ghost.” (2 Peter 1:20-21 TRC)

 “But that comforter which is the holy ghost (whom my father will send in my name) {<he>} shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have told you.” (John 14:26 TRC)

 “16 For all scripture given by inspiration of God, is profitable to teach, to improve, to inform, {amend} and to instruct in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be perfect, and prepared unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 TRC)

 “For this cause thank we God without ceasing, because that when ye received of us the word, wherewith God was preached, ye received it not as the word of man: but even as it was in deed, {|is of a trueth|} the word of God, which worketh in you that believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13 TRC)

 “Whatsoever things are written aforetime, are written for our learning that we thorow patience and comfort of the scripture should {might} have hope.” (Romans 15:4 TRC)

 “All these things happened upon them for ensamples, and were written to put us in remembrance, {|to warn us|} whom the ends of the world are come upon.” (1 Corinthians 10:11 TRC)

 “49  ((Zain.)) O think upon thy servant as concerning thy word, wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust. 50  For it is my comfort in my trouble, yea thy word quickeneth me.” (Psalms 119:49-50 TRC)

 “7 The chief point of wisdom is, that thou be willing to obtain wisdom, and before all thy goods to get the understanding. 8 Make much of her and she shall promote thee: Yea if thou embracest her, she shall bring thee unto honour. 9 She shall make thee a gracious head, and garnish thee with a {|the|} crown of glory.” (Proverbs 4:7-9 TRC)

 “A wise heart will seek after knowledge, but the mouth of fools meddle with foolishness.” (Proverbs 15:14 TRC)

 “He which is sown in the good ground, is he, that heareth the word and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred fold, some fifty {sixty} fold, and some thirty fold.” (Matthew 13:23 TRC)

 “But strong meat belongeth to them that are perfect, which thorow custom have their wits exercised, to judge both good and evil also.” (Hebrews 5:14 TRC)

 “God gave now these four springalds cunning and learning in all scripture and wisdom: but unto Daniel specially, he gave understanding of all visions and dreams.” (Daniel 1:17 TRC)

 “There is no wisdom, there is no understanding, there is no counsel against the LORD.” (Proverbs 21:30 TRC)

 “O give ear unto good counsel, and be content to be reformed, that thou mayest be wise here after.” (Proverbs 19:20 TRC)

 “7 Consider what I say. The Lord give thee understanding in all things. 8  Remember that Jesus Christ being of the seed of David, rose again from death according to my gospel, {gospell} 9 wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds. But the word of God was not bound. 10 Herefore I suffer all things, for the elects’ sakes, that they might also obtain that health {salvation} which is in Christ Jesu, with eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:7-10 TRC)

 “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” (John 17:2 TRC)

 “We know that the son of God is come, and hath given us a mind {understanding} to know him which {that} is true: and we are in him that is true, {be in the truth} through {thorow} his son Jesu Christ. This same {He} is very God, and eternal {|everlasting|} life.” (1 John 5:20 TRC)

 “2 for kings, and for all that are in preeminence, {authority} that we may live a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. 3 For that is good and accepted in the sight of god our saviour, 4 which would {will} have all men saved, and {<to>} come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:2-4 TRC)

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A Triple God or simply a rather simple One God

The Scutum Fidei, a diagram frequently used by Christian apologists to explain the Trinity. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Christendom the majority of the population holds on human doctrines and wants to bow down to a deity that would consist of three people: one God the Father, a god the son and God the Holy Spirit.

The majority of Christians prefer to see a personification of man to divinity. This allows them to also identify more easily with God. Doing so, they overlook the fact that their mind is not a separate person or personality, although the majority wants to believe that their spirit can live separately from them. They even believe that after death the soul goes out of their body and goes to continue to live on separately. They forget that, if they think, their mind works. If they let their thoughts go on anything this is a consequence of their brain activity taking their minds at 'work'.
The spirit of man and the Spirit of God thus seize the active powers that place in thought, contemplating, talking, handling or doing an activity.
As for a man using his mind he will be able to do things, though when he is not using his mind he will not be able to do anything. The same for God when He does something He uses His Spirit, His Working Force. For man the brains take care we can come to an active position. As soon as the brain does not work any more, or when the brains are death, we are considered death as well. We do need the force of our brains, i.e. we do need our spirit to take part of life.

The effect of our or God His brain or brains, as it is in all humans is a force, even with a God Force. The Holy Spirit is God's power. the spirit we do have is the possibility God gives us to think and handle.
In the Holy Scriptures it is written as God His Breath being given to man, and as such giving us life. The Holy Spirit is the Causer of God His thinking, His talking, His acting, but also the life bringing force to man. Without the Spirit, or without the mind of God nothing can not come about. God spoke and it came to be. This is informed already to us from the first words in Scripture which state that God spoke and it came into being, it was created. (Genesis)

That Spiritual Being, That existed before everything came into being, was the God Who said of Himself that He is an Eternal Spirit that man can not see or man would die if he saw this Spirit God.

Exo 33:20 EWB-CB And Jehovah said, Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live.

One may ask whether the many Christians do know and do believe the words of the Bible. Do they believe that what is said in it is the truth and that God tells only the truth?

In the Book of Books God says about Himself that He is a spirit and that spirits have no flesh and blood. Do we not see in the New Testament, Jesus himself testifying that he is not a spirit, and that his followers could even see his wounds he kept from his suspension? According to Scripture God can not die, but many Christians wish to believe that Jesus is God and died on the cross. Of course it could be that they assume that Jesus was indeed God and would have faked his death. But what sense would it have for God to do if he died? What does He get from such an act?

It might not feel useful having a god who is omnipotent, al-knowing, eternal, would did as if he died on the cross to save mankind. God can speak one word and provide salvation for man. Why then would he have waited so many years to come to earth while he was there with man in the Garden of Eden and could bring immediate salvation for man? Is God then of such cruel nature that he wanted to see man suffering first a bit longer?

God is a God of love and He does not feel good that the people should suffer. It is true that man wanted to do his own thing and God gave him that opportunity. This man must now take care of himself and can show if he can get gets his planning on his own. Of course, man can not live without God, but he seems not yet to have understood this. The human being is very obtuse.

Also concerning the understanding Who God is and what God requires of man, for humanity, it seems very difficult to grasp. The vast majority of humankind still thinks God is a ridiculous invention of mankind and brings nothing to the man. However, man needs his Creator. Without Creator is the creation nothing.

But to get there to have them see that the Creator could act alone and nobody needs to do His work is just oh so difficult for most people to grasp. It seems so incredible that only One Being would be able to create and manage the whole world. For many, it even seems unjust that the Creator of all created things on his own and would have a say over it all.

Man also feels so high that he believes there is indeed a human being in the game that is divine and as worthy as the Creator God, even more, that he himself created the things. So they make Jesus Christ the creator or co-creator, instead of recognizing that God speaks as any official in the royal plural form (pluralis major or royal we). That He is the One in the Bereshith Who speaks brining everything in to being by His Voice, many do not understand. In the Bereshith or Genesis we are told the Creation and find the Former or Maker speaking in the plural which is very normal because He that is Greatness not only covers everything but is also Head, King of kings of everyone and everything.

Psa 83:18 EWB-CB That Israel may know that Thou, Whose name alone is JEHOVAH, Art the MOST HIGH over all the earth. To the chief Musician relating to Gittith, a winepress.

Jer 10:7 EWB-CB Who would not fear Thee, O King of nations? for to Thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto Thee.

Dan 2:37 EWB-CB Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

Dan 2:47 EWB-CB The king answered unto Daniel, and said, "Of a truth it is, that your God He is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

Dan 4:25 EWB-CB That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall suffer thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall drench thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the MOST HIGH hath dominion in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.

He who is the Supreme and to Whom belongs Dominion of everything, to Him belongs all honour and all worship. He is the One True God of gods. No god in the world is more or less valuable than him.

Psa 75:4-7 EWB-CB I said unto the arrogant, "Deal not foolishly:"And to the wicked, "Lift not up the horn: (5) Lift not up your horn on high: Nor speak arrogantly of the Rock. (6) For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, Nor from the south. (7) No God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Eze 26:6-7 EWB-CB And her daughter cities and towns inland shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the LORD. (7) For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and a gathered host, and much people.

Eze 36:21-28 EWB-CB But I had pity for Mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, whither they went. (22) Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for Mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the nations, whither ye went. (23) And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the nations, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in them before your eyes. (24) For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you on to your own soil. (25) Then will I throw clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your dirty idols, will I cleanse you. (26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (27) And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them. (28) And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall become to Me a People, and I will become to you a God.

Jer 31:33 EWB-CB But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My People.

Gen 17:7-8 EWB-CB And I will establish My covenant [unconditional] between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. (8) And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."

The One that is to us a god is not composed of several entities, but only One God.

Gen 26:24 EWB-CB And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, "I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for My servant Abraham's sake."

Mat 22:32 EWB-CB I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of dead people, but of living people.

Exo 15:11 EWB-CB Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the mighty ones? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, to be revered in praising Him for His wondrous acts ?

Deu 3:24 EWB-CB O Lord GOD, Thou hast begun to shew Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy mighty works: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to Thy works, and according to Thy might?

Traditionally, there were happily enough people who knew who their and our God was supposed to be.

1Sa 2:2 EWB-CB There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside Thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

Deu 4:35 EWB-CB Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD He is God; there is none else beside Him.

Isa 44:6 EWB-CB Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his Kinsman Redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God.

We should take it at heart that there is no other god besides the Elohim Hashem Jehovah.

Isa 45:18 EWB-CB For thus saith the LORD The Creator of the heavens; God Himself The Former of the earth and The Maker of it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

It is the Former, the divine Creator who is the only True God, God above all gods. His is strength and to Him belongs all power.

Psa 92:8 EWB-CB But Thou, LORD, art enthroned on high for evermore.

Psa 83:18 EWB-CB That Israel may know that Thou, Whose name alone is JEHOVAH, Art the MOST HIGH over all the earth. To the chief Musician relating to Gittith, a winepress.

Psa 86:8-10 EWB-CB Among the judges there is none like unto Thee, O Lord; Neither are there any works like unto Thy works. (9) All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord; And shall glorify Thy name. (10) For Thou art great, a doer of wondrous things: Thou art God alone.

Psa 97:9 EWB-CB For Thou, LORD, art Most High above all the earth: Thou art exalted far above all rulers.

Psa 104:1 EWB-CB Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

Psa 135:5 EWB-CB For I know that the LORD is great, And that our Lord is above all earthly rulers.

1Ch 29:11 EWB-CB Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as head above all.

Mat 6:13 EWB-CB And bring us not into trial, but rescue us away from the evil one: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Even kings David, Saul and Jesus knew that they could not match the Most High who is the only God.

Mar 10:18 EWB-CB And Jesus said unto him, "Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

1Sa 2:2 EWB-CB There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside Thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

Psa 99:5 EWB-CB Exalt ye the LORD our God, And worship at His footstool; For He is holy.

Only He, the Most High God should be above everything and to be worshipped. Nobody else we need to pray to or to bow down before anyone else, for there is no god above the Most High God, Jehovah Elohim Hashem.

Exo 6:2-3 EWB-CB And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am Jehovah: (3) And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of GOD ALMIGHTY, but by My name JEHOVAH was I not understood to them.

Jesus was seen by many who did not fall death, but God, who tells no lies, can not be seen by humans and stay alive.

Exo 33:20 EWB-CB And Jehovah said, Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live.

1Ti 6:15-16 EWB-CB Which [appearing] in His own seasons He shall shew, the blessed and only God a mighty Prince, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; (16) Who only hath deathlessness, inhabiting in light unapproachable;Whom no one of men hath seen, nor can see: to Whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

What we can see is the Greatness, His Power and His Splendour.

Deu 5:24 EWB-CB And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.

Psa 47:2 EWB-CB For the LORD MOST HIGH is to be reverenced; He is a great King over all the earth.

Joh 1:18 EWB-CB No man [human eye] hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, He Who is into the bosom of the Father, That One revealed Him.

Jesus never claimed to be God. He has brought a more accurate insight into Who the divine Father is. It is God who has given the authority to Jesus. After Jesus his death, he has been appointed as a mediator between God and man.

Mat 11:25-27 EWB-CB In that season Jesus prayed and said, I openly confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of the heaven and the earth, because Thou didst hide these things from wise ones and prudent ones, and hast revealed them unto babes. (26) Even so, Father: for so it became well pleasing in Thy sight. (27) All things were [at some definite time] delivered unto Me by My Father: and no man fully knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither fully knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son intendeth to unveil and reveal Him.

Luk 10:22 EWB-CB All things were delivered to Me by My Father: and no man getteth to know Who the Son is, except the Father; and Who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whom the Son willeth to reveal Him."

Joh 6:44-46 EWB-CB "No man is able to come to Me, except the Father Which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (45) It standeth written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned from the Father, cometh unto Me. (46) Not that any man hath seen the Father, if not He Which is from beside God, He hath seen the Father.

We must also clearly realize who we want to recognize as God. We must realize that there is Only One God, the God of Israel.

Deu 6:4-9 EWB-CB Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is a compound unity LORD: (5) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hands, and they shall be for watch posts between thine eyes. (9) And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

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Dutch version:

Een Drievoudige God of simpelweg een éénvoudige God

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Find related Bible verses:

El-Shaddai God Almighty Who no-one may see and live
No man see the Almighty God and live

El Shaddai Who appeared unto Abraham

Bible, sword of the Spirit to come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man

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How we think shows through in how we act

"How we think shows through in how we act.
Attitudes are mirrors of the mind.
They reflect thinking."
- David J. Schwartz

A godly mind prizes honor above worldly good.
- Rembrandt

If we do not cling to riches, selfishness, or greed
 - then I believe we are getting closer to God.
- Daniel Ortega

"You were taught… to put off your old self ...
to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
and to put on the new self,
created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
Ephesians 4:22-24

Lord God, let me always hold the right thoughts
and keep my eyes on those things that are really valuable,
useful for me and keep my purity
in order to enter Your Kingdom.

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Hoe we denken schijnt door in hoe we handelen
+++
2013 update:
 

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• Striving for success
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• For what is the hope of the hypocrite?
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Malefactors becoming your master

"Any person capable of angering you becomes your master;
he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him."
- Epictetus (55-135 AD)

"Like a city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man who has no control over his spirit."
Proverbs 25:28

God, let me always be in control of my mind and body.
Give me that I may not become annoyed by others,
and let me not anger by those who would want or provoke.

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie >

Two people in a heated argument about religion when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at Columbia University.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Boosmakers worden je meester

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Choices

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Keuzes

"You are who you are and what you are because
of what has gone into your mind.
You can change who you are and
what you are by changing what goes into your mind."
- Zig Ziglar

"Make me know Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day."
Psalm 25:4-5

God shape my thinking. Change me where it is necessary
and leave me to be a good Christian as that may be an example to others.
Make sure that I always make the right choices
to accede to your Kingdom, where I look forward to.

We should use the Bible every day

SOMETHING TO CHEW ON

Abraham Lincoln once said “Read the Bible for what, on reason, you can accept and take the rest on faith, and you will live and die a better man.” We know that not only will we die a better person for having read the Bible but if we are wise enough to obey its commands after reading them we shall also rise to live forever. Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

   

As we have now progressed well into 2009, how are our daily readings going? It is a great pity that so few read the Bible every day. How can we think godly if we don’t read God’s thoughts? In the natural we sometimes feel we get to know a certain author by being thoroughly familiar with his writings. 

Certainly those who have made a study of Shakespeare feel they are acquainted with him and his thought processes; so it is with any other writer who has left his works behind. It may be nice to know a human author this way but it in no way compares with getting to know God through His Word. In fact, it is completely impossible to obey the first command to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind if we do not constantly read His Book, pray and meditate upon His goodness and mercy to us.

  Remember John’s point about hating or loving our brethren? The last part of his question is, “How can he love God whom he has not seen?” How can we? It is impossible to love the unknown. We cannot love someone we have never seen, never heard from, never heard of. Only by becoming familiar with a person can we love them. In the natural this usually comes as a result of personal contact but it has occurred by correspondence. Many lovers first met by mail and the love grew even before they saw one another. Since we have never seen God it is only possible to love Him as a result of our familiarity with His Word and His spirit which he dwells in us with. It goes without saying that if we are not faithful in our daily readings in His Book, we will not love Him. How can we expect Him to save us if we break His first and most important command? Paul asks the question “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” His answer is, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

  It is this word of God that must fill our minds and hearts if we are to love Him, obey Him and receive from Him the crown of righteousness. To ignore the Bible readings is to ignore God. It won’t make much use what else we do if we don’t do them. That’s the trouble with the world today. Every man is doing that which is right in his own eyes. The world expresses it as “doing your own thing.” “Our own thing” will be of no value in the day of judgement.

 If we do not read our Bible regularly in January, we must not let February and the rest of the year take the same course. Making and breaking New Year’s resolutions is the butt of many jokes but not reading God’s Word is no joke whether it was a New Year’s resolution or not. If we cannot find time to read God’s book every day, just how much do we really love Him? Our actions are speaking louder than words.

  The Bible reading charts are not the only way to read the Bible but they are a very good way. Whatever way we use to read the Bible, we should use it and do it every day. It is good to do it as a family if possible. May the words Paul addressed to Timothy apply to us as well. “Continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them; And that from a child you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

* * * * * * *

The reason why the majority of people are forgetful hearers of the Word of God, is because they are not constant readers of it.

Don’t count your troubles. Rather, count the challenges that are already stacking up higher than a pyramid before you. Whether you want to make a million this 2009 or not, it is entirely up to you. It is in your hands completely. And by a million, I don’t necessarily mean dollars. I mean all the other things besides. Like friends, kindly acts, gestures of goodwill to those who need them most.

  

 Set your sights high. Make a goal, and thereupon work at it with frenzied non-stop effort. Aim at becoming a “Goal-achievement millionaire.” That means in twelve months hence you will have reached your goals, solved your problems, secured inner peace of mind, mental refreshment.

 You will have made more friends than ever before, and in turn, you will find you are on the friendship list of a greater-than-ever range of people, too. This is a wonderful start.

  You may have made a few more dollars as well. But suddenly you find this is not so important. Your new concept of living, working out simple solutions to your vexing problems, finding that negative thoughts have no place in your mental environment, solving problems on a day-by-day basis with a strong, forthright, positive approach - these have suddenly converted you into a mental millionaire.

  Intimately associated with all this, come important facets in your spiritual life. This is a basic key to help solve all problems.

  Did you used to read the Scriptures on a regular daily basis? Maybe up to until a year or two ago. What happened in the interim? Bowed down by the cares of the world? Couldn’t be bothered? Too tired?

 Taking Christ into your life as a working partner is a top way to achieve your goal. He will help keep your computer mind working steadily and accurately. He will keep it oiled with the balm of enthusiasm, a sweet nature, a sober spirit and Christ-like temperament.

  There will be no more need to go mad at your offensive contemporaries. The well-adjusted computer is programmed to cope with such difficulties as they rear their ugly heads. But it is essential you walk hand-in-hand with the Master-mind at all times. With His aid, success is never more assured, never more gratifying and overwhelming in volume.

  Think positive right through 2009 and, without doubt, with Christ in your life your goals will spin into reality with frightening rapidity.

* * * * * * *

- John Aldersley

> Bible Reading Plan

You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone

Dutch version / Nederlands > Je kunt niets veranderen in je leven met de intenties alleen

"You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone,
which can become a watered-down, occasional hope
that you'll get to tomorrow.
Intention without action is useless."
- Caroline Myss

"Without action, without decision,
you remain in possibility,
which is safe and beautiful but eventually enervating and boring."
- Jennifer Louden

"In the same way, faith by itself,
if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
James 2:17

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action,
keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely
on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 1:13

"I will waste not even a precious second today in
anger or hate or jealousy or selfishness.
I know that the seeds I sow I will harvest,
because every action, good or bad,
is always followed by an equal reaction.
I will plant only good seeds this day."
- Og Mandino


"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it,
evil comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.
This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places,
this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary,
and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns,
this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world
and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil,
this is the man who hears the word and understands it;
who indeed bears fruit and brings forth,
some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."
Matthew 13:19-23

God, let me of the many intentions that I have,
fulfil those that suit in your plan.
Give that your word may work loose the right things in me
and make me grow in faith.
That my actions will bear fruit and will bring me up to you.
That I ask you in Jesus' name.

Looking along the narrow path formed between two rows of (Zea mays) in a field in . The maize is normally sown in regular rows by a planter towed by a tractor. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2013 update:

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