Jack86753

I believe that you are referring to Romans 9:15 or 18. It is my understanding that this chapter of the bible is referencing Israel when it mentions Jacob, and referencing the decedents of Esau/the nation of Edom when it references Esau. So when it says "by whom I choose to bless, I will bless," it may be referencing the nations that God chooses to bless, He will bless, and not necessarily the individuals. God's invitation to individuals extends to everyone. Job 36:5, "Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one. He is mighty in strength of understanding." John 3:16 teaches that the invitation of salvation is open to everyone. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Hebrews 11:6 says that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Titus 2:11 states, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). The verse you referencing should not be interpreted to mean that God will arbitrarily choose to not bless some Christians while choosing to bless others. "Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways." Psalm 128:1. "For blessed are those who keep my ways." Proverbs 8:32. I hope this helps.

I've seen so many preacher's trying to sell their books that I really just did not know where to start. I'm not looking for anything specific, I'm just trying to be more selective when it comes to entertainment. I love learning about God and want to learn as much as I can. I also love a good story. Thanks for the suggestions, they will keep me busy.

Hebrews 13:2 says "Do no forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels." So apparently it is possible for the angels of God to appear in human form. The other way around I do not know. If you see something outside of your home, it probably has a rational explanation 99% of the time. But if you are convinced it appeared to be a ghost or demon best to avoid it. Luke 10:20 says "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." Any Christian is protected against such forces anyway. If you see something that just isn't right in your home or where you work, bring the problem to God. Psalm 34:7 says, "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them." Whether the foreign thing presents itself as "kind" or as a person, there is no reason to conclude that it has been sent by God. Therefore, call in reinforcements to get rid of it:)

I do not have any Christian books and I've noticed by watching Christian television channels that many preachers and speakers have books available. Does anybody know of a good author to start with? I would be interested in Christian nonfiction and fiction. Thank you.

Church's can be hit or miss. People have different ways in which they express themselves and worship God. When you find the right one, the Spirit will lead you to keep attending. I heard this great message on faith the other day. Hebrews 11:1 gives a basic definition of faith. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." However, this definition can be hard to grasp for somebody who does not understand the basics of faith. Faith can be thought of as a three step process. The first step is knowledge. You read the word of God so that you know what it says. For instance, you learn that Christ died on the cross as payment for your sins. Romans 10:21 explains that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. To use an analogy, you know what a chair is. A chair is something that you sit on. The second part of faith is belief. You believe that Christ died on the cross as payment for your sins. Similarly, you believe that if you choose to sit in a chair it will support your weight. Or if you have a friend who intends to catch you in a trust fall, you may believe that your friend will catch you. However, knowledge and belief is not enough. You also have to trust God. You trust that God will perform the promises that he makes in the bible. The Lord is a very present help in time of need. The Lord will direct your steps, give you strength, peace, joy, will not withhold any good thing from you, whatever you ask in Jesus's name will be given to you, He will answer your prayers, save you, and give you an abundant life. Faith means taking God at His word through trust. Using the analogy, actually sitting in the chair is trusting that it will sustain your weight; or actually falling backwards is trusting that your friend will catch you. God has given you what you need to be able to trust Him. You can think of Hebrews 11:1 as saying now the word of God is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. God tells us that He never changes and the promises that He made in the Bible can always be relied on.