JAG**

We hear a lot about God and Job's sufferings. The book of Job has 42 chapters and some 99% of the verses talk about Job's sufferings. However nobody knows how long Job suffered and some interpreters think it was a relatively short time. Some think Job suffered for a few months and others think Job suffered only for days. To the best of my knowledge all the events in the book of Job could have occurred within 30 days. If so, then Job suffered a very short time. But here is even better news: After Job suffered and endured his testing, God, in His Mercy and Grace gave Job MORE than he had before he was tested, and then God gave Job 140 years of the good life. Its reasonable to believe {based on the narrative in Job 42} they were a happy and blessed 140 years. "The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part." Job 42:12 "After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years." Job 42:16-17 Bildad correctly predicted the happy restoration of Job when he said: "He {God} will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." Job 8:12 So? So God's Mercy and Grace restored Job and he had MORE blessings than he previously enjoyed and then God gave Job 140 happy good years. And even more important than that, God gave Job eternal life in Heaven. Job was an Old Testament believer that reaped the benefits of the blessing of John 3:16 which says that God loved the world and gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God restored Job and God has a Plan to restore the world. God has a Plan to fix the world that men have messed up. What kind of Plan is it? The Cross. What kind of Person is God? The kind of Person that will die on a Cross because He loves the world and desires to restore it. So what kind of Person is God? The kind of Person that leads from the front, where the pain is. JAG ``

"I am making everything new"__The Lord Jesus Rev.21:5 Nothing on this earth has the power to defeat the finished work of the Lord Jesus. "It is finished" said Jesus while on The Cross. Here are the most powerful finished events in all of human history. No power n the Universe can defeat these: {1} The Cross -- the power of reconciliation, forgiveness, and restoration -- "being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 5:1 {2} The Resurrection -- the power of that Empty Tomb. He lives. He is alive. He has conquered Death for us -- we now have eternal life. {3} The Ascension -- the power of "I go to my Father" , , , "all authority in Heaven and on earth has been give to me" Matthew 28:18 {4} The Exaltation -- the power of being now seated at the right hand of the Almighty Sovereign God The Bible is the true story of God and His Plan to set the world right again. Yes , , , The Bible tells the true story of how God will Christianize the world and successfully carry out His Son's Great Commission -- to go and make disciples of all nations -- commanded at the very end of Matthew's gospel. God is going to fix the world. The world is now broken -- but God is going to fix it. Hope lives. Love conquers. Victory. The Cross wins the war for the world. Evil is defeated. The Good wins. The world will be Christianized before the Lord Jesus returns. The yeast of the gospel will make disciples of all the nations through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit who uses the plain simple gospel message to regenerate the hearts of men and to enable them to believe in Jesus as their Savior and then to understand the Bible, as the Holy Spirit begins the process of creating the fruits of the Holy Spirit in their lives , , , Step one is John 3:3 -- you must be born again {regenerated} Step two is John 3:16 -- you must believe in Jesus as your Savior Step three is Galatians 5:22-23 -- you must allow the Holy Spirit o produce these 8 qualities within your heart , , , Love Joy Forbearance Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-control The Holy Spirit produces these 8 qualities in the hearts of humans. This process is what finally fixes the world. "I am making everything new"__The Lord Jesus "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev. 21:3-4 JAG

There is another important point to make regarding the Father forsaking the Lord Jesus while He was on the Cross. That point is this: The forsaking, whatever it was, was only for a short period of time. The Lord Jesus was on the Cross for about 6 hours and so He was re-united with the Father after that 6 hour period was over. "It is finished" said the Lord Jesus and later there was the , , , ■ Resurrection , , , , , , and then the , , , ■ Ascension {"I go to my Father"} , , , and then the , , , ■ Exaltation {Seated at the right hand of the Father} So? So full fellowship was fully restored after a very short period of time. Best. JAG

On September 9, 2001 terrorists flew planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center Typo correction. On September 11, 2001 terrorists flew planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center ,, Best. JAG

On September 9, 2001 terrorists flew planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, brought both towers to the ground, killed 2,977 people, and caused over 25,000 injuries, with $10 billion in infrastructure damage. 343 firefighters were killed, and 72 police officers. In the midst of all that desperation and despair the workers found a Cross amidst the wreckage. I believe the Cross was put there by the Sovereign God as a symbol demonstrating that Hope shines in the midst of great sorrow. images (266×189) (gstatic.com) We have all seen pictures of the Cross draped with Jesus' grave cloth -- the grave cloth symbolizing His Resurrection {the empty tomb}. Note the "grave cloth" that is draped on the Cross they found in the wreckage of 9/11. It is a piece of white metal. The Cross found in the midst of the destruction and wreckage of the two towers of the World Trade Center -- Sept 11, 2001 -- proclaims in a strong clear voice that God is right there in the middle of His John 3:16-Human-Race-Love-Project no matter how severe the storms and fires we go through. He is right there with us and He will never leave us or forsake us, and He will bring good out of the evil that men do, overcoming the evil with good, and He will bring Hope to men and LOVE through the Cross. No power in the Universe can defeat and stop the power of the Cross of the Lord Jesus to bring Victory, Love, and Hope to the human race. The Cross found in the wreckage of the World Trade Center symbolizes this Hope. Remembering 9/11: The Ground Zero Cross | History - YouTube Here is a pic of The Cross Monument located at Ground Zero in New York City: ZZ0316-8x10-1000Shadow.jpg (807×1000) (rmparchive.com) Best. JAG ``

The Trinity is all about Love. The Trinity is heart-warming. It is the Trinity that makes human loving family relationships possible , , , but first let is "get the math out of the way." All orthodox Christians are Trinitarians, that is, we believe there is one God who exists in three Persons -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. Unfortunately many people get bogged down in the seemingly mathematical contradiction involved in 1 yet 3. Forget trying to solve the 1 yet 3 thingy -- that's impossible to solve. Why? Because there is nothing on this earth comparable to 1 yet 3. Here on the 1 yet 3 truth, we must rely only on revealed truth {revelation .. the Bible}. God says He is 1 yet 3 and therefore God is 1 yet 3. Now to the heart-warming elements of the Holy Trinity: {as a human being you can warmly relate to all that follows} Within the Holy Trinity there is the following: ■ Family -- the Three separate Persons are Family. They function like a Family. ■ Love -- the Three separate Persons love each other dearly. ■ Communication and conversation -- the Three separate Persons talk to each other in loving relationships. ■ Family Relationships -- the Three separate Persons immensely enjoy their I -You relationship. ■ Close friendship and close fellowship -- the Three Persons enjoy their close friendship relationships. They are Friends. We were made in God's image and this is why we all crave all that up there also. God desires all the above. We also desire all the above. We humans crave love and friendship and loving family relationships because we are made in the image of God and that image is in us forever. {By the way, there is a difference in WHAT and WHO. God is 1 yet 3 in His BEING. His being is WHAT He is. God is 1 yet 3 in PERSONS. His Personhood is WHO He is.} Back to Love and Family Relationships , , , We are capable of loving our family members because God is a Family -- a Family of 3. We are made in His image. If God were 1 in 1, instead of 1 yet 3, we would be incapable of enjoying loving family relationships. The fact that God is 1 yet 3 is what makes us social creatures who crave love and friendship and loving family relationships. We were made in the image of God. By the way, God, as early as Genesis, said let US make man in OUR image and in OUR likeness. Genesis 1:26. We understand from the New Testament that Genesis 1:26 was an early reference to the Holy Trinity. These three remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. But the greatest of these is Love. JAG

"Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream! For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow Find us farther than to-day. Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave. In the world’s broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife! Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act,— act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o’erhead! Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o’er life’s solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait." by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ___________ JAG Note: This magnificent poem by one of America's greatest poets and writers touches the heart. Longfellow was a Christian and I recall reading that Longfellow wrote A Psalm Of Life while rallying from a major bout with depression I think because of the death of his beloved wife. Wikipedia has a good writeup on this great American writer and poet. "Longfellow was the most popular poet of his day.[135] As a friend once wrote, "no other poet was so fully recognized in his lifetime".[136] Many of his works helped shape the American character and its legacy, particularly with the poem "Paul Revere's Ride".[119] He was such an admired figure in the United States during his life that his 70th birthday in 1877 took on the air of a national holiday, with parades, speeches, and the reading of his poetry.' __Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Wadsworth_Longfellow#Legacy ___________ I hope A Psalm Of Life will be a blessing to all who read this ode to the God that created us all, and to the human spirit that never gives up the fight no matter what with "God O'erhead." This poem "sticks with you" -- read it carefully and you will not want to ever forget it. Best. JAG

Thank you. And thanks for your comments -- much appreciated. And thanks for mentioning Psalm 72 -- I just did a follow-up post on Psalm 72. JAG

A Follow-up post , , , There is another aspect -- that the Lord Jesus said "MY God My God Why Have You Forsaken Me?" to call attention to the Psalm 72 that He was quoting Start quote. "There is another possible reason for Jesus to cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It could be that Jesus’ intent in quoting Psalm 22:1 was to point His hearers to that psalm. When they read Psalm 22, they would no doubt see the many fulfilled prophecies included in that song of David. Even while experiencing the agony of the cross, Jesus was teaching the crowds and proving yet again that He was the Messiah who fulfilled the Scripture." End quote https://www.gotquestions.org/forsaken-me.html My view is that both are true {1} My Op and {2} The Psalm 72 reason. JAG

Here is my interpretation of , , , "My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?"__The Lord Jesus "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have Eternal Life." The Lord Jesus was made a sin offering. He bore the penalty of the "perish" of John 3:16 During the time the Lord Jesus hung on the Cross His Father temporarily forsook His Son while His Son was bearing the penalty of sin for the world. Here is the verse. Note the caps. "GOD MADE him who had no sin TO BE SIN for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God"___2 Corinthians 5:21 The point? God made Jesus who had no sin , , TO BE SIN for us. So? So while the Lord Jesus was "MADE , , TO BE SIN " the Father temporarily "turned His back" so to speak, on His Son the Lord Jesus. Something mysterious happened there on the Cross my friend, that forever changed the world. __________ The Lord Jesus , , , "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" {Revelation 19:16} Isaiah 53 , , , "Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter."___ Isaiah chapter 53 __________________ Compare Isaiah 53 up there with 2 Corinthians 5:21 down below "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God"___2 Corinthians 5:21 __________________ By the way, Isaiah 53 was written hundreds of years BEFORE the Lord Jesus was born. _____________ Thank you Dear God for loving the world and for sending your Son, the Lord Jesus, to die for the sins of the world. JAG The Lord Jesus , , , "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" {Revelation 19:16}

Into The Absurd With The Dice , , , , JAG Writes: Some Evolutionists have said that "If it is possible, given enough tries, it is inevitable." My view is the absurd is NOT possible and that if you believe the following then you believe the absurd and nonsensical. The subject here is Dice thrown into the air , , , , Some Evolutionists say that if you throw any number of Dice into the air "enough times, then at some point all the Dice will come up 6's -- they say it does NOT matter HOW MANY Dice you throw into the air , , , My view is this claim is absurd nonsense and here is WHY I say that , , , You have to produce absolute Empirical proof that , ,, 999,999,999,999, 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999, 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,99 9, 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,99 9,999,999, 999,999,999,999,999, trillion to the power of 999,999,999,999, 999, 999,999,999,999, 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,99 9,, 999.999.999.999, 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,99 9,999,999, 999,999,999,999,999, trillion Dice if thrown in the air, enough times, will inevitably, all come up all 6's `` Then add this , , , For all you know for a fact, it might take 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,99 9,999,999,999,999,999,999, trillion times MORE than that up there , , to equal the complexity of the total Earth and every single thing on the Earth. You simply can NOT , , KNOW , , what the actual level of complexity is. And if you say you DO know, then you are speaking as a Man Of Faith. "If it is possible, then given enough tries, it is inevitable" is a Faith Belief. And it does not matter how high the numbers go on the "Enough Tries Principle" ALL the dice at some point MUST come up all 6's And THAT is absurd. It is absurd to believe that is even a remote possibility. I am not going to believe the absurd in the name of Logic. "If it is possible, then given enough tries, it is inevitable, but the absurd is not possible."___JAG JAG PS It takes much MORE Faith to believe that up there, than it takes to believe "That God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have Eternal Life." "Have Faith in God."___The Lord Jesus {Mark 11:22} ``

"As for the evolutionary path responsible for "a Ronald Reagan" or "a Ruth Bader Ginsburg" our DNA already can be decoded to provide a general idea of our ancestry, our common genetic relations, and that of a common primordial ancestor, simply because we follow the identical pattern of blueprint common to that of all thus far known life. In this regard, there is empirical evidence consistent with understanding of our genetic origins." ___off the Web JAG Replies: You have no Empirical Evidence that your original ancestor was at one time a dead one-celled speck that lived in the Primordial Slime and then later begin to pulsate with life and eventually became "a Ronald Reagan" and "a Ruth Bader Ginsburg." Pulsate , , just a slight boom , , boom , , boom , , , I mean the one-celled speck was not always alive --so there was a time when Old One-Cell was as dead as a door nail , , , , , but , , , , , , lo and behold , , , , , ,Old One Cell at some point became alive and it began to pulsate. Then Time Passed. After awhile Old One Cell, increased to the size of a pecan. Then later on Old One Cell increased to the size of a baseball. Then to the size of a Chicken. A chicken , , , Then later on as Time Passed Old One Cell has now become a Toad Frog. {or What Ever You Claim It Became} But Old One Cell did not remain a Toad Frog. On no. Old One Cell eventually became a Chimp. Then as time Passed a "scientific miracle" occurred , , , Here it comes , , , Old One Cell now at last as become "a Ronald Reagan" and "a Ruth Bader Ginsburg." And all that up there happened due to , , , ~ natural selection and ~ :random mutation and ~ atoms and molecules wiggling around and ~ chemical reactions taking place . . . , , , and all that was produced by ~ unthinking non-intelligent Time plus ~ unthinking non-intelligent Chance plus ~ unthinking non-intelligent Matter , , , , , which produced a , , ~ highly complex Human Brain ~ and a highly complex Human Eye, and ~ a highly complex Fully Functioning Human Body So? So if you believe all that up there, then you are a Great Man Of Faith and you believe in the Religion Of Evolution. My view is >> It requires MORE faith to believe in all that up there, than it requires to believe in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have Eternal Life." Best. JAG

Hannah is also a palindrome. Interesting. JAG.

JAG Writes: From Atheism to Saving Faith In God Scientist: I sometimes wonder if our "Natural Selection" can actually carry the heavy load we have placed upon it? Creationist: I too have some doubts. I don't always fully understand the Creation Story in Genesis. Some of your fellow scientists have accused me of believing in a "talking snake" Scientist: Well, they ought not to have accused you of that. Obviously the snake was metaphorical language, everybody knows snakes cannot talk. Creationist: Thanks I'm glad you understand that. The snake represented Evil and delivered the message that Evil always delivers. Scientist: What message is that? Creationist: That humans can be their own God. Scientist: I don't understand. What do you mean "be their own God"? Creationist: Its easy to understand. The snake, that is Evil, told Eve that if she ignored God's commands and did what she wanted to do, that she would become like God. Scientist: What was the exact words and where is that found? Creationist: The exact words were "you will be like God" and its found in Genesis 3:5 Scientist: You believe Christ saved us from Evil, is that correct? Creationist: Yes that's right, the Lord Jesus saved us from Evil, the Evil that will destroy our souls if we do not have a Savior to deliver us from the strength and power of Evil. Scientist: I don't understand that. Explain to me how Jesus can deliver us from Evil and prevent us from being destroyed by it. Creationist: Jesus took your punishment on the Cross. Scientist: I don't understand that. That makes no sense to me. Creationist: Its not difficult to understand, Evil is not only severely punishable but it will also destroy the total person if it is not stopped and reversed. Scientist: You said Evil is punishable? Creationist: That is correct. The Bible teaches that God will punish all men who do evil. Scientist: Well, I know that all men have done at least some Evil. Creationist: That is correct and God will punish men for all their Evil if they do not believe in His Son the Lord Jesus who took their punishment in their place. Scientist: In their place? Creationist: Yes in their place on the Cross. Christ took your punishment so you would not have to bear it yourself. Scientist: Where in the Bible does it say that? Creationist: In 1 Peter 2:24 it says "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." Scientist: My mother taught me the words of John 3:16 when I was a young boy, and I have never forgotten them, it goes like this "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have Eternal Life." Creationist: Yes, for God so loved the world that He punished His own Son for the sins of the world so that we humans would not have to bear the excruciating pain and agony that Christ bore for us on the Cross. Scientist: I once, long ago, prayed the sinner's prayer. I remember I prayed to God something along the lines of "Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior." Creationist: Did you understand what you were praying? Scientist: No at the time I did not. In fact I have never understood it. Creationist: There is nothing more profound than the simple words of John 3:16. Scientist: Christianity has always seems complicated to me. Are you saying that Christianity is simple and not complicated? Creationist: Yes and quite simple too. Scientist: Can you give an example of Christianity's simplicity? Creationist: A man known to be a brilliant intellectual was asked to deliver a speech to a college assembly and he was asked to present the most profound truth he had ever come across in his decades of studies. When the time came for his speech, he walked to the podium and looked out over the audience for a long time, without saying a word. Time passed and people began to get nervous. At long last the speaker spoke and he said this, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Then without saying another word he went back to his seat. Many in the audience wept silently as the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit made that brief message real to their hearts. Ending: The Scientist once again prayed the simple sinner's prayer and he prayed from his heart "Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior." Then an amazing thing happened. The supernatural power of the Holy Spirit enlightened the mind of the Scientist so that he could now understand spiritual truths and the Scientist turned away from his Atheism and became a believing Christian. __________________ "The Lord Has Laid On Him The Iniquity Of Us All" , , , "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:3-6 JAG `` JAG

Evolution is NOT a proven scientific fact. Evolution's literature has a lot of "iffy" language in it. "Iffy" language like , , , ~ if {if so and so is true then , , ,} ~ maybe ~ possibly ~ probably ~ this might be the case ~ this might not be the case ~ but {eg. "but this may not be the case"} ~ and other type "iffy" language clearly demonstrating that Evolutionists are guessing and speculating. There is a lot of Faith in the False Religion Of Evolution. _______________ Also , , The False Religion Of Evolution has many "High Priests" and many of "their followers" and "disciples" present Evolution as a Religion with the same fanatical religious zeal as the most zealous Fundamentalist Preacher as they preach their Religion Of Evolution inside Thread World. They will insult you too -- if you dare question their zealous False Secular Faith Religion Of Evolution -- they will call you ugly names and will call you a Liar and will call you are an Ignorant Fool and worse. Anybody who reads threads inside Thread World on the Internet At Large knows this to be true. JAG

John, thank you for that excellent contribution to the thread. Much appreciated. JAG _______________________ Bible Verse For Today: "For you know the grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9 ``

May the Lord Bless you. May the Lord Bless and Keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you. May the Lord be gracious unto you. May the Lord turn His face toward you. May the Lord always give you His peace. May the Lord always protect you. May the Lord always protect all those you love. {Based on Numbers 6:24-27}

Thank you for making that contribution to the thread. Much appreciated. JAG

I don't understand that comment. My view is that God is NOT the original gold and was never gold and will never be gold. JAG

Thanks for the link. That will come in handy. Best. JAG

I am a born again Bible believing Baptist that believes in the finished work of the Lord Jesus. I have nothing to do with Mormons and Masons. This below will give you some idea about what I believe. I have this below in a thread here somewhere, JAG Wrote "Rosalind Goforth was a well-known missionary to China who, along with her husband Jonathan, enjoyed an illustrious career and ministry. ` But for many years even having labored for the Lord in China, Rosalind often felt oppressed by a burden of sin. She felt guilty and dirty, nursing an inward sense of spiritual failure. Finally one evening when all was quiet, she settled at her desk with Bible and concordance, determined to find out God's attitude toward the failures, the faults, the sins of his children. She put these words at the top of the page: What God Does With Our Sins. Then as she searched through the scriptures, she compiled this list of seventeen truths." __Robert J. Morgan, The Donaldson Fellowship, Nashville, TN What God Does With Our Sins (1) Isaiah 53:6 (He lays them on His Son, the Lord Jesus) We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. ____________ (2) John 1:29 (Christ takes them away) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ____________ (3) Psalm 103: 11-12 (They are removed an infinite distance from us) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. __________ (4) Jeremiah 50:20 (When sought that are not found) In those days, at that time, declares the Lord, ;search will be made for Israel;s guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare. ______________ (5) Eph. 1:7-8 (The Lord forgives them) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God;s grace that he lavished on us." _____________ (6) 1 John 1:7 (He cleanses them all by the blood of His Son) "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son, cleanses us from all sin." ______________ (7) Isaiah 1:18 (He cleanses them as white as wool and snow) Come now, let us settle the matter,; says the Lord. ;Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. ____________ (8) Isaiah 55:6-7 (He freely pardons our sins) Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. ____________ (9) Micah 7: 18-19 (He tramples our sins underfoot) Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot ____________ (10) Hebrews 10:17-18 (He remembers them no more) Then he adds: ;Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. ____________ (11) Isaiah 38:16-17 (He casts them behind His back) You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. ____________ (12) Micah 7:18-19 (He hurls all our sins into the depths of the sea) Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. ___________ (13) Romans 4:7-8 (He will never count our sins against us) Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them. _____________ (14) Romans 4:7 (He covers our sins) Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. ___________ (15) Isaiah 43:25 (He blots them out) even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. ____________ (16) Isaiah 44:22 (He swept them away as a thick cloud) I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. ____________ (17) Col. 2:13-15 (He cancels out even the proof against us, nailing it to His cross) "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." _____________ Add 1 John 1:9 Best JAG ` `

We disagree. Thank you for your perspective. And thanks for reading my OP. Best. JAG ``

JAG Writes: Some Thoughts On The Religion Of Evolution , , , Some talk about Abiogenesis {life came from non-life} Most Evolutionists today do NOT make a case for Abiogenesis, but some Thread-Evolutionists have argued for the possibility. To me its an absurd notion. Life cannot come from non-life. Most Evolutionists these days go with the word Evolution and hawk "Natural Selection" and "Random mutation" , , , My view is that it does not matter what you call it -- the fact remains that , , Evolutionists claim that , , , ~ natural selection and ~ :random mutation and ~ atoms and molecules and ~ chemical reactions and ~ etc etc etc plus unthinking non-intelligent Time plus unthinking non-intelligent Chance plus unthinking non-intelligent Matter , , , , , eventually produced a situation where our ancestors crawled up out of the Primordial Slime or Primordial Soup, at first just a tiny speck, later to become the size of a dime, later to become the size of a golf ball, later to become a Bullfrog or Whatever They Say It Was later to become a Monkey or a Chimp, later to become a "George W. Bush." ____________ Moreover, , , Evolutionists believe that , , , ~ unthinking non-intelligent Time plus ~ unthinking non-intelligent Chance plus ~ unthinking non-intelligent Matter , , , . . . produced a , , , ■ highly complex Human Brain and ■ a highly complex Human Eye and ■ a highly complex Fully Functioning Human Body and ■ a highly complex Earth and ■ a highly complex Universe. and eventually produced a , , , ■ highly complex "George W. Bush" _____________ It takes a lot of Faith to believe all that up there. And my view is that anybody who believes all that up there is a Great Man Of Faith -- this is why I speak about the Religion Of Evolution. Speaking about Faith , , I do NOT say that Evolution is not true. Theistic Evolution may be the way it happened. My view is that it has NOT been scientifically proved that the one-celled speck in the Primordial Slime eventually became "Oprah Winfrey" and "Joe Biden" , , , , but, , , , , Evolution is not a crucial issue for the Christian anyway. Millions of us say Evolutionists have NOT scientifically proved that "George W. Bush" started off as a single-celled speck that "came up out of the Slime" -- but even if they do, one day, prove that it happened that way, So what? Who cares? We Christians will forever believe in the God that created the highly complex Human Person, the highly complex Human Brain, the highly complex Human Eye, the highly complex Earth, the highly complex Universe, and all that exists --- how He did it, is interesting but it has zero to do with our Faith in God , ,, , , , repeat , , , how He did it, is interesting but it has zero to do with our Faith in God , ,, "Have Faith in God."___The Lord Jesus {Mark 11:22} JAG ``

JAG Writes: How does God simultaneously , , , {A} maintain and respect our Human Free Will , , , while at the same time , , , {B} often working in our lives where we do His Sovereign Will? One way is that He presents the "outside inducements" and controls the external circumstances in such a way where both {A} and {B} occurs and is the sustained reality. Let me give you one example where you could do that same thing with your son {assume you have an 8 year old son} A Father & Son & A Strawberry Ice Cream Cone , , , Let us say that you decide that your 8 year old son will eat a strawberry ice cream cone this coming Wednesday around 12 noon. His favorite flavor is chocolate and strawberry is only his 2nd favorite flavor. Remember that you are ONLY going to control the external circumstances and the "outside inducements" -- you are NOT going to Force your son to eat the strawberry ice cream cone. ~ the external circumstances , , , ~ the "outside inducements" , , , You CAN Control The "External Circumstances" And The "Outside Inducements" {1} On Wednesday morning you make certain that there is no breakfast available so that your son will be hungry come lunch time. {2| You can control the place where you and your son go that day. {3} You select a Park Area that has an ice cream stand. {4} On Tuesday you arrange with the Ice Cream Stand's owner for him NOT to have any chocolate ice cream available, and for him to certainly have Strawberry Ice Cream available when you and your son arrive at the park area at around 12 noon. {5} When you and your son arrive at the park, your son tells you he is hungry and wants an ice cream cone. {6} You take your son to the ice cream stand. {7} Your son is told there is no chocolate ice cream available. {8} Your son asks if there is strawberry ice cream available. {9} Your son is told yes there is strawberry ice cream available. {10} Your son, now really hungry, and preferring chocolate ice cream, nonetheless, gladly "settles for" his 2nd favorite strawberry flavor, and asks for and eats the strawberry ice cream cone. So? So your son did EXACTLY what you had planned for him to do and at the same time you DID NOT violate your son's Free Will. Your son at all times had the Free Will choice to say "No, I do not want to eat a strawberry ice cream cone." You did not urge him to eat the strawberry ice cream cone. You did not say a single word to him about it. You merely controlled the external circumstances and you put the "outside inducement" of the strawberry ice cream cone in front of him -- by making sure that he would be told that the strawberry ice cram was available for him if he wanted it. Your son made a 100% Free Will decision to eat the strawberry ice cream cone. _________ That up there is one example of how the Sovereign God can control the external circumstances and the "outside inducements" in such a way where men end up doing what he has predetermined them to do --- while at the same time -- their Free Will is not violated. _________ I realize that my example and illustration of the "Father & Son & Strawberry Ice Cream Cone" is not a perfect example or illustration --- but it does succeed in demonstrating how a Father can control the external circumstances and the "outside inducements" to bring about a good predetermined plan and at the same time, NOT violate his son's Free Will. ___________ What is the takeaway point of the OP? Answer: It demonstrates one way in which God can simultaneously , , , {A} maintain and respect our Human Free Will , , , while at the same time , , , {B} often working good things in our lives where we do His Sovereign Will? One way is that He presents the "outside inducements" and controls the external circumstances in such a way where both {A} and {B} occurs and is the sustained reality. Let us all strive to make good Free Will choices and trust in God to help us as we do that and to bring good things into our lives. JAG ``

JAG Writes: I LOVE science. True science. My view is that God LOVES true science too, for example Math , , , My view is that Math originated in the nature of God who is the Original Mathematician --- just as all the other disciplines also originated in the nature of God. God Is The , , , Original Mathematician Original Physicist Original Cosmologist Original Inventor Original Artist Original Scientist Original Oceanographer Original Philosopher Original Epistemologist Original Empiricist Original Poet Original Writer Original Lover {wanting the best for others} Original Chooser { Volition } Original Economist Original Emotion-ist {the full range of All Good Emotions} Original Planner Original Creator Original Designer Original Technologist Original Educator Original Everything Good , , , , , and we humans participate in all that up there since we are made in the image of God , , , , , and that above is why human beings, made in the image of God, have been able to build the modern world and will be able to keep making progress in Science and Technology for ever and ever, even when the human race makes the transition from Earthly human history to Eternity. Humans are made in the image of God and God has , , ~ An Intellect --- and so do we humans ~ Emotions --- and so do we humans ~ Volition {a Will, the ability to choose -- and so do we humans God's Human Race Project ends victoriously. Long live science. True science. JAG ``