Logostician

Luke 18:1-8 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Keep praying. God does not tire of your requests like worldly men. He wants to have an ongoing conversation with you. And he doesn't answer prayers because he hopes you will then leave him alone. He listens to, and answers, prayers because he loves you.

Malachi 3:1-3 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Jesus is the great gold and silversmith. And we are the ore. He refines us, burning away the worldly and selfish impurities, until we are pure, and he clearly sees his own reflection in us, be cause he is in us. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I have always been in favor of a national sales tax to replace the income tax. The IRS, like other government departments, is too easily weaponized for political purposes. Apart from political corruption, it makes no sense to punish people, or companies, for being productive, stimulating the economy, and providing jobs to others. But it is entirely reasonable to tax people for the goods and services they withdraw from society. Currently the states of Nevada, Florida, Texas, Wyoming, and Oregon, all follow this system successfully. And it would work at the federal level. Income tax also punishes savings, which hinders investment, and leads to a paycheck to paycheck subsistence society. I should not be punished for pragmatic saving for the future. All saving should be tax free. Only consumption should be taxed. Money saved also provides businesses with the capital necessary to grow the economy through increased equity from investment, as well as availability of funds from lenders.

John 6:66-69 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus is the way. There is no other way. Jesus is the strait gate. He is the narrow way. And he is the Good Shepherd that leads through both.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. This is the most powerful verse in the Bible. So I guess that makes John 3 the most powerful chapter in the Bible.

God does not always speak with a still small voice. I have heard God's voice thunder at me at times. And he has every right to do that, because I belong to him. These assertive "callings" have not been frequent. In fact they are few, and far between. They have always involved helping someone else in a dire/emergency situation, even if they didn't know it at the time. I didn't know any of them. But God did. And he used me to help them. More usually the voice is the still small voice of the Spirit of God in me. But the response is the same. Yes Lord.

Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. This is very clear. There is no list of disclaimers or exceptions here. As for sins prior to salvation, the wages are death. Upon salvation, these sins are forgiven. All of them.

It is a very difficult thing for a Christian to love family members and friends, and deal with their lack of faith in Christ. We know that this is an eternal life or death situation. Paul struggled with being an apostle of Christ who reached and converted many gentiles, while most of his fellow Jews continued to deny Christ. Romans 10:1-4 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. All we can do is the same thing that Paul did, share the gospel, and pray. God calls his own, and the results are rightfully in his hands.

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. I am because he is. And he is love. 1 John 4:16 God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Jesus

Good observations. I also think that God works through people because we were created by God to be with God. Forever. God created us in his image to be with him. Not as playthings, But as active sons and daughters in his family.

Jesus does not create division based on race, ethnicity, or any of the other characteristics that unGodly men use to express their hatred and animosity towards each other. Jesus divides on one, and only one, criterion. Matthew 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Anyone who is a servant Jesus Christ has essentially entered into a voluntary bondservant or slave relationship to the King of Kings and Lord of lords. Paul begins the Epistle to Philemon by stating that he is a prisoner (which could be interpreted as slave) of Jesus Christ. Philemon 1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow labourer As far as worldly masters and slaves I think that Paul clearly shows that the master Philemon and slave Onesimus do not have this same relationship in the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. There is only one master in heaven. And that's Jesus. I think that the Bible's seeming indifference to slavery in the world is a call to focus on the eternal Kingdom of Heaven, rather our temporal positions in this world, which like our worldly possessions will wither away. Matthew 6:19-20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Worldly Godless people don't behave well do they? Only Jesus truly unites people. But they have to deny their own selfish, wordly pride, and embrace him. John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Wherever you go, and whatever you do, keep Jesus close. Let the Spirit lead. Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I still think free giving to honor God works better than forced taking. But Christians must step up and do the giving, despite being under attack by worldly "rulers". 2 Chronicles 26:6-10 So the king called for Jehoiada the high priest and asked him, “Why haven’t you demanded that the Levites go out and collect the Temple taxes from the towns of Judah and from Jerusalem? Moses, the servant of the Lord, levied this tax on the community of Israel in order to maintain the Tabernacle of the Covenant.” Over the years the followers of wicked Athaliah had broken into the Temple of God, and they had used all the dedicated things from the Temple of the Lord to worship the images of Baal. So now the king ordered a chest to be made and set outside the gate leading to the Temple of the Lord. Then a proclamation was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem, telling the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, the servant of God, had required of the Israelites in the wilderness. This pleased all the leaders and the people, and they gladly brought their money and filled the chest with it.

When you subtract God from freedom and democracy, they fail. It isn't freedom alone that made the USA great. Godliness constrains the greed that would otherwise have characterized the USA. The founding fathers of the USA knew this when they conceived the USA. As did the citizens. And God blessed our nation. Today our government has rejected God, and sought to eliminate him from every area of public life. Democrats have not only openly embraced atheism, but they have also rejected freedom for socialism. Increasingly we have departed from the roots of American greatness, which are the confluence of God and freedom in our lives. I do not want to see taxes increased so they can be spent foolishly to buy votes, while actually increasing the homeless problem, as we see in Democrat run cities. I want to see taxes reduced, so I have more to give, and can do it in the name of God. When taxation is used to redistribute wealth in programs developed by ungodly men, both the payer and the payee are unsatisfied. The payer feels that he has been robbed. And the payee thinks he can always get more by playing worldly politics, and voting for more welfare. But when the Godly man gives freely to the poor, both are happy. The Godly man has shown his love for God and his neighbor. And the recipient knows that he was given a gift freely. And God was the reason.

Jesus is our connection to the Father, and he is God with the Father John 10:30 I and my Father are one. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

I suggest simply spending more time talking to Jesus. Directly. Jesus wants to give you peace. Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I believe you are right. And it centers on Adam, in whom was all mankind. God gave dominion over all things that he created to Adam, as long as he remained faithful to God. But Satan tempted Adam, and Adam walked away from God, and essentially ceded all things to Satan. But this was always intended to be a temporary state to call God's people through Jesus Christ, who is the true, everlasting King of everything. Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. The woman's seed ultimately is Jesus in the flesh. The servants of Satan would bruise the heel of Jesus on the cross. But on the third day he would rise gloriously. And Jesus will ultimately deliver a death blow to the head of the serpent when he casts him into the Lake of Fire. Satan has but a short time as the prince of this world. God's purpose for this is to give mankind a choice. All choices require alternatives. You're either with him, or you're against him.

Jesus isn't giving you burdens to make your life harder. He is giving you communion with God, to make your life easier, and peaceful. Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

If living within your means is fault, then I guess I'm guilty. I never buy anything on credit. I have to have the money, to spend the money, with enough left over, to leave the day to day stuff unaltered. This is true even for big stuff like cars and houses. Almost nobody buys a house without a mortgage. But once you build some equity, it is possible. This approach has helped to make me patient. I wait for good deals. I am the polar opposite of an impulse buyer.

You can't force love. God didn't create us to be robots. He created us in his image. That means we have the capacity to love as God loves. God loves us. But have to decide whether to love him back or not. God wills that we be given that choice. Satan and Adam both chose to walk away from a dependent loving relationship with God. All real choices involve alternatives. Satan presented Adam with the alternative of self worship, to worship of God. And Adam, like Satan, chose self over God. Mankind fell with Adam. But this fall was necessary to ultimately unite man with God through the salvation of Jesus Christ, for anyone who would love him. This was God's plan all along. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus is the only thing that this world, and worldly people, cannot take from you. If everyone in this world seems to be abandoning you, he is the one that will stay with you. Jesus is my saviour, and my best friend. Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Faith is more than belief. It is a deep abiding trust. Faith is giving yourself to God with no reservations. It is giving your life to the one who gave you life. A small child doesn't just believe that his parents are real. He trusts and loves them.