JustClay

A couple of years ago, I watched a sci-fi movie in which an AI version of the Bible was decreed by government to be the only authorized version to be used in churches. It was a feel-good bible that all believers could agree with. The “christians” in the movie would open it and chant the words from it together. Creepy! One true believer in Christ dared to stand and witness from a real Bible. All the others in the congregation became agitated and confused because they couldn’t find the words in their “authorized” bibles. Actually, I think that scene is not too far from what will happen near the end—a starvation for the Word of God and mass confusion and deception as a result. AI is extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. Who can claim to have the right hands to monitor its use? Who is worthy? I say, no one on earth.

Kind of you to say, but I’m sure I can miss a puzzle piece now and then. My mind just gravitated toward the contrast between man’s wisdom and God’s. Man’s wisdom always misses the mark. Our Father, on the other hand, had a truly wise and perfect plan, even before the beginning of time, to create a forever family. That plan remained a mystery until it was revealed through Christ. All doubt should have been erased when He was resurrected, but sadly, even with eye-witness testimony and the written story from beginning to triumphant end, many who are too distracted by the inventions of man and the lies of the enemy will be deceived. You’re correct in pointing out that even “the church can reflect poorly on the King of the Universe” if we don’t consider our way—singular because there is only one Way. Hebrews 2:1-4 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? Ephesians 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Hi @Mr. M… Indeed, what shall we do with Queen Vashti? I’m not sure her husband was loving her as much as his own body when he demanded she appear in front of a bunch of drunken men just to show off her beauty. Also, I have a bit of a problem with a man-made decree (such as the one made by King Ahasuerus) than every man should be the master of his own house, no matter the circumstance. Not all men are spiritually fit to be “masters,” even when their wives are desiring to be submissive. However, regarding Queen Vashti…. I believe divine intervention had a huge role in her decision to disobey her husband so that a door would open to Esther, who not only spoke respectfully to the king, but also saved her people. God’s hand was in every aspect of the plan to save the Jewish people; Esther’s fate as well as that of her people was in the hand of our ever-faithful Father! I agree that we should be mindful of our ways and make very certain that we are holding the hand of the One who has the power to save. The world is filled with too many material distractions, and deceptions abound. Jesus instructs us in Matthew 6:19-21: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. There are, however, many jewels we can and should acquire while we inhabit this earthly tent! Proverbs 3:13-18 NKJV 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her. Proverbs 8:11 NKJV 11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

Why did Chat GPT 3.5 leave out some of the books of the Bible? Seems it cannot be depended upon for accuracy.

Thank you for this study, @Mr. M…. Jesus came in humility not only to fulfill prophecy but also to show me by example how I ought to be. He gave up so much to be a blessing to me, to destroy the enemy’s power over me, to pay the debt I owed for all the sin in my life, and to show me the way back to an eternal home with my Father. What can I offer in return? “Nothing in my hands I bring; simply to the cross I cling.” I am totally dependent on what He did for me; yet His power can shine through my weakness. Your study began with the song Deborah sang when the Israelites defeated the Canaanites—not because they were stronger, but because a few who were faithful believed God would be with them. They didn’t have sophisticated weapons or a mighty army like the Canaanites; but they had a clever woman willing to use a hammer and a tent nail to defeat the enemy. I have no doubt God provided the opportunity and the courage she needed. I love the way the song ends in Judges 5:31: 31 “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.”

Psalm 3:3 NKJV 3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

Luke 22:43 is rarely quoted, even though most Christians are familiar with Jesus’ prayer in the garden. I love the following quote from Spurgeon regarding this brief, but very important reassurance from scripture: Scarcely had our Saviour prayed before the answer to his petition came. It reminds us of Daniel’s supplication, and of the angelic messenger who was caused to fly so swiftly that, as soon as the prayer had left the prophet’s lips, Gabriel stood there with the reply to it. So, brethren and sisters, whenever your times of trial come, always betake yourselves to your knees. Whatever shape your trouble may take, — if, to you, it should even seem to be a faint representation of your Lord’s agony in Gethsemane, put yourselves into the same posture as that in which he sustained the great shock that came upon him. Kneel down, and cry to your Father who is in heaven, who is able to save you from death, who will prevent the trial from utterly destroying you, will give you strength that you may be able to endure it, and will bring you through it to the praise of the glory of his grace. (June 5, 1881)

Job 19:25-27 NKJV 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Got it! There is none else!

…to remind us all to think past the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day we may be having “to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”…. (Ephesians 3:20) Genesis 50:20 NKJV 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people.

1 Peter 1:6-9 NKJV 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Hi @1to3… oh, “what tangled webs we weave” in this life! Scripture has clear teaching on marriage and divorce, as you have pointed out. Scripture also has clear teaching on repentance. I have no way of knowing the hearts of this couple, and I pray they have turned with sincere repentance to Jesus. The problem with past sin is that even though it may be forgiven, the effects linger. In the case of this couple, reputation lingers. While their come-to-Jesus testimony may prove valuable for some people struggling with their marriages (in the avoiding past mistakes category), most Christians would not trust it because it has not yet survived the test of faithfulness and time. With Holy Spirit discernment, we choose our pastors with care and test them according to scripture. Satan is busy deceiving many; but each of us is responsible for what we read and listen to. We have the Holy Spirit to help us judge between truth and lies, but only God can judge the heart; and He’s not finished with any of us yet.

I wish I had thanked my mom before she passed away for reading scripture to me before I could read it for myself. She emphasized the truth in scripture in contrast with the make-believe in fairy tales. Timothy’s mother and grandmother taught him from scripture, too. In churches today, there are many “babes in Christ” who have not had that same advantage; so yes, it’s important to read scripture aloud and teach the godly principles within to counteract the lies of Satan with truth. “Babes in Christ” who are fed mature and learn to nurture others. Churches that are fed grow.

These are great exhortations for all of us in Christ, @Mr. M. (I really wish the words in Deuteronomy were applied more often in our houses of Congress, but I digress.) I believe failures in our judgement result from a lack of reliance on the Holy Spirit, from being too hasty to react to personal feelings, or from forgetting to meditate on the Word and pray—at least, that has always been the case for me. But since the LORD knew we would not be able to handle matters requiring righteous judgment on our own, He provided a Helper. We just need to remember He’s always within us and that He who is able enables us. I am so thankful that to date, only “the ruler of the world” has been judged already, and mercy has been applied to all who believe. John 16:7-15 New King James Version 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

I think it would be a really good idea to relocate this thread to another forum— maybe “Everything Else.” In fact, I think there’s already another similar thread either there or in “Controversial Issues.” Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” Tattoos are not anything scripture suggests we do. Any addiction to something invented by man is bad, no matter how man may try to justify it and make it a good thing. Unless a person with a Christian tattoo has no voice, any good deed can mistaken for something it is not. Without knowledgeable spoken words of wisdom to accompany a good work, the tattoo bearer may simply be considered a kind, nice person. Yet we know that all credit for good in any of us belongs to the LORD. A tattoo should never be relied on to convey the real message. Remember, even people with Christian tattoos can sin and set a wrong example as well as a good one, therefore destroying their witness. I am not saying any of this to lay a guilt trip on anyone who has a tattoo…. Just saying that personally telling the good news greatly outweighs the effectiveness of a tattooed message.

Yes! Coffee grounds are great for most flowering shrubs, and they repel many garden pests as well. I don’t think geraniums like them, though, so maybe check before dumping the grounds there.

I agree that remaining spiritually awake will ensure that we remain faithful to our first love until He (Jesus) returns for us at the 7th trump. To me, spiritual sleep is directly opposed to walking in the Light. Spiritual sleep is the state that Satan would love for us to believe is a nice, comfortable place of compromise in which we can live in this world in peace, a place where our conscience never bothers us—just another one of his lies. We are all at risk of slipping into that “comfy” state unless we stay connected to the true Vine, led by His Spirit. The Spirit exposes (by indwelling and the written Word) the lies of Satan that “bomb” us on a daily basis. To stay awake, we have to know the One we trust, just as He knows us. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 NKJV 4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,…. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 NKJV 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! Ephesians 5:8-11 NKJV 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. Ephesians 4:29-30 NKJV 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. May we all help each other stay awake and ever watchful!

The lyrics of the song seem to be about someone who cannot find rest, and you’re right, Mr. M…. Only in Christ (our Sabbath) can we find rest. The restlessness described in the lyrics is, ironically, spiritual sleep, a very uncomfortable state in which to try to navigate this life. Mark 13:35-36 NKJV 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

Interesting thread, @Mr. M. Nature reveals so much about our Creator if we just take time to observe. I didn’t know that distressed plants actually cried out, but I can actually see a plant’s distress when its green leaves become dull, become spotted, or turn brown. I can see if it’s being attacked by pests if I examine the back of the leaves and stem. I believe our Father shows us these things to teach us that close observation can also help us detect people in distress so that we can share the hope we have in Christ with them. His wisdom is available to us everywhere.

Hi, @TheBlade, Jesus lets us know what He sees and what He is looking for in churches (groups of Christians worshipping together) in Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. It’s a good summary. @Mr. M… With regard to the topic of this thread, a familiar proverb comes to mind: “In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.” Proverbs 16:6 There is no other path but the one Jesus has lovingly, willingly, painfully made for us. Any departure from it or lack of respect for it will only bring misery.

I’ve already outlived my mother by 52 years; my father by 27. I’m not sure I’ll outlive my mother-in-law. Anyway, I figure a life is not about the number of years granted in this flesh life, but a lot about the way we live them. Ephesians 6:2-3 2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” 1 Peter 3:10 For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened. Proverbs 4:10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. Proverbs 16:31 The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness. John 3:16 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. Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

I’ve just spent the last half hour trying to comfort a friend whose daughter is in hospice care, dying from a brain tumor. Throughout the last several years, her daughter has developed what I would call an addiction to getting tattooed. She could never have enough of them. Now, I am not blaming her tumor on the tattoos, but I do think anyone who is considering them should take a serious look at health risks, especially those that might result from black-out tattoos. Last year, a melanoma appeared on my shoulder. If I’d had a tattoo there, I might never have seen it. It was just a small black spot. Left untreated, a melanoma can become a life-threatening problem in as little as 6 weeks, and yes, melanoma can spread to the brain as well as to other internal organs. You may recall that former President Jimmy Carter had melanoma in his brain. Two years ago, I lost a friend to melanoma cancer, and his was not an easy passing. So let this warning be my witnessing tool for today. Tattoos can cause allergic reactions to dyes, skin infections, other skin issues such as granulomas and keloids, and blood borne diseases such as MRSA, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Tattoos can even interfere with MRI’s.

Oh yes…. Red eye gravy was a breakfast staple on my grandmother’s table, but to a very young child, gravy made from red eyes didn’t sound too appetizing. I enjoyed breakfast without it. Many years later after I had grown and married, my dad came for a visit. I made a traditional big breakfast for him—ham, eggs, grits, and biscuits with plenty of topping choices like strawberry jam, cane syrup, and cinnamon sugar. I noticed his eyes scanning the table…. “What can I get for you, Dad?” I asked. “Where’s the red-eye gravy?” he replied. That was the first and last time I ever forgot his red-eye gravy when he was here.