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God’s Sovereignty Control Chance Choice

April 24, 2013 by creationary

God's Sovereignty Control Chance ChoiceAcross the world, people wonder how much is predetermined & predestined (see related Ephesians 1 Audience article). What must happen that we can do nothing about? What is fate? Where does our free will come in during this life? The answer to these questions significantly impacts one’s world view and even how God‘s own scriptures are understood. In the Christian community, people agree that God is Sovereign, yet what does that mean in terms of God’s control, our choices, and chance itself? While there are over-simplificiations out there, what does the Bible have to say?

Chance Under the Sun:

What does the Bible say about Chance? Does it exist? Even if it exists, is it marginal? Does chance impact people’s life?

The Wise King Solomon shares in our Biblical Scriptures that chance happens to people in many areas of life.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 (ESV): 11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.

The scripture shares from our viewpoint, from observing how the world works, that chance does exist, chance is not marginal, and chance impacts people’s lives.

Chance impacts the outcomes of battles within a war, who wins competitions, the food you have to eat, how wealthy or poor you will be, and whether you’ll be treated favorably in this life.

Chance Under the Son of God:

What did the Son of God say about Chance?

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is one with God, who existed before Our Universe was created, who is greater than King Solomon, speaks to us about being a good neighbor, and about the presence of chance, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Luke 10:29-37 (ESV): 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

The Son of God revealed God the Father‘s divine message, and God’s divine message recognizes chance. Clearly Jesus could have revealed any other message, like that by the Divine Providence of God, the Priest was made to pass by there. Jesus clearly acknowledges chance was the reason. The Divine perspective by the co-creator of Our Universe is that chance is real, that chance definitely exists, and that chance influences who is in & out of our lives.

Chance under God’s Sovereignty:

Do you find the Wise Revelations of King Solomon and the Divine Revelation of Jesus Christ the Son of God concerning the presence of chance as disturbing? Even the highly respected scientist / theorist Albert Einstein found it unpalatable, saying:

“God does not play dice with the universe.” – Albert Einstein, The Born-Einstein Letters 1916-55, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/2669-god-does-not-play-dice-with-the-universe

Does chance undermine God’s Sovereignty?  How can God be Sovereign even in the midst of chance?

Let’s consider a thought experiment, which is a common tool scientists use to understand complexity. This thought experiment will illustrate how chance exists without undermining God’s Sovereignty.

Most everyone is familiar with the game of tic tac toe. Imagine you were playing a game with an opponent who is invincible. Even if you made random moves, you would still be unable to win. The game itself at best results in a tie when playing with an invincible player. Think about God’s Sovereignty in the same way. No randomness in the game play undermines God’s Sovereignty in any way by design.

Choice in Our Universe:

The Divine Word of God illustrates many choices people have, as already elaborated upon on the topic of “What Choice Do You Have?” .  To Summarize, People have Choices like the following:

God tells the truth and does not lie. God gives you legitimate choices. God wishes for you to pick blessings, but will let you pick curses. Pick Wisely!

Choice under God’s Sovereignty:

Does choice undermine God’s Sovereignty?  How can God be Sovereign even in the midst of choice?

Let’s consider the other side of that same thought experiment, except this time with choice rather than chance. A thought experiment is a common tool scientists use to understand complexity. This thought experiment will illustrate how choice exists without undermining God’s Sovereignty.

Most everyone is familiar with the game of tic tac toe. Imagine you were playing a game with an opponent who is invincible. Even if you use your intellect to makes the most intelligent move choices, you would still be unable to win. The game itself at best results in a tie when playing with an invincible player. Think about God’s Sovereignty in the same way. No deliberate choice in the game play undermines God’s Sovereignty in any way by design.

Control under God:

What are ways in which God institutes control in our world, to optimize the outcomes that result in the midst of chance, choice, and the fallen character & fallen culture of humankind?

The entire Bible’s testifies into the ways God has intervened with promises and with actions in the 66 Books of Bible. God promised to send his Son Jesus Christ into the world to bear our sins. Jesus Christ came and offers to bear the sins of all who become true believers & followers of his.

  • God intervened with the flood, saving Noah and his immediate family
  • God used Prophets to warn Kings
  • God intervened in battles & wars
  • God appointed & disciplined Kings
  • God sent Prophets who delivered God’s message and performed miracles to help people
  • God performed miracles to heal others, feed people in need, bring people back to life, and to teach deep theological lessons about forgiveness
  • God transforms the personal & eternal character of those who diligently seek him with all their heart, mind, body, soul, and strength
  • God reminds us of our choices & responsibilities
  • God determines the bounds of the length of our days & the locations of our journeys, though is open to change those bounds upon request, under the right circumstances
  • Jesus Christ came back to the Earth after his death to testify again to the Divine & Eternal Truth & Life found in The Way

Even though God rested from adding new physical rules governing Our Universe after the 6 days of creation (see Bible Genesis Creation Account), God still intervenes in Our Creation for the benefit of our souls.

The Wise King Solomon also acknowledges that although chance exists, God is able to intervene in chance.

Proverbs 16:33 (ESV): 33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

This verse does not preclude God from deciding that the outcome is to be determined by chance, yet rather asserts God’s ability & right to intervene in a way that looks like it was just chance.

This means that just as many people have seen God acting in the world through what seemed like chance fluke outcomes, that at least in some of those cases, it was God acting, even though it’d be difficult to prove at times.

“Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.”, Albert Einstein, The World as I See It, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/14140-coincidence-is-god-s-way-of-remaining-anonymous

Even though much encouragement can be gained from observing these events, make sure your faith rests on the firm foundation of God’s Word. Likewise, looking back at the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus does not reveal whether the Samaritan was there by chance, or by God’s intervention.

Control under the Son of God:

The ultimate control over all is in the process of being handed over by God the Father to God the Son, Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (ESV): 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Because all people have sinned, except for Jesus, all deserve death for their wrongdoing. Jesus’ life & death provided a way for those who were enemies of God, to become God’s friends, and to obtain forgiveness of sins and everlasting life (reference Hebrews 2 (ESV) at BibleGateway.com and Romans 6 (ESV))

God is Sovereign in the Midst of Chance & Choice:

The analogy to use Tic Tac Toe provides a simple way for people to understand these very complex and robust concepts about God’s Sovereignty & Control in the midst of Chance & Choice in our life.

English: Albert Einstein Français : Portrait d...

English: Albert Einstein Français : Portrait d’Albert Einstein (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I am optimistic that many who are presently secular will be able to understand this mystery, since a very similar analogy is present in the 1983 science fiction movie War Games. The basic premise is that a self-aware computer gets the codes necessary to start nuclear war, and only by running several simulations of Nuclear War and Tic Tac Toe does the self-aware computer grasp finally that there is no guaranteed way to win.

In the context of religion, understand that there is no way to win against God, yet the way to win, is with God, through his Son Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 54:16-17 (ESV): 16 Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; 17 no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

God ran the necessary calculations & setup the appropriate controls & contingency plans ahead of time to ensure it, even though the calculations are more complex than Tic Tac Toe or Global Nuclear War scenarios. To understand more how creation & calculations are intertwined, refer to the Genesis Creation Account Universe Tools Paradigm.

Games like Tic Tac Toe and even more advanced games like Chess are generally understood to lead to ties, if neither side made any mistakes. Satan the Devil will  will face final defeat, having already made a mistake by rebelling against God (Ezekiel 28 (ESV), and by tempting humankind to fall away from God (see Genesis 3 (ESV)). God is Sovereign, and worthy to receive all the honor, power, and glory (see Revelation 4 (ESV))

For those who find chance and choice distasteful, rest in this assurance, that God is Sovereign whether or not you accept the realities of chance and choice. You can also comfort yourself, knowing you are in well-respected company, as even the honored scientist Albert Einstein found that concept distasteful, despite investigations of Our Universe pointing to the conclusion that God does play dice with the Universe. The thought experiments introduced complement scriptural illustrations to show God plays dice with the Universe responsibly. 

Each person has the responsibility to seek God and his righteousness to live in faith, being faithful to God.

Romans 5:1-4 (ESV): 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Seeking always to do what is right out of faith is expected of everyone, regardless of your viewpoints on God’s Sovereignty, Chance, Choice, Predestination, Election, and Calling. While people might want to debate these Paradigms, never miss your own personal responsibility, so you’ll accompany fellow believers in the New Heaven and New Earth for eternity.

God’s Sovereignty Control Chance Choice Review:

The Wise King Solomon recognize that many aspects in life are subject to time & _________________.

Jesus, the Son of God, revealed that ______________ exists in life.

You have the responsibility to ___________ good or evil.

You have a ___________ to seek God’s righteousness.

God plays dice with the Universe _____________.

There is no way to ______ against God, yet the way to ________, is with God, through his Son _______ _______.

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Stand Up Adam

April 15, 2013 by creationary

Historically when Adam & Eve were in the Garden of Eve as husband & wife, they both ate fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil, even though God had commanded them not to eat of it. God commanded this for their protection, since if they ate eat it, they would die, as they eventually did. To disobey God & sin was Adam & Eve’s own choice, and was contrary to the good image of God’s character already in them. The fall was not predetermined to happen, even though God planned for the contingency of this choice, and knew what they would do shortly before they did it. In the sovereignty of God, God set boundaries & limits on what Adam & Eve could do. Adam & Eve were not slaves to sin at the beginning. God made Adam & Eve good and made a very good world. It was their choice whether to obey or disobey God, so they had to bear the responsibility of their choice.

Genesis 3:1-7 (ESV): 3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

As Adam was married to Eve, what does God expect from husbands?

Husbands are expected to love their wives in ways that sanctify & protect them bodily & spiritually in Christ.

Ephesians 5:25-31 (ESV): 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.

How does Adam‘s participation contrast to what is expected of husbands?

Adam was with his wife Eve, who was tempted to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil. Adam also knew God informed them that eating of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil would lead to death, so Adam knew the serpent was endangering his wive Eve. Yet Adam did not “Stand Up” to correct Eve who was endangering herself physically & spiritually.

1 Timothy 2:13-14 (ESV): 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.

Did Adam sin also by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good & evil?

Yes, Adam did sin.

Romans 5:12-13 (ESV): 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

Was it God’s fault Adam & Eve sinned? Was God guilty?

The first thing that Adam did was blame God for providing Eve to Adam as the cause of the sin. This is the very same Eve that Adam longed for when naming the many creatures God created. This is the very same Eve that Adam called “flesh of my flesh”, that Adam happily received from God as awesome.

Genesis 3:8-13 (ESV): 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

God was not guilty of deliberately disobedient choices Adam & Eve made. God made them good, enabled them to pick what is right, taught them good, showed them good, cared for them well, and cautioned them too.

Who did God punish?

God knew what had happened, and so punished the serpent first, since the serpent cleverly, yet unwisely, initiated the temptation that lead to the fall.

Genesis 3:14 (ESV): 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

Why did Adam sin and eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil too?

Adam loved & obeyed his wife more than he loved & obeyed God, and God’s command. This misguided love & obedience contributed to Adam’s sinning against God. In loving his wife more than God, Adam effectively loved his wife less than if Adam had loved God first and foremost, and loved his wife second. Why? Because if Adam loved God first, and his wife second, then Adam would have intervened in Eve’s decision to disobey God’s command & would have protected Eve his wife and their family together. Adam eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil was not noble in any way.

Genesis 3:17-19 (ESV): 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Ever since then, people have been dysfunctionally loving family, friends, possessions, and worldly ways more than God.

How could God help future husbands & wives to avoid the same dysfunctional love relationship of Adam & Eve?

God made it crystal clear that the husband was the head of the household, which means the husband is absolutely responsible to protect the life of his wife physically & spiritually in Christ. Previously Adam had blamed Eve for his poor decision to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil and to not stand up to his wife nor for his wife. No longer could husbands use that same excuse. God laid that responsibility squarely on the husbands.

Genesis 3:16 (ESV): 16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

Was God going to help Adam & Eve and all humankind in this fallen state?

God foretold  sending his own son Jesus Christ generations later. Jesus Christ would have the victory, confronting the hypocrisy of Adam & Eve’s descendants.

Genesis 3:15 (ESV): 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Why was Adam’s wife called Eve?

Genesis 3:20 (ESV): 20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Why did God put clothes on Adam & Eve?

One reason in context is that earlier Adam and Eve  indicated their discomfort without clothes.

Genesis 3:21 (ESV): 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Genesis 3:9-11 (ESV):  9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

In providing clothes for Adam & Eve, did God sacrifice an animal to forgive the sins of Adam & Eve at this time, as later done with the Jewish sacrificial system?

The Jewish sacrificial system was to remind people of the severity of their sins. It was to remind people that the wages of sins is death. The sacrifices of animals never took away sins. Only God the Father takes away sins through the sacrifice on the cross of the Son of God, who is Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 10:1-4 (ESV): 10 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Why did God cast Adam & Eve out of the Garden of Eden?

If Adam & Eve lived forever in their current condition, they would be marred forever by sin. Adam & Eve would also be tempted to eat of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. Knowing they already ate from one tree that God commanded them not to eat, now it would be irresponsible to allow them to remain in a situation too harmful to their soul’s eternally. To spare them this risk of eating from the Tree of Life and remaining in a sinful condition forever, God kicked out Adam & Eve from the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 3:22-24 (ESV): 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

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ICE Cubed

March 5, 2013 by creationary

The next time you encounter ice, whether ice outside, ice in your beverage, or even an ice pop, take a moment to think about the I.C.E. acronym. The I.C.E. Framework acronym reminds us of many aspects pertaining to living out the Christian life.

ICE^3 CUBED SKI Categories

[You can view the presentation at http://www.slideshare.net/creationary/ice-cubed or continue to read.]

Life Guide Posts: The Guide Posts are Integrity, Capability, and Eternity.

(1) Integrity points us to live life with a character seeking after God’s own heart, preferably in a way people respect & recognize.

Titus 2:7-8 (ESV): 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

(2) Capability reminds us to apply abilities in following God and in other areas of our life.

1 Corinthians 10:12-14 (ESV): 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

(3) Eternity focused means we need to ensure we are seeking & living out the faith & righteousness to be admitted into Heaven forever.

John 3:16 (ESV): 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Life Role Modeling: Life Role Modeling includes Imitate, Christ, and Equipped. Our Role Models are Jesus Christ and his followers for eternity. Likewise, Role Models are useful for skills to apply in our world.

(A) Imitate: Just as we are to imitate the Apostle Paul who imitates Christ by learning from his faith, love, and decision-making processes, we are likewise to learn from Jesus’ other followers too.

1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV): 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

(B) Christ: Jesus Christ is Our Role Model and Redeemer. Jesus shows us the way to God the Father, and the way we are expected to live our lives with faith.

John 14:6 (ESV): 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

(C) Equipped: Just like the fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, so too faith in Jesus Christ is the beginning of the Christian life. To live this life properly involves continually becoming increasingly more equipped to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and all people through studying & applying scripture lessons.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV): 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Life Monitoring & Correction: Our Life Monitoring & Correction includes Introspection, Confession, and Evaluation.

(I) Introspection: To properly look inside yourself introspectively requires looking into the diagnostic mirror that God provides via his words and often those God sends into your life. To look at yourself without these diagnostic tools risks self-deception or self-despair. Even in worldly matters, organizations often bring in outside expertise to facilitate the diagnosis and repair process.

James 1:22-27 (ESV): 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

(II) Confession: As a result of our Introspection, each of us is to confess our sins to God and repent of them, and turn away from doing those kinds of sins again. Additionally, we are to confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our belief in him.

1 John 1:9 (ESV): 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 2:23 (ESV): 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.

(III) Evaluation: Each of us is instructed to evaluate how our lives compare to living according to the Word of God, which can help to guide us in areas to correct. If we are remiss, and yet are true children of God, God monitors us to also help us to correct areas needing improvement.

1 Corinthians 11:31-32 (ESV): 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

Besides applying this I.C.E. Framework to your Christian life directly, you can also apply the I.C.E. Framework to your worldly life domains supportively.

Galatians 3:23-24 (ESV): 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

The I.C.E. Framework (I.C.E Acronym) reminds us of many passages in God’s Word that pertain to our living our Christian life faithfully and fully. To keep the material brief & quickly digestible, only one or two supporting Bible quotes were selected for each area, though many more exist. You can search the Bible further at the Bible Gateway at http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=Christ&qs_version=ESV or use a search tool of your preference.

[You can view the presentation at http://www.slideshare.net/creationary/ice-cubed and also download a copy if you prefer]

I.C.E. Framework Review:

I. The I.C.E. Framework encompasses several aspects pertaining to living out the __________ life.

II. Life Guide Posts are I________, C_________, and E_________.

III. Life Role Models are I________, C_________, and E_________.

IV. Life Monitor & Correct tools are I________, C________, and E_________.

V. You can also apply the I.C.E. Framework to your _______ life domains supportively.

I.C.E. Life Guide Posts Review:

A. Integrity points us to live life with a __________ seeking after God’s own heart.

B. Capability reminds us to apply our ___________ in following God in all our life areas.

C. Eternity focused reminds us to ensure we are seeking & living out faith & righteousness to be admitted into _________ forever.

I.C.E. Life Role Model Review:

1. Imitate the Apostle Paul & others who imitates Christ by learning from their ______, _____, and ______-______ processes.

2. Jesus Christ is Our Role Model and _________ who shows the way to God the Father and how to live our _______ with faith.

3. ________ in Jesus Christ is the beginning of the Christian life.

4. Christians must continually become increasingly more __________ to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and all ________.

I.C.E. Life Monitor & Correct Review:

i. To properly look inside yourself introspectively requires looking into the diagnostic _______ God provides.

ii. To look at yourself without God’s diagnostic tools risks self-_________ or self-________.

iii. Each of us is to confess our sins to God and _______ of them.

iv. Christians are to confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our _______ in him.

v. Each of us must evaluate how our lives ______ to living according to the Word of God to help guide us in areas to ________.

vi. God monitors true believers to also help us to correct & improve areas needing _________.

Credits:

(1) Chilled Font from Font River at http://www.fontriver.com/font/chilled/

(2) Clip Art from Microsoft Office at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images

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What Choice Do You Have?

February 26, 2013 by creationary

People have Choices:

You have choices: Pick Wisely.

Proverbs 27:12 (ESV): 12 The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

You have a choice: A choice to pick good or evil:

Deuteronomy 30:15 (ESV): 15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

You must decide: A choice to pick blessings or curses:

Deuteronomy 11:26 (ESV): 26 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, 28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.

You have a choice to flee sexual immorality:

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (ESV): 8 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

You have a choice to seek God’s righteousness:

Zephaniah 2:3 (ESV): 

3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
who do his just commands;
seek righteousness; seek humility;
perhaps you may be hidden
on the day of the anger of the Lord.

Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV): 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

You have a choice to pick slavery in sin or freedom in the truth:

John 8:31-38 (ESV): 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

You have a choice to pursue light or darkness:

John 8:12-20 (ESV): 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

You have a choice to fellowship with those who follow God the Father, his Son Jesus the Savior, and the Holy Spirit:

Hebrews 10:24-27 (ESV): 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

You have a choice to tithe, to give 10% of your total income, one or more times annually. Yes, that would add up to more than 10%.

Malachi 3:9-11 (ESV): 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.

You have a choice to pay your owed taxes:

Mark 12:13-17 (ESV): 13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” 17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.

You have a choice to serve God or money:

Matthew 6:19-24 (ESV): 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

You have a choice to make your calling & election sure:

2 Peter 1:3-11 (ESV): 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

You have a choice to sow to the spirit persistently.

Galatians 6:7-9 (ESV): 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Choose Wisely according to the Greater Wisdom!

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (ESV): 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

God’s cheering for you to make the right decision!

2 Kings 17:13-14 (ESV): 13 Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.” 14 But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God.

Matthew 23;37-38 (ESV): 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate

God tells the truth and does not lie. God gives you legitimate choices. God wishes for you to pick blessings, but will let you pick curses. Pick Wisely!

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Is Adding to God’s Laws Wrong?

February 12, 2013 by creationary

The Savior Confronts:

When Jesus came to Earth, many confrontations were with the Pharisees, who criticized Jesus for disobeying their traditions. These religious leaders made additions & subtractions to & from God’s Laws, which were portrayed & marketed as designed to help people obey God’s Laws, such as laws pertaining to keeping the Sabbath Day.

Exodus 20:8-11 (ESV): 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

One of the difficulties in understanding the Sabbath Day properly was understanding what it means to “keep it holy”. The Pharisees focused on the prohibition on what not to do. Jesus focuses on requirement of what God expected his people to do. God expects his people to “keep it holy” by doing good on the Sabbath Day and actively demonstrates this requirement of God’s Law on numerous occasions. Keeping God’s Law encompasses commissions and omissions and the motivations behind them.

Additions & Subtractions to God’s Law:

Were the religious leaders treatises that created more restrictive laws in violation of God’s instructions to his people?

Deuteronomy 12:32 (ESV): 32 “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.

God clearly prohibited the religious leaders from both adding and subtracting to God’s Laws, yet they did it anyway! When the religious leaders imposed human-made laws as if they were God’s Laws, they were guilty of violating God’s rules because they did this despite its’ prohibition by God.

Religious Leaders Add to God’s Law:

The religious leaders added to God’s Law and tainted God’s intent. God intended for people to use the Sabbath Day to do good and have rest from their labors. Religious leaders went beyond that when they prohibited all types of actions on the Sabbath Day that The Bible did not itself prohibit. These prohibitions were so extreme, they even opposed the miracles God the Father orchestrated with his Son.

Matthew 12:10-12 (ESV): 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” — so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

When Jesus was keeping the Sabbath Holy by healing people of oppressive physical conditions and forgiving their sins, they opposed Jesus because of what they added to God’s Laws.

Religious Leaders Subtract from God’s Law:

When Jesus was confronted about the disciples violating their traditions, Jesus confronted them about their traditions that were undermining & invalidating God’s Law.

Matthew 15:3-6 (ESV): 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God, 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.

Personal Responsibility:

Based upon your own strengths and weaknesses, you are called to look at what you personally need to cut out of your life.

Matthew 5:29-30 (ESV): 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Your eyes & hands really do not cause you to sin, so please do not harm yourself. It is the sinful nature inside us that causes us to sin. Jesus calls each of us to action. This call to action is understood via powerful language to emphasize & shock us into grasping how extremely important it is to personally assess & keep away from temptations obstructing our individual journey to gain & retain permanent admittance into heaven through a living redemptive faith. Be sure to guard your soul. Seek God’s assistance. Consult God’s Word. While it is important to determine guidelines that are needed for yourself because of your own weaknesses, be careful not to add or subtract to God’s Law.

The New Covenant:

While God clearly prohibits adding or subtracting from God’s Laws, God planned for a new covenant to transition from ritualistic rules to obeying the essential spirit & intent & motives of God’s Laws (see Hebrews 8 & Jeremiah 31).

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (ESV): 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

People’s Approval is Insufficient:

Even as religious leaders obey portions of God’s Laws in ways people admire, it is insufficient for God’s approval.

Luke 16:14-17 (ESV):14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. 15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.

God’s Approval:

God’s approval comes through a redeeming faith in Jesus. A redeeming faith contains a proper heart, which will seek deep instruction in God’s Word, The Bible. The effort to study God’s Word in the Bible is to get to understand the character of God. Those with a redeeming faith will seek to follow the spirit and letter of the law as a matter of lifestyle. Even with a lifestyle that seeks to properly follow God’s Law through Faith and Works, the flawed nature of people means that forgiveness is needed occasionally from Jesus, the Son of God, who paid the penalty on the cross. Learning from fellow believers can also help to increase our individual understanding of the Bible and the Son of God throughout our lifetimes. There is much written in both the Old & New Testaments about the difference between rituals and proper trust & faith in God. These Biblical writings contrast outward sacrifices to obedience, outward circumcism to inward circumcism, and lip service to heart & hand service. These are useful to be aware of in your walk with God, so it is a true walk with God, rather than a counterfeit walk.

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Created in God’s Image

January 3, 2013 by creationary

Scan of a DVD 4.5 capacity disk

Scan of a DVD 4.5 capacity disk (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

People in God’s Image:

God created people in his image to be able to aspire to become increasingly like God as people increase in knowledge & experiences throughout their lives.

Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV): 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Computer Software Images:

Likewise when computers are setup physically or virtually, they are often setup from a software image containing Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) provided operation system (O/S) & applications, or tailored configurations & applications for specific audiences & purposes.

Original Human Image:

The original image God provided for people’s mind & soul was not corrupted by sin & evil, just like buyers typically expect software images purchased & acquired to be free of viruses, malware, and other harmful programs. Our human image was originally an uncorrupted version of the image of God, and in the image of the Son of God, who came later as Jesus the Savior, who is one in essential character with God the Father.

Character Choice for Good and Evil:

Just like God has the choice of whether to choose good versus evil, so also people faced that same choice. God’s character, being solid, and unchanging, always chooses to be good, while people’s character had yet to be fully formed through their life experiences. Operating system platforms with included applications are typically very flexible. Likewise, God is very capable. So too people had a very capable platform in their mind & soul, which even supports upgrades, whether good or not.

Originally Narrow Path to Sin:

In the Garden of Eden, God mercifully setup a narrow path for people to limit their opportunities to sin, even though they could rebelliously & distrustfully choose that path. God narrowed this opportunity around whether to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God clearly instructed Adam & Even not to eat it. God advised the adverse outcome to be their death if they chose to eat it.

With Humanity & Choice, Comes Temptation: 

When Jesus the Son of God came to the Earth, Jesus was tested & tempted by the Devil, who is also known as Satan. God never subjects anyone to testing & temptations beyond their ability. While being tempted is not sinful, succumbing to evil is sinful. It is reasonable to expect that Satan had to secure God’s permission to tempt Adam & Eve, or negotiate terms under which they could be tempted, since this was similarly Job’s circumstance.

Limits to Human Wisdom:

It’d be wonderful if with freedom of choice also came perfect decision-making. King Solomon, the wisest person on Earth, even made poor decisions, despite having a multitude of counselors available & knowing advisors are valuable. The net result is there are limits to human wisdom. The Universe Tools Paradigm perspective is that Our Universe is being driven behind the scenes by computations. This perspective makes it apparent that the computation power of just a few pounds of material in the human mind is limited compared to city, county, continent, planet, solar system, galaxy, and cosmos size computational power. The net result is a proper character must underlie decision-making. This human character must be informed by God’s advice & involvement through faith.

The Decision & It’s Propagation:

Just like parents want the best for their children, and yet can not make the choices for their children as they mature, so too God had to permit people to make choices as they matured. While God provided good advice, it was disregarded deliberately, as was further consultation with God on that decision bypassed. When Adam & Eve decided to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil in midst of the Garden of Eden, it was a decision that corrupted their image. By analogy, this is like computer software’s image being corrupted so badly it can not be trusted nor easily rectified. When that corrupted image is duplicated to additional physical or virtual machines, the corruption is propagated. When Adam & Eve had children, this propagated the corrupted image.

You Reap what You Sow:

As people are aware today, there are so many ways to sin, that it is very easy to sin in thought, word, and deed, with the way to eternal punishment being a wide path. The original sin sown by Adam & Eve to disregard God’s voice reaped our human tendency to pick from a world full of sinful choices baked into our character. People are brought to justice when they use software in sinful ways, and efforts are made to eliminate that software. What is your recourse as a person, when your “mind & heart & soul image” is sinful and guilty? Even if your image were fixed, you would still be guilty of past offenses, and deserve to reap eternal punishment.

Ten Commandments Reveal Vulnerabilities:

The God-given Ten Commandments provide instructions on what God expects. Because our character has been corrupted, the Ten Commandments also serve to show that people have this corrupted image. To a certain degree, this is like intrusion detection software / anti-virus software identifying the signature of infections and viruses. The Ten Commandments reveal where vulnerabilities are, just like penetration testers often do with software & hardware platforms. While the Ten Commandments are strong in identifying corrupted images, they are weak as they justly sentence the entire individual image to eternal quarantine away from what is good & right.

New Incorruptible Image:

What is needed is an incorruptible image that is fully human, yet is fully righteous as God is, so that the compromised & corrupted image can be replaced with an updated incorruptible image. Jesus, the Son of God, as the Savior of the World, entered into humanity. God implanted this perfect image in the virgin Mary, who later married Joseph. The Holy Spirit worked diligently, even in the womb, to ensure the Son of God’s image was fully imprinted to meet this challenge. This perfect image was different, in that it was a fully developed character, the character of Jesus the Son of God, in the person of Jesus Christ.

Fully Tested Incorruptible Image:

Unlike Adam & Eve, Jesus’ image was proven incorruptible. Jesus’ character stood up to temptation, hypocrisy, threats, punishment, and death, even a brutally painful death on the cross. Satan, the Devil, like the ultimate penetration tester and ultimate hacker, yet with ill intent, fully tested out this incorruptible image as unbreakable. Just like updated software, applications, networks, and services are tested in the real world, so Jesus the Son of God’s image was tested. This image proved secure.

Incorruptible Image Available to All People:

Through Faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God, this incorruptible image from Jesus the Savior is available to all people. Like a wise person building their house on a sure foundation is able to weather life’s storms, so too building our lives on this secure foundation of Jesus’ image by seeking & listening & following Jesus’ words is wise. This image upgrade process starts in this life, and finishes in the next life. To secure your future eternally, enroll for the upgrade to the only incorruptible image God is offering. It is the only human image ever proven secure! It is the secure image of Jesus Christ! People are inherently unable to make themselves & their image secure. Only with God’s intervention through Jesus Christ the Son of God are each individual persons’ image secured.

Secure Image Released from Eternal Punishment:

Even after starting an upgrade to the only secure image available, how would one become released from eternal punishment from past offenses committed previously by the corrupted image? The answer is the deserved punishment and quarantine was placed upon that secure image as well, as God temporarily forsook that secure image too, when death was wrongly inflicted upon the perfect uncorrupted image of Jesus Christ. This punishment could not justly remain on the secure image forever, being undeserved. Our goal is to have as much of the secure image of Jesus Christ in each of us, with as much of the older corrupted image eliminated as possible. This way, when judgement comes, God sees and rescues from eternal punishment that secure image in you, integrated with you, and you.

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2012 Year in Review Annual Report

December 30, 2012 by creationary

Thanks to All Our Guests and Visitors in 2012.

Also thanks to Our  Supportive WordPress.com stats teams for preparing the following 2012 annual report for our site!

Here’s an excerpt from the Annual Report:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 24,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 6 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

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