All Discussion PAGE 643

When God said, "let us make man in our images"; was he referring to the trinity by saying us?

Hi Richard,

I enjoyed reading your thought provoking post on the "knowledge of good and evil". The creation account is in some ways ambiguous to me, thus, in the search for truth, I must ask questions that perhaps are elementary or absurd to others. There's information in this account establishing much of the Creator's Mindset.

One primary challenge I have is regarding whether something (God) in a state of eternal holiness can or would create something unholy; and/or something holy that can change into an unholy creation. In the same manner, I highly doubt an unholy entity (Satan) could or would produce that which is holy; and/or something unholy that could become holy. Is it not logical that if anyone, or God, created something imperfect, we, and/or God, would be imperfect? Should not anything that comes from God be exactly like Him, where it concerns His characteristics; Who and What He is? In comparison, earthly parents pass to their children many of their traits, producing a likeness to their self. God is perfect and eternal; thus by DEFINITION, anything He creates would also have to be perfect and eternal. God is Truth, so whatever is true is eternal and cannot change or be changed. God is Spirit, and Spirit gives birth to Spirit; Spirit is unalterable because It is ALREADY perfect. But, the mind can elect what it chooses to serve, the only limit put on its choice being, it cannot serve two masters: Faith in Spirit AND the body, Love AND fear, Holiness AND sin, Life AND death, God and Satan. Opposites.

Who can usurp the authority (power) of God? I'm concerned for myself I may be minimizing God's omnipotence by believing there's anything that can-including sin. To me, sin would only prove what God created Holy could not prevail against it, nor remain Itself before the power of sin. Sin is perceived as mightier than God, before which God Himself must bow and offer His creation to Its conqueror, Satan. Many consider this humility.

to be continued

Please join me in praying for my two nieces who are having mental health, alcohol issues (one has drug related issues as well) Praying Heavenly Father for their salvation, healing, deliverance, safety and all things concerning/regarding them in Jesus' name we pray amen!!

Before God created Adam and Eve, leaving in the garden of paradise, God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion and scattered over all he created on earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth- So, therefore before Adam & Eve- there are a lot of peoples living on the entire earth. So, what will happen in the time of Noah- all people die in the flood water, except Noah and his Family & selected animals? That's our new generation until now in the present time? Kindly please deeper explanation to send my email address account. Please wait for your reply. Thank you.

Requesting prayer for Spyros V. who is in need of mental, physical, spiritual healing also salvation, deliverance from drug and alcohol use

Please join me in praying for a young lady named Trinity who is having a hard time seeing how God is going to move in her life right now and feels like he cares about everybody but her.

Heavenly Father we lift up Trinity to you in prayer. Praying for physical, mental, spiritual healing, deliverance, direction, protection, peace in Jesus' name we pray amen

Pray for me that I will decrease and that spirit of God will increase and his will way and words will make a difference in my life for ever.

Amen, so true. Yet I usually just buy them food or pay a bill to be sure. Especially now when I can barely afford things. GiGi needs extra prayers this week.

As ever I appreciate your input. My friend in Pittsburgh took a gander at Psalm 32 where I somehow neglected to mention how David sought forgiveness so quickly. So I gave analysis of individual verses and missed the whole theme; which is of course hardly isolated as a characteristic of David. Since you seem to have the most feedback; any other suggestions are appreciated. Clearly your knowledge is good in regard to scripture.

I normally don't name names here; at least when I am criticizing certain bad fruit that many preachers have today. I do recommend Paul Washer..if I'm allowed to say that here as the most convicting and truthful preacher (as far as I'm concerned) exisiting today. He happens to agree with me on the subject of divorce and remarriage as well; and is able to preach convictingly about God's Holiness as well as His forgiveness. He also has recently stated that pastors are the biggest problem in churches today and how God is going to judge the House of God first. Highly recommended.

I have been quite blessed with the latitude I have been given writing things; it is possible a few things were flagged. We don't know how long a site like this can exist where truth can be proclaimed without it being considered "hate speech."

I guess I have done a lot of thinking; hopefully if I get too redundant I can "cease and desist" somewhat. I happen to have a unique situation with time available with my current situation living with my aged parents. I may get a nursing home ministry soon; and should get to lead a study in my small group at church on prophecy in January as well so may be a bit busier.

This has helped me to look up scripture that I know is somewhere as to it's exact reference so is helpful to me as well.

My family doesn't believe so I get cut down to size at times trying to be an Apologist; as though I am some kind of "know it all."

I have to make sure anything I say is corroborated so normally I stick to scriptures as references.

I need a Bible now!

Try not to allow this world to get you down . If you belong to Jesus you have the most wonderful things to look forward to , far better than anything this life can offer you . May God provide for all your daily needs in abundance , through Jesus Christ our Saviour , Amen .

Dear Richard, Thank you for your faithfulness in putting forth your comments on Scripture. I so appreciate you doing so.

In reading the Bible there certainly are many practices that we find not very acceptable today in Western civilization, as you mentioned many.

I just wanted to comment on the subject of concubines. These women did seek to be harlots. They were sold or traded by their parents to people of wealth and position or they were taken as spoil from war and added to the harem that way. These women were often very young when they were added to the harem. they had very little power to avoid this entrapment. Esther was such a member of the king's harem. Although these women were kept ready for the call of the master, groomed and taught how to behave, this was no different than what we call today, sex slavery. These women were made captives of the ruler of the house. So, whether a king or a chief, as Abraham is often called, or in the case of Jacob. These women were expected to do as asked and many became mothers of their master's children and were considered part of his family but not equal to his chosen wife or queen.

We are not really told how this practice began again after the flood. But perhaps there was a large unbalance of men to women due to war and so many daughters were given as multiple wives because the women outnumbered the men. This was one way to build up a nation making use of as many women to bring forth children as possible.

I think that if we are duped into giving money to what we believe is a good cause and it turns out to be rotten , then that's not our fault , we gave the money in good faith . However , I think that giving money to churches is always a bit suspect to me . I know of some very rich churches and yet some of the people who sit in the churches as members can't afford to feed themselves properly or heat their homes . How can that be ok ? Also , the most precious thing we can give anyone is our time , friendship , affection and to share the Gospel with them .

I need your encouragement please . I am tempted to become angry and greedy and to allow worldly desires and vain things to get to me . I need to be reminded that this world is nothing to do with me . Some years ago my dad died and his brother swindled my siblings and I out of our inheritance from our dad . My dad's brother was wealthy and owned his own business , he died recently and left his wealth to his fourth wife and her family , nothing to his own kids or any of his biological family . So my dad's money went to his brothers step children by his fourth wife . I got over that pretty quickly . Now it seems that my millionaire cousin has swindled my siblings and I out of our moms money / property . I just don't get it . Why would she do that when she's already a millionaire ? She seemed quite nice . I'm not too upset for myself but I feel I've let my family down , I think they were hoping I would be able to help them out a bit after my mom died . I'm tempted to get angry and bitter about all this . Please help me to keep my heart with Jesus .

Becoming static in faith tends to lead to well.. boredom sometimes. I think that finding new ways to love and appreciate Him as well as trying out to techniques of learning His word can only lead to greater respect for Him.

Charles, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? You didn't specify. This is the first step in your treatment. If you have not done so, please scroll to become a Christian at the bottom of this page. You'll be glad you did.

Heavenly Father, please heal Charles's pancreas from this cancer. God you're able and i ask You to heal him, please. In Jesus name. Please comfort him and help him to put all of his trust in You. Help him to draw near to You. As close as he can get by reading the Bible daily and standing on Your promises. Repenting of all known and unknown sin. Help him to forgive anyone he has been holding a grudge against , if there be any such person. Help him to eat whole healthy food give him wisdom in that department Lord . Cancer cannot stand in Your presence Lord. Help him not to stress. Let the Holt Spirit comfort him. Give his medical team wisdom and compassion. Bless them and send Angels to work among them. Work it out for his good and let it be his testimony! I ask this in Jesus name. And I thank You Jehovah Rapha, ( The Lord who heals)

Jeremiah 17:14

1 Peter 2:24

Psalm 41:3

Proverbs 17:22

James 5:15

I'm praying over your request today.

Draw near unto the Lord.

May He open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing upon you and your family.

In Jesus name.

Draw closer to Jesus

Knowledge of good and evil part 4.

The conclusion is that once Adam and any one of us started in the course of sin; then the mind was permanently ingrained with that memory; and all the desires to repeat such actions were the default mode against which there was no effective resistance apart from the Spirit of God. God would "wink" at certain things ( Acts 17:30) as specifically referring to idol worship. There were some such as Rachel in the O.T. who would be with God's people but secretly carrying family idols with her. There are other things such as "concubines" which no matter how culturally defined basically were "politically correct" versions of harlots. The situation of multiple wives and such brings out the unique situation when at first there was only a sister for instance; for Cain to marry.

We can look at the ancient conquests and widespread carnage; and go through much angst with the tough verses where God Himself commanded widespread slaughter. That is a subject which I may have touched on and could some more in the future.

What IS certain; however is that much of these things were due to sins that Israel specifically committed and of course the book of James states that people war because they lust after things they cannot have. ( James 4:2). We also had a national political and religious state where the law of the land was to be enforced directly from God's commandments. Again; there is a level of responsibility that His Covenant people had above any other nations; but the same principles are involved.

In general; there has to be a submission to God's authority involving a trust relationship which is based on His Covenant(s); namely today in the New Covenant that Christ has brought into effect. ( Heb. 9:15). All good gifts come from God above ( James 1:17). That is referring specifically to spiritual gifts; but certainly all blessings in life have Him as the source.

Let us follow Romans 12:2 and be transformed by renewal of mind.

Is it a sin to eat pork?

I'm praying over your request today. Believing. The Lord is merciful.

Lifting you and Isabel up in prayer today also.

It's the Love that draws us to Jesus. I pray that Isabel feels that love today and responds.

Knowledge of Good and Evil (part 3)

What is good and evil? To get a definition we must first adhere to God's standards rather than our own; while acknowledging that His ways are higher than ours. For instance; we are not commanded to fight against the whole world of wicked man and the Antichrist and False Prophet and usher in God's Kingdom. There are some Dominionists who seem to go pretty far in that direction though; acting like Christ coming in vengeance ( Isaiah 63:3) is going to somehow be preceded by a red carpet welcoming mat of a world that is subjugated to Christianity. That isn't even what Post Mil reformers are saying! In any case a mass slaughter of most of the surviving earth at the end of the Tribulation isn't something that would be classified as good for anyone but the King of Kings. No doubt; of course Antichrist will beforehand attempt to justify his wars of conquest as a "man of peace" and when that is proven to be wrong; as the only one who can fight God who will be; to put it mildly called unjust.

To the world; Psalm 2 will seem like a way to "loosen their fetters" so to speak; this will seem like the ultimate revolutionary act to do for the world against those "aliens" attempting to invade the earth!

The other side of the coin; of course is the concept of what exactly "good" is. We know that God Himself can do no wrong; and is love itself ( Job 34:12; 1 John 4:8). We know that no one does good and all are estranged from the womb ( Romans 3:12; Psalms 14:3). Christ mentions this with those who are "evil" that give good gifts to their children. ( Luke 11:13). Therefore; the action may be the same among the regenerate and unsaved; but the motivations will be different; for instance pride of self or family; or an attempt to appease God and men through behaviors. This may be why the young man wasn't disputed when he said that he obeyed certain things since a youth. ( Matthew 19:20 and elsewhere). Hidden covetousness was thus exposed.

I'm praying for you today as well. The Lord provides. (Jehovah Jireh)

Praying for you today as well. Jesus loves you.

Lillian, I'm praying over your requests today.

Correction.

I meant to say "But as THE SON He agreed.....

Hello Rugged Christian. For me, I have a mindset that when I get up each morning it is anew day, a new start to my life. So, I can't say I am one to make big new year's resolutions. I try to plan out what I will want to accomplish for the day and week.

But your question makes me begin to think of what changes i can begin employing in my life ahead.

Hello Alex, and Merry Christmas to you and yours. I am remembering to pray for you kids along with mine. Can you remind me again of them, names, sons or daughters, how many?

Concerning Jesus's lineage, I agree that Jesus was conceived in Mary, will she was a virgin. He had no biological Father. Joseph was His adopted father as per custom.

Where I disagree with you is that of God having blood. Jesus did have blood, but it was human blood from His human nature. It was sinless human blood that needed to be shed to atone for our sins. so, this is why the Son became man through the virgin birth.

God the Father is Jesus' Father, by essence, not by blood or biology. None of the three persons of the Trinity have biological elements in their essential nature. No atoms, molecules, cells, chemicals-no physical matter-period. God is purely Sprit in essence.

God the Father is also Jesus' father because the Son has existed with Him eternally prior to anything being made outside of Himself. He is eternally begotten in terms of the relationship they have within the triune Being.

Alos, God the Father is the father of Jesus because He provided the material to impregnate Mary's egg, a Y chromosomal sperm. But this Jesus was already His Son

Sorry Alex, sent before I was finished.

As the eternal Son, Jesus was not materially generated in His Godhood. But as the He agreed to take on a human nature and flesh, the Father is the one who created the genetic material for the Y chromosomal package that impregnated Mary's ovum. This Y chromosomal package (I am assuming a sperm) was newly created by the Father to complete Jesus' his genetic material.

This genetic material supplied by the Father was typically human in every way except for containing the sin nature. Jesus' full human nature was created by the Father through the ovum of Mary with its 23 chromosomes and the Y cell that the Father created with its 23 chromosomes.

This is my thinking on this matter. I know that none of us truly know the genetic makeup of Jesus, but Scripture does tell us He was became a man to be God with us. We may not agree on this. I understand. you gave your perspective and I have given mine. God 's blessings to you, Alex. We are in this life together in the Lord, and I thank God for this.