Grace Depictions

NyawehNyoh · Mon Jan 22, 2024 - 04:49:14

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It's oftentimes difficult to discuss grace because some folks are thoroughly unable to see it as relative to personal characteristics, i.e. to attributes.

For example; Cain resented his kid brother's piety, and he was snippy with God. Cain was also capable of passionate violence. Ouch! a very non-gracious man around whom nobody would be comfortable except maybe his fellow inmates in San Quentin and/or Riker's Island.

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● 2Pet 3:18 . .Grow in grace

The Greek word translated "grace" is charis (khar'-ece) which basically means graciousness: defined by Webster's as kind, courteous, inclined to good will, generous, charitable, merciful, altruistic, compassionate, thoughtful, cordial, affable, genial, sociable, cheerful, warm, sensitive, considerate, and tactful.

* Cordial stresses warmth and heartiness

* Affable implies easy to approach, and readiness to respond pleasantly to conversation or requests or proposals

* Genial stresses cheerfulness and even joviality

* Sociable suggests a genuine liking for the companionship of others

* Generous is characterized by a noble or forbearing spirit; viz: magnanimous, kindly, and liberal in giving

* Charitable means full of love for, and goodwill toward, others; viz: benevolent, tolerant, and lenient.

* Altruistic means unselfish regard for, or devotion to, the welfare of others; viz: a desire to be of service to others for no other reason than it just feels good to do so.

* Compassionate pertains to a sympathetic awareness of others' distress combined with a desire to alleviate it.

* Tactful indicates a keen sense of what to do, or say, in order to maintain good relations with others in order to resolve and/or avoid unnecessary conflict.
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NyawehNyoh · Tue Jan 23, 2024 - 18:22:52

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● Gen 6:7-8 . .The Lord said: "I will destroy Man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both Man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found grace in the eyes of The Lord.

That's the first-ever mention of grace in the Bible. It's translated from a Hebrew word that basically means the same things as the Greek word that was explored in post No.1

In a nutshell; God's good vibes about Noah were very different than the negative feelings He was experiencing about everybody else. In point of fact; they were all a terrible disappointment. God had it mind to put them all down like as if they were sick dogs, but no so Noah; him God had in mind to spare, i.e. to protect; and that was mostly because Noah was the kind of man with whom God preferred to associate rather than avoid.

● Gen 6:9 . . Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.

Noah is highly recommended as one of a trio of very pious guys. The other two were Daniel and Job (Ezek 14:14) So the grace that Noah found in God's eyes wasn't a freebee, no, it was compensation, viz: Noah deserved protection whereas the others of his day deserved to be gone.

● Gen 7:1 . .The Lord then said to Noah; "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation."
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NyawehNyoh · Wed Jan 24, 2024 - 12:31:31

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● Rom 12:10b . . Honor others as above yourselves.

Thank You isn't an epithet, nor is gratitude a vice. Those are social graces that go a long ways towards letting others know that we think they count for something, i.e. that they have value, and that they matter in the grand scheme of things.

Gratitude helps make others feel better about themselves; and God only knows everyone can use a boost these days when the integrity of government, law enforcement, the justice system, medicine, education, science, nutrition, the economy, politics, religion, morality, and national defense have been compromised by "woke" philosophies and practices.

The deep state of late has been making it increasing difficult for good folks to feel appreciated; instead they've been demonized as deplorable, extreme, racist, insurrectionist, domestic terrorist, child abuser, and enemies of democracy, et al.

God is a "big boy" so to speak who doesn't need to be appreciated in order to feel better about Himself. But still; God would like some recognition on occasion.

● Eph 5:20 . . Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Moses' people were so accustomed to God's providence that they began to take it for granted, and would get upset with Him when He failed to produce, viz: they believed themselves "entitled" like many of today's Millennials and Generation Z tech-savvy college grads. Be on your guard; don't become like them because that would be very unbecoming, i.e. lacking grace.

● 1Thess 5:18 . . Be grateful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost.
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1897)

● Ps 118:1 . . O give thanks unto The Lord; for He is good
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NyawehNyoh · Thu Jan 25, 2024 - 19:48:43

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Various casino games in Las Vegas are deliberately adjusted to give the house an edge. In other words some games are unfair -- e.g. slots, baccarat, roulette, blackjack, and craps --but it's not really cheating.

The law allows them an edge because whereas players typically gamble for fun and excitement, the house is there to make a living. So if the games were fair, the tables would have difficulty earning enough profit to keep their casino in business.

In Christianity's plan of salvation, the tables are turned. Players have the edge because God has made it impossible for them to lose just so long as they go for the gold (so to speak) according to His rules rather than insisting upon their own.

For example:

● Heb 2:9 . . But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Routine death is pretty much inevitable, but the second death per Rev 20:11-15 can be easily avoided if we buy into Jesus' trip to the cross per Isa 53:6

Sins are losses. But when sins aren't counted, then there's nothing to lose; only everything to gain. For example: records are being kept on everyone. However, when there are no sins entered in someone's record, then it will be as though they were 100% innocent their entire lives. That is a very, very big advantage.

● 2Cor 5:19 . . God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.

In Las Vegas, advantaged players-- e.g. card counters --are oftentimes asked to leave the premises and never come back; whereas God-- gracious soul that He is - encourages folks to become advantaged, and to stay with Him as consistent winners in the game of life: really big winners.

● John 5:24 . . I assure you: those who listen to my message, and believe in God who sent me, have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
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NyawehNyoh · Fri Jan 26, 2024 - 21:24:21

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Blessings in both the Old Testament and the New are typically benevolent actions, i.e. expressions of good will rather than expressions of ill will.

The first of the Bible's many blessings took place in the beginning where it says in Genesis 1:20-23

"And God said: Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky. So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said: Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."

So then, fertility shouldn't be taken for granted because those creatures didn't have it till God gave it to them after they were created. God repeated the procedure with mankind, i.e. Adam was created sterile, and then afterwards endowed with fertility per Genesis 1:27-28 so he could reproduce himself, viz: fertility was a finishing touch to the creation process, i.e. it was an empowerment freely given with no strings attached.

Personally I think God would've been within His rights to revoke Adam's blessing when he tasted the forbidden fruit; and let mankind become extinct. But instead of going to that extreme, God allowed the Serpent to tamper with Adam's fertility in such a way as to make it impossible for him to produce immortal offspring.

So then, although the blessing of fertility is mostly intact, it's original characteristics have been modified a bit to ensure the human body survives for only a relatively little while before succumbing to old age; but at least mankind is still here instead of blotted out like it could've been.

Anyway: blessings reveal that the supreme being isn't entirely indifferent, but that He has a sensitive side to Him, i.e. a gracious side.
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NyawehNyoh · Sat Jan 27, 2024 - 20:36:51

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I just came to praise the Lord.
(Wayne Romero, 1975)

The melody that accompanies that hymn is typically the very first music that pops into my head when I'm at peace; probably because it's one of the few tunes that I was able to learn on a G Hohner harmonica back in the decade of the 1970s

Praise can be expressed in a variety of ways, e.g.

Commendations
Approval
Merits
Lauding
Applauding
Kudos
Atta-boys
Recognition
Recommendations
Awards Accolades
Admiration
Appreciation
Idolizing

Praise can also be expressed by simply pointing out the things that we like best about someone, i.e. the very opposite would be a roast which even in fun are thoughtless and cruel.

Below's statement can be taken as either a matter of fact or an expression of praise.

"The Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God." (John 16:27)

The Greek word translated "loves" basically pertains to fraternal feelings, i.e. emotions and affections that lead to bonding not easily dissolved.

Out ahead at some time in the future, Christians will be subjected to an evaluation. No doubt the Lord will find much to critique, but also something to approve. (1Cor 4:5) We can kind of see that going on in Jesus' critique of the seven churches per Rev 1:11-3:22.

An incident occurred during Jesus' travels when he encountered some folk who apparently marginalized God's approval by placing more value on acceptance by their peers.

"No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from God alone." (John 5:44)

*I read recently that numbers of young people are developing complexes due to winning fewer "likes" on social media than the other kids.
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NyawehNyoh · Mon Jan 29, 2024 - 20:27:58

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Folks born with defective amygdalae are sometimes unable to commiserate with others in distress because they've been deprived of certain elements of humanness like sympathy, empathy, and pity.

With the right kind of sensitivity training, brutish Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons can be taught how to be a bit more thoughtful than their normal selves. It's a phony thoughtfulness, but at least that way they're tolerable instead of insufferable.
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NyawehNyoh · Thu Feb 01, 2024 - 02:35:09

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I wanna live, I wanna give,
I've been a miner for a heart of gold.
It's these expressions I never give,
That keep me searching for a heart of gold.
(Neil Young, 1971)

Generosity is a gracious virtue but it's not the end-all. For example:

"The Lord said to Moses: Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give. (Ex 25:1-2)

In other words: contributions toward construction of a centralized location for the people to worship had to be charitable rather than mandatory, i.e. the people's wealth wasn't extracted from them by force of law; that came later with the institution of tithing.

Christian contributions are supposed to be collected in the same charitable frame of mind.

"And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. (2Cor 8:10-12)

A church I was attending back in the decade of the 1990s launched an ambitious spending plan and shamed folks into contributing towards it by circulating a flyer praising the generosity of Moses' people towards the Tabernacle. But quietly, on the side, I casually mentioned that those very same people refused to invade the promised land when God instructed them to: consequently, many ended up never allowed to go in.

The Bible says faith without works is dead (Jas 2:17-26) Well, I posit the opposite is also true, to wit: works without faith are dead. So I think we pretty much have to concede that generosity doesn't truly count as a gracious virtue when the contributor is resisting The Lord instead of following Him.

"The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked" (Prov 15:8)

"If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness; we lie and do not live by the truth". (1John 1:6)
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NyawehNyoh · Sun Feb 04, 2024 - 21:49:36

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● Rom 12:16 . . Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.

The Greek word translated "condescend" basically means to associate with others as equals; so in this case i think our verse would be better expressed as "Don't be elitist, but willing to associate with people below you."

That's pretty much the theme in Jane Austen's novel Pride And Prejudice wherein a snobby aristocrat falls in love with a girl whose station in life is too far below his own to be acceptable.

Well; I think there just might be an event depicted in the 13th of Judges that will suit our purpose wherein a holy man-- labeled an angel of The Lord --revealed, first to Manoah's barren wife, and then to him, that they were going to have a special baby.

The astounding part of the story is the angel's willingness to accommodate Manoah's request to standby on-hold awaiting him to prepare a burnt offering. The angel of The Lord certainly didn't have to do that seeing as how Manoah's station in life was immeasurably below that of his own; easily evidenced by the angel's ability to ascend into the sky amidst fire.

NOTE: Manoah, not realizing the man he was speaking to was an angel of The Lord, requested his name. The response given-- in so many words --was: "Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding."

The Hebrew word translated "beyond understanding" appears in only one other place in the entire Old Testament; and that's Psalm 139 wherein the writer confesses his inability to make sense of omniscience and omnipresence.

The thing is: Manoah experienced a close encounter of a third kind with the supreme of all supreme beings via something called a theophany; which are quite a level above James Cameron's avatars. Theophanies aren't vehicles, rather, they are 100% fully functioning humans, for example: Gen 18:1-33, Gen 32:24-30, Ex 24:1-11, Josh 5:13-15, and of course the most famous theophany of all: John 1:14.

Theophanies can be thought of as God's appearances in safe mode. (cf. Ex 33:20 & 1Tim 6:13-16)
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NyawehNyoh · Mon Feb 05, 2024 - 21:28:31

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The 14th chapter of Genesis relates how Abraham captained an operation to rescue his nephew Lot and the people of Sodom who had been taken prisoners by an aggressor from the north. While wrapping things up, Sodom's head of state offered to compensate Abraham. Here's how that went:

● Gen 14:21 . .Then the king of Sodom said to Abram: Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself.

Sheik Bera was very grateful to Abraham (a.k.a. Abram), and asked only for the return of his fellow citizens; but not for the return of their stolen goods. Abram was more than welcome to keep it all for himself.

But Abram refused. There was just no way he was going to get rich by exploiting his own neighbors' misfortunes. Although he had a perfect right, within the customs of that day, to all the spoils of war, he waived the right in favor of looking out for Sheik Bera's best interests. I tell you, this man Abraham was incredibly gracious; and his manner of life, on the whole, made his religion, and his deity, look pretty good.

● Gen 14:22-23 . .But Abram said to the king of Sodom: I swear to the Lord God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth; I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap of what is yours; you shall not say: It is I who made Abram rich.

Abraham didn't need Bera's stuff anyway. He had plenty back home already. Why be greedy? I mean: how much does it really take to satisfy? Does a man really have to own every skyscraper, every square foot of real estate, every drop of water, every cow, pig, and chicken, every inch of agricultural land, every fruit and vegetable seed sold around the world, every watt of electricity, every telephone system, every share of stock in a blue chip company, every software program, every car dealership, every oil well, every refinery, every electric generating plant, every natural gas supplier, a monopoly on insecticide and weed killer, every utility, and every hotel and apartment building before he feels he has enough?

When will the big box managers finally say "Let's stop expanding. We have enough market share". They never will because the greedy nature of super stores knows no bounds.

As I watched a NetFlix documentary about corn production; the producers visited a facility that makes high fructose corn syrup. The manager of the plant was asked how much market share his product had. After answering, he was then asked how much market share he would like to have; and he answered "all of it"

Abraham was far and away more gracious than the likes of the predatory ENRON traders who took advantage of wild fires in California some years ago to raise that State's electric rates.
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NyawehNyoh · Wed Feb 07, 2024 - 03:23:17

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● Matt 20:1-2 . . .The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

Here in my area of the State of Oregon, the above is a common sight in the communities adjacent to agriculture. Low-income men assemble in designated areas hoping for farmers to come by and select themselves for day labor.

Of course the most able-bodied men are picked first, and the rest spend the day hoping against hope that their luck will improve on the next go-round. Time works against them; hour by hour the sun moves ever closer to the end of the day when it will be too dark to work outdoors. We're talking about men who live hand to mouth, so a zero-dollar day is a huge inconvenience.

But this one landowner in the story is very interesting. He kept checking in with the rejected men, even till almost the very end of the day, and little by little ended up putting them all to work plus; of all things, he paid everyone the same wage from the earliest hires to the latest.

It's not really stated as to the landowner's motivation to be so generous but it's my guess he was moved by strong feelings of compassion for the weaker men passed over in favor of the more able-bodied guys; which is an unusual business model in the dog-eat-dog world of capital and labor wherein the strong survive and the weak forgotten.
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NyawehNyoh · Thu Feb 08, 2024 - 22:30:47

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Long story short: Abraham's first son Ishmael was by means of sleeping with a female slave. His latter son Isaac was by means of sleeping with his wife Sarah. So then the slave's son, as the one born first, was legally entitled to be Abraham's principal heir. But there was a way to dissolve the arrangement.

According to the customs of that day, Abraham could legally disown the slave woman's son if he emancipated her; which he did.

"He . . . sent her away." (Gen 21:14)

The phrase "sent her away" is from a versatile Hebrew word that can be used of divorce as well as for the emancipation of slaves. In other words: Hagar wasn't banished as is commonly assumed; no, she was set free; and it's very important to nail that down in our thinking because if Abraham had merely banished Hagar, then their son Ishmael would have retained his legal status as Abraham's principal heir.

NOTE: Ishmael retained his status as one of Abraham's natural sons (Gen 25:9) but in legal matters relative to inheritance he's no son at all.

Anyway, the "grace" aspect of my story pertains to Hagar's and Ishmael's departure.

● Gen 21:14 . . Early next morning Abraham took some bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar. He placed them over her shoulder,

The Hebrew word for "bread" here includes all foods; for man or beast. So Abraham didn't necessarily send the poor woman out on her own with a ration of bread and water like some sort of hardened criminal, but very likely provisioned Hagar and Ishmael with enough camper-grade food stuffs to keep them going for a while.

Ishmael was at least a teen-ager by this time seeing as he was fourteen when Isaac was born (Gen 13:24-26 + Gen 21:5) And Hagar wasn't emancipated till after Isaac was weaned. (Gen 21:8-10)

The thing is: Abraham didn't dispatch a servant or a butler to equip Hagar. Nor did Abraham bring the provisions out to her, dump them at her feet, and walk away. No, he put them up on Hagar's shoulder himself; with his own hands; which he really didn't have to do.

There's no record of ever any ill will between Hagar and Abraham, nor any between him and his boy Ishmael either. In point of fact, cutting Ishmael lose was not easy for Abraham. (Gen 17:18 & Gen 21:11)

Those three were truly family in every sense of the word-- mom, dad, and child. There couldn't have been a dry eye nor a cheerful face at any time during this excruciating farewell. If you've ever experienced something so upsetting as to make you nauseous, lead-bellied, and lose your appetite; then you know what I'm talking about. Anybody who can read this story without feeling the slightest twinge of compassion for any one of those three; has got to be the most insensitive clod on earth.
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NyawehNyoh · Fri Feb 09, 2024 - 20:08:26

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In the eighth chapter of John's gospel, Jesus was teaching in the Temple courtyard when some of his opponents showed up with a woman caught red-handed in adultery. They presented her to Jesus to see if he agreed with Moses in regard to executing adulterers (Lev 20:10) Exactly why they brought the woman I don't know because they could've just raised their hand and asked him without all the drama.

Anyway, long story short, Jesus persuaded the woman's accusers to disqualify themselves and then told her, in so many words, that he himself had no intention of condemning her.

The thing is: Had Jesus problems with "mommy issues" that incident would've been a golden opportunity to take them out on someone, but instead he was a perfect gentleman with that woman: a fallen woman no less.

NOTE: There are working girls on the street corners of every major city like Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle. Granted their way of life is unbecoming, and Christ doesn't condone it, but he harbors no ill will towards any of them (cf. Luke 7:36-50) In point of fact; God was thinking of them the same as all the rest of us when Jesus went to the cross for the sins of the world.
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NyawehNyoh · Sat Feb 10, 2024 - 21:50:17

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When making public statements, persons held in high regard are oftentimes accompanied by others who typically stand beside and/or behind the luminary but never say anything themselves; they're just temporary window dressing, so to speak.

The Bible says that God is everywhere at all times: but we should never assume that He accompanies everyone, everywhere, at all times, viz: with most folks, God is only an observer and that's all.

● Acts 17:26-28 . . From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.

In other words: though God doesn't accompany everyone, everywhere, at all times; He is always nearby; and that can be a mite disturbing when we realize on occasion just how close by He really is; for example:

"And Jacob awoke out of his sleep, and he said: Surely The Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said: How dreadful is this place!" (Gen 28:16-17)

During that incident, God spoke to Jacob; saying:

"I am with you, and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." (Gen 28:15)

I rather suspect that Jacob was so captivated by the stairway to Heaven in his dream that he didn't really catch the significance of God's statement because Jacob had to be reminded of it from time to time; and he would eventually discover that The Lord wasn't just temporary window dressing, but instead traveled in company with Jacob at all times everywhere he went, and was involved, viz: those two became inseparable companions.
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NyawehNyoh · Sun Feb 11, 2024 - 22:09:51

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Developing children benefit from graciousness in a big way. Thoughtless grown-ups can destroy a young child's fragile spirit by criticizing them all the time and never once giving them an "attaboy" or a single vote of confidence.

A very charming example of this was acted out in an old movie wherein Spencer Tracey played Thomas Edison. In a scene, he tasked a young boy with carrying his freshly completed prototype of an electric light bulb upstairs to the lab for testing. The boy stumbled on the stairs, and the bulb was ruined.

So Tracey made another and tasked the same boy with taking it upstairs again. Tracy's assistants protested that the boy dropped one bulb already; but Tracey handed him the precious prototype and said: He won't drop this one. And the boy didn't because Tracey believed in that kid.

A fitting word spoken at just the right moment can really beef up somebody's resolve to meet life head on. If you're good at that sort of thing, then watch for opportunities to do so. It has to be honest though because leaving people with a false impression of themselves is all the same as treachery, and sets them up for disappointment.

"Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet." (Prov 29:5)
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NyawehNyoh · Mon Feb 12, 2024 - 21:52:48

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What the world needs now is love, sweet love;
It's the only thing that there's just too little of.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone.
( Hal David & Burt Bacharach, 1965 )

Hippies and folk singers were constantly lamenting the lack of love back the era of flower power. Ironically it was all around them, only they were looking for love in the wrong places.

Louis Armstrong, the Great Satchmo, sang of love in small places; for example:

The colors of the rainbow,
So pretty in the sky.
Are also on the faces
Of people going by.
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying
"I love you"
( What A Wonderful World, Bob Thiele & George David Weiss, 1967 )

So; in the spirit of the small, I suggest:

● Col 4:6 . . Let your speech be always full of grace, seasoned with salt.

It seems to me from the language and grammar of Matt 5:13, Mark 9:50, and Luke 14:34 that the primary purpose of salt is to enhance flavor and make otherwise naturally insipid and/or bad-tasting things palatable, viz: salt can be thought of as diplomacy; roughly defined as conversation that makes an effort to maintain peace rather than deliberately provoke conflict and/or annoy people and make them uncomfortable.
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NyawehNyoh · Wed Feb 14, 2024 - 20:46:11

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● Gen 3:21 . . And the Lord God made garments of skins for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

Precisely what species of animal God slaughtered in order to make the Adams their first suit of real clothing is unknown.

That day, humans learned something about the advantages of leather goods. Most of it is produced from cattle hides: calfskin, goatskin, kidskin, sheepskin, and lambskin. Other hides and skins used include those of the horse, pig, kangaroo, deer, crocodile, alligator, seal, walrus, and of late; python. Humans have used animal skins for a variety of practical purposes since ancient times, and to this good day leather is still a useful material all around the world.

The exact cut and design of their garments isn't specified; the Hebrew words just indicate a shirt, or covering; as hanging from the shoulder.

A garment hanging from the shoulder indicates that Eve's topless days were over; although that wouldn't necessarily rule out the possibility that she may have become the Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel of her day and created some interesting necklines.

The garments actually facilitated the people's association with God. They were uncomfortable around their maker in the buff, even in the semi-buff, and that was principally the reason they hid from The Lord when He came calling. However, fig leaves aren't very durable; they're merely an expedient. God showed them a much better way-- actually a way they would never have thought of all by themselves because who would have guessed that animals could be killed and stripped of their hides for clothing until God showed them?

We should note that God wasn't indifferent to the Adams' situation. Their feelings of disgrace in the nude was a barrier between themselves and their maker, so God showed them a really good way to overcome it: a way that not only improved the quality of their association with God; but also greatly enhanced their limited survival skills.

The point to note is that the clothing that humanity's maker crafted for the Adams didn't cost them one red cent nor did they have to contribute even the slightest bit of labor to its construction. God slaughtered the animals, treated the hides, and fabricated the garments Himself; and gave the clothing to them totally free of charge and no strings attached. However, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the couple watched how God went about the whole business so they'd know how to do it for themselves.

They'd eventually have to know how to make a knife and start a fire; I suspect God showed them how to do that too.
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NyawehNyoh · Fri Feb 16, 2024 - 20:36:23

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● Matt 5:5 . . Blessed are the meek.

The Greek word translated "meek" basically means mild.

Webster's defines "mild" as gentle in nature or behavior; viz: temperate; in other words: agreeable, approachable, reasonable, calm, mellow, and self-controlled.

Non-temperate people could be characterized as moody, grudging, irritable, emotional, thin-skinned, belligerent, militant, pugnacious, brawling, defensive, confrontational, and reactive; around whom everybody has to walk on egg shells all the time to avoid setting them off. (cf. 1Sam 25:17)

A temperate person, though mellow in demeanor, should never be assumed lacking in strength, courage, conviction, or self confidence. Anybody who's studied the lives of Moses and/or Jesus can easily testify that neither of those men were either timid, wimpy, or vacillating; yet both are characterized as meek. (Num 12:3, Matt 11:29, and Matt 21:5)

Jacob and his dad Isaac were temperate men; but could be assertive when the situation called for it. Temperate people like Jacob and Isaac pick their battles carefully, and avoid getting all riled up over trifles.
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NyawehNyoh · Sat Feb 17, 2024 - 19:05:42

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There is what's known as the letter of a law written in black and white. And there's the spirit of a law, viz: the principle underlying a law.

For example: on occasion Jesus' opponents accused him of breaking the sabbath because they were unable to discern the principle upon which the sabbath is based. (e.g. Matt 12:1-7, Mark 3:1-5)

Here's another:

● Lev 19:14 . .You shall not curse a deaf man, nor place a stumbling block before the blind

The principle underlying that law is very simple: it is cruel to amuse one's self by taking advantage of another's disadvantages; so there is no need to make a specific law for each and every handicap when the principle underlying Lev 19:14 applies to them all.

A gracious person of course knows all that without being told, and need not be restrained by law to prevent them from toying with handicapped folks.
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NyawehNyoh · Sun Feb 18, 2024 - 15:10:21

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In the 25th chapter of 1Samuel, the story is told of David's disappointment with a very wealthy man whose employees he good-neighborly protected free of charge or obligation. David humbly requested a favor in return. However, unknown to David; the man for whom he did the favor was an ill-bred clod.

● 1Sam 25:14-17 . . But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying: Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

. . . But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

. . . Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

* A son of Belial is quite the opposite of a son of God (Matt 5:9)

David was very close to behaving himself in a manner unbecoming for a son of God until the wealthy man's wife Abigail-- whose graciousness complimented her amazing courage --talked David down from his impious intentions, plus also provided him with the assistance he requested, and even offering to substitute her own life for the life of a husband in very grave danger. As a result: Abigail saved the day for her evil spouse, for Israel's future king, and the future king's regime.

* Abigail's story has to be read from start to finish before someone can fully appreciate her value as one of the Bible's primo examples of grace in shoe leather, i.e. grace in word and practice.
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NyawehNyoh · Mon Feb 19, 2024 - 21:03:30

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● Matt 15:21-28 . . Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out: Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession. Jesus did not answer a word.

. . . So his disciples came to him and urged him: Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us. He answered: I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.

. . .The woman came and knelt before him and said: Lord, help me!.

. . . He replied: It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs. She replied: Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.

. . .Then Jesus answered: Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted. And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Jesus' meeting with that woman wasn't happenstance.

● John 6:38 . . I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me

● John 10:30 . . I and my Father are unified.

Nor was his response impulsive.

● John 8:26 . .He that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of Him.

● John 8:28 . . I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught me.

● John 12:49 . . I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

● John 14:24 . .The word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me.

So then, I think we may safely assume God was right in the middle of that meeting and coached His son thru the whole scene. Which means of course God deliberately maneuvered Jesus to a location where that woman could intercept him with her greeting and with her request.

NOTE: The woman-- a Canaanite --greeted Jesus as "son of David" It's a mystery how it came about that she was aware of Jesus' genealogy but had she, a Gentile, been indifferent about it, that would've been understandable. Back then; a non Jew's faith in that respect was indeed remarkable.
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NyawehNyoh · Tue Feb 20, 2024 - 20:05:21

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There's a 1945 photo in circulation of a serviceman standing atop a car amidst a large crowd in San Francisco celebrating the end of war in Europe. There's a guy sort of like that in the Bible.

● Luke 19:1-6 . . Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

. . .When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him: "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

That man didn't know it but he was on Jesus' itinerary even before the Lord started out that morning on his day's travels; and Jesus knew his name before anybody told him or introduced him to Zacchaeus.

● Luke 19:7 . . All the people saw this and began to mutter: "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner."

Yes; Jews who collected taxes for Rome were definitely considered sinners but what was Jesus to do when it was his superior officer in Heaven who filled out the Lord's contact list.

● John 4:34 . . My food, said Jesus, is to do the will of him who sent me

● John 6:38 . . I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me.

● Luke 19:9-10 . . Jesus said to him: "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Would to God everyone was singled out like that; but alas such is not to be.

● Rom 9:15-17 . . He says to Moses: "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

Well; Mr. Zacchaeus-- a traitor in the eyes of patriotic Jews --surely needed mercy; so there he was person-to-person with a very good source.
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NyawehNyoh · Fri Feb 23, 2024 - 09:38:59

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When people survive long enough, two situations eventually befall them all, to wit: they get old, and their parents die.

Young and beautiful,
But someday your looks will be gone.
( Love Will keep Us Together, Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield )

Though my father and mother forsake me,
The Lord will receive me.
( Psalm 27:10, David ben Jesse )

My dad passed away in 1972 when I was 28 and he 62. His death left me staring into an abyss and feeling adrift with no anchor even though at the time I had a good job and was independent.

My dad had always been available when I was down; he was a resource I could count on to prevent my ending up on the street alone, in poverty, and homeless, i.e. he was a very dependable safety net. So I lost more than a parent when he died: of a sudden I was an insecure child.

So I turned to religion for strength and in time became a serious student of God's ways via the Bible, bible-study books, radio programs, and church attendance. Time and circumstances have proven my dad's replacement a wise choice; at least for me anyway. Others may have better success in other directions.
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NyawehNyoh · Sat Feb 24, 2024 - 21:57:50

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In ancient Israel, a man's eldest son was automatically his principal heir for perpetuating their father's estate. Daughters were typically not included among a man's heirs because their destiny was with a husband and his family away from their father and their family.

However, a special case arose in the 27th chapter of the book of Numbers where a man with five daughters died leaving behind no sons to perpetuate his estate: and the covenant that the Moses' people agreed upon with God contained no instructions for fathers lacking male heirs.

So the man's daughters consulted Moses for a legal solution to their deceased father's dilemma, and Moses in turn consulted God. That all resulted in the creation of a new rule (thus far unheard of) allowing a man's daughters to become his principal heirs in the absence of a son. The only caveat was that the daughters had to marry men within their deceased father's tribal affiliation so that his tribe's land wouldn't be lost to outsiders. (Num 36:1-12)

My point is: God took the daughters' side in the matter and Himself personally stepped up and did right by them; which should help towards convincing certain women that God isn't the total sexist bigot that the world sometimes makes Him out to be.
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NyawehNyoh · Sun Feb 25, 2024 - 19:41:11

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● Num 35:9-13 . .Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying; "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has killed any person unintentionally may flee there. And the cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.

The thing to note is that cities of refuge are not intended for harboring murderers in the first degree; only when someone's deed is a manslaughter: defined by Webster's as the unlawful killing of a human being without express or implied malice.

For example: my eldest nephew ran over a 30-year old bicyclist late one night back in Dec 2008 while driving under the influence. He was convicted and sentenced 12½ years in prison for gross vehicular manslaughter. The killing was unintentional, but nevertheless it was an unlawful killing under California State law due to operating a motor vehicle on a public highway with an unacceptable level of alcohol in his blood at the time.

The "avenger" is translated from a Hebrew word that basically pertains to payback by the deceased's kinfolk taking the law into their own hands, for example;

Oh, The Martins and the Coys,
They were reckless mountain boys,
And they scarred the mountains up with shot and shell.

There was uncles, brothers, cousins,
Why; they bumped them off by dozens,
Just how many bit the dust is hard to tell.
( Ted Weems and Al Cameron, 1936 )
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NyawehNyoh · Tue Feb 27, 2024 - 08:32:53

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Jesus was solo in this next scene as his men had gone into town in search of victuals.

● John 4:3-9 . . He left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

. . . Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well.

NOTE: Sychar (a.k.a. Shechem) wasn't located in a foreign country. It was actually situated in Israel within the territory assigned to Joseph's son Ephraim. (Josh 21:21)

. . . It was about the sixth hour when a Samaritan woman came to draw water. (That would've been +/- mid day per the Jews' time as their civil day began half way between midnight and high noon per Roman time whether the sun was up or not.)

. . . Jesus said to her: Will you give me a drink? The Samaritan woman said to him: You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

That scene was an excellent means for testing Jesus' prejudices which, if he was motivated by any; didn't factor into this meeting at all. In point of fact, he discussed with this woman-- ordinarily a religious and cultural outsider --some very important facts of life relative to everyone desiring to associate with God no matter what their age, race, gender, economic level, and/or ethnic distinctions.

* Jesus counseled a very receptive audience as this woman not only knew about Messiah's coming but was watching for it. (John 4:25) In other words: she trusted in the reality of such a man; and Jesus said of her: "I have food to eat that you know nothing about. My food-- said Jesus --is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work" (John 4:32-34) viz: the meeting with that woman wasn't happenstance; she was on Jesus' itinerary for that very day's activities.
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NyawehNyoh · Wed Feb 28, 2024 - 09:19:08

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At Luke 15:11-24 the story is told of a privileged young man who grew up in a good home but in time longed to go out on his own and make his mark in the world-- you know: be independent and all that.

The thing is: Mr. Privileged Jr. didn't know how good he had it till setting out on his own. Well; I rather suspect Privileged Sr. half expected his offspring to fall on its face and end up needing a safety net 'cause his youngest was permitted to leave with neither resistance, nor lecture, nor complaint.

Long story short: Privileged Jr's venture out into the world ended badly and he came to the realization that his ambition to be independent was all pie in the sky. Sort of like it's said: The dream is better than the reality.

We might expect his dad to scold the lad upon dragging himself back home, but no; his father was really glad to have him back and I think we can be reasonably confident that Privileged Sr. guessed his boy had learned a thing or two about life during his walk on the wild side; so to speak.

Ergo: that father's lenience, combined with patience, was a bit risky but in the end, Privileged Jr. was a better man due to a father stepping back and allowing his son space to try his wings.
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NyawehNyoh · Thu Feb 29, 2024 - 06:28:36

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He looked beyond my faults,
And saw my need.
(Dottie Rambo, 2003)

NOTE: Solomon wrote 1,005 songs (1Kings 4:32) Dottie surpassed him with +/- 2,500.

Anyway, that one brief lyric says quite a bit.

● 1John 4:9-10 . .This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Without Christ's crucifixion, mankind would have no safety net to rescue them from facing justice with a very meticulous, unbiased jurist; and for sure the outcome would not be to their advantage. But why would God go to the trouble?

The Greek word translated love in the above passage isn't necessarily relative to affection. It mostly pertains to impersonal interactions, for example: kindness, courtesy, charity, civility, tact, assistance, compassion, pity, and sympathy, et al.

Compassion plays a strong role in many of God's activities with mankind. It can be defined as a sympathetic awareness of others' distress coupled with a desire to alleviate it. A longing for sympathy is sometimes viewed as a character flaw; but nonetheless, I think it's perfectly normal for people to crave it.

I've encountered folks on internet forums who actually resent Christ for doing something for them that they didn't ask for. Well; the thing is; complainers don't have to sign on for the benefit, after all; it is optional: sort of like the liberty that homeless people exercise when they refuse a hand-out. But in this respect, we're not talking about money and/or goods and services, instead, we're talking about a man's life. i.e. an uncommon donation that's above and beyond the usual.

● Rom 5:6-8 . .At just the right time, when we were still helpless, Christ died for the impious. Very rarely does anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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NyawehNyoh · Sat Mar 09, 2024 - 22:46:09

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● Eph 1:4-5 . . He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.

There are important differences between adopted kids and foster kids.

The latter have no inheritance rights, they have no right to be known by a foster father's name, they have no right to a foster father's love, they have no right to address their foster father with a filial vocative like dad, pop, or papa; and they have no right to a place in his genealogy.

Plus, foster care is temporary. Older kids eventually age out of the foster system and the State ceases to assist foster fathers to continue providing for them. At 18 the older kids are legally adults in my country, and the responsibility for their providence is upon themselves. Ouch!

Adopted kids' circumstances are so, so much better. They are legally just as much an adopted father's children as his biological offspring. Ergo: adopted kids have inheritance rights, they have a right to be known by their adopted father's name, they have a right to their adopted father's love, they have a right to address their adopted father by a filial vocative, and they have a right to be placed in his genealogy.

Plus, adoption is permanent. Older kids don't age out of their adopted homes so they always have a family support base to fall back on should their circumstances become difficult. (cf. Luke 15:11-24)

NOTE: During the +/- 27 years I've been active on nigh unto 50 internet forums, I've seen quite a number of debates and discussions relative to something called OSAS, to wit: Once Saved, Always Saved. Well; some folks really ought to get off that tiresome treadmill and consider switching to OAAA, to wit: Once Adopted, Always Adopted because Eph 1:4-5 is an astonishing degree of generosity rarely mentioned; especially the part about legitimate placement in God's genealogy, which is almost too remarkable to believe could ever be true.
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