#salvation — Public Fediverse posts

Luther identifies a specific abuse of gospel freedom: concluding grace means living as one pleases, then worshipping Mammon, accumulating ruthlessly, extracting wealth from land and people. Conservative Christians vigorously oppose gospel license in certain areas. Covetousness and extraction feature less prominently in those warnings. Luther did not make that distinction.

#lutheranchurchmissourisynod #luther #greed #socialjustice #solidarity #salvation #repentance

Luther identifies a specific abuse of gospel freedom: concluding grace means living as one pleases, then worshipping Mammon, accumulating ruthlessly, extracting wealth from land and people. Conservative Christians vigorously oppose gospel license in certain areas. Covetousness and extraction feature less prominently in those warnings. Luther did not make that distinction.

#lutheranchurchmissourisynod #luther #greed #socialjustice #solidarity #salvation #repentance

Luther identifies a specific abuse of gospel freedom: concluding grace means living as one pleases, then worshipping Mammon, accumulating ruthlessly, extracting wealth from land and people. Conservative Christians vigorously oppose gospel license in certain areas. Covetousness and extraction feature less prominently in those warnings. Luther did not make that distinction.

#lutheranchurchmissourisynod #luther #greed #socialjustice #solidarity #salvation #repentance

Luther identifies a specific abuse of gospel freedom: concluding grace means living as one pleases, then worshipping Mammon, accumulating ruthlessly, extracting wealth from land and people. Conservative Christians vigorously oppose gospel license in certain areas. Covetousness and extraction feature less prominently in those warnings. Luther did not make that distinction.

#lutheranchurchmissourisynod #luther #greed #socialjustice #solidarity #salvation #repentance

Luther identifies a specific abuse of gospel freedom: concluding grace means living as one pleases, then worshipping Mammon, accumulating ruthlessly, extracting wealth from land and people. Conservative Christians vigorously oppose gospel license in certain areas. Covetousness and extraction feature less prominently in those warnings. Luther did not make that distinction.

#lutheranchurchmissourisynod #luther #greed #socialjustice #solidarity #salvation #repentance

Does Jesus bring peace or division?

Satan has usurped God's control over the earth and taken over His role as the god of this world and he doesn't want the real God coming in to remove him from that position, which is why Jesus came into the world.

#Division #Jesus #Messiah #peace #salvation #satanas #world

https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/articles/jesus-and-judaism/does-jesus-bring-peace-or-division/

The unknown God – the resurrected Jesus

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Acts 17:29-31

#Acts17 #jesus #salvation

https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/video/short-talks/the-unknown-god-the-resurrected-jesus/

Jesus Commanded Follow Me

(John 12:20-26 KJV) And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: [21] The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired Him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. [22] Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. [23] And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. [24] Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. [25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. [26] If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will [my] Father honor.

The Great Commission Is About Believers Teaching Christ’s Commandments

Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, following His death, burial, and resurrection, He gave His Church a mission. We call it a “Great Commission”. Found in Matthew chapter 28, Jesus told those who believed in Him:

(Matthew 28:19-20 KJV) GO YE {poreuō} therefore, and TEACH ALL nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE {tēreō} ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU …

Word Study: Most English versions of the Bible translate the word poreuō as “Go”, making it sound like a direct command (as in “You will GO”). Technically, though, the word is best translated “As you go”. Jesus was not making “Go” optional, but was speaking to the Christians based on what we are supposed to be. Jesus said:

(John 4:14 LSB) … whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst–ever; but the WATER THAT I WILL GIVE HIM WILL BECOME IN HIM A WELL OF WATER springing up to eternal life.

And again in (John 7:38-39 LSB) HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME, as the Scripture said, ‘FROM HIS INNERMOST BEING WILL FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER .'” [39] But THIS HE SPOKE OF THE SPIRIT, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive…

The Christian – born again because we have obeyed the first commandment of Christ and have repented – is indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.

When we obey Jesus’ commandments, the Spirit of God empowers us. The Holy Spirit brings the Bible to our remembrance, teaching us about Jesus (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit empowers us to speak the Gospel to others (Mark 13:11). As we follow Him, power for living follows us.

Word Study: That’s what Jesus said. We are to teach others to “OBSERVE {tēreō} ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU”. The Greek tēreō means “to attend to carefully, to observe meticulously”. One of the commands that Jesus gave us is to follow Him.

Once Saved, The Key To Living Is Following Jesus

If we are to teach others the commands of Christ, we are to first learn the commands of Christ. And one of the commandments that Jesus repeated numerous times was “FOLLOW ME”. In today’s text we read:

(John 12:26 KJV) If any man SERVE Me, LET HIM FOLLOW ME; and WHERE I AM, THERE SHALL ALSO MY SERVANT BE: if any man serve Me, him will [My] Father honor.

1. Everyone serves someone or something. This is a fact of life. You can serve Jesus, or you can serve FEAR. The Christian should not fear. The Bible says,

Romans 8:15 …(AP) You (who are Christians) did not receive the SPIRIT OF SLAVERY TO FEAR, but you have RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION AS SONS, by Whom we cry, ABBA, FATHER!

Jesus came so that we might be freed from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). The Bible tells us that …

2 Timothy 1:7 God gave us a Spirit NOT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER, AND LOVE, AND SELF CONTROL

2. Everyone serves someone or something. This is a fact of life. You can serve Jesus, or you can serve SIN, which leads to destruction. The Bible says:

Romans 6:6, 20-22 (AP) (Christians), our old self was CRUCIFIED WITH JESUS IN ORDER THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE BROUGHT TO NOTHING, so that WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ENSLAVED TO SIN … NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN AND HAVE BECOME SERVANTS OF GOD the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life

and again in John 8:34-35 … everyone who practices SIN IS A SERVANT TO SIN … IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED

3. Everyone serves someone or something. This is a fact of life. You can serve Jesus, or you can serve SATAN, which leads to misery. Jesus told the Pharisees “you are of your Father, THE DEVIL, and you will is to DO YOUR FATHER’S DESIRES” (John 8:44). Those who are saved by following Jesus …

2 Timothy 2:26 … COME TO THEIR SENSES AND ESCAPE THE SNARE OF THE DEVIL, after BEING CAPTURED BY HIM TO DO HIS WILL

When you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior and follow Him, it is His desire to use you to free others from enslavement to lesser, evil and debilitating things. Jesus says …

(Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17) “FOLLOW ME, and I will make you fishers of men”

Following Jesus is so very important for your spiritual health. Jesus is to be FIRST, not last. Jesus is to be honored before all other commitments.

The Bible tells us that there was one who followed Jesus who had an aging father that he was watching over. He wanted an exemption to following Jesus, saying:

(Matthew 8:21-22 ESV) Lord, LET ME FIRST GO AND BURY MY FATHER. [22] And Jesus said to him, “FOLLOW ME, AND LEAVE THE DEAD TO BURY THEIR OWN DEAD.”

“I’ll follow Jesus once daddy is gone”. That’s what he’s telling the Lord. But Jesus made the statement,

“FOLLOW ME, AND LEAVE THE DEAD TO BURY THEIR OWN DEAD.”

Who are “THE DEAD” that Jesus refers to? It is those who have not been saved by Jesus. It is those who have never been born again. It is those who are, as the Bible describes the unsaved person,

Ephesians 2:1 DEAD in trespasses and in sins

Jesus wasn’t saying this man couldn’t bury his father when the time came. I believe the sense of what Jesus was saying is – if I can carefully examine His word:

“Following Me takes precedent over everything else in your life. Those who are spiritually dead follow other things. But those who are spiritually alive, the Children of God by faith in Me, they put following Me first above all”.

Following the Commandments of God is great. Jesus told the rich young ruler who wanted eternal life:

(Matthew 19:17 NKJV) … if you want to enter into life, KEEP (tēreō) THE COMMANDMENTS .

Word Study: There’s that word tēreō again that we saw in the Great Commission. The Lord wanted the young man to carefully observe the Ten Commandments. When the young man said “I have done these things from my youth. What do I lack?”, Jesus told him:

(Matthew 19:21 NKJV) If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and COME, FOLLOW ME.

Following the Ten Commandments is wonderful. But the Commandment to follow Jesus cannot be neglected. Put away all your golden calves and follow Him.

Sons of God follow THE Son of God. Sheep follow their Shepherd. Jesus told the Pharisees:

(John 10:27–28 NKJV) “MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, and I know them, and THEY FOLLOW ME. [28] And I GIVE TO THEM ETERNAL LIFE, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Jesus Christ is the Great Shepherd, the Author and Finisher of salvation. If you believe in Him, you follow Him. You will not follow perfectly, but you want to be near Jesus. In Him you are promised ETERNAL LIFE. Following Jesus is is what sheep do! The reason that we are saved is that Jesus laid down His life for His sheep. As the Good Shepherd He “LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS SHEEP” (John 10:11). Jesus’ death was on purpose, for us. He intentionally died on that Cross, bearing our sins on Himself. The Prophet Isaiah foretold of Christ:

(Isaiah 53:4-6 LSB) Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But HE WAS PIERCED THROUGH FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; The chastening for our peace [fell] upon Him, And BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED. [6] All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But YAHWEH HAS CAUSED THE INIQUITY OF US ALL TO FALL ON HIM.

Jesus surrendered His life to us. We only benefit when we surrender our lives to Him.

There Is No Spiritual Blessing Without Surrender

John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a CORN (kokkos, a grain, a seed) of wheat fall into the ground and die, IT ABIDETH ALONE: but IF IT DIE, IT BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT.

When Jesus spoke, His teachings contained deep spiritual meaning. If a “GRAIN OF WHEAT”, a seed from the head of the plant, refuses to “FALL INTO THE GROUND AND DIE”, then it just remains a seed. It will never bear fruit. Jesus uses the verses that come before this statement and after this statement to apply it.

Before this statement some Greeks came to worship at the Feast of the Passover. When these Greeks came to the disciples, the told Philip:

John 12:21 “Sir, WE WOULD SEE JESUS”

Why did these Greeks want to speak to Jesus? Why were they worshiping at the Feast of the Passover? Philip tells Andrew, and both go to Jesus. Our Lord tells them:

(John 12:23 KJV) … The hour is come, that THE SON OF MAN SHOULD BE GLORIFIED.

Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled Himself. He could have maintained His place in the Trinity. He could have rejected the Cross, and held His place in the Heavens. But Jesus, like a seed of corn, encouraged Iscariot to betray Him. He set what would eventually be His crucifixion and death into motion. The Bible says that:

Hebrews 12:2 Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is glorified because He laid His life down for us. He was “DESPISED AND REJECTED, A MAN OF SORROWS, ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus laid His life down for us.

The grain of wheat was cast into the ground.

Nailed to the Cross, His suffering as He hung between earth and sky was recorded by the Psalmist:

(Psalm 22:1-2, 6-8 NKJV) My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? [Why are You so] far from helping Me, [And from] the words of My groaning? [2] O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. … [6] But I [am] a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. [7] All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, [saying], [8] “He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

Every bit of this is prophetic, as to what happened with our Lord Jesus. He could have avoided the Cross. He could have rejected that horrid death. But Jesus did not. He gave His life for us. He made a way where there was no way, to the glory of God Almighty. Jesus would go to the Cross, not just for Israel, but for the whole world. The Greeks sought out Jesus because God was already opening the door to whosoever will.

John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a CORN (kokkos, a grain, a seed) of wheat fall into the ground and die, IT ABIDETH ALONE: but IF IT DIE, IT BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT.

Jesus surrendered His life to bring “MANY SONS UNTO GLORY”. He died for you. He died for me. We are told in:

(Hebrews 2:9-11 NKJV) But WE SEE JESUS, who was made a little lower than the angels, FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH CROWNED WITH GLORY and honor, that He, by the grace of God, MIGHT TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE. [10] For it was fitting for Him, for whom [are] all things and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. [11] For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified [are] all of one, for which reason HE IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM BRETHREN,

Jesus Christ died for us. He released Himself as a grain of wheat, being planted in the likeness of death for our salvation.

As Jesus Surrendered His Life For Our Good, We Who Are Saved Surrender Our Lives To Him

(John 12:25 KJV) … He that LOVETH HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT; and he that HATETH HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD SHALL KEEP IT UNTO LIFE ETERNAL.

Jesus did not love His life, but seemingly hated it so that He might bring us to salvation. But if we would be saved, “we must LOSE OUR LIVES”. Not save them, but lose them. Jesus gave everything for us. To be saved, we give everything to Jesus.

You can love your life the way it is – and one day you will lose your life. The life you have will not get you into the Presence of God. You are born into this world spiritually dead. Only God, through your surrender to the Cross of Christ, can make you spiritually alive.

(John 12:44-46 KJV) Jesus cried and said, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME, BELIEVETH NOT ON ME, BUT ON HIM THAT SENT ME. [45] And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent me. [46] I AM COME A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD, that WHOSOEVER BELIETH ON ME SHOULD NOT ABIDE IN DARKNESS.

The lost soul refuses to surrender themselves to Jesus. They cling to their current lives, and will in the end lose the life that God has meant for them. Eternal life. Glorious life. Life with Jesus both now and into eternity.

We would have never had salvation had Jesus clung to His life, and rejected the Cross. And we cannot have salvation if we cling to our godless lives while rejecting the Cross. If you want eternal life – life with Jesus – you must follow Jesus.

As He surrendered His life for you,
You must surrender your life for Him.
As He was shunned and misunderstood for you,
You must be willing to be shunned and misunderstood for Him.
And He died on that Cross and was raised from the dead,
We die on that Cross, allowing God to raise us to new life.

Are you born again? Is Jesus your Shepherd, your Guide? If not, today is the day to receive Him as Lord and Savior.

One Way or many ways to God?

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

#jesus #manywaystogod, #Messiah #oneway #salvation

https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/articles/deception-in-the-church/one-way-or-many-ways-to-god/

The Courage To Be Myself

I care NOT to be anything
No, not even Brahman
Though I'm told I'm already that
Who put me on earth
Who made me a man
Who made me THIS man
Me? Nah, don't be stupid
Can't bootstrap yourself that way
Now, if my maker made me who I am
Well then I will go on being myself
Whoever that is, whoever that is
After all my maker would have known
To put the algorithm in that runs me
So, why I need to care about anything
Knowing that the programming will run me
Run me perfectly, without any error
There are no bugs I'm told in my maker's coding
So, I need nothing, not even Nirvana
This will be my summa iru, my samma iru
My very own brand of samma iru
"Silent" about what this body-mind does
Not interfering in any way with what it does
Let it do what it wants to do, who am I
To try and control it, shape it, change it
If it wants to be alone, let it be alone
If it wants to sulk or pout its lips
Let it sulk, let it pout its lips
If it wants to read Plato or Proust
Well then, let it read those good ol' blokes
If it wants to write poetry, let it do
Let it do whatever the hell it wants to do
I am done with controlling it, shaping it, changing it.
Does that mean salvation be damned
I who talk so glibly about Advaita and summa iru
Maybe this is my salvation , my own brand of salvation
Where I let this body-mind be, just be
Carrying on in this world with FULL FREEDOM
Mai taang kyun adaoon uskay raaste may.

#GatesOfHell #pearlygates do not protect us from the stupidity of #Obituary #exvangelical #christianity #salvation.

#GatesOfHell #pearlygates do not protect us from the stupidity of #Obituary #exvangelical #christianity #salvation.

People love #deconstruction #deathbed #asilaydying #RIP and fear #Obituary #exvangelical #christianity #salvation.

People love #deconstruction #deathbed #asilaydying #RIP and fear #Obituary #exvangelical #christianity #salvation.

When #Obituary #exvangelical #christianity #salvation leaves us, #death #dust #graveyard #celebrationoflife is not far away.

When #Obituary #exvangelical #christianity #salvation leaves us, #death #dust #graveyard #celebrationoflife is not far away.

A Psalm For When I Fall

https://davidjosephwriteshere.wordpress.com/2026/07/04/a-psalm-for-when-i-fall/

You can hide #Obituary #exvangelical #christianity #salvation but not #death #dust #graveyard #celebrationoflife.

You can hide #Obituary #exvangelical #christianity #salvation but not #death #dust #graveyard #celebrationoflife.

Light – Photons: Creation and Christ

The Spectrum of Light

As a new believer back in the 1980s, I was intrigued by a passage of Scripture that continues to fascinate me to this day.  It’s Col. 1:15-17 but specifically the second half of verse 17:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him” NIV) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

At the time (in the 1980s) science had theories of what held the universe together but did not have a cohesive explanation of the forces at work.  I did!  It’s God through Christ Jesus that holds existence together!  It says so right here in the Bible – how could they not see it!!

Creation proves the existence of God.  This is from the macro (the universe), to the micro (atoms and smaller!).  Rom.1:19-20 speaks of this saying:

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

A Short Physics Lesson

Matter actually never physically touches.  It’s made up mainly of space.  An atom has a nucleus made up of sub-atomic particles (protons) that do not touch surrounded by a field of electrons buzzing around it in an orderly fashion.  Nothing ever touches.  Scientists could not prove until recently why it held together.  The nucleus is made up of positive charged particles that repel each other like two “north” poles on a magnet.  What causes it to hold together and not explode into oblivion?  Electrons buzzing around the nucleus of the atom spin in an orbit but never physically touch anything.  What keeps them from spinning off into space?  What gives it its form?

The Biblical Answer: A New Revelation For Me

Gen. 1:1-4 gives the answer:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

When God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was “without form and void.”  This indicates that matter was in a state of flux and chaos.  The statement that “darkness was over the face of the deep” is another statement that there was no order; chaos was there.  Then the Spirit of God did something fascinating.  He spoke as the Word of God saying “Let there be light” and “saw the light was good.”  He took the light and separated it from darkness, giving form and substance to His creation.

The answer to the questions above is “light.”  Researchers gave light a scientific name calling it “photons” (photon being of the same root word from which we get the word photosynthesis which is the process plants use to turn light into “energy”).  Light, as photons, is the sub-atomic particles that form the electromagnetic force or “energy” that holds electrons to the nucleus of an atom while connecting different atoms together through shared electrons to form molecules.  These all function in the realms of physics and quantum physics.  That’s not within the scope of this article and I’m not a physicist so that’s a topic better left to others. (See Appendix for a further description).

Light (as photons) has a dual role.  It enables us to see in a small range of colors in the physical world to enjoy and give praise and glory to God for His seen creation.  But it also functions as a force, holding matter together giving form to what had been formless when God began creation.  God said let there be light, saw that it was good, then separated light from darkness bringing order out of chaos (Gen. 1:1-5).  Without light, nothing would exist; all would be chaos.

Scriptures to Understand

Col. 1:15-17 – “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him”) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Back to the question at the beginning of the article: What holds everything together?  The short answer is Christ Jesus, the Word of God through whom and for whom everything was created.  But a new understanding for me is that it was done through light!  In Christ Jesus, through whom everything was created, the light of the world, in Him all things hold together; verse 17 declares it.

God is Light and Jesus is the Light of the World

1 John 1:5 – “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

John 8:12 – “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.”

In the beginning, darkness held within it chaos and confusion.  Throughout the Bible darkness came to represent evil, sin, rebellion, hopelessness, and would end in complete separation from the presence of God for any who walked in it.  God dwelt in the light because he is light and there is no darkness in him.  But mankind in their fallen condition loved darkness rather than light so God sent his Son to be the light in the world to give eternal life to all who would believe so they could be restored to fellowship with him.  John 3:19-20 states “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”

When the end comes and judgment falls, those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior, who is the light of the world, will be cast into the outer darkness (total separation from God) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 22:13).

Heb. 1:2-3 – “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

John 1:3, 14 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made…14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Son is the eternally existent second person of the Trinity who was present at creation.  He is the Word who was with God in the beginning and is God (John 1:1).  The Spirit was at the creation hovering over the waters, the Father spoke through the Word creating everything in Him, through Him, and for Him (Rom. 11:36; Heb. 2:10).  The Trinity was all involved but it is Christ Jesus, the Word, through whom and for whom it was done.  He was the Word who is the light of men that gives life.

From What God Has Been Teaching Me:

John 1:3-5, 9-10 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”

Gen. 1:3-5 – “3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

For clarification: God existed eternally as the trinity prior to creation.  Some have taken this scripture along with others to say that God created Christ which is an ancient heresy.  When God said “Let there be light” he was already light himself (see 1 John 1:5).  Through speaking light into the darkness he brought order into creation through the Word of God (John 1).  He put Himself, by light, into every particle, atom, and molecule in the universe bringing order to His creation.  This speaks of God’s omnipresence, being everywhere at once, holding all creation together in Him (see Col. 1:16-17).

Extras that came to me while writing

Psalm 104:1-2 – “Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD my God, you are very great!

You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

covering yourself with light as with a garment,

stretching out the heavens like a tent.”

1 Tim. 6:16 – “…who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”Appendix

What Are Photons?

Photons are light packets with an electromagnetic force with several functions:

1. Keep electrons bound to the nucleus of an atom
2. Binds atoms together to form molecules (like water or DNA)
3. Prevent your hand from passing through a table since molecules in matter do not physically touch.  They are bonded together by shared electrons through the bonding force of photons
   1. (This gives an interesting twist on Jesus suddenly appearing in a locked room to His disciples after the resurrection!  He was not a “ghost” or spirit.  He had physical form yet passed through solid material.  Again, a different topic for another day.  Just a thought but makes me go Hmmm…)
4. It is on a spectrum from invisible short waves, to visible light waves, to invisible long waves, all of which are light waves made of photons. 

God is Awesome!

Light – Photons: Creation and Christ

The Spectrum of Light

As a new believer back in the 1980s, I was intrigued by a passage of Scripture that continues to fascinate me to this day.   It’s Col. 1:15-17 but specifically the second half of verse 17:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him” NIV) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

At the time (in the 1980s) science had theories of what held the universe together but did not have a cohesive explanation of the forces at work.   I did!   It’s God through Christ Jesus that holds existence together!   It says so right here in the Bible – how could they not see it!!

Creation proves the existence of God.   This is from the macro (the universe), to the micro (atoms and smaller!).   Rom.1:19-20 speaks of this saying:

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

A Short Physics Lesson

Matter actually never physically touches.   It’s made up mainly of space.   An atom has a nucleus made up of sub-atomic particles (protons) that do not touch surrounded by a field of electrons buzzing around it in an orderly fashion.   Nothing ever touches.   Scientists could not prove until recently why it held together.   The nucleus is made up of positive charged particles that repel each other like two “north” poles on a magnet.   What causes it to hold together and not explode into oblivion?   Electrons buzzing around the nucleus of the atom spin in an orbit but never physically touch anything.   What keeps them from spinning off into space?   What gives it its form?

The Biblical Answer: A New Revelation For Me

Gen. 1:1-4 gives the answer:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

When God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was “without form and void.”   This indicates that matter was in a state of flux and chaos.   The statement that “darkness was over the face of the deep” is another statement that there was no order; chaos was there.   Then the Spirit of God did something fascinating.   He spoke as the Word of God saying “Let there be light” and “saw the light was good.”   He took the light and separated it from darkness, giving form and substance to His creation.

The answer to the questions above is “light.”   Researchers gave light a scientific name calling it “photons” (photon being of the same root word from which we get the word photosynthesis which is the process plants use to turn light into “energy”).   Light, as photons, is the sub-atomic particles that form the electromagnetic force or “energy” that holds electrons to the nucleus of an atom while connecting different atoms together through shared electrons to form molecules.   These all function in the realms of physics and quantum physics.   That’s not within the scope of this article and I’m not a physicist so that’s a topic better left to others. (See Appendix for a further description).

Light (as photons) has a dual role.   It enables us to see in a small range of colors in the physical world to enjoy and give praise and glory to God for His seen creation.   But it also functions as a force, holding matter together giving form to what had been formless when God began creation.   God said let there be light, saw that it was good, then separated light from darkness bringing order out of chaos (Gen. 1:1-5).   Without light, nothing would exist; all would be chaos.

Scriptures to Understand

Col. 1:15-17 – “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him”) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Back to the question at the beginning of the article: What holds everything together?   The short answer is Christ Jesus, the Word of God through whom and for whom everything was created.   But a new understanding for me is that it was done through light!   In Christ Jesus, through whom everything was created, the light of the world, in Him all things hold together; verse 17 declares it.

God is Light and Jesus is the Light of the World

1 John 1:5 – “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

John 8:12 – “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.”

In the beginning, darkness held within it chaos and confusion.   Throughout the Bible darkness came to represent evil, sin, rebellion, hopelessness, and would end in complete separation from the presence of God for any who walked in it.   God dwelt in the light because he is light and there is no darkness in him.   But mankind in their fallen condition loved darkness rather than light so God sent his Son to be the light in the world to give eternal life to all who would believe so they could be restored to fellowship with him.   John 3:19-20 states “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”

When the end comes and judgment falls, those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior, who is the light of the world, will be cast into the outer darkness (total separation from God) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 22:13).

Heb. 1:2-3 – “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

John 1:3, 14 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made…14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Son is the eternally existent second person of the Trinity who was present at creation.   He is the Word who was with God in the beginning and is God (John 1:1).   The Spirit was at the creation hovering over the waters, the Father spoke through the Word creating everything in Him, through Him, and for Him (Rom. 11:36; Heb. 2:10).   The Trinity was all involved but it is Christ Jesus, the Word, through whom and for whom it was done.   He was the Word who is the light of men that gives life.

From What God Has Been Teaching Me:

John 1:3-5, 9-10 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”

Gen. 1:3-5 – “3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

For clarification: God existed eternally as the trinity prior to creation.   Some have taken this scripture along with others to say that God created Christ which is an ancient heresy.   When God said “Let there be light” he was already light himself (see 1 John 1:5).   Through speaking light into the darkness he brought order into creation through the Word of God (John 1).   He put Himself, by light, into every particle, atom, and molecule in the universe bringing order to His creation.   This speaks of God’s omnipresence, being everywhere at once, holding all creation together in Him (see Col. 1:16-17).

Extras that came to me while writing

Psalm 104:1-2 – “Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD my God, you are very great!

You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

covering yourself with light as with a garment,

stretching out the heavens like a tent.”

1 Tim. 6:16 – “…who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”

Appendix

What Are Photons?

Photons are light packets with an electromagnetic force with several functions:

1. Keep electrons bound to the nucleus of an atom
2. Binds atoms together to form molecules (like water or DNA)
3. Prevent your hand from passing through a table since molecules in matter do not physically touch.   They are bonded together by shared electrons through the bonding force of photons
   1. (This gives an interesting twist on Jesus suddenly appearing in a locked room to His disciples after the resurrection!   He was not a “ghost” or spirit.   He had physical form yet passed through solid material.   Again, a different topic for another day.   Just a thought but makes me go Hmmm…)
4. It is on a spectrum from invisible short waves, to visible light waves, to invisible long waves, all of which are light waves made of photons.  

God is Awesome!

Light – Photons: Creation and Christ

The Spectrum of Light

As a new believer back in the 1980s, I was intrigued by a passage of Scripture that continues to fascinate me to this day.  It’s Col. 1:15-17 but specifically the second half of verse 17:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him” NIV) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

At the time (in the 1980s) science had theories of what held the universe together but did not have a cohesive explanation of the forces at work.  I did!  It’s God through Christ Jesus that holds existence together!  It says so right here in the Bible – how could they not see it!!

Creation proves the existence of God.  This is from the macro (the universe), to the micro (atoms and smaller!).  Rom.1:19-20 speaks of this saying:

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

A Short Physics Lesson

Matter actually never physically touches.  It’s made up mainly of space.  An atom has a nucleus made up of sub-atomic particles (protons) that do not touch surrounded by a field of electrons buzzing around it in an orderly fashion.  Nothing ever touches.  Scientists could not prove until recently why it held together.  The nucleus is made up of positive charged particles that repel each other like two “north” poles on a magnet.  What causes it to hold together and not explode into oblivion?  Electrons buzzing around the nucleus of the atom spin in an orbit but never physically touch anything.  What keeps them from spinning off into space?  What gives it its form?

The Biblical Answer: A New Revelation For Me

Gen. 1:1-4 gives the answer:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

When God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was “without form and void.”  This indicates that matter was in a state of flux and chaos.  The statement that “darkness was over the face of the deep” is another statement that there was no order; chaos was there.  Then the Spirit of God did something fascinating.  He spoke as the Word of God saying “Let there be light” and “saw the light was good.”  He took the light and separated it from darkness, giving form and substance to His creation.

The answer to the questions above is “light.”  Researchers gave light a scientific name calling it “photons” (photon being of the same root word from which we get the word photosynthesis which is the process plants use to turn light into “energy”).  Light, as photons, is the sub-atomic particles that form the electromagnetic force or “energy” that holds electrons to the nucleus of an atom while connecting different atoms together through shared electrons to form molecules.  These all function in the realms of physics and quantum physics.  That’s not within the scope of this article and I’m not a physicist so that’s a topic better left to others. (See Appendix for a further description).

Light (as photons) has a dual role.  It enables us to see in a small range of colors in the physical world to enjoy and give praise and glory to God for His seen creation.  But it also functions as a force, holding matter together giving form to what had been formless when God began creation.  God said let there be light, saw that it was good, then separated light from darkness bringing order out of chaos (Gen. 1:1-5).  Without light, nothing would exist; all would be chaos.

Scriptures to Understand

Col. 1:15-17 – “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him”) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Back to the question at the beginning of the article: What holds everything together?  The short answer is Christ Jesus, the Word of God through whom and for whom everything was created.  But a new understanding for me is that it was done through light!  In Christ Jesus, through whom everything was created, the light of the world, in Him all things hold together; verse 17 declares it.

God is Light and Jesus is the Light of the World

1 John 1:5 – “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

John 8:12 – “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.”

In the beginning, darkness held within it chaos and confusion.  Throughout the Bible darkness came to represent evil, sin, rebellion, hopelessness, and would end in complete separation from the presence of God for any who walked in it.  God dwelt in the light because he is light and there is no darkness in him.  But mankind in their fallen condition loved darkness rather than light so God sent his Son to be the light in the world to give eternal life to all who would believe so they could be restored to fellowship with him.  John 3:19-20 states “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”

When the end comes and judgment falls, those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior, who is the light of the world, will be cast into the outer darkness (total separation from God) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 22:13).

Heb. 1:2-3 – “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

John 1:3, 14 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made…14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Son is the eternally existent second person of the Trinity who was present at creation.  He is the Word who was with God in the beginning and is God (John 1:1).  The Spirit was at the creation hovering over the waters, the Father spoke through the Word creating everything in Him, through Him, and for Him (Rom. 11:36; Heb. 2:10).  The Trinity was all involved but it is Christ Jesus, the Word, through whom and for whom it was done.  He was the Word who is the light of men that gives life.

From What God Has Been Teaching Me:

John 1:3-5, 9-10 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”

Gen. 1:3-5 – “3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

For clarification: God existed eternally as the trinity prior to creation.  Some have taken this scripture along with others to say that God created Christ which is an ancient heresy.  When God said “Let there be light” he was already light himself (see 1 John 1:5).  Through speaking light into the darkness he brought order into creation through the Word of God (John 1).  He put Himself, by light, into every particle, atom, and molecule in the universe bringing order to His creation.  This speaks of God’s omnipresence, being everywhere at once, holding all creation together in Him (see Col. 1:16-17).

Extras that came to me while writing

Psalm 104:1-2 – “Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD my God, you are very great!

You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

covering yourself with light as with a garment,

stretching out the heavens like a tent.”

1 Tim. 6:16 – “…who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”Appendix

What Are Photons?

Photons are light packets with an electromagnetic force with several functions:

1. Keep electrons bound to the nucleus of an atom
2. Binds atoms together to form molecules (like water or DNA)
3. Prevent your hand from passing through a table since molecules in matter do not physically touch.  They are bonded together by shared electrons through the bonding force of photons
   1. (This gives an interesting twist on Jesus suddenly appearing in a locked room to His disciples after the resurrection!  He was not a “ghost” or spirit.  He had physical form yet passed through solid material.  Again, a different topic for another day.  Just a thought but makes me go Hmmm…)
4. It is on a spectrum from invisible short waves, to visible light waves, to invisible long waves, all of which are light waves made of photons. 

God is Awesome!

Light – Photons: Creation and Christ

The Spectrum of Light

As a new believer back in the 1980s, I was intrigued by a passage of Scripture that continues to fascinate me to this day.  It’s Col. 1:15-17 but specifically the second half of verse 17:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him” NIV) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

At the time (in the 1980s) science had theories of what held the universe together but did not have a cohesive explanation of the forces at work.  I did!  It’s God through Christ Jesus that holds existence together!  It says so right here in the Bible – how could they not see it!!

Creation proves the existence of God.  This is from the macro (the universe), to the micro (atoms and smaller!).  Rom.1:19-20 speaks of this saying:

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

A Short Physics Lesson

Matter actually never physically touches.  It’s made up mainly of space.  An atom has a nucleus made up of sub-atomic particles (protons) that do not touch surrounded by a field of electrons buzzing around it in an orderly fashion.  Nothing ever touches.  Scientists could not prove until recently why it held together.  The nucleus is made up of positive charged particles that repel each other like two “north” poles on a magnet.  What causes it to hold together and not explode into oblivion?  Electrons buzzing around the nucleus of the atom spin in an orbit but never physically touch anything.  What keeps them from spinning off into space?  What gives it its form?

The Biblical Answer: A New Revelation For Me

Gen. 1:1-4 gives the answer:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

When God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was “without form and void.”  This indicates that matter was in a state of flux and chaos.  The statement that “darkness was over the face of the deep” is another statement that there was no order; chaos was there.  Then the Spirit of God did something fascinating.  He spoke as the Word of God saying “Let there be light” and “saw the light was good.”  He took the light and separated it from darkness, giving form and substance to His creation.

The answer to the questions above is “light.”  Researchers gave light a scientific name calling it “photons” (photon being of the same root word from which we get the word photosynthesis which is the process plants use to turn light into “energy”).  Light, as photons, is the sub-atomic particles that form the electromagnetic force or “energy” that holds electrons to the nucleus of an atom while connecting different atoms together through shared electrons to form molecules.  These all function in the realms of physics and quantum physics.  That’s not within the scope of this article and I’m not a physicist so that’s a topic better left to others. (See Appendix for a further description).

Light (as photons) has a dual role.  It enables us to see in a small range of colors in the physical world to enjoy and give praise and glory to God for His seen creation.  But it also functions as a force, holding matter together giving form to what had been formless when God began creation.  God said let there be light, saw that it was good, then separated light from darkness bringing order out of chaos (Gen. 1:1-5).  Without light, nothing would exist; all would be chaos.

Scriptures to Understand

Col. 1:15-17 – “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him”) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Back to the question at the beginning of the article: What holds everything together?  The short answer is Christ Jesus, the Word of God through whom and for whom everything was created.  But a new understanding for me is that it was done through light!  In Christ Jesus, through whom everything was created, the light of the world, in Him all things hold together; verse 17 declares it.

God is Light and Jesus is the Light of the World

1 John 1:5 – “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

John 8:12 – “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.”

In the beginning, darkness held within it chaos and confusion.  Throughout the Bible darkness came to represent evil, sin, rebellion, hopelessness, and would end in complete separation from the presence of God for any who walked in it.  God dwelt in the light because he is light and there is no darkness in him.  But mankind in their fallen condition loved darkness rather than light so God sent his Son to be the light in the world to give eternal life to all who would believe so they could be restored to fellowship with him.  John 3:19-20 states “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”

When the end comes and judgment falls, those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior, who is the light of the world, will be cast into the outer darkness (total separation from God) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 22:13).

Heb. 1:2-3 – “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

John 1:3, 14 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made…14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Son is the eternally existent second person of the Trinity who was present at creation.  He is the Word who was with God in the beginning and is God (John 1:1).  The Spirit was at the creation hovering over the waters, the Father spoke through the Word creating everything in Him, through Him, and for Him (Rom. 11:36; Heb. 2:10).  The Trinity was all involved but it is Christ Jesus, the Word, through whom and for whom it was done.  He was the Word who is the light of men that gives life.

From What God Has Been Teaching Me:

John 1:3-5, 9-10 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”

Gen. 1:3-5 – “3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

For clarification: God existed eternally as the trinity prior to creation.  Some have taken this scripture along with others to say that God created Christ which is an ancient heresy.  When God said “Let there be light” he was already light himself (see 1 John 1:5).  Through speaking light into the darkness he brought order into creation through the Word of God (John 1).  He put Himself, by light, into every particle, atom, and molecule in the universe bringing order to His creation.  This speaks of God’s omnipresence, being everywhere at once, holding all creation together in Him (see Col. 1:16-17).

Extras that came to me while writing

Psalm 104:1-2 – “Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD my God, you are very great!

You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

covering yourself with light as with a garment,

stretching out the heavens like a tent.”

1 Tim. 6:16 – “…who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”Appendix

What Are Photons?

Photons are light packets with an electromagnetic force with several functions:

1. Keep electrons bound to the nucleus of an atom
2. Binds atoms together to form molecules (like water or DNA)
3. Prevent your hand from passing through a table since molecules in matter do not physically touch.  They are bonded together by shared electrons through the bonding force of photons
   1. (This gives an interesting twist on Jesus suddenly appearing in a locked room to His disciples after the resurrection!  He was not a “ghost” or spirit.  He had physical form yet passed through solid material.  Again, a different topic for another day.  Just a thought but makes me go Hmmm…)
4. It is on a spectrum from invisible short waves, to visible light waves, to invisible long waves, all of which are light waves made of photons. 

God is Awesome!

Light – Photons: Creation and Christ

The Spectrum of Light

As a new believer back in the 1980s, I was intrigued by a passage of Scripture that continues to fascinate me to this day.  It’s Col. 1:15-17 but specifically the second half of verse 17:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him” NIV) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

At the time (in the 1980s) science had theories of what held the universe together but did not have a cohesive explanation of the forces at work.  I did!  It’s God through Christ Jesus that holds existence together!  It says so right here in the Bible – how could they not see it!!

Creation proves the existence of God.  This is from the macro (the universe), to the micro (atoms and smaller!).  Rom.1:19-20 speaks of this saying:

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

A Short Physics Lesson

Matter actually never physically touches.  It’s made up mainly of space.  An atom has a nucleus made up of sub-atomic particles (protons) that do not touch surrounded by a field of electrons buzzing around it in an orderly fashion.  Nothing ever touches.  Scientists could not prove until recently why it held together.  The nucleus is made up of positive charged particles that repel each other like two “north” poles on a magnet.  What causes it to hold together and not explode into oblivion?  Electrons buzzing around the nucleus of the atom spin in an orbit but never physically touch anything.  What keeps them from spinning off into space?  What gives it its form?

The Biblical Answer: A New Revelation For Me

Gen. 1:1-4 gives the answer:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

When God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was “without form and void.”  This indicates that matter was in a state of flux and chaos.  The statement that “darkness was over the face of the deep” is another statement that there was no order; chaos was there.  Then the Spirit of God did something fascinating.  He spoke as the Word of God saying “Let there be light” and “saw the light was good.”  He took the light and separated it from darkness, giving form and substance to His creation.

The answer to the questions above is “light.”  Researchers gave light a scientific name calling it “photons” (photon being of the same root word from which we get the word photosynthesis which is the process plants use to turn light into “energy”).  Light, as photons, is the sub-atomic particles that form the electromagnetic force or “energy” that holds electrons to the nucleus of an atom while connecting different atoms together through shared electrons to form molecules.  These all function in the realms of physics and quantum physics.  That’s not within the scope of this article and I’m not a physicist so that’s a topic better left to others. (See Appendix for a further description).

Light (as photons) has a dual role.  It enables us to see in a small range of colors in the physical world to enjoy and give praise and glory to God for His seen creation.  But it also functions as a force, holding matter together giving form to what had been formless when God began creation.  God said let there be light, saw that it was good, then separated light from darkness bringing order out of chaos (Gen. 1:1-5).  Without light, nothing would exist; all would be chaos.

Scriptures to Understand

Col. 1:15-17 – “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him (Or “in him”) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Back to the question at the beginning of the article: What holds everything together?  The short answer is Christ Jesus, the Word of God through whom and for whom everything was created.  But a new understanding for me is that it was done through light!  In Christ Jesus, through whom everything was created, the light of the world, in Him all things hold together; verse 17 declares it.

God is Light and Jesus is the Light of the World

1 John 1:5 – “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

John 8:12 – “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.”

In the beginning, darkness held within it chaos and confusion.  Throughout the Bible darkness came to represent evil, sin, rebellion, hopelessness, and would end in complete separation from the presence of God for any who walked in it.  God dwelt in the light because he is light and there is no darkness in him.  But mankind in their fallen condition loved darkness rather than light so God sent his Son to be the light in the world to give eternal life to all who would believe so they could be restored to fellowship with him.  John 3:19-20 states “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”

When the end comes and judgment falls, those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior, who is the light of the world, will be cast into the outer darkness (total separation from God) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 22:13).

Heb. 1:2-3 – “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

John 1:3, 14 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made…14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Son is the eternally existent second person of the Trinity who was present at creation.  He is the Word who was with God in the beginning and is God (John 1:1).  The Spirit was at the creation hovering over the waters, the Father spoke through the Word creating everything in Him, through Him, and for Him (Rom. 11:36; Heb. 2:10).  The Trinity was all involved but it is Christ Jesus, the Word, through whom and for whom it was done.  He was the Word who is the light of men that gives life.

From What God Has Been Teaching Me:

John 1:3-5, 9-10 – “3All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”

Gen. 1:3-5 – “3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

For clarification: God existed eternally as the trinity prior to creation.  Some have taken this scripture along with others to say that God created Christ which is an ancient heresy.  When God said “Let there be light” he was already light himself (see 1 John 1:5).  Through speaking light into the darkness he brought order into creation through the Word of God (John 1).  He put Himself, by light, into every particle, atom, and molecule in the universe bringing order to His creation.  This speaks of God’s omnipresence, being everywhere at once, holding all creation together in Him (see Col. 1:16-17).

Extras that came to me while writing

Psalm 104:1-2 – “Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD my God, you are very great!

You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

covering yourself with light as with a garment,

stretching out the heavens like a tent.”

1 Tim. 6:16 – “…who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”Appendix

What Are Photons?

Photons are light packets with an electromagnetic force with several functions:

1. Keep electrons bound to the nucleus of an atom
2. Binds atoms together to form molecules (like water or DNA)
3. Prevent your hand from passing through a table since molecules in matter do not physically touch.  They are bonded together by shared electrons through the bonding force of photons
   1. (This gives an interesting twist on Jesus suddenly appearing in a locked room to His disciples after the resurrection!  He was not a “ghost” or spirit.  He had physical form yet passed through solid material.  Again, a different topic for another day.  Just a thought but makes me go Hmmm…)
4. It is on a spectrum from invisible short waves, to visible light waves, to invisible long waves, all of which are light waves made of photons. 

God is Awesome!

Salvation

“In sacrificing your own salvation for the sake of another, you will attain salvation more quickly.”

Is Britain falling apart?

Contents:
Happening now
What the Bible says about government
From Marxism to Christianity
Infiltration and control
The war on God
Anti racism turns racist
Where is this leading?
Bible prophecy and the coming Antichrist
Prepare to meet your God. Amos 4.12.

#britainfallingapart #ChurchLeadership #jesus #Messiah #salvation

https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/articles/events-in-europe/is-britain-falling-apart/

DREAM BODY

I am enjoying this body more now.

That still feels slightly strange to say.

After years of heaviness, badly fitting clothes, poor balance, and the old post-stroke complications, the body now feels lighter, healthier, and easier to live in.

Even with the hemiplegia, I love it more kindly.

But I also know I am not this.

That is the interesting bit.

“I am not a body” does not mean I have to despise the body, neglect it, or pretend it is not here.

It means the body does not define me.

It is not my identity, my prison, or my salvation.

While it appears, it can be cared for. Warmed. Dressed. Breathed. Walked. Fed. Rested. Used for kindness.

Fasting and breathwork have not made me more real.

They have simply made the noise less convincing.

The body has stopped arguing so loudly.

So I can enjoy the balance, the health, the clothes that fit, and the quiet pleasure of moving through the day differently.

That is not body_worship.

It is good housekeeping in the dream.

Not who I am.

Just the flute the breath is moving through.

#fasting #acim #acourseinmiracles #newthought #eckharttolle #buddhism #breathwork #connection #healing #pridemonth #Karma #TrueNature #Awakening #Meditation #Mindfulness #Spirituality #intermittentfasting #nonduality #reality #life #quantum #kitchen #cooking #strange #heaviness #balance #complications #lighter #healthier #hemiplegia #kind #identity #prison #salvation #balance #pleasure #body_worship #housekeeping #flute

DREAM BODY

I am enjoying this body more now.

That still feels slightly strange to say.

After years of heaviness, badly fitting clothes, poor balance, and the old post-stroke complications, the body now feels lighter, healthier, and easier to live in.

Even with the hemiplegia, I love it more kindly.

But I also know I am not this.

That is the interesting bit.

“I am not a body” does not mean I have to despise the body, neglect it, or pretend it is not here.

It means the body does not define me.

It is not my identity, my prison, or my salvation.

While it appears, it can be cared for. Warmed. Dressed. Breathed. Walked. Fed. Rested. Used for kindness.

Fasting and breathwork have not made me more real.

They have simply made the noise less convincing.

The body has stopped arguing so loudly.

So I can enjoy the balance, the health, the clothes that fit, and the quiet pleasure of moving through the day differently.

That is not body_worship.

It is good housekeeping in the dream.

Not who I am.

Just the flute the breath is moving through.

#fasting #acim #acourseinmiracles #newthought #eckharttolle #buddhism #breathwork #connection #healing #pridemonth #Karma #TrueNature #Awakening #Meditation #Mindfulness #Spirituality #intermittentfasting #nonduality #reality #life #quantum #kitchen #cooking #strange #heaviness #balance #complications #lighter #healthier #hemiplegia #kind #identity #prison #salvation #balance #pleasure #body_worship #housekeeping #flute

DREAM BODY

I am enjoying this body more now.

That still feels slightly strange to say.

After years of heaviness, badly fitting clothes, poor balance, and the old post-stroke complications, the body now feels lighter, healthier, and easier to live in.

Even with the hemiplegia, I love it more kindly.

But I also know I am not this.

That is the interesting bit.

“I am not a body” does not mean I have to despise the body, neglect it, or pretend it is not here.

It means the body does not define me.

It is not my identity, my prison, or my salvation.

While it appears, it can be cared for. Warmed. Dressed. Breathed. Walked. Fed. Rested. Used for kindness.

Fasting and breathwork have not made me more real.

They have simply made the noise less convincing.

The body has stopped arguing so loudly.

So I can enjoy the balance, the health, the clothes that fit, and the quiet pleasure of moving through the day differently.

That is not body_worship.

It is good housekeeping in the dream.

Not who I am.

Just the flute the breath is moving through.

#fasting #acim #acourseinmiracles #newthought #eckharttolle #buddhism #breathwork #connection #healing #pridemonth #Karma #TrueNature #Awakening #Meditation #Mindfulness #Spirituality #intermittentfasting #nonduality #reality #life #quantum #kitchen #cooking #strange #heaviness #balance #complications #lighter #healthier #hemiplegia #kind #identity #prison #salvation #balance #pleasure #body_worship #housekeeping #flute

DREAM BODY

I am enjoying this body more now.

That still feels slightly strange to say.

After years of heaviness, badly fitting clothes, poor balance, and the old post-stroke complications, the body now feels lighter, healthier, and easier to live in.

Even with the hemiplegia, I love it more kindly.

But I also know I am not this.

That is the interesting bit.

“I am not a body” does not mean I have to despise the body, neglect it, or pretend it is not here.

It means the body does not define me.

It is not my identity, my prison, or my salvation.

While it appears, it can be cared for. Warmed. Dressed. Breathed. Walked. Fed. Rested. Used for kindness.

Fasting and breathwork have not made me more real.

They have simply made the noise less convincing.

The body has stopped arguing so loudly.

So I can enjoy the balance, the health, the clothes that fit, and the quiet pleasure of moving through the day differently.

That is not body_worship.

It is good housekeeping in the dream.

Not who I am.

Just the flute the breath is moving through.

#fasting #acim #acourseinmiracles #newthought #eckharttolle #buddhism #breathwork #connection #healing #pridemonth #Karma #TrueNature #Awakening #Meditation #Mindfulness #Spirituality #intermittentfasting #nonduality #reality #life #quantum #kitchen #cooking #strange #heaviness #balance #complications #lighter #healthier #hemiplegia #kind #identity #prison #salvation #balance #pleasure #body_worship #housekeeping #flute

DREAM BODY

I am enjoying this body more now.

That still feels slightly strange to say.

After years of heaviness, badly fitting clothes, poor balance, and the old post-stroke complications, the body now feels lighter, healthier, and easier to live in.

Even with the hemiplegia, I love it more kindly.

But I also know I am not this.

That is the interesting bit.

“I am not a body” does not mean I have to despise the body, neglect it, or pretend it is not here.

It means the body does not define me.

It is not my identity, my prison, or my salvation.

While it appears, it can be cared for. Warmed. Dressed. Breathed. Walked. Fed. Rested. Used for kindness.

Fasting and breathwork have not made me more real.

They have simply made the noise less convincing.

The body has stopped arguing so loudly.

So I can enjoy the balance, the health, the clothes that fit, and the quiet pleasure of moving through the day differently.

That is not body_worship.

It is good housekeeping in the dream.

Not who I am.

Just the flute the breath is moving through.

#fasting #acim #acourseinmiracles #newthought #eckharttolle #buddhism #breathwork #connection #healing #pridemonth #Karma #TrueNature #Awakening #Meditation #Mindfulness #Spirituality #intermittentfasting #nonduality #reality #life #quantum #kitchen #cooking #strange #heaviness #balance #complications #lighter #healthier #hemiplegia #kind #identity #prison #salvation #balance #pleasure #body_worship #housekeeping #flute

Sanctification and the Coming of the Lord

that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honour, 1 Thessalonians 4:4

#10signsofthesecondcomingofchrist #ChurchLeadership #faith #Israel #jesus #Messiah #salvation #sanctification

https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/articles/jesus-and-judaism/sanctification-and-the-coming-of-the-lord/

The battle between good & evil

So, why do you have demonically inspired leaders in various countries of the world today? Why do you have a culture which is clearly antichrist, which actually glorifies evil? Because Satan is working through his people on the earth. And if you try and explain it any other way, you have a problem. You have to ask, well, where does evil come from? Why do we choose evil rather than good?

#goodandevil #jesus #Messiah #salvation

https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/articles/bible-teachings/the-battle-between-good-evil/

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Today’s readings

Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Savior? I’m sure you’ve heard this question, perhaps someone even asked you that question. They teach that all you have to do is make that one-time decision and you’re saved. Well, not so fast.

If salvation were something magical that came about as the result of just saying a simple prayer, once and for all and then living the rest of your life however you want, then why wouldn’t everyone do that? The fact is, salvation is hard work. It was purchased at an incredible price by Jesus on the cross. And for us to make it real in our lives, to live it in our lives, we have work to do too. Not the kind of work that earns salvation, because salvation can never be earned, but the kind of work that appropriates it into our lives and makes it meaningful and apparent to those who encounter us.

Salvation looks like something. People who are saved behave in a specific way. They are people who take the Gospel seriously and live it every day. They are people of integrity that stand up for what’s right in every situation, no matter what it personally costs. They are people of justice who will not tolerate the sexist or racist joke, let alone tolerate a lack of concern for the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. They are people of deep prayer, whose lives are wrapped up in the Eucharist and the sacraments, people who confront their own sinfulness by examination of conscience and sacramental Penance. They are people who live lightly in this world, not getting caught up in its excess and distraction, knowing they are citizens of a heaven where such things have no permanence. Saved people live in a way that is often hard, but always joyful.

Not everyone who claims Jesus as a personal Savior, not everyone who cries out “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven. That’s what Jesus tells us today. Salvation isn’t magic. We have to build our spiritual houses on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, living as he lived, following his commandments, and clinging to him in prayer and sacrament as if our very life depended on it. Because it does. It does.

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 BIBLE OLD TESTAMENT LIVE STREAM|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/1byToWh–90?si=l1IqY3X3P8FeVT43

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 BIBLE OLD TESTAMENT LIVE STREAM|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/1byToWh–90?si=l1IqY3X3P8FeVT43

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 BIBLE OLD TESTAMENT LIVE STREAM|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/1byToWh–90?si=l1IqY3X3P8FeVT43

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 BIBLE OLD TESTAMENT LIVE STREAM|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/1byToWh–90?si=l1IqY3X3P8FeVT43

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 BIBLE OLD TESTAMENT LIVE STREAM|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/1byToWh–90?si=l1IqY3X3P8FeVT43

Let not your heart be troubled

So, we started off this talk thinking about being afraid of the world situation and being afraid of all the troubles coming in the world. It's natural to feel fear when you see these things happening. Jesus gives you the one answer. He says that you can find peace in Him. And I guess you have received peace because most of you believe in Jesus. If you don't, now's the day of salvation.

#faith #jesus #Messiah #salvation #TimeOfTrouble

https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/articles/moral-matters/let-not-your-heart-be-troubled/

Israel and the Islamic cult of death

And because they believe this, this is not just a sort of political idea, it’s a religious idea. And they really believe this, then they’re going to carry on until till they die.

#DeathCult #islam #Israel #jesus #Messiah #salvation

https://lightforthelastdays.co.uk/articles/israel-and-the-middle-east/israel-and-the-islamic-cult-of-death/

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 𝐁𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/GfG748ESBmU?is=RLUQ0RMPRS8MLCMa

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 𝐁𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/GfG748ESBmU?is=RLUQ0RMPRS8MLCMa

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 𝐁𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/GfG748ESBmU?is=RLUQ0RMPRS8MLCMa

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 𝐁𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/GfG748ESBmU?is=RLUQ0RMPRS8MLCMa

𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐕 100 𝐁𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌|𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖

https://youtube.com/live/GfG748ESBmU?is=RLUQ0RMPRS8MLCMa

Quote of the day, 21 June: St. Teresa

O my Lord and true God! Whoever does not know You does not love You. What a great truth this is! But, alas, Lord, there are those who don’t want to know You! A dreadful thing is the hour of death. But, alas, my Creator, how frightful will be the day when Your justice will have to be exercised! I often consider, my Christ, how pleasing and delightful Your eyes are to one who loves You; and You, my God, want to look with love. It seems to me that only one such gentle glance toward souls that You possess as Yours is enough reward for many years of service. Oh, God help me, how hard it is to explain this unless to those who have already understood how gentle the Lord is [Ps 34:9].

Christians, Christians! Behold the communion you have with this great God; recognize it and don’t despise it, for just as this glance is agreeable to His lovers, it is frightful with a terrifying wrath for His persecutors. Oh, how we fail to understand that sin is a battle pitched against God with all our soul’s senses and faculties. He who can commit more sins, invents more treachery against his King. You already know, my Lord, that recalling that I might see Your divine face angered with me on this frightful day of the final judgment caused me greater fear than all the pains and furies of hell shown to me. I beg You that Your mercy may protect me from a thing that would be so sad for me, and thus I beg it of You now, Lord. What can happen to me on earth that would resemble this? I want to possess all, my God. May I not fail to enjoy peacefully so much beauty. Your Father gave You to us, may I not lose, my Lord, so precious a jewel. I confess, eternal Father, I have kept it poorly. But there is still a remedy, Lord, there is still a remedy while we live in this exile.

O brothers, O brothers and sons of this God! Let us try hard, let us trust hard, for you know that His Majesty says that if we are sorry for having offended Him our faults and evils will not be remembered [Ezek 18:21–22]. Oh, compassion so measureless! What more do we desire? Is there by chance anyone who is not ashamed to ask for so much? Now is the time to take what this compassionate Lord and God of ours gives us. Since He desires our friendship, who will deny it to one who did not refuse to shed all His blood and lose His life for us? Behold that what He asks for is nothing, since giving it is for our own benefit.

O Lord, God, help me! Oh, what hardness! Oh, what foolishness and blindness! If when something is lost (a needle or a sparrow hawk that isn’t worth anything other than to give a little pleasure upon seeing it fly through the air) we feel sad, why don’t we feel sad upon losing this royal eagle of God’s majesty and a kingdom of endless enjoyment? What is this? I don’t understand it. My God, cure such a great foolishness and blindness.

Saint Teresa of Avila

Soliloquies, 14

Teresa of Avila, St 1985, The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Kavanaugh, K & Rodriguez, O (trans.), ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Detail of the statue of Saint Teresa in the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel “Extramuros” in Valladolid, Spain | Image credit: Ángel Cantero, Iglesia en Valladolid / Flickr (Some rights reserved)

A plot, if there is to be one, must be a secret. A secret that, if we only knew it, would dispel our frustration, lead us to salvation; or else the knowing of it in itself would be salvation. Does such a luminous secret exist? Yes, provided it is never known. Known, it will only disappoint us.
-- Umberto Eco

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #UmbertoEco #Salvation #Writing

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Panopainting #Seashells #Everglades #Florida

A plot, if there is to be one, must be a secret. A secret that, if we only knew it, would dispel our frustration, lead us to salvation; or else the knowing of it in itself would be salvation. Does such a luminous secret exist? Yes, provided it is never known. Known, it will only disappoint us.
-- Umberto Eco

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #UmbertoEco #Salvation #Writing

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Panopainting #Seashells #Everglades #Florida

A plot, if there is to be one, must be a secret. A secret that, if we only knew it, would dispel our frustration, lead us to salvation; or else the knowing of it in itself would be salvation. Does such a luminous secret exist? Yes, provided it is never known. Known, it will only disappoint us.
-- Umberto Eco

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #UmbertoEco #Salvation #Writing

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Panopainting #Seashells #Everglades #Florida

A plot, if there is to be one, must be a secret. A secret that, if we only knew it, would dispel our frustration, lead us to salvation; or else the knowing of it in itself would be salvation. Does such a luminous secret exist? Yes, provided it is never known. Known, it will only disappoint us.
-- Umberto Eco

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #UmbertoEco #Salvation #Writing

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Panopainting #Seashells #Everglades #Florida

A plot, if there is to be one, must be a secret. A secret that, if we only knew it, would dispel our frustration, lead us to salvation; or else the knowing of it in itself would be salvation. Does such a luminous secret exist? Yes, provided it is never known. Known, it will only disappoint us.
-- Umberto Eco

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #UmbertoEco #Salvation #Writing

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Panopainting #Seashells #Everglades #Florida

The following hashtags are trending across South African Mastodon instances:

#dreamed
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The following hashtags are trending across South African Mastodon instances:

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#womenshealth
#donations
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Based on recent posts made by non-automated accounts. Posts with more boosts, favourites, and replies are weighted higher.

The following hashtags are trending across South African Mastodon instances:

#dreamed
#womenshealth
#donations
#mozambique
#bible
#jesuschrist
#salvation

Based on recent posts made by non-automated accounts. Posts with more boosts, favourites, and replies are weighted higher.

The following hashtags are trending across South African Mastodon instances:

#womenshealth
#donations
#mozambique
#bible
#jesuschrist
#salvation
#baptism

Based on recent posts made by non-automated accounts. Posts with more boosts, favourites, and replies are weighted higher.

The following hashtags are trending across South African Mastodon instances:

#womenshealth
#donations
#mozambique
#bible
#jesuschrist
#salvation
#baptism

Based on recent posts made by non-automated accounts. Posts with more boosts, favourites, and replies are weighted higher.

The following hashtags are trending across South African Mastodon instances:

#womenshealth
#donations
#mozambique
#bible
#jesuschrist
#salvation
#baptism

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"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person 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."

Romans 5:7-8 #Bible #JesusChrist #Salvation

"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person 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."

Romans 5:7-8 #Bible #JesusChrist #Salvation