Arab Spring

      Look at your headlines. You notice that there is a lot going on in the Arab world and in the Far East. Look at America and remember Sept 11. What is happening is no accident.
      Let me try to define what is being called Arab Spring. It is a period of time in which democracy is being tried in the Middle East, among the Arabs and Egyptians and so on. But it is becoming an Iranian Winter in that the Muslims want to take over what we call democracy and turn it into a  Jihad, a war agaisnt the area they call "House of War". Everyone but them are in "the House of War". The Muslims see themselves as the "House of Peace". Everyone else is "The House of War".
    They see their purpose to make the whole "House of War" into a "House of Peace". In other worlds, they want Europe, America, and even Israel to be Muslim.
     Iran is watching the democratic attempt going on or the Arab Spring. They want to move in and set up an Islamic leader who will lead a battle to make the world Muslim.
     They have Israel in their sights. They wish to set up the kingdom in the Holy City and rule from there.
     A commentator has said "Indeed, the  Arab Spring doesn't lead to democracy, it leads to Jerusalem"
     I would like to recommend a book if you wish to know more. Read it and be aware of what is going on.

View The Word In Your Mind

   Let  me continue a series on Bible study methods.

    As I have pointed out in the past in the earlier postings, there are many ways to do Bible study.:       
   There is the ABC method and the analytical method
   These were handled earlier and you should be able to go into the directory and locate them.
   This method is to put yourself in the portion you are reading. View it through your own eyes.
    Ask yourself, what am I feeling? What time of day is it? Would I be tired or wide awake.?
   If you were one of the twelve walking with Jesus when this happened, what would you be thinking?
    For example. The feeding of the five thousand.
   These people have followed you all day. You need to rest. You are hoping that Jesus wants to rest. The people have to be fed.
   Are you the one who says send them away? Or are you one who just doesn't care? Are your tired?  
   What did you think when Jesus said to have the crowd sit down? What were you thinking when Jesus took the loaf and the fish? What were you thinking when Jesus held it out and blessed it?
    Put yourself in the situation. Experience it as if you are there at the moment.
     It will take you time to  get through the whole Bible this way but you are studying it and allowing it to get in you and change your thought pattern. And that is good.

In The Image Of God

       When you see that phrase- 'The Image Of God' just what do your think? Are you thinking a mirror image? Are you think a facsimile Are you thinking an exact image? One down to every point  of the DNA?

       With all these philosophies floating around such as 'Law of Attraction',' Name It and Claim It', you need to ask yourself-- just exactly what was being said when the writer of Genesis said.. "in the image of God He created him."
         The best way to look at it is that God created man to share with, to walk with, to fellowship with. As any loving parent (and you have to realize I am using parent in the sense of creation)  part of the DNA was passed on.
         We share with God the ability to imagine. We also share the ability to create things. Not as God creates. God speaks something into existence and it is created. We can't speak something into existence. Therefore we are not given the authority or power to name and claim.a thing. Nor can our mere thought bring things into existence. Our thoughts may open us up to possibilities that we, by doing something, can attain an object, but no we can't think or dream something into existence. We create though seeing the way we can put two things together to make a new object or idea.
            God's image also allows us to procreate. His image also allows us to discover His laws of how things work.
             God's image does not include Lordship. We are not little gods nor was Adam And Eve created little gods. They were created to have fellowship with God not to arm wrestle Him to see who is sovereign.

You Can Memorize Scripture

  Part of growth in the Christian life is to have some passages of scripture memorized. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. David penned in the psalms.
   Let me invite you to memorize scripture.. It is nice to have a passage ready when you are tempted.  
   Or if you have some time to just mediate. That is another diacipline you should learn. Meditation. Turning the verse around and around in your mind. Asking what is it saying? How can I apply it to my life?
  You are called to feed yourself. Read your Bible. Memorize some verses and passages. As you memorize passages you will find you feel better about world events and daily life. People won't get on your nerves as much.

Bible Reading Plan Through The Year

        When ever a person wants to read through the Bible.. and they should.. they can pick up a plan to do so almost anyplace in the church they attend. There is the slower plan put out by some ministers to have you read a portion in the morning and a portion at night.

        The Navigators have a plan to read three chapters in the Old and a three chapter portion from the New each day and to record what you are finding there. You go through the old once in a year and the new twice.
        There is the reading plan found in any Bible that will have you reading the Bible through all the way in a years' time.
          I am all for it--reading through the Bible. And once you do it once, start over. Use a different translation. Take notes. Do word studies. Do biographical studies. Do themes. If you are a Christian you must come to the place where you realize this Book..The Scriptures.. is God speaking. God had people He would depend upon to hear Him and transcribe what HE was saying.
          Ask what is being said? To whom is He speaking? Why is He saying it that way? Does it reveal anything about God that I should know? And once I know why he said that to those people, just what does it have to do with me? Is there an example for me to follow?  Is there an error I am to avoid?  How can I teach this to another?
            Feel free to comment and give me feedback. I will respond if it is possible.
          

Toxic Emotions Continued

So the series goes on. Toxic emotions are those that block your spiritual channel to blessings. Toxic thoughts are such that get  into your mind and work out in your actions. And you are asking yourself , where did that come from?
It comes from your childhood and your present actions are the result.
But Dr. Leaf says they can be wired out by a brain washing.
  Along the same subject, but not exactly, there is a book out that I have reviewed in my book blog -http://drsbookplace.blogspot.com-- Runaway Emotions   that circles this area.
Anyway, the idea is that the brain wires these feelings in the brain and these feelings are transmitted to your nerves that record the feeling. The next time it occurs your brain remembers and the nerves react just as they had the first time.
  Anger is a toxic reaction to a situation.
  When you feel a toxic moment stop and ask yourself-- what am I feeling? How am I feeling. What did I just do? Journalize it. Record how you reacted. Talk it out. Tell God about it. Ask for His help. Seek others help.
    Get some exercise. Get the blood flowing in your brain.

God And History

  We live in a world that is two sided. We have the physical universe in which we can see, touch, feel, taste, and we live also in a spiritual universe. This universe we can't see, touch or feel with our normal senses. But it is there.

   History records the events in the physical world. History is just the what of things. History can be known because facts are written down and placed in books. History is not about meaning .
    History is possible because there is a God.  We can know about this God because He has chosen to reveal Himself to all. He has spoken and has caused to be written the Bible. This, I contend, is His communication. It records history.
     I also contend because there is a God there is a meaning to history. God adds meaning to history.
     When we read the Bible we have to add the dimension of theology to get to the meaning . Without theology as a tool we have no meaning to history.
      In other words, there must be a God to give meaning.
      You have a better chance at understanding history if you have a relationship. Without this relationship you have no meaning to what is recorded in the history books or in the Bible.
      Maybe you don't have any type of relationship. Maybe you need to redefine 'relationship'

A good place to go to explore the idea is here. Click on it and it will take you to a web page on the subject. And you may wish to take part in the offers there..