In 17th-century Amsterdam, Baruch Spinoza dared to reimagine God. To him, the divine wasn’t a bearded judge in the clouds but the very fabric of existence—God is everything, and everything is God. This radical idea clashed with religious authorities, who excommunicated him with chilling theatrics: bells tolled, candles snuffed, Bibles slammed shut. Ostracized and labeled a heretic, Spinoza became history’s ghost—a man erased for questioning dogma. His crime? Arguing that nature itself was sacred, not confined to holy books. Science’s Awkward Dance with Faith For centuries, science and religion waltzed uneasily. Galileo was condemned for proving Earth orbits the sun. Darwin agonized over evolution, fearing it clashed with divine design. Yet science persisted, not to disprove God but to decode nature’s laws. As Einstein later quipped, “Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.” The irony? Many pioneers—Newton, Kepler, even Darwin—saw their work as glorifying creation. If God disapproved, why let humans unravel the cosmos? Einstein’s Cosmic Compromise Enter Einstein. When asked about God, he invoked Spinoza: a cosmic force woven into spacetime itself. To Einstein, God was the elegant math behind relativity, the “mystery” of the universe’s order. This wasn’t atheism—it was awe. His famous equation, E=mc², revealed matter and energy as two sides of the same coin. At light speed, energy morphs into mass, creating a universal speed limit. No Starship Enterprise warp drives here—just cold, beautiful physics. Why We Can’t Break the Cosmic Speed Limit Sci-fi taunts us with hyperspace jumps, but reality is stricter. Accelerating a proton (let alone a spaceship) to light speed would demand infinite energy—more than the universe holds. CERN’s particle colliders, like the Large Hadron Collider, push protons to 99.9999999% light speed, creating microscopic Big Bangs. Even then, Einstein’s math holds firm: time slows, mass balloons, and the universe says, “Nice try.” The Modern Paradox Today, science often replaces scripture. We worship data, not deities. Yet Spinoza’s ghost lingers. His “God-in-everything” mirrors quantum physics’ interconnectedness—the idea that particles hum with shared energy. Even atheists marvel at the cosmos’ mathematical harmony. As Einstein wrote, “The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.” Spinoza and Einstein shared a creed: Truth is holy. Whether through equations or introspection, both sought to dissolve the line between the sacred and the scientific. To dismiss faith as primitive or science as cold is to miss the point. As Spinoza might say: The universe isn’t a puzzle to solve but a poem to read—and we’re all stargazing scribes.

The world has little patience for justice, and perhaps even less for fairness. The righteous and the innocent often bear the burdens laid upon them by the weak and the selfish. It is a story told in every corner of the earth, in every language, under every sky. And it is a story told twice—once in the story of Rama from The Ramayana, and again in the story of Job from the Book of Job. Rama’s Banishment from Ayodhya Rama was a prince, born to rule, raised in the golden light of Ayodhya’s palaces. He was not just good; he was righteous, steady as the rivers that carve the land, sure as the sun that climbs the sky. But the world does not always move for righteousness. One word from a mother who was not his own, one promise a father could not break, and the kingdom slipped through his fingers. He left Ayodhya not as a king but as an exile, his feet treading the dust of the forest instead of the marble of the palace. There was no crime, no failure, no fault, only the cold hand of fate pressing down. Yet, Rama did not rage. He did not weep. He bore the weight of his punishment because that is what a man of dharma does. Even in the wilderness, stripped of his crown and his home, he carried his duty like an unshaken flame. Job's Downfall Somewhere else, in another time, there is a man who owns much and loves much. Job is a man of faith, one who rises before dawn to offer prayers, one who watches over his house with the careful hands of a shepherd. He does right by God, and for a long time, God does right by him. But there is a wager in the heavens, a question asked: Is goodness still goodness when it is met with ruin? In other words, is morality relative to circumstance? His children die first. His livestock disappears. His land turns to dust. His body is next, ravaged by sores, his skin breaking under the weight of unseen judgment. The world tells him he must be guilty of something. A man does not suffer like this unless he has sinned. Job sits in his ruin, scraping at his wounds with broken pottery, and asks a question that has lived in the hearts of all who suffer: Why? Job did not receive the answer he sought. God did not sit him down and explain the grand design, did not trace the lines of fate with a patient hand. Instead, God spoke of the vastness of creation, of things beyond the grasp of man. And in that vastness, Job found peace. His fortunes were restored, his life made whole again—not because he had demanded it, not because God was obligated to justify his ways, but because his faith had endured even in the dark. The Message Somewhere in the heart of these tales lies a truth too deep to be simple. If God were only just, then the righteous would never suffer. If God were only merciful, then suffering would never be. But the world is made of both justice and mercy, and they do not always run in a straight line. It is a hard thing, reconciling suffering with the notion of a just and merciful God. The world teaches us early that good should be met with good and wickedness with ruin, but the world is not always kind to its own lessons. The stories of Rama and Job also fly in the face of the idea of moral relativism by asserting that righteousness and virtue exist independently of circumstance or personal perspective. Rama’s exile and Job’s torment do not bend to the whims of men who weigh morality like merchants, bargaining virtue against suffering. Rama does not rage against his fate because he understands that dharma is larger than him, that justice is not a thing that bends to personal suffering. Job does rage, but in the end, he learns that understanding is not a requirement of faith. Both suffer, both endure, and both are restored—not because they demanded it, but because their trials shaped them into something greater than they were before. Suffering is never meaningless, though it feels that way when a man is in the thick of it. It stretches the soul, forces it to look beyond the immediate, beyond the mortal. In the end, Rama returns to Ayodhya, crowned in the love of his people. Job’s wealth is restored, his house made whole. But the truest reward is something deeper, something that cannot be taken away, something won only through fire. The world will never stop handing down punishments undeserved. That is the nature of things. But in the hands of the righteous, suffering becomes something else entirely—not an end, but a beginning.

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32 NIV) “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26 NIV) Looking back on my younger, teenage years, I had a desire to be in the spotlight. Perhaps this came from working behind the scenes, or because everyone I looked up to was in a spotlight of some form. While everyone is different, woven through culture is the belief that to be successful, one must be in a spotlight of some type, whether it's on a literal stage, or simply being known by the culture in some famous, or infamous, way. However, Jesus pushes back at this self-focused belief. While some might say that Jesus had this self-focused attitude, such as in the passages from John and Matthew above, Jesus tells us in other places that He doesn't seek glory for Himself (John 8:49-50). Everyone alive today has the temptation and desire to be known. For some, this desire wants the literal spotlight to shine on us. For others, it wants attention and acknowledgment to come our way. Culture tempts us to believe that success equals fame. However, Jesus promises to fulfill our desire to be known, but in a different way. When we say yes to following Jesus, this decision means saying no to several other things. The decision to follow Jesus means setting our desires aside in favor of God's desires. Jesus challenges His followers to seek God's kingdom first, and let God supply us with what life needs - including the desire to be known (Matthew 6:28-34; 7:22-23). While culture tempts us to seek after the spotlight, Jesus challenges His followers to shine the spotlight on God, on God's kingdom, and on the one God raised back to life (Acts 5:30; 10:40; 13:30,37). If God chooses to shine His "spotlight" on us, the result will be exposing how sinful we really are (Hebrews 4:12-13). Everyone has sinned, and everyone has fallen short of God's glory/ideal (Romans 3:22-24). However, while it would be easy to understand if God chose to reject us as failures, God instead invites us to return to Him. God wants a personal relationship with us. As we grow closer to God, understanding that He loves us in spite of all the sin in our lives (though He never wants us to stay that way), we discover just how great His love us for us: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV) Instead of seeking the spotlight for ourselves (which only will expose our failures and sin), let's shine the spotlight on Jesus, and what He accomplished for us!

Part way through Jesus ministry, He shared an illustration about lighting a lamp and the importance of letting the lamp’s light shine. In this illustration, Jesus gives us an interesting comparison that is incredibly relevant and profound when we stop to think about it. In the middle of this message, Jesus tells those listening, “Your eye is like a lamp for your body. Suppose your eyes are healthy. Then your whole body also is full of light. But suppose your eyes can’t see well. Then your body also is full of darkness.” (Luke 11:34 NIRV) When reading Jesus’ words in this verse, I cannot help but see the similarities between our eyes and our perspective. Jesus calls our eyes “lamps” for our bodies, and with this in mind, if we focus on things that are positive and uplifting, then we will have a positive and uplifting outlook on life. In a similar way, if we focus on negative or unhealthy things, then we will have a negative and unhealthy view of life. However, when we know how powerful our perspective and focus are, are we the healthiest we can be when we exclusively focus on the good while shunning all the bad – or is this simply a recipe for becoming naïve? In this passage, healthy eyes are contrasted with “eyes that cannot see well”. This isn’t the same as being blind, but it is one way of saying that our eyes become blind to certain things. I wonder if someone who turns a blind eye to the negatives around them is just as guilty of having unhealthy eyes as the person who cannot see the positives in any situation. In each case, the person’s eyes are blind to the other person’s perspective. If this is the case, then perhaps the healthiest plan forward is to train our eyes to show us the good and the bad. If we begin to see more bad than good, challenge yourself to shift your focus onto looking for more good, and this could include reading the Bible for encouragement and inspiration or simply turning off negative or draining media. Another idea/challenge to stop seeing the negative sides of reality is to step outside our doors and look for someone we can help who is in need. Helping others lifts our spirits. Our lives are a mix of the positives and negatives, and the healthiest we can be is when we choose to open our eyes to both sides of life, focus on the positive, and where possible, find ways to help, accept, or change the negatives into positives. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

While reading Matthew 24:26-35 for this journal entry, a verse or phrase didn’t really stand out like with other passages in other journal entries. But what did stand out is a big theme that spans the broad teaching that this passage concludes. Probably more single space is given to Jesus teaching us about what will happen in the end time than most any other teaching Jesus gave in the gospels. Three of the gospel writers include it, and most give it a very prominent place right before crucifixion week. It is as though, knowing that the time He can spend with His disciples is growing to a close, Jesus begins to shift the topics that He talks about onto teaching about what to pay attention to after He is gone. I believe Jesus knew that there would be thousands of years of history after His return to heaven, but instead of saying that directly, He described the condition of the world as it would be during those years. In the conclusion, our passage for this journal entry, He describes how He will return again, and what that would be like. Using grand language and earth shattering imagery, Jesus wants us to know that His return will be nothing like His first appearance, and He does not want us to be deceived. He wants us to be ready, to see the world events that are happening around us, and to know that God’s kingdom is near. (Luke 21:31) The big theme that I see listed here is this: God does not want us to be scared or surprised when we see bad things happen in the world. Instead, He wants us to focus on His character, on the truth that He is in control, and on the promise that Jesus is returning. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

Around the middle of Jesus’ three and a half year ministry, the gospel of John tells us that He went to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. During this festival, Jesus gets into a discussion with some Jews in the temple and John recorded their interesting conversation. As Jesus debates with these Jewish leaders, we come to a claim Jesus makes that is both amazing and profound. John tells us Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” (John 8:51 NIV) On the surface, this statement is amazing and it is a profound promise, but it also makes me wonder, just like the Jews in the temple, what about those who lived before Jesus was alive? Those in the group surrounding Jesus in the temple respond by saying, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets.” (John 8:52-53a NIV) In this response, we have a subtle shift of wording that stood out to me as I read it. On one hand, Jesus tells those present that the people who obey His word will never “see death”. When the group of Jews responds, they respond using the phrase “taste death”. At first, I wondered if they changed the word that was translated as death since they also changed the word from “see” to “taste”, but a quick look at my Bible concordance, let me know that both words for death are the same. For those unfamiliar with the term Bible concordance, it is a reference book for looking up different places in the Bible where the same words are used. Bible concordances are great tools when trying to let the Bible explain itself. While in the concordance, I did find that Jesus does use the phrase “taste death” at other times in His ministry, one of which was when He told the disciples that not all of them would “taste death” before He returned. (Matthew 16:28; Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27) However, while in the concordance, I also came across another phrase that speaks into this discussion – and it actually answers the Jews counter statements to Jesus. Just a few chapters later in John 11, we find the sickness, death, and resurrection of Jesus’ good friend Lazarus. Setting the stage for what happens, Jesus tells the group of disciples in this event, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4 NIV) However, Lazarus did die, even if it was only for a few days initially. This makes me think that, similar to how Jesus often interacted with the Jews, He would talk on a different spiritual level than what the Jews were used to debating. Seeing death is clearly different from tasting death, and I wonder if Jesus spoke this way as an attempt to try to redirect the focus of these prominent Jews. While death in these verses could mean literal death, this original word in this context could also mean eternal death as well. But focusing on death is not what Jesus wanted to do in this portion of this discussion. Jesus wants to draw our attention to the real truth that when we are obeying God, we never “see death” as the end of our existence. Instead, we know that even if we might die in this life and age, we have a future life waiting for us in God’s kingdom. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:38-42 NIV) “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48 NIV) For anyone paying attention to the world today, it is easy to see society becoming more and more polarized. The world has plenty of ignorant people (according to some), bitter people (according to some), and more visible evil than what might have been present for many in our lifetimes. It is easy to fall into the trap of seeing whatever side you are on as the "good" side, and those on the "other" side as varying shades of "evil". Each side of every debate/issue is digging in their heels and becoming more openly hostile towards the other side. However, while reading Jesus' sermon on the Mount, two sections stood out to me. Much of today's society is based on the "eye for an eye" mentality. If one side becomes more extreme, the other sides feel justified to become more extreme as well. 👉 But Jesus then says something profound: "Do not resist an evil person." This phrase is challenging, because if good people do nothing, as some people have quoted, then evil triumphs. But this quote is nowhere that I can find in my Bible. Instead, I can find a few scattered verses that suggest something similar, and a ton of verses that draw attention to crying out to God and depending on Him when evil people have the upper hand. 👉 Jesus even takes His point a step further: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." Have you ever considered praying for those on the other side? Prayer, love, and forgiveness are the tools most lacking in the world today, and they are the only ways out of the spiral of destruction that has gripped most parts of society. 👉 "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." God loves those who actively hate Him. Jesus came to redeem those in open rebellion (Romans 5:6,8,10). Will we accept His challenge to reflect His love towards those on the other side? ✝️ 🙏 📖 ✅

Have you ever wondered how you can show God love? Since God is not physically present and touchable like a person is, any relationship we have with Him, or affection we show Him, will likely be a little different than it is with our significant other. Or is it really all that different? Many people believe that in order to show God love, we must love others – including orphans, widows, hospital patients, prison inmates, and, or maybe even especially, those who are the lowest in society and those who cannot help themselves. I am among those who agree with this description – and I stand on the foundation of several prominent parables/teachings that Jesus shares in the gospels. However, in our passage for this journal entry, Jesus gives us a clear, direct answer to this question, and it might surprise you. While what has been believed is not wrong, it is only a partial truth. In verse 21, Jesus says, “Whoever knows and obeys my commandments is the person who loves me. Those who love me will have my Father’s love, and I, too, will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:21 GW) This must be an easy thing, since just one chapter before, Jesus gave the disciples a new command: “I’m giving you a new commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have loved you. Everyone will know that you are my disciples because of your love for each other.” (John 13:34-35 GW) But it isn’t that simple. Jesus describes in our first verse (John 14:21) commandments that are plural, and in the prior chapter’s two verses (John 13:34-35), He tells us that is a “new” command. Jesus isn’t replacing any commandments; He is adding to them. What commandments is He “adding” to? Jesus is most likely referencing the Ten Commandments in these verses, which God spoke to the Israelites from Mount Sinai in Exodus, chapter 20. There are parallels to how John opens His gospel talking about Jesus being God that could be understood as referring back to Mount Sinai and Jesus as the One who spoke God’s Law; but even if this wasn’t the case, Jesus came as a Representative of the Godhead, and when He says “My commandments”, it is just as true to refer to the Ten Commandments which were spoken from Mount Sinai by the Godhead. This means that when Jesus talks about obeying His commandments, He must be referring to all eleven – both the original ten as well as the extra “new” commandment He gave to the disciples. Let’s look back at our original verse, “Whoever knows and obeys my commandments is the person who loves me. Those who love me will have my Father’s love, and I, too, will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:21 GW) Jesus clearly states obedience is the way we show our love to Him. He did command that we love others, and that we love people who are in need, but that is only one commandment out of eleven – specifically the bonus one. It’s good to get the bonus answer right, but it doesn’t mean much if the rest of the test answers are wrong. Jesus says that obedience leads to loving Him, and that loving Him will bring the Father’s love into our lives, and that Jesus will love us too and He will show Himself to us. It seems that all this talk about love hinges on obedience. In our physical relationships, if we love someone and they ask us to do something, do we choose to “obey” (i.e. answer their request) or not? Does how we respond/submit/obey say something about our love for the other person? This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

As Jesus approached Jerusalem for the final time before being crucified, Luke’s gospel describes how as He approached the city, Jesus wept for it. Part of the reason Jesus cried at this point in His ministry was because He knew what would happen to it in several decades when it would be surrounded and destroyed – with many people still hiding inside. However, Jesus also cried because of another phrase Luke includes in His gospel record of this event. Luke tells us Jesus began His message to Jerusalem by saying, “If you only knew today what is needed for peace! But now you cannot see it!” (Luke 19:42 GNT) It is interesting in my mind that Jesus would use the word peace in His message to this city. At that time, even while there was political unrest, when compared to other points in history, Jerusalem was experiencing peace because those living there were not trying to rebel against Rome. However, while the people had one type of peace, I believe Jesus is speaking here on multiple levels. While those living in Jerusalem had peace from military aggression, most people living in the city likely were missing peace in their hearts and lives. Many of us miss out on this peace as well. Living busy lives 2,000 years later, most of us live in areas that are more peaceful than other parts of the world, but we take this type of peace for granted and instead focus on other things that are less peaceful. For many of us, we unknowingly focus on things that rob us of peace. Think with me for a moment what portions of a typical day include time we could call peaceful. If you have not incorporated times of peace in your schedule, then I’m positive that your life doesn’t have any times where you can stop and experience peace. Peaceful moments don’t demand our attention, and when we focus on the things demanding our time, we miss out on experiencing peace. When Jesus opened His message for Jerusalem by talking about peace, I believe this is because Jesus is the only one who can bring true peace into a city, a culture, a community, or even into an individual’s life. By focusing on Jesus, we can experience peace because Jesus has done everything for us that is important from an eternal perspective, and all we have left to do is be thankful and help others like God has helped us. Culture tries to rob our peace by distracting us from spending time with Jesus, but when we push culture’s demands back in order to spend time with God each day, we will experience a peace that few in this world truly understand. Jesus knows what we need to experience peace, and He offers it to those who follow Him each day. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

While reading about Judas Iscariot going to meet with the leaders to discuss betraying Jesus, an idea I had never previously thought of came to mind. Even though Judas was set on turning Jesus in, Judas didn’t believe Jesus would let things get so out of hand that He would face death. Chances are high in my mind that if Judas truly knew what his betrayal would start, he might never have chosen to go through with it like what is described in the gospels. But the idea that I see in this set of verses that I find amazing is found in the very last phrase: “So he [Judas Iscariot] watched for the best time to turn Jesus in.” (Mark 14:11b NCV) This phrase sticks out in my mind because with this agreement, Judas has two options. The first option, which he ultimately decided to do, was take the side of the religious leaders and be 100% for Jesus’ arrest – and specifically look for the best time possible to turn Jesus in. However, the second option is interesting to think about. With this agreement, the religious leaders essentially allow one of Jesus’ disciples to become their unofficial leader. For the next weeks, or maybe even months, it would have been easy for Judas to have led the leaders on an unsuccessful hunt for Jesus. Judas Iscariot could have used this agreement for Jesus’ advantage – forewarning Jesus about the leaders’ plans and making sure the leaders were one or two steps behind. While we might not think of Judas Iscariot having the freedom of choice after making the agreement to betray Jesus, in this passage, we see hinted at the idea that everyone has the freedom to choose what they will do from that point forward. While Judas chose to betray Jesus, and then he matched his actions up to support his decision, up to the very point Jesus was arrested, Judas had the choice to betray Jesus or lead the mob around the city and countryside while avoiding the one place Judas knew Jesus would be. In our own lives, even when all choices seem bad, we still can be glad because we have the freedom to choose between two or more options — and while we have options, we have the ability to make better decisions. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

The Torah, or old Testament, was written in Hebrew. Some people think of it as a history book. Others see it not as history per se but as examples of what to do and what not to do. Others see it as law. Torah means law. Actually, it is all the same. The basic benefit of History is to learn from other's example and from other's mistakes. Right from wrong. So, history, law- it's all the same. Like any book, or art, it is a communication from the creator. It only has life if you understand it as best as you can. It is on its terms but it is also on your terms, not because of your free will but because of your limitation. It is no mistake that in the daily prayers, G-d is said to be the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac and the G-d of Jacob, not the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Each forefather had a specific and unique relationship to G-d and G-d was his G-d, each to his own. And yet the laws are universal. Everything and Nothing are incomprehensible Some people take the stories as verbatim. That is reasonable. You have to start somewhere. And there is some unbelievable stuff in there. For example, how can G-d make everything from nothing? I cannot imagine nothing and I cannot imagine everything. So I certainly cannot imagine how He can make everything from nothing. And if I cannot imagine it, you can't reasonably ask me to believe it. And, in fact, the Torah doesn't ask you to believe it. It simply focuses on doing, i.e. doing the mitzvot (commandments). The unbelievable/ miracles within comprehension Other things that are more deceptively close to my comprehension but are, similarly, unbelievable to me are the first man being created from the earth with G-d's breath of a soul. If G-d is one, how can he blow a part of Himself into another person? How does that separation process occur to an entity of unity? And how is the first woman born in full from a man's side? And how did Noah build an Arc big enough for all the living things and how did they all sit in their rooms so well behaved during the entire time? How did G-d split the sea? There are many many more things in the bible that I find to be unbelievable. And then, I must admit that I have found things that have occurred in real life to be unbelievable. For example, how reproduction occurs- how the first 2 cells combine and then set off an amazing complex chain reaction to create an embryo to fetus to baby- We are at a loss to name what we are seeing using these terms. How do you expect us to actually understand this miraculous event? I don't even understand gravity despite my countless exposures to educational resources on the topic. I feel it so I believe it. But I don't understand it. If I didn't feel it, I would find it unbelievable. And what is the benefit to reading about these unbelievable things? They are memorable. They are sticky. If we had a book of the mundane with examples of behavior and legal code, it would not have been passed down from generation to generation. Those books exist but they stay on the shelves. They are not known to most, not treasured and not sticky. And they get lost over the milenia. An example of what I am trying to explain here was illustrated by Trump in the debates with Kamala. Remember when he said, "They're eating the cats! They're eating the dogs!" That became memelicious. It was sticky. They may not remember what he was talking about but they remembered that. He actually was talking about illegal aliens in a certain place, saying that they were eating the cats and dogs. This was unbelievable and outrageous. But it was more powerful as something to remember than if he had just recited the stat that 300K illegal aliens who were minors were lost, many of whom are likely being human trafficked. Aside from the bible being the foundation of the most successful book club in history, and being the foundation of a worldwide family of people (Jews) with a behavioral code which was also adopted into Christianity and has had an influence on Billions of people, the bible is also a literal code. So, it is meant to be understood on the top line communication. It is meant to be understood verbatim. It is meant to challenge your assumptions and yourself. It is meant to make you question and to leave you uneasy at times where you just cannot reconcile an unbelievable story with your own understanding of reality and what can be believed. Perhaps when that happens or especially when that happens, it is begging you to understand it on a deeper level. This is where the idea of hyperlinks to other biblical stories, abstract thinking, analogy and even code in the form of numerical values of the letters and words. As the Torah is something that is understood to transcend time, we can play in that sandbox. Torah as prophecy and how might some Torah stories apply to today? Noah's Ark- Space travel and planetary expansion of humanity and other life. This, to me, is very obvious. And, by expansion, the earth can be understood to represent the garden of Eden in comparison to the other less hospitable planets. Tower of Babel, and rocket launching association Tower of Babel, universal language and disruption- now we can, through Google translate, undo G-d's action of disrupting people based on difference in language. What will happen now? My guess is that we still have people that don't understand each other, not because of actual language but because of the news/ propaganda that they watch. Being created, Eve from Adam- resembles cellular asexual reproduction, not sexual reproduction. This would make sense because Adam is not the father of Eve, he is a contemporary to her. Also, he isn't her mother, giving birth to her centrally, both because he is not female and because he is not her parent. So the side makes sense from a philosophical and psychological perspective even if it is hard to understand and accept it on a surface level. It is also interesting that in real life, all life is born from the woman. The woman comes first. But here the woman is born from the man- not born but created from. That was the first and last time that ever happened. Garden of Eden and being thrown out- G-d took us out of the Garden of Eden and that was reciprocal. In so doing, He took the Garden of Eden out of us. The result is that we have people who are not at peace inside. Terms like anxiety, depression and any other term that would describe internal disquiet would be explained by this. Garden continued - since being kicked out, man has been cursed to work by the sweat of his brow. Although that has been true for most people up until very recently, it appears that soon it will not be true as we know work to be. This has followed a steady trajectory. For example, my father's father worked hard doing physical labor. He was a kosher butcher and would have to physically lift parts of cows. He had to chop the meat. This was before slicing machines were invented. One time when he was cutting meat he cut off the tip of his pointer finger and his nail grew over the tip. I remember that finger. He would even have to carry refrigerators up flights up steps. He was maybe 5'6" but he was strong. My father told me that he would wake up early, before it was light out, take 2 shots of schnapps to warm up (in the winter) and start his day. He worked long days. When he was home he would fix things. Recently, my father told me the story that he had broken his arm when he was around 4 years old. They went to the doctor who took an Xray. My grandfather looked at it and immediately saw the break and showed it to the doctor. That was pretty good for someone who wasn't trained to read films. If anything it shows that he was at least partly enslaved. He had the potential to do other more useful, fulfilling and less dangerous work. Maybe he would have been a good radiologist. But we will never know. Then my father came along and he was encouraged to spend his time learning but not working. He was never handy as a result. However, he went to medical school and became an eye surgeon. He worked hard as a doctor but it was nothing in comparison to the difficulty of work of his father. Then I came along and studied and became a psychiatrist. It is a different kind of work hard work but I don't even do surgery. And now, soon we will have robots infused with AI and everyone is wondering what people will do for work. How will they earn their keep? In the meantime will we finally break out of the prediction that man will always have to work? First of all, I don't know the answer. However, I think that work will always be there. It will be different. I think that the good work that Viktor Frankl did will once again have great utility. Dr. Frankl saw it even then, 70 years ago, that things were becoming automated and people would have more free time. As a result they would have the increased challenge of looking for meaning in their lives. That is work, for sure. Failure in that capacity could lead to nihilism, great psychological pain and suicide. Space- 1. The stars: G-d would make Abraham's descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. 2. The moon: specifically the new moon, is a sign of a new month. It is recognized, and prayers are said, not to the moon itself but in appreciation of it, and of the new month, outside in the night. The stars and planets are known to follow certain pathways, mazalot, which are fixed or secular, if you will. There is an astrological aspect to this and apparently people who are knowledgable can predict the future based on their understanding of these matters. However, as it was written when G-d said that he would bless Abraham and Sarah with a child, there was a confounding issue: They were both elderly- Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 when she gave birth to Isaac. But this miracle shows that we are not limited to the natural laws of the universe. We are not limited to "what is written in the stars" as we can overcome what is written with our free will choice and with G-d's blessing. When you wish someone, "Mazel Tov!" you are wishing them a good Mazel, a good future and it can be a better future than was originally written. And this is why I never had an interest in astrology or tried to explore it, even for one moment. Why should I learn eventualities that need not apply to me? Other questions with respect to celestial bodies: Practically speaking, how will people be able to make a prayer on the new moon when they are living on the moon? What time will Shabbat start on the moon? What time will Shabbat start on Mars? I already have some thoughts on that. But we are ahead of the rabbis on this one. As of yet, this has never been addressed. There is no mention of how to keep Shabbat when living on celestial bodies other than the earth. So it isn't just the miraculous parts of the bible that may make it hard to believe but it may be what the bible doesn't say that also may make it hard to believe. If it were a complete work, good for all time, would it not cover these questions? Or perhaps the point that it doesn't address them is for a good reason? But the deeper we go and the more that the future unfolds we will find out how the stories and lessons from the Torah will apply. I am a student, just like you, reaching out in the darkness and trying my best. Do the ends justify the means? Is the Torah like DNA code that has some crucial parts and some "extra" parts that are apparently superfluous that are just brought along for the ride? In that case, do the ends justify the means? That is, do we accept the unbelievable parts because no harm was done but it was worth it to accept those in exchange for the other parts that are more apparently useful, important and believable? Keep in mind, that employs the idea of beauty being in the eye of the beholder- and no existence of objective beauty. In other words, who am I to judge which parts of the bible are "useful" "important" or believable? When it comes to the Torah, it is all or none. It isn't a compromise and accepting nonsense because the sense parts are so sensical. As in the movie, The Matrix, it isn't the spoon that bends. It is we. Parts will always be a challenge it seems. Perhaps AI will help us to further mine the Torah for clarity and understanding.

If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus and you have ever feared what people thought about you as a follower of Jesus, you are not alone. Many people throughout the past 2,000 years have wondered that – from the first Christians stretching all the way up to us living today. I have also been challenged by this fear of what others might think. If you have struggled with these thoughts, or are currently facing doubts about what others will think, Jesus has something reassuring to tell you in this journal entry’s passage. Part way through Jesus’ ministry, He decides to send the disciples out in pairs to all the villages in the region. We could call this an outreach training exercise. However, some of the disciples, probably the introverted, reserved ones like me, were a little worried about what might happen to them and what others would think. I believe this is why Jesus finishes His instructions with the following words in verse 16, “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever refuses to accept you refuses to accept me. And whoever refuses to accept me refuses to accept the One who sent me.” (Luke 10:16 NCV) Jesus is basically saying: It’s not about you! Too often, our fears and insecurities stem from not feeling good about ourselves. However, Jesus wants to step into this area of our lives and tell us that we should not have any worry or concern over what others think of us as followers of Him. If we do our best to be like Jesus, then if there are those who reject us, Jesus tells us they are really rejecting Him, and also the One (God the Father) who sent Him. In my own life this has taken a huge burden off of my shoulders. Jesus takes the fear that wants to distract us in our relationship with Jesus, and He redirects it onto Himself. This means that I can more fully focus on being like Him, without any worries about what others think of me. What matters most is that I am growing closer to Him each and every day. Jesus may be telling you the same thing today. If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, your life is not about you. If others reject you, they are really rejecting Jesus and the Father. Don’t injure your relationship with Jesus over something that Jesus has taken away. Our focus is to be on growing our relationship with God, and being like Jesus. If something distracts you away from that goal, then it is not something God wants for you. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2 NIV) “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:15-17a NIV) “Earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry never be laid to rest! Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.” (Job 16:18-21 NIV) In our world today, it is becoming less acceptable to support people who are outside of the "accepted" class. While the rhythms in society have lessened compared with a few years ago, it would not surprise me if the next big "social outrage" brings a new wave of hostility towards anyone who associates with the "other" side. However, when Jesus stepped into history in the first century, He modeled a different attitude. Jesus was willing to associate with anyone and everyone. Jesus was willing to help all those who were interested in receiving His help. In an amazing way, Jesus stepped down to earth to be an Advocate for God when God's reputation was being damaged by those who were more interested in achieving political power than on representing God. But Jesus' advocacy did not stop there. After He returned to Heaven, He stepped into the role of Advocate for humanity -- specifically for those willing to accept Him. Jesus was an Advocate for God while He was here on earth, and He is an Advocate for humanity after returning to Heaven. Since Jesus is representing us in Heaven, we have nothing to fear regarding the judgment IF we stay aligned with Him. While intentionally aligning with Jesus might bring hostility our way in this sin-filled world, a century of hostility (though usually much less) is nothing when compared with millennia of rewards in a sinless world. However, Jesus is not the only Advocate in the Godhead. On the night of His arrest, Jesus promised His followers that He would send an Advocate to take His place. This Advocate is usually called the Holy Spirit. While Jesus is advocating for us in Heaven, the Holy Spirit is advocating for God and us here on earth. The Holy Spirit is the perfect spiritual Advocate for us because He can come into our heart, our lives, and He can transform us from the inside. Also, Jesus is the perfect Advocate for us in Heaven. He is familiar with what life is like in a sin-filled world, and He defeated Satan, sin, and even death. Because of this, we can claim the cry of Job when this life is filled with hostility: "Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend..." 📖 🙏 ✝️ ✅

While reading about Judas Iscariot going to meet with the leaders to discuss betraying Jesus, an idea I had never previously thought of came to mind. Even though Judas was set on turning Jesus in, Judas didn’t believe Jesus would let things get so out of hand that He would face death. Chances are high in my mind that if Judas truly knew what his betrayal would start, he might never have chosen to go through with it like what is described in the gospels. But the idea that I see in this set of verses that I find amazing is found in the very last phrase: “So he [Judas Iscariot] watched for the best time to turn Jesus in.” (Mark 14:11b NCV) This phrase sticks out in my mind because with this agreement, Judas has two options. The first option, which he ultimately decided to do, was take the side of the religious leaders and be 100% for Jesus’ arrest – and specifically look for the best time possible to turn Jesus in. However, the second option is interesting to think about. With this agreement, the religious leaders essentially allow one of Jesus’ disciples to become their unofficial leader. For the next weeks, or maybe even months, it would have been easy for Judas to have led the leaders on an unsuccessful hunt for Jesus. Judas Iscariot could have used this agreement for Jesus’ advantage – forewarning Jesus about the leaders’ plans and making sure the leaders were one or two steps behind. While we might not think of Judas Iscariot having the freedom of choice after making the agreement to betray Jesus, in this passage, we see hinted at the idea that everyone has the freedom to choose what they will do from that point forward. While Judas chose to betray Jesus, and then he matched his actions up to support his decision, up to the very point Jesus was arrested, Judas had the choice to betray Jesus or lead the mob around the city and countryside while avoiding the one place Judas knew Jesus would be. In our own lives, even when all choices seem bad, we still can be glad because we have the freedom to choose between two or more options — and while we have options, we have the ability to make better decisions. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

Part way through Jesus’ ministry, while teaching the disciples, Jesus shares a powerful illustration about always being ready for His return. This illustration opens with Jesus telling His disciples, “Be dressed, ready for service, and have your lamps shining. Be like servants who are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding party. When he comes and knocks, the servants immediately open the door for him. They will be blessed when their master comes home, because he sees that they were watching for him.” (v. 35-37a) The servants in this parable are blessed because they are ready when the master arrives because they were watching for him. While the servants don’t know exactly when that night the master would return, they determine that it is better to prepare for his arrival as if it were happening within the next five minutes, while also being conscious that it might be another few hours. In our own lives, when we look forward to Jesus’ “soon” return, we have the same challenge that the servants in this illustration have. While it would be amazing for Jesus to return tomorrow and end this age in history, it would be foolish to base 100% of our decisions as if this hope were fact. Equally foolish would be always believing that Jesus’ return will always be months, years, or even decades in the future. Believing that we have plenty of time to prepare – in the future – will guarantee that we will be caught unprepared. With these two ideas pulling us in opposite directions, we should learn to manage this tension and filter our decisions through both filters. Wisdom in the servant’s case is watching and being ready, but not assuming or guessing the time of the master’s arrival. Wisdom in our case is always being ready for Jesus to come within this hour, but also understanding that we must not do things that would harm us long-term if His return is later than we expected it to be. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

The Ontological Argument has long been a subject of debate in philosophy and theology. While some dismiss it as mere wordplay, it remains one of the most intriguing and logically rigorous arguments for the existence of God. Unlike appeals to faith or empirical evidence, this argument is based entirely on reason and logical necessity. Here, we examine its core structure and implications.Step One: Defining God The argument begins with a precise definition: God is that being than which none greater can be conceived. This is not a subjective or arbitrary characterization but a logical foundation. A maximally great being would possess attributes such as omniscience, omnipotence, and moral perfection.Step Two: The Necessity of Existence A truly maximally great being would not be contingent—meaning its existence would not be dependent on anything else. If such a being exists, it must exist in all possible worlds. A being that could fail to exist would be lesser in greatness, which contradicts the initial definition.Step Three: Existence in Reality vs. the Mind If God were only a conceptual being—existing merely in the mind rather than in reality—then He would not be maximally great. A being that exists both in thought and in reality is greater than one that exists only as an idea. Since we are defining God as the greatest conceivable being, He must exist in reality.Step Four: The Conclusion Given the premises, the logical outcome is that God must necessarily exist. If He did not, He would not be the greatest conceivable being, and the definition itself would be self-contradictory.Addressing Objections Critics of the Ontological Argument often challenge the idea of existence as a property or argue that defining something into existence is problematic. However, the argument does not simply declare God into being; rather, it follows from the nature of necessity and logical coherence. Denying it requires rejecting the principles of modal logic or proposing that the concept of a maximally great being is inherently incoherent.Conclusion The Ontological Argument provides a unique approach to the question of God’s existence—one based purely on logical necessity rather than empirical observation. Whether one accepts it or not, it remains a compelling challenge to atheistic perspectives. Engaging with it requires a careful examination of logic and reason, making it a significant topic in philosophical discourse.

What is the current state of religious freedom in the world? The latest report from the prestigious Pew Research Centre finds, not good. The report covers 2022, and finds that curbs on religious practices and beliefs remained at high levels worldwide. The study, which assesses government-imposed restrictions and societal hostilities towards religion across 198 countries and territories, found that restrictions remain widespread, with notable regional and national variations. The study uses measures called the ‘Government Restrictions Index ‘(GRI) and the ‘Social Hostilities Index’ (SHI) to quantify restrictions. The GRI examines twenty forms of government action, such as banning religious groups or restricting preaching, while the SHI assesses thirteen indicators of societal hostility, including religious conflict and harassment, for example, when a mob attacks a church. The research draws on sources such as the US State Department’s annual religious freedom reports and other data from the Council of Europe and the United Nations. The report showed no significant improvement from 2021. The GRI remained at 3.0 out of 10, its highest recorded level. Similarly, the SHI, which evaluates religion-related societal hostilities, held steady at 1.6. These may not sound high, because they are average figures, but there is huge variation by country. In China, for example, there are very extensive government restrictions on religion. In India, attacks by Hindu militants on Christians are commonplace. Although the average global scores have not changed, the number of countries experiencing high or very high levels of government restrictions rose to 59 in 2022, up from 55 the previous year. This marks the highest figure since the study began in 2007. The report found harassment of religious groups by governments or groups in society in 192 of the 198 countries surveyed. This represents a record high, surpassing the 190 countries reported in 2021. Government harassment occurred in 186 countries, an increase from 183 in the prior year, while societal harassment affected 164 countries, a consistent figure from 2021. Physical harassment, including assaults, property damage, and displacement, also rose. Incidents were reported in 145 countries, up from 137 the previous year. Both government actors and private individuals were equally likely to engage in such harassment, with incidents involving either group occurring in 111 countries. The Middle East and North Africa remained the regions with the highest levels of government restrictions, with their median GRI score rising from 5.9 to 6.1. While the Americas reported the lowest levels, with a median GRI score falling from 2.1 to 1.8. Europe also saw a slight decrease, with its score dropping from 3.1 to 2.9. Mind you, the score for Europe of almost 3 (the world average for government restrictions on religious freedom) throws up certain questions about the methodology. It makes it appear that Europe is quite a bad place for religious freedom in global terms, which is clearly not the case in general terms, unless having an Established Church, as in say, Britain, Greece or Norway, counts as something bad. Moreover, severe Government restrictions on religious freedom in places like Russia and Ukraine does drag up the score. There is also growing societal hostility in some European countries towards certain religious groups, not least Jews. But in France (say), Christian churches are sometimes attacked. Among the world’s 25 most populous nations, notable trends include China’s “very high” levels of government restrictions paired with “low” social hostilities. Vietnam and Turkey exhibited “very high” government restrictions and “moderate” levels of societal hostility. While global averages remain steady, the record number of countries with severe government restrictions underscores the persistent challenges facing religious freedom worldwide. The steady rise in harassment, both by governments and groups, signals the need for continued vigilance and advocacy. Regional disparities highlight the varying dynamics of religious restrictions. As the Middle East-North Africa region continues to experience the highest levels of government restrictions, countries like the United States and Canada maintain relatively low levels. However, global stability in these indices shows no significant progress. This annual report offers a reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by religious communities globally and the critical need for international cooperation to uphold the principles of religious freedom.

Nearing the end of Jesus’ ministry, Matthew tells us that Jesus shares a powerful parable about a king inviting people to a wedding feast. As this parable concludes, the core truth that Jesus wanted His audience to grasp is simplified into a single, short verse: “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14 NIV) In eight simple words, Jesus summarizes the entire parable, and when we look at this concluding statement a little closer, it contains a paradox that is worth paying attention to. The paradox is visible when we divide this verse into its two separate phrases, each four words long. The first phrase reads simply, “For many are invited”. This phrase is powerful because when we look at the details of the parable itself, everyone possible received an invitation. The first invitation was to a select group of people, and after they rejected their invitation, the king issues a second invitation to everyone else. Everyone received an invitation, either in the first round of inviting or in the second round of inviting. “For many are invited”; no one is excluded from being invited. The second phrase sounds like the opposite idea, because it simply says, “But few are chosen”. This second phrase contrasts with the first one because it is very restrictive, and it implies more people are excluded (or “not chosen”) then people who are included. While Jesus could be referencing the first group of invitees when He makes this chosen statement, I believe it has more to do with the last part of the parable – the part where a man is seen at the wedding feast without being dressed in wedding clothes. On one hand, we cannot fault this man for what he was wearing, because he accepted the invitation and came – likely leaving in the middle of a task he was doing. However, by keeping his old clothes on, this man misses the truth that the old task he was doing is now no longer relevant. Aside from being lazy or thinking it isn’t important, the only reason for this man to keep his old clothing on is because he believes that following this banquet feast, he will be returning to finish what he was doing before. In this way, the task he was doing is given equal (or perhaps greater) importance in this man’s mind than being at the banquet itself. The man who was kicked out for not wearing wedding clothes may have been present in body, but he wasn’t present in spirit. This detail is important, because when Jesus shares that only a few are chosen, it means that there will be only a few who will have chosen to place their old lives in the past and to be present and looking forward while at the wedding feast. God, the King, knew beforehand who these people would be, and He makes extra sure that those who He has chosen have everything ready for when they accept His invitation. When I read the phrase “For many are invited, but few are chosen”, I am inspired to believe that God invites everyone to the wedding banquet, and He chooses those whose hearts, lives, and minds are present to stay from those who chose to accept His invitation, but who decided to keep part of their past lives with them. We are invited! Are we willing to accept the invitation to put our past lives behind us when God calls us to the future He created us for? This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:46-49 NIV) “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1:22-25 NIV) Several years ago, I challenged myself to read a book every week of the year (52 books total). Over this year, I blasted my way through 52 books reading during every sliver of time that I could find. However, very little of what I read actually went into practice. During His ministry, Luke's gospel records a powerful ending to a sermon Jesus shares. In this conclusion, Jesus contrasts the lives of two homebuilders. The only difference between these two people is that one puts Jesus' words into practice. The one who listens to Jesus and applies Jesus' words in his life outlasts the storms of life, while the one who listened without obeying is left with a collapsed house after the storm came. Most of the times when I pictured this illustration, Matthew's version of the parable came to mind. I'd imagine a well built home high up on a rock cliff, overlooking a home built on a sandy seashore. One home was protected from the waves, the other was destined to be swept away. But Luke's gospel gives a different picture. Luke describes two, possibly identical looking homes that could have been built side by side. However, one builder chose to spend greater time on the foundation. This extra time paid off when the storm came. Not included in the parable is the time both homes were built prior to the storm coming. The home owner who skipped laying a foundation probably thought he had saved some unnecessary expense. He might have even mocked his neighbor who spent extra time and effort on what appeared to be unnecessary. But the storm changed everything. Jesus challenges us to not only hear, but to also do. But in order to even hear, we must have our Bible's open, reading God's truth. When we have learned something in the pages of the Bible, put it into practice, modeling the man who laid a solid foundation. 🙏 📖 ✝️ 👍

As Jesus was training His followers to carry on the Christian movement after He returned to heaven, He sent them out on a mission trip to the surrounding countryside. In His mid-ministry commission for His followers, Jesus shares some interesting instructions that are relevant for us living today. Near the end of this commission, Jesus draws the focus of everyone present onto how Jesus’ disciples could be treated when arriving at a town. Some towns might accept the message Jesus’ disciples brought with them, while other towns might not. Here is how Luke’s gospel shares Jesus’ words: “If you go into a town and the people welcome you, eat what they give you. Heal the sick who live there, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ But if you go into a town, and the people don’t welcome you, then go into the streets and say, ‘Even the dirt from your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that the kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, on the Judgment Day it will be better for the people of Sodom than for the people of that town.” (Luke 10:8-12 NCV) As I read Jesus’ words, I am impressed that it is not up to us to get other people to listen to God’s message. Because Jesus had to warn the disciples in this way, it might be surprising to think that there were towns in that region that refused to accept God’s message. We might think that it was easier for those back in the first century to share about God than it is for us today, but this is not necessarily true. About the only conclusion we can make between those sharing God’s message in the first century and us living in the 21st century is that we live in two different worlds and in two different cultures. Sharing Jesus in the first century is simply different than sharing Jesus in the 21st century. They had different methods than we have today, and we have different tools than they had living 2,000 years ago. But while we might get caught up worrying about how to share Jesus most effectively, the simple truth that I see in this passage is that when we share (regardless of the ‘how’ question), those who are listening in can either accept or reject the message. When they have made their choice, they are not accepting or rejecting us – they are accepting or rejecting Jesus. While the stakes are incredibly high in this decision and no one should make their choice lightly, when we share Jesus with others, God’s Holy Spirit steps in and helps guide the conversation and the hearts of those listening. Sharing Jesus is not about you and I – it is about Jesus, and everything He has done for us. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

One reason why I believe the Bible to be accurate is that it doesn’t seem to brush past people’s failures or faults. In this passage, had I been the one developing this story as a work of fiction, I would have changed one relatively minor detail because it would make the two least relevant characters appear better than they currently do. This detail wouldn’t change the outcome of the event, but it would simply sound better – at least in my mind. Between the two interrogations of the formerly blind man, they call in his parents to question them. In verses 20-22, we read what actually happened. The formerly blind man’s parents, responding to the Pharisees say, “‘We know this is our son and that he was born blind, but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue.” (John 9:20-22 NLT) John shares that the parents were more interested in aligning with the Jewish leaders, and being accepted into their synagogue than they were about sticking up for their healed son. If I were creating this event as fiction, I would change the parents’ response to sticking with their son, or framed their current response in a way that made them look like miracle supporters. But the Bible doesn’t minimize people’s failures. It may actually emphasize them. It is in short verses like these that we learn that those living then faced similar tension that we do now, and when there is failure, it simply reveals that we need a Savior to help us. There was nothing the blind man could do to regain his sight on his own, revealing his need for a Savior. The formerly blind man’s parents struggled with how to interpret Jesus’ actions in the face of outright opposition, and they needed a different kind of Savior – One who they believed would take care of them spiritually if they lost favor with others relationally and/or socially. The formerly blind man’s parents faced a challenge we all face: picking either God’s favor or other people’s favor when you can only choose one. In our culture today, the trend is to eliminate God as much as possible, and minimize His significance in the world. When we are pushed to choose, which direction will we go? To acknowledge and serve God, or to hide God and serve man – the choice is yours. This post first appeared on ReflectiveBibleStudy.com What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? Leave your thoughts below.

“I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.” (John 15:15 NLT) “For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” (James 1:22-25 NLT) “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (James 4:4-6 NLT) Culture today is placing enormous pressure on dividing us in any way that it can. I've written about this before. However, recently, while planning for a sermon, I came across the idea of enemies and friends, specifically the passage I quoted above from James. According to what James writes, if we are to friends of God, we must give up being friends of the world. This means giving up the attraction to join the latest social issue (fad), rejecting the idea that our physical characteristics define who we are, and laying down our own plans and desires at the foot of the cross. The combination of instant communication between larger and larger groups of people through the Internet, social media, and "smart phones" allows us to connect with more people than even just a few decades ago. With the ease of sharing thoughts, the world has become a "battleground" of ideas, and it is easy to get sucked into this war. When in the war, whatever position one has taken risks becoming friends of the world. This is because each side of every issue, every group, and every stereotype present in the world's cultural war draws attention away from God. Without an even stronger connection to God, the cultural issues of today will easily sweep us away. However, James challenges us to reject friendship with the world. Rejecting the world's friendship is one first step to becoming a friend of God. Jesus stepped into history as God's answer to the sin problem. Through what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, God extends a hand of friendship towards all who are willing to accept. Accepting God's friendship is challenging to do in our world, because it means rejecting friendship with the world, but it is the only friendship that matters from the perspective of eternity. While here on earth, Jesus invited a group of people who would otherwise be enemies to set aside their worldly differences and become His friends. He extends the same invitation for us today. ✝️ 📖 🙏 ✅