06/30/20 BIBLICAL EQUATION PUZZLE #3 —

ANSWER: Matthew 18:21-22 (CSB) Then Peter approached Him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?” 22  “I tell you, not as many as seven,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven.”  

INTERPRETATION: When Jesus told Peter he should be willing to forgive a fellow believer 70 Ï 7 times He did NOT mean (≠ ) 490 times (or 77 either, as some translations say), but forgiveness without any limits whatsoever! Love, Corinthians 13:5 (CSB) says “does not keep a record of wrongs.” That’s how Jesus has forgiven us already, and will continue to do so! And that’s how He expects us to forgive others also!

06/29/20 “BIBLICAL” EQUATION PUZZLE #2 — As I’ve mentioned previously, for extra credit in many college math courses I’ve taught I’ve challenged students to find the Bible passage (or famous hymn!) represented by an equation and give a meaningful interpretation. The box above contains an example.

ANSWER: It’s the last verse of Amazing Grace — “When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we first began.” Let D = the days we have to sing God’s praise (in heaven). After ten thousand years, the days we have left are D – 10,000 Y, where Y = 365 days/year. 

Eternity is truly “Amazing!” After we’ve “used up” 10,000 years praising God, the time we have left is NOT less than when we started; because it’s INFINITE! Praise the Lord!

06/28/20 THE BOOK OF ESTHER IN 24 CPs — OUR BARRIERS TO BEING GOD’S PERSON AND DOING HIS WILL: You’ll NEVER BE the Person God wants you to be; you’ll never DO what God wants you to do; your CHURCH will NEVER be the POWERFUL INFLUENCE in your community and beyond, as long as you can’t or don’t get rid of those BARRIERS! 

          Will you pray with me that together with God’s help, we will BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS TO BEING GOD’S PERSON AND DOING HIS WILL — WHATEVER THEY ARE — Complacent  Participant OR Comfortable Palace OR Compromising Position OR Cruel Persecution! Then, stand back and watch God unleash His POWER in us and through us and for us! ( 14 MORE CPs — STAY TUNED! )

06/27/20 ANOTHER INTERRUPTION OF “ESTHER IN 24 CPs” — In Deuteronomy 28:15 (CSB) Moses told the Hebrews, “But if you DO NOT OBEY the Lord your God by CAREFULLY FOLLOWING ALL HIS COMMANDS AND STATUTES I am giving you today, ALL THESE CURSES will come and overtake you…”

I KNOW that NONE of us is an Old Testament Hebrew. But the Bible is clear—GOD DOES NOT CHANGE! He gave US His Words, Laws, Statutes, Decrees, Commands, Judgments, Instruction, Precepts, … And He EXPECTS His People to OBEY them! NONE of these is an Option, a Suggestion, Rule of Thumb, Heuristic, an Opinion, “Another View Point,” or a “Good Idea”! Many OT and NT verses stress that OBEDIENCE is the KEY to enjoying God’s BLESSINGS for BOTH QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.

These days American preachers, Christian leaders and teachers seem to be consumed with proclaiming God’s LOVE for us and our Love for Him. But both the OT and NT make it abundantly clear—to LOVE God and Jesus is to OBEY Them; to DISOBEY them is NOT to LOVE Them. A contemporary way to say this might be, “GOD’S ONLY LOVE LANGUAGE IS OBEDIENCE!” Let’s Get With It! ( Esther: 14 MORE CPs — STAY TUNED! )