And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. —Genesis 15:6 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. —Proverbs 1:29-31              Do you really want to be the captain of your own life… forever?  That will only lead to destruction… and after this life… eternal destruction and that is not annihilation, but eternity in hell which I don’t understand, but Jesus warned of it many times.  So, do you really want to be the captain of your own life?              In…

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth… Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”  So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. —Genesis 11:4, 7-8 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence.  You hate all who do wrong… —Psalm 5:5 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together…

Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind. —Genesis 9:6              When a low, distorted and false view of the origins of mankind are believed then there is also a low view and value of human life.  Not acknowledging that “in the image of God has God made mankind” leads to permissiveness when it comes to carrying out justice on murderers— those who intentionally kill another person.  This leads to greater wickedness among people.  Because “the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong” Ecclesiastes 8:11).   …

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord… Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the  earth had…

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” —Genesis 2:16-17 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” —Genesis 3:4-5 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is…

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. —Genesis 1:21 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. —I Timothy 6:17              Before the fall, God said of everything He created that “it was very good.”  He had created—              Yes, all this was very good.  Adam and Eve were “to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”  So it was with them in the beginning before sin…

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. —Romans 12:2              To be transformed (metamorphousthe from metamorphóō which is the root of the English term “metamorphosis”).  Transformation is to be changed from one state to another— like a caterpillar to butterfly.  For the follower of Jesus that happens when we spend time listening to and applying God’s Word.  When we listen to His Word and do what it says, there is a change that takes place inside us— a “renewing of the…

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Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. —Acts 16:6-10             …

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”  In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. —Job 1:20-22              Elaine and I were walking on the beach the other day and happened to overhear one woman say to another— “I can’t believe it after everything I have done for you.”  Not sure what the issue there was, but there surely was some conflict.              In this life, in this…