A response to which version of Bible to read...

Both old and new covenants of Bible matter, that is how the Bible is studied. The old covenant is in the new covenant and the new is in the old, it is best to use God's Word to verify God's Word. The Old Covenant was first written in Aramaic and the New Covenant was written in Greek. Greek was the language of that day, koine greek. What we have is just like you say Versions of the Bible. King James just want a Bible he could read seeing he didn't know greek nor aramaic. It is good for us also to have that particular version of the Bible since most of us do not know greek. But if we where to "ginosko" greek we would gather much more fruit from the Word of God. ginosko in greek means to be taking in knowledge, to come to know, recognize, or understand. So many of the words that we read in the versions we have may of may not give us the whole picture. For instance. In Colossians 3:1 in the KJV, NKJV, and KJV 1611 begins with if, however translating it to the original text it will begin with, "Since". I carry a NKJV because of where I worship, but I study from a KJV and with helps in the wording as to what the greek and aramaic langauge is depending on the scripture content and what I am striving to receive. But most importantly I pray first for understanding and wisdom, to know the truth, to be set free. I realize that no one can know the mind of God but the spirit of God so therefore I ask first. This is most likely the longest post I ever posted but it's all good.

Believe God...

Genesis 15:6 And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Genesis 15:13 The He (God) said to Abram: Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.

Before any law (that was over 400 years after Abram) God was saying “if you believe in the son that He is giving you that will be counted as righteousness”. 

“What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus says “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him (Jesus) whom He sent.” John 6:28 – 29 paraphrased

So I am looking through scripture now to see if I may find were God apologizes to those who don’t believe, and that will be going to hell.  God doesn’t want you to go to hell and He makes no apology for what He says regarding unbelief that that person will burn in hell. 

God is not a man that He should lie. 

There is song called “That’s when you blessed me” I don’t know the artist but within the song the group says “and He will do just what He says” in the song they are talking about blessings, Romans 5:1-8 let’s us know some of those blessings we receive when we are justified by God.  God “will do just what He says” regarding sin of unbelief also. 

There is not one thing about God that is less than the other, He is loving, and He does hate sin just the same, if one was less than the other that would mean God is not perfect.  But God is perfect in all His ways. 

Be reconciled to God.  It’s free.  If you believe, that is good, if you don’t that’s too bad, that too bad is not an, I’m sorry for you plight it is just too bad for you.

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

I believe God.

Grandsons are helpful...

Sunday while looking over lesson notes my grandson came into the room and wanted me to draw on his magna doodle (it's like an etch a sketch).  I said to him papa have to read these notes before class not now, as he began to walk out I said come here, wha cha got let's play.  I told him I was going to draw him so he need to look at me, hold your head up, you can't see it yet, look at me, hold your head up, you can't see it yet, uuuuh yea.  That when on the whole time I drew, and he tried as much as could to see how a was drawing him. Oh yea my grandson is going on 3.  Well when I finished I showed him how I drew him, his face went from a smile to a stun look.  I said that's you he said that's not me and erased it.  Later when teaching in class one of the points that was made was, if we look at God or put Him in any way that He is not, that is Idolatry, that is if we set our mind on anything that we say is God and the Bible doesn't line up with that, that is Idolatry.  Nevertheless my point is later on that day I said, thank you God for showing me an example that was better than the notes I had, I didn't get it till later but I got it.  If my grandson who is 3 looks stun, becomes upset of a picture that I painted of him and it is not him as he sees and knows it to be, how much more will God be with all of us, when we paint a picture of Him and He doesn't say that is who He is?

From my childhood days...

In Saginaw

Those of you from Saginaw Michigan know about Ojibway Island.  Well then what was that park’s name that was west of it next to the zoo?  That particular park in the winter we would go sledding and ice skating.  Most of my older siblings and cousins would be sledding off one of the slides while I and another cousin would be ice skating down the hill.  Well I can remember us having too much fun even though it was cold and we knew that once we were done some would be found later at the house crying because their hands or feet where almost frost bitten. Funny when you look back and think about it though.  Well, while skating down the hill one evening I fell (listen, I really did this time) and my cousins who was there with me skated past me up. I knew he would be just ahead of me bracing to catch me, I thought.  Just as I got close to him he sticks out his hand, then pulls it back and says suuuuckeeeerrrr.  I proceed to hit a bump, fly in the air come down and bash my head on the ice.  I continue sliding down the hill towards the bottom of the hill to where the fire was that people warmed themselves.  Unable to brace myself at all and incoherent to what was about to happen,  surely I was going to hit that fire and be burned to death possibly.  Well, like I said I did fall, never got hurt though,  wasn’t any fire at all by the way(that was inside the house at the park) we certainly went to skate and sled at that park, but my cousin never did or said what I said he said and did.  Wouldn’t that have been terrible?  Well now let me tell you, in my last post I told you about the first man whom God created, Adam, he fell, which in turn as we all know now that that fall, all of mankind share.  That fall is sin.  Check this out though, since God knew that we were going to fall He made provision for us and went ahead of us and not only caught the first Adam but all of us as well.  Now we are no longer sliding our way to certain fiery death, cause our Lord Jesus Christ has was bruised for my iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.  We had gone astray and turned to our own way, but the God had laid on Him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed and He was afflicted for us, ain’t that something, and didn’t even say anything while He did it for us.  Like a sheep He was led out to this torture and death for me.  Isn’t it good that God didn’t pull back His hand on us?  Isn’t it wonderful that He didn’t say anything, just died for the sin of the whole world?  It’s written in the Bible that salvation is for everyone who believes.  You know instead of Him being a sheep, now he says my sheep hear my voice. Can you hear the Lord Jesus Christ?

This doctor...

I am told to see a specialist about a fall I had taken, I don't feel any pain but I was told that because I had fallen I need to see this specialist. This specialist works with everyone who has fallen it doesn't matter who they are. Well, I go and I listened to the specialist talk about my fall, about how bad it was, he also hands me a book to read about it, you know one of those little pamphlets, he turns and looks back at his notes and says, from what he can see it was bad. He then proceeds to look up in his book the remedy, he then turns to me and says that the issue is very serious and if I don't remedy it, I will die. He then proceeds to tell me this could have been prevented. Then tells me, have a nice day. I'm like, but you are the only specialist that can handle this type of fall. I ask for the remedy for this and he says he will not give it to me. And says that even if I had this remedy, he was the only one to perform it. He says, be like the others just go. He also says that I shouldn't have come to him anyways and just deal with it; you’re going to die anyways. Hey, he says people have fallen and don't know they even have the same type of issue I have.  Also he says I have learned over time that even though I give the remedy people will not go for it, they are unwilling to make the necessary step to get this remedy even though it is free.  I said what?  Yes, this person who has paid is a doctor also, and has the necessary skill to have paid for this.  I'm like, what am I going to do? My question to my Facebook friends and family what am I going to do? Who do you know of that can fix me? All I know is I fell, I feel fine, but I was told there is a serious issue within me? Granted this has not actually happen, but wouldn't it be bad if God would have told us this? That I could fix you but I ain't. Who else could we go to? Where else could we go? God has demonstrated that He will not do this in that while we were not thought of in this world yet God knew us and died for us. There is no other name given to us whereby we can be redeemed. Except the Lord Jesus Christ.

Second part

By one man disobedient act sin has enter the world and death through sin, our Creator, God who created everything  has told us we all have sinned and have fallen, because of this one guy.  The one man could have listen and not sin but he did, the punishment was and is death.  But God is longsuffering with us, not willing that we should die.  He wants us all to take the necessary step which will take the sting out of death.  That though we seem to have died here on earth, yet we will live everlasting life in heaven with Him.  He so much didn’t want us to suffer, He loved us so much that, He gave us His only son the Lord Jesus Christ that whoever believes on Him should not die, but have everlasting life.  Jesus being obedient to death of the cross, took what was ours, death, and gave us eternal life. It is by grace through faith that we are saved, nothing in and of ourselves.  Isn’t it kind of funny that this statement doesn’t point the finger at anyone, but it points to all, all have sinned? 

When we are sick we go to the doctor, to get whatever we need to be well.  If we are wise we go for a physical as we should every once in a while or when directed by the doctor.  We can do some form of exercise to have a good quality of life while we live out our days here on this earth.  Same should apply to our sin sick problem.  Take what’s prescribed, it free, there are side effects, like unspeakable joy, peace that is unexplainable, love unquestionable (that will cause us to send others to this great physician), no condemnation, etc., etc. all while going through this life trials, pitfalls, blessings, etc…  These side effects may last 70 year or possibly a little longer after those, God has much for me in heaven.