Modeling God

John 1:25-28

2012-03-09T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered John 1:19-24. Here was the conclusion:

The Pharisees sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John the Baptist if he was Elijah or a prophet. John denied being Elijah or a prophet, but instead quoted Isaiah 40:3...which alluded to him being "Elijah" and a prophet.

Today's post is a Friday post and contains important information. Consequently, this post is longer...

John 1
"25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet?"

(The Jews made converts through a ceremonial cleansing that could be called "baptism". The issue here was that John did this without an order from the religious leaders...the Pharisees and Sadducees of the Sanhedrin. The religious leaders essentially stated the only people who could ceremonially cleanse new converts was the Messiah, Elijah, or a prophet. Was John the Baptist doing something against The Law?)

"26 John answered them, saying, I baptize in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not,"

(John stated he ceremonial cleansed with water...and implied he was doing it by the Law...which meant he was the Messiah, "Elijah", and/or a prophet. John even stated that these religious leaders did not know who John the Baptist was. This was John's hint that he was the Messiah, "Elijah", and/or a prophet...)

"27 even he that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose."

(John the Baptist removed "the Messiah" as one of the options with this statement. John the Baptist was implying he was "Elijah" and/or a prophet. Remember from yesterday's post (John 1:19-24), John the Baptist was asked an open-ended question as to his identity. His direct answer that he initiated was to state he was not the Christ. Later, John the Baptist alluded to being "Elijah" and a prophet when he initiated an answer by quoting Isaiah 40:3. However, in between these two answers, John the Baptist was asked two close-ended (yes/no) questions: Are you Elijah? Are you a prophet? John answered "no" to both...but he did not initiate these answers...)

"28 These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing."

(John the Disciple of Christ gave the location for the events that were documented. At face value, these verses are confusing because John the Baptist stated he was NOT "Elijah" and he was NOT a prophet. Yet, only the Messiah, "Elijah", and/or a prophet could lawfully baptize new converts without the approval of the Sanhedrin. So, it looked as if John the Baptist did NOT keep The Law.)

MINI-CONCLUSION
It looked as if either:
1. John the Baptist broke The Law because he was NOT "Elijah" and/or NOT a prophet...OR...
2. John the Baptist "lied" about being "Elijah" and/or a prophet...which meant he broke The Law by lying.

First, let's resolve the issue of whether John the Baptist was "Elijah" and/or a prophet. Here were Jesus' Words from Matthew 11:

"7 And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?
8 But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft raiment are in king's houses.
9 But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet."

(Jesus stated John the Baptist was a prophet!)

"10 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee.
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come."

(Jesus stated John the Baptist was "Elijah"!)

"15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 11:7-15)

So, our issue becomes option #2 from our MINI-CONCLUSION:
2. John the Baptist "lied" about being "Elijah" and/or a prophet...which meant he broke The Law by lying...unless there was another reason John the Baptist "lied"...

We have covered the following huge conclusions in a long post titled, "Prophets":

1. Prophets speak for the benefit of a group of people.

2. Prophets do NOT speak for their own benefit.

3. Prophets are determined by the Right HOW/WHY...the WHAT is NOT the key to determining if someone is a prophet or not.

CONCLUSION
John the Baptist could NOT state he was "Elijah" and a prophet even when he was asked direct close-ended questions because it would have been a Wrong HOW/WHY. John would have been speaking for his own benefit and facilitating his own purpose and progress.

KEY DOCTRINE
The Messiah and prophets can NOT facilitate their own purpose and progress.

Jesus could NOT state, "I am the Son of God".

John the Baptist could NOT state, "I am Elijah. I am a prophet."

John the Baptist essentially told the religious leaders they didn't know this key Doctrine when they directly asked him if he was the Messiah, "Elijah", and/or a prophet. Remember, John the Baptist's answers were to close-ended questions that John did NOT initiate. When John the Baptist was asked open-ended questions he initiated two responses:
1. He denied being the Christ
2. He quoted scripture alluding to being "Elijah" and a prophet.

The ONLY answer that results in Jesus NOT being wrong and John the Baptist NOT being wrong is:

"John the Baptist was "Elijah" and a prophet, however, he couldn't state this even when he was asked direct close-ended questions because that would have been violating God's Will relative to prophets (and the Messiah): they could not facilitate their own purpose and progress.

BONUS DISCUSSION
The rest of this post covers the incidents in the Bible where prophets testified about being a prophet. There was only once incident in God's Word where a prophet stated he was a prophet, but as you will see, it was NOT to facilitate his own purpose and progress because it was to a group of people who wanted to kill him if he was a prophet of God!

These first two examples were of people claiming to be prophets in order to facilitate their own purpose and progress. Notice that lying and fornication were associated with these people:

"And he said unto him, I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him." (I Kings 13:18)

"But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols." (Revelation 2:20)

The closest example of a person calling himself a prophet who was actually a prophet was Elijah. However, it was stated in conjunction with establishing to the people the choice they had to make. It was done for the benefit of others:

"20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of Jehovah; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under.
24 And call ye on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Jehovah; and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. " (I Kings 18:20-24)

Notice, Elijah's statement would result in being killed by Ahab and the people if God didn't come to Elijah's aid. Also, Elijah stated this so that the people could make a clear choice. Elijah did this for the benefit of everyone else because Elijah alone was already following God.

This is a key point: The prophet NEVER personally benefited from being a prophet. Balaam tried to do this and he was killed by the Israelites when they destroyed Bashan. Balaam was also mentioned as an example of sin.

"15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing; " (2 Peter 2:15)

"11 Woe unto them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. " (Jude 1:11)

"14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication." (Revelation 2:14)

In the Bible, prophets NEVER personally benefited from their gift. For example, Elisha healed Naaman and refused to take anything. However, Elisha's helper (Gehazi) wanted to benefit:

"21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there are come to me from the hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.
23 And Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24 And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed.
25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
26 And he said unto him, Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants?
27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow." (2 Kings 5:21-27)

Daniel also refused to benefit from Belshazzar:

"16 But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and dissolve doubts; now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation." (Daniel 5:16-17)

Elisha said he was a prophet indirectly:
"8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." (2 Kings 5:8)

Here were examples where God was the one that testified that someone was a prophet:
"5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5)

"5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them." (Ezekiel 2:5)

"33 And when this cometh to pass, (behold, it cometh,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them." (Ezekiel 33:33)

Sometimes, the prophet plainly stated he was not a prophet and credited God with everything:
"14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdsman, and a dresser of sycomore-trees:
15 and Jehovah took me from following the flock, and Jehovah said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. " (Amos 7:14-15)

Sometimes it was stated in the third person:
"1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see." (Habakkuk 1:1)

"3 Then came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying," (Haggai 1:3)

Zechariah prophesied about prophets saying they were not prophets:
"4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he prophesieth; neither shall they wear a hairy mantle to deceive:
5 but he shall say, I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground; for I have been made a bondman from my youth. " (Zechariah 13:4-5)

The bottom-line is in the Bible: JUSTIFYING YOURSELF IS WRONG

Here are some examples:

ANTI-CHRIST

Daniel 8
"11 Yea, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the host; and it took away from him the continual burnt-offering, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
12 And the host was given over to it together with the continual burnt-offering through transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one who spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering, and the transgression that maketh desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought to understand it; and, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
17 So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was affrighted, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man; for the vision belongeth to the time of the end.
18 Now as he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face toward the ground; but he touched me, and set me upright.
19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the latter time of the indignation; for it belongeth to the appointed time of the end.
20 The ram which thou sawest, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.
21 And the rough he-goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
22 And as for that which was broken, in the place whereof four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.
25 And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand." (Daniel 8:11-25)

SATAN

Isaiah 14
"13 And thou saidst in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit upon the mount of congregation, in the uttermost parts of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:13-14)

Ezekiel 28
"1 The word of Jehovah came again unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyre, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art man, and not God, though thou didst set thy heart as the heart of God;-
3 behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that is hidden from thee;
4 by thy wisdom and by thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures;
5 by thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thy heart is lifted up because of thy riches;-
6 therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because thou hast set thy heart as the heart of God,
7 therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.
8 They shall bring thee down to the pit; and thou shalt die the death of them that are slain, in the heart of the seas.
9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou art man, and not God, in the hand of him that woundeth thee.
10 Thou shalt die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord Jehovah.
11 Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 Thou wast in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, the topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was in thee; in the day that thou wast created they were prepared.
14 Thou wast the anointed cherub that covereth: and I set thee, so that thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till unrighteousness was found in thee.
16 By the abundance of thy traffic they filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore have I cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God; and I have destroyed thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I have cast thee to the ground; I have laid thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
18 By the multitude of thine iniquities, in the unrighteousness of thy traffic, thou hast profaned thy sanctuaries; therefore have I brought forth a fire from the midst of thee; it hath devoured thee, and I have turned thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
19 All they that know thee among the peoples shall be astonished at thee: thou art become a terror, and thou shalt nevermore have any being." (Ezekiel 28:1-19)

JOSEPH SMITH (Mormon Founder)

Josiah Quincy spent two days in Nauvoo. He followed the Prophet Joseph around. He noted the power and influence of the Prophet as he walked among the people. It was then that Quincy said, "General Smith, it seems to me that you have too much power to be safely trusted in one man."

Joseph replied, "In your hands, or that of any other man, so much power would no doubt be dangerous. I am the only man in the world whom it would be safe to trust with it. Remember, I am a prophet."

MUHAMMED

On the newsgroup (discussion forum) soc.religion.islam somebody mentioned a saying by Muhammad:

"Kull ul-Nabîyîna Ana" (I am all the Prophets).

Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Apostle of God, to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He That giveth both life and death. So believe in God and His Apostle, the Unlettered Prophet, who believeth in God and His words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided." S. 7:158

JESUS
Jesus didn't say He was the Son of God using those EXACT words because it would be exalting Himself. Most importantly, God said it:

"16 And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him;
17 and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' (Matthew 3:16-17)

"9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan.
10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent asunder, and the Spirit as a dove descending upon him:
11 And a voice came out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased." (Mark 1:9-11)

"21 Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
22 and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." (Luke 3:21-22)

Were these people calling God the Father a liar? Even Muslims have to agree with God the Father...

As we go through this year's Series, we will see the lengths Jesus went to in order to avoid stating directly (plainly) He was the Son of God...while also alluding to the fact He was the Son of God. Here were some examples of the indirect statements from Jesus:

"22 All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him. " (Luke 10:22)

"61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and saith unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.
63 And the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What further need have we of witnesses?
64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be worthy of death. " (Mark 14:61-62)

"28 Verily I say unto you, there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:28)

This was the last verse of chapter 16. Here was how chapter 17 began:

"1 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart:
2 and he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.
3 And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him.
4 And Peter answered, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, I will make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
5 While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
7 And Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, save Jesus only.
9 And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead." (Matthew 17:1-9)

There was a very important passage in Philippians about how Jesus didn't exalt Himself as God AS A CAUSE. Instead, His cause was to humble Himself...and He was exalted by God as an EFFECT. Paul stated Jesus COULD HAVE attained this exaltation as a CAUSE, but did not...how much more ought we to humble ourselves and let God the Father flow through us (like Jesus stated He did in John 8:28). Here's the passage:

"5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;
8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name;
10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)

This passage proved GRACE is the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life. We aren't good as a cause...as an effort. We are good as an effect of humbling ourselves and letting God work through us.

CONCLUSION: True prophets and the Son of God DO NOT exalt themselves. False prophets and false messiahs exalt themselves.

John 1:19-24

2012-03-08T00:03:00.004-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 3:7-17. Here was the conclusion:

John the Baptist sorted through the issues of life so well, people wondered if he was the Christ.

John 1
"19 And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?"

(In the previous post, we saw the multitude, publicans, and soldiers wondered if John the Baptist was the Christ. In this Gospel Account, it was stated that priests and Levites were sent from Jerusalem to find out if John the Baptist was the Christ.)

"20 And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ."

(John the Baptist told them he was not the Christ. Notice, John the Baptist initiated this confession. The priests and Levites asked an open-ended question: a question that gave up control and didn't have a limiting "yes/no" answer. John the Baptist could have answered that question any way he wanted. He chose to initiated a confession that he was not the Christ...which we know to be factual.)

"21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No."

(John the Baptist was asked a close-ended question: one the required a "yes/no" answer. John was asked if he was Elijah and if he was a prophet. John the Baptist said "no" to each. In tomorrow's post, we will look at the apparent contradiction this created. Notice, John the Baptist did NOT initiate these admissions. For now, the Jews knew that Elijah would appear before the Messiah begins His Kingdom.)

(From Revelation 11, we know that Two Witnesses physically appear before Jesus physically returns to earth to usher in His Kingdom. According to the Bible, Elijah and Enoch are the only two people that have lived and never died. Hebrews 9:27 stated it is given once for man to die, so I believe Elijah and Enoch come back as the Two Witnesses. We've seen in Luke 1:16-17, John the Baptist's mission was to be the spiritual Elijah ushering in the spiritual kingdom of heaven. John the Baptist was not the physical return of Elijah.)

"22 They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?"

(These priests and Levites asked John the Baptist, "Who art thou?". They wanted to know if he was someone spoken of in God's Word. John the Baptist replied...)

"23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet."

(As we've seen in Luke 3:4, Matthew 3:4, and Mark 1:3, the verse from Isaiah 40:3 was quoted by and about John the Baptist:
"3 The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God". Now we see this was John's way of initiating a response that factually alluded to his identity: he was a prophet and "Elijah"! However, John the Baptist didn't directly state this...)

"24 And they had been sent from the Pharisees."

(These priests and Levites were sent by the Pharisees. Remember, we saw in Matthew 3:7 that John the Baptist had already confronted the Pharisees when they met John. John the Baptist had asked them who warned them to flee the wrath from God that was about to come. Perhaps the Pharisees didn't think John would answer their questions...or the Pharisees may have been afraid to find out who John the Baptist was. Either way, the Pharisees sent others to question John the Baptist.)

CONCLUSION
The Pharisees sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John the Baptist if he was Elijah or a prophet. John denied being Elijah or a prophet, but instead quoted Isaiah 40:3...which alluded to him being "Elijah" and a prophet.

Next Post

Luke 3:7-17

2012-03-07T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 3:7-12. Here was the conclusion:

John the Baptist confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees about their lack of belief. John the Baptist stated God's measure for the individual was whether the person chose to bring forth good fruit. John stated Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Luke 3
"7 He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And even now the axe also lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."

(We covered the meaning of these verses in the previous post: Matthew 3:7-12.)

"10 And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then must we do?
11 And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise."

(The people asked John what they ought to do to bring forth good fruit. John the Baptist stated examples: give clothes and food to those who don't have any. This teaching was consistent with what Jesus would teach. Giving to others is a good work and results in Reward.)

"12 And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, what must we do?
13 And he said unto them, Extort no more than that which is appointed you."

(Among other things, the publicans were tax collectors. They asked John the Baptist what they were supposed to do since he had just told people to give...and their job was to take. John said they shouldn't take more than what they were supposed to take.)

"14 And soldiers also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do? And he said unto them, Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse any one wrongfully; and be content with your wages."

(The soldiers asked John the Baptist what they were supposed to do because they couldn't give nor take physical things. John told them not to use violence or false accusations in order to take. Also, John told them to be content with what they were given: their wages.)

"15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ;"

(John sorted through the issues of life (giving and taking) so well, people wondered if John the Baptist was the Christ.)

"16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire:
17 whose fan is in his hand, thoroughly to cleanse his threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire."

(Luke documented the same answer as what we saw in the previous post: Matthew 3:7-12...however, this comment from John the Baptist was presented as having been in response to people wondering if John the Baptist was the Christ.)

CONCLUSION
John the Baptist sorted through the issues of life so well, people wondered if he was the Christ.

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Matthew 3:7-12

2012-03-06T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Mark 1:1-8. Here was the conclusion:

John the Baptist blatantly stated the one that came after him would be greater and baptize in the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3
"7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"

(John the Baptist confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees. Notice, he phrased the confronting sentence in the form of a Question...like a Rabbi. We will see that John the Baptist was a Semikah Rabbi. For now, John's Question showed he didn't think the Pharisees and Sadducees were led by God...they must have had a person warn them to repent. Let's take a moment and review what the Pharisees and Sadducees believed.)

SADDUCEES AND PHARISEES
The Sadducees were aristocrats who held the majority of the 70 seats of the Sanhedrin (ruling council). They worked hard to keep the peace by agreeing with the decisions of Rome (Israel at this time was under Roman control), and they seemed to be more concerned with politics than religion. The common man disliked the Sadducees.

The Pharisees were mostly middle-class businessmen who were more concerned with religion than politics. Because the Pharisees were popular with the masses, the Sadducees tended to give in to the Pharisees' decisions.

The Pharisees gave oral tradition equal authority to the written Word of God, while the Sadducees considered only the written Word to be from God.

Key Sadducees' beliefs:
1. They were extremely self-sufficient to the point of denying God's involvement in everyday life.

2. They denied: any resurrection of the dead, any afterlife where Justice was equaled out, and the existence of a spiritual world, i.e., angels and demons.

Key Pharisees' beliefs:
1. They believed that God controlled all things, yet decisions made by individuals also contributed to the course of a person's life.

2. They believed in: the resurrection of the dead, an afterlife where Justice equaled out, and in the existence of angels and demons (Acts 23:8).

The Sadducees believed God wasn't involved AT ALL. The Pharisees' believed God controlled ALL THINGS...yet they couldn't deny individuals had SOME responsibility. Basically, the Sadducees are humanists and the Pharisees are Calvinists...less than five-point Calvinists! Any time a person tells you they are something less than a five-point Calvinist, they are stating, "I AM A PHARISEE!"

BOTH the Sadducees and Pharisees were WRONG. We have seen that the only non-contradictory explanation that completely agrees with God's Word is that God does NOT initiate His Will on anyone. God ONLY initiates His Will on things that don't have a will (inanimate objects, weather, and animals). God RESPONDS to people THROUGH Justice. EVERY OTHER explanation contradicts the Bible!

"8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:"

(John the Baptist stated that repentance ought to result in bring forth worthy fruit. Repentance ought to lead to actions that have enough value to Repair the damage that was done. Notice, John the Baptist believed it was in the ability of the individual to choose to bring forth worthy fruit...)

"9 and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."

(John the Baptist stated clearly that being Jewish would not automatically make a person one of God's children. In verse 10, John stated that it was up to the individual to choose to bring forth good fruit. If the individual didn't bring forth good fruit, then they would end up in the fire.)

"11 I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire:"

(This was the same claim we saw John the Baptist make in the previous post that covered Mark 1:1-8...however, this verse added that Jesus would baptize people in fire...)

"12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire."

(The fire would purify the individual ("wheat")...burning up all the chaff.)

CONCLUSION
John the Baptist confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees about their lack of belief. John the Baptist stated God's measure for the individual was whether the person chose to bring forth good fruit. John stated Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire.

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Mark 1:1-8

2012-03-05T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 3:1-6 & Matthew 3:1-6. Here was the conclusion:

John the Baptist preached repentance with baptism in the wilderness. He was the spiritual Elijah that began the kingdom of heaven once he got the specific call from God to begin this ministry prophesied by Isaiah.

It is at this point we can include the Gospel Account according to Mark. Mark was not one of the twelve disciples. According to the Book of Acts, Mark spent a lot of time with Peter. Also, Mark's Gospel Account was very Big Picture and "action oriented". Mark did not give a lot of details and seemed to focus on events that Peter was directly involved in. Consequently, many experts believe Mark's Gospel Account was actually what Peter told Mark.

Mark 1
"1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 Even as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way.
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight;"

(Mark quoted the same prophecy from Isaiah 40:3-5 that Luke and Matthew did:
"3 The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain:
5 and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.")

"4 John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins.
5 And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem; And they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leathern girdle about his loins, and did eat locusts and wild honey."

(Mark stated the same description for John the Baptist as Luke did. Remember, John the Baptist was the spiritual Elijah. Here was a description of Elijah from 2 Kings 1:8...
"8 And they answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.")

"7 And he preached, saying, There cometh after me he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
8 I baptized you in water; But he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit."

(Mark stated that John the Baptist blatantly stated there was someone coming after him that was greater than him. John said he baptized in water, but the one that followed him would baptize in the Holy Spirit.)

CONCLUSION
John the Baptist blatantly stated the one that came after him would be greater and baptize in the Holy Spirit.

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Luke 3:1-6 & Matthew 3:1-6

2012-03-02T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered John 1:6-13. Here was the conclusion:

John the Baptist was sent to bear witness to Jesus...to facilitate Jesus' Purpose and Progress. Jesus could not have facilitated His own Purpose and Progress.

Luke 3
"1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,"

(Tiberius reigned from 14 AD to 37 AD. The fifteenth year would have placed the timing of this story near 29 AD. Herod the Great was made governor of Galilee when he was 25 years old. He was made king of Judea in 37 BC. He rebuilt the temple and died around 4 BC. His son, Herod Antipas, ruled over Galilee from 4 BC to 39 AD. Herod Antipas' brother, Philip, was the ruler over Judea and Samaria during this time.)

"2 in the highpriesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness."

(Caiaphas was Annas' son-in-law and probably served as deputy or ruler of the temple under Annas. They are listed together because they both would have exercised authority over the temple during this time. It was during this time that the Word of God came unto John the Baptist. John the Baptist received a specific call from God while he was in the wilderness.)

"3 And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins;"

(John the Baptist preached in the area around the Jordan. His message focused on repentance through baptism.)

"4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

(Luke quoted Isaiah 40:3-5.
"3 The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain:
5 and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.")

(The same points were made in Matthew 3...)

Matthew 3
"1 And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, saying,
2 Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

(Matthew recorded that John the Baptist preaching a message of repentance from the wilderness. John the Baptist also stated the "kingdom of heaven is at hand". The kingdom of heaven is different than the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is also the Kingdom of Jesus. It is a physical kingdom that only includes GOOD. It comes to power after Final Judgment. The kingdom of heaven is a spiritual kingdom that includes GOOD and BAD. It began with John the Baptist and exists up to Final Judgment.)

"3 For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight."

(This was a reference to Isaiah 40:3.
"3 The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God.")

"4 Now John himself had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey."

(John the Baptist was the spiritual Elijah. Here was a description of Elijah from 2 Kings 1:8...
"8 And they answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.")

"5 Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about the Jordan;
6 and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins."

(People came out to the John the Baptist in the wilderness from all of Judaea to confess their sins and be baptized. Remember, it takes confession and repentance to remove sins. The act of coming out to John the Baptist and getting baptized was repentance. Repentance is a DO. The people would already have confessed their sins before coming out (and would have been willing to confess them again). However, John the Baptist didn't have to tell these people to confess. John the Baptist preached repentance. Also, John didn't intrude into the lives of these people. John the Baptist didn't go into the cities and tell these people to confess and repent. John the Baptist was in the wilderness...and people knew to state their will and go out to see John the Baptist when they were ready to repent.)

CONCLUSION
John the Baptist preached repentance with baptism in the wilderness. He was the spiritual Elijah that began the kingdom of heaven once he got the specific call from God to begin this ministry prophesied by Isaiah.

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John 1:6-13

2012-03-01T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

Last month, we looked at Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:1-23, and Luke 2:1-52 which covered the events from Jesus' conception through childhood.

This month, we will cover the events immediately preceding Jesus' Ministry.

We will begin with the Big Picture perspective of these events...

John 1
"6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John."

(John the Disciple made this point clear: John the Baptist was sent from God. We've already covered the events surrounding John the Baptist's birth. Here is a link: Summary of John the Baptist.)

"7 The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him."

(John's purpose was to point ALL towards Jesus. It is God's Will that ALL believe in Jesus. God has provided everything necessary for Salvation for EVERYONE. It is the free will choice of the individual whether they believe through Jesus or not.)

(John the Baptist facilitated Jesus' Purpose and Progress. John the Baptist was a Leader. If Jesus EVER facilitated His own Purpose and Progress, then He would have proven to us that He was NOT the Son of God. This is a huge point throughout the verses we will cover this month: John facilitated Jesus' Purpose and Progress.)

"8 He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light."

(John the Disciple made it very clear that even though John the Baptist facilitated Jesus' Purpose and Progress, this did NOT make John the Baptist equal to Jesus. John the Baptist was NOT the light...but the person that bore witness to the light. John the Disciple got more specific about Jesus...the light:)

"9 There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

(Again, John the Disciple made the point that it was up to the free will of the individual whether they attain Salvation or not because God's Will was that ALL would attain Salvation. God provided everything that was necessary for EVERYONE to attain Salvation.)

CONCLUSION
John the Baptist was sent to bear witness to Jesus...to facilitate Jesus' Purpose and Progress. Jesus could not have facilitated His own Purpose and Progress.

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Gospel Summary: Jesus' Childhood

2012-02-29T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

During January we covered the events from the Gospel Accounts that occurred prior to Jesus' conception. This involved John 1:1-5, Matthew 1:1-15, and Luke 1:1-79.

This month we covered the events from Jesus' conception through childhood. This involved Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:1-23, and Luke 2:1-52.

Here is the summary:

The circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth were: Joseph and Mary were married through an exchange of tokens but had not yet completed their Marriage Covenant. Joseph found out Mary was pregnant and chose to put her away privately...

An angel confirmed to Joseph that Mary had conceived of the Holy Spirit and the child's name was to be JESUS. Joseph did not put Mary away and he did not consummate the marriage until after the child was born.

Around the time JESUS was ready to be born, Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem because of a census. JESUS was born in a manger because there was no room in the inn.

An angel appeared to the nearby shepherds and told them the MESSIAH had been born...and gave directions to see JESUS. The shepherds believed the angel and found JESUS. The shepherds told everyone what the angel stated. Everyone except Mary wondered. Mary already knew this and put this information in her heart.

Jesus was born fourteen generations after the captivity...which was fourteen generations after David...which was fourteen generations after Abraham.

Magi came to Jerusalem asking where the King of the Jews had been born so they could worship Him. Herod asked the chief priests where the MESSIAH would be born. The chief priests referenced Micah 5:2 to say the MESSIAH would be born in Bethlehem. Herod told the Magi to go to Bethlehem and asked them to tell him exactly where the MESSIAH was so he could worship Him.

Joseph and Mary named Him JESUS during His circumcision on the eighth day and went to Jerusalem to fulfill The Law according to dedicating the first born. While Mary and Joseph were in Jerusalem, there was a man who was told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died. Simeon, by the Holy Spirit, stated Jesus was the Messiah and that He would reach out to the Gentiles. Simeon stated one purpose for the Messiah's suffering was for people to reveal what was in their hearts. Anna confirmed Simeon's testimony concerning Jesus. Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth in Galilee when they fulfilled everything necessary concerning a first born son according to The Law.

The star/angel led the Magi to Nazareth where they found Jesus. The Wise Men rejoiced when they found Jesus. They brought him gifts and were warned by God in a dream to not return to Herod. Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt because he was warned in a dream that Herod would seek to destroy Jesus. Herod had all the male children killed that were in Bethlehem that were two years and younger.

After Herod died, an angel told Joseph to return to Israel. Joseph settled in Nazareth. Jesus was raised according to The Law and participated in His first passover at twelve years old. He stayed in Jerusalem when Joseph and Mary left.

At twelve years old, Jesus was able to teach Torah teachers as if Jesus was a Master Torah teacher. Twelve year old Jesus was a Master Torah teacher. He answered Mary's Questions with two Questions pointing to His Divine Nature and no one understood His answers. Mary kept these sayings in her heart. Jesus continued to grow in all the qualities that are admirable.

CONCLUSION
Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:1-23, and Luke 2:1-52 covered the events from Jesus' conception through childhood.

Next month, we will cover the events that occurred just before Jesus' began His Ministry.

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Luke 2:48-52,80

2012-02-28T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:46-47. Here was the conclusion:

At twelve years old, Jesus was able to teach Torah teachers as if Jesus was a Master Torah teacher.

Luke 2
"48 And when they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing."

(Mary and Joseph were astonished to see Jesus teaching the Torah teachers. However, Mary turned the moment to herself: why did You do this to us? Mary saw herself as the victim.)

"49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my Father's house?"

(Wow! As we saw in the previous post, Master Torah teachers are able to answer a Question with a Question. Take a moment to re-experience this scene: Mary sees Jesus answering the Questions of the Torah teachers with Questions in a masterful way. In front of all these Torah teachers, Mary asked Jesus a Question. Would Jesus answer Mary with a Statement? No. Jesus answered Mary with two Questions: Why did you get stressed when you couldn't find Me? Didn't you know I must be in My Father's house?)

"50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them."

(Mary and Joseph did not understand Jesus' answer! It looked as if of all the Questions asked that day in the temple, Jesus answered them all masterfully with Questions...and the ONLY answer that Jesus gave for which people didn't understand was the two Questions He asked Mary and Joseph in response to Mary's Questions. Twelve year old Jesus was TRULY a Master Torah teacher.)

"51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and he was subject unto them: and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart."

(Jesus went with them to Nazareth and "was subject unto them"...Jesus was an obedient and respectful Son. Mary kept all these sayings in her heart so that she would eventually understand them. Notice, it was mentioned that Joseph did not do this. Perhaps it was not mentioned because Joseph did not appear to be alive during the next chronological portions of the Gospel Accounts.)

"52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

(Jesus continued to grow in all the qualities that are admirable. That verse will have to serve as the transition that covered seventeen years of this chronological narrative. In fact, Luke 1:80 stated the same thing...)

"80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel."

(Next month, we will cover the events that immediately preceded Jesus' "showing unto Israel".)

CONCLUSION
Twelve year old Jesus was a Master Torah teacher. He answered Mary's Questions with two Questions pointing to His Divine Nature and no one understood His answers. Mary kept these sayings in her heart. Jesus continued to grow in all the qualities that are admirable.

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Luke 2:46-47

2012-02-27T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:40-45. Here was the conclusion:

Jesus was raised according to The Law and participated in His first passover at twelve years old. He stayed in Jerusalem when Joseph and Mary left.

Luke 2
"46 And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions:"

(Mary and Joseph eventually found Jesus in the temple. Not only was Jesus sitting in the midst of the teachers (scribes), but Jesus was HEARING THEM and asking them Questions. There are two huge implications...)

(Jesus hearing them meant the scribes (Torah teachers) were specifically talking to Jesus. They considered Jesus worthy of being spoken to. Second, Jesus asked them questions. The Torah teachers taught through Questions. We've seen that God approached Adam and Eve...and Cain through Questions. Here are links to those posts:
Adam and Eve - Genesis 3:8-11
Cain - Genesis 4:1-5)

(We covered the following in the post titled, "Human Thinking Model: Questions vs. Statements":

Notice, the only stimulus that makes it to the Conscious Brain is the one that made it through the nucleus basalis (the square between the Unconscious Brain and Conscious Brain. We saw the nucleus basalis is the doorway to the Conscious Brain.

When the stimulus is a Statement, the individual can close the nucleus basalis preventing the Statement from making it to the Conscious Brain.

The first effect of this is that the individual will not respond to the Statement with Words. If the individual does respond at all, it will be with Emotions and Actions.

The second effect is that the individual will not Remember the Statement. If you have ever had someone tell you they don't Remember a Statement you made towards them, it could be because they chose to close their nucleus basalis.

The way to get your information to their Conscious Brain is to put the information in the form of a Question. Questions have to be processed in the Conscious Brain. People respond to Questions with Words...which are an effect of a stimulus reaching the Conscious Brain.)

(Teaching through asking Questions gives up control and allows the student to own their answers. It takes a person with an excellent thought process to be able to teach through Questions instead of Statements.)

"47 and all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers."

(ALL that heard Jesus' teachings to the Torah teachers were amazed with His Understanding and His answers. Jesus taught like a Master Torah teacher!)

CONCLUSION
At twelve years old, Jesus was able to teach Torah teachers as if Jesus was a Master Torah teacher.

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Luke 2:40-45

2012-02-24T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 2:15,19-23. Here was the conclusion:

After Herod died, an angel told Joseph to return to Israel. Joseph settled in Nazareth.

Luke 2
"40 And the child grew, and waxed strong, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him."

(This verse marked the passing of time from Jesus' being taken into Egypt until His return and reaching the age of twelve years old. Jesus was filled with Wisdom. Wisdom is the making of a good decision (action). Wisdom is a Right HOW. Notice, the grace of God was upon him. This cannot mean "unmerited favor". First, any favor Jesus had was merited...He was fully God. Second, "unmerited favor" is given in response to sin. If a person believes grace is "unmerited favor", then he would interpret this verse as proving Jesus sinned. Jesus did not sin. "Unmerited favor" is a man-made doctrine created by Martin Luther and it does not exist according to the Bible. Grace is "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life". The reflection in the life is Wisdom.)

"41 And his parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up after the custom of the feast;"

(These two verses showed that Jesus was raised according to The Law. Remember, a boy born in Israel memorized the Torah until he was twelve years old. At twelve, he was supposed to begin memorizing the rest of the Old Testament and looking for a Rabbi to study under. At fifteen years old, he was supposed to begin studying under a Rabbi until he "graduated" at thirty years old. Twelve years old was the first time a boy could participate in the passover in Jerusalem.)

"43 and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not;
44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey; and they sought for him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance:
45 and when they found him not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking for him."

(Mary and Joseph returned to Nazareth. Even though they didn't see Jesus come with them, they assumed he was with the rest of the people in their group. At twelve years old, Jesus was considered to be responsible for Himself...and His parents treated Him this way. However, after a day's journey they realized Jesus was not with them. They returned to Jerusalem to look for Him.)

CONCLUSION
Jesus was raised according to The Law and participated in His first passover at twelve years old. He stayed in Jerusalem when Joseph and Mary left.

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Matthew 2:15,19-23

2012-02-23T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 2:16-18. Here was the conclusion:

Herod had all the male children killed that were in Bethlehem that were two years and younger.

The sentence before Matthew 2:16-18 was:

"14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;
15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son."

We will cover Herod's death in today's post...

Matthew 2
"19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
20 Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel."

(Again, an angel told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt...and an angel told Joseph to bring Mary and Joseph back to Israel once Herod died. Verse 21 called Jesus "the young child". At most, Jesus would have been in Egypt ten years.)

(Notice, this passage was the fulfillment of what was stated previously in Matthew 2:15.
"14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;
15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son.")

(Verse 15 was a reference to the prophecy in Hosea 11:1.
"1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.")

"22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee,"

(Joseph saw that Herod's son was ruling over Judaea, so he withdrew to the north...)

"23 and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene.:

(Notice, this was spoken of by the prophets...not written. There was no written documentation of this prophecy.)

CONCLUSION
After Herod died, an angel told Joseph to return to Israel. Joseph settled in Nazareth.

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Matthew 2:16-18

2012-02-22T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 2:13-14. Here was the conclusion:

Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt because he was warned in a dream that Herod would seek to destroy Jesus.

Matthew 2
"16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men."

(When Herod realized that the Magi did not return to him and tell him where Jesus was located, he had all the children in Bethlehem killed that were two years old and under. Notice, it was less than two years from the time the Magi stated they first saw the star and the time that Herod realized the Magi wouldn't return. Second, Herod didn't want to take a risk that the child was slightly older than what He ought to be, so Herod could have added some time. Regardless, Jesus was less than two years old when Herod gave this order. Not only was Jesus no longer in Bethlehem, but God warned Joseph that Herod would be looking for Jesus prior to the time that Herod did look. So, Joseph had been warned and got Mary and Joseph into Egypt before Herod gave this order.)

"17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18 A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not."

(Matthew referenced Jeremiah 31:15 "15 Thus saith Jehovah: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuseth to be comforted for her children, because they are not.")

CONCLUSION
Herod had all the male children killed that were in Bethlehem that were two years and younger.

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Matthew 2:13-14

2012-02-21T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 2:10-12. Here was the conclusion:

The Wise Men rejoiced when they found Jesus. They brought him gifts and were warned by God in a dream to not return to Herod.

Matthew 2
"13 Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."

(Matthew 2:1 implied the Wise Men came to Herod AFTER Jesus' birth. Matthew 2:12 implied the Wise Men left immediately after Jesus was seen by the Wise Men...but didn't state the location. Now we see that Matthew 2:13 implied Joseph was warned to leave for Egypt immediately after the Wise Men saw Jesus. This would reinforce that Jesus' star was an angel and the angel stayed over Jesus until the Wise Men showed up...and then, perhaps, warned Joseph.)

"14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;"

(Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt.)

CONCLUSION
Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt because he was warned in a dream that Herod would seek to destroy Jesus.

Next Post

Matthew 2:10-12

2012-02-20T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 2:9. Here was the conclusion:

The star/angel led the Magi to Nazareth where they found Jesus.

Matthew 2
"10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."

(The Magi rejoiced!)

"11 And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh."

(Some people see the words "house" and "young child" in this verse and state these events occurred two years after Jesus' birth. The thought being that Mary and Joseph were back in Nazareth at their house. The points that would appear to support this were: 1) that Mary and Joseph were only in Bethlehem for the census and 2) that Herod eventually had all the children two years and under killed. The points that would appear to support JESUS still being a baby were: 1) that the angel could have kept Mary and Joseph there until the Magi showed up, 2) that Herod wouldn't have waited two years to kill the children, and 3) that the shepherds wouldn't have kept quiet about these events for two years. There is a third option: The Magi found Jesus after Mary and Joseph fulfilled The Law concerning a first born son.)

(Isaiah 60:6 stated: "6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praises of Jehovah." Matthew 2:11 can be seen as the fulfillment of prophecy from Isaiah 60:6...which spoke of a triumphant Christ. However, myrrh was also brought to Jesus which spoke of a crucified Christ because of its use during burial...hence the omission from Isaiah 60:6.)

"12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."

(The Magi were warned of God in a dream...just like Joseph. This showed that the Magi were believers in God. Again, it would be difficult to believe that Herod would have waited two years from the time of his meeting the Magi before taking any action.)

CONCLUSION
The Wise Men rejoiced when they found Jesus. They brought him gifts and were warned by God in a dream to not return to Herod.

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Matthew 2:9

2012-02-17T00:03:00.004-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:36-39. Here was the conclusion:

Anna confirmed Simeon's testimony concerning Jesus. Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth in Galilee when they fulfilled everything necessary concerning a first born son according to The Law.

Matthew 2
"9 And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was."

(Clearly, this was not a star like the sun. It makes much more sense that this was an angel. Revelation 9:1 stated that a star fell from heaven and was given the key to the bottomless pit. Revelation 22:16 stated Jesus called Himself the bright and morning star. The word for star in both of those passages was the same word as used in Matthew 2.)

(Verse 9 can be the source of confusion in this story. Here is a recap of the chronology of this story:
-The Wise Men left Herod and followed the star: Matthew 2:7-8
-Joseph and Mary waited in Bethlehem eight days until Jesus was circumcised: Luke 2:21
-Joseph and Mary then went to Jerusalem to dedicate Jesus: Luke 2:22-24
-Simeon testified Jesus was the Messiah: Luke 2:32
-Anna testified Jesus was the Messiah: Luke 2:38
-Joseph and Mary then went to Nazareth in Galilee:Luke 2:39)

(Now we see that the Magi found Jesus in Nazareth.)

CONCLUSION
The star/angel led the Magi to Nazareth where they found Jesus.

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Luke 2:36-39

2012-02-16T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:33-35. Here was the conclusion:

Simeon stated one purpose for the Messiah's suffering was for people to reveal what was in their hearts.

Luke 2
"36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,
37 and she had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), who departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day."

(While Joseph and Mary were in Jerusalem for Jesus' Dedication, they not only met Simeon, but also Anna. She was a prophetess who had been married for seven years (again Marriage was equated with sexual intercourse) and widowed for eighty-four years. She had lived ninety-one years past when she got married...so she was over 100 years old. She did not leave the temple, but worshipped with fasting and supplications day and night.)

"38 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God, and spake of him to all them that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."

(When Simeon spoke of Jesus being the Messiah, Anna confirmed what Simeon has stated. This was another example in the Bible of confirmation coming from the mouths of Two Witnesses: Simeon and Anna.)

"39 And when they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth."

(Once Joseph and Mary had fulfilled The Law relative to their first born son, they returned to Nazareth in Galilee. This verse implied that Joseph and Mary went from Bethlehem to Jerusalem in order to make sure they fulfilled their responsibility...and that Jesus was in Nazareth only after He was dedicated to God. It would be at this point that the Wise Men found Jesus in Nazareth.)

CONCLUSION
Anna confirmed Simeon's testimony concerning Jesus. Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth in Galilee when they fulfilled everything necessary concerning a first born son according to The Law.

Next Post

Luke 2:33-35

2012-02-15T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:25-32. Here was the conclusion:

While Mary and Joseph were in Jerusalem, there was a man who was told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died. Simeon, by the Holy Spirit, stated Jesus was the Messiah and that He would reach out to the Gentiles.

Luke 2
"33 And his father and his mother were marvelling at the things which were spoken concerning him;"

(This was another example of confirmation, coming through a person via the Holy Spirit, about Jesus being the Messiah. Mary and Joseph marvelled at this latest confirmation.)

(Notice, the Holy Spirit and angels played a HUGE role before JESUS was able to speak for Himself:
-John the Baptist's father was visited by an angel,
-Mary was visited by an angel
-John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit
-John the Baptist's mother was filled with the Holy Spirit when she heard Mary's voice
-John the Baptist's father was filled with the Holy Spirit when he agreed to naming his son John.
-Joseph was visited by an angel during a dream
-The shepherds were visited by an angel
-The Magi were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod
-Simeon, via the Holy Spirit, confessed Jesus as Messiah)

"34 and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against;
35 yea and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."

(Simeon blessed them...and then specifically spoke to Mary. Would Joseph be dead before Jesus began His Ministry? The word to Mary concerned the suffering Jesus and even her would feel so that peoples' hearts would be revealed. One of the purposes for Jesus' suffering was to get people to state their will about what they believed concerning Jesus: Was He the Son of God or not?)

CONCLUSION
Simeon stated one purpose for the Messiah's suffering was for people to reveal what was in their hearts.

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Luke 2:25-32

2012-02-14T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:21-24. Here was the conclusion:

Joseph and Mary named Him JESUS during His circumcision on the eighth day and went to Jerusalem to fulfill The Law according to dedicating the first born.

Luke 2
"25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was upon him."

(The Holy Spirit was on a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. This verse said he was looking for "the consolation of Israel"...he was looking for the Messiah.)

"26 And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ."

(The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would see the Messiah before he died. We can't say for sure whether his looking for the Messiah caused him to get this message from the Holy Spirit or whether having the Holy Spirit upon him caused him to want to look for the Messiah. The point is that while Mary and Joseph were in Jerusalem, there was a man who was told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died.)

"27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, that they might do concerning him after the custom of the law,"

(The Holy Spirit led Simeon when he encountered Jesus.)

"28 then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,"

(Simeon held the little child and blessed God with the following...)

"29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart, Lord, According to thy word, in peace;
30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,"

(Simeon asked God to let him die in peace because he had seen the Messiah with his own eyes. This was Simeon's confession of faith.)

"31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;
32 A light for revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of thy people Israel."

(Simeon also recognized, by the Holy Spirit, that the Messiah would reach out to the Gentiles.)

CONCLUSION
While Mary and Joseph were in Jerusalem, there was a man who was told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died. Simeon, by the Holy Spirit, stated Jesus was the Messiah and that He would reach out to the Gentiles.

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Luke 2:21-24

2012-02-13T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 2:7-8. Here was the conclusion:

Herod told the Magi to go to Bethlehem and asked them to tell him exactly where the MESSIAH was so he could worship Him.

Luke 2:21
"21 And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb."

(Joseph and Mary had Jesus circumcised on the eighth day and formally named Him JESUS...just like the angel told them.)

"22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord),
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

(Jesus was brought to Jerusalem after His circumcision. This implied that Jesus was not moved from Bethlehem until his circumcision...and then Jesus was taken to Jerusalem. Verse 23 quoted the following passages from The Torah:
"1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Sanctify unto me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine." Exodus 13:1-2

"15 Everything that openeth the womb, of all flesh which they offer unto Jehovah, both of man and beast shall be thine: nevertheless the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem." Numbers 18:15)

(Joseph and Mary were poor because they did this redemption according to the provision given for people who were poor: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons...instead of with a lamb.)

CONCLUSION
Joseph and Mary named Him JESUS during His circumcision on the eighth day and went to Jerusalem to fulfill The Law according to dedicating the first born.

Next Post

Matthew 2:7-8

2012-02-10T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 2:1-6. Here was the conclusion:

Magi came to Jerusalem asking where the King of the Jews had been born so they could worship Him. Herod asked the chief priests where the MESSIAH would be born. The chief priests referenced Micah 5:2 to say the MESSIAH would be born in Bethlehem.

Matthew 2
"7 Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared."

(Herod met with the Magi privately to find out exactly what time the star (angel?) had appeared.)

"8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may come and worship him."

(Apparently, Herod shared with the Magi that the MESSIAH would be born in Bethlehem. Herod attempted to "trade" with the Magi. He told them where the MESSIAH was born, so he wanted the Magi to tell him exactly where the MESSIAH was located. Herod stated he wanted to know this so he could worship the MESSIAH...just like the Magi desired.)

CONCLUSION
Herod told the Magi to go to Bethlehem and asked them to tell him exactly where the MESSIAH was so he could worship Him.

Next Post

Matthew 2:1-6

2012-02-09T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 1:16-17, 25. Here was the conclusion:

Jesus was born fourteen generations after the captivity...which was fourteen generations after David...which was fourteen generations after Abraham.

MATTHEW 2
"1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,"

(The Greek word for "Wise-men" was magoi...which is why they are also called Magi. These men were very educated and well armed. This verse implied this event occurred AFTER JESUS was born.)

"2 Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him."

(They asked people where the King of the Jews was born. This question made people aware of this event. Some experts believe "his star" meant "His angel". These Magi wanted to worship Jesus...which meant they were believers and may have allowed them to see the angel.)

"3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."

(Herod and the people may have been troubled because an armed group of Magi came to find the King of the Jews. People may have been threatened, whether it was Herod who feared for his kingship or the people who feared they would have to go to battle.)

"4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born."

(Herod understood what King of the Jews meant: the Christ...the MESSIAH. Herod asked where the MESSIAH should be born...)

"5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: For out of thee shall come forth a governor, Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel."

(The chief priests and scribes referenced Micah 5:2 to say the MESSIAH was supposed to be born in Bethlehem.)

CONCLUSION
Magi came to Jerusalem asking where the King of the Jews had been born so they could worship Him. Herod asked the chief priests where the MESSIAH would be born. The chief priests referenced Micah 5:2 to say the MESSIAH would be born in Bethlehem.

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Matthew 1:16-17, 25

2012-02-08T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:15-20. Here was the conclusion:

The shepherds believed the angel and found JESUS. The shepherds told everyone what the angel stated. Everyone except Mary wondered. Mary already knew this and put this information in her heart.

Now that we have seen Jesus was born, let's go back to Matthew 1 and conclude the lineage of Christ...

Matthew 1:16-17
"16 and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."

(Mary was a virgin and it blatantly stated that Joseph was the husband of Mary. Mary was the fifth woman referenced in the lineage of Christ. The women, in order, referenced in the lineage of Christ were: a daughter-in-law who would have violated Leviticus 20:12 by having intercourse with her father-in-law (Tamar), a prostitute (Rahab), a widower (Ruth), an adulteress (Bathsheba), and a virgin.)

"17 So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations."

(There were fourteen generations from Abraham (father of the Jews) unto David (father of the Messianic Covenant)...and fourteen generations from David (Israel's second king) until captivity (when Israel no longer had kings)...and fourteen generations from captivity until Christ. This is a helpful framework to follow when reading the Bible: notice whether the event happened from Abraham unto David...or from David unto the captivity...or from the captivity unto Christ. Let's wrap up Matthew chapter 1 with the final verse of the chapter...)

"25 and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS."

(Joseph didn't consummate the Marriage Covenant with Mary until after JESUS was born.)

CONCLUSION
Jesus was born fourteen generations after the captivity...which was fourteen generations after David...which was fourteen generations after Abraham.

Next Post

Luke 2:15-20

2012-02-07T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:8-14. Here was the conclusion:

An angel appeared to the nearby shepherds and told them the MESSIAH had been born...and gave directions to see JESUS.

Luke 2
"15 And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us."

(The shepherds had faith! They believed the angels and went to look for the MESSIAH that was born.)

"16 And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.
17 And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child."

(The shepherds confirmed the angel was right...and then they shared what they heard about JESUS from the angel (from the previous post):
"10 And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people:
11 for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.")

"18 And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds."

(Everyone wondered at this, except Mary...)

"19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart."

(Mary didn't wonder because Gabriel had already stated JESUS was the Son of God...MESSIAH. We saw in Luke 1:47 that Mary already knew this. Mary put this information in her heart...along with the previous information from Gabriel.)

"20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them."

(The shepherds returned to their flocks glorifying and praising God.)

CONCLUSION
The shepherds believed the angel and found JESUS. The shepherds told everyone what the angel stated. Everyone except Mary wondered. Mary already knew this and put this information in her heart.

Next Post

Luke 2:8-14

2012-02-06T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 2:1-7. Here was the conclusion:

Around the time JESUS was ready to be born, Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem because of a census. JESUS was born in a manger because there was no room in the inn.

Luke 2
"8 And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock."

(This verse showed that JESUS' birth did not occur during winter. The shepherds wouldn't be outside during the winter with their sheep.

"9 And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid."

(The shepherds saw the angel and the glory of the Lord...and it made them afraid.)

"10 And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people:"

(The angel stated to "Be not afraid". Notice, when angels appear, they tell people not to be afraid. Demons don't state this to people. The angel gave the reason not to be afraid: the angel was bringing good tidings. In fact, the angel gave more information...)

"11 for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord."

(The MESSIAH had been born!)

"12 And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger."

(The angel supported his claim with a sign...that the shepherds would only know if they had faith in the angel. We've seen that Zacharias didn't believe Gabriel. We've seen Mary did believe Gabriel. Would the shepherds believe the angel?)

"13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased."

(There was another sign: a heavenly host praising God.)

CONCLUSION
An angel appeared to the nearby shepherds and told them the MESSIAH had been born...and gave directions to see JESUS.

Next Post

Luke 2:1-7

2012-02-03T00:03:00.005-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 1:20-25. Here was the conclusion:

An angel confirmed to Joseph that Mary had conceived of the Holy Spirit and the child's name was to be JESUS. Joseph did not put Mary away and he did not consummate the marriage until after the child was born.

It is now time to begin looking at the circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth from Luke's Gospel Account...

Luke 2
"1 Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled."

(This was Caius Octavius. He was the adopted son and successor of Julius Caesar. He reigned from 29 BC to 14 AD. We have seen from Luke 1:5 that the birth of John the Baptist occurred around 4 BC...and that Mary was impregnated around or just after John's birth.)

"2 This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria."

(There is disagreement about this verse. Quirinius was a Roman consul in 12 BC which would have qualified him to be governor. However, from 12 BC to 4 AD the names of the governors were not recorded or named. It is known that Quirinius was governor around ten years after Christ's birth. This does not mean Quirinius wasn't governor during Jesus' birth. Also, the Greek word for "first" in verse 2 was protos which can also be interpreted as "before"...meaning this enrolment may have been the one that was before Quirinius was governor.)

"3 And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;
5 to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child."

(Remember, Joseph and Mary were in Nazareth. However, since both Joseph and Mary were of David's lineage, they went to Bethlehem because David was raised there according to I Samuel 20:6.)

"6 And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered."

(This census occurred around the time Mary delivered.)

"7 And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

(Mary and Joseph were away from home and needed a place to stay. There was no room for them in the inn. Whether it was due to the census or a holiday, the inn was full of travelers. Some sources state this occurred around The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)...which would be in September. A manger is the place where animals were kept.)

CONCLUSION
Around the time JESUS was ready to be born, Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem because of a census. JESUS was born in a manger because there was no room in the inn.

Next Post

Matthew 1:20-25

2012-02-02T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Matthew 1:18-19. Here was the conclusion:

The circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth were: Joseph and Mary were married through an exchange of tokens but had not yet completed their Marriage Covenant. Joseph found out Mary was pregnant and chose to put her away privately...

The previous post actually concluded with the following comment:

Perhaps, one of the reasons God chose Joseph was because he would do this privately. Someone who would do this publicly may have done it immediately. Joseph doing this privately allowed God time to do what was in the next verse...

Matthew 1
"20 But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

(Joseph must have been a thinking man (Conscious Brain) who was lead by the Spirit. If he had reacted by his flesh (Amygdala), he would have made this public. It was AWESOME how the angel appeared in a dream WHILE Joesph was thinking. God intervened (through the angel) quickly because God knew Joseph was right and just and would have put Mary away...which would have been right in ANY OTHER marriage because she would have been an unbeliever/fornicator.)

"21 And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins."

(This was similar to the events surrounding the naming of John the Baptist. We have seen in Luke 1:31 that Gabriel first told Mary to name her Son from the Holy Spirit: JESUS. Here we see that this was confirmed to Joseph by an angel. Remember, in Luke 1:13 Zacharias was first told by an angel what to name his son...and then Luke 1:60 showed Elisabeth later confirmed this name.)

"22 Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us."

(Notice, Joseph was thinking on these things when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. There are three types of dreams: rehearsal, understanding/closure, and prophetic. Clearly this was prophetic. In fact, the angel quoted the sign from Isaiah 7 that Joseph's ancestor Ahaz refused to ask God for!)

"24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife;
25 and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS."

(Joseph did NOT PUT Mary AWAY and he did NOT consummate the marriage until after the child was born. Joseph did obey the angel and call the child JESUS.)

CONCLUSION
An angel confirmed to Joseph that Mary had conceived of the Holy Spirit and the child's name was to be JESUS. Joseph did not put Mary away and he did not consummate the marriage until after the child was born.

Next Post

Matthew 1:18-19

2012-02-01T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

Last month, we looked at John 1:1-5, Matthew 1:1-15, and Luke 1:1-79 which covered the events prior to Jesus' conception.

This month, we will cover the events from Jesus' conception through childhood.

Matthew 1
"18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit."

("betrothed" is Strong's #3423 mnesteuo - "to give a souvenir")

(Matthew explained that Mary and Joseph were married (through exchange of tokens), but had not consummated the marriage. Matthew SPECIFICALLY stated that Mary was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit (which is the Spirit of God) BEGAT Jesus. This occurred ONLY after Mary and Joseph were married. So Joseph was occupying an office on behalf of God. If God had gotten Mary pregnant BEFORE Joseph became Mary's husband, it would make Mary married to God through the Holy Spirit.)

(According to the Bible, Marriage Covenant is begun by one of three ways:
1. exchange of tokens
2. exchange of vows
3. covenantal sexual intercourse
According to the Bible, the Marriage Covenant is completed ("cut") by covenantal sexual intercourse. Today, we have a man-made doctrine of Marriage that is according to the government and church...and has only existed for around 250 years! If you have any questions concerning the Biblical Doctrine of Marriage, begin at the following link: Doctrine of Marriage.)

(Mary and Joseph were married through exchange of tokens, however, they had not completed their Marriage Covenant.)

"19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily."

(Joseph was SPECIFICALLY called Mary's husband. Joseph was stated to be a righteous man. In other versions he was stated to be a just man. Joseph occupied the office for God because he was recognized by God as righteous and just! Remember, Elisabeth and Zacharias (John the Baptist's parents) were also both stated as being righteous.)

(The fact that Joseph did not want to make a public example was why he wanted to put her away privately. Some commentaries state this was the practice. ACTUALLY, putting away was done publicly to make sure the person was put out of community.)

(According to the Bible, Divorce was the ending of the Marriage Covenant between two believers...with both believers remaining in the greater community and able to marry again. According to the Bible, Putting Away was the ending of the Marriage Covenant between a believer and an unbeliever...with the unbeliever being put out of community and unable to marry again within community.)

(Joseph was going to put Mary away, not divorce her. He wanted to remove her from community, which was right and just to do. He did not have sex with her because he was righteous and just. He would not divorce her because in his eyes she must be still married to someone else, otherwise she would have a bill of divorcement. If you want more details on Joseph and Mary relative to these verses, click the following link: Joseph and Mary.)

(Perhaps, one of the reasons God chose Joseph was because he would do this privately. Someone who would do this publicly may have done it immediately. Joseph doing this privately allowed God time to do what was in the next verse...)

CONCLUSION
The circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth were: Joseph and Mary were married through an exchange of tokens but had not yet completed their Marriage Covenant. Joseph found out Mary was pregnant and chose to put her away privately...

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Gospel Summary: Events Prior to Jesus' Conception

2012-01-31T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

During January we covered the events from the Gospel Accounts that occurred prior to Jesus' conception. This involved John 1:1-5, Matthew 1:1-15, and Luke 1:1-79. Here were the summaries for each:

JOHN1:1-5
John's enigmatic first five verses of his Gospel Account mirrored the first five verses of the Old Testament to show Jesus was present when the heaven and all the physical matter that would ever exist ("earth") was created.

MATTHEW 1:1-15
The first eleven verses of Matthew's Gospel Account covered the events from Abraham up to the captivity...twenty-eight generations from Abraham to Jechoniah: Fourteen generations from Abraham to David...and fourteen from David to the captivity. The next four verses covered the time between the captivity and the years before Jesus' conception.

LUKE 1:1-79
Around 4 BC, a priest and his wife (Zacharias and Elizabeth) were both righteous before God, childless, and well beyond the years when they could expect to have children.

An angel (Gabriel) told Zacharias their supplications had been heard: Elisabeth would bear a son and Zacharias should name him John. The angel told Zacharias his son would be great before God because John would essentially be fulfilling the vows of a Nazirite (Numbers 6:1-8). John would not drink wine or strong drink and he would be filled with the Holy Spirit before birth.

John's mission involved:
-being the spiritual Elijah that prepared the way of the Lord
-introducing the kingdom of heaven which included fathers being focused on the children and disobedient prideful people making progress towards good by grace.

Zacharias did not believe Gabriel. Consequently, Zacharias would not be able to speak until after his son was named John. A multitude was aware that Zacharias had seen a vision while burning incense and was unable to speak. Elisabeth conceived once Zacharias returned from his responsibilities. However, Elisabeth hid herself for five months.

Gabriel visited Mary in Nazareth six months after John the Baptist was conceived. Gabriel essentially gave Mary the same news as he gave Zacharias concerning Elisabeth: Mary would conceive a son...and then told Mary what to name Him: JESUS. However, Gabriel told Mary JESUS would be the Son of God...the Messiah. JESUS would reign over an eternal kingdom. Gabriel responded to Mary's question by stating God would impregnate her through the Holy Spirit. Mary's response was to have faith in what Gabriel stated and accept it. Mary confirmed her faith in what was stated to her by the Holy Spirit and Elisabeth concerning JESUS.

Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit when she heard Mary's voice because John the Baptist leaped for joy in her womb. Elisabeth spoke prophecy and blessings by the Holy Spirit to confirm what Mary had believed by the Holy Spirit.

Mary left Elisabeth shortly before John the Baptist was born. Those who performed the circumcision wanted to name him Zacharias, but Elisabeth said to name him John. They didn't want to listen to her, so they turned to Zacharias to find out the name of his son. Zacharias confirmed what Elisabeth had stated: their son's name was John. Zacharias was immediately able to speak and the people began to wonder what John would grow up to accomplish.

Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit. He began by speaking of God's everlasting covenant with Israel, God's messianic covenant with David, and eternity in paradise. Zacharias prophesied by the Holy Spirit concerning his son John. John would be called the prophet of the Most High and make ready the people by giving them knowledge of salvation through the remission of sins.

CONCLUSION
John 1:1-5, Matthew 1:1-15, and Luke 1:1-79 covered the events prior to Jesus' conception.

Next month, we will cover the events from Jesus' conception through childhood.

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Luke 1:76-79

2012-01-30T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:67-75. Here was the conclusion:

Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit. He began by speaking of God's everlasting covenant with Israel, God's messianic covenant with David, and eternity in paradise.

Luke 1
"76 Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people In the remission of their sins,"

(Zacharias began prophesying about his son John. John the Baptist would be called the prophet of the Most High. Zacharias also confirmed what Gabriel stated: John the Baptist would make ready the people by giving them knowledge of salvation through the remission of sins.)

"78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us,
79 To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace."

(In verse 78, the word "dayspring" meant east...as a reference to where the sun rose. This referenced the light from God that would come to us so that we would be able to make progress in God. We will see that John's Gospel Account stated John the Baptist was not The Light...but bore witness to The Light which was Jesus.)

CONCLUSION
Zacharias prophesied by the Holy Spirit concerning his son John. John would be called the prophet of the Most High and make ready the people by giving them knowledge of salvation through the remission of sins.

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Luke 1:67-75

2012-01-27T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:63-66. Here was the conclusion:

Zacharias confirmed what Elisabeth had stated: their son's name was John. Zacharias was immediately able to speak and the people began to wonder what John would grow up to accomplish.

Luke 1
"67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,"

(Another effect of Zacharias obeying Gabriel, which proved Zacharias' faith, was that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. What Zacharias stated was prophecy and of the Holy Spirit...)

"68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people,
69 And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David
70 (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old),"

(Zacharias began with Messianic Prophecy. He stated that God had brought the Messiah to that generation...as He stated in the Old Testament by the prophets.)

"71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To show mercy towards, our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he spake unto Abraham our father,"

(Zacharias then referenced the everlasting covenant God made with Abraham. We saw that Matthew began his Gospel Account referencing both David and Abraham.)

"74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him all our days."

(Zacharias then referenced eternity in paradise.)

CONCLUSION
Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit. He began by speaking of God's everlasting covenant with Israel, God's messianic covenant with David, and eternity in paradise.

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Luke 1:63-66

2012-01-26T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:56-62. Here was the conclusion:

Mary left Elisabeth shortly before John the Baptist was born. Those who performed the circumcision wanted to name him Zacharias, but Elisabeth said to name him John. They didn't want to listen to her, so they turned to Zacharias to find out the name of his son...

Luke 1
"63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all."

(Zacharias confirmed what Elisabeth said: His name is John. This caused all the people to marvel.)

"64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, blessing God."

(Zacharias was able to speak immediately after doing what Gabriel told him to do: name his son John. When Zacharias could speak, he blessed God.)

"65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea."

(People became aware of these events and made other people aware...which was one reason why Luke was able to find out about this decades later.)

"66 And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him."

(Not only was everyone aware of these events, but the people wondered what John would grow up to accomplish because they knew the hand of the Lord was with him. John grew up in an environment where the people had high expectations of him.)

CONCLUSION
Zacharias confirmed what Elisabeth had stated: their son's name was John. Zacharias was immediately able to speak and the people began to wonder what John would grow up to accomplish.

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Luke 1:56-62

2012-01-25T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:46-55. Here was the conclusion:

Mary confirmed her faith in what was stated to her by the Holy Spirit and Elisabeth concerning JESUS.

Luke1
"56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned unto her house."

(Mary stayed with Elisabeth until her ninth month and then returned to Nazareth. Mary was not pregnant at this point...)

"57 Now Elisabeth's time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son."

(John the Baptist was born at least nine months before Jesus.)

"58 And her neighbors and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her."

(People rejoiced at the news that she got her heart's desire in her old age. Notice, this drew attention to the birth and connected events...which would allow Luke to learn about this decades later.)

"59 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father."

(When they went to circumcise John and name him, those who did the circumcision would have named him Zacharias.)

"60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John."

(Elisabeth stated that his name would be John. Notice, Elisabeth was full of the Holy Spirit and pronounced the correct name. Perhaps Zacharias was able to let Elisabeth know what Gabriel said...but even if he didn't Elisabeth was full of the Holy Spirit and correctly stated what Gabriel had said.)

"61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62 And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called."

(The people stated that none of her relatives were called John. The crowd then turned to Zacharias to see what he wanted the child to be named...)

CONCLUSION
Mary left Elisabeth shortly before John the Baptist was born. Those who performed the circumcision wanted to name him Zacharias, but Elisabeth said to name him John. They didn't want to listen to her, so they turned to Zacharias to find out the name of his son...

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Luke 1:46-55

2012-01-24T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:39-45. Here was the conclusion:

Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit when she heard Mary's voice because John the Baptist leaped for joy in her womb. Elisabeth spoke prophecy and blessings by the Holy Spirit to confirm what Mary had believed by the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1
"46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."

(Mary's response to Elisabeth was to speak according to Mary's faith. She testified that her Son would be the Messiah...and that Mary needed a Saviour. For those who believe Mary was sinless, verse 47 contradicts that doctrine.)

"48 For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name."

(Again, Mary confessed her low state and gave the credit to God.)

"50 And his mercy is unto generations and generations On them that fear him."

(A modern translation of "fear" is respect and honor.)

"51 He hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.
52 He hath put down princes from their thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree.
53 The hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away."

(These three verses were effects and examples of verses 48 and 49: God blesses those who are humble and of a low state.)

"54 He hath given help to Israel his servant, That he might remember mercy
55 (As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed for ever."

(These two verses were effects and examples of verse 50: God's mercy is on those who respect Him. Abraham and Israel would be shown God's mercy through JESUS.)

CONCLUSION
Mary confirmed her faith in what was stated to her by the Holy Spirit and Elisabeth concerning JESUS.

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Luke 1:39-45

2012-01-23T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:34-38. Here was the conclusion:

Gabriel responded to Mary's question by stating God would impregnate her through the Holy Spirit. Mary's response was to have faith in what Gabriel stated and accept it.

Luke1
"39 And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah;
40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth."

(Mary was in a different city and did not know Elisabeth was pregnant.)

"41 And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit;"

(When Elisabeth heard Mary's voice, John the Baptist leaped in Elisabeth's womb...and Elisabeth became filled with the Holy Spirit. The word for "leaped" was Strong's #4640 skirtao - "leap for joy". This word occurred three times in the New Testament...all in Luke's Gospel Account. It was used in verse 44 and Jesus used it in Luke 6:23.)

(The first person John filled with the Holy Spirit was Elisabeth as an effect of Mary speaking. John's life was so dedicated to preparing the way for the Lord that he reacted with joy when his mother heard the voice of JESUS' mother.)

"42 and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb."

(Elisabeth stated by the Holy Spirit that Mary was blessed among women and the fruit of her womb was blessed...even though she wasn't pregnant yet. The Holy Spirit spoke prophecy.)

"43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me?
44 For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy."

(Elisabeth stated by the Holy Spirit that Mary was the mother of the Messiah! Elisabeth even gave the reason why she stated this: her baby leaped for joy (skirtao) when she heard Mary's words. Words are powerful and important!)

"45 And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord."

(Notice, Elisabeth stated a word of knowledge: she said Mary was blessed because Mary believed. Elisabeth knew by the Holy Spirit that Mary had believed the Holy Spirit's prophetic word to Mary. Elisabeth then stated prophecy: there shall be fulfillment of the things the Holy Spirit spoke to her.)

CONCLUSION
Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit when she heard Mary's voice because John the Baptist leaped for joy in her womb. Elisabeth spoke prophecy and blessings by the Holy Spirit to confirm what Mary had believed by the Holy Spirit.

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Luke 1:34-38

2012-01-20T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:26-33. Here was the conclusion:

Gabriel visited Mary in Nazareth six months after John the Baptist was conceived. Gabriel essentially gave Mary the same news as he gave Zacharias about Elisabeth: Mary would conceive a son...and then told Mary what to name Him: JESUS. However, Gabriel told Mary JESUS would be the Son of God...the Messiah. JESUS would reign over an eternal kingdom.

Luke 1
"34 And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"

(Notice, Mary asked the angel HOW this would occur. Mary did NOT state it wouldn't occur. It sounded like Mary wanted to know what she could do to help...did she have to have sexual intercourse with Joseph? Remember, in verse 18, Zacharias' response to Gabriel was to ask WHY he should believe Gabriel..."Whereby shall I know this?". Gabriel made Zacharias unable to speak because of Zacharias' response. How would Gabriel answer Mary's question?)

"35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God."

(Gabriel stated the Holy Spirit would impregnate her. In face, Gabriel even followed up with a Reason: that is why JESUS will be the Son of God because He will be begotten of God through the Holy Spirit.)

"36 And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren.
37 For no word from God shall be void of power."

(Gabriel stated that Elisabeth, a relative of Mary's (some translations stated she was a cousin), was also conceived of a son and was in her sixth month. Mary would not have known this because Elisabeth was hidden and Mary was in Nazareth. Gabriel stated this fact to confirm God had a plan for Elisabeth' son and her Son. In verse 37, the word "word' was rhema - the powerful and revelatory spoken word from God that is without precedence. Remember, power is the ability to make things happen. Gabriel stated the revelatory spoken word from God's mouth is not lacking the ability to make things happen.)

"38 And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her."

(Mary accepted what Gabriel stated. In fact, the word "word" in verse 38 was also rhema. Mary demonstrated faith and Gabriel departed without any punishment on Mary.)

CONCLUSION
Gabriel responded to Mary's question by stating God would impregnate her through the Holy Spirit. Mary's response was to have faith in what Gabriel stated and accept it.

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Luke 1:26-33

2012-01-19T00:03:00.004-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:21-25. Here was the conclusion:

A multitude was aware that Zacharias had seen a vision while burning incense and was unable to speak. Elisabeth conceived once Zacharias returned from his responsibilities. Elisabeth hid herself for five months.

Luke 1
"26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary."

(Six months after Elisabeth conceived, Gabriel went to Nazareth to Mary. Mary was betrothed to Joseph...yet she was a virgin. We have covered the Doctrine of Marriage extensively on this blog and other blogs. If you want details, please check out Jonathan Fries' blog: Doctrine #57: Marriage. The short explanation is that a Marriage Covenant was begun with one of three ways: exchange of tokens, exchange of vows, and sexual intercourse. The completion of the Marriage Covenant only occurred with Covenantal sexual intercourse. The word "betrothed" was Strong's #3423 mnesteuo - "to be promised in marriage". Whether this was through exchange of tokens and/or exchange of vows, this verse did not specify. However, we know it was NOT through sexual intercourse because Mary was a virgin.)

"28 And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee.
29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be."

(Gabriel stated Mary was highly favored and the Lord was with her. Mary was greatly troubled and wondered what this meant.)

"30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God."

(Gabriel told her not to fear and repeated that she had found favor with God.)

"31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS."

(Gabriel essentially gave Mary the same news: she would conceive a son...and then told her what to name Him. The only difference so far is that Elisabeth was old and not a virgin...Mary was young and a virgin.)

"32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

(Gabriel stated JESUS would be the Son of God! The Messiah! He confirmed this by stating God would give Him the throne of David. Remember, "son of David" referred to the Messiah. Gabriel further confirmed this by saying JESUS would reign over the house of Jacob FOR EVER...and His Kingdom shall have no end. The Messiah would have an eternal kingdom.)

CONCLUSION
Gabriel visited Mary in Nazareth six months after John the Baptist was conceived. Gabriel essentially gave Mary the same news as he gave Zacharias concerning Elisabeth: Mary would conceive a son...and then told Mary what to name Him: JESUS. However, Gabriel told Mary JESUS would be the Son of God...the Messiah. JESUS would reign over an eternal kingdom.

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Luke 1:21-25

2012-01-18T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:18-20. Here was the conclusion:

Zacharias did not believe Gabriel. Consequently, Zacharias would not be able to speak until after his son was named John.

Luke 1
"21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled while he tarried in the temple."

(Zacharias took much longer than normal to burn incense before the altar. Remember, verse 10 stated the whole multitude was praying outside while he did this chore. So, the multitude's attention was focused on wondering why Zacharias was taking so long...)

"22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: and he continued making signs unto them, and remained dumb."

(The multitude perceived Zacharias had seen a vision because he was trying to tell them by acting it out...which caused everyone to realize he couldn't speak. Remember, this passage came from Luke's Gospel Account. Luke was not one of the twelve disciples. Luke didn't experience this event firsthand. A multitude experienced it and Luke was able to learn about this memorable event decades later because a multitude experienced it together.)

"23 And it came to pass, when the days of his ministration were fulfilled, he departed unto his house.
24 And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men."

(After Zacharias finished his responsibilities, he was able to see his wife again. Zacharias and Elisabeth chose to have sexual intercourse "after these days"...God did not impregnate Elisabeth. If He had, He would have done it while Zacharias was away. Zacharias impregnated Elisabeth and God made sure it was a male that had the attributes according to Gabriel's prophecy. Elisabeth hid herself for five months, so no one knew she was pregnant.)

CONCLUSION
A multitude was aware that Zacharias had seen a vision while burning incense and was unable to speak. Elisabeth conceived once Zacharias returned from his responsibilities. Elisabeth hid herself for five months.

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Luke 1:18-20

2012-01-17T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:16-17. Here was the conclusion:

John's mission involved:
-being the spiritual Elijah that prepared the way of the Lord
-introducing the kingdom of heaven which included fathers being focused on the children and disobedient prideful people making progress towards good by grace.

Next, Zacharias talked to the angel...

Luke 1
"18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years."

(Genesis 15 documented a similar situation for Abram:
"3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4 And, behold, the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying, This man shall not be thine heir; But he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.")

(Abram's response to hearing he would have a son in his old age was to believe...and it was credited to him as righteousness. However, Zacharias questioned it...Zacharias did not believe.)

"19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these good tidings.
20 And behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou believedst not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season."

(First, we see that the angel delivering the news was Gabriel. Gabriel was the angel that appeared to Daniel and gave Daniel the Greatest Prophecy in the Bible...the prophecy that predicted the time of the Messiah's being cut off and the completion of the Dispensation of the Law. So, it made sense that Gabriel would be involved in an event related to the prophecy he divulged to Daniel.)

(Second, because Zacharias did not believe Gabriel's words, Zacharias would not be able to speak until these things came to pass. The things Gabriel spoke of was the birth of his son and naming him John.)

CONCLUSION
Zacharias did not believe Gabriel. Consequently, Zacharias would not be able to speak until after his son was named John.

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Luke 1:16-17

2012-01-16T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:14-15. Here was the conclusion:

The angel told Zacharias his son would be great before God because John would essentially be fulfilling the vows of a Nazirite (Numbers 6:1-8). John would not drink wine or strong drink and he would be filled with the Holy Spirit before birth.

However, the angel wasn't done speaking to Zacharias...

Luke 1
"16 And many of the children of Israel shall be turn unto the Lord their God."

(Not all of the Israelites would turn unto the Lord their God...but many would.)

"17 And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him."

(Elijah did not die. God took him to heaven. Elijah will physically return (at the conclusion of the Dispensation of the Law as one of the Two Witnesses) before Jesus physically returns to earth. The Jews knew Elijah would physically return before the Messiah physically returned to establish His kingdom. This verse stated John the Baptist would be the spiritual Elijah. Basically, Elijah spiritually returned before the suspension of the Dispensation of the Law (at Pentecost) and before the Messiah's spiritual kingdom was established: the kingdom of heaven.)

(John the Baptist would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. Currently, statistics show that children are much worse off living without a father than without a mother. For instance, 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes and 85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes. One main attribute of the kingdom of heaven is that fathers are focused on the children.)

(The disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just. Good is an effect of Right and Just. Grace is the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life. Wisdom is the decision...the choice...the How. Grace results in Wisdom. In order to have Grace a person must be humble and obedient. Finally, to walk means to make progress...to grow. So, another main attribute of the kingdom of heaven is that disobedient prideful people will make progress towards good by grace...by the influence of the Holy Spirit.)

(Ultimately, John the Baptist's main objective was to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for Him. Isaiah 40:3a was a prophecy about John the Baptist: "3 The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah;...")

CONCLUSION
John's mission involved:
-being the spiritual Elijah that prepared the way of the Lord
-introducing the kingdom of heaven which included fathers being focused on the children and disobedient prideful people making progress towards good by grace.

Next, Zacharias talked to the angel...

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Luke 1:14-15

2012-01-13T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:8-13. Here was the conclusion:

An angel told Zacharias their supplications had been heard: Elisabeth would bear a son and Zacharias should name him John.

However, the angel wasn't done speaking to Zacharias...

Luke 1
"14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth."

(The angel prophesied that in addition to Zacharias' joy, many would rejoice at the birth of John. Why?)

"15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb."

(John would be great in the sight of God. We know that this would mean he would be seen as lesser by people on earth because his circumstances would not cause the world to consider him "successful". However, John would acquire a lot of Reward by handling well abuse he didn't cause.)

(One example of being blessed in a way that the world doesn't value: John would be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb...before birth. Notice, the prophets had the Holy Spirit within themselves and people killed them.)

(Also, John would not have wine or strong drink. Notice, wine was distinguished from strong drink. The circumstances were similar to the birth of Samson as documented in Judges 13:1-5.)

Judges 13
"1 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
3 And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son."

(This sounded similar to Luke 1:5-13. Zacharias and Elisabeth were childless and lived under the rule of another nation. An angel told them they would bear a son.)

"4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
5 for, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come upon his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

(The angel also said no wine or strong drink for Samson. There were two additional requirements mentioned for Samson: not to eat any unclean thing and not to cut his hair on his head. This was stated as being the requirements for a Nazirite which was describe in Numbers 6:1-7.)

Numbers 6
"1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself unto Jehovah,
3 he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried.
4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the grape-vine, from the kernels even to the husk.
5 All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in which he separateth himself unto Jehovah, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
6 All the days that he separateth himself unto Jehovah he shall not come near to a dead body.
7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his separation unto God is upon his head.
8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto Jehovah."

(The result of taking this vow was that the Nazirite was holy unto God all his days...he would be great before God. John certainly would be holy unto God all his days...especially since he would be filled with the Holy Spirit before birth!)

CONCLUSION
The angel told Zacharias his son would be great before God because John would essentially be fulfilling the vows of a Nazirite (Numbers 6:1-8). John would not drink wine or strong drink and he would be filled with the Holy Spirit before birth.

However, the angel wasn't done speaking to Zacharias...

Next Post

Luke 1:8-13

2012-01-12T00:03:00.004-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Luke 1:1-7. Here was the conclusion:

Around 4 BC, a priest and his wife (Zacharias and Elizabeth) were both righteous before God, childless, and well beyond the years when they could expect to have children.

In today's post, we will continue this portion of the narrative...

Luke 1
"8 Now it came to pass, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9 according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense."

(Zacharias' job was to burn incense in the temple.)

"10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense."

(While Zacharias did this job, everyone was praying...)

"11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of altar of incense.
12 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him."

(Zacharias was in fear because an angel appeared to him.)

"13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John."

(Zacharias and Elisabeth had been asking God for a son. The angel said Elisabeth would bear a son and Zacharias should name him John.)

(We have covered this in the post titled, "Who Caused You To Be Born?". The angel did not cause Elisabeth to become pregnant against her will. First, Zacharias and Elisabeth were in agreement when they asked for Elisabeth to become pregnant. Second, God can prevent people from being born (by closing the womb of the woman or preventing sperm from reaching the egg). God was only responsible for one Person being born (and we will cover this at the end of this month). So, God could prevent all of the sperm that would result in a girl from reaching Elisabeth's egg. Finally, the cause of this son being born would still depend on Zacharias and Elisabeth...which we will see next week.)

CONCLUSION
An angel told Zacharias their supplications had been heard: Elisabeth would bear a son and Zacharias should name him John.

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Luke 1:1-7

2012-01-11T00:03:00.003-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

This week, we have covered the first fifteen verses of Matthew 1. Here was the conclusion:

Matthew 1-15 covered Christ's lineage from Abraham through Jacob...which was the end of the Old Testament.

Today, we will begin covering the events that took place about a year before Jesus' conception...

Luke 1
"1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,
2 even as they delivered them unto us, who from the beginning wer eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,
3 it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus;
4 that thou mightest know the certainty concerning the things wherein thou wast instructed."

(Luke was not one of the twelve disciples. Luke's perspective came about thirty years after Christ's resurrection. He was a physician and used his scientific mind to compile as much of the critical information as possible. His Gospel Account was the most comprehensive and logical presentation of the events during Jesus' time on earth. To that end, Luke doesn't even begin with Jesus...)

"5 There was in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth."

(Luke began with some history from what we refer to as "the silent period of the Bible"...the roughly 400 years between the Old Testament and New Testament. The Big Picture view of the silent period is: Alexander the Great conquered the known world and allowed the Jews to rule themselves in 331 BC. As Daniel predicted, Alexander's kingdom broke into four parts after his death and the portion that was over Israel was conquered by the Romans in 168 BC. In 47 BC Julius Caesar gave Hyrcanus the rights to the high priesthood and Israelites were able to maintain their own culture. In 37 BC Herod the Great became sovereign over Israel and had a Temple built. In 4 BC, Herod the Great died and his son Herod was made ruler over Judea, Samaria, and Edom. during this time a priest named Zacharias was married to Elisabeth...)

(Zacharias was of Abijah...which was mentioned as descendents of Aaron in I Chronicles 24:10 and Nehemiah 12:17. Elisabeth was of the Levites. In fact, Exodus 6:23 stated Aaron's wife was named Elizabeth. Both were of the priesthood.)

"6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."

(BOTH were righteous before God.)

"7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years."

(They didn't have any children and it looked as if they never would.)

CONCLUSION
Around 4 BC, a priest and his wife (Zacharias and Elizabeth) were both righteous before God, childless, and well beyond the years when they could expect to have children.

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Matthew 1:12-15

2012-01-10T00:03:00.001-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post we covered Matthew 1:11. Here was the conclusion:

The first eleven verses of Matthew's Gospel Account covered the events from Abraham up to the captivity...twenty-eight generations from Abraham to Jechoniah: Fourteen generations from Abraham to David...and fourteen from David to the captivity.

Matthew 1
"12 And after the carrying away to Babylon, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel; and Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel;"

(Zerubbabel led the rebuilding of the temple after the captivity. Zerubbabel was also the person who initiated the "trigger event" (from Daniel 9:24-27) that ended the previous dispensation. Daniel was the last book of the Major Prophet Section of the Old Testament.)

"13 and Zerubbabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;"

(Verse 13 covered the time period that was written about in the Minor Prophet Section of the Old Testament from Hosea through Malachi.)

14 and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
15 and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

(Verses 14-15 covered the "silent years"...the years between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament.)

CONCLUSION
Matthew 1-15 covered Christ's lineage from Abraham through Jacob...which was the end of the Old Testament.

Next, we will cover the events that took place about a year before Jesus' conception...

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Matthew 1:1-11

2012-01-09T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

Last week we began with John 1:1-5. Here was the conclusion:
John's enigmatic first five verses of his Gospel Account mirrored the first five verses of the Old Testament to show Jesus was present when the heaven and all the physical matter that would ever exist ("earth") was created.

This week we will begin looking at the chronology from the Gospel Accounts that occurred during the Old Testament...

Matthew 1
"1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

(Matthew's Gospel Account was written to the Jews, consequently he began with a perspective that would mean something to the Jews: Old Testament Doctrine. The phrase "son of David" meant Messiah. The covenant that caused the Jews to be God's People was through Abraham. The Jews referred to him as "Father Abraham"...and Matthew wanted to reinforce Jesus was a Jew.)

"2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren;
3 and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram;"

(Judah begat Perez (a bastard) of Tamar (Judah's daughter-in-law, Genesis 38). Tamar was the first woman referenced by Matthew in the lineage of Christ.)

"4 and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon;
5 and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;"

(Rahab was a prostitute from Canaan (Joshua 2-6) and Ruth was a widow from Moab (Ruth 1-4). Rahab was the second woman referenced by Matthew in the lineage of Christ and Ruth was the third.)

"6 and Jesse begat David the king. And David begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Uriah;"

("Her that had been the wife of Uriah"…this was Bathsheba who was an adulteress (II Samuel 11. Although her name was not mentioned, she is the fourth woman referenced by Matthew in the lineage of Christ.)

"7 and Solomon begat Rehoboam; and Rehoboam begat Abijah; and Abijah begat Asa;
8 and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Uzziah;
9 and Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah;"

(Ahaz passed on the opportunity to ask God for a sign (Isaiah 7). The sign was the prophecy concerning the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:13-15) that we will cover next month.)

"10 and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat Amon; and Amon begat Josiah;"

(Manasseh was the reason God put Judah into captivity (Jeremiah 15:3-6). Notice, Christ's lineage came through the kings of Judah.)

"11 and Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brethren, at the time of the carrying away to Babylon."

(We've seen that Josiah was "The Greatest Old Testament King".)

CONCLUSION
The first eleven verses of Matthew's Gospel Account covered the events from Abraham up to the captivity...twenty-eight generations from Abraham to Jechoniah: Fourteen generations from Abraham to David...and fourteen from David to the captivity.

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Summary John 1:1-5

2012-01-06T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

This week, we covered the first five verses of John 1:

"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not."

We reached the following conclusions about this passage:
-Jesus existed before the creation of heaven and all the physical matter that would ever exist.
-John stated that in Jesus was life and that life was the light of men...the energy and ability to understand.
-When this ability to understand is in the presence of obscurity, those who lack understanding are not able to overcome those who do understand.

We also saw that John stated the story of Jesus began where the Old Testament began: "In the beginning..." However, John stated Jesus was already with God and already was God when the story in the Old Testament began. Let's look at the first five verses of the Old Testament:

Genesis 1
"1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day."

CONCLUSION
John's enigmatic first five verses of his Gospel Account mirrored the first five verses of the Old Testament to show Jesus was present when the heaven and all the physical matter that would ever exist ("earth") was created.

Next week we will begin looking at the chronology from the Gospel Accounts that occurred during the Old Testament...

Next Post

John 1:4-5

2012-01-05T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we saw that Jesus existed before the creation of heaven and all the physical matter that would ever exist.

JOHN 1
"4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not."

In Him (the Word/Jesus) is life. We've seen that life is the ability to Repair.
-Restoration is the ability to bring something back to its original condition.
-Repair is the ability to make something better.

We will need the ability to Repair in order to exist eternally.

John stated the life was the light of men.

Light is energy. Visible light is only a small portion of the energy spectrum.

In the Bible, light also resulted in manifesting or making apparent to all. While, darkness meant obscurity, hidden, lack of manifesting or being apparent.

Finally, the word apprehended was Strong's #2638 katalambano - "to lay seize; to lay hold of with the mind: understand, learn, perceive, comprehend."

CONCLUSION
John stated that in Jesus was life and that life was the light of men...the energy and ability to understand. When this ability to understand is in the presence of obscurity, those who lack understanding are not able to overcome those who do understand.

Tomorrow, we will summarize our look at the first five verses of John by looking at the first five verses of another book of the Bible...

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John 1:2-3

2012-01-04T00:03:00.002-06:00

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we saw that "In the beginning..." Jesus was already with God and Jesus was already God.

JOHN 1
"2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made."

This passage confirms the definition of "In the beginning..."

In order for all things to be made through Jesus, He would have to exist before these things were made.

Jesus would have to had existed before the beginning.

"In the beginning..." (Genesis 1:1) did not refer to the first moment of time. Genesis 1:1 referred to the moment God created all the physical matter that would ever exist. In fact, the word for "earth" in Genesis 1:1 meant exactly that!

"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)

God created the place were He would put His banner (heaven) and He created all the physical matter that would ever exist (earth)...because the next sentence (Genesis 1:2) stated the earth was without form and void. According to Wayne Swokowski, this meant all the physical matter that would ever exist was without a purpose (without logos) and without anything good or bad in it.

In fact, throughout the Creation account in Genesis 1, the definition and etymology of the words used showed there was more than one being present. In fact, in Wayne's podcasts, he explained that God created during the first six days through "agreement and consent of someone else from a thought through others".

Creation can only occur through agreement.

Satan is unable to create. This is a What.

Why can't Satan create?

Satan can't create because he is unable to come into agreement with anyone.

CONCLUSION
Jesus existed before the creation of heaven and all the physical matter that would ever exist.

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John 1:1

2012-01-03T00:03:00.004-06:00

The Gospel Account according to John gave the biggest perspective on Jesus. We will be using his account as our framework...which means we will be fitting the other accounts into John's account.

John was the youngest of the twelve disciples and his account was written the latest of the four accounts...about sixty years after Christ's death and resurrection. Another reason John has the biggest perspective of the Gospel Accounts is his mastery of Doctrine. We've seen with the Series on The Book of Daniel that Daniel's ability to receive and understand the greatest prophecy in the Old Testament was due to his mastery of Doctrine. Likewise, the greatest prophecy recorded in the New Testament is The Book of Revelation written by John...because of his mastery of Doctrine.

In fact, the first sentence of John's account documented the first (chronological) fact about Jesus...and was full of Doctrine.

JOHN 1
"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Genesis 1:1 began with "In the beginning..." The meaning and etymology of beginning in that passage was "shaking, occurrence".

Genesis 1:1 didn't reference the first moment of time. Genesis 1:1 documented what happened when God began shaking the physical realm...which would involve creating the physical realm.

In verse 1, "Word" is Logos. We saw the following definition in the post titled, "The Spoken Word (New Testament)":

Strong's #3056 logos - "from 3004; something said (including the thought); by impl. a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extens. a computation..."

John referred to Jesus as "the Word"...the ultimate thing that was said...the ultimate thing that was thought...the ultimate topic (subject of discourse)...the ultimate reasoning (mental faculty)...the ultimate motive.

CONCLUSION
John stated the story of Jesus began where the Old Testament began: "In the beginning..."

However, John stated Jesus was already with God and already was God when the story in the Old Testament began...

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Introduction To The Gospel Accounts

2012-01-02T00:03:00.002-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This year we're going to combine the four Gospel Accounts and cover them in chronological order.

Last year, as I read Joel Swokowski's Bible Commentary, it became very obvious to me the four Gospel Accounts focused on different time periods of Jesus' three year earthly ministry...and that taken together they give revelatory insight into the story of Jesus' time on earth.

The goal of this year's Series is to present this critical historical period in story form. What I mean by that is currently, while the four Gospel Accounts are all accurate, they appeared to be telling four different stories. They weren't. They were telling the same story from four different perspectives.

Consequently, not only would we have a more full picture taking these accounts together in a chronological fashion, we would also have a greater appreciation if this wasn't done in a rushed fashion. On Joel's blog, which covers the Bible in one year, he allots thirty days to cover these four Gospel Accounts. We are going to take the entire year: A year focused on Jesus.

What this means to you is that Monday through Friday, the posts will be short. We will cover the Bible passage and make comments that give context to the passage. If there is an opportunity to go very deep, links will be provided. The emphasis is on trying to get the experience of having walked with Jesus.

If background or deep Doctrinal explanation is necessary, we will use Friday posts so that you have the weekend to read and study the post.

Tomorrow, we will begin with the Gospel Account that presented the biggest perspective on Jesus...

Next Post

Tongues

2011-12-31T00:03:00.008-06:00

In the previous post, we reached the following conclusion:

Ultimately, the Mind/Soul makes two "first cause" decisions:
1. The Mind/Soul chooses to open or close the nucleus basalis.
2. The Mind/Soul chooses the influence from within the Conscious Brain.

We will conclude this Series with a look at the ultimate effects of choosing to allow the Holy Spirit working through an individual...

You are your Mind/Soul. Your Mind/Soul is Eternal.

This is YOUR First Cause.

EVERYTHING after your choice to think or not think is an EFFECT of your decision. This is YOUR responsibility.

Your flesh desires to be comparative and comfortable.

God, through your spirit, desires you to be contrastive and growing.

Your Mind/Soul casts the deciding vote between God and your flesh.

The Ultimate decision is to realize you are flawed and the ONLY way to be Righteous is for YOU to choose to let God direct your actions. This is GRACE.

Yes, God alone is able to make our actions Good, NOT us. However, this does NOT happen UNLESS we FIRST CHOOSE to let God direct our actions. God cannot cause us to receive GRACE against our will. GOD'S WORD stated God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.

THAT FIRST CHOICE IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

We can get judged for the choice our Mind/Soul makes.

All three influences (God, flesh, Mind/Soul) battle it out in your Brain.

The battlefield is NOT the Mind...it is the Brain!

We saw Spiritual Warfare takes place in the Brain! Strongholds are in the Brain...NOT the Mind/Soul. Spiritual Warfare is fought with WORDS and THOUGHTS (which are made up of WORDS). The Brain files away information in terms of WORDS.

We are also responsible for the Brain we have.

ALL of this justifies God and blames ourselves.

ANY explanation that justifies ourselves will result in blaming God...which is idolatry.

When the Holy Spirit flows through an immature Christian or immediately after a Christian has made an immature decision, the effect is conviction:

Notice, the Christian ought to respond to conviction by confessing and repenting. The fact that the individual sins is NOT what determines his Salvation. I John 1:8-10 stated we all sin. (We have seen this is First Dimensional Sin.) Salvation is determined by the individual's response to his sin. If the individual rationalizes and justifies himself, he is in pride and not saved. (We have seen this is Second Dimensional Sin.) If the individual confesses his sin, then I John 1:9 stated God is faithful and righteous to cleanse the individual from all unrighteousness that he has as an effect of this sin.

Remember, the Holy Spirit convicts. The Holy Spirit doesn't condemn. If you feel condemnation, it is not from the Holy Spirit. (For more information, look at this post titled, "Conviction vs. Condemnation".)

If we look at the line at the bottom of the diagram as a spectrum from Christian immaturity to full Christian maturity, then this most basic proof that the Holy Spirit dwells within the individual could also be called "Grace"...because responding well to conviction leads to the individual retaining his Salvation. Notice, this effect is in response to sin...

The next most mature effect would be for the individual to allow the Holy Spirit to initiate a good effect through the individual. The most basic effect the Holy Spirit can physically do through a believer is known as "speaking in tongues"...

Notice, the individual is unable to speak in tongues from their Amygdala because the Amygdala responds with physical movement and clouding the Conscious Brain. The individual is unable to speak in tongues from their Unconscious Brain because the Unconscious Brain does not work according to words. The individual is only able to speak in tongues through their Conscious Brain (because it works according to words), however, the Mind/Soul cannot speak in tongues intentionally with the Conscious Brain because the words would have to make sense to the individual and be rehearsed...these words wouldn't flow.

The ONLY way for the individual to speak in tongues is for another influence to speak through the Conscious Brain of the individual.

The reason that Christians run from speaking in tongues is that they don't understand it. They may think they do, but just like Christians think their kids who grow up in the church understand Christianity, the proof they don't is 89% of teenagers who grew up in the church leave the church once they graduate high school. These adults don't truly understand the WHY/HOW well enough to see a value in continuing to grow while attending church.

Likewise, many Christians think that speaking in tongues is from the Unconscious Brain which would make it an effect of the enemy. THAT is a dangerous declaration...

Remember, Jesus stated that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was stating that a miracle done by the Holy Spirit that had obvious benefits was actually an act done by the enemy. When a person does an obviously beneficial act by the Holy Spirit and someone attributes the benefit to Satan, that someone may be beginning the process of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

In the last ten years, most of the people who exhibited this basic proof of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit were attending Pentecostal churches. Today, many of these people who have spoken in tongues are going to non-Pentecostal churches and no longer speaking in tongues. Why? I believe it is the same reason as teenagers raised in the church running from church once they become adults: they don't understand the WHY/HOW.

Ultimately, this all comes back to not UNDERSTANDING Grace: the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life. EVERYTHING that is covered in this post is an effect of GRACE. The enemy has caused the church to be deceived with a man-made definition of Grace ("unmerited favor")...and the effect is that we can't explain the WHY/HOW of tongues.

Let's look at a couple of basic scriptures. First, here is how the Gospel Account of Mark concluded:

"14 And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.
17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen." (Mark 16:14-20)

Jesus stated one of the basic signs that are an effect of belief (an effect of having the Holy Spirit direct actions) is speaking with new tongues. This does not mean a person is not saved if they don't speak in tongues. This means that a person has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit if they do speak in tongues.

Second, here is the passage that documented the beginning of our dispensation:

"1 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

(The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues...as the Spirit gave them utterance. The disciples were taking direction from the Holy Spirit to the point the Holy Spirit physically spoke a language through each of them that each of them did not understand with their Conscious Brain.)

"5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born?
9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
10 in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?"

(Notice, a person would be speaking in tongues...and each person not speaking in tongues when they heard that person heard about the mighty works of God in their own language...and they knew that others who didn't speak in tongues were hearing the same person state mighty works of God in their own language. Remember, we hear with our brains...not our ears. These people heard logical and powerful declarations in their own language from a person speaking in tongues...and realized someone else who spoke a different language was hearing logical and powerful declarations about God from the same person.)

"13 But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine."

(The Bible stated those who didn't believe and tried to rationalize away the power of speaking in tongues were MOCKERS.)

"14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words.
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:"

(Peter stated this event was spoken of by the prophet Joel.)

"17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams:"

(Today, the Holy Spirit is upon all flesh. The Holy Spirit dwells within believers. These disciples were full of the Holy Spirit.)

"18 Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath; Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable day.
21 And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:1-21)

It makes sense that the FIRST effect the disciples demonstrated as an effect of being full of the Holy Spirit...as an effect of allowing the Holy Spirit to physically direct them...would be to speak in tongues. This is a Spiritual Gift. Let's look at a key chapter from Paul in order to understand the importance of Spiritual Gifts...

"1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant."

(Paul blatantly stated the point of the following discussion was to make sure Christians weren't ignorant concerning Spiritual Gifts.)

"2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might led.
3 Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit."

(Paul stated that before these people were believers...before they were led by the Holy Spirit through their Conscious Brain...they were led by dumb idols in a random, illogical way (Unconscious Brain). However, Paul stated that no man speaking according to the Holy Spirit can say something negative about Jesus.)

"4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all.
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal."

(The purpose of Spiritual Gifts is so that others may Profit. NOT so that the individual doing the Spiritual Gift Profits. There are a lot of effects of the Holy Spirit that are called Spiritual Gifts. Here is a list...)

"8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:
9 to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;
10 and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will."

(Notice, nine effects were listed. Speaking in tongues and interpreting the tongues were two of these nine gifts. Notice, there are some gifts that people consider to be Big Gifts: healings, miracles, prophecy...while the rest of the gifts are considered to be second tier: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. Paul said they all come from the same Spirit...and to this point Paul presented them as unique and equal...)

"12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.
13 For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now they are many members, but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you."

(Paul compared the gifts to parts of the body. Paul stated that looking down on any of the gifts was proof a person was misguided.)

"22 Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary:
23 and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness;
24 whereas our comely parts have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked;"

(Notice, the parts of our body that are necessary are NOT comely/attractive: heart, brain, lungs, liver, kidney, stomach. However, the parts of our body that are attractive are NOT necessary: eyes, hair, nose, teeth, etc. Paul warned us that those gifts that people are attracted to...the Big Gifts...are not necessary...and those gifts that people aren't attracted to are more necessary.)

"25 that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

(Paul made the point that the principle that ought to guide us is whether we are caring for each other or not.)

"27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you." (I Corinthians 12:1-31)

(There is an order to the Spiritual Gifts as it relates to the Church (Apostles begin the process, etc.), however Paul stated that everyone ought to desire earnestly the greater gifts. What are the greater gifts? What are the Spiritual Gifts that actually ought to be desired? Wouldn't it be the effects seen from a fully mature Christian?)

The ensuing chapter was an aside by Paul to explain the most excellent way (HOW): love. Before Paul explained the greater gifts, he reinforced that HOW these gifts ought to be used was with love.

Remember, love is the giving of a value to another without expecting anything in return from the person to whom you gave the value. Love benefits others in the Long Term. Likewise, the greater gifts ought to benefit others. In fact, the proof that these gifts are greater is THAT they benefit others. Remember, doing Big Gifts that are attractive benefits the person doing the gift...

Let's see what Paul believed were the greater gifts...

"1 Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy."

(Prophesying is the greater gift. Notice, this is NOT prophecy. Paul explained it...)

"2 For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries."

(When a person speaks in tongues, they do not do it for the benefit of others. They do it for the benefit of themselves. Think about a baby that begins to talk. When the baby first speaks what looks to us like gibberish, how does the parent react? The parent gets excited. Why? Is the parent benefiting from the baby's gibberish. No. Who is benefiting? The baby. The parent is encouraging the baby to continue practicing in hopes that the baby will speak something intelligent. However, until the baby speaks something the parent can understand, the person benefiting from this gibberish is the baby. Likewise, people speaking in tongues are benefiting themselves.)

"3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and consolation."

(Prophesying is speaking words by the Holy Spirit that are understood and lead to edification, exhortation, and consolation. This sounds A LOT like word of wisdom and word of knowledge.)

"4 He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church."

(Notice, Paul blatantly stated the person who speaks in tongues benefits themselves. The person who speaks a word of wisdom and a word of knowledge by the Holy Spirit benefits the church.)

"5 Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying."

(Paul blatantly stated that he would want everyone to speak in tongues. Why? Because there is a personal benefit and now we can see it is a step towards being able to do the greater gifts. Paul even stated that interpreting tongues would be considered as a greater gift if it led to prophesying. Let's see how this would look according to our diagram...)

(Now we see that speaking in tongues essentially "primes the pump"...it gets the Holy Spirit flowing through a person on a minimal physical level in preparation of giving the Holy Spirit more control. However, in order to do the greater gift, a person must be able to understand the Holy Spirit to a higher degree in their Conscious Brain. Again, it is not the person's Conscious Brain creating the word of wisdom or the word of knowledge. If it was, the person would be able to explain the stimulus that caused the Complex Thought. Instead, the person ought to be speaking revelation by the Holy Spirit. Revelation means words without a precedent/cause. Grace is a causeless complex thought. The greater gifts are also causeless complex thoughts that benefit others. Remember, as you read the rest of what Paul stated, that speaking in tongues is a step towards being able to do the greater gifts ...)

"6 But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?
7 Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war?
9 So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air."

(Paul compared the Profitability of speaking in tongues with the Profitability of hearing a musical sound without understanding. Both tongues and music are sounds that require understanding in order to benefit others.)

"10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification.
11 If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me."

(Paul also compared the Profitability of tongues with the profitability of hearing a language you don't understand.)

"12 So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church."

(The greater gifts benefit everyone else.)

"13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16 Else if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest?
17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified."

(Paul continued to emphasize that helping everyone UNDERSTAND was an effect of the greater gifts. Notice, miracles and healings don't lead to everyone UNDERSTANDING.)

"18 I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all:"

(PAUL SPOKE IN TONGUES MORE THAN EVERYONE HE WROTE TO.)

"19 howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue."

(Paul said five words of UNDERSTANDING were greater than 10,000 words in tongues. Notice, healings and miracles don't even enter into this conversation.)

"20 Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men."

(The KJV uses the word UNDERSTANDING in place of "mind". Paul BLATANTLY told us to be ADULTS in our MIND/UNDERSTANDING. I know people who try to say we are supposed to have childlike faith. The Bible NEVER stated this. Jesus said we ought to be HUMBLE like children...which spoke to GRACE, not FAITH. Faith was this list of Spiritual Gifts. Faith is based on UNDERSTANDING and EXPERIENCE. Being ADULTS in MIND/UNDERSTANDING would also cause us to be ADULTS in Faith. ALL of this would require us to be masters of WORDS and DEFINITIONS. ALL of this would require us to be masters of finding this influence from the Holy Spirit in our Conscious Brain.)

"21 In the law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; and not even thus will they hear me, saith the Lord.
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.
23 If therefore the whole church be assembled together and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad?"

(Paul referenced scripture to show that God meant tongues to be a sign to unbelievers...like it was at Pentecost. At Pentecost, 3000 people got saved as an effect of witnessing the disciples speaking in tongues.)

"24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by all;
25 the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed."

(Paul clarified that prophesying would involved making manifest a secret only known by the unbeliever. So prophesying would also be a sign to the unbeliever and lead to conversion.)

"26 What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying."

(Paul's metric for what ought to be done was whether it edified others.)

"27 If any man speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and that in turn; and let one interpret:
28 but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
29 And let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others discern."

(Paul didn't want people speaking without understanding. He put in a guideline that after every two or three people spoke a word in tongues everyone ought to wait for an interpretation...otherwise, they had not spoken for edification and needed to stop. Notice, prophets were given the same guideline. Prophecy is a revelatory statement about future events. Prophets are also very attractive in the church. However, prophets were required to go through the same testing as people speaking in tongues. Prophecy could be seen as prophesying if the prophecy leads to edification, exhortation, or consolation. However, not all prophecy is prophesying. Notice what takes precedence...)

"30 But if a revelation be made to another sitting by, let the first keep silence.
31 For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted;"

(Notice, this guideline did NOT exist for those prophesying (all could do it one by one...not twos and threes) because understanding was part of each presentation of prophesying!)

"32 and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;
33 for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,"

(Paul stated that prophets should be able to explain their prophecy so that it edifies, otherwise it will lead to confusion...and could not have been from God because God would not speak through the individual to cause confusion. Notice, the prophetic visions that are documented in the Bible were visions that occurred in the Conscious Brain. The prophet can describe with words what stimuli they were receiving, what they thought, how they responded, and how angels or God responded back...all with logic. We saw the New Age beliefs have crept into the church today by teaching how to "soak" or "meditate" in our Unconscious. Actually, it appears the way to "soak" and have a spiritual experience with God would be to do this in our Conscious Brain. Not by repeating a word that is not a word...but by remaining completely Conscious and stating our will towards God the Father. However, a person would have to know God's Nature in order to state their will towards the correct God. Also, the kingdom of heaven is HERE...it is NOW. The kingdom of heaven is a spiritual kingdom. This means it can be physically within reach of your hand, but in a spiritual dimension...and the way to that spiritual dimension would be through your spirit which is attached to your Conscious Brain. The New Age practices are a perversion of the truth. People who don't understand the WHY/HOW of what is written in this post will lump both practices together and declare what the prophets and John as having done as being from Satan...which can be a very dangerous thing to do.)

(Speaking a word in tongues and speaking prophecy need to be checked for edification and UNDERSTANDING, otherwise it does not benefit everyone. Prophesying is the greater gift because it benefits everyone.)

"34 let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law.
35 And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.
36 What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?"

(Paul's example is that wives ought to ask their questions at home from their husbands. We've seen this was done to benefit the marriage because husbands ought to teach their wives the word of God (Ephesians 5). However, Paul was using this analogy to support his point that there shouldn't be confusion in church because of Spiritual Gifts...just like there shouldn't be confusion in church from wives asking questions during the service.)

"37 If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.
38 But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant."

(Paul's admonition was specifically to prophets. Paul knew this was an attractive gift and could lead to confusion if the gift was presented without UNDERSTANDING. Paul wanted those who thought they were prophets to take knowledge of his guidelines because they are the commandment of God. Paul stated that if a person didn't know if they were a prophet, they ought to stay not knowing this. This admonition to prophets was separate from the conclusion of this chapter which was stated in contrastive fashion from the admonition...)

"39 Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
40 But let all things be done decently and in order." (I Corinthians 14:1-40)

Paul wanted people who thought they were prophets to be careful and those who didn't know if they were prophets to stay ignorant...BUT he wanted EVERYONE to desire earnestly to prophesy (because it is the GREATER GIFT)...and Paul wanted EVERYONE to not forbid speaking in tongues (because it was the step before being able to prophesy).

CONCLUSION
Jesus said tongues were a sign that followed believers.

The proof that the disciples were full of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was speaking in tongues.

Paul stated that he spoke in tongues more than others and did not want people to forbid the speaking of tongues.

However, Paul recognized speaking in tongues was not beneficial to others...just the person speaking in tongues. Paul stated ALL believers ought to desire earnestly the greater gifts which was prophesying...

...which was word of wisdom, word of knowledge, and (sometimes) interpretation of tongues and prophecy.

Paul realized miracles, healings, and prophecy were attractive gifts, however these didn't just benefit others...because they are attractive they benefit the doer of these signs...which makes them NOT the greater gifts.

ALL of this is impossible to understand without having a correct definition for Grace: the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life. The reason many people who used to speak in tongues don't currently reside in Pentecostal churches is because they don't understand the WHY/HOW of tongues because these churches are preaching a man-made doctrine of Grace.

Next Post

The Flesh vs. The Spirit

2011-12-30T00:03:00.002-06:00

In the previous post we covered the Human Thinking Model when being influenced by the Holy Spirit:

Here was the conclusion:

The effect of the Mind/Soul choosing to allow the Holy Spirit's supernatural influence to reflect in the life of the individual is Grace, Love, and Power.

In this post, we will look at the two decisions for which the Mind/Soul is ultimately responsible.

Decision #1: The Mind/Soul chooses to open or close the nucleus basalis.

Let's look at each effect...

-CLOSE
If the Mind/Soul chooses to close the nucleus basalis, the individual can only act according to the Model for Animal Thinking:

Choosing to close your nucleus basalis is choosing to act according to the flesh.

There are two implications from this choice:
1. Possession - This is how people become demonically possessed. When we close the nucleus basalis, we allow any influence into our Unconscious Brain. In order for a person to become possessed, he would have intentionally close his nucleus basalis and state his will to open himself up to the spirit realm.

Unfortunately today, there are a lot of "mainstream Christian" churches telling people to spend time opening themselves up to the spiritual realm while trying to remain unconscious. This is a New Age practice that has its roots in Eastern Religion. For example, Transcendental Meditation is done by first creating a word that has no meaning. Then, the individual repeats this word for 20-30 minutes with their eyes closed. Notice, the Conscious Brain cannot process this word as a stimulus because it has no meaning. Repeating this "word without a meaning" results in the nucleus basalis closing and the individual spending the time Unconscious...which is the main tenet behind Eastern Religions: trying not to be conscious. Today, these techniques are being taught in "mainstream Christian" churches, but instead of a word without meaning, people are encouraged to focus on the sound of a letter in "Christian" words...for example, the "a" sound in "amen", "abba", etc. The intent is the same: become unconscious.

2. Being Led By Feelings - When a person can't explain WHY he is doing something and states he just feels it is right, the individual is most likely being led by their flesh. The Unconscious Brain works according to feelings without words. My experience is that if a person says he is being led by God (or an influence) and he is unwilling to put the influence into words, then it is most likely he is being led by his flesh. This is especially true when the individual refuses to question the influence to find out the WHY.

Notice, choosing to operate according to the Flesh makes you PREDICTABLE.

This is FATE...DETERMINISM.

Choosing to close your nucleus basalis is choosing to give up your FREE WILL.

We covered this in detail in the post titled, "Third Dimensional Sin". Here is a brief review:

Choosing to open or close the nucleus basalis is actually a choice to think (open) or not think (close).

The individual CHOOSES to consciously think or not think.

If the individual chooses to think, the RESULT is an effect of CHOICE.

If the individual chooses NOT to think, the RESULT is fate...the individual is limited.

BOTH of these RESULTS occurred in the Bible. Consequently, Determinists and people who believe in choice can BOTH support their beliefs by pointing to EFFECTS in the Bible. However, a belief is a cause...not an effect. Calvinsim is not a belief...it is an effect.

If CHOICE didn't exist at all, then people would not be responsible for their actions and the DETERMINISTS can NEVER get upset at anyone...or attempt to convince, encourage, or educate anyone. This is the Ultimate hypocrisy, which is the Ultimate Second Dimensional sin. If Calvninists are right, they still aren't going to Heaven because they are hypocrites!

If someone attempts to say some choice exists, then CHOICE must be the First Cause, because CHOICE cannot be an effect of Determinism. That is contradictory.

Ultimately, Calvinism attempts to make CHOICE as a cause cease to exist by encouraging you to choose not to believe in choice. This is First Dimensional sin (deny CHOICE as a cause) and a Second Dimensional sin (encouraging others to choose not to believe).

Actually, choosing to believe in Calvinism denies you the effects of choice...it is choosing fate.

In our dispensation, the perfect decision is to let God work through you by the Holy Spirit. The Ultimate decision is to realize you are flawed and the ONLY way to be Righteous is for YOU to choose to let God direct your actions. This is GRACE.

The Holy Spirit is untamed...unpredictable...the OPPOSITE of Deterministic.

We have seen Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit occurs when someone observes a work of the Holy Spirit and credits it to demonic forces.

The Holy Spirit is the Ultimate example of CHOICE.

Claiming someone is being controlled by the enemy is the Ultimate example of Determinism.

Ultimately, denying the ability of the Holy Spirit AND attributing this Ultimate example of CHOICE to the enemy is the worst sin...because it is ultimately a Third Dimensional sin.

The second effect of Decision #1 is...

-OPEN
If the Mind/Soul chooses to open the nucleus basalis, then the Mind/Soul is able to make Decision #2...

Decision #2: The Mind/Soul chooses the influence from within the Conscious Brain.

Let's look at each influence...

-CONSCIOUS BRAIN
If the Conscious Brain is itself the influence, then there is a possibility a stronghold from the enemy could actually be making the decision. The devil cannot put ideas into your Conscious Brain against your will. However, the devil can get ideas into your Conscious Brain through Deception (Right What with a Wrong (or no) How/Why)...through the individual choosing to allow the information from the devil into the Conscious Brain.

We studied strongholds during the Spiritual Warfare Series. Here are several posts that give more details on how strongholds are formed:
Forming Strongholds: Emotions
Forming Strongholds: Facts
Strongholds: The Flesh

-MIND/SOUL
If the Mind/Soul is itself the influence, then this is a work in our own strength. If the Mind/Soul is in pride, then the individual can believe what he is doing is right and beyond question. However, this is idolatry...putting one's self in place of God. This is easier to do than most people realize...

In Genesis 1, during the first five days of creation, God initiated His Will. There was nothing preceding God's creation for each of the first five days. On the sixth day, God created humans:

"26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food:
30 and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for food: and it was so.
31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." (Genesis 1:26-31)

Notice, in verse 26 God stated "let them have dominion" and in verse 28 God told them to "have dominion". If at that very moment, Adam and Eve took dominion over everything, there would have been a conflict: God had initiated His Will for six days...and was now stating that humans could initiate their will. Both God and humans couldn't actually be initiating their will at the same time...otherwise, we would have the contradictions religious people disagree over today: If God can initiate His Will, then why is there evil in the world?

Genesis 1 concluded with God stating that everything He had made was very good. So, whatever the arrangement God created, not only was it good...it was very good. Let's look at the very next verses...

Genesis 2
"1 And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made." (Genesis 2:1-3)

Wayne Swokowski has taught me the definitions and etymology of the key words in these verses. When it stated that God rested, this means God "ceased from His occupation of being a First Cause". God ceased having dominion...God ceased initiating His Will. From the seventh day on, God responds through justice. Man is a first cause...specifically, the Mind/Soul is a first cause.

The reason Determinism isn't true is that humans are currently a first cause (with their Mind/Soul). For those who would point to Prophecy, we've covered both Simple Prophecy and Complex Prophecy...how God knows the future effects if the causes have already exist. Here are links to these posts:
Prophecy Introduction
Simple Prophecy
Complex Prophecy

This idea of "rest" continues today. Here is an excerpt from Joel Swokowski's Bible Commentary covering Hebrews 4:3-6...

3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;

(God rested on the seventh day from His work. The word "rest" in this verse is katapausis. Rest comes after work; rest without work is sloth. Furthermore, for six days God initiated His Will. God was "All-Powerful"...everything He did was a "first cause". God created man on the sixth day...and then God stated, "let them have dominion" over everything: Genesis 1:26. On the seventh day, we have an apparent contradiction: God has dominion and man has dominion. Only one can truly act as a first cause and initiate their will. Paul referenced Genesis 2:1-3 which stated on the seventh day, God rested from all His work. In that passage, rest meant "ceased from His occupation of being a first cause". During the seventh day, God chose to stop initiating His Will so that man could initiate his will. Throughout this Bible Commentary, we have seen that from the seventh day even until now, God does not initiate His Will...God responds through Justice. God being "All-Powerful" means that God has complete control over everything that does not have a will: the weather, animals, inanimate objects. Paul stated that those who believe also enter into the same rest that God is currently resting in. Christians ought to be resting like God is resting. What does that mean? This is critical because Paul stated believers ought to be doing this...)

5 and in this place again, They shall not enter into my rest.

(However, Paul again referenced Psalm 95:7-11...which he had referenced repeatedly in the previous chapters. This passage was referenced to show that not everyone will actually be saved...)

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience,

(Paul stated the reason people fail to enter into the same rest as God will be due to disobedience. Again, understanding what this rest is critical to being a believer.)

When we rest from our work...when we take direction from the Holy Spirt (Grace), then we are able to be saved...which leads to the third option of Decision #2...

HOLY SPIRIT
In the previous post, we covered the result when the influence from the Holy Spirit is followed.

Here is a diagram showing Decision #1 (denoted by the "1") and Decision #2 (denoted by the "2"):

Ultimately, these two decisions are really a choice by the Mind/Soul to follow the Flesh or the Spirit:

Notice, the Mind/Soul and Conscious Brain could do a work and intentionally choose to do something in opposition to the flesh (signified by the dotted line to the right)...or it can intentionally choose to sin (signified by the dotted line to the left).

CONCLUSION
Ultimately, the Mind/Soul makes two "first cause" decisions:
1. The Mind/Soul chooses to open or close the nucleus basalis.
2. The Mind/Soul chooses the influence from within the Conscious Brain.

Next, we have a special Weekend post to conclude this Series...

Next Post

The Will of God

2011-12-29T00:03:00.002-06:00

In a previous post, we looked at GRACE relative to the Model for Human Thinking:

Here were the conclusions from the above diagram:

1. The Holy Spirit speaks into our Conscious Brain through our spirit.

2 We have to choose to look for the influence in our Conscious Brain that is not of ourself...an influence that is not our Conscious Brain and not our Mind/Soul.

3. Consciously choose to focus the nucleus basalis on the influence and cycle it through the First Feedback Loop.

4. Grace results in our looping in order to understand (Faith), not to build a Complex Thought.

Salvation is by Grace through Faith...just what we have illustrated in this post. There are some immediate results of our Salvation...or our first choice in letting this to be reflected in our lives.

In today's post, we will look at what happens after this influence from the Holy Spirit leaves the Amygdala.

Above, we see that the influence from the Holy Spirit is sent to the Amygdala. When the influence is emotional, the result is Emotion and Physical Action (Do). When the influence is logical, the result is Logic and Speaking Action (Say).

Remember, the Holy Spirit's influence is God's Will. This is one way God accomplishes His Will on earth: through people who are humble and allow Him to influence their actions.

When the Holy Spirit's supernatural influence that is God's Will is sent to the Amygdala, the result is Understanding beyond Logic...it is Super Logical...

During the Salvation Series, we saw that Grace always results in killing the flesh...which was referred to as removing dust. In the previous post, we saw an effect of Salvation by Grace through Faith is LOVE.

Love is the giving of a value to an individual without expecting anything in return from the individual to whom the value was given.

Love is an action that is the opposite of our flesh and our logic. It is Super Logical. Notice, it is also done with an attitude that is the opposite of our flesh and our logic. It is Super Emotional. It results in a peace that passes all understanding...

Ultimately, the supernatural influence from the Holy Spirit when it is allowed to reflect in the life of the individual is Grace and results in Love...which accomplishes God's Will.

Accomplishing God's Will is the ultimate example of the ability to make something happen. What is the word whose definition is "the ability to make something happen"?

Power is the ability to make something happen.

CONCLUSION
The effect of the Mind/Soul choosing to allow the Holy Spirit's supernatural influence to reflect in the life of the individual is Grace, Love, and Power.

In the next post, we will look at the two decisions for which the Mind/Soul is ultimately responsible...

Next Post

Human Thinking Model: Salvation

2011-12-28T00:03:00.001-06:00

In the previous post, we looked at GRACE relative to the Model for Human Thinking:

Here were the conclusions from the above diagram:

1. The Holy Spirit speaks into our Conscious Brain through our spirit.

2 We have to choose to look for the influence in our Conscious Brain that is not of ourself...an influence that is not our Conscious Brain and not our Mind/Soul.

3. Consciously choose to focus the nucleus basalis on the influence and cycle it through the First Feedback Loop.

4. Grace results in our looping in order to understand (Faith), not to build a Complex Thought.

Salvation is by Grace through Faith...just what we have illustrated in this post. There are some immediate results of our Salvation...or our first choice in letting this to be reflected in our lives.

In today's post, we will cover these immediate effects that occur with Salvation.

This post will present a brief explanation on each effect of Salvation and offer links for those who want details. The point of this post, is to "demystify" the Doctrinal terms used in relation to Salvation. There are six steps...

1. Conversion
Salvation comes by Grace through Faith.

Grace is "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life". It is represented in the above diagram by the lines coming from the Holy Spirit and going to the amygdala.

Faith is a belief in something you can't see because it is invisible and/or it hasn't happened yet. Faith is proven in actions. Faith is built by understanding and experience...both of which are in the Conscious Brain.

Faith is represented by the dotted line from the Mind/Soul to the line from the Holy Spirit.

There are two requirements for Salvation:
1. Humility - the individual must humble their Mind/Soul and take direction from the Holy Spirit (which is the first part of the Grace).
2. Faith - the individual must check the influence and intentionally allow it to reflect in the life as actions (which is the second part of the Grace).

The Holy Spirit is upon ALL flesh today.

Conversion is when the individual states their will to allow the Holy Spirit to dwell within the individual. Like the sperm fertilizes the egg to create the physical individual, the Holy Spirit fertilizes the individual to create a being born from above...born again.

Links
Jonathan Fries' Doctrinal Blog:
Doctrine #42: Salvation
Doctrine #41: Grace
Doctrine #20: Faith

We did a month long Series on Salvation that began with this post: "Resolution".

Within that Series, the posts that specifically dealt with Salvation were:
-Salvation
-By Grace Through Faith
-Salvation Overview
-Salvation: OT vs. NT

2. Union with Christ
The Holy Spirit is the representative of Jesus Christ today while Jesus is away making a place for believers. Having the Holy Spirit abiding (dwelling) within you puts you in union with Christ. In fact, it is a union at a complete level...which the Bible calls "Fellowship".

Links
Jonathan Fries' Doctrinal Blog
Doctrine #50 Fellowship

The initial posts covering this topic were:
-Fellowship
-Fellowship With God

We also looked at "Three Way Fellowship", which is Fellowship between two people who both are in Fellowship with God.

In fact, we did a miniseries on this topic during last year's Series. Here are the posts:
-Both Sides of Three Way Fellowship
-Unprofitable Three Way Fellowship
-More Warnings Against Unprofitable Three Way Fellowship
-James 4: Three Way Fellowship Summary
-Jesus' Fellowship With God
-Jesus' Examples of Three Way Fellowship

3. Regeneration
The Holy Spirit is known as the Spirit of Truth.

Jesus stated He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Being in union with Christ results in Life...which is the ability to repair. Notice, restoration is the act of bringing something back to its original condition. Repair is the act of bringing something to a state better than the original.

The effect of being in union with the Truth is that the individual is repaired...which is also known as Regeneration.

The individual receives a new life because they've received a new Nature. The Nature of the Trinity is always completely Right and always completely Just.

Our nature is NOT Right and NOT Just...

Links
Jonathan Fries' Doctrinal Blog:
Doctrine #51: Life
Doctrine #28: Truth

The initial post on this topic was titled, "Life".

We've also looked at specifically "How To Repair" which covered a specific measure I called, "IN, UP, AND THROUGH".

Finally, all of this was covered in a post called, "Repair Means Repentance". That post was the third part of a model that covers ALL of our interactions with God and people. The first two parts were covered in a post titled, "Sharing and Abuse"

Truth was covered in an exhaustive post from January 2008 titled, "Truth". In that post, I shared some of the examples of national ministries that speak about the importance of Truth, yet cannot (and will not) share their definition of Truth.

Here is another post that covered, "Truth vs. Facts".

4. Justification
The new Nature allows God to declare us as Right which puts us in a new standing with God.

The new Nature within us results in Righteous and Just Actions.

The ultimate Righteous and Just Actions are giving to others without expecting anything in return from the one to whom you gave...which is the definition of Love. Love is the end of the Law. Love is the ultimate effect.

When we Love, there is NO WAY we can be wrong and/or unjust.

Links
Jonathan Fries' Doctrinal Blog:
Love
God's Nature

This is such an critical Doctrine, we did an entire month's Series in four weekly posts:
-Love
-Love Is The Ultimate Effect
-I Love You
-Love Applications

We have covered God's Nature in several posts. Here are the main ones:

This post gives the Model For God.

Here are two posts covering the process for discovering the Model for God: My Story and Modeling God.

This model showed that God is Right-Right. God is not only Right in WHAT He does...God is also Right in HOW/WHY He does it.

In fact, we saw that God is Always and Completely Right and Just.

5. Adoption
God then adopts us children of God...with all the benefits and privileges that come with this new standing.

This post is an excellent summary of the previous effects: Friendship, Fellowship, Love, and Grace.

Notice, Friendship is mentioned...which is a very high level of Fellowship...like being a child of God. Here are several posts that explain the Biblical Doctrine of Friend:
Friend
New Testament Friend
Old Testament Friend

6. Sanctification
Adoption sets apart from the world...which is the definition of sanctification.

This is the last step...however, sanctification is itself a process that continues forever. We ought to continually make progress in this process...which causes us to be further set apart from others. The measure for this is Profitability.

We did an entire Series on Spiritual Maturity...which is Biblical Sanctification. Here are the posts explaining in the four stages of Spiritual Maturity:
Stage Alone
Stage Two
Stage Three
Stage Four

In the next post we will look at what happens once the influence from the Holy Spirit leaves the Amygdala...

Next Post

The Complex Causeless Thought

2011-12-27T00:03:00.001-06:00

In the previous post, we saw how the Holy Spirit can be the Seventh Stimulus.

The Holy Spirit is upon all flesh ever since Pentecost. When the individual becomes a believer, the Holy Spirit dwells inside the individual. The way the Holy Spirit communicates with the individual's Conscious Brain is through the individual's spirit. This makes the person's spirit the adaptor between God's Spirit (Holy Spirit) and their Conscious Brain.

In this post, we will see the Holy Spirit is able to serve as a Stimulus to the Conscious Brain, however, the effect on the First Feedback Loop takes on a different progression from the first six stimuli. Here is the progression:

1. The Holy Spirit speaks into our Conscious Brain through our spirit:

2 We have to choose to look for the influence in our Conscious Brain that is not of ourself...

...an influence that is not our Conscious Brain and not our Mind/Soul. This is why it is a tremendous value to get Resolution between your Mind/Soul and your Conscious Brain.

The influence being from our Conscious Brain would include influences from our flesh that are strongholds in our Conscious Brain...which ultimately comes from the enemy.

The influence being from our Mind/Soul would be idolatry...making our very being the replacement for the Holy Spirit which is God in us.

Here is how I represent this step:

Faith (understanding and experience...which both reside in the Conscious Brain) ought to be used to test the influence. If the influence is contradictory (relative to our understanding and/or experience) then it is not from the Holy Spirit. However, the main test is:

3. Consciously choose to focus the nucleus basalis on the influence and cycle it through the First Feedback Loop.

When we cycle a Full Thought that we have created, the result is a Complex Thought that becomes more complex with each cycling. However, the Holy Spirit influences us with "ready made" Complex Thoughts...

...so cycling this Complex Thought through the First Feedback Loop will result in its complexity being reduced because we don't have the preceding thoughts. The Holy Spirit influences us with a "Causeless Thought"...a thought without anything preceding it...which is the definition of revelatory.

The Holy Spirit's influence is known as Grace...and it comes as a Complex Causeless Thought...and cycling it through the First Feedback Loop results in the simplification of the Complex Thought teaching us a new WHY/HOW with each cycle.

We covered this in during the Brain Series. Here is an excerpt from the post titled, "The Seventh Stimulus":

During the previous six stimuli, the first completion of the First Feedback Loop results in a Full Thought. If we want a Complex Thought, we need to cycle the Full Thought through the First Feedback Loop as a stimulus...the more we cycle, the more complex the thought can become. The result will be a focused thought (conclusion) supported by numerous implications.

You see this when someone shares the focused thought (conclusion) with others. Immediately the others ask questions that are related to the implications. If it is a Complex Thought, the person stating the conclusion can explain the implications because they went through the implications to get to the focused conclusion.

For years people have asked me how to tell if an idea is from God versus their flesh. There are several ways God talks to people. Just one of the ways to know if the thought is from God is if it is a Complex Causeless Thought.

First, this means the thought is NOT an effect of what you were thinking...it is about something completely different than what you were thinking about...what you were building in the First Feedback Loop.

Second, the thought is complex...it teaches you. Basically, you are the person asking questions of the thought that deal with implications...and the implications become immediately obvious. In fact, the implications are understanding that weren't previously in your Conscious Brain. (This is why we need to use faith with grace...a Complex Thought from the Holy Spirit can stand up to experience and understanding.)

Grace results in you having a conversation within your Conscious Brain...but this time you are the one who is learning and questioning and God is doing the teaching.

4. Grace results in our looping in order to understand (Faith), not to build a Complex Thought.

Once, we determine this influence is from the Holy Spirit...once we have grace through faith...we can intentionally choose to allow this influence to proceed towards Action:

CONCLUSION
1. The Holy Spirit speaks into our Conscious Brain through our spirit.

2 We have to choose to look for the influence in our Conscious Brain that is not of ourself...an influence that is not our Conscious Brain and not our Mind/Soul.

3. Consciously choose to focus the nucleus basalis on the influence and cycle it through the First Feedback Loop.

4. Grace results in our looping in order to understand (Faith), not to build a Complex Thought.

Salvation is by Grace through Faith...just what we have illustrated in this post. There are some immediate results of our Salvation...or our first choice in letting this to be reflected in our lives. In the next post, we will cover these immediate effects that occur with Salvation...

Next Post

The Spirit

2011-12-26T00:03:00.002-06:00

In today's post, we will look at the final two components for the true Model for Human Thinking.

In a very important post titled, "The Ghost In The Machine" we covered the difference between the Mind/Soul, Brain, and Spirit of the individual. These are three separate entities.

The Mind/Soul is your eternal being. The Bible stated you have only one Soul and you can't be physically alive without your Soul.

Your Conscious Brain is the battlefield...it is physical organ where everything collides.

The Bible stated a person can have more than one spirit and that people have been physically alive while not having their spirit.

I look at the spirit of the individual as a separate entity that is connected to the Conscious Brain of the individual. Here is how I represent it in the Model for Human Thinking:

The Holy Spirit is upon all flesh ever since Pentecost. When the individual becomes a believer, the Holy Spirit dwells inside the individual. The way the Holy Spirit communicates with the individual's Conscious Brain is through the individual's spirit. This makes the person's spirit the adaptor between God's Spirit (Holy Spirit) and their Conscious Brain. Here is how I represent it in the Model for Human Thinking:

This makes the Holy Spirit the Seventh Stimulus. The Holy Spirit is able to serve as a Stimulus to the Conscious Brain, however, the effect on the First Feedback Loop takes on a different progression from the first six stimuli.

In the next post, we will look at this progression...

Next Post

Complex Applications of The Mind/Soul

2011-12-23T00:03:00.005-06:00

In the previous posts we began looking at the importance of getting Resolution between the Mind/Soul and the Conscious Brain...

Here were the four Simple applications:

1. The Mind/Soul controls our ability to build a complex thought.
2. The Mind/Soul controls our ability to end a thought that is looping in the Conscious Brain.
3. The Mind/Soul makes the choice which connecting thought is selected during the First Feedback Loop.
4. The Mind/Soul can stop the Conscious Brain's natural progression towards fear.

I refer to these as Simple applications because they involve a one direct step by the Mind/Soul with the Conscious Brain.

In today's post, we will look at two Complex applications...application that involve more than one step and more than one part of the Brain.

In the previous post, we saw how the Mind/Soul can stop the Conscious Brain from progressing towards fear.

However, recall that the First Feedback Loop results in a Full Thought which consists of:
1. Stimulus
2. Connecting Fact
3. Associated Emotion

In the previous post, we reviewed the following analogy to explain this process:

We use the analogy of a squirrel going up the trunk of the first tree (stimulus), selects a branch on this tree (connecting thought), and experiences an emotion when it makes the leap from the branch of the first tree to the connecting branch on the second tree. The Full Thought is complete when the squirrel returns to the ground near the base of the second tree.

In this post, our first application will deal with more than one step...

Repetitive Steps
As we've seen, from the post titled, "The Conscious Brain: Facts and Emotions::

Every fact...every branch...has an associated emotion. I categorize these emotions according to five levels with the following symbols:

E+ Strong Positive Emotion (Example: getting away for a week to your favorite vacation spot)
e+ Positive Emotion (Example: watching your favorite television show)
0 Neutral Emotion (Example: looking at a sheet of paper)
e- Negative Emotion (Example: watching a commercial on television)
E- Strong Negative Emotion (Example: someone hurting you)

This emotional information is also stored electrically.

When the individual (Mind/Soul) chooses not to direct the squirrel towards a branch, the squirrel will take the most travelled branch. This tends to be the branch with the strongest emotion...whether it is Negative or Positive. Since the point of this post is how to handle a negative thought process, we will assume the individual's most travelled branch for a specific topic is a Strong Negative Emotion.

The way to repair this is to identify the topic with the Strong Negative Emotion and intentionally do a positive Action even though the person doesn't feel like it. For instance, we have seen that the definition of being a man is "doing the causes regardless of the effects". Let's say a male has a Strong Negative Emotion associated with a specific task...

He would do the task, then immediately reflect on how good it was that he did the task. This would adjust the emotion attached to the task from Strong Negative to less Strong Negative...perhaps to even just Negative Emotion. Notice, this still doesn't change the fact that he wouldn't want to do the Action, however, repetitively doing the Action and reflecting on it would eventually result in not having a Negative Emotion associated with this Connecting Fact.

The same technique can be used to build a different most travelled branch. The individual would actively choose to pick a branch other than the most travelled branch until it became the most travelled. Research shows this takes about 21 days. This is why it takes 21 days to build a habit. Doing a task for 21 straight days doesn't mean you are unable to take another branch, it's just that after 21 days it becomes harder to stop taking that path than to continue to take this path.

Both of these applications require repetitive interactions between the Mind/Soul and the Conscious Brain. Next, we will look at an example that involves more than just the Conscious Brain...

More Than One Part Of The Brain
We've seen this Full Thought can become a Complex Thought if the Mind/Soul turns the nucleus basalis internally (towards the Conscious Brain) and treats the Full Thought as a Stimulus.

However, each Full Thought can be sent to the Amygdala...and with each interaction with the Amygdala, we risk the chance that something in the Full Thought will referenced an emotional perspective that will cause the Amygdala to fire: to send a message to the adrenal glands which chemically fogs the Conscious Brain, and then to overload the Conscious Brain with input so that the Unconscious Brain and Amygdala can physically control the body.

Basically, we have the following situation where the line coming from the Conscious Brain becomes the dotted slanted line in the Amygdala:

...which effectively turns our thinking from the Human Model above to this hybrid Model:

...to this Animal Model for Thinking:

Again, this conversion could happen with any of the Full Thoughts that got sent to the Amygdala. What we need is another check point that would halt this progression.

Since the issue is in the Amygdala, we could use the Mind/Soul to prepare the Amygdala ahead of its interaction with this destructive Full Thought. However, the Mind/Soul only interacts with the Conscious Brain. How can the Mind/Soul prepare the Amygdala through the Conscious Brain?

Rehearsal!

The Mind/Soul can focus the nucleus basalis internally and supply a stimulus. If the stimulus is a past event, we call this "Remembering". If the stimulus is a future event, we call this "Imagining".

Basically, the Mind/Soul can Remember a Full Thought that caused the Amygdala to fire...and then change the recollection of the event: from the Amygdala firing to the Conscious Brain realizing the Amygdala was firing and immediately thinking of a positive thought or ending the thought loop by stating the thought out loud or writing it down.

The Mind/Soul is teaching the Amygdala and Conscious Brain that when the individual feels the same feeling as when the Amygdala fires, the Mind/Soul is able to redirect the thought process.

The same can be done with Imagining. The Mind/Soul can Imagine a circumstance that has never occurred in reality...with the scenario ending with the Conscious Brain realizing the Mind/Soul is able to redirect the thought process.

Recall, the Amygdala doesn't know the difference between an event that actually happened or one that was imagined. Also, the Amygdala is a library of every emotional perspective the individual has experienced. If the Amygdala doesn't have a positive response in its library (whether real or imagined) it is not able to respond positively.

CONCLUSION
The Mind/Soul is able to redirect thought processes that are emotionally destructive by:
-repetitive interaction with the Conscious Brain, and
-rehearsing ahead of time (Remembering/Imagining via the Conscious Brain) successful responses through the Amygdala.

We've seen the first five stimuli are the five senses.

We've seen the Sixth Stimulus is Remembering/Imagining.

In the next post, we will begin looking at the Seventh Stimulus...

Next Post

Simple Applications: Selecting A Branch

2011-12-22T00:03:00.002-06:00

In the previous post we began looking at the importance of getting Resolution between the Mind/Soul and the Conscious Brain...

Here were the first two conclusions:

1. The Mind/Soul controls our ability to build a complex thought.
2. The Mind/Soul controls our ability to end a thought that is looping in the Conscious Brain.

In this post, we will look at another application that is an effect of getting Resolution between the Mind/Soul and the Conscious Brain...

The Mind/Soul controls the decisions made within the First Feedback Loop. Let's get some background on the First Feedback Loop. Here is an excerpt from the post titled, "The Conscious Brain: Complex Thought":

First, we looked at the Conscious Brain. Next, we look at how the Conscious Brain being half fact and half emotion allows it to form a Full Thought. We used an analogy involving trees and a squirrel. Here was the explanation:

The First Feedback Loop of the Model for Human Thinking results in a Full Thought which consists of: a stimulus, a connecting fact, and an associated emotion.

We use the analogy of a squirrel going up the trunk of the first tree (stimulus), selects a branch on this tree (connecting thought), and experiences an emotion when it makes the leap from the branch of the first tree to the connecting branch on the second tree. The Full Thought is complete when the squirrel returns to the ground near the base of the second tree.

The decision concerning which branch to take is made by the Mind/Soul. When people don't have Resolution between their Mind/Soul and their Conscious Brain, they don't believe they have a choice as to where their thoughts lead them.

However, people (Mind/Souls) can be told to only say something positive...and we can see their Mind/Soul stop their squirrel from selecting a negative branch...and then choose a more positive branch.

When a person has Resolution between their Mind/Soul and their Conscious Brain, they can intentionally have a more positive thought process by selecting more positive connecting thoughts.

The final simple application of getting Resolution between your Mind/Soul and your Conscious Brain is the ability to recognize an Unprofitable progression in the Conscious Brain.

When a person doesn't realize his Mind/Soul is separate from his Conscious Brain, he chooses not to direct the squirrel...however, the squirrel is still going to select a branch and jump to the tree with the connecting thought. Here is an excerpt from the post titled "The Conscious Brain: A Full Thought" to give us background:

The easiest example of this is seen when people participate in a word association test...

What is the first word you think of when you hear the word "blue"?

In your Conscious Brain, there is a tree that represents the word blue. I see that as the trunk of the tree being the word blue. The branches on the tree are the words you associate with the word blue. For instance, on your blue tree you could have the following branches:
-sky
-ocean
-sad
-favorite color

The word you said first would be seen as the lowest and biggest branch on your blue tree. It is the connecting thought you have with the least amount of effort. For example, if you associated the word sky, the sky branch on your blue tree would be connected to the blue branch on the sky tree in your Conscious Brain.

Every branch on your blue tree would also have an associated emotion. In the previous post, we saw five general categories for the associated emotion:
E+ Strong Positive Emotion (Example: getting away for a week to your favorite vacation spot)
e+ Positive Emotion (Example: watching your favorite television show)
0 Neutral Emotion (Example: looking at a sheet of paper)
e- Negative Emotion (Example: watching a commercial on television)
E- Strong Negative Emotion (Example: someone hurting you)

So, going back to the possible branches on the blue tree, we could see the following associated emotions:
-sky = 0 (Neutral Emotion)
-ocean = e+ (Positive Emotion for good memories)
-sad = e- (Negative Emotion because it is associated with being sad)
-favorite color = E+ (Strong Positive Emotion because it is your favorite color)

The emotion is released in the Conscious Brain once the connection is made...which brings up the other half of our analogy...

The path of your thoughts is the squirrel while your Conscious Brain is made up of trees.

In our example from above, the squirrel locates the blue tree and runs up the trunk. The squirrel runs out the first branch it encounters which is the sky branch. It runs to the end of the branch and then leaps to the blue branch on the sky tree. During the jump, the squirrel would encounter a neutral emotion. The squirrel runs to the trunk of the sky tree and down the trunk to the ground.

If your Mind/Soul chooses not to direct your squirrel, then your squirrel will take the lowest and biggest (most travelled) branch. If the most travelled branches are connected to Negative Emotions, with each jump, you will feel progressively more pessimistic and may even reach the point where you are in fear.

Notice, if you believe your Mind/Soul is the same as your Conscious Brain, then you will feel like there is nothing you can do about your progressively more negative thoughts...and you won't even try to redirect them.

However, your Mind/Soul can AT ANY TIME choose to pick a positive branch. Your Mind/Soul can also AT ANY TIME bring the squirrel to the ground and state out loud (or write) your thoughts so that the progression is halted.

CONCLUSION
Here are the simple applications of getting Resolution between your Mind/Soul and your Conscious Brain:

1. The Mind/Soul controls our ability to build a complex thought.
2. The Mind/Soul controls our ability to end a thought that is looping in the Conscious Brain.
3. The Mind/Soul makes the choice which connecting thought is selected during the First Feedback Loop.
4. The Mind/Soul can stop the Conscious Brain's natural progression towards fear.

In the next post, we will look at complex applications...

Next Post

The Mind and Thought Loops

2011-12-21T00:03:00.002-06:00

We have seen there must be something outside the Unconscious Brain and Conscious Brain that consciously thinks...that consciously makes the choice whether to use the Conscious Brain or not.

This something is known as The Mind/Soul.

It is extremely important that a person gets Resolution between their Mind/Soul and their Conscious Brain.

In order to get an overview of the difference between The Mind and The Brain, please review this post, "The Ghost In The Machine".

In the previous post, we looked at how we would represent The Mind/Soul in our Model for Thinking:

In this post we will begin to look at the importance of getting Resolution between the Mind/Soul and the Conscious Brain...

Notice, if the nucleus basalis was controlled by the Conscious Brain, then how would the Conscious Brain know when to open the nucleus basalis to external events if it was prevented from focusing on external events. Likewise, we know that adrenaline can hinder the Conscious Brain's ability to think and make choices...yet we are still able to think and make choices because we are our Mind/Soul. The Mind/Soul controls the opening and closing of the nucleus basalis.

1. Since the Mind/Soul controls the nucleus basalis, the Mind/Soul controls our ability to build a complex thought. This can be represented with the following:

Here's the conclusion from the post titled, "The Conscious Brain: Complex Thought":

A Complex Thought is formed when a Full Thought is treated as a stimulus by the nucleus basalis.

This also results in the second application...

2. Since the Mind/Soul controls the nucleus basalis, the Mind/Soul controls our ability to end a thought that is looping in the Conscious Brain.

When people don't have Resolution between their Mind/Soul and their Conscious Brain, they see them as the same...which means they think they ARE their Conscious Brain. If that were true, then we would have no control over building complex thoughts or stopping destructive thought loops.

When people say they can't stop thinking about something that is destructive, they are saying they don't see the difference between who they are (Mind/Soul) and what they use to think with (Conscious Brain).

The individual doesn't believe he has control over his thoughts...and saying this out loud only causes the Unconscious Brain to reinforce this belief in lack of control.

CONCLUSION
1. The Mind/Soul controls our ability to build a complex thought.
2. The Mind/Soul controls our ability to end a thought that is looping in the Conscious Brain.

In the next post, we will look at another application that is an effect of getting Resolution between the Mind/Soul and the Conscious Brain...

Next Post

The Mind

2011-12-20T00:03:00.002-06:00

So far, we have looked at the Complex Model for Human Thinking:

While this seems to explain a lot of phenomena, there is an apparent contradiction: What controls the opening of the nucleus basalis? (The square located between the Unconscious Brain and the Conscious Brain.)

The Unconscious Brain does not control it, otherwise we would not be able to intentionally concentrate on a stimulus.

If the nucleus basalis is opened by something in the Conscious Brain, then how does the Conscious Brain know to open the nucleus basalis to a stimulus once the nucleus basalis is closed? In addition, we've seen that the Amygdala can hijack the Conscious Brain...that the Conscious Brain does not function, yet we are still able to make choices and "think". Clearly, there must be something outside the Unconscious Brain and Conscious Brain that consciously thinks...that consciously makes the choice whether to use the Conscious Brain or not.

This something is known as The Mind/Soul.

It is extremely important that a person gets Resolution between their Mind/Soul and their Conscious Brain.

In order to get an overview of the difference between The Mind and The Brain, please review this post, "The Ghost In The Machine". Here is an excerpt:

You are your Mind/Soul. Your Mind/Soul is Eternal.

This is YOUR First Cause.

EVERYTHING after your choice to think or not think is an EFFECT of your decision. This is YOUR responsibility.

So, the question was: How are the Brain and the Mind connected?

The Mind uses the Brain to express itself.

Descartes essentially said the same thing. So, HOW do the Mind and Brain communicate?

Both the Mind and the Brain work according to four God-given principles!
-Non-contradiction
-Causality
-Growth
-Contrastive Thinking

We have seen our Unconscious Brain works according to all four God-given principles.

We have seen our Conscious Brain begins working according to two of the four God-given principles: Causality and Non-contradiction. It begins working according to comparative and comfort.

We have seen our Mind/Soul determines whether our Conscious Brain will work according to all four God-given principles or none of the God-given principles.

If our Mind/Soul chooses to think contrastively and pursue growth, no matter how uncomfortable, the Conscious Brain will become congruous with the Unconscious Brain and the result is increased health. This choice by the Mind/Soul causes the Conscious Brain to progress towards working according to all four God-given principles.

If our Mind/Soul chooses to think comparatively and pursue comfort, the Conscious Brain will cease to work according to Causality and Non-contradiction. This choice by the Mind/Soul causes the Conscious Brain to lose its ability to work according to ANY of the four God-given principles. The Conscious Brain will be incongruous with the Unconscious Brain with the result being mental, emotional, spiritual, and even physical illness.

We used the analogy of a compose/piano to illustrate the relationship between the Mind/Brain. The composer is the person. The piano is the instrument, the channel, through which the composer expresses his composition. Likewise, the Brain is the instrument through which the Mind expresses itself.

Notice, The composer can be the most creative and talented musician the world has ever seen, however, if he presents his work through an out-of-tune piano, the result is not Profitable.

Here is how we would represent The Mind/Soul in our Model for Thinking:

Tomorrow, we will look at the importance of getting Resolution between the Mind/Soul and the Conscious Brain...

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The Better Response

2011-12-19T00:03:00.002-06:00

In the previous post, we looked at what I call, "The Brutal Response". The CONCLUSION was as follows:

Asking a Looping Question in response to a person's holding someone to a standard higher than they hold themselves can result in them becoming a hypocrite.

The Brutal Response is to ask a Looping Question of a person who doesn't have access to all of their Conscious Brain.

In today's post, we will look at a better response by first revisiting the original circumstance...

When a person has a bad thought process, there is a contradiction in his thought process.

When the person is confronted, he has two choices, be humble or be prideful.

If he is humble, he will consider he could be wrong and look to understand you. If you explain the contradiction well, the humble person ought to be able to understand it.

However, if he is prideful, the Amygdala fires...and the more it fires, the more he loses his ability to use his Conscious Brain...

CONTINUING TO INTERACT WITH THIS PERSON COULD RESULT IN THEIR FORFEITING THEIR SALVATION.

Take a look at the following Model...

The Conscious Brain sends the Full Thought to the Amygdala which results in Emotion...and a bad Action.

This resulting Action is seen by the Unconscious Brain. The questioner could then use a Looping Question (Stimulus coupled with Unconscious Brain's observation of the Action) to make the prideful person conscious of his bad Action.

In the previous post, we saw how this Looping Question could give the individual the opportunity to become a hypocrite...and possibly forfeit their Salvation. (Review the previous post if you have questions: The Brutal Response.)

THE BETTER RESPONSE:
Instead, I've learned to go onto the next topic and let the Holy Spirit deal with the individual.

I see myself dropping a spiritual sack of dirty laundry on the ground and stepping away from it...to the next question. I have faith the Holy Spirit will take care of this spiritual sack of dirty laundry because:

1. The Holy Spirit wants to lead everyone into all truth.
2. The Holy Spirit is able to convict individuals once they have stated their will.
3. The Holy Spirit is vastly superior to me at convicting people. I could end up facilitating their becoming a hypocrite and forfeiting their Salvation.

The Holy Spirit knows the individual, loves the individual, and is able to approach the individual in the manner that is perfectly suited to the individual.

CONCLUSION
In the past, when I got an individual to state their will in a contradictory fashion, I continued to confront the person about their contradiction.

Today, I release this person to the Holy Spirit and move onto the next topic.

In the next post, we will begin looking at the components necessary to understand how God wants us to think...

Next Post

The Brutal Response

2011-12-16T00:03:00.003-06:00

In a previous post, we looked at a Thought Process Test. Here was the explanation:

One of the things I've learned from Joel Swokowski's Bible Commentary is the structure for a New Testament Sermon. In the Book of Acts, the sermons that resulted in thousands being converted followed a simple and extremely logical structure. In fact, Paul used this same structure in his epistles. Paul's most misinterpreted chapter (Romans 9) was actually four consecutive sermons.

Here is the structure:

1. Premise: The conclusion is stated...which is a WHAT.
2. Reason: An explanation is stated...which is a WHY...the Understanding.
3. Support: Paul usually presented three scriptures to support his Premise and Reason...which is a HOW...the Application.

Each part has to fit with the other parts without contradiction.

Being able to state your thoughts according to this model requires a good thought process because it is an example of a Complex Thought that is manageable. However, a person's response to your statement according to this structure is also a test...

When a person presents their thought process according to Premise-Reason-Support, there are a number of responses they can receive. In the previous post, we looked at examples of responses. Here is a general explanation of these responses:

1. Focused On You - This is characterized by a person only speaking about your Premise, Reason, and/or Support. This proves the responder is focused and has a thought process that is able to come to conclusion.

2. Ignoring - This is characterized by a person speaking about anything other than your Premise, Reason, and/or Support. This proves the responder isn't willing or able to focus and has a thought process that is unwilling or unable to come to conclusion.

DISCLAIMER: My next sentence is a generalization, but I have found this to be valid in almost every occurrence...

When a person Ignores the presentation of your Thought Process, it proves you have (at minimum) a good thought process.

There are many ways for responders to Ignore the presentation of your thought process. Remember, I'm speaking of people whose immediate response is to do anything other than reference your presentation. Here are three general examples:

-Present Their Own Thought Process
If a person's response is to immediately begin presenting their thought process, they are trying to deny your presentation's existence. They are attempting to convince you and themselves that the conversation actually began with them presenting their thought process. Not only is this a sign of a bad thought process, it demonstrates insecurity.

-Topic Jumping
If a person's response is to consistently transition to presenting their thought process on a different topic. This is essentially an iteration of "Present Their Own Thought Process". Continuing the example from above...

Once the person is done responding to you by presenting their thought process and you have Focused On Them, if your attempt to get them to Focus On You is met with another presentation of their thought process, they are Topic Jumping...they are attempting to distract you from your presentation with an endless number of presentations. Not only does this responder have a bad thought process, but depending on how conscious this goal is for the responder they may have some serious mental/emotional issues.

-Questions
The responder could ask questions about other possibilities and try to justify themselves by saying, "I don't understand enough to comment...yet." Notice, responding with a Question about anything that doesn't directly address your presentation is actually an attempt to move a step away from the topic of your presentation.

As is the case with all three of these Ignoring examples, if the responder does not ever respond to your presentation, they have proven to have a bad thought process (at a minimum), and possibly mental/emotional issues.

Today, we will focus on a Response that can cause other people to lose their Salvation...

When a person has a bad thought process, there is a contradiction in his thought process.

When the person is confronted, he has two choices, be humble or be prideful.

If he is humble, he will consider he could be wrong and look to understand you. If you explain the contradiction well, the humble person ought to be able to understand it.

However, if he is prideful, the Amygdala fires...and the more it fires, the more he loses his ability to use his Conscious Brain...

CONTINUING TO INTERACT WITH THIS PERSON COULD RESULT IN THEIR FORFEITING THEIR SALVATION.

Take a look at the following Model...

The Conscious Brain sends the Full Thought to the Amygdala which results in Emotion...and a bad Action.

This resulting Action is seen by the Unconscious Brain. The questioner could then use a Looping Question (Stimulus coupled with Unconscious Brain's observation of the Action) to make the prideful person conscious of his bad Action. Here is an example...

The person has judged you for interrupting him. Now, while you are talking, he interrupts you. When you point out that he interrupted you, his Amygdala fires and he replies with an emotional response, "I didn't do anything wrong."

Looping Question: "Do you think it is right to hold me to higher standard than you hold yourself?"

The thought behind this question is that he has judged you are wrong for doing something that he stated was not wrong when he did it.

However, this Looping Question would have been asked to a person who doesn't have complete access to his Conscious Brain. It is being asked of a person who is brain damaged.

If the person responds with, "Yes" they are a hypocrite...and Jesus said hypocrites go to eternal punishment.

"48 But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth;
49 and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken;
50 the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not,
51 and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 24:48-51)

A hypocrite is NOT someone who does something different than what they say. That is a person who lacks integrity. We all lack integrity.

A hypocrite is someone who justifies their lack of integrity...specifically, someone who justifies holding others to a higher standard than they hold themselves.

The Pharisees were hypocrites. It wasn't that they only held people to a higher standard than they held themselves...it was that they justified themselves when Jesus confronted them for doing this.

CONCLUSION
Asking a Looping Question in response to a person's holding someone to a standard higher than they hold themselves can result in them becoming a hypocrite.

The Brutal Response is to ask a Looping Question of a person who doesn't have access to all of their Conscious Brain.

In the next post, we will look at a better response...

Next Post

Response To Thought Process Test

2011-12-15T00:03:00.001-06:00

In the previous post, we looked at a Thought Process Test. Here was the explanation:

One of the things I've learned from Joel Swokowski's Bible Commentary is the structure for a New Testament Sermon. In the Book of Acts, the sermons that resulted in thousands being converted followed a simple and extremely logical structure. In fact, Paul used this same structure in his epistles. Paul's most misinterpreted chapter (Romans 9) was actually four consecutive sermons.

Here is the structure:

1. Premise: The conclusion is stated...which is a WHAT.
2. Reason: An explanation is stated...which is a WHY...the Understanding.
3. Support: Paul usually presented three scriptures to support his Premise and Reason...which is a HOW...the Application.

Each part has to fit with the other parts without contradiction.

Being able to state your thoughts according to this model requires a good thought process because it is an example of a Complex Thought that is manageable. However, a person's response to your statement according to this structure is also a test...

When a person presents their thought process according to Premise-Reason-Support, there are a number of responses they can receive. I look at these responses in two major categories. I call the first "Focused On You"...

1. Focused On You - This is characterized by a person only speaking about your Premise, Reason, and/or Support. This proves the responder is focused and has a thought process that is able to come to conclusion.

Notice, whether the person agrees with you or disagrees with you doesn't, in and of itself, prove the responder has an excellent thought process. THAT would depend on whether your presentation was excellent.

-If you had an excellent thought process and the responder agreed, in order for the responder to prove an excellent thought process he would have to explain why he agreed...then consider he was wrong and try to see a perspective other than his own until it led to him teaching you at least one thing.

-If you had an excellent thought process and the responder disagreed, in order for the responder to prove an excellent thought process he would have to explain your belief to your satisfaction and why he disagreed...and then show that he was able to consider he was wrong.

-If you had a poor thought process and the responder disagreed, in order for the responder to prove an excellent thought process he would have to explain your belief to your satisfaction and why he disagreed...and then the test would be applied to you: whether you could show that you were able to consider you were wrong and able to explain the responder's belief to his satisfaction.

-If you had a poor thought process and the responder agreed, in order for the responder to prove an excellent thought process he would have to explain why he agreed...then consider he was wrong and try to see a perspective other than his own until it led to him teaching you at least one thing...which ought to cause both of you to realize you were both wrong.

I call the second response, "Ignoring"...

2. Ignoring - This is characterized by a person speaking about anything other than your Premise, Reason, and/or Support. This proves the responder isn't willing or able to focus and has a thought process that is unwilling or unable to come to conclusion.

DISCLAIMER: My next sentence is a generalization, but I have found this to be valid in almost every occurrence...

When a person Ignores the presentation of your Thought Process, it proves you have (at minimum) a good thought process.

If the presentation of your thought process was flawed, the first response is a comment about the flaw in your presentation...which is, by definition, not Ignoring. Everyone in the world perfectly applies the God-given principle of Contrastive Thinking on everyone else. When a person does not respond at all to the presentation of your thought process, including not succombing to the default ability to be contrastive, you have made at minimum a good presentation of your thought process or the responder is mentally/emotionally ill.

There are many ways for responders to Ignore the presentation of your thought process. Remember, I'm speaking of people whose immediate response is to do anything other than reference your presentation. Here are three general examples:

-Present Their Own Thought Process
If a person's response is to immediately begin presenting their thought process, they are trying to deny your presentation's existence. They are attempting to convince you and themselves that the conversation actually began with them presenting their thought process. Not only is this a sign of a bad thought process, it demonstrates insecurity.

Ideally, the responder ought to transition to their presentation by acknowledging yours. For example, the responder could say, "I don't agree with your premise that (insert restatement of presenter's premise) because I believe (begin presentation of responder's thought process)."

Notice, the responder has actually moved a step away from the topic of your presentation. Ideally, you would respond to their presentation in one of the manners listed under "Focused On You" and then ask them to respond to your original presentation. As is the case with all three of these Ignoring examples, if the responder does not ever respond to your presentation, they have proven to have a bad thought process (at a minimum), and possibly mental/emotional issues.

-Topic Jumping
If a person's response is to consistently transition to presenting their thought process on a different topic. This is essentially an iteration of "Present Their Own Thought Process". Continuing the example from above...

Once the person is done responding to you by presenting their thought process and you have Focused On Them, if your attempt to get them to Focus On You is met with another presentation of their thought process, they are Topic Jumping...they are attempting to distract you from your presentation with an endless number of presentations. This takes two forms...

If the person presents a new topic in response to every mention of your presentation, this is "One Step Topic Jumping" because you are only one step away from your presentation.

If the person presents a new topic in response to your response, this is "Serial Topic Jumping". Basically, you present your thought process, they respond by presenting another topic, you respond by Focusing on their presentation, they respond by presenting yet another topic...at this point you are two steps away from your presentation. If this continues, you may eventually forget what was your original presentation...which was the goal (whether consciously or unconsciously) of the responder.

Not only does this responder have a bad thought process, but depending on how conscious this goal is for the responder they may have some serious mental/emotional issues.

-Questions
The responder could ask questions about other possibilities and try to justify themselves by saying, "I don't understand enough to comment...yet."

Ideally, the responder would transition to their Question just like we saw with Present Their Own Thought Process: "It seems like you are saying (insert explanation) but that may be due to me not understanding what you mean by (insert Question topic...then ask Question)?"

Notice, responding with a Question about anything that doesn't directly address your presentation is actually an attempt to move a step away from the topic of your presentation. Ideally, you would respond to their Question with an answer and then ask them to respond to your original presentation. As is the case with all three of these Ignoring examples, if the responder does not ever respond to your presentation, they have proven to have a bad thought process (at a minimum), and possibly mental/emotional issues.

Tomorrow, we will focus on a Response that can cause other people to lose their Salvation...

Next Post

Thought Process Test

2011-12-14T00:03:00.003-06:00

One of the things I've learned from Joel Swokowski's Bible Commentary is the structure for a New Testament Sermon. In the Book of Acts, the sermons that resulted in thousands being converted followed a simple and extremely logical structure. In fact, Paul used this same structure in his epistles. Paul's most misinterpreted chapter (Romans 9) was actually four consecutive sermons.

Here is the structure:

1. Premise: The conclusion is stated...which is a WHAT.
2. Reason: An explanation is stated...which is a WHY...the Understanding.
3. Support: Paul usually presented three scriptures to support his Premise and Reason...which is a HOW...the Application.

Being able to express your beliefs in this fashion is a test of your thought process.

Each part has to fit with the other parts without contradiction. The reason people misinterpret Romans 9 is that they don't interpret the following passage correctly:

Premise: "6a But it is not as though the word of God hath come to nought."

Reason: "6b For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel:
7 neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed."

(Verse 8 was a restatement of the Reason.)

Support #1:
"9 For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac--
11 for the children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth,"

(Paul referenced Genesis 18:10)

Support #2:

"12 it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger."

(Paul referenced Genesis 25:23)

Support #3:

"13 Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

(Paul referenced Malachi 1:2-3.)

The correct interpretation would have an explanation where the Premise, Reason, Support #1, Support #2, and Support #3 ALL AGREE without contradiction.

Every misinterpretation of this passage occurs because the interpreter ignores at least one of the five aspects of this sermon.

Again, if you want the details behind the interpretation, go to this link for Joel Swokowski's Bible Commentary: Romans 9.

CONCLUSION
Being able to state your thoughts according to this model requires a good thought process because it is an example of a Complex Thought that is manageable. An example of an unmanageable Complex Thought would be a novel...you can't have a concise discussion that comes to completion in minutes when you discuss an entire novel.

In the next post, we will discuss how the person's response to this presentation is also a test...

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Helping Others With Their "Song"

2011-12-13T00:03:00.001-06:00

In the previous post, we saw the healthiest thing for the individual is to be able to state their thought process in the following general fashion:

"I used to think and feel (this), then I thought and felt (that) when (conflict) happened. Now, I think and feel (this)."

The analogy I used to explain this relates to songs...

Songs are made up of music and words. The key to a good song is progress...both the music and the words need to demonstrate growth.

When it comes to sharing, the lyrics are our thoughts and the music is our feelings...

The progress in our sharing takes place in three sections of a "song" that ought to show progress in the following fashion:

1. We ought to be able to state what we thought and how we felt before the conflict occurred.
2. We ought to state the conflict...and then what we thought and felt about the conflict.
3. We ought to state what we think and feel now that we have gotten past the conflict.

In order to help people, you ought to look at how well their sharing is able to fill in the following seven areas:

1. What they thought before the conflict.
2. What they felt before the conflict.
3. What was the conflict.
4. What they thought about the conflict.
5. What they felt about the conflict.
6. What they think now.
7. What they feel now.

Notice, the person can begin their sharing in any of these seven areas.

One of the first areas I like to fill in is #3...what was the conflict. Notice, people tend to do this when they ask, What happened?

Most people tend to share in story form...which means they begin with #1 and #2: "I was feeling great because I thought I had everything under control. Then all of a sudden..."

The reason the sharing person is in distress is they haven't completed the "song"...he/she doesn't know what they think and/or feel now.

The goal is to help them fill in #6 and #7...THEN restate the entire "song" out loud:

"I used to think and feel (this), then I thought and felt (that) when (conflict) happened. Now, I think and feel (this)."

There is NOTHING healthier for your emotional well being than to be able to state this "song" out loud...so that your Conscious Brain has it connected and filed away (closure) in a healthy fashion...and so that your Unconscious Brain is in agreement with your Conscious Brain. Stating this out loud also brings Resolution to the individual's brains that progress has been made...and they can continue forward instead of looping on the past.

However, not all people share in this fashion...

Someone who begins sharing at the end of the "song" will say, "I think I understand what happened and I'm no longer mad."

6. You have understanding
7. You are not mad.

When helping these people, I tend to work backwards because it is easiest for the person who is sharing...

3. What happened?
4. What did you think about the conflict?
5. What were you feeling when it happened?

Then I try to take them back to the beginning...

1. A week before the conflict happened, what were you thinking?
2. A week before the conflict happened, what were you feeling?

Again, this sharing isn't completed until they restate the entire "song" out loud:

"I used to think and feel (this), then I thought and felt (that) when (conflict) happened. Now, I think and feel (this)."

Sometimes I will even state their "song" for them and ask them if it is correct. Even if they say it is, I still encourage them to state the same "song" out loud for their benefit.

Next Post

The Healthiest Response

2011-12-12T00:03:00.002-06:00

In the previous post, we saw that the goal of Modern Psychology is for the individual to respond to a stimulus with a balance of Emotion and Logic.

Actually, the healthiest thing for the individual is to be able to state their thought process in the following general fashion:

"I used to think and feel (this), then I thought and felt (that) when (conflict) happened. Now, I think and feel (this)."

The analogy I use to explain this relates to songs...

Songs are made up of music and words. The key to a good song is progress...both the music and the words need to demonstrate growth.

Notice, the simplest songs only show progress in one of the two areas.

An example of a song making progress in words and not music is "Old McDonald". The same music is repeated, however, with each iteration a new animal with a new sound is added. By the end of the song, the music hasn't changed, but Old McDonald's farm has grown to a menagerie of animals.

The opposite example, a song that makes progress musically, but not lyrically, is "The Song That Never Ends". The same lyrics are sung over and over, however, with each iteration, the tempo of the music is increased...until the person is unable to sing the song.

These simple songs are taught to children in hopes they will mature to complex songs...songs that make progress in both the music and the lyrics.

When it comes to sharing, the lyrics are our thoughts and the music is our feelings...

The progress in our sharing takes place in three sections of a "song" that ought to show progress in the following fashion:

1. We ought to be able to state what we thought and how we felt before the conflict occurred.
2. We ought to state the conflict...and then what we thought and felt about the conflict.
3. We ought to state what we think and feel now that we have gotten past the conflict.

There is NOTHING healthier for your emotional well being than to be able to state this "song" out loud...so that your Conscious Brain has it connected and filed away (closure) in a healthy fashion...and so that your Unconscious Brain is in agreement with your Conscious Brain.

In tomorrow's post, we will look at how to help others be able to complete their "song"...

Next Post

Modern Psychology

2011-12-09T00:03:00.001-06:00

Today, modern psychology's goal is to get the stimulus through the individual with a balance of Logic and Emotion.

Look again at the following Model for Human Thinking:

If you imagine a balance scale in place of Actions, with one side being pushed down by Emotions and the other side being pushed down by Logic, the goal would be for the scale to remain level.

If there is too much Emotion, then the person is seen as emotionally unstable and erratic.

However, if there is too much Logic, the person is seen as unfeeling and robotic.

Basically, modern day psychology is looking for the best way to help the individual respond to a stimulus with some emotion and some logic.

Next Post

The Future Looping Question

2011-12-08T00:03:00.001-06:00

In the previous post, we introduced the most powerful tool when it comes to Confrontations. NO ONE is able to withstand this tool that I call "The Looping Question".

We've been using the following diagram of the Complex Model for Human Thinking:

We've seen that combining the following two conclusions results in "The Looping Question":
-The most powerful step is the presentation of a second stimulus while the Unconscious Brain observes the Action from the original stimulus.
-In order to get to make the individual conscious of their destructive Actions, the second stimulus ought to be a Question, not a Statement, because people can ignore a Statement.

In the previous post, we stated there are two possible perspectives for the Question:
-Past
-Future

The Question is used to make the individual conscious of their Action (which could be a SAY or a DO).
-When the Question refers to the Past, we are causing the individual to Remember...which takes place in the Conscious Brain.
-When the Question refers to the Future, we are causing the individual to Imagine...which also takes place in the Conscious Brain.

In today's post, we will see excerpts from the post covering the Future Perspective...

Basically, we take a present event (action or statement) that an individual did and we bring it to their attention in Question form about a future event that could happen to them.

For example, in the previous post, we took a past event (action or statement) that an individual did and we brought it to their attention in Question form. The specific example dealt with me hitting someone and being asked: "John, do you think it was right to hit that person?"

If I was LEAST excellent, this Question would become: "John, are you going to think it is right if someone hits you?"

There are some subtle points to notice about this Question...

First, answering "yes" would be a statement of the will that I will not complain in the future if they same thing happens to me...which is essentially a statement of the will that I don't believe I did anything wrong by hitting the person...which means I am stating my will that God can equal out Justice by having someone hit me.

Second, answering "no" would be a statement of the will that I was either wrong OR a hypocrite...and hypocrites don't go to Heaven. Either way, this answer allows God to equal out Justice against me.

Third, the confronter is NOT directly referring to me hitting someone else. IF I try not to answer this Question by getting defensive and linking this Question to my having hit someone, I would be PROJECTING and JUDGING the confronter which would become an admission of guilt!

I don't care how "unexcellent" or damaged a person is, I have NEVER seen a person immediately jump to making projecting and judgmental Statements to me when I have asked this type of Question. The unexcellent/damaged person knows THAT would be an admission of guilt...a statement of the will they know they are guilty.

If they did ramp up, the confronter could ask, "Do you have a guilty conscience? I didn't mention what you DID...I'm trying to understand how you would feel if you got hit."

The "best" the confronted could hope for is to walk away from the confronter without answering the Question...there is NO POSSIBILITY they can ramp up emotionally and maintain this state.

Next Post

The Past Looping Question

2011-12-07T00:03:00.002-06:00

In the previous post, we reviewed the topic of Confrontation. This involved referencing the Complex Model for Human Thinking:

...and using the two previous posts to build a premise in the following fashion...

-The most powerful step is the presentation of a second stimulus while the Unconscious Brain observes the Action from the original stimulus.
-In order to get to make the individual conscious of their destructive Actions, the second stimulus ought to be a Question, not a Statement, because people can ignore a Statement.

PREMISE: The more excellent a person is, the more you will be able to confront them with Statements.

This premise was supported with numerous Bible passages.

Today's post covers the most powerful tool when it comes to Confrontations. NO ONE is able to withstand this tool that I call "The Looping Question".

There are two possible perspectives for the Question:
-Past
-Future

The Question is used to make the individual conscious of their Action (which could be a SAY or a DO):
-When the Question refers to the Past, we are causing the individual to Remember...which takes place in the Conscious Brain.
-When the Question refers to the Future, we are causing the individual to Imagine...which also takes place in the Conscious Brain.

In today's post, we will see excerpts from the post covering the Past Perspective...

Basically, we take a past event (action or statement) that an individual did and we bring it to their attention in Question form.

This technique is very similar to a Non-Judgment Question. However, what makes it different is the question is intentionally presented in a manner that will lead to the individual bringing judgment on themselves with their answer.

For example, God's Non-Judgment Question to Adam was: "Where art thou?"

With a State Your Will About The Past, the Question would look more like this: "Adam, do you think it was right to hide from God?"

The purpose of this type of Question is to get the LUKEWARM person out from under mercy.

Remember, mercy is the time between the bad act and the punishment. If there is a short time, then there is little mercy. If there is a long time, there is great mercy.

Mercy is NOT the removal of punishment...THAT would violate Justice.

When a person has done something wrong, their punishment can be delayed because they are under mercy. God grants mercy in order to give the individual time to Repent/Repair the effects of the bad act. When a person has a lot of mercy, God will not resolve Justice NOW because the person hasn't even gotten to the step where they admit what they did was a bad act. God is giving the individual time to work it out.

However, if the individual were to state outloud they thought the bad act was good, God would have to resolve Justice NOW, otherwise, God would be leading the person to believe He wanted them to continue acting in this way.

EXAMPLE
I have expanded this Confronting technique to three Questions for people whose SAY and DO are incongruous...

First Question: Did you say you would do (action)?
Second Question: Did you do (action)?
Third Question: Do you think THAT is right?

For example, I may have told you I would give you a ride to work...and then I don't do it. You would say:

"John, did you say you would give me a ride to work?"
"John, did you give me a ride to work?"
"John, do you think that was right?"

I have told the confronter to begin by saying to the confronted:
1. I want to ask three Questions
2. All I am looking for is a "Yes" or a "No" (The Bible says in TWO PLACES, let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no".)
3. I will not say anything else...I will walk away

If the confronted person begins their answers with anything other than "yes" or "no", I have the confronter say, "I will hear ANYTHING you want to say AFTER you say 'yes' or 'no' ONLY."

You will be amazed how hard it is for people to answer three factual Questions! I have had confronters tell me it took an hour to get a confronted person to answer the first two questions!

For years, I believed people must know UNCONSCIOUSLY that giving ANY answer will bring an end to their mercy...

We now know this technique is involving the Unaware Brain. The three Questions make the Conscious Brain share its intentions with the Unconscious Brain. If the intentions are hypocritical, the Unconscious Brain recognizes an inconsistent pattern and begins to shut down (depress) the confronted person.

I have taught this technique to people who are married. When they use it on their spouse, I tell them to release their spouse to God after they get the three answers. Sure enough, the confronted spouse doesn't sleep that night and wants to change or qualify their answers the next day.

CONCLUSION
When we have someone state their will about a past action, they can still ramp up emotionally and attempt to feel good about themself by feeling bad about us. The person can respond to "Do you think THAT is right?" with: "Who do you think you are...God? You aren't my judge! You aren't perfect either!"

If the confronted person did this, he would be proving he is not excellent. This brings up the following Question: Is there a way to confront someone so that they can't ramp up emotionally?

The answer is "Yes"...however, this technique is intended for the LEAST excellent people...especially people who are "damaged".

We will look at this technique tomorrow...

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Human Thinking Model: Confrontation

2011-12-06T00:03:00.001-06:00

If we take the last two posts together, we can see how and why the most powerful way to confront people actually works...

Here is the Complex Model for Human Thinking:

As you read the following two conclusions, review the Complex Model for Human Thinking:

-The most powerful step is the presentation of a second stimulus while the Unconscious Brain observes the Action from the original stimulus.
-In order to get to make the individual conscious of their destructive Actions, the second stimulus ought to be a Question, not a Statement, because people can ignore a Statement.

In this post, I want to present a premise and use the rest of the post to support this premise...

PREMISE: The more excellent a person is, the more you will be able to confront them with Statements.

During last year's Series, we did a mini-series on Confrontation. Here are a list of posts:

Confronting People
State Your Will About The Past
State Your Will About The Future
Matthew 18:15-17
Matthew 18:15-16 & Luke 17:3
Matthew 18:15-17 (Red, Yellow, and Green Lights)
Matthew 18:15-17 Summary
Confrontation Example (Part I)
Confrontation Example (Part II)

The rest of this post consists of an excerpt from the first post in the above list: Confronting People.

As you read this excerpt, refer to the diagram above and notice that less excellent people are able to close their nucleus basalis to a Statement and not be conscious of the confrontation. However, the Bible showed that God confronted the most excellent people with Statements, while confronting the less excellent people with Questions...

During the Leadership Series, we saw Leaders facilitate the Purpose and Progress of others. Leaders adjust their expectations of people according to the excellence of the individual. However, Leaders (God's Doctrine) are harshest towards the most excellent people, while Bosses (Man's doctrine) are most harsh towards the least excellent people.

The Bible shows us God the Father and Jesus Christ acted more harshly the greater the maturity of the individual. Let's look at this scale beginning with the harshest confrontational style...

1. Judgment Statement - the Leader's FIRST WORDS are a Statement that Judges or Projects onto the individual.

Remember, we've already covered this verse during this Series:

"36 And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." (Matthew 12:36)

If the Leader is wrong AT ALL, the Leader will pay for the portion they were wrong about. Consequently, God the Father and Jesus ought to be the only people who do this. However, the person they do this to is someone they considered as excellent. For example, we saw the following passage last month:

"22 And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men." (Matthew 16:22-23)

Peter rebuked Jesus. Jesus' confrontational response? Jesus made a Judgment Statement.

Think about this: The embodiment of Right and Just called Peter the embodiment of evil. Is there anything Jesus could have said to Peter that would have been WORSE? Jesus had high expectations for this Leader among Jesus' Disciples.

Let's look at an Old Testament example:

"34 Men of understanding will say unto me, Yea, every wise man that heareth me:
35 Job speaketh without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.
36 Would that Job were tried unto the end, Because of his answering like wicked men.
37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth his words against God." (Job 34:34-37)

During the Job Series, we saw Elihu spoke for God when he stated these Judgment Statements to Job. The entire point of the Book of Job rests on the fact that Job was the most excellent person!

(In fact, we followed the Job Series with a Series on "The New Testament Job"...which was Peter going through the sifting process.)

2. Judgment Question - the Leader's FIRST WORDS are a Question that Judges or Projects.

"1 But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven:
4 and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:1-4)

Jesus' first words to Paul (Saul) asked him why he was persecuting Jesus!

3. Judgement IF/THEN - the Leader's FIRST WORDS are an IF/THEN Statement bringing Judgment.

We have seen IF/THEN Statements are not, in and of themselves, condemning. We have seen during this Series, Jesus used this type of confrontation when dealing with the Pharisees on the WORST Sin:

"28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.
29 Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
30 He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
31 Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven." (Matthew 12:28-31)

Jesus stated an IF/THEN which could result in the Pharisees committing blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

A lot of the Old Testament Prophets talked this same way on God's behalf:

"1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers that write perverseness;
2 to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
4 They shall only bow down under the prisoners, and shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still." (Isaiah 10:1-4)

Notice, verses 1 and 2 were a Judgment IF/THEN.

Verse 3 contains THREE QUESTIONS.

Then Judgment Statements are made from verse 4 on...

4. Non-Judgment Question - the Leader's FIRST WORDS are a Question that does not Judge or Project.

We saw several examples of this last week and this week:

"9 And Jehovah God called unto the man, and said unto him, Where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9)

"6 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?" (Genesis 4:6)

"9 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?..." (Genesis 4:9)

These are the FIRST PEOPLE to have existed, so God was LEAST harsh with them.

Notice, the previous method (Judgment IF/THEN) was used during the Law...the people that existed from Exodus through Malachi.

Finally, notice the difference between the two Question methods (#2 and #4):

If Jesus had confronted Saul (Paul) the same way (#2) as God did Adam and Cain (#4), He would have said: "Saul, Saul, what are you doing?"

If God had confronted Adam the same way (#4) as Jesus did Saul (Paul) (#2), He would have said: "Adam, Adam, why did you disobey me?"

SUMMARY
God used four methods to confront people depending on the excellence of the individual. We saw these methods were arranged on a scale depending on the excellence of the person being confronted.

The most excellent people were confronted with a Judgment Statement. The next most excellent people were confronted with a Judgment Question. Next, God confronted people with Judgment IF/THEN's. The rest of the people were confronted with a Non-Judgment Question.

We will look at two more ways to confront people. Both involve dealing with people who are even less excellent than what we've covered.

(We will look at these ways to confront people in light of the Complex Model for Human Thinking...)

Next Post

Human Thinking Model: Questions vs. Statements

2011-12-05T00:03:00.001-06:00

This week we will continue to cover applications of the Model for Human Thinking. In today's post, we will briefly look at the value of Questions vs. Statements.

Here is the Complex Model for Human Thinking:

Notice, the only stimulus that makes it to the Conscious Brain is the one that made it through the nucleus basalis (the square between the Unconscious Brain and Conscious Brain. We saw the nucleus basalis is the doorway to the Conscious Brain.

When the stimulus is a Statement, the individual can close the nucleus basalis preventing the Statement from making it to the Conscious Brain.

The first effect of this is that the individual will not respond to the Statement with Words. If the individual does respond at all, it will be with Emotions and Actions.

The second effect is that the individual will not Remember the Statement. If you have ever had someone tell you they don't Remember a Statement you made towards them, it could be because they chose to close their nucleus basalis.

The way to get your information to their Conscious Brain is to put the information in the form of a Question. Questions have to be processed in the Conscious Brain. People respond to Questions with Words...which are an effect of a stimulus reaching the Conscious Brain.

Here is a brief excerpt from a section of "Modeling God's Wills" that dealt with Statements vs. Questions:

There really two types of ways people exchange information. The most common is the statement. A person can say a sentence that attempts to state a fact. The issue with statements is the originator needs to make sure their statement is 100% factual. If they state something that is not factual, justice says they will pay for it. Be careful when you make statements...we will be judged for every idle (unprofitable) word according to Jesus.

The safest way to exchange information is through questions. This is essentially a request for information or confirmation of information that could have been stated. Questions do not open you up to justice (unless you are making a judgment in the question, which we will cover in the next section).

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Complex Model for Human Thinking: Destructive Behavior

2011-12-02T00:03:00.002-06:00

During the explanation for the Complex Model for Animal Thinking we saw the most powerful step is the presentation of a second stimulus while the Unconscious Brain observed the Action from the original stimulus. Here was the conclusion from that post:

The Unconscious Brain can be reprogrammed with an intentional stimulus coupled to an Action. Notice, the reprogramming of the Unconscious Brain occurs as a reaction to an Action.

Here is the Complex Model for Human Thinking:

Likewise, we can see that a second stimulus introduced while the Unconscious Brain observes the Action resulting from the original stimulus can lead to powerful results...and like we saw in the post titled, "Unaware Brain Applications" the results tend to be destructive.

In that post we covered a destructive effect for females and a destructive effect for males. Both destructive results are an effect of the Unconscious Brain hearing a rationalization (second stimulus) while observing destructive Actions from a destructive original stimulus.

For an animal, the second stimulus comes from outside the animal. However, for humans, the stimulus comes from within the individual. it is actually the individual's Conscious Brain rationalization for their own destructive behavior.

As you read the excerpts from the post titled, "Unaware Brain Applications", notice how the Complex Model for Human Thinking predicts these effects...

6. Attracted to destructive guys
How many times have you heard a female lament, "WHY am I always attracted to the wrong guys?"

When the female dates the first destructive guy, the Unaware Brain KNOWS that this guy is Unprofitable. However, the Unaware Brain does NOT know if the conscious brain desires Unprofitable guys or not. So the Unaware Brain watches...

When her friends and/or parents tell her the guy is destructive, the conscious brain reaches the critical moment.

If she would admit the guy is destructive and state she does NOT desire a destructive guy, the Unaware Brain will NOT juice her towards him or any other Unprofitable guy.

However, if she RATIONALIZES her choice, she will say something like, "You don't know him. He is actually nice. He really loves me. I love him. This is the type of guy I want"...the Unaware Brain now knows to juice the female whenever she meets Unprofitable guys.

The Unaware Brain is assessing every guy it observes. If a guy is Profitable, the Unaware Brain will cause her consciously to "feel nothing" towards the Profitable guy. However, once she consciously observes an Unprofitable guy, her Unaware Brain will juice her...and she will "feel that special something" towards the destructive guy.

The guy may even physically Abuse her. Her conscious brain knows this is wrong, so she leaves him. However, her Unaware Brain hasn't been told that she doesn't want a destructive guy...so when she sees him at a later date, she finds herself attracted to him again. This is especially true if she RATIONALIZES her time with him during the time she leaves him.

7. Lusting Men
The same destructive result can be seen for males...

When a boy stares at a female, the Unaware Brain is waiting for direction.

If the boy would consciously state he doesn't want to stare at females or that it is wrong and he doesn't want to be wrong, his Unaware Brain will stop juicing him that way.

However, if the boy or his friends or his dad RATIONALIZES his behavior ("My son is ALL man" or "It's not a crime to look." or "You can look but you can't touch" or "That is just the way it is" or "Boys will be boys"), the Unaware Brain intentionally juices the male towards staring at females. How much damage are the church and national ministries doing when they RATIONALIZE destructive behavior?

I know someone who got juiced when a woman with very specific characteristics visited his workplace. He even thought about how he had told people he had always wanted to date a woman with these characteristics. He was extremely attracted to her. However, he kept thinking and realized that he was valuing the physical over the mental, emotional, and spiritual. His response? He stated OUTLOUD that he did not want to be attracted to women for ONLY that specific physical characteristic AND he wanted to be attracted to the mental, emotional, and spiritual characteristics.

He saw the woman the next day. What happened? He felt no attraction! In one day, this woman who he found extremely attractive, suddenly was not attractive at all...because of his Unaware Brain.

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Human Thinking Model: Part 4

2011-12-01T00:03:00.003-06:00

This is a short post coordinating another component of the Model for Human Thinking from the previous posts (with links provided).

Notice the differences between the diagram above and the diagram below:

The differences are:

1. It is possible for the Full Thought from the Conscious Brain that is sent to the Amygdala to result in an Emotion or some combination of Logic and Emotions. The effect would be Actions (from Emotions) or some combination of Words and Actions (from Logic and Emotions). The Unconscious Brain can only result in Actions.

2. Notice, the Words and Actions that result are all stimuli to the Unconscious Brain.

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Human Thinking Model: Part 3

2011-11-30T00:03:00.006-06:00

This is a short post coordinating another component of the Model for Human Thinking from the previous posts (with links provided).

Notice the differences between the diagram above and the diagram below:

The differences are:

1. The Full Thought that resulted from the Conscious Brain is sent to the Amygdala.

2. A possible result of the Full Thought being sent to the Amygdala is that no emotion results...which we represented with the rectangle marked "Logic".

3. The Action that results from Logic is the individual SAYS something. (We saw the Action that results from Emotion is the individual DOES something.)

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Human Thinking Model: Part 2

2011-11-29T12:17:00.005-06:00

This is a short post coordinating another component of the Model for Human Thinking from the previous posts (with links provided).

Notice the differences between the diagram above and the diagram below:

The differences are:

1. In the top diagram, the nucleus basalis (represented by the square located between the Unconscious and Conscious Brains) is opened to an external stimulus that reaches the Conscious Brain.

In the bottom diagram, the nucleus basalis is opened to an internal stimulus (the Full Thought coming from the Conscious Brain) that returns back to the Conscious Brain as a stimulus. The initial stimulus could have been external or it could have been internal through Imagining or Remembering.

2. In the bottom diagram, the cycling of the Full Thought through the nucleus basalis results in a Complex Thought.

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Human Thinking Model: Part 1

2011-11-28T10:42:00.005-06:00

This is a short post coordinating the previous posts with the Basic Model for Animal Thinking.

Notice the differences between the diagram above and the diagram below:

1. One of the stimuli made it through the Unconscious Brain to the Conscious Brain.

The small square between the Unconscious Brain and the Conscious Brain represents the nucleus basalis...which represents our ability to focus and determines our attention span.

2. The result of Conscious Brain thinking is a Full Thought, which is sent to the Amygdala.

Both the Unconscious Brain and the Conscious Brain send information to the Amygdala.

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The Conscious Brain: Building Faith

2011-11-25T00:03:00.001-06:00

Last week we began looking at the components of the Human Thinking Model. In the previous two posts, we've seen that Imagining and Remembering are the two ways the individual can initiate the First Feedback Loop in the Conscious Brain with an internal stimulus. We saw:

If the stimulus is not an existing fact, this intentional process is known as "imagining".

If this stimulus is an existing fact, this intentional process is known as "remembering".

Both of these ought to be used to build our faith.

Here's an excerpt from Jonathan Fries' Doctrinal blog on Doctrine #20: Faith":

Faith is belief without seeing. Faith is a belief in something that you can't see or something that hasn't happened yet. Faith is proven by actions. Faith is built with experience and/or understanding.

Imagining builds our faith by understanding.

Remembering builds our faith by experience.

Here is an excerpt from the chapter in the Bible that presented what is known as "The Faith Hall of Fame":

"And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets:" (Hebrews 11:32)

One of the reasons David is in the "Faith Hall of Fame" is because of Goliath.

Let's briefly look at two passages from the story of David and Goliath that illustrate this...

Jesse sent David to his brothers. While David was there, he saw that Goliath came out every day to taunt the Israelites. David asked why no one stood up to Goliath. David's brothers didn't like David implying that he could stand up to Goliath. David would have to convince king Saul...

"And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? And he turned away from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." (I Samuel 17:29-33)

David rehearsed his words...he imagined saying them to king Saul, which built David's faith.

Next, David convinced Saul by demonstrating faith from experience...from remembering past events...

"And David said unto Saul, Thy servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him." (I Samuel 17:34,35)

David began by building his faith by using his memory...then he moved to building his faith by understanding...

"Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. And David said, Jehovah that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and Jehovah shall be with thee." (I Samuel 17:36,37)

David moved to imagination...he understood why God would move on his behalf in the future and gave his explanation. He even described what he imagined: "this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them..." and "...he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine."

Saul was convinced.

CONCLUSION
Humans can intentionally build their faith because of their Conscious Brain. Humans can intentionally initiate the First Feedback Loop in the Conscious Brain with an internal stimulus by Imagining and/or Remembering.

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Imagining

2011-11-24T00:03:00.004-06:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Last week we began looking at the components of the Human Thinking Model. In a previous post, we looked at the factors affecting a person's attention span. We found:

Your attention span is a direct result of your ability to keep your nucleus basalis opened to an external stimulus.

The physiological ability to keep your nucleus basalis open can be developed through repetition.

Increasing the speed of your Conscious Brain thinking also helps you keep your nucleus basalis opened to external stimulus.

In the previous post, we looked at the first of two ways the individual can initiate the First Feedback Loop internally: Remembering.

IMAGINING
In the previous post titled, "The Conscious Brain: A Full Thought" we saw the following:

The First Feedback Loop of the Model for Human Thinking results in a Full Thought which consists of: a stimulus, a connecting fact, and an associated emotion.

In that post, the stimulus was external through the five senses. When the nucleus basalis was focused on the external stimulus, the Conscious Brain identified a connecting fact with an associated emotion...and the result was a Full Thought.

In the previous post, we saw the nucleus basalis can be focused internally to find a stimulus. If this stimulus is an existing fact, this intentional process is known as "remembering".

If the stimulus is not an existing fact, this intentional process is known as "imagining".

Humans can intentionally imagine. Humans can intentionally focus their nucleus basalis internally, identify a fact that never existed and use this fact as the stimulus that begins the First Feedback Loop.

Animals cannot intentionally imagine. For example, a pup doesn't choose to think about what life will be like when they are a dog...or even intentionally think about tomorrow. Animals don't physiologically possess the components in their brain to be able to intentionally imagine.

CONCLUSION
Remembering and Imagining are the two ways the individual can initiate the First Feedback Loop internally.

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Remembering

2011-11-23T00:03:00.001-06:00

Last week we began looking at the components of the Human Thinking Model. In the previous post, we looked at the factors affecting a person's attention span. We found:

Your attention span is a direct result of your ability to keep your nucleus basalis opened to an external stimulus.

The physiological ability to keep your nucleus basalis open can be developed through repetition.

Increasing the speed of your Conscious Brain thinking also helps you keep your nucleus basalis opened to external stimulus.

In today's post, we will look at the first of two ways the individual can initiate the First Feedback Loop internally...

REMEMBERING
In the previous post titled, "The Conscious Brain: A Full Thought" we saw the following:

The First Feedback Loop of the Model for Human Thinking results in a Full Thought which consists of: a stimulus, a connecting fact, and an associated emotion.

In that post, the stimulus was external through the five senses. When the nucleus basalis was focused on the external stimulus, the Conscious Brain identified a connecting fact with an associated emotion...and the result was a Full Thought.

However, the nucleus basalis can be focused internally to find a stimulus. If this stimulus is an existing fact, this intentional process is known as "remembering".

Humans can intentionally remember. Humans can intentionally focus their nucleus basalis internally, identify a fact from their past and use this fact as the stimulus that begins the First Feedback Loop.

Animals cannot intentionally remember. For example, a dog doesn't choose to think about what life was like when they were still a pup...or even intentionally think about yesterday. Animals don't physiologically possess the components in their brain to be able to intentionally remember.

CONCLUSION
Remembering is the first of two ways the individual can initiate the First Feedback Loop internally.

Tomorrow, we will look at the other way the individual can initiate the First Feedback Loop...

Next Post

Attention Span

2011-11-22T00:03:00.002-06:00

Last week we began looking at the components of the Human Thinking Model. In the previous post, we looked at the factors affecting the speed of Conscious Brain thinking. We saw that the speed at which a person is able to complete the First Feedback Loop determines the speed of Conscious Brain thinking.

We saw the First Feedback Loop is made up of a stimulus, connecting fact, and associated emotion.

Last week, we saw the nucleus basalis is the "doorway" to the Conscious Brain. The nucleus basalis determines the stimulus we allow into the Conscious Brain.

In today's post, we will look at the two main factors affecting a person's attention span...

ATTENTION SPAN
A person's attention span is a direct result of the person's ability to keep his nucleus basalis opened to an external stimulus.

This ability consists mainly of two attributes:

1. Physiologically keep the nucleus basalis opened to external stimulus.

We've seen the nucleus basalis is opened when we are surprised, experience something novel, are told "pay attention to this", or when we choose to focus. However, there is a limit to how long each person is able to continuously focus. This ability can be developed.

Notice, we are speaking about a person keeping their focus intentionally...on something a person doesn't necessarily want to pay attention. We know most teenagers have a short attention span during school, however, they are able to focus for hours when they are playing a video game.

Like everything else in the brain, the more a pathway is used, the easier it is to maintain the pathway. The ability to intentionally open the nucleus basalis to external stimuli is capable of being increased through repetition.

2. The speed of Conscious Brain thinking

In the previous post, we covered the ability to improve the speed of Conscious Brain thinking. However, when it comes to improving a person's focus, the role of speed of Conscious Brain thinking has a more complex explanation...

Imagine you are listening to a lecture from a teacher or a sermon from a pastor...both of which are presentations that build on foundational facts. For the sake of this post, we will represent the presentation as a series of ten facts...each of which is represented by a letter of the alphabet: from A to J.

If the presenter made his presentation as simple as possible, the presentation would be represented like this:
ABCDEFGHIJ

Each fact is a stimulus. Each fact would initiate the First Feedback Loop in your Conscious Brain. Since, each fact consecutively built on the preceding fact in the simplest possible fashion, you would be able to keep your nucleus basalis opened to the speaker during the entire presentation.

If the presenter was less detailed oriented, the presentation might be represented like this:
A__D__G__J

Notice, when the speaker presented A, the First Feedback Loop was initiated in the Conscious Brain...and the nucleus basalis stayed open to the next stimulus which was D.

When the First Feedback Loop was completed, you would realize there was a gap between A and D. You would now need to determine the facts that connected A and D. In order to determine the connecting facts, you would focus your nucleus basalis internally...you would intentionally go looking with your Conscious Brain for the connecting facts.

If your speed of Conscious Brain thinking is fast, you may be able to find B and C internally before the speaker mentions G externally. Ideally, while your nucleus basalis was focused internally you would find B and C...then you would focus your nucleus basalis externally in time to hear about G...and then focus your nucleus basalis internally to find E and F.

If the speed of Conscious Brain thinking wasn't fast enough, you would have a decision to make:
1) Continue to focus your nucleus basalis internally to determine B and C...and forget about the next stimulus from the speaker (G).
2) Focus your nucleus basalis externally on G...and forget about finding the connecting facts between A and D.

This explains a practice that excellent speakers use when they cover complex topics...

After a speaker presents a complicated slide or introduces a complex topic, the excellent speakers immediately follow this topic with the easiest information...sometimes no information: they tell a joke or a personal anecdote. Likewise, an excellent writer will immediately follow a complicated sentence with the shortest and simplest sentence. Both of these techniques gives the audience additional time to focus their nucleus basalis internally in order to find the connecting thoughts in their Conscious Brain.

CONCLUSION
Your attention span is a direct result of your ability to keep your nucleus basalis opened to an external stimulus.

The physiological ability to keep your nucleus basalis open can be developed through repetition.

Increasing the speed of your Conscious Brain thinking also helps you keep your nucleus basalis opened to external stimulus.

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