Saturday, January 28, 2006

 

Jesus of Nazareth

"Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, 'Who is it you want?' 'Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied. 'I AM he,' Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, 'I AM he,' they drew back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, 'Who is it you want?' And they said, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' 'I told you that I AM he,' Jesus answered." (John 18:4-8a NIV)

Friday, January 27, 2006

 

YHWH

"Moses said to God, 'Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, "The God of your fathers has sent me to you," and they ask me, "What is his name?" Then what shall I tell them?' God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: "I AM has sent me to you. God also said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites, "The LORD, the God of your fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob--has sent me to you." This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.'" (Exodus 3:14-15 NIV)

"'Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.' 'You are not yet fifty years old,' the Jews said to him, 'and you have seen Abraham!' 'I tell you the truth,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I AM.' At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds." (John 8:56-59)

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

 

I AM ...


Monday, January 23, 2006

 

Hodos, Aletheia, and Zoe

hodos: "a path, road, way"

"But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. ... Love is patient and kind ..." (1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:4 ESV)

aletheia: "truth, the reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of a matter" I did not know what 'veritable meant; so I looked it up. (veritable: being in fact the thing named and not false, unreal, or imaginary.) Nice word!

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. I [Paul] am speaking the truth [aletheia] in Christ--I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit..." (Romans 8:38-9:1)

zoe: "of life as a principle, life in the absolute sense, life as God has it, that which the Father has in Himself, and which He gave to the Incarnate Son to have in Himself" We get the word zoo and zoology from this Greek word.

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4)

Sunday, January 22, 2006

 

Jesus answered ...

"I am the hodos and the aletheia and the zoe [long o and e]." (John 14:6)

Saturday, January 21, 2006

 

Taste and see ...

"...the LORD is good." (Psalm 34:8)

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

 

Pistis, Elpis, and Agape


"We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith (pistis), you labor prompted by love (agape), and your endurance inspired by hope (elpis) in our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV)

"Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:1-5)

"By faith we eagerly await through the righteousness for which we hope. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (Galatians 5:5-6)

"We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints--the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven ..." (Colossians 1:4-5a)

"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we confess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:22-24)

"Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers [philadelphia], love one another deeply, from the heart." (1 Peter 1:21-22)

NOTE: The picture is of the Greek sister goddesses called the Graces or Charities. They are who I pictured when I thought of the close connection of love, faith, and hope. However, the Graces personify Splendor, Mirth, and Good Cheer.

Monday, January 16, 2006

 

More About Faith

"Now faith (pistis) is being sure of what we hope (elpizo-verb form of elpis) for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. … And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:1-3, 6 NIV)

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:8-10)

"… faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." (James 2:17-18)

Faith and works might be like stepping on a sharp object (Warning: Like every analogy or model, they do not represent reality perfectly. C.S. Lewis said—when talking about his analogies—if the picture does not help you see reality better, forget it! The same goes with my analogies.) Faith is the action of stepping on the sharp object; works is the yell or sound that follows. If a person steps on the object, it is given he will make some sound—probably profane. If a person does not step on the object, he barely misses it, there will be no sound. But a trickster or someone who wants attention (for good or for bad) might make a sound without stepping on the sharp object. However, only one of the three actually stepped on the sharp item.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

 

What is FAITH?

FAITH. What a word. I do not even know where to start. The concordance in my Bible references over 300 passages that contain the word faith or a form of the word. There could possibly be over 400 passages referenced; however, I stopped counting at 130 (estimated from that number). I would not even consider my concordance complete.

The Greek word for faith is pistis. Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary defines pistis as 'firm persuasion, a conviction based on hearing.' Where is Joe's definition when you need it?

"These [grief in all kinds of trials] have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:7-9 NIV)

Saturday, January 14, 2006

 

More Hope

To add to the understanding of hope, I found that elpis, according to the NIV Study Bible, can be defined as 'absolute certainty, not a mere wish.' Just thought I would throw that in. Now back to where we left off.

hope of salvation (i.e. the final salvation at end times): "But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." (1 Thessalonians 5:8 NIV)

hope of God's calling: "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:18, 19)

hope of eternal life: "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:5-7)

hope of Israel: "For this reason [accusations against Paul] I have asked to see you [leaders of the Jews in Rome] and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain." (Acts 28:20)

hope of being like Him: "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:2, 3)

Friday, January 13, 2006

 

What should I Hope?

The Object upon whom hope is fixed can be seen in the greeting to Timothy:

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope." (1 Timothy 1:1 NIV)

However, unlike Love, hope is not God. But God is the author of hope. I say this fact hesitantly. Convince me if you think otherwise. The reason I think hope is not God is twofold: (1) 1 Corinthians 13:13 says that Love is the greatest of the three: faith, hope and love. If God is Love AND God is hope, but Love is greater than hope, is God greater than God? (2) (the weaker of the two arguments) To say God is hope and hope is God comes across as Pantheism, where God is everything. This point is probably moot.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

Now we go to something more substantial. So what should we specifically hope for?

hope of the resurrection: "Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, 'My brothers, … I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.'" (Acts 23:6)

hope of the promise: "And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night." (Acts 26:6)

hope of righteousness: "But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope." (Galatians 5:5)

hope of the gospel: "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel." (Colossians 1:22, 23)

hope of the glory of God: "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ …" (Titus 2:11-13)

Next blog: Five more hopes!

Thursday, January 12, 2006

 

What is HOPE?

"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." (Romans 8:18-25 ESV)

The Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament defines elpis (English spelling) as 'hope or expectation of good;' Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary defines elpis as 'favorable and confident expectation;' and Joe defines elpis as 'confident expectation or full assurance, not wishful thinking.'

Hope (elpis) has two qualifying factors: (1) it deals with the unseen and (2) it deals with the future. Tomorrow we will learn the Object upon whom the hope is fixed and, therefore, what we should specifically hope for.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

 

faith, hope, and love

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV)

I have mentioned on many occasions the concept of love. Currently I am studying about faith and hope. Maybe I will find something I can share in the future.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

 

Returning Topic: LOVE

"Jesus replied, ... 'The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.'" (John 12:25 NIV)

"Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech." (1 Peter 3:10)

Is this a Biblical conflict? Jesus tells us not to love life, but Peter seems to be showing us how to love life. No conflict here. The conflict arises with the English translation. Many times the Greek and the English fit together like Legos, but in this case, the words love need filling up.

The verse in John uses phileo. Phileo represents 'tender affection.' Phileo should not be mistaken for storge, which is simply 'affection.' The term 'brotherly-love' might be a better translation. The key concept with the various loves is the object of the love. Jesus is telling us that a man will lose his life if he has an undue desire to preserve it, forgetting of the real object of living.

Peter, on the other hand, uses agapao. Agapao [noun form: agape] has God as the primary object. He is the giver of agape; He is Agape.

Making these connections from the above verses brings together the following verses:

"Whoever does not love (agapao) does not know God, because God is love (agape)." (1 John 4:8)

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)

Monday, January 09, 2006

 

The House of ... (PART IV.b.)

So where am I going with this obscure series? Well, I am glad you asked! When you read the genealogies in the Bible do you associate them more with the first two houses (the House of Atreus or the House of Took) or with my real house (the House of Francis)? Many times I am guilty of thinking that the Biblical chronicles are fantastic like the Greek mythology or J.R.R Tolkien's made-up Middle Earth. However, the names we see written in the Bible are real people just like you and me.

For example, we know nothing about Jacob, the grandfather of Jesus. But he more than likely struggled with the very same things we do. He probably lived in Nazareth like his son and grandson did. He probably taught Joseph many of the things he knew about carpentry. Nazareth, the possible family town, was very rural. Many scholars believe that only 1,600 to 2,000 people lived there at one time. During Jacob's day, it was a secluded farming village. However, it was not too secluded. Three miles north sat the city of Sepphoris. Sepphoris was the site for governmental services for the whole area. Jacob probably traveled there to buy licenses or pay taxes or even sell goods. A trip to Sepphoris is like my trip to West Towne Mall or Best Buy. Later, during Jesus' life, Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, made Sepphoris his capital and rebuilt it from the Romans' devastation. He built a magnificent palace, a theater seating four to five thousand people, impressive city walls, and a fortress. Jacob's training passed down to Joseph, and later to Jesus, might have been used in this large scale construction. Coming home from work, Joseph and Jesus were probably very tired. Their hands hurt; their backs hurt; and their feet hurt. Tired and irritable, Joseph and Mary probably fussed at one another.

Our imagination could come up with many things that would tie into the struggles we face today. Therefore, this long and drawn out series was to remind me that the men and women mentioned in the genealogies of Adam, Noah, Shem, David, and Jesus were real people with real problems. They all sinned (except for one), and they all needed a Savior (the One).

Sunday, January 08, 2006

 

The House of ... (PART IV.a.)

The House of David
And Azor begat Sadoc;
and Sadoc begat Achim;
and Achim begat Eliud;
and Eliud begat Eleazar;
and Eleazar begat Matthan;
and Matthan begat Jacob;
and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary,
of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
(Matthew 1:14-16 KJV)

Saturday, January 07, 2006

 

The House of ... (PART III.b.)

George Washington: A farmer with assets of $200. On November 4, 1851, George was paid $20 for about two and one-half acres of land by the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. He picked up his family and moved from Virginia to the West Hills area in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Washington Fletcher: Born while his father and mother were still living in Virginia. At the age of 22, he married Julia Dunn, who was from a prominent Knoxville family. Like his father, he, too, was a farmer.

James Robert: Started out in the furniture making business. Jim fought in the Spanish-American war in 1898 and 1899. He was promoted to sergeant during this time. However, for some odd reason was demoted to corporal while serving in the Philippians. Jim would go on to marry Frances Ferguson.

Robert Kenneth: Born on the kitchen table on May 4, 1922. The doctor did not recall the name the family wished to call the boy. Therefore, the doctor took Jim's middle name and made it the boy's first name. However, the doctor did remember Kenneth. But when Kenneth (what his family called him) joined the military he had to go by Robert. His children and wife would later call him Bob. As mentioned, Bob (Grandpa to me) served in Europe during World War II.

Cornelius: My dad. The name he goes by, and his first, is Christopher. He met my mom at the University of Tennessee while he was working on his degree in Engineering Physics. He was later called into the ministry, and he is currently a pastor of a small church in South Knoxville.

Wesley: That is me!

Friday, January 06, 2006

 

The House of ... (PART III.a.)

The House of Francis
George Washington begat Washington Fletcher,
And W. Fletcher begat James Robert,
And James Robert begat Robert Kenneth,
And Robert Kenneth begat Cornelius,
and Cornelius begat Wesley,
who is creator of this blog.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

 

The House of ... (PART II.b.)

Isengrim II: 2683 years after the overthrow of Sauron by Elendil and Gil-galad and the disappearance of the One Ring, Isengrim II becomes the tenth Thrain (the leader's title, like a chieftan) of the Hobbits. The same year he begins the excavation of the Great Smials.

Isumbras III: Born to Isengrim II at the age of 46. He had two recorded sons: Ferumbras and Bandobras. According to the Red Book, Bandobras Took (Bullroarer) was four foot five and able to ride a horse. Bandobras was an adventurous Hobbit and defeated an Orc-band in the Northfarthing. Not much is known about Isumbras III.

Ferumbras II: Seemed to have been overshadowed by his brother. Not much is mentioned about him, except being the oldest he became the next Thain.

Fortinbras I: Like his father, nothing is recorded about his life.

Gerontius: Later known as the Old Took. He was the second oldest Hobbit in the Shire's history. The 26th Thain of the Shire, he ruled for 72 years, and died at the age of 130. He was friends with Gandalf, and a direct ancestor—therefore, the tie—to Bilbo, Frodo, Meriadoc (Merry), and Peregrin (Pippin). He had twelve children.

Belladonna: The 'remarkable' ninth child, and eldest daughter, of the Old Took. First introduced at the beginning of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.

Bilbo: Found the One Ring. Need I say any more!?

 

The House of ... (PART II.a.)

The House of Took
Isengrim II begat Isumbras III,
and Isumbras III begat Ferumbras II,
and Ferumbras II begat Fortinbras I,
and Fortinbras I begat Gerontius,
and Gerontius begat Belladonna,
and Belladonna begat Bilbo of Bag End.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

 

The House of ... (PART I.b.)

I do not want people to think that I have gone off the weird end and replaced Biblical Truth with Greek myth. Just hang on; I am going somewhere with all this!

Zeus: Generally regarded as the greatest god of the Greek pantheon. He was the god of light, of clear skies, and thunder. Zeus seems to fit some how into every myth. Most people have at least heard of him.

Tantalus: An extremely rich and popular king to the gods. He was invited to Olympus on many occasions to wine and dine with the gods. One day the gods came to his house to eat (something rare for a Greek god to do). However Tantalus was a very prideful man and tried to trick the gods. He cut his son, Pelops, up into tiny pieces and feed him to the gods. The gods realized the trick and did not eat the meal. Tantalus was taken to the Underworld where he felt eternal hunger and thirst. He was placed in a pool of water underneath a branch full of fruit. But when he would reach for the water, it would withdraw, and when he would reach for the fruit, the branch would spring out of reach.

Pelops: The son of Tantalus was put back together by the gods. However, Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, had tasted the meal before realizing Tantalus' trick. Pelops was restored, and in place of the shoulder which had been eaten they made him an ivory one. Pelops fell in love with a princess. However, he was required to beat her father in a chariot race before they could wed. Pelops is also associated with the Olympic Games still held today. Furthermore, Pelops name cares over to one of the southern regions of Greece, Peloponnese. Sparta, Corinth, Tripoli, Argos, Messene, and Mycanae were and are famous cities in this region. The famous Peloponnesian War also carries his name (which makes sense due to the location of the war).

Atreus: Hated his brother Thyestes very much. Like his grandfather, Atreus slew the sons of Thyestes and served them to him for supper. After eating his children unknowingly, Atreus showed him the heads of his children. More insane stories of Atreus can be found in many general Greek mythology collections.

Agamemnon: Leader of the Greek ships who sailed to Troy to retrieve his brother's wife, Helen. When Agamemnon arrived home after a bitter victory, his wife's new lover invited him to a feast and killed him. More can be read about him in Homer's the Iliad.

 

The House of ... (PART I.a.)

The House of Atreus
Zeus begat Tantalus;
and Tantalus begat Pelops;
and Pelops begat Atreus;
and Atreus begat AGAMEMNON,
who fought in the battle at Troy.

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

 

Avoid Temporary Attachments?



St. Augustine describes in his Confessions IV the desolation into which the death of his friend Nebridius plunged him. Then he draws a moral. This is what comes, he says, of giving one's heart to anything but God. All human beings pass away. Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose. If love is to be a blessing, not a misery, it must be for the only Beloved who will never pass away.

This philosophy creeps into Star Wars as well. Yoda tells Anakin, "Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not. Attachment leads to jealously. The shadow of greed, that is." (Revenge of the Sith)

Are Yoda and St. Augustine correct? C.S. Lewis believes they [actually, he only knew of St. Augustine] are wrong.

"If I am sure of anything I am sure that His teaching was never meant to confirm my congenital preference for safe investments and limited liabilities. I doubt whether there is anything in me that pleases Him less. … I think that this passage in the Confessions is less a part of St. Augustine's Christendom than a hangover from the high-minded Pagan philosophies in which he grew up. It is closer to Stoic 'apathy' or neo-Platonic mysticism than to charity. We follow One who wept over Jerusalem and at the grave of Lazarus, and, loving all, yet had one disciple whom, in a special sense, he 'loved.' St. Paul has a higher authority with us than St. Augustine—St. Paul who shows no sign that he would not have suffered like a man, and no feeling that he ought not so to have suffered, if Epaphroditus had died." (The Four Loves)

"As he [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it." (Luke 19:41 NIV)

"When Jesus saw her [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 'Where have you laid him?' he asked. 'Come and see, Lord,' they replied. Jesus wept." (John 11:33-35)

"Indeed he [Epaphroditus] was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety." (Philippians 2:27, 28)

Monday, January 02, 2006

 

Wesley's Conversion

Many people have fantastic stories about the first experience of putting their faith in Jesus Christ. What follows is not that kind of story. Some people know the exact year, month, day, and second they were saved from eternal condemnation. I do not even know the year. But this is what I do know …

I was a young boy still in elementary school. I had gone to a Baptist church since I was born. I had attended Sunday School and Worship Service almost every Sunday. The main reason for the almost perfect attendance was that my father was the pastor. I believed more fundamental truths than most young Christians—more than many older Christians I know today as well. The best that a 7 to 10 year old boy could, I believed God created the world in six days; I believed the first humans, that is Adam and Eve, were the first to sin; I believed Noah was rescued from a world-wide flood; I believed God spoke to Moses from a burning bush; I believed God rescued his people from Egypt; and I believed in Saul, Solomon, and David. I even knew that Jesus was the son of God (and somehow God himself) and was born to a virgin (I probably did not know what a virgin was at that time—but I believed it). I believed Jesus died and arose on the third day and ascended to Heaven. I had learned all this in Sunday School. I could even tell you the books of the Bible in order (however, I always had trouble around the Minor Prophets). But was I a Christian? No.

I clearly remember standing and singing on one of the last nights of Vacation Bible School in a very small church. A few Sundays before, my good friend and part-sister L (http://amagicbeanbuyer.blogspot.com/) had gone forward and asked to be baptized. I probably was thinking about that. I clearly remember this nervous feeling. Should I step out into the isle and go forward? It was a heavy burden. Before I knew it I had gone forward and told my dad I wanted to accept Jesus into my heart and returned back to my seat. Looking back, that moment seems like a flash of light. The only other thing I remember is that my Sunday School teacher L. Reed was standing behind me, and she put her hand on my shoulder when I returned.

That is it! Simple, right? Well, for me looking back it seemed very simple. However, for Jesus to come 'into my heart' was something very fantastic. That great wonder is something that I have begun to realize in growing up. Was it the knowledge of the Bible that saved me? Of course not! Was it being the son of a pastor? No! All of these helped me realize the need for salvation, but the only thing to save me was the grace of Jesus Christ.

I now have a friend who sticks closer than a brother—literally. I can talk to him at anytime. I still disappoint him and probably make him mad at times. But I have the hope (not a wishing hope, but a longing hope) of his return where I can clearly see this friend that I talk to. All you need is faith, not belief!!

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