All conscious beings have the ability to comprehend certain qualities and abilities recognized in all beings. An analysis of beings gives an amazing collection of parts when put together form an intricate person with the ability to glorify or condemn God. It must be recognized there is a great creator who has put these parts together to function as a whole being.

Each of these natural parts by themselves is unable to function but must be part of a whole being whose original intent was to serve and worship God. The spirit of the being will live in contentment when the being chooses to use the natural parts for their original intent. When not used as designed there will be frustration and the being will not function as designed. Just as God created man and woman to live and to function with intended relationships with God and fellowman but when man and woman chooses to disrupt the intended purpose in design the relationships will become strained resulting in guilt leading to physical and mental illness and to separation from God..

God must be recognized as the great creator putting all the created parts together to function as a whole:
There is the ability to think, to reason, to view facts and draw conclusions.

Man and woman are not puppets in God’s creation but have the ability think draw conclusions and make decisions based upon the ability to think. Man and woman have the ability to reason through the facts presented and draw conclusions and to act upon these conclusions.
There is the emotional ability within – the able to experience what is thought upon.

Man and woman have thoughts then put together actions based upon thoughts presented to the spirit. Man and woman then through emotions experience joy for correct decision or grief for decisions made in opposition to God’s intention.
The ability to originate our own thoughts and actions – self-determination or free will.

Man and woman are created with free will – the ability to originate thoughts, decisions and actions. Thoughts are presented to the mind and spirit then man and woman has the free will to make decisions; Decision based on past experience and the knowledge and understanding of the great creator.
Our personalities function as a whole – our wills direct our minds to think or to process a thought with an emotional reaction.

The parts of the created being function as a whole producing the results observed contentment and joy or grief and confusion. Each part by itself accomplishes nothing – it just exists.
Our conscience – the mind evaluates all that is occurring approving or condemning.

With all decisions and actions there must be a system to measure results – the ability to determine approval or disapproval.
Our emotions cannot be activated or controlled directly as the emotions are the results of what we think upon.

Emotions are not created by themselves but must be the results the actions and the thought processes. Emotions will be based upon past experience and the understanding of the great creator – God.

So within the created being there is observed the ability of free will or self-determination, the emotions, and the conscience to approve or disapprove the thoughts and actions. These characteristics are naturally part of the beings – these traits cannot be removed or added to the being with all beings having these natural characteristics – they cannot be altered.

What is thought upon and is stored in our memory becomes the basis for approval or disapproval being brought back at some time resulting in approval or condemnation based upon the design of the person both physically and spiritually. Free will brings thoughts and actions resulting in an emotional reaction resulting in approval or condemnation based upon past experience and knowledge.

Reference: “The Truth Shall Make You Free” By Gordon C. Olson pages T-I-1 & 2

Forgiveness of sin should have no other purpose than to live life as one is designed to live a life free from guilt and sin. The promises Jesus taught will be available to the forgiven person the one seeking to enter through the narrow gate of salvation – the coming out of the world of sin with full trust in God.

MT 7:13 “ Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
MT 7:14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

MT 7:21 “ Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter

A relationship with God requires trust in God, delighting in the things of God with a total commitment to God that brings righteousness as a light. There must be a total commitment to God to receive the righteousness of God to receive the promises of God.

PS 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
PS 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
PS 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
PS 37:6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday sun.
PS 37:7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him

The world has a big commitment to entice one to live in and to partake of the things of the world. Large amounts of dollars are spent to persuade one to take part in the world of sin and selfishness bringing the rise of false prophets who lead to participation in some form of worship of God but leaving out the true righteous relationship with God that is required. There are many promise from the false leaders.

Are the results of their leadership free from guilt and selfishness a life of sincere praise and credit to God based upon unselfishness? Who they are and what they are will be evident by what they do for the benefit of others and God without imposing rules and regulations for their own benefit. Are they allowing free will based upon a true relationship with God without the imposition of burdensome rules? God will judge the unrighteous leader.

MT 7:15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
MT 7:16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are
they?”
MT 7:17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
MT 7:18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
MT 7:19 “ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
MT 7:20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits

A firm foundation in God and His Son Jesus with continual study and growth provides a base to determine the sincerity of the teacher. A firm foundation in God will allow the determination of falsehood, to distinguish between that which is truth and that which is false teaching allowing the determination of truth.

A firm foundation is a gift from God and comes with serious study and prayer striving to know God sincerely through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. God wants you to know Him and to enjoy a true relationship with Him that comes only with effort. A sincere relationship with God comes with regular study resulting in growth knowing God.

MT 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
MT 7:25 “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

Ask, seek and receive from God with righteousness to enjoy fellowship with God. God is waiting!!

MT 7:7 “ Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
MT 7:8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

A relationship with God is based upon truth as presented by God through the Holy Spirit the truth that will sustain one in any and all situations. Truth will build a firm foundation allowing the building of the house upon the rock of God haveing a forgiven relationship with God in His Son Jesus living up to the full potential available. PS 37:7 “ Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him”

EX 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
EX 32:2 Aaron said to them, “ Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”
EX 32:3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.
EX 32:4 He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “ This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”
EX 32:5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”
EX 32:6 So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

The sons of Israel had forgotten all that God had done with for them. Apparently their connection with God was a shallow relationship based upon the physical things God had provided. They had forgotten about God in the absence of Moses their leader. Aaron did not become the spiritual leader in Moses absence. Should not Aaron have become a spiritual leader in Moses absence since he had been with Moses since they had left Egypt? The people Moses had lead from Egypt had corrupted themselves in Moses absence turning from God. They had turned to selfishness and sin. Even today many turn away from God to follow after their own selfish desires looking to current things to attempt to satisfy their desire to have something to worship. They look to current events as their gods.

EX 32:7 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.
EX 32:8 “They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘ This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’ ”

It was God’s choice since the people had become separated from Him choosing to follow after selfish desires that He was going to destroy all the people and begin anew with Moses. God was going to change from His previous decision to take the Sons of Israel into the Promised Land. His decision was that He was going to destroy all of these obstinate people – those who had turned their back to God. God was very angry with the Sons of Israel.

EX 32:9 The LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people.
EX 32:10 “Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.”

Moses then reasoned with God concerning His decision to destroy the sons of Israel. Moses pointed out to God the consequence of this decision especially to the Egyptians. The Egyptians would say that God brought them out of Egypt just to destroy them in the desert. This would show the Egyptians they were right in what they said about God – He would just destroy them in the desert.

EX 32:11 Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
EX 32:12 “Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people.
After listening to Moses, God did change His mind to not destroy the Sons of Israel. God in turn chose to destroy only some of the Sons of Israel. God did change His mind. This does show that God will change His mind depending on the decisions of mankind.
This illustrates the principle and character of God in that He will change His mind making new decisions based upon the choices of man and woman. This should further illustrate the plans of God are not set in stone. He will change plans. But God will not change his character. He will always stay true to His character as the creator and His Moral Law and prophecy.

EX 32:14 So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.

“….to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice…” Rom12:1. In what way are you willing to serve God? Serving God can be in many forms. It could be your witness for God in your work place. It could be just making yourself available to God to do whatever He asks. What does God indicate to you to do – helping those in need physically or spiritually, praying for those who may be sick and needing comfort, is it teaching the character of God? If you make yourself available there is much you can be do for the glory of God.

“…which is your spiritual service of worship…” Ram 12:1 Serving God may also include your worship of God. The often asked question – what is worshiping God? Is it attending a church worship service? Is it being completely devoted to God serving Him in the way He is leading? Could it include being a faithful witness for God in your daily life? Devotion to God in a reasonable way free from sin may be your form of worship. Worship of God is more than just attending church services, Bible studies or any other church function. Doing what you can for God’s Glory.

Being there for God is just as important as God being there for us.

“…And do not be conformed to this world…” Rom 12:2 If you work in the world or are involved in any community activities one must have to be very careful that you do not become conformed to worldly thinking or worldly things. Most everyone has heard of the NFL Super Bowl. The Super Bowl this year (2012) will be in Indianapolis, IN. The Super Bowl game is on Sunday February 5, 2012 and that is what many think of when the Super Bowl is discussed. The Super bowl game is for the NFL championship of the season. But the celebrating and playing in the host city begins at least 10 days before game is actually played. The host city and other companies spend millions of dollars preparing for that one game. You just cannot imagine the amount of dollars that are spent to entertain and play for a week. Commercial companies and the NFL spend millions of dollars entertaining providing ways for people to play for that 10 days leading up to the Super Bowl. This is an extravagant way that one can be involved in the world. But what about what is happening in your daily world? What about the gossip, the social activities in your work world?

Make the distinction and separate yourself from the world?

“…be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Rom 12:2 One has to constantly in personal study to continue to grow and to develop an understanding of God. One has to be willing to change to learn and develop a more personal relationship with God. This transformation can only come by prayer, study and serving God with a whole heart and mind. It has to be a spiritual thing. The renewing of your mind is something that is never fully achieved. It is something that is constantly ongoing and growing.

“…you may prove what the will of God is…” Living Rom 12:1-2 then the will of God in your life will be evident to all especially yourself. Those to whom you are with will notice the transformation in your character to be more like God. This will be evident to all you know and meet.

All of this in Rom 12:1-2 is available only if you have gone before God to ask for forgiveness of your sins. Seeking total forgiveness is the only way to have a relationship with God. God expects a total surrender to him. MT 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”

Some may carry their Bible to church then place it in the back seat of the car until the next time. Some may have a Bible on the coffee table in their living room. There it sits until it is dusted. Both situations give impressions, they think, that they are religious people. These people rarely open the Bible to understand the character of God.

Some people read the Bible but do not study the Bible for a determination of God’s character and God’s position on sin. They just do not seem to understand the Bible so they still live or meddle in sin while proclaiming to be Christians. They think they can still live the sinful lifestyle regardless of the words in the Bible. Evidently the Bibles does not mean anything to them as they continue in sin despite what they read. They don’t understand.

The Bible should be the guide to understand the character of God. God uses the Bible to teach about Himself and His Son Jesus and about the creation. The Bible is full of truths. Truths one should understand. God teaches about His creation and the relationship man is to have with the creation and to one another. (Gen 1:28-31) God also expresses His great sadness of the choices and the life style of man (Gen 6:5-7).

How often did God in the Bible warn or regret the decisions man has made. God promised the sons of Abraham they would occupy the Promised Land. God brought the Sons of Israel out of slavery in Egypt through the desert to the Promised Land providing for their needs and protecting them but what did they do when they got to the promised land. They did not trust God. Several years later when they went into the Promised Land God through His prophets warned the Israelites of the sinfulness. How the prophets did attempted to persuade the children of God to turn from their selfishness to a glorious relationship with Him. They were given the best but they lost it to other countries. God withdrew His protective hand from them because they did not trust in Him and Him alone. They loved selfishness and the world – sin.

The Sons of Israel came under the control of Babylon and Rome because of the sin. God became frustrated with the Sons of Israel He then established the New Covenant through the birth and ministry of His Son Jesus. Through the ministry of Jesus God established a New Covenant that included the Gentiles in this New Covenant. Through the death of Jesus on the Cross, the burial in a grave, the resurrection from the grave after 3 days, and the eventual ascension to the right hand of God the New Covenant was established.
In the New Covenant God expected man and woman to live a life free from sin – to live a life in harmony with the character of God. (Rom 12:1-2) Matthew, Mark, Luke and John teach Jesus and His establishment of the New Covenant and how man and woman are to live within this New Covenant. Paul, the gospel writers, James, Peter and John explain to the specific audiences they were addressing to live in an upright and obedient manner before. Nowhere does it allow for mankind to live selfishly or in sin.
God through Paul taught the consequences of not living in a personal relationship with God. Man cannot continue to live for self with little or no regard for God. There are consequences to all decisions.
Sin is destroying mankind. Mankind living selfishly is destroying each other. Mankind is of the belief they can do whatever they chose no one will get hurt. They believe there are no deadly consequences to their sinful choices. To them sin is ok. But is it ok? Revelations has much to say concerning sinful choices. There are consequences. What is the outcome of these choices? Can sin and righteousness coexist? (Rev 3:15-16, Rev 22:12-13)

PS 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
The shepherd of a flock of sheep is responsible for the well-being, protection and guidance of the sheep. The shepherd watches over the sheep being sure to keep them safe from predators. God watches over His people giving guidance wisdom and protecting them from sinners. God watches giving direction and wisdom through his Holy Spirit. God does provide for needs.
JN 14:16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
JN 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know
Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
JN 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and
bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

PS 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
The image of a green pasture and tranquil waters brings the thoughts of quietness, peacefulness,
restfulness. This image should portray to us comfort and peace of mind. God will provide, while in
Him, an atmosphere of contentment – an escape from the troubles of the world.

PS 23:3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
God gives salvation – restoring to a right relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit will give guidance
that there may be a righteous life in Him. Because He is God and wants all His people to be in Him.

PS 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
The valley of the shadow of death – this could be the work place or anywhere there would be those
who do not have a spiritual relationship with God. If one allows themselves to become involved in
fellowship with groups of the world this could lead to involvement in the very same sins of the world.
Work places are places of gossip, bickering, and other forms of conflicts and discontent. Places of sin
can be found in almost all social groups.

PS 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
In the image of the table of the last supper all was provided for the meal. God provides for the needs
of His people even in the surroundings of a sinful world. Anointing with oil brings the idea of God
providing physical well-being. God will provide blessings, more blessings than expected. God
will provide physical and spiritual blessings more than one can imagine.

PS 23:6 Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
As one maintains a spiritual relationship with God there will then follow the ability to do good for
others. One will do for others out of concern and care for the person. There is a need and the person
of God will provide for that need through God.
Coming to a personal understanding and relationship with God realizing the things of the world do not
provide eternal peace and comfort so one must do all they can to be sure they are in a correct and full
relationship with God.
There is a life there with God that will give all that one could imagine – needs, spiritual contentment, protection from the sinful world. Spiritual peace is the big reward for obedience of God.

During a college psychology class a discussion turned to the subject of constructs. In psychology a “construct” is a group of mental impressions put together in a specific form to aid the imagination in its speculation. A construct does not exist in objective reality. It is only a mental form. It is useful only as a mental scaffold to help build more concrete understandings. Once it outlasts its usefulness, it can be discarded.

During the discussion a student asked the instructor, “is God a construct?”

The instructor replied that the existence of God is beyond the scope of science. Science deals with physical observations and experimentation. Being nonphysical and nonobservable as to His person. God is outside the jurisdiction of science.

The instructor was correct.

Does this mean that God has not made himself known? No. On the contrary. God has provided a full range of compelling evidences of himself-His existence, His nature, His will. When properly considered, to the honest inquirer these will be conclusive.

“But I must have absolute proof” the skeptic demands.

This is presumptuous, unfair, and futile. The Creator will not surrender His sovereignty or authority to any man. (and will not climb onto anyone’s laboratory table, squeeze into anyone’s test tube, slide under anyone’s microscope, and play specimen for any mortal who insists on being a validator of Deity.

More than any other challenge to the human mind, this search requires humility in the inquirer. But it is the one that elicits the most untempered pride. Often humility, objectivity, and diligence are most lacking. The reason is that the search confronts the person himself or herself most directly and totally-the ego, the value-system, the lifestyle, the issue of who shall be supreme. The unbeliever wants to avoid an honest encounter with the truth of God and the God of truth. The bias is not merely intellectual: it is moral.

On this subject, man cannot arrive at the truth by starting from himself. But the very nature of the inquiry, if we are to know God, God must reveal himself to us and we must honestly accept His self-revelation. We must follow God’s rules, including the indispensable conditions of humility and faith-reasonable faith-demanded by the evidence.

When we consider honestly the full testimony that God has given to us concerning himself, we must ask: What more can God say to us without shouting at us? What more can He do without forcing himself on us? Does the agnostic want God to come and forcibly crush all his cavils? Will additional evidence convince the person who refuses to give due consideration to the evidences now available examine further evidence?

Are most unbelievers giving this quest the diligence it deserves? No. They are not seeking after God. They are looking for a reason to avoid Him.

In her book, God Is No Fool, Lois A. Cheney wrote:

“I once knew a young man who was searching for God. And I was touched by his search; and I prayed for his search; and I loved his search.

“He read a lot of books. He thought and thought about their ideas. He talked to many people, in pairs and in groups; they matched their minds with his and they furthered his search. He walked and sought God in the rain. He climbed and sought God on the mountain. He closed himself off from the world and sought God in his soul.

“He would describe his searching and travels for truth. He would explain how he had meticulously and prayerfully sorted, rejected, and accepted.

“As the years went on, I changed from anticipating the recounting of his searches, to simply receiving them; to being bored with them: to avoiding them; and him. You see, he had fallen in love with his search.

“God just isn’t that hard to find”*

Yes, God has revealed himself to us. In a myriad of ways He is telling us things about himself, communicating so everyone who will listen can hear. For that reason the Bible does not attempt to prove the existence of God. He needs no proof. His own testimony is proof enough for the honest heart.

“He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27,NIV). The moment you come to Jesus Christ, you will meet Him.

And what kind of proof is required? The answer of course is physical, empirical proof. The evidence must fit the unbeliever’s own specifications in order to meet a certain criteria for belief. In other words, the unbeliever tries to set the rules of inquiry and demands that God follow them. Making himself sovereign, the secularist proceeds to dictate the boundaries of acceptable information. Instead of considering the existing evidence, he insists on having other information as a precondition for personal faith.

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The Author hereby grants permission to reproduce the text of this article, without changes or alterations*, as a ministry, but not for commercial or non-ministry purposes.

Life In Christ Center, 3095 Cherry Heights Road, The Dalles, Oregon 97058