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~ ● Eph 1:4-5 . . He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will. There are important differences between adopted kids and foster kids. The latter have no inheritance rights, they have no right to be known by a foster father's name...

~ Luke 16:19-31 tells of three men in the afterlife. The story is alleged to be one of several New Testament parables: which are stories variously regarded as fact and/or fiction. A problem with the fiction view is Abraham. He's an historical person; plus he's said to be one of God's buddies...

~ 128) 2Cor 2:6-8 . . The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The cause for which Paul wrote that piece...

~ Spring is the season designated for Passover; which is +/- three months before ancient Israel's grape harvest. So the beverage that Jesus' men drank at his last supper was left over from a previous year's harvest as it was too soon for new stuff. Nowadays older wines are prized but back then...

~ There's a very strong possibility that the book of Esther should be categorized as myth, viz: a fictional tradition with elements of history woven in to give the story a patina of realism. Some very good novels have been written that way; movies and plays too. We shouldn't let ourselves be...

~ There's a very strong possibility that the book of Esther should be categorized as myth, viz: a fictional tradition with elements of history woven in to give the story a patina of realism. Some very good novels have been written that way; movies and plays too. We shouldn't let ourselves be...

~ ● Gen 3:2-3 . . The woman replied to the serpent: We may eat of the fruit of the other trees of the garden. It is only about fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said: You shall not eat of it or touch it, lest you die. Is that really what God said? No, that's not what God...

~ FAQ: According to Rom 5:12, Adam's entire posterity became joint principals with him in the act of tasting the forbidden fruit. Does that include Christ? REPLY: Yes. FAQ: Didn't Jesus virgin birth isolate him from Adam? REPLY: Mary wasn't Jesus' surrogate mother. He was conceived in her...

~ In the past, I was sure that the chemistry of the forbidden fruit had something to do with the first couple's altered moral perception; but now I seriously doubt it because Eve was the first to eat the fruit, and when she did, nothing happened. She remained just as shameless in the buff as...

~ 127) 1Cor 16:22 . . If anyone love not The Lord, let him be accursed. One's love of The Lord is exemplified by loyalty. ● John 14:15 . . If you love me, you will comply with what I command. ● John 14:21 . .Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. ● John 14:23-24...

~ He looked beyond my faults, And saw my need. (Dottie Rambo, 2003) NOTE: Solomon wrote 1,005 songs (1Kgs 4:32) Dottie surpassed him with +/- 2,500. Anyway, that one brief lyric says quite a bit. ● 1John 4:9-10 . .This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the...

~ Christianity is sometimes criticized as a license to steal because when people come to faith in Christ, the file that God has been accumulating against them gets demolished and from thence He does not begin compiling a new file. ● John 5:24 . . I assure you: those who listen to my message...

~ 126) 1Cor 16:20 . . Greet one another with a holy kiss. Kissing was a common form of greeting in the old world; and still is in the Middle East and certain parts of Europe; but here in America-- a super-sized racial/cultural/ethnic amalgam of customs from all over the globe --it's wise to...

~ Christ's priesthood is based upon a holy man in the Old Testament named Melchizedek (spellings vary) ● Heb 5:4-6 . . Christ did not take upon himself the honor of becoming a high priest. But God said to him: You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. (cf. Ps 110:4) Melchizedek...

~ 125) 1Cor 16:15-18 . .You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. I was glad when Stephanas...

~ At Luke 15:11-24 the story is told of a privileged young man who grew up in a good home but in time longed to go out on his own and make his mark in the world-- you know: be independent and all that. The thing is: Mr. Privileged Jr. didn't know how good he had it till setting out on his own...

~ Jesus was solo in this next scene as his men had gone into town in search of victuals. ● John 4:3-9 . . He left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. . . . Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son...

~ 124) 1Cor 16:14 . . Do everything in love. The Greek word translated "love" in this instance doesn't necessarily indicate fondness or affection but does indicate benevolence; defined by Webster's as the disposition to do good, e.g. generosity, charity, altruism, compassion, and sympathy, i.e...

~ ● Num 35:9-13 . .Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying; "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has killed any person unintentionally may flee...

~ 123) 1Cor 16:13a . . Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be men of courage; be strong. The Greek word for "men of courage" basically means to act manly; defined by Webster's as: (1) having qualities generally associated with a man; viz: strength and virility, and (2) appropriate in...