Greek Translation: ‘Then Jesus opened up their understanding or mental and intellectual perception. He stirred up and agitated their minds and comprehension. He caused them to hear and perceive God’s thoughts with their thoughts so that they could measure the scriptures against their own thoughts and actions.” Comment: It is interesting that the Greek word for “scriptures”, is the word graphe from which we get our English word graph! So what is a graph for? What purpose? It is used to measure and compare things! We need to measure and compare our life to the Word of God! To be honest when we do this we come up short! Lacking! At a loss! Missing link! So how can we measure up? If we look at a graph of ten motor vehicles comparing gas mileage you might want to buy the one that gets the most gas mileage! However if you look at another graph that shows this vehicle has the highest maintenance repairs and another graph that shows this vehicle also has the highest fatality rate then you might change your mind? I can measure my life against other men and I may look good but by other men I look like a failure! The Apostle Paul said it is unwise to compare among men! If I have a compass I can find north and find my way by the standard for direction! How does my life rank against the standard of God? If honest I can only fall at His feet asking for forgiveness and mercy! Then Jesus said we must forgive others as He has forgiven us! If you do not do this you block your own forgiveness! So how do we meet the standard set by God? We cannot in and of ourselves! Our standard was provided to us by God Himself! Through His Son Jesus Christ! God paid the penalty for our sin at the Cross! When we accept His standard in His Son’s sacrifice for our sin then we are forgiven! If we reject the standard of the sinless Savior then we stand naked before God with no covering! We will one day stand before a Holy God Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead! If we look at a graph and compare the life of Jesus to ourselves all we can do is bow our knee and confess with our tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord! If you have not do so right now before it is too late! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: opened
Earthquakes and Air! Matthew 8:24
“And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea, inasmuch that the ship was covered with the waves; but He was asleep.” The Greek word “seismos”, used for tempest can either mean an earthquake or a gale of wind. Are these events related? Could this have been a tsunami? Regardless Jesus used the air or His breath to command the storm to cease! Let us go back to some other voices from the past! From the lifetime of Greek Philosopher Anaxagoras in the 5th Century B.C. to the 14th Century A.D. believed that earthquakes were attributed to air(vapors) in the cavities of the earth! The Greek Philosopher Democritus (460-371 B.C,) blamed water in the ground for earthquakes! He did not know anything about fracking! Also remember the earth in history was completely flooded in water for months! Noah’s flood! What would that do to the earth’s crust soaking and submerged for months? Perhaps this is why the Greek word became associated with earthquakes, air and water? We know earthquakes can cause floods, fires, volcanos and elevate the earth’s temperature! Jesus predicted an increase of earthquakes before His second coming! Could this increase cause global warming? An earthquake of 8.6 in magnitude releases the same amount of energy as ten thousand atomic bombs the size used in WWII. Remember the earthquake when Jesus died on the Cross? The graves were opened and many other things happened! When Jesus stopped breathing (air) the quake occurred! Let us look at Revelation 16:17-18. Chapter 16 covers the seven vial judgments released upon the earth! Notice the seventh angel poured out his vial out into the air! Then God spoke it is done or finished and then the largest earthquake ever recorded in history took place! Jesus said in Luke 21:11, “there shall be earthquakes in diverse places and great signs from Heaven.” Remember Paul and Silas in prison? Acts 16:25-26. Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God! Your praises and prayers involve breath or air! Suddenly an earthquake came and freed them from prison! God can use a supernatural event to save you or destroy you! Without breath we die! God breathed into man the breath of life! Creation involved air as God spoke it into existence! When a baby is born it is slapped on the bottom to get it to breath! When opposing winds collide they form cyclones or a tornado! Opposing words between nations can cause a war! Words are important because they can either pollute the air or fragrance it! Remember when the Holy Spirit came as Jesus had promised? The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples as a mighty rushing wind! We can repeat Jesus words with our breath or we can speak our own words in destruction! Use the breath God gave you to praise Him! Your life and others will be changed! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com