est. 2007

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Monday Sermon – Starting Right But Ending Wrong

Submitted by Grenville Phillips II This week, let me let God speak for Himself.  His message is clear enough. “Now, mortal man, I am making you a lookout for the nation of Israel. You must pass on to them the warnings I give you. “If I announce that an evil person is going to die…

Submitted by Grenville Phillips II

This week, let me let God speak for Himself.  His message is clear enough.

“Now, mortal man, I am making you a lookout for the nation of Israel. You must pass on to them the warnings I give you.

“If I announce that an evil person is going to die but you do not warn him to change his ways so that he can save his life, then he will die, still a sinner, and I will hold you responsible for his death.  If you do warn an evil person and he doesn’t stop sinning, he will die, still a sinner, but your life will be spared.”

“The Lord spoke to me [Ezekiel].  “Mortal man,” he said, “repeat to the Israelites what they are saying: ‘We are burdened with our sins and the wrongs we have done. We are wasting away. How can we live?’

“Tell them that as surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I do not enjoy seeing sinners die. I would rather see them stop sinning and live. Israel, stop the evil you are doing. Why do you want to die?

“Now, mortal man, tell the Israelites that when someone good sins, the good he has done will not save him.  If an evil person stops doing evil, he won’t be punished, and if a good man starts sinning, his life will not be spared.

“I may promise life to someone good, but if he starts thinking that his past goodness is enough and begins to sin, I will not remember any of the good he did. He will die because of his sins.

“I may warn someone evil that he is going to die, but if he stops sinning and does what is right and good — for example, if he returns the security he took for a loan or gives back what he stole—if he stops sinning and follows the laws that give life, he will not die, but live.  I will forgive the sins he has committed, and he will live because he has done what is right and good.

“And your people say that what I do isn’t right!  No, it’s their way that isn’t right.  When someone righteous stops doing good and starts doing evil, he will die for it.  When someone evil quits sinning and does what is right and good, he has saved his life.  But Israel, you say that what I do isn’t right.  I am going to judge you by what you do.”  (Ezekiel 33:7-20)

Some seem to think that measurement scales will be used to judge the weight of their righteousness and wickedness, and the net amount will determine their fate.  While that may be desired for those who want to justify doing wrong later in their lives, they will only deceive themselves.

It seems that those who choose to turn from their former righteous ways, to pursue wickedness, will be judged by their last choices, not their first.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer.  He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com

18 responses to “Monday Sermon – Starting Right But Ending Wrong”

  1. GP Avatar
    GP

    RE It seems that those who choose to turn from their former righteous ways, to pursue wickedness, will be judged by their last choices, not their first.

    PLEASE KINDLY GIVE RELEVANT SCRIPTURES RIGHTLY DIVIDED IN THEIR CONTEXTS TO SUBSTANTIATE THIS RUBBISH
    PLEASE KINDLY GIVE RELEVANT BIBLICAL EXAMPLES
    PLEASE KINDLY INDICATE WHO WILL BE THE JUDGE AT THE BEMA AND AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT AND INDICATE FROM SCRIPTURE WHAT ARE THE STATED PARAMETERS FOR JUDGEMENT

  2. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Grenville Phillips 11 here is some insights into the Process of Repentance from Freedoms Spouses New Book Understanding Part 3: Repentance
    Building on what we know
    Now Published
    (Part A)

    One of the best explanations I have found in the scriptures of repentance is found in the Old Testament in Isaiah 58. But you will need to put on your glasses of introspection to examine the feelings/insights contained therein. The biggest favour we can do for ourselves is to understand repentance. We will see that we may yet save us, all of us, to be a perfect person with God’s help/forgiveness/atonement.

    12 …They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
    13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Matthew 9:12–13)

    https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1d/8b/b4/1d8bb4f078695f6ad6a4bb432048d8e7.png

    I would like to offer additional insights into the traditional views of the Atonement and the symbolism of Baptism as it relates to repentance and to us personally on the inside not just our outer behavioural changes. I am not belittling the outward changes they are very important, they show us that repentance works and we feel the change. It is the first big step in the process of repentance but for a deeper change one that includes the inside of us, read on.

    Isaiah 58:1 “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

    Shout, do not stop, be loud like a trumpet and show all his children their transgressions and Israel their sins. Note that his children commit transgressions as they may not have a full knowledge, but the Israelites commit sins as they have had a greater knowledge; remember, they were the ones schooled by God in the desert.

    2 “Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God”.

    They all pretend to seek God like a nation that did the right things and delight in approaching God. Note he said approaching God not communicating with Him. We take a long time in our preparation (cleaning ourselves to go to church, dressing the part, and singing, greeting others who have done the same) but a short time actually praying or talking to God.

    3 “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours”.

    We all do this, we tell God we have done what you asked of us, we fasted, we sacrificed, and you do not acknowledge us. (Meaning you did not give me what I wanted) But this is what we want to do, we find pleasure in the make-believe as in saying look how good I am.

    4 “Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high”.

    We are fasting to gain an insight and to use it to smite others with either our fist of wickedness or hit others with the accusation of wickedness and by inference “I am superior”. He is now appealing to us that we do not fast to make our voice heard in heaven; later we will see why.

    http://anglicanpastor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/16x9_Isaiah-58.jpg

  3. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Understanding Part 3: Repentance
    Building on what we know
    Now Published
    (Part B)

    Isaiah Isaiah 58:5 “Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?”

    We are being rebuked that this is not the fast God has chosen for us, we are not to “afflict” our souls, this is not acceptable. He does not want to “afflict” us, he wants to teach us. He does not judge/condemn us in this life.

    6 “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”

    This is where it starts to get really interesting. This is what he wants us to do loose the bands (the causes) of wickedness (our behaviour/thoughts), let the oppressed of us go free, removing every obstacle that stop us from doing so. Continue reading to see who are the oppressed of us.

    7 “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?”

    Hold on tight now, adjust your glasses. He wants us to be kind to the hungry and poor that are cast out of OUR OWN house. We are to cover them and reveal our self to our own flesh. Allow me to explain as this is the crucial part. As we grow older and we have learnt some wisdom, we no longer act as we once did, we have repented of our sins/behaviour/incorrect actions, BUT we shun who we once were, we are ashamed of what we did. We hide ourselves from ourselves, we are really embarrassed by some of the things we did. But that is not how we should act. We know better now as a new repentant man embracing who we once were. We should not shun our own self. It is not that you are embracing sin because you have changed but you should not neglect who we were. Think of it this way, we the more enlightened ones currently are bringing light to who we once were. When we recognise the point at which we made the wrong choice we repented but what about all the other times we were OK and not sinned? We should not shun them, or we would have thrown out the (ourselves) baby with the bath water. It is our own flesh we need to embrace. You may call it a reconciliation, a healing, a binding up the wounded of our self, covering up their nakedness, we should feed and nourish them. We reunite with our long-lost selves. As older persons our time in life is shorter. This process needs to happen, the bright among us say that we have our long term memory but we lose our short term memory. I say that God is trying to show us something about our long-lost selves. We are now the best that we have so far attained in this life, time to revisit our old selves and see how to repent of the instances of wrong doing in our lives and reconcile our self to ourselves. With this healing of our own self comes the following:

    8 “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rearward.”

    We all know people who are ailing but somehow/sometimes we feel that this was caused by the same person who sort of brought it on themselves. We never dare say it as it might be cruel. As we reconcile our now self to our former self the miracle happens, we become happier, our health gets better, our rightness of what we have done will be seen and God will back us up as He will be our rear guard in our attempts.

    https://files.stablerack.com/WebFiles/87510/TrueFastingpicture.jpg

  4. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Understanding Part 3: Repentance
    Building on what we know
    Now Published
    (Part C)

    Because of our forgiveness and kind dealing with our former self and as this is proper repentance when we pray or call on God, He shall say “Here I am” but if we take away the yoke, the things that bind us and because we know of our past transgressions and how easily we sinned, He does not want us to accuse others/our self that is what the putting forth of the finger means and speaking self-righteously. It does not mean that we do not judge, it means that we do not condemn. Remember the story of the woman caught in adultery. We do what He did, we encourage others to not sin anymore as well as our self.

    And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
    They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
    Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
    This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
    So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
    And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
    And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
    When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
    She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee go, and sin no more. (John 8:11)

    https://i.pinimg.com/originals/93/82/f2/9382f2bd5b1e23a4854ab8ea19d9a005.jpg

  5. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Understanding Part 3: Repentance
    Building on what we know
    Now Published
    (Part D)

    Isaiah 58:10 “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:”

    We are still talking about our self but it is also in a general sense. That if we draw out our self, indicating that it takes time and consistent effort; it is not accomplished just like that. By and by we will be a beacon; the light coming from inside and the people who we once were, that we shunned, will be bright. Your whole being will get brighter and our darkness will be as the noonday. People will notice the change.

    11 “And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”

    Our wisdom will make it easy for God to guide us even when things are tough/rough we will continue to be given inspiration and nourishment unceasingly making “fat thy bones” that which supports you will be stronger. Quite a blessing we are given when we recover our lost fragments: “whose waters fail not” even a blessing to ourselves and to others.

    12 “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

    And they of us shall make it easy for us to all be reconciled and not have “waste places” inside of us. We will strengthen the relationships with the many generations of those of us who have been before. We as we are now will affect the healing and be called the “The repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in.” I want to be this person, the repairer of the breach, the repairer of the divide that separates me from me, the restorer of paths to dwell in, as I am only me and the life experiences that God has given me. I need them they are mine, they have been given at His hand. I do not want to lose them they are precious to me, they helped shape me to who I am, a repentant one with the hope of a brighter future.

    13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
    14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isaiah 58:1–14)

    This may sound unusual, talking about the Sabbath right after talking about restoring the paths to dwell in but this is not the first time, when speaking of repentance, that the Sabbath is used. Remember above we were told how to fast, here it is given why we should fast on the Sabbath: not afflicting our soul but pondering things of the Lord. He has said He will cause us to ride the high places of the earth (remembering that most significant moments happen on high mountains, visions etc.). And feed us goodies “the heritage of Jacob”. Here we understand why we are not to try to get our voices heard on high, but we should hear or listen to Him (the still small voice), which is the reverse of what we normally do on the Sabbath. You could reasonably say that He will minister to us on the Sabbath and teach us how to be better people.

    https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/e3/db/b1e3dba8b3962d0e3405e017112a9a7c.jpg

  6. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Understanding Part 3: Repentance
    Building on what we know
    Now Published
    (Part E)

    It was at the beginning of chapter 58 that he said, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression”. Now we see the importance of what to fast for, how to fast, when to fast and what blessing we will receive when we do. That is worth proclaiming and “spare not”.

    In the memories we have shut off, we hide the whole episode from our self, but if we examine the episode we will see that generally almost all was good and worth remembering but it was at the point that we made the wrong choice that we stumbled. At the point where we made the wrong choice is of what we need to repent. We need to understand our motivation that caused it. It is this motivation that may pop up a lot in our life, the one that causes the incorrect behaviour, this is what we need to see and understand. It is this behaviour that causes the abhorrent action/thoughts/feelings. It is this wrong choice we made that caused the errant behaviour and it is the wrong choice made of which we need to repent.

    18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
    19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: (Isaiah 1:18–19)

    The caveat being we must be willing and obedient (listening to the spirit and following it; gaining an increase and striving always) and we will eat of the good of the land that He has given us.

    Looking through the lens of these spiritual glasses when you read Isaiah the meaning suddenly starts to pop out at you. Take a look for yourself and see. Enjoy.

    https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5c/ef/4a/5cef4abcdbadeeef7032ea8ec7af2a1b.jpg

  7. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    Did Moses reccommend such punishment for adultery? Religious leaders over the passage of time tend to embellish earlier writings and interpretations.

  8. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    Did Moses recommend such punishment for adultery? Religious leaders over the passage of time tend to embellish earlier writings and interpretations.

  9. GP Avatar
    GP

    VINCENT
    ACCORDING TO THE LAW GIVEN TO MOSES BY GOD ADULTERY WAS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH BY STONING .,
    BOTH OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE TO BE STONED
    HOWEVER IN THE INCIDENT RECORDED IN JOHN 8, ONLY THE WOMAN WAS BROUGHT TO JESUS

  10. GP Avatar
    GP

    here is some insights into the Process of Repentance from MY Spouses New Book Now Published

    Technology has simplified tasks in many industries, but that hasn’t been the case for healthcare—at least for physicians. On the contrary, they’re inundated with more data than ever before, grappling with an explosion of information every day. As a result, physician burnout is being reported at an all-time high.

    Care delivery is becoming more complex, and the amount of available information continues to grow exponentially. So, what can hospital leaders do to lessen the cognitive load on their physicians? The key is to find and deliver the information that truly matters.

    Download this guide to fully understand the cognitive load of physicians at your hospital, and discover three ways to alleviate their extraneous cognitive load, making your physicians more efficient, and most importantly, happier.

  11. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Understanding Part 3: Repentance
    Building on what we know
    Now Published
    (Part f)

    Some other related thoughts. (1) The following scripture shows us that we are too critical of others rather than looking at our own repentance. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (Luke 6:41) (Mote is a speck of dirt and beam is a house beam)

    (2) We have all been hurt and wronged by others but we have done the same and now that we have embarked on the road/process of repentance we begin to see that our incorrect behaviour has caused hurt to others and we become conscious that we would like to stop the effects of this hurt. We could think of it as the effects we see when we drop a pebble in a pond, the ripples move in all directions so does the effects of our actions whether good or bad. After seeing the harm we experience when others do wrong to us, we do not want to cause others the same harm and we look to minimise our incorrect effects; that is what repentance is about. We live righteously but we soon also realise that even living righteously sometimes is an offence to others. We can only do what is right, that is the best and safest course and we let the goodly consequences follow.

    (3) The importance of repentance cannot be understated. We all sin, God knows that we would sin hence He died for our sins bringing to pass the atonement. But what about the effects we put in motion that cause ill effects like the ripples in the pond, they keep going and going ever outward affecting more and more people (like Hitler et al for evil or Sir Alexander Fleming who invented penicillin for good). The good we caused we would want to continue but the evil we would want to stop. We are asking for a remission of our sins: how do we stop the bad effects? Only God can do that, only He can reach through time, space and matter (physical changes) to calm the ripples and those effects of evil and to reverse the harm we have caused in our life time. He has promised that if we repent sufficiently to make the commitment to be baptised and that leads to more repentance and repentance leads to a remission of our sins.

    45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
    46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
    47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
    48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
    (Luke 24:45–48)

    And also this one
    38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

    “Humility is our friend”, Humility is not weakness. Pride is weakness, it will keep us weak and not seek the better. If you want to know how to excel, read the following

    11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. [We who we consider better than who we were must now act as the servant to save who we were.]

    12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (Matthew 23:11–12) [“and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”]

    6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
    (1 Peter 5:6)

    https://dailyverses.net/images/en/kjv/1-peter-5-6-2.jpg

  12. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    Repentance appears to be defined by God Himself.

    “but if he stops sinning and does what is right and good — for example, if he returns the security he took for a loan or gives back what he stole—if he stops sinning and follows the laws that give life, he will not die, but live.” (Ezekiel 33:14b-15)

    So repentance appears to have three components. Stop doing what is wrong; do what is right, and make restitution where applicable.

  13. GP Avatar
    GP

    PLEASE KINDLY GIVE RELEVANT SCRIPTURES RIGHTLY DIVIDED IN THEIR CONTEXTS TO SUBSTANTIATE THIS POSITION AND PLEASE KINDLY GIVE RELEVANT BIBLICAL EXAMPLES

  14. GP Avatar
    GP

    AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE FULLNESS OF TIME HAD COME I.E PLEROMA EN CHRONOS, THAT A RANTER AND RAVER CAME UPON THE LAND SPOUTING BOVINE EXCREMENT, WITH LOTS OF HEAT BUT GIVING NO LIGHT. AND AS SHE QUOTED FROM HER SPOUSES NOW PUBLISHED BOOKS, NO ONE TOOK HEED.

    AND IT CAME TO PASS ALSO THAT THEY AROSE A MAN SEEKING TO PROFIT BY HIS RAMBLINGS ON BU, A MAN CALLED GRENVILLE OR GPII, BUT HE WAS REJECTED SOUNDLY AT THE POLLS BECAUSE IT WAS VERY CLEAR TO THE MULTITUDES THAT SOLUTIONS BARBADOS HAS NO SOLUTIONS FOR BARBADOS

  15. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    IT SEEMS THAT THE BIBLE THUMPER BU TROLL WHO ESPOUSES THE WORD BUT IS VOID OF THE SPIRIT SEEKS TO ILLUMINATE HIS POMPOUS SELF! HE IS AN OLD DOGMA THINKER SET IN HIS WAYS AND NOT WILLING TO LEARN FROM THE LIGHT WITHIN HIM…

    YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER BUT YOU CAN’T MAKE HIM THINK!

    https://i.imgflip.com/1uxe8e.jpg

  16. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Understanding Part 3: Repentance
    Building on what we know
    Now Published
    (Part f)

    THIS PARABLE IS VERY INSTRUCTIVE IN DESCRIBING OUR HUMAN NATURE, HOW WE RECEIVE NEW IDEAS AND HOW TO RECEIVE TRANSFORMATIVE IDEAS.

    36 ¶ And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
    37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
    38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
    39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. (Luke 5:36–39)

    Everyone knows that new clothes shrink so if you put a piece of new cloth to patch an older garment, when the new patch shrinks the hole would be made bigger and we would have wasted our time; it would not have fixed anything. In those olden days wine bottles would have been made of leather and during the process of turning to wine the leather bottle would have stretched. Here Christ was talking about ideas, His gospel, which He was teaching and saying we need to have a new heart to receive these things. Our old heart and ideas cannot hold the patch nor can it be added to the old. The old leather bottles have been stretched already and the new wine will burst the old bottles as it matures. Our old selves cannot contain the new Gospel He is teaching. AND LASTLY A PERSON WHO HAS DRUNK DEEPLY OF THE ACCEPTED DOGMA AND IS COMFORTABLE WILL BE RELUCTANT TO CHANGE. (HE DOES NOT “STRAIGHTWAY DESIRETH NEW”) AND WOULD SAY THE OLD DOGMA IS BETTER. The moral of the stories is that we need to have a new heart if we do not change enough to get a new heart we will fracture. Our wine will spill and lastly we may reject the new wine for the old. Commitment must be total to endure and enjoy that which Christ offers, a patch will not work.

    I believe when we have repented of our sins that God Himself will stretch forth his hand to calm the waters of time, space and matter even if the repentance is finished on the other side. Only then would we be free, truly free of our harmful entanglements of this life. May God bless all our efforts on the road of repentance!

    https://images.slideplayer.com/15/4526899/slides/slide_3.jpg

  17. David Avatar
    David

    https://barbadosunderground.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/fiaith.png

  18. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Understanding, Part 4:
    Questions
    Building on what we know (Part A)

    All questions are good; you cannot get an answer if you do not ask a question. The funny thing about answers is that they do not come first, they come after something else precedes them, a question. A question indicates that you are seeking an understanding and the question is the vehicle by which we can get to an understanding. The understanding is the desirable part, which is the part we keep and treasure, the question is no longer needed but we can keep it anyway because it led us to the point of understanding and we may want to remember how we got there. I do not believe there is such a thing as a “dumb” question. What might seem dumb to you only means that someone else has not yet acquired the understanding that you have.

    The Creator once said in explanation: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7)

    • As we live life we find ourselves asking many questions to our self and sometimes we get an immediate answer. Other times we get an answer a long time after, in some instances as much as years later and we say to ourselves, “wait I asked that question two years ago and look at that I have just understood it”. You might have forgotten you asked the question but God did not. He gave the answer when you were ready, willing and prepared to receive it.

    • Sometimes when we have asked a question and pondered on it and we have not yet gleaned the answer, we continue to think about it as we try to rest and our mind wanders thinking all disjointed thoughts. Consider the thoughts crossing your mind, ask a question “what do these thoughts mean”, oftentimes the answer is in the thoughts, we just need to look, listen and at that time ask what they mean and then will come the understanding. (Advice: sincerity, honesty, rightness is important)

    • Receiving an answer leads to understanding and we feel it when it happens and other times we are blown away by the intensity of the understanding, it is like a flash of light through our whole brain. We feel buoyed up, we jump to attention, we wonder what just happened, and it is like we tightened a bulb in a series and BOOM all the lights came on at the same time; we are illuminated and joyful. We see how everything we hold to be dear and true is connected to each other as the illumination lights up all the points of our understanding showing they are connected. We literally feel the light coursing through our body. The effect can be so strong. Archimedes is said to have leapt from the bath in which he supposedly got the idea/illumination and ran naked through the streets shouting “Eureka!” (“I have found it!”) . (Please do not run naked through the streets as you would be locked up under the present law.)

    We ask questions in many ways, (1) We ask a question. (2) We ponder, wonder, contemplate, think (3) Prayer etc.
    But we have some cautions:
    • Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (Matthew 7:6) We are cautioned to be careful when we talk of holy things to persons who have no regard for the holy things as they will use it against you to harm you. The understandings we have received are holy, do not share it with people who will tear you up with it. They will behave as Dogs (bite your hand)/Pigs (trample you)

    • Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (James 4:3) Most of us have not yet learnt to be righteous enough. We are trying but still have not reached the point where we will receive everything we ask for, we will misuse it. We may receive some things but we will not receive all things as we have not made ourselves ready.

    • God’s intention is always for our benefit but we have to be ready to receive/hear/listen. He is eager to give us Good gifts. He will give us what we ask for and more: We after all are His children and He wants us to be joint heirs and live with Him.
    Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
    Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
    If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:9–11)

    https://quotefancy.com/media/wallpaper/3840×2160/4679571-Albert-Einstein-Quote-If-I-had-an-hour-to-solve-a-problem-I-d.jpg

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