As I was sitting at Golden Corral this afternoon, getting ready to eat, a thought occurred to me. Maybe I just thought of it. Perhaps the thought was supernaturally planted in my mind. I don’t know. The thought was an experiment for atheist. I say atheist because, well, it just might work. I don’t know.

I say for the brave atheist because it just might work. The atheist just might come to the realization that God really does exist. Then, he will be forced into a decision he, or she would really prefer to ignore. It will take something of a little courage to take on my experiment.

However, if the atheist is right in his belief, then he has lost nothing. If he is firm in his belief and he is right, he can go on living as he has. On the other hand, if something happens that makes him doubt his religion in that there is no God; If, suddenly, he realizes that he has been wrong; then he must change his beliefs. He can still deny God, but he will have to accept that God really does exist. He will never again be an atheist.

The experiment is simple and takes just a few minutes a day. For one month, whenever you sit down to a meal, let’s say three times a day, you say this little prayer before eating, “Thank you, God for this food that you have provided. Please bless it to the nourishment of my body. Forgive me of my sins. In Jesus name; amen.”

I know it is ritualistic and God would rather the prayer be from your heart. However, it is something of a start. If you feel led to add to it, that’s fine with me. Just, please be respectful in any case.

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged. Perhaps some of my readers would like to see them too. As long as the comments are respectful and without profanity, I will allow them.

Oh. Just one more thing. Maybe you atheists are not the only ones who need to try this experiment. Maybe a few Christians need to try it, too. God does like it when we honestly express our appreciation for that which he has done for us. To be sure, I am guilty. For years, I took Him and what He did for me for granted. I’m doing a little better these days. Still, an hour or two after I had a nice big meal, I occasionally realize I did not voice my appreciation. I guess He knows I’m human. Still, if it’s important, I’ll remember it… and it is important to me.

The story I am about to write is true. It has been told untold numbers of times. It is one of my favorites.

It seems there was a man, Peter who was locked up in prison. He was chained to two guards to make sure he’d not escape. In the church where Peter preached were many who prayed for Peter, that he might be rescued.

At night, an angel visited Peter. The guards were sleeping, and the angel told Peter to follow him. Then, immediately, the chains fell open and walking, Peter followed the angel.

Then, once Peter was free, he went to the house of one of the church members, whose name was Mary. He knocked on the door of the gate and a woman, Rhoda answered it. When she recognized Peter’s voice, instead of letting him in, went to announce the arrival of Peter.

They told Rhoda, “Your are beside yourself.” For those unaware, that is sort like saying she was mistaking. It’s sort of like saying your nuts. In other words, they didn’t believe her,

But Rhoda insisted. Those in the house said, “It is Peter’s angel,” assuming him to be dead.

Peter, of course, was somewhat wondering that no one opened the door. So he continued to knock.

Now here is the really neat part, the part I really like. When they opened the door and saw Peter standing there, they were astonished.

Now, to be honest, I did skip a few parts. To read the whole story as it was written, read Act 12 :1 to 16 or perhaps as much as 18.

I guess I have read the story a few dozen times and I still wonder, after all the praying, why were they astonished? Why did they not expect Peter to show up. Maybe they should have even had some kind of a welcome home party ready.

They prayed to God, expecting an answer. They got their answer and yet, according to the Bible, they were astonished.

I guess we can’t really hold the new Christians too much at fault. After all, it was just a short time earlier when they became Christians. Moreover, God, when he decides to, can amaze even the most devout follower.

Moreover, I guess it is kind of an object lesson. When we pray earnestly, maybe we should expect an answer, regardless of how unlikely. And, by the way, regardless of the power of the king (government) they really can’t keep us chained up should God decide to let us go.

I knew about the way that the Jews were treated by Hitler and his minions. I knew about the way that the communists treated the Jews after the Bolshevik Revelation. Both were absolutely horrible. I also just recently found out about the way the Roman Catholic Church treated the Jews on or about the 3rd century. However, what I just found out was that the Russian Orthodox Church also treated the Jews very badly. In essence the Tsar, the Russian Orthodox Church and Linin Chased many of the Jews into the hands of Hitler.

I think all of us need to know this, especially us Christians. It is no wonder that Many Jews feel so badly about Christians and Christianity. It is sad that so much hate, anger and killing came into this world in the name of so-called Christianity. These characters truly do not represent Christ or true Christianity.

I assure you that this is one Christian that has the upmost respect for God’s chosen people. Moreover, I am very appalled at the way that the Catholic, current and past, have treated the Jews. There is, of course, no way I can make amends, but I would if I could. And, by the way, I would appreciate it very much that any others reading this will assume a similar point of view. To be sure, we should encourage others to do the same.

Let us not leave any doubt in anyone’s mind. The Jews are the chosen of God and that will not change. Let’s also be mindful that the Jews have been promised a blessing and those that bless the Jews have been promised a blessing. It would behoove us all to remember that lest we fall into the examples of other peoples that have caused the Jews grief.

As I have said many times before, I have no college degree.  Most of what I have learned about God has come from church, listening to preachers on TV, and just simply reading the Bible. 

However, if there is one thing that is obvious, if there is one thing that most Bible scholars will likely agree with me on, the one thing God hates more than anything else, it is defiance.  It is what causes a man to say in his heart that, “I don’t care what You want.  I am going to do it my way and You’re not going to stop me.  I don’t care if it is sin, I don’t care if it is bad.  It’s my life and I’m going to live it the way I want and no one is going to stop me.”

Defiance manifests itself primarily in at least two ways, though I suspect it shows up in a few other ways as well.  The first is pride.  It is the sin of Satan, himself when he defied God and attempted to ascend to His throne.  Ever since, he has been trying to get man to follow his example.  And so it is that, at one time being, probably, the most powerful of the angels, he has dropped to being the most horrid.  Still with great power and authority, his time is limited and he knows it.

More than that, God hates pride because it acts as a shield between Him and the sinner.  It is impossible for a man who thinks he is perfect to be saved.  He must first admit his sin, an imperfection.  Anyone knows that it is impossible to admit sin when a person thinks so highly of himself.

Another way that defiance shows its ugly self is in homosexuality.  God hates that sin so much that he destroyed 5 cities because of it.  Actually, he annihilated them to the point that, after all these years of searching, no one can find any evidence that they ever existed.  The only way we knew for years was the written Word of God.  From what I understand, they have found texts from other civilizations recently of their existence.

I say it is a sin of defiance because, as with pride, they have said that I don’t care how God meant it to be.  They defiantly say that they will do as they want and no one is going to stop them.  At one time, they said, “What we do in our bedrooms is no one else’s business but our own.”  However, it is no longer, what they do in their bedrooms.  Defiantly, they march down Main Street with their banners and other things.

And now they have, defiantly, before God, man and children, created something they call gay pride… to the point they celebrate it during the entire month of June.  It has combined, homosexual acts and pride, the two things God dislikes most of men, combined and in His face.  They stand, defiantly shaking their fist at God and say, “I don’t care what you say.  I don’t care what you do to me.  I’m going to do what I want to do and when and where I want to do it.”

There is no doubt that what they do and what they have done is wrong.  All one needs to do is read the Bible to verify it.  They need not come to me and call me homophobic.  I was not around when God built this world.  I was not here when he laid down the laws and established them before men.  I did not make them nor can I change them.

If the homosexual has a complaint, don’t come to me.  He just might try complaining to God about it.  But then if he did that, he would admit there is a God and that they are trampling underfoot the sanctity marriage.  Then too, if they did complain to God, what would they do if He replied.  Now that is something they certainly don’t want.

And so it is, they go on their rampages, hating God and hating those who represent Him.  Indeed, they even hate those who try to help them, though many of them are beyond help.  They have become so full of their pride that they will NOT listen perhaps to God Himself.

Ironically, the God they hate most loves them and will forgive them in an instant.  All they need do is set their pride aside for a few minutes, long enough to hear the plan of salvation.  However, it would seem to be the one thing they fear the most.  If they were saved, then they think they will need to set the sin aside and worship the God they hate, even though many refuse to admit His existence.

God has given them a choice.  It is theirs.  No one will take it from them until they breath their last.  I don’t know.  Maybe even then, some of them might remain defiant, perhaps for a thousand years or so.  I can’t imagine it would be long after that when they realize that maybe they made a real mistake.  Just maybe, then they would really like another chance.

During some of my studies, I decided to look at a word the vast majority of us somewhat ignore. In Genesis 1:28, God gives dominion over the fish, the birds and the animals of the land.

I must say, I wonder, just what does dominion mean in this passage. I just spent the last three hours looking to the internet for help.

Apparently, I’m not the first to be bothered by it. I mean, straight forward, a dominion is a kingdom or, shall we say domain. However, I don’t think it is so simple. Does it mean that we are to have a domain made of fish, birds and animals. Was it such that Adam said to the bear, “Go hither,” And it goes. He says, to the crocodile, “Swim this way,” and it does. It brings the question, could Adam converse with chimps or dolphins?

Maybe Adam communicated on a different level. Perhaps it was all done with brain waves.

At this point I can truly say that there is one thing of which I am certain. I don’t know. I invite anyone who would like to know, research it yourself.

This is my best guess. Adam was essentially given the post of governor. He oversaw the animals and he answered to God. Moreover, when he ate the fruit, apparently, the dominion, whatever it was, went to Satan. (Again a guess, shared with many others) he is called the prince of the air in ephesians 2:2

Now here is another one that I haven’t clue of an answer. When the serpent spoke to Eve, I get the impression she wasn’t in the least surprised. Was it all that common for her to hear the serpent? Maybe he spoke to her many times before. Then again, in reference to the point about dominion, maybe she and Adam spoke to the animals regularly. I simply have no idea.

I’m open to any reasonable suggestions. Perhaps others would like to read your responses too.

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You might find the above difficult to read as it has no spaces or punctuation.  For those unawares, ancient Hebrew and Greek had no spaces between words.  Moreover, there were no lowercase letters.  It sort of makes one wonder how they managed to translate from the original Hebrew and Greek, which are the primary two original languages of the Bible.

To be sure, there are likely a few points of disagreements.  Yet, the ancient Greeks and Hebrews had very little difficulty reading their language.  However, to actually perform a translation, it is not easy and one must be very good at reading the languages to understand them.

Fortunately, during the middle ages, the languages were updated.  Also, someone painstakingly updated the manuscripts too.  Everything can still be read in Greek and Hebrew.  However, we have some help.  Spaces and punctuation have been added.

As a side note, punctuation is not that new, even in English.  It seems to me as if the period came about around 1400.  The comma was a little later.  I’m not sure when the rest came about, but it was something of an evolution in the language.  For years, arguments were held as to where the punctuation should be or even if it should be used at all.  I have read of an author that wrote an entire book that had no commas, just for spite.  Don’t know.  I wasn’t there.

In addition, spelling didn’t become standard until centuries after the period.  Even then, Webster, for spite changed the spelling of many English words just for spite against the English.  So, color no longer has a u in it.

At any rate, before I so rudely interrupted myself, I was saying this.  Any time we read the Bible, we would do good to remember that it is an interpretation.  In order to read the original manuscripts of the New Testament, you must read ancient Greek, no spaces, no punctuation and totally in upper case.  Hebrew would be more difficult.  There were no vowels.  (Good luck with that one.)

I’ve listened to a number of preachers, quite a few on TV.  While I am sure their knowledge is far greater than mine, I have heard a number say, “You need to remember that comma there.”  This even though, the comma did not originally exist.  That comma was put there by the translator, based on his knowledge of the original language and how it fits with the rest of the Bible.  Even the periods didn’t originally exist.  And those little chapter and verse numbers, they were added for convenience.  It makes it much easier for us to reference passages.  As opposed to saying, it saying “It says in the scriptures….”  We are able to say, in John 3:16, it says….”

I guess we shouldn’t really complain too much if we disagree with the translators.  They had a rough job.  And even today, they study the original manuscripts to make sure they got it right.

Even so, I suspect there are some places they might have gotten it literally right, but missed a little on the spirit.  As I’ve said before, “Thou shalt not kill.” should be Thou shalt not murder.”  Most scholars admit to that error, which has caused untold complications.

There are religions that preach that we should not kill even in self-defense or the defense of our family.  I find it difficult to believe that Jesus would teach us to stand by while children are being killed.

I have also pointed out the miss-interpretation of good news to gospel.  First, the term is abused and twisted.  Secondly, it’s not just good news.  It is the greatest news ever presented to man.  It is the plan of salvation and without it, men, even the best men are doomed to an eternity in hell.  The word has been trivialized and glossed over as if it has little or no importance.  I wish the word would be completely done away with.

Also, maybe some of the words in modern translations need to be updated.  I was saved at 13.  I was about 18 when I found out what edify means, even though I tried many times.  The words saint and sanctify should be updated too.  The truth about saints is that anyone who is born again is a saint.  It is not something for a church to place on someone special.  We like to say, “Sanctuary,” instead of a special place set aside to worship God.  Well, I guess that is wordy, but you get the idea.  Either change the wording or make sure the meaning is properly understood.

Certainly, salvation and being saved is one of those words thrown around when, well, not everyone understands it.  In some cases, people who call themselves Christians don’t really know what it means.  Yet, understanding it is just about primary to being saved.  To be sure, we need to know what we are being saved from, who is saving us and the privileges and responsibilities of being saved.

Let’s not disallow people from heaven simply because they don’t understand the terminology, as once did I.  I went to church for almost a year before I knew what it meant to be saved.  I may as well have been reading ancient Greek.

You and I have heard it a million times. Well, maybe a time or two more. Perhaps a few times less. If you make your purchase in the next three days, you will get a really, really, good discount. And, by the way, you’ll also get this wonderful free gift.

Actually, the limited time offer is not new. Around 2 thousand years ago, Jesus died on the cross, rose from the grave and paid for our sins. In essence He arranged a one time offer for us all. For us, the period, time of option, lasts one lifetime. Never more. On rare occasions less. (Some of us may spend days, weeks & even months unconscious before dying.)

If you never accept the option, you’ll spend forever paying for your own sins. Incidentally, forever is another word for infinitely. Neither word truly expresses the concept fully.

On the other hand, those who accept the offer will have all their sins totally paid for in full. He or she will spend their eternity in Heaven in the presence of God. It is nothing they will have to pay a penny for. Indeed, any attempt to make payment for it will be fully rejected. If you attemp payment, even in part, the gift will be withheld and rightfully so. I mean Jesus did make payment in full. Why should He permit any of us to claim that we helped. It would be dishonest for us to make any such claim.

More importantly, none of us has the power. It is a power, it is an authority that He alone possesses. If we say we earned or partially earned our salvation, we are saying that we have that power. We don’t. Bad idea to presume we do.

It is simple, yet difficult. We must admit our sin before man and God. We must accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Finally, we must believe that He, and He alone, possesses the power to do as He promised. Then too, be sure, that Jesus will do as He promised. He always speaks truth. Also, He is never wrong.

Jesus has made a one time offer. Many of the advertisers make second, third and umpteenth offers. However, there is one aspect that all those offers share with the one made by Jesus. Death terminates all offers.