Creation

In the “beginning” God created the heavens and the earth.

It all started in Genesis 1:2  about 6,000 years ago….

The earth was without form, darkness covered the deep waters.

The spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be “light”.

God divided the light from the darkness; called light “day” and darkness “night.”

Let there be space to separate the waters of the heavens and the waters of the earth.

God called the space “sky”.

God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry land may appear; called the ground “land” and the waters “seas”.

God saw that it was good.

God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass and vegetation, every sort of seed-bearing plant from which they came”.

God said, “Let there be all sorts of seed-bearing fruit trees and plants of the same kind”. And God saw that it was good.

God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days and years”.

God said, “Let these lights in the sky shine down on earth”.

God made two great lights; the larger one to govern the day and the smaller one to govern the night.

God made the stars.

He knows the number of the stars. He gives names to all of them.(Psalm 147:4)

This verse highlights God’s omniscience and omnipotence, showing that He has complete knowledge and authority over the vastness of the universe and emphasizes God’s power by showing that He not only created the stars but also knows their exact number, a feat beyond human comprehension.

Lift up your eyes and see. Who has made these stars? It is the One God who leads them out by number. He calls them all by name. Because of the greatness of His strength, and because He is strong in power, not one of them is missing. (Isaiah 40:26)

The Lord says:
“My thoughts and my ways are not like yours.  Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours. “I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Lord God, you stretched out your mighty arm and made the sky and the earth. You can do anything. (Jeremiah 32:17)

Don’t you yet understand? Don’t you know by now that the everlasting God, the Creator of the farthest parts of the earth, never grows faint or weary? No one can fathom the depths of his understanding. His understanding is too great for us to begin to know. (Isaiah 40:28)

Yes, it is impossible for the human mind to comprehend that God gave each star a name and is so powerful that he knows if one is missing.  The verse emphasizes the idea that God’s perspective and plans are far greater and beyond human understanding. It is incomprehensible for the human mind to understand how that is possible and this is why you just need to believe it. Belief is just a choice, your choice.  By the way, there are approximately  200 billion trillion stars in the observable universe, according to astronomers. 

God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And now there was evening, and there was morning.

God said, ” Let the waters be filled with an abundance of fish and living creatures, and let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” So God created great sea creatures. And God saw that it was good.

God said, “Let the birds fly above the earth”.

Then God blessed them saying, “Multiply, let the fish fill the seas and the birds multiply on earth.”

God made every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind, livestock and small animals and any creeping thing that scurries along the earth. And it was so.

God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw it was good.

And God said, “Let us make man in our image to be like us. Let them reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the animals including small animals that scurry along the ground.”

God had now created a man and named him Adam.

So God created human beings in his own image. (Genesis 1:27)

(This verse is often cited as the foundation for understanding the human purpose within creation, as being created “in the image of God” signifies our unique role in managing and caring for the world and that humans are in the image of God and are to love one another in their moral, spiritual, and intellectual nature.)

Yes, God had a plan and purpose for Adam. God has a plan and purpose for everyone, including you and yes, Jesus had a purpose too; a purpose like no other.

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Then God saw everything that He made and indeed it was very good. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished. And God saw that it was very good.

In general, Scripture teaches that God brought the world into existence as His crowning achievement of His good work and for His own glory and to provide a place for his sons and daughters to dwell here in morality.  He created people in His image so they can share in his overflowing love, grace and goodness through their relationship with Him.

People were created to love God and each other.

Leviticus 19:18 is a biblical verse from the Old Testament that instructs, “You shall love others as yourself: I am the LORD” and his verse is a well-known commandment, often referred to as the Golden Rule.

John and Jesus’s apostles witnessed Jesus say: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my follower and disciple.”

John wrote about this in John 13:34-35.

John and Jesus’s apostles witnessed Jesus say: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you”.

John wrote about this in John 15:12.

Apostle John’s understanding of Jesus’ teachings and actions is: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love”. And “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

John was known as the disciple whom Jesus loved. John was a follower of Jesus during Jesus’ entire public ministry, which is generally estimated to have been around three years.

Yes, John is an eye witness of everything Jesus said and did and John wrote about it in  his book 1 John 4:7-8&11.

Matthew and all of Jesus’s apostles witnessed Jesus say: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. And give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”

Matthew wrote about this in Matthew 5:16 & 42.

The Lord God planted a garden, an earthly paradise in the East, in Eden and there he put the man he had formed and had named Adam.

A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, the name of the second river is the Gihon, the name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur and the fourth river is the Euphrates.

In the Garden of Eden, the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground-trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food and nourishment.

Then God said, “I’ve given you every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth and every kind of fruit-bearing tree, given them to you for food. (Genesis 1:29-30)

God wanted to show Adam His goodness and His love for him in providing Adam with a beautiful place to live and assured him that all of his  needs were met. God’s plan and purpose for Adam was to live in the Garden of Eden there and take care of  it; caring for the plants and many trees that were nutritional, ensuring their growth and vitality and maintaining the overall beauty.

Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.  Genesis 2:19-20

All of the animals that God has now created resided peacefully with Adam in The Garden and he was in charge of naming them all. One of the most enjoyable responsibilities ever!

In the middle of the garden was 2 trees and were named the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for when you eat from it “you will certainly die.”

Which means that eventually you will certainly die a physical death.

This command is interpreted as a test of Adam’s obedience and faith in God and HIS OWN FREE WILL to choose, setting the stage for the story of humanity’s choice to disobey God. God has given Adam (and all future humanity free will) but it would be considered a sin if Adam were to disobey this command as it would be an act of willful disobedience, rejecting God’s rule and authority. 

God commanded Adam  not to eat from one tree but God has also given Adam his own free will just like he does with every one of us to this day. The concept of free will is central to idea of moral responsibility and each individual has the opportunity to do the right thing or not.

This command from God to Adam is seen as a boundary established by God to define good and evil and the limits of a created being’s relationship with the Creator. Currently you too you have the free will to do good or do evil.

If Adam obeys God’s command and does not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, choosing instead to eat from the Tree of Life and the other plants and trees of the Garden, all of his needs will be fully met. He will never experience spiritual death or separation from God and will remain in direct, unbroken fellowship with Him. Adam will enjoy a blissful, eternal life, living forever in a perfect paradise marked by peace, abundance, and harmony—a world without death, suffering, or sin, sustained by God’s presence and life-giving provision.

Adam did not know of either spiritual or physical death or what sin was as there had never been a reason to.

Adam was actually living in the literal presence of God and had never been separated from him therefore he will never die.

God asked Adam to name all of the animals, birds and fish but none proved to be a helper suited to him.

The word helper in Hebrew (language of Jewish culture) is “ezer” and when translated means a companion, a partner of equal nature who would complete and cooperate with him. This relationship was meant to be a partnership, both for co-ruling creation and for companionship.

God then caused a deep sleep upon Adam, took one of his ribs and made a woman and brought her to Adam.  Adam then said. “She shall be called a Woman because she was taken out of man.”

Adam named his wife Eve because she would become the mother of all the living.  Genesis 3:30

Eve’s purpose:  God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth….” Genesis 1:28     What God said was to have children and multiply, and to be productive and creative in a way that reflects God’s image and His character and to yield their children to a Godly life filled with the fruits of the spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Eve’s name, “mother of all living” signifies her role as the ancestor of all humankind and the life-giving potential of all women. 

Every person to this day is related to Eve and Adam.  Christianity 101

Adam and Eve then lived in The Garden of Eden. (Interesting thought: Adam and Eve did not have belly buttons since they were not born of a woman.)

The Garden of Eden is described in the Bible as the idyllic paradise.

It would have been the perfect temperature, the perfect humidity, without pests or diseases, roses did not have thorns and there was nothing that would detract from their enjoyment of knowing God in a perfect and pure way. It is depicted as a place of perfect harmony  where they lived in close communion with God. 

When the woman gave birth there would not be pain and animals lived peacefully among them. Adam and Eve were given a diet of plants, fruits, and seeds from the Garden of Eden. Animals were not eaten. Working in the Garden was to be fulfilling and not unpleasant and was intended for joy. God gave them meaningful tasks to partner with Him in creation, finding satisfaction in being productive.  

Adam and Eve lived a life of blissful innocence.  They had never sinned; therefore they had no guilt or shame and had never experienced temptation before.  They were original, untouched and new. They needed no clothing because they did not know what being naked was.

This was life as God intended it to be. His plan was for humans to live eternally in a state of perfection, free from sin and from physical death,  to live in the Garden of Eden and in a trusted relationship with Him.

God has said and it is accepted by Christians today that because He wants the absolute best of everything for you, you must be obedient to him and no other god. Obedience to God is a demonstration of your love for him and a path to a relationship with Him, while disobedience and sin lead to separation from Him.

This obedience is not forced because it is the natural outcome and evidence of the love you have for him.

Obedience to God is a manifestation of love and trust and is a conscious, positive choice that leads to benefits like responsibility, safety, good relationships, personal growth and eternal life.

And  if you are disobedient to God and you sin against him you will experience a death in your relationship with God and will experience physical death and will not live for eternity.

Definition of sin: To be disobedient to God. Failure to live up to His standards and going against His nature through your  actions, thoughts and attitude. God’s standards include loving him with all your heart, soul and mind and loving your neighbor as yourself.  In Matthew’s book; 22:37-40 he writes about this and while the text does not explicitly list which specific Apostles were present, it implies all 12 Apostles were there and heard Jesus say this.

Sin is anything that separates humans from God  and disrupts the intended harmony between him and everything He created.

Physical death is the temporary separation of the soul from the body, resulting in the end of bodily functions.
Spiritual death, on the other hand, is the separation of the soul from God because of sin.

Physical death affects the body and is unavoidable for all people.

Spiritual death is an internal, immediate state of alienation from God, but unlike physical death, it can be reversed through faith in Jesus Christ, a person who is spiritually dead can be made spiritually alive. As Ephesians 2:4–5 explains, those who were once dead in their sins are made alive together with Christ by God’s grace.

This means that when a believer in Jesus dies, physical death still occurs, but the moment they take their last breath on earth, their soul is immediately in the presence of Jesus and will spend eternity with him in Heaven, along with other faithful believers.

If a person dies without believing in Jesus, physical death still occurs, but upon death their soul is eternally separated from God and will spend eternity in Hell, separated from God’s presence, along with others who rejected Christ.

Adam and Eve together took care of the garden and enjoyed a relationship with God and with each other and knew nothing about sin. And this was able to continue without being stopped or made difficult by the power of sin because sin did not yet exist.

Adam and Eve were the only two people on earth and they were privileged in a way that no one since has been.

They were both in a relationship with God and no-one else, like being on a team, “Team God”.

They met and intimately communicated regularly with the God and assumed they will live like this for eternity. They had no problems. It was perfect.

And then everything changed within seconds…

In the Garden of Eden a serpent approached Eve by surprise. This serpent was more devious than any living creature which the Lord God made. The serpent asked Eve, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

Eve replied, “We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden, but not the tree that is in the middle of the garden (the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil), God has said, “You shall not eat it, nor touch it, you will certainly die.”

The serpent then said to Eve,

“You will not certainly die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

(This is the first lie ever told. Satan lied to Eve and to Adam.  Satan is known as the originator of lies)

AND NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER Adam and Eve are being tempted. Their minds and hearts have always been immersed in love with God and had never questioned anything God said because there was no reason to do so.

Being tempted by this serpent directly contradicted what God had said and for the first time it caused them to question God’s character and his intentions for them.

Satan is tempting Adam and Eve to be disobedient to God so they will no longer have a relationship with God. This is Satan’s one and only goal.

Bottom line: If you are not in a relationship with God then you are in relationship with Satan. You are either on Team God or Team Satan. There are no other choices. Christianity 101

This serpent is God’s enemy and is also referred to as  Satan or the Devil and is the embodiment of evil and is a force working against God to this day 24/7,  7 days a week, never taking a minute or day off.

“Satan” itself means “enemy” or “opponent” of God.

Satan has one job and that is to keep YOU from a relationship with God no matter what it takes. He will do everything to get and keep you on Team Satan. Christianity 101

Remember that God said that if you are disobedient to him you will experience a death in your relationship and will not live for eternity with him.

Again, if you are not in a relationship with God then you are in relationship with Satan.  Satan wants more people on his team than the number of people on God’s team.  Christianity 101

Because of what Satan told them, Adam and Eve now believe that God could be  a liar and they have a new sense of doubt, disbelief and rebellion against God’s authority.  And they have now been told if they eat from this tree they would be like God, knowing good and evil.

Adam and Eve have now been given the choice to choose to rebel against God’s authority and take matters into their own hands or not. They will have an immeasurable problem if they choose to believe what the serpent (Satan) has said.

This could be the collapse of their perfect relationship with God.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her and he ate it.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

God found them and asked, “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

The man said, “The woman you put here with me-she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

And now sin is born due to the first immoral behavior (disobeyed God) which is catastrophic and ultimately separated them from God, just as God warned them.

Yes, sin is now born and they are no longer on God’s team.

But know that God had a plan before Adam and Eve had this problem, this sin problem. 

And because of their disobedience now called “sin” not only are they separated from God, they will eventually experience a physical death and will not live forever.

Remember that Adam was originally told by God that he would live forever with him.  But because he has now disobeyed God and has “sinned”, physical death is now part of life and so is separation from God and this remains to this day, for all of us.

Remains to this current day and for all of us.

“The wages of sin is death” Romans 6:23    (The word “wages” is used to show that death, both spiritual separation from God and physical death is the deserved punishment for sinning against God)

It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. Isaiah 59:2

But God has a plan for you and for all to get  back into relationship with him….keep reading.

Because they have sinned against God it is like God has placed a veil in between them and they cannot see him anymore.

And now they will be ruled by Satan and will spend eternity in Hell with him. Remember that if you are not in a relationship with God then you are in relationship with Satan and on his team.  Christianity 101

After eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve felt shame and tried to cover themselves with fig leaves, which God deemed insufficient. God’s skin garments provided a more substantial, lasting cover for their nakedness and guilt.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked (Genesis 3:7)  The Lord God then made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

This implies God specifically sacrificed an innocent animal and its blood was shed until it died. Why? Their disobedience led to a realization of their own nakedness and shame as they have never thought of being naked before. He killed an innocent animal to cover their naked bodies with its skin AND used its blood to temporarily cover their sin of being disobedient to him.

The first sacrifice of life for a covering of sin. 

Many interpret this animal sacrifice in Genesis 3:21 as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross where his innocent life is sacrificed, he will be murdered and his blood will be shed to cover the sins for ALL people, ALL of humanity not just for 2 (Adam and Eve).

The animal did nothing wrong yet God chose to murder and sacrifice an innocent animal and used the skin to make garments to cover their naked bodies and to use the blood to cover Adam and Eve’s sin. 

BOTTOM LINE: God wanted to show Adam and Eve that that actual death is the consequence of sin but instead of them having to die, an innocent animal was killed in place of them. The innocent animal was sacrificed just for them.

• Sin is a grave offense against a holy God and creates a separation from Him (spiritual death).
•  God’s perfect justice demands that the penalty for sin—death—be paid. 

God says sin has consequences. Someone or something must die so God’s law was that an animal dies and and it’s blood will be shed for God to forgive them. By shedding blood it established principles about the value of human life and the consequences of  sinning against God.    Christianity 101

Again, God wanted to show Adam and Eve that actual death is the consequence of sin but instead of them having to die, an innocent animal’s life was taken as a substitute for them. This removes guilt and restores a right relationship with God. 

The consequences of their sin include actual physical death and they will no longer have the gift of spending eternity with God in the Garden of Eden. 

And now because of Adam’s sin, God has introduced hardship and pain into the human experience of work and life. Adam’s work, once effortless and enjoyable in the Garden of Eden will now be filled with hardship and physical labor and frustration, suffering, and a universal tendency towards sin, and the certainty of death for humankind, which was not the original divine intention.  Genesis 3:17-19.  

Adam and Eve are the first parents of the human race and now their corrupted sin is in their DNA nature and because of this, sin is now inherited by every person born and all humans will be born as  “natural born sinners” and every single person born will need to be “saved” from physical death and from having to spend eternity with Satan in hell.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God it is known as The Fall of Humanity and there is now and forever a fracture in humanity and everyone born will be ruled by Satan and will be going to Hell when we die. We are all on Team Satan unless we get into relationship with Jesus.

Except children. It would be inconsistent with God’s heart and His divine compassion if little children who die go to Hell before they can understand sin. Many Christian traditions interpret a source of hope that all children who have been tragically killed in an accident, miscarried or aborted are welcomed by God. This gives a basis for believing that the souls of these children are in God’s care, based on the belief in God’s love and mercy for all, especially for the innocent and his desire of offering salvation to all people, no matter their age.  If you want to see God’s heart for children, this is what Jesus said about his Father’s Heaven, written in Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17, and Matthew 19:13-15.

We see Jesus was hugging infants and little children and was witnessed by many saying “Let the children come to me! Then Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them by placing his hands on them.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God”.

“Let the children come to me, and don’t try to stop them! People who are like these children belong to God’s kingdom.

A biblically portrayal of Hell ruled by Satan involves a place of eternal punishment and torment, being bound in chains of outer darkness and eternal separation from God. Hell has a lake that burns with fire and sulfur like a blazing furnace. Mathew writes in his book, chapter 13:42 that non-believers or those who oppose God’s word will be throw into this blazing furnace where there will be weeping which represents a deep, overwhelming sadness for one’s spiritual state and eternal separation from God and gnashing of teeth represents a violent reaction of anger, fury, and torment and rage, such as being furious over a missed opportunity of one’s own condemnation and described as a place of profound sorrow and distress over a great loss that cannot be undone.

vs

In Heaven you will be able to see God face-to-face, believers will have new, glorified bodies that are free from aging, illness, suffering, and death. The environment will be filled with unimaginable joy, peace, and happiness, as it is free from the pain, sorrow, and sin of the world.  You will be reunited with family and friends, and also meet and enjoy fellowship with people from all over the world and biblical figures. There will be no need to pray for needs or sins to be forgiven, as all needs will be met and the relationship with God will be immediate and intimate. You will constantly worship Him directly through singing, and other expressions, fulfilling the desire to be in His presence. Service will be a constant activity, with believers taking on responsibilities and have authority and duties in God’s kingdom ruling alongside Christ in His eternal kingdom.

Every single one of us has the choice to not end up in Hell. We must be “saved” from Hell and Satan and there is a way.

Because Adam and Eve are our first parents we have all inherited their  sinful nature, whether we are white, black or brown. We have all been affected by sin. It is the source of all of our relational tensions, our insecurities,  our shame, our failures, it is the source of disease, sickness and wars and  poverty. This is why PEOPLE (not God) use guns to shoot and kill people and fly planes into buildings and drive cars into crowds killing killing people.  This sin nature has affected all of creation and every person has their own free will.

And Satan wants it to stay that way because from our first breath we are now born out of relationship with God. There are no exceptions and this is why Christians believe we are all sinners and say we need to be “saved”. 

Saved from what?

Saved from separation from God, actual death as we know it and from having to spend eternity with Satan in Hell. 

A metaphor to help comprehend this is to visualize that when a person is born they are drowning because they are a sinner and need to be saved. Fortunately at birth God gives everyone a life jacket to wear to help them stay afloat but they will remain uncomfortably in the water. Thankfully God gives  them as much time in their life as they need to ask him for help and to “save” them and move them to dry land. Once they are “saved” and on dry land they will no longer be considered a sinner in God’s heart and will receive the gift of a new beginning with him and have eternal life with him and no longer have fear of spending eternity with Satan in Hell. You will no longer be on Team Satan and you will be on Team God. You get “saved” through your own free will of believing and asking Jesus for help and to believe in God. 

From your first breath God is waiting for you to ask him for help, just like any loving Father would. No matter who you are or what evil things you have done, he is waiting for you.

“Getting saved” means the need of rescue from the consequences of sin which is separation from God and spending eternity in Hell with Satan. 

In God’s eyes every person born since Adam and Eve are born with sin  and are born “UNsaved” meaning that they are separated from him and are being directed by Satan.

And there is a way to get back into relationship with God and to live for eternity with him and to not experience physical death.

So why did God create Satan this serpent who created lying and told the first ever lie  and tempted Eve and Adam?

According to the Bible, God created Satan for good but he chose to reject God.  The name Satan means chief evil spirit.  Some interpretations suggest that God’s plan, including this rebellion, is seen as part of a larger plan where God uses evil for good. Ultimately it is giving Adam and Eve the FREE WILL will to continue to be in relationship with him or not to be

just as he does with all of us.

God offers free will to all humans to freely love Him, rather than forcing love. True love must be a voluntary choice, forced love would be meaningless.   Christianity 101

Today I am giving you a choice. You can choose life and success (God) or death and disaster (Satan). Deuteronomy 30:15

For, dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other. Galatians 5:13

God does not sin, God hates sin and you are sinning by obeying Satan.  Christianity 101

Adam was commanded by God to do just one thing; to not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, just one thing and Adam failed.

It is a biblical fact that Satan’s only purpose was to tempt Adam and Eve into sin which would keep them from knowing and loving God and to separate them from him. (read John 10:10). And Satan succeeded.

Pay attention and known that Satan is a symbol of evil, temptation and deceit.  Satan is a deceiver, an accuser, and an enemy of our souls. He introduced Adam and Eve to lying, fear and guilt and does the same to you including but not limited to  violence, pride, rage, greed, lust, temptation,  theft, adultery, vanity and more. Jesus refers to Satan as the “father of lies” and “liar”. This signifies that Satan is not only a liar but the originator and primary proponent of deceit. He is not simply a liar by habit, but rather his nature is rooted in falsehood. John 8:44 

Satan is the originator of lies and is called the Father of lies. Lying did not exist before Satan told Eve a lie and said that “you will not certainly die” if she ate from the tree that God told them not to eat from. God had told Adam that if he ate from it “you will certainly die” and it is implied that Adam had shared what God told him with Eve. Genesis 3:4 & Genesis 2:17 

Satan lied to Eve and Adam.

Be aware and beware that according to the Bible Satan is a created being who currently roams the earth tempting people to sin which separates them from God,

to this day.

The Bible tells us that  Satan’s goal is to weaken our faith, fill us with fear, and tempt us in any way to turn us away from God.  Satan wants you on his team and NOT God’s. That is Satan’s purpose.

In the Bible, book of 2 Corinthians 11:14, we are warned that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light…. and is capable of using deception and appearing as something holy or good to mislead people.

And because Satan is a spirit and a master deceiver, his true appearance is unknown, but his strategy is to appear in ways that are alluring or harmless to draw people away from God, rather than revealing himself as the evil figure of popular imagination. Appearing as a charming, handsome man or even as a seemingly normal person, educator or politician to stir up trouble.

He disguises himself as pure and good to trick people (2 Corinthians 11:14

• He doesn’t always appear as an obvious villain.
• He can adopt a “good” disguise: The “angel of light” metaphor suggests he can appear righteous  or even as a messenger of God.
• A human form is a possible disguise: The text implies that he can take on various convincing forms, which could include appearing as a human being, to deceive people into following his ways rather than God’s.

Satan wants nothing good for you. He will try and destroy your family, your marriage and your faith. Satan has ruined countless lives because he was working behind the scenes to tempt them. Here on earth this is the enemy we are all fighting. Every day, whether we realize it or not, we are all in a spiritual battle. Satan’s job description remains the same and is current to this day as he continues to tempt each and everyone of us with committing any type of sin to stop us from having a relationship with God.

Sin  disrupts the intended harmony between God and every person He created.

Satan wants as many people to die under his “rule” and spend eternity with him in Hell

than allow

any person to die believing in Jesus which means they are under God’s “rule” and will spend eternity with God in Heaven. Christianity 101

Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He will do anything to do to keep you from wanting to get to know Jesus. A few of the authors in the Bible say: Peter calls Satan a roaring lion looking for someone to tear apart, Paul calls Satan the tempter and John  calls Satan a serpent and one who deceives the whole world.  Jesus called Satan a murderer, liar and father of lies.  All together you can know that Satan is a lion, liar, tempter, murderer, dragon, serpent and deceiver to all. Please realize that Satan does not have any interest in you other than to harm you. 1 Peter 5:8, 1st Thessalonians 3:5, Revelation 12:9, John 8:44

Satan hates you even more if you are a follower of Jesus because he knows you will be spending Eternity with God in Heaven and not in Hell with him and he has lost another person to God. BEWARE that Satan will lie to you and mess with your mind! Your mind is Satan’s playground because this is where being tempted begins.

Some people believe that when the human being body dies the spirit lives forever. The Bible and Christianity say that as a believer your spirit will live for forever and spend eternity with God in Heaven. And the spirits of all non believers will live for eternity with Satan in hell.

You can have eternal life in Heaven or eternal death in Hell. Christianity 101

It’s your choice and no-one else’s where you spend your eternity.

God is waiting for you and will miss you if you die and not spend eternity with him.

God wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.          1 Timothy 2:4

However, even with our sinful nature God still gives us unlimited chances to try to get back into relationship with him and receive his forgiveness.

The way is through believing in His son Jesus.

“The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” highlighting that while sin leads to death (Hell), eternal life (Heaven) is a free, unearned gift received through faith in Jesus Christ.  Romans 6:23

Before Adam and Eve sinned God already had a plan to ultimately restore humanity and creation to His original perfect intent: all humans are created “in the image of God” and signifies our unique role in managing and caring for the world and that humans are in the image of God and are to love him and to love one another in their moral, spiritual, and intellectual nature.

And as it is written in Romans 16:20: God, the God of Peace, will soon crush Satan under the feet of believers signifying His ultimate victory of Satan and evil.

Soon? When is soon?

God’s ultimate and final victory is described, where God will cast Satan into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet will be tormented day and night forever and ever, and Satan knows this to be true.  “The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet”  showing that believers, through God, will ultimately prevail against him. God will have the ultimate victory over Satan.  Revelation 20:10 & Romans 16:20

And Satan knows his time here on earth is short and that his future judgement is coming and God will cast him into the lake of fire for eternity, and many believe this knowledge fuels his fury.

Many theologians believe that due to Satan’s immense pride he will never repent, and his decision to rebel is final. His knowledge of his doom is seen as the reason he will never stop trying to take as many people as possible with him to Hell in his final days. Many people believe this is why the current hearts of many humans have turned mean and evil, full of pride and lies; Satan is accomplishing his goal of keeping as many people he can from going to Heaven so they can stay with him in Hell.   Revelation 12:10

If you believe in Jesus and have a prayerful relationship with God you go to Heaven. Satan cannot keep you from going to Heaven but God can keep you from going to Hell.

According to some interpretations  God hasn’t thrown Satan into the Lake of Fire yet because it  allows for the continuous spiritual growth of believers which ultimately glorifies God more than if Satan had been destroyed immediately and also for new believers who are able to choose to follow God despite the presence of evil.

And in the book 2 Peter, verse 3 it says that “God wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.”

God is waiting for you.

This is known as “The Greatest Story Ever Told” because it is.

Approximately  4000 years after God had created Adam and Eve and had told them to be fruitful and multiply, they did just that because the population had grown from just the 2 of them to 200 to 300 million people and all were sinners because every person was related to Adam and Eve and had inherited their sinful nature. Christianity 101

And this is why  those 4000 years are filled with stories of horrific violence, prideful people, murder, people killing just for power over others and doing anything to get it and complete debauchery; fulfilling a person’s carnal desires.

This violence is not God’s doing but humans using their own FREE WILL and allowing their sinful nature to rule their ego’s and pride and violence was the result.

Don’t blame God. Even God sees what has happened to the human heart: 

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. Genesis 6:5

God gave humans free will, the ability to choose between right and wrong, as a divine gift to allow for genuine love and relationship and not forced obedience. Though this freedom comes with the responsibility for our actions and their consequences with guidance, often provided through scripture and prayer our behavior can positively change, even with human weakness and the presence of evil.

No one has ever seen God shoot a person or kill anyone but in the news we see people every day doing so. It is their free will. Remember that God did not make the humans with hearts to kill. He made humans with hearts to love one another and he also gave them free will to choose.

By writing The 10 Commandments approximately 3500 years ago and giving them to Moses to show all of humanity God tried to give humans laws, guidelines and rules to follow to stop the violence but the people did not obey them. The Law of Moses is the body of laws given to ancient Israelite by God through Moses, primarily recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, The Torah. It consists of moral, civil, and ceremonial laws that guided Israel as a nation. Both The Law of Moses and The Ten Commandment were simply stated yet people found them IMPOSSIBLE  to keep which is why God knew we all need a savior to repent for forgiveness to him. Remember that Adam and Eve gave every single person a sinful nature, there are no exceptions.

The 10 Commandments:

The Law of Moses, also known as the Mosaic Law encompasses moral, ceremonial and civil laws outlining Jewish obligations and relationship with God.  It states to do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously. Micah 6:8

The Lord doesn’t like anyone who is conceited—you can be sure they will be punished. Proverbs 16:5   Pride comes before being destroyed and a proud spirit comes before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

FYI- The Book of Proverbs is studied in Jewish institutions and traditions as a foundation for Jewish ethical teachings. To this day it continues to be read by Jewish people as a source of wisdom for living a life that is high in moral standards and requires Jewish people live a virtuous life and are considered honest and ethical.  

Everyone who is proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; Be assured he will not go unpunished. Proverbs 16:5

Jewish people studied The Book of Proverbs, The 10 Commandments and The Law of Moses but continued to break the laws and rules and continued to sin. But God had planned it this way because human sinfulness is intended to point people towards the need for a savior, ultimately leading them to rely on His grace and mercy and having the free will to do so. Believers are encouraged to actively seek God’s guidance through prayer and scripture, relying on a relationship with God rather than solely on their own understanding.

It is experienced and known by all Christians that God’s ultimate plan and purpose is being fulfilled, often in ways that may be unexpected or challenging for humans to understand! Meaning God may have answered your prayer but fulfilled it in HIS way and not yours and you may not recognized it.

God is Holy which means that He is utterly pure, righteous, and morally perfect, completely separate from sin and evil and worthy of worship and deep respect.

God hates sin because it is contrary to his holy nature and disrupts the relationship between humanity and God.

While he hates sin, he loves all sinners more and desires their repentance so he gave everyone a way  to get back into relationship with him, transform their hearts to love others and live forever with him in Heaven.

During those years of violence recorded in The Old Testament the people knew they could not keep all Commandments or The Law of Moses so God used a sacrificial system  to receive forgiveness from him. It was a ritualistic act of worship and atonement and

used blood as a payment for sin because the shedding of blood from an innocent animal, a lamb represented the sacrifice of an innocent life in exchange for the guilty life.

This symbolizes that actual death is the consequence of sin but instead of you having to die, an innocent lamb is killed in place of you. 

Remember that the first animal ever sacrificed/killed by God, it’s blood was shed to symbolically cover the guilty sin of Adam and Eve.

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins”.  Hebrews 9:22

As hard as it is to understand now, and it is,  this verse emphasizes the universal principle in God’s law that the shedding of blood is a necessary condition for sin to be forgiven by God.

Blood sacrifice is essential for purification and to receive His forgiveness.   

It was God’s law, that’s just the way it was. Christianity 101

Animal sacrifices were mandated to be performed at the designated place of worship, either in the Tabernacle or at the Temple in Jerusalem. Gods payment for sin is shedding of blood so for thousands of years innocent animals were killed and sacrificed and their blood was shed to temporarily get God to forgive them.

BOTTOM LINE: to receive God’s pardoning of your sins, blood must be shed and death is the actual consequence of sin but instead of you having to die an innocent animal is killed in your place. Millions of innocent lambs and other animals were sacrificed instead of death for the human who sinned.

Over the years one can assume that it was painful and emotional  to sacrifice innocent lambs and animals not because the animal did any harm but because of their own sins. And because of their inherited sinful nature they found  it impossible to not sin. God made sure you acknowledged and were accountable for your sins, so there were consequences and they were bloody.

Sin was generally understood as violating God’s laws, failing to fulfill one’s obligations to God,  failing to love God and others and committing specific acts of sins such as idolatry, murder, adultery, stealing, lying, blasphemy, and failing to keep the Sabbath and much more. 

There were many respected innocent animal sacrificial system rituals through out the years for people to receive forgiveness from God. There was a lot of sin and a lot of blood shed from lambs and other animals. Animal sacrifices for atonement were primarily offered by priests but ordinary individuals could offer animal sacrifices as well.

The Old Testament’s system of animal sacrifice was a complex and exact one, with the specific details tailored to the individual, the nature of their sin, and their social standing.

The specific types of animals and procedures depended on the nature of the offense and the social status of the individual. For example, the high priest performed special sacrifices on the Day of Atonement, while ordinary individuals could offer various “sin offerings” for atonement  as a way to seek forgiveness from God for breaking His laws and to receive forgiveness from God for their sins. The ritual involved the offering of a specific animal (like a sheep, goat, or bull, depending on the sin and the person’s status), often with the blood being sprinkled on the altar and/or in the sacred space. 

The act of sacrifice symbolized the transfer of the sinner’s guilt to the animal, which then became a substitute for the punishment the person deserved. 

These sacrifices symbolized the consequences of sin and acted as a substitute with the animals death and it’s shed blood  represented a payment to God for when they broke God’s laws or codes of conduct.

This allowed the individual to be reconciled with God after confessing their sins. Leviticus 4 and and 6

In order to receive  atonement and forgiveness from God you needed to:

1. Repent with a sincere heart, acknowledge wrongdoing and resolving to do better and a heartfelt desire to get back into relationship with God.
2. Demonstrate your remorse and commitment to following God’s laws. Seek forgiveness and express gratitude to God.
3. In the Tabernacle or at the Temple sacrifice (kill) an innocent animal so it’s blood is shed to cover their own guilty sins.

Many interpret this sacrificial system as a foreshadowing providing hints of what happens in the future when animal sacrifices are no longer necessary because of Jesus Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and his blood is shed on the cross for ALL people, past present and future.

For thousands of years God’s people continued shedding the blood of lambs/animals as a temporary atonement for sin in order to be in relationship with God and for him to not see their sins. This was the law that God’s people were commanded to follow.

It was emotional and bloody but God needed people to understand that sin has emotional and bloody consequences.

But then God changed this law because he had a plan to ultimately restore humanity and creation to His original perfect intent which was to redeem and restore humanity and all of creation to a state of perfect harmony and relationship with Himself and to love one another. Christianity 101

Colossal change then occurred…

• Jesus is considered the “LAMB of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), offering a “once for all” sacrifice that replaces the need for animal sacrifices.
• Understand the use of the word “LAMB”. Before Jesus innocent lambs and other animals were killed as sacrifices for you to receive God’s pardoning of your sins. Blood must be shed and death is the actual consequence of sin but instead of you having to die, an innocent animal is killed in your place. Millions of innocent lambs and other animals were sacrificed instead of death for the humans who sinned to receive reconciliation with God.
• The millions of lambs and goats could never take away sins. Humans would sin and then kill/sacrifice a lamb or animal to receive God’s pardoning of their sins. They would then sin again and sacrifice a lamb or animal to receive God’s pardoning of their sins, on and on and on and on. 
• But Jesus can.
• Worth repeating: Jesus is considered the “LAMB of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) for all who believe in him, offering a once for all  sacrifice that replaces the need for animal sacrifices. 

Animal sacrifices will no longer be needed to receive forgiveness from God because of Jesus. Christianity 101

Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross and his shed blood is the ultimate and complete forgiveness and atonement for all people. Animal sacrifices in the Old Testament are no longer needed to receive forgiveness from God. What is necessary is belief in Jesus  and that he came here to save as many people as possible from going to Hell. Christianity 101

This view holds that animal sacrifices served as a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice, a final and complete act of atonement that secured an eternal redemption for believers. The need for future animal sacrifices was therefore eliminated, and the focus of worship shifted to a spiritual sacrifice of praise and a relationship with God through faith in Jesus. This belief stems from the idea that the sacrifice of Jesus’s life was a perfect and final sacrifice, sufficient to pay the penalty for all sins for all time, for everyone past, present and future .

Having faith in Jesus and believing that Jesus came here with this specific purpose will reconcile you with with God to those with sincere hearts of repentance. You believe that Jesus is the Son of God who also became a human being by taking on human flesh,  believe that Jesus is God “wrapped in flesh” and was both fully God and fully human. Christianity 101. 

In the animal sacrificial system thousands of innocent animals were sacrificed  for thousands of years by thousands of peoples in order to receive forgiveness from God. These system and ceremonies were accepted and applied to receive Gods forgiveness.

And now Jesus will take the place of the innocent animals/lambs and be sacrificed for ALL people to receive God’s PERMANENT forgiveness,          ONCE AND FOR ALL. Christianity 101

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

This forgiveness is seen as a final removal of sin’s penalty, completely restoring a broken relationship with God that had been broken by sin and offering eternal life to those who believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus to be the truth.

Jesus, God’s Son was sinless and was the perfect sacrifice that fulfilled the need for reconciliation with God.

Bottom line: Jesus knew he had come here to die. He knew. Jesus’s purpose was to reconcile humanity with God, bridging the gap created by sin and restoring the broken relationship. This was His purpose, unlike no other.

Jesus KNEW HE WAS GOD’s CHOSEN SACRIFICE eliminating the need for animal sacrifices to provide forgiveness. because his sacrifice was the ultimate, once-and-for-all atonement for all sins. His death served as a perfect substitution for all of humanity,  allowing believers to approach God directly. 

Jesus’s primary purpose in his life and then death on the cross and then resurrection served as the sacrifice for the sins of everyone, no one is excluded, no matter what you did, no matter how bad it was, you too can be forgiven by God and will then be invited to spend eternity in Heaven. Remember that God knows your heart and if it is sincere or not. This invitation is offered to everyone with sincere repentance for their sins and by having faith in Jesus. By accepting His invitation you will not spend eternity in Hell but in Heaven. 

And yes, Jesus knew this was His purpose.  In the Old Testament Jesus knew that in the future he would be rejected by the people and the government and would be horrifically and horrendously murdered on the cross and knew that his death was the sacrifice needed and  the necessary part of God’s plan to reconcile with all of humanity. He knew it. Jesus knew of his forthcoming suffering including being beaten, stripped naked, nails will be hammered into his wrists and feet and then hung on a cross for hours until he died. He knew what he had to do and he did this for us, all of us. Why? Because God loves each and every one of us so much that he sacrificed his one and only son named Jesus for all of us to receive His forgiveness.

You have seen and heard this Bible verse and now you understand it more clearly:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” As a parent you can’t even imagine sacrificing your child, yet God did.

And this is why Christians say many times a day, everyday “Thank you Jesus”.

Can you imagine knowing that you would be beaten, naked, carry a cross that you know you will be nailed to and then die in front of thousands of people? And you did not fight it? You knew you had to go through with it to “save” all of us from spending eternity in Hell with Satan.

And he knew “the day” was coming, he knew he would be crucified during the Jewish holiday Passover. Jesus told his Apostles “You know that the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man (aka: Jesus) will be handed over to be crucified”. Matthew 26:2

This was consistent with his understanding that his death was part of God’s eternal plan to save humanity. Thank you Jesus.

Jesus had predicted his death many times to his Apostles and others which demonstrated his foreknowledge. His predictions included not just the facts of his death and resurrection, but also specific details about the manner of his death (suffering, betrayal, crucifixion), and that he would be  resurrected 3 days later. Read Isaiah 53

And because of Jesus’s one and only life, death and then resurrection  this replaces the continuous, incomplete and repeated sacrificing of animals necessary for God to forgive people and to be offered eternity in Heaven. ALL people would now be given the opportunity through their faith in Jesus to receive God’s forgiveness. Just believe in Jesus and His story.

Again, God had said that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” Hebrews 9:22  Well, Jesus shed his blood so we could receive forgiveness.  Christianity 101.

This understanding is reflected in 1 John 2:2 because it states that Jesus Christ is the atonement for our sins, not just for our own, but for those of the whole world no matter the color of your skin, where you live or what your age is. 

In Romans 8:1-2 it states that whoever believes in Jesus is given the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and has set you free from the law of sin and death and you can live for eternity with God and not live for eternity in Hell with Satan.

This verse emphasizes that Jesus’ sacrifice covers all sins, both past and present, and extends to anyone and everyone and no one is excluded.

It is said that because of Jesus you can have eternal life and not eternal death. It’s your choice.

This is a gift from Jesus. And this is why you hear faithful Christians thanking Jesus ALL the time. THANK YOU Jesus!

If he did not offer his life to us, all humanity would still be full of sin, be separated from God and would spend eternity with Satan in Hell and not in Heaven with God. 

Jesus came to earth to offer a perfect sacrifice that fully atones for the sins of humanity, unlike the incomplete and repeated animal sacrifices of the old covenant in the Old Testament. These statements are worth repeating over and over again using different words because once you understand what Jesus did for you, you too will be thanking him everyday.

At the core Jesus’ mission was to offer deliverance from the consequences of sin and physical death and lead us to a state of freedom and security providing a path back to a relationship with God, escaping a destructive sin nature, escaping physical death and offering eternal life. Jesus fulfilled God’s will for his life (John 6:38).

Jesus came to “destroy the works (sins) of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17). “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (John 12:46) including the hope of everlasting life.

Jesus’s job description was like no other and he knew it.

Jesus life’s purpose and job description was  were driven by a singular purpose: to redeem humanity, offer them eternal life with His Father God and to save people from Satan.

Yes, Jesus knew what his purpose was….the Bible consistently portrays Jesus’ awareness of his divine nature but doesn’t explicitly state when Jesus realized he was God “wrapped in flesh”. It suggests he was aware of his divine nature from a young age possessing a unique understanding of his relationship with God and his role in the world but doesn’t offer a specific moment of realization.

When Jesus was approximately 12 years old he was found in Jerusalem in the temple listening to and questioning the Jewish elder teachers of the Jewish laws. The teachers were amazed by his insight and the way he articulated his thoughts discussing  theological and divine matters at his young age. When his parents has questioned his whereabout he said to his parents “How is it that you were looking for me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). This statement indicates Jesus’s awareness of his divine mission with his Father God at this young age and was fully aware of his identity and mission as the Son of God.

This is known as “The Greatest Story Ever Told” because it is.

A woman named Mary was living in Nazareth with her parents and engaged to a man named Joseph who was a carpenter. She is described as a virgin in the Gospels, who was chosen by God to conceive Jesus through the Holy Spirit; her conception of Jesus was not a natural biological process involving a man which made it a supernatural event.

God chose Mary to fulfill what people in the Old Testament were waiting for. The Israeli people were eagerly awaited the arrival of the Messiah, a savior who would deliver Israel and establish a righteous kingdom and did not see the Messiah being born to a human.

Once again, it is experienced and known by all Christians that God’s ultimate plan and purpose are fulfilled often in ways that may be unexpected or challenging for humans to understand!!!

God selected Mary to be the mother of His Son, Jesus.

Mary was not randomly selected. Even though she was an ordinary small town girl, a commoner and not rich in stature,  God chose her. She must have been obedient, courageous, a woman of faith, be of moral purity she must be a virgin and willing to miraculously demonstrate in humility the nature of the Lord’s birth.

Jesus  was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary and therefore did not inherit a sinful nature from a human father. Read Isaiah 7:14 and know that Isaiah who was a highly respected prophet wrote those words 700 years before Jesus was born. Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy. After Adam and Eve sinned against God every person born had a sinful nature except Jesus.

God can do ANYTHING. Christianity 101.

Jesus the Christ had a human nature and was fully divine/God as well.  Because Jesus was human, he would have had human chromosomes, including both X and Y chromosomes. God miraculously provided the necessary Y chromosome to make Jesus male.  Jesus’ genetic makeup are not explicitly defined in scripture and are a matter of theological interpretation.

The passages in the Gospel of Luke 1:35 and Matthew 1:35 describe Jesus’ conception as a miraculous event through the Holy Spirit without sexual union between Mary and Joseph.

Once again these verses highlight that Jesus was divinely conceived in Mary’s womb by the power of God and because of her faith in God, this divine conception is understood as the means by which Jesus did not inherit the sinful nature passed down from Adam, ensuring his perfect holiness and ability to atone for humanity’s sin. Foundational Christian belief.

Jesus would not inherit a sinful nature because he was and always would be sinless, free of any sin. This is central to Christian beliefs about the virgin birth of Jesus. Christianity 101.

Matthew was one of Jesus’s Apostles and knew him well.  Luke was another author in The Bible and both Luke and Matthew knew Jesus’s mother Mary.

Matthew wrote in his book 1:20-23: ” The Angel of the Lord said to Joseph (Mary’s husband) do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS. The virgin (Mary) will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means “GOD WITH US.”

Jesus’s earthly Father Joseph was instructed to call him Jesus, while the prophecy/prediction indicated that he would also be known as Immanuel. The name Immanuel is characterized by Christ’s divine authority and essence and means “God with us”. And he was called Jesus which means “God Saves” because it expresses both his identity and his mission.

In The Bible John (John 1:14) wrote Jesus is “God wrapped in flesh”.

Mary carried Jesus in her womb for 9 months and is the Mother of God and Joseph is the Step-Father and Earthly Father to God.

As stated above, God gives everyone a purpose in life and God chose Mary and Joseph to be the parents to His son, aka as God.

That would be the most important purpose given to a man and woman. Can you imagine? Just think about that for a while.

And Mary and Joseph knew they would be raising the son of God  because they remember HOW she got pregnant,  it was not by natural conception and an Angel was sent to Joseph by God and  said to him: ” The Angel of the Lord said to Joseph (Mary’s husband) do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, The virgin (Mary) will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means “GOD WITH US.”

Essentially meaning that God took on human form by becoming physically embodied in Jesus; signifying that Jesus was fully God while also being fully human. According to the Bible, Jesus is both God and the Son of God, and is referred to as “God in the flesh.” Christianity 101. Open your mind and believe, why not?

Jesus had a relatively normal childhood.  He likely lived a simple life in Nazareth, developing like any other child. He would have participated in family life, learned a trade like his earthly Father did in carpentry and interacted with his community.  Like other Jewish boys of his time, he likely began formal education around age six and would have attended synagogue school and studied Hebrew to understand the Tanakh, aka: Old Testament. The stories in the Old Testament were seen as vital for understanding Jewish history and passing on the faith.

Like all other children he would have been taught to read, memorize, and study the scriptures in the Old Testament  which include the book of Isaiah which so happens to describe how he would die.

While the exact number is debated, there are hundreds of predictions/prophecies in the Old Testament that Christians interpret as pointing to the coming of the Messiah Jesus. Jesus had not been born yet and many of these predictions were written 700 years before his birth yet there are from 47 to over 400 prophecies. These prophecies cover various aspects of the forthcoming Messiah’s life, death, and resurrection.

God provided prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament to establish a consistent, long-term plan to identify the Messiah when he came.

These prophecies/predictions served to prove that Jesus’s coming was not random, but a fulfillment of God’s enduring plan to rescue humanity from sin and provide a Savior for all people. With hundreds of specific predictions about the Messiah’s identity, birth, and ministry, the prophecies gave people a way to recognize Jesus when He appeared. (Still to this day many do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah)

The numerous, specific prophecies in the Old Testament about Jesus’s birth, life, death, and resurrection demonstrate God’s comprehensive foreknowledge and intentional design.

Here are just a few:

Virgin birth: Isaiah 7:14, Birth in Bethlehem: Micah 5:2, Suffering and sacrifice: Isaiah 53, Coming from the line of David: Genesis 49:10,  Entry into Jerusalem on a donkey: Zechariah 9:9, Betrayal by a friend: Psalm 41:9, Crucifixion and piercing: Zechariah 12:10.

Jesus studied The Old Testament, just like all Jewish people and would have read the above verses proclaiming that the Messiah is coming and even the exactness of being born to a virgin which was written 700 years before he was born in Isaiah 53. Yet, the Jewish leaders would not accept this and most Jewish educators never taught on Isaiah 53. Ask Jewish students if they were taught about Isaiah 53. Most will answer no.

The Old Testament is the foundation to the New Testament with the New Testament fulfilling many predictions/prophecies made in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament contains the predictions/prophecies laying the ground work for the coming Messiah while The New Testament records the fulfillment of these predictions through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. (the Messiah is a human leader, a righteous king who will bring about a time of universal peace and understanding of God.)  

In school Jesus studied The Old Testament and read the  book written by the Prophet Isaiah that was written 700 years before he was born. A highly respected Prophet for God named Isaiah  prophesizes and describes a suffering servant who would be despised, rejected and die for the sins of all people. Again read Isaiah 53.

Jesus knew they had written about him.

Can you imagine reading a book telling you how, why and when you would die, as well as how you would be murdered? Jesus did.

After finishing school he worked with his earthly Father as a carpenter  and lived in Nazareth for approximately 30 years, Jesus then began his purpose, his public ministry which begins and  is detailed in the New Testament.

His Heavenly Father is God and  yes we all have both an Earthly Father and a Heavenly Father. Remember that in Genesis 1:26 God created Adam and then Eve and they are known as our 1st parents and God is known as their Father. So yes, God is our Heavenly Father, to every single one of us.

At his age of 30 Jesus’s  public ministry began with his baptism by his cousin John the Baptist and  is recorded in several New Testament scriptures, most notably in Matthew 3:13-17. These passages describe Jesus coming to John at the Jordan River to be baptized and the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus hearing a voice from heaven declaring Jesus as God’s son.

Jesus’s time has come and now he has began his ministry to preach and teach, healing the sick and diseased, casting out demons all while demonstrating God’s power to heal and to love on any day of the week.

Jesus primarily preached of the “Kingdom of Heaven” and the “Kingdom of God”. He spoke about a future paradise where believers would dwell with God and be free from suffering. His message centered around the arrival of God’s rule and the need for people to repent and believe in him so they can re-establish their relationship with his Father God.  Jesus taught how to live a life of discipleship and service in God’s Kingdom. Ethical conduct, humility, kindness and a heart-felt devotion to God and love for one another. He also taught practical advice on prayer and dealing with anger and injustice. Jesus instructs his followers to be a positive influence in the world.

In Matthew 5:16 Jesus is speaking to his followers: “If you are guided by the (Godly) Spirit, you won’t obey your selfish desires”  encouraging them to let their Godly light shine so others could see their love and kindness towards others and to be different and not be selfish but considerate and generous.  He uses the metaphor of a lamp on a stand, saying that believers should not hide their good deeds but rather let them be visible so that others may see them and be curious about God.

And to “Be careful of false speakers/communicators. They come to you and look gentle like sheep.

But they are really dangerous like wolves.  You will know these people because of what they do.

Good things don’t come from people who are bad, just as grapes don’t come from thornbushes, and figs don’t come from thorny weeds.

In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and bad trees produce bad fruit.  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit.  

Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  You will know these false people by what they do.   Matthew 7:15-20  

He explains this in Galatians 5:22-23 and says “God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful,  gentle, and self-controlled. ” This is known as the “Fruits of the Spirit.”

Jesus references agricultural imagery constantly as it demonstrated  his superior communicator skills because agriculture, farming, seeds, soil, vines and harvests was a central part of daily life and the culture of the people.  By using familiar agricultural references he was able to make complex spiritual truths about his Father’s Kingdom relatable to every person, including farmers, shepherds, Mothers and laborers.

The historical story of Jesus cursing a fruitless fig tree is a powerful symbolic lesson against hypocrisy and spiritual emptiness.

Although the tree had a full display of leaves, it had no fruit, representing those who maintain an outward appearance of godliness and of godly living without any genuine spiritual substance.

Jesus challenges his followers to consider the intentions and motivations behind their actions, rather than to just respond to outdated ceremonies.

Jesus teaches his followers about the immense power of faith and to pray sincerely and with humility, not for outward show. Jesus emphasizes the importance of giving but warns against doing so for just public recognition. Jesus teaches that true treasure is found in heaven and not in material possessions here on earth. He warns against judging others without first examining your own self. Jesus encourages his followers to treat others as they would like to be treated and to take care of the sick and elderly. Share, don’t hoard. Proverbs 19:17 says, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord and he will repay them for their deed”. This verse means that when you show kindness and give to those in need, you are doing the Lord’s work, and He promises to reward you for your generosity.

Jesus also stated that his purpose was to preach and spread God’s words,  to seek and save the lost, poor and the sick.

Jesus warns his followers to be discerning and not be deceived by false prophets and liars.

And to have the ability to understand and distinguish between truth and falsehood, right and wrong, good and evil, and spiritual realities.

Jesus frequently warned his followers about Satan who’s only job is to deceive and destroy and to lead them away from God, his Father. He told them that Satan can even disguise himself as an angel of light to lead them away from the right direction. His teachings provided a framework for resisting and overcoming Satan’s influence by believing in God’s power and the truth of his teachings.

In summary, Jesus’ warnings about Satan are a call to spiritual awareness and a reminder that by trusting in God and his word, believers have the power to resist the enemy’s attempts to destroy them.

This involves seeking Gods guidance, applying wisdom and sound judgment to life’s situations and decisions, allowing individuals to make choices aligned with God’s will and applying knowledge to make wise choices. 

The Fight against Evil Satan 

“Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong.  Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks.  We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.

Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God’s justice protect you like armor.  Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit. Ephesians 6:10-17

Jesus emphasizes the importance of putting his teachings into practice and building one’s life on the rock of faith and to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus performed over  40  miracles  and they were documented and witnessed by thousands of people including his own Apostles who wrote and recorded them  in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) but it is to be believed that there  were  many more that were not written about but witnessed by thousands.  The verse in John 21:25 suggests that if every miracle and event in Jesus’ life were to be written down, it would be an impossible task, implying an infinite number of books. 

Jesus’s popularity began to rise stemming from his teachings, miracles he performed, his charismatic  personality  and he was now attracting large crowds and continuing to gain more and more followers, like a current day rockstar only for different reasons.

Jesus was known for healing the sick, performing miracles, and delivering sermons that resonated with many and  doing all of this on any day of the week and for no fee.

There were many false  prophets and self claimed miracle workers who would charge a fee and would not help someone on a certain day because Jewish law  prohibited any healing on one day of the week, the Sabbath.   His message of God’s kingdom and his actions of compassion towards people who were considered outcasts and not accepted in society contributed to his growing followers.

During this time the 2 authorities in charge were the Jewish Sanhedrin which was the supreme Jewish religious with authority over Jewish law and the other was the Roman authority.

The Jewish high court, the Sanhedrin sought to kill Jesus primarily due to his perceived blasphemy when Jesus said to the Jewish people “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30)  And in John  10:33 John witnessed and wrote The Jewish leaders said  “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy,  You, a mere man, claim to be God.”  

When The Sanhedrin heard Jesus claims of being the Messiah and Son of God, along with his actions and teachings, they saw this as a direct insult to God. They believed this claim violated their religious laws and was punishable by death. Jesus’s teachings often criticized the hypocrisy and legalistic practices of the Jewish leaders, including the Pharisees and Sadducees, who made up the Sanhedrin. This criticism undermined their authority and influence over the Jewish people.

Jesus is often described as a maverick because he consistently challenged religious and political authority, broke with the traditions of his time, and presented a radically different worldview that defied the expectations of his neighbors and religious leaders. His actions, such as preaching a message of grace and love, positioned him as an independent-minded figure who stood apart from the established norms.

So after a period of three and a half years of his public ministry with thousands of followers Jesus was murdered by crucifixion, which was witnessed by thousands if not tens of thousands.

And to prove He is God he was then  resurrected three days later. Jesus became alive again! Many people believe in many Gods but only ONE God was resurrected which means he died and then became alive again 3 days later, only one: Jesus The Christ.  Try to name another God that was murdered and then became alive again.

Jesus was crucified during Passover, a major Jewish festival  so Jerusalem was filled with believers. While it’s impossible to give an exact number, the Bible indicates that potentially thousands or even tens of thousands witnessed Jesus’s crucifixion.

And according to the Biblical author Paul and  to the New Testament, after his resurrection on the 3rd day Jesus was seen by over 500 people.

This event is described as occurring at one time, and Paul states that most of these witnesses were still alive when he wrote about the Jesus’s resurrection. Paul wrote that the 500 witnessed were still alive at the time Paul wrote about it. However, Paul wrote that some of these witnesses were still alive, implying that he could have consulted them, but there’s no indication that he actually did so.  1 Corinthians 15.

Even with all of the witnesses and talk in town about seeing Jesus alive and even after the Roman soldiers found Jesus’s tomb empty many still did not believe that Jesus who had hung on a cross and was witnessed dying was then alive again 3 days later. Many still did not believe……………

Isaiah who was one of the most widely respected prophets and authors in the Old Testament  wrote over 100 prophecies about Jesus 700 years before Jesus was born. Read Isaiah 53 as it describes Jesus as the lamb to be sacrificed and uses imagery associated with the traditional sacrificial system to portray Jesus’ death as a substitute for all of our sins, not for just one person or one priests sins but for all.  

And because of Jesus’s crucifixion and sacrifice you no longer needed to sacrifice  animals to receive forgiveness from God as this was only temporary. God’s plan was to use his animal sacrificial system only temporarily for all to understand what is necessary for people to get back into relationship with him. Bottom line: blood must be shed.

When Jesus was baptized by his cousin John he called him:

“The lamb of God”.

In the Bible is says that when John saw Jesus coming towards him he said

“Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! “ John 1:29

^{To have been called the Lamb of God means that God’s plan to save all humanity was to have Jesus sacrificed and killed like a lamb for all of our sins so every single person could receive forgiveness,  offering a path to redemption and forgiveness for all.}

No more lambs/animals will need to be sacrificed for temporary reconciliation  and forgiveness from God because Jesus would be the sacrificial lamb for ALL OF HUMANITY, ONCE AND FOR ALL.

• • Jesus crucifixion during the annual Passover Holiday signifies His death as the ultimate Passover event, where the blood from His death saves us from going to Hell and offers a new nature, without inherited sin, to everyone. Just as Passover brought physical freedom for Jewish people from Egyptian slavery 1550 years before, Jesus’ death and resurrection bring reconciliation with God and new life. Christians believe Jesus’ death and resurrection complete the symbolism of the Passover, fulfilling its deeper meaning as the ultimate act of God’s original plan to save all of us.  
  • After Adam and Eve sinned and had a new sinful nature and was no longer on “God’s Team” but on “Satan’s Team” ever person born since was considered a sinner in God’s eyes.
  • But God had a plan to get everyone back on God’s team that no-one, other than Jesus, knew about. The only way for every person to get back into relationship with God is to believe that God sent his only son Jesus to live as a human, while still God for 33 years and then be sacrificed and murdered for all of humanity.
• When Jesus became alive again 3 days after being killed, it served as proof that He was the Son of God and had authority over death which validated His claims of His messages told previously, fulfilled Old Testament (Jewish) prophecy and offering believers hope for eternal life . His resurrection authenticated His identity as God’s divine Son, demonstrating power over death itself, which proved He was who He said he was.
• This was God’s plan.

No more lambs/animals will need to be sacrificed for temporary reconciliation  and forgiveness from God because Jesus would be the sacrificial lamb for ALL OF HUMANITY, ONCE AND FOR ALL. Hanging from the cross Jesus said “IT IS FINISHED” John 19:30 which signifies the completion of his divine mission and declared the victory over sin and death, the fulfillment of Scripture, and that his divine purpose to save humanity was completed.

Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

This is why Jesus came to earth. Thank you Jesus!

Jesus came to put an end to our sinful nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve and give us a new future with our Father God, NO MATTER OUR SIN. It’s as if you have been “born again” and get to start over without a sinful nature.

 Jesus said that you will be “saved” and offered relationship with God and eternal life with him if you:

1. Belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who came to earth to bridge the separation between humanity and God caused by sin. This belief involves trusting in him as both Lord/God and Savior.
2. Acknowledging that all people have inherited the sinful nature, inherited from Adam and Eve, which leads to acts of sin and separation from God and the need for a savior from Satan.
3. Accepting Jesus’ Sacrifice and that Jesus’ death on the cross is understood as a sacrifice that paid the penalty for all humanity’s sins, offering forgiveness and reconciliation with God and is available to all who believe in him.
4. Honest repentance: Turning away from sin and seeking forgiveness from God, change of heart and mind, acknowledging wrongdoing, and accepting the need for repentance and faith to receive forgiveness from God and to have eternal life with God.
5. By having faith and by accepting Jesus and his sacrifice, individuals receive the gift of eternal life, which is a life of continuous blessings and joy in God’s presence and begins in the present and continues into the afterlife.                                                                                                                     6. Living a Transformed Life: Being “saved” is a gift received through        faith, it also leads to a transformed life marked by holiness and good          works. These works are not a means of earning salvation but are a result of God’s grace and mercy.

And by doing so this gives you the opportunity to have a intimate and direct relationship with Father God no matter your sins:  murderer, adulterer, liar, homosexual, women who have had an abortion, anyone and everyone.

(He considers all of the above a sin, you may not but he does BUT he will forgive you. Not all of us are homosexuals or have had an abortion but we have all lied at some time. We all need to ask to be forgiven, no matter our sin and he will forgive us.  Read above)

It is up to you and only you. God knows your heart.  Remember He created you, knows everything about you and knew of all the sins you would commit and is willing to forgive and not remember your sins as if they never happened because of His never ending love for you which surpasses his immeasurable hatred of sin.

It’s your choice though.

It’s your choice though. He wants you to choose to love him through your own free will and not by force.  Makes sense because no one would want to someone to be forced to love them. To love someone must be of your own choice. That is love and right from the start  God created it to be that way as he did not force Adam and Eve to love him and out of respect and love to do what he had asked of them; to not eat from just one tree. Their own free will jeopardized their  relationship with God. However, if Adam and Eve had truly repented after their sin, it would align with the principle that genuine repentance and belief in Christ lead to being saved from Satan and will have eternal life with God. 

Please know that you never graduate from Christianity and become a sinless person. That is impossible because we all have a sinful nature. NO ONE is sinless nor can they become. As a Christian you thank God everyday for his continuous grace and mercy in continuing to forgive you. Remember that the reason the 10 Commandments are impossible to keep is because God wrote them that way. This way you need help and need to be saved. God made it this way so you will make him your Savior.

God is the God of second, third and fourth and unlimited chances for His children who confess their sins, repent daily and sometimes hourly and come to Him for help, repeatedly with a sincere heart.

Here is proof:

• God will not remember:  Psalm 25:7: “Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me,  for you, Lord, are good.“
• God will: Isaiah 43:25: “But I wipe away your sins because of who I am. And so, I will forget the wrongs you have done.“
• God will: Hebrews 8:12: “I will treat them with kindness, even though they are wicked. I will forget their sins“
• God does: Jeremiah 31:34:  describes the promise of a new covenant where everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know God, and God will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more                                                                                                                                                               “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10                                                                                  (Remember that God had a plan before people had a problem, a sin problem)                                                                                                                     If you believe the words written below your belief and faith in Jesus begins right now:

“Dear Father God, I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness.
I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died
for my sin and that you raised Him to life.
I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will.  

I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

If you believe in the above words not only are you back in relationship with God you are also being given eternal life and will live forever in heaven with God.

Paul writes in The Bible, “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

John listened and witnessed Jesus say “My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one shall snatch them away from me.” (John 10:27-28)

Thank you Jesus for going through that horror when you were crucified and murdered to “save” us from Satan and physical death.  3 days later our Father God raised you from the dead and with your own commandment you were made alive again. And by doing so God has forgiven us and given us all the opportunity to spend eternity with him and saving us from Satan by giving us his unmerited grace and mercy no matter our sin and no matter what we wrongfully did. And thank you for giving all of us access to our Father God so we may have a personal relationship with him and no longer be separated from him because of our faith in you.

Because of Jesus and our chosen faith in him we now have a new nature, no longer a sinful nature and our relationship with God can be restored because Jesus removed our sins from the record and God forgives sins through His grace and mercy and gives us complete and transformative act of forgiveness that creates a new reality. As humans we will continue to sin even as we try to stop but by being back in relationship with God we will sin less and less and continue to repent and thank him for his continued unmerited grace and mercy and understanding while we consciously make changes in our lives. While God is omniscient and cannot forget in the human sense, because of His Son Jesus He chooses not to hold those forgiven sins against the individual, effectively creating a new relationship with them and a new state of being.

Jesus said “My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one shall snatch them away from me.” (John 10:27-28)

When you sin, sincerely repent and pray to God for help, thank him for his love for you and for forgiving you. When you sin, sincerely repent and pray to God for help, thank him for his love for you and for forgiving you. When you sin, sincerely repent and pray to God for help, thank him for his love for you and for forgiving you, etc….repeat until your last breath here on earth because as a believer in Jesus the bible says “Once you are absent from the body, present with the Lord” referring to the belief that after death, believers are immediately reunited with Jesus Christ in His presence, rather than going to hell with Satan. This concept is rooted in the Christian view that death is a doorway to a better, eternal relationship with Christ and a transition from a temporary earthly body to a spiritual one. 2 Corinthians 5:8

And this transformed and new state of being is what he wanted everyone to be like before Adam and Eve sinned, no sinful nature and loving naturally towards him and each other.

And because of this  we can, once again receive eternal life and live for eternity with God in Heaven. Thank you Jesus.

This is proof that God had a plan for us before people had a sin problem.

Once a believer in Jesus you are no longer separated from God. Thanks to Jesus, In your name, Amen.

By believing in Jesus and accepting his sacrifice as the means to receive reconciliation from God, individuals are offered eternal life, a relationship with God, and a hope for the future. Christianity 101

Thank you Jesus.

Choose to believe in Jesus and be curious about this. As they say “This Is The Greatest Story Ever Told.”

THE VOICE, THE HOLY SPIRIT’S VOICE

Around his age of 33 Jesus was murdered and crucified and then was made alive again and resurrected and had completed his purpose, the purpose God gave him to do. This was witnessed by a significant number of people, potentially tens of thousands and was written about by John, his beloved Apostle and John’s writings provides a unique perspective on the events surrounding Jesus’ death, emphasizing Jesus identity as the Son of God. John, like the other disciples accompanied Jesus for the duration of his public ministry which i understood to lasted for approximately 3 years. John had witnessed Jesus’s teachings, miracles, and interactions with his followers,  before his crucifixion and resurrection. 

And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.”

Jesus continued to command, not suggest: “If you love me, you will do as I command, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Living here on earth Jesus could not speak to all people everywhere so Jesus said that if you believe in me you I will give you a spirit that lives inside your heart and through this spirit you will be able to hear me no matter where you live, no matter what language you speak. If I stay here not everyone can hear my words so I am leaving you the Holy Spirit. If you do not believe in me then you will not hear my voice.

“Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. The Spirit will show you what is true. When the Spirit of truth comes, The Holy Spirit, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears (from God) he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, “The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.”
(John 14:15-17 & 27-29, John 16:13-15)

Begin to pay attention to the Holy Spirit’s voice, the voice that you hear in your mind because He will guide you and will correctly interpret the word of God to you so you can reach new levels of understanding. Since God knows you and created you and knows that everyone thinks differently He then transfers information to you in ways that you will comprehend it.

On the last day I worked on this project, I looked up, grabbed my camera as I saw an angel with praying hands.