The Goodness of God

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There is no limit to God and there is no limit to His goodness.

There is no limit to God’s love. He loves each of us the same, without limit. There is no limit to His mercy. God is as merciful to one person as He is to another. Likewise, there is no limit to His grace. It is just as available to one person as another. Each of us can experience God in His fullness, if we are not experiencing God’s love, grace, and mercy, it is not God’s fault. God has made Himself available to each and every one of us.

There is no limit to the goodness of God. God is as good to one person as He is to another. Experiencing that goodness on a human level is our challenge. We can experience as much of God’s goodness as we are willing to experience. God does not set a limit on how much of His goodness or His grace or His mercy or His love we can experience.

God wants us to experience His love, mercy, grace, and goodness to the fullest. Our problem is not that God is withholding anything from us, it’s that we limit ourselves by how much we seek and trust Him. It is simple, the more we seek Him and strive to be in His presence; the more we will experience His goodness, and the more our capacity to experience Him grows.

Each of us has as much of God in our lives as we want. Sadly, for many Christians that is not very much. They have no idea of the joy and peace that they are missing out on. We are so concerned about satisfying our own wants and desires we are afraid to fully trust God with our lives. We somehow have the opinion that we know what’s best for our lives, rather than putting our lives into the hands of the Almighty God who knows the future and wants what is best for us. How foolish we are to think we know what is better for us than the omnipotent God who created us.

The more we trust God and seek to do His will, the more His goodness is displayed in our lives. The more we partake of His goodness, mercy, and love. On the other hand, the less we seek Him the less He is a part of our lives.

Our Perception of God

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How we live our lives as Christians is usually on the same level as our perception of God. The greater our perception of God, the greater our trust in Him. Therefore, the closer and more intimate our relationship with Him is.

Theology is the human attempt to understand God. It is absolutely impossible for us as humans to understand God. God is far greater than we can ever comprehend in our wildest dreams. 

God tells us in Isaiah 55: 8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

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Do you Have Peace in your life?

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We live in a world that knows no peace. It is a complex world, that can be very stressful at times. It is a far cry from the world God had created for us. We can only dream of the peaceful life that Adam and Eve knew in the Garden of Eden. 

Philippians 4:7 tells us when you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And it will keep guard over our hearts and minds.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Jesus knew that if there was one thing we needed here on earth it was to have peace in our lives. He knows the trials, heartache, troubles, and uncertainty each of us faces. The peace He gives us allows us to face each day no matter what it brings.

In 2022 I suffered a very severe heart attack. My wife rushed me twenty miles to a small local hospital, where I was given clot blockers and blood thinners to stop the effects of the attack. From there I was rushed by ambulance to a larger regional hospital, where I was stabilized until surgery. The emergency nurse at the local hospital told me later that people normally don’t survive a heart attack like mine. The heart surgeon at the regional hospital told me at least three times that I was lucky to be alive. He said I would never have made it to Marquette, that I owed my life to the staff at the Munising Hospital. I thought at the time that luck had little to do with it. It was God.

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Jesus – God or Man

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As Christians, the foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ. Paul said that we should always be prepared to explain to others why our hope and faith are in Jesus. So, who is Jesus? What do we tell the unbeliever or those who may have doubts? We can say with confidence that Jesus is Alive! His resurrection was real. The textual, documentary, and archaeological proof of Jesus’s life abounds!

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What Are the Beatitudes?

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Jesus begins His Sermon on the Mount with a series of sayings that have come to be known as the Beatitudes.

The fifth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel begins very simply: “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them” (Matthew 5:1–2).

And with that, Matthew details the most important sermon ever preached. We would be hard-pressed to overemphasize the significance of the Sermon on the Mount. Even people who know nothing about Christianity regularly use terms that spring directly from this one sermon:

  • Salt of the earth
  • Go the extra mile
  • Turn the other cheek
  • Judge not lest ye be judged
  • Do unto others

There’s little question that Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is one of the most well-known messages from any religious leader in any era. And it all starts with the Beatitudes.

Discovering the Beatitudes

The Beatitudes are eight (or nine) statements that introduce the Sermon on the Mount:

  1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
  3. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
  4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
  5. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
  6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
  7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
  8. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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Letting God Guide Our Lives

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Life is uncertain, it is full of surprises, both good and bad. Regardless of how carefully we plan, We can never be sure what the future holds. Sometimes we expect good things and instead bad things happen. Other times, we may expect the worst, and things work out favorably.

As Christians, however, we understand that things are going to happen. We will all have challenges, disappointments, and unfair situations arise in our lives. The Bible tells us that both good and bad things happen to Christians and non-Christians alike. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45)

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Will we know people in heaven? What will Heaven be Like?

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Will we know people in heaven?

Many people wonder if we will recognize our friends and family when we get to heaven.  We will not only recognize our loved ones and friends, but it appears that we will know everyone in heaven. We will enjoy fellowship with people from all walks of life and from the time of Adam to the present time. Can you imagine meeting the saints of the Old and New Testaments or of the generations before us? 

   At the mount of transfiguration, Peter, James, and John recognized Elijah and Moses even though they had never seen them before and they were separated by hundreds of years (Luke 9:30-32). This is how it will be in heaven. We will recognize everyone else and will feel like one with them.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

  We will leave our sinful nature behind, and we will instead be filled with the spirit of God. Therefore we will love each other as God intended us to. We will be like one big family in heaven. Parents, Grandparents, children, and babies will be reunited and will all recognize each other. It will be a family reunion like no other!

What will it be like When we get to Heaven?

The most glorious thing is that God will be there, and Christ will be there. Tens of thousands of angels will be there praising God and serving Him. The experience will be beyond our present understanding.

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly” (Hebrews 12:22).

   While this scripture was not meant to describe heaven, the writer of Hebrews does give us a glimpse into heaven. The singing and music will be far beyond anything we have experienced before. Can you imagine singing with the angels? Our joy in the Lord will be complete.

“They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion…They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more…I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow” (Jeremiah 31:12-13).

Those that suffered bad things on earth will be comforted (Luke 16:25). The tired and weary will find rest. To the thief on the cross Jesus called Heaven Paradise (Luke 23:43).

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away”  (Revelation 21:4).

   Discouragement, despair, and heartache will be a thing of the past. No more sickness or pain. No more sadness, no more sorrow. We will be filled with the peace and joy of being in the presence of God.

   The Old Testament saints will be there. Saints such as Moses, Samuel, Daniel, Noah, and all the others. There will be people from every denomination, ethnic group, and continent in heaven, anyone who was a true believer and trusted Christ as Lord and Savior of their life. Children who died before the “age of accountability” will be there, as will those with mental limitations that made them unable to understand the gospel. Also, the millions of aborted babies will be in heaven. Our family and friends who accepted Christ as their Saviour and went before us will be there to welcome us home. It will be the greatest homecoming we have ever experienced. Wow!

This post was taken from my book “Things You Probably Didn’t Learn in Church.” To learn more about Heaven and many other subjects check out this book at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jerry-Blount/author/B06XK4GJT1

Books by Jerry, most you can read for free:

  1. Things you Probably Didn’t Learn in Chruch
  2. Basic Christianity: Living a Joy-Filled Life and Making a Difference
  3. Noah and the Great Flood: Proof and Effects
  4. The End Times: Signs and Prophecy
  5. Following Jesus and Fishing Along the Way: Stories From God’s Great Outdoors
  6. The Rapture: Coming Soon

Will our Sins be Remembered at the Judgment?

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If one should enter a jewelry store and ask to see a diamond or any other precious stone, the jeweler would first spread upon his showcase a black cloth and then place the diamonds upon it, not only for protection but also in order that the black background might bring out distinctly the brilliancy and worth of the gems. So God gives this best of all promises with the dark picture of sin clearly and thoughtfully portrayed.

But first, think about the fact that for each of us, there will come a time of judgment. We will be judged and then receive eternal punishment for our sins.

Every sin we have ever committed is written down. Every unkind word, every impure thought, and every godless act will be written down. When we stand at the judgment there shall appear before us all our sins of commission and all our sins of omission, the sins we have long forgotten, and more recent sins we have committed against our fellow man and against God. There is not a sin of your youth, or passion of our mature years that is not recorded. Every act, feeling, or imagination has been indelibly recorded. All the efforts of man cannot erase this record, nor will time dim it.

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Fifteen Famous Paintings of Jesus

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Courtesy of Jesus Film Project

Table of Contents

  1. Christ Pantocrator
  2. Ognissanti Madonna — Giotto di Bondone
  3. The Last Supper — Leonardo Da Vinci
  4. Salvator Mundi — Leonardo da Vinci 
  5. The Transfiguration — Raphael 
  6. The Last Judgment — Michelangelo 
  7. Christ Carrying the Cross — El Greco
  8. Supper of Emmaus — Caravaggio
  9. Christ Crucified — Diego Velázquez 
  10. The Storm on the Sea of Galilee — Rembrandt
  11. Head of Christ — Rembrandt
  12. Ecce Homo by Antonio Ciseri
  13. Sermon on the Mount — Carl Heinrich Bloch
  14. The Yellow Christ — Paul Gauguin 
  15. Christ of Saint John of the Cross — Salvatore Dali 
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Understanding the Old Testament Sacrifices and Why They are No longer Needed

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Thankfully, we don’t have to offer sacrifices on the altar anymore, because Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice for all times. There are many similarities between the sacrificial offerings and the Lord’s sacrifice of Himself on the cross.

The sacrificial offerings to the Lord were instituted in the beginning after the fall of man. In Genesis chapter 4, we see Cain and Abel offering sacrifices to God. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. Leviticus 17:11 explains why the blood was used, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.

Chapters 1 through 7 in Leviticus show us five different offerings.

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