Search This Blog

Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Solution. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Solution. Sort by date Show all posts

Sunday, January 01, 2023

Resolution Illustrations

 Devotional Thoughts and Teaching Illustrations About Resolution 


Ben Franklin’s Resolutions
Still, as failures go, we’re in good company. Take Benjamin Franklin. As a young man, Ben composed a master list of 12 resolutions, later tacking on a killer 13th (“Imitate Jesus and Socrates”). He had particular difficulty, he notes in his Autobiography, with Resolution No. 2 (“Silence—Avoid trifling conversation”), No. 3 (“Order—Let all your things have their places”) and No. 5 (“Frugality—Waste nothing”).
Ben kept track of his performance in a small book in which he entered a black mark each day for each resolution broken. He had intended to reuse the little book, eventually erasing old black marks as his performance improved. It didn’t. So many black marks appeared on top of black marks that the little book developed holes. He had to resort to keeping his records on a piece of ivory, from which the accumulated black marks could be tactfully mopped off with a wet sponge.
“Clean Slate,” from “Harrowsmith Country Life’” by Rebecca Rupp, (VT, January ‘96), quoted in Reader’s Digest, p. 27

*Clickable Links Are Blue with Underlines:


Video


Church Songs?

#Resolution
#Resolutions
#Resolve
#Resoved
#Resolving
#Resolutely
#Resoulte
#Solution
#Solving
#Determination

#Scripture
Daniel 1:8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Acts 19:21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
2 Thessalonians 1:11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,
Philippians 2:4 (NLT) Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Colossians 3:13 (NLT) Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
James 1:19 (NLT) Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
Proverbs 16:7 (NLT) When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.
Proverbs 3:5 (NLT) Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Proverbs 29:9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.
Acts 20:3 having made also three months' stay -- a counsel of the Jews having been against him -- being about to set forth to Syria, there came to him a resolution of returning through Macedonia.



You Think About it!
Kevin Rayner




Tuesday, March 05, 2024

Limits Illustrations

Devotional Thoughts and Teaching Illustrations About Limit


Devotional Thoughts

Does God have self-imposed limitations?

While the Bible teaches us that “with God, all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26), and “with God nothing is impossible” (Luke 1:37), Scripture also teaches that God can and will do nothing that is inconsistent with His holy character or divine essence. God limits Himself for reasons of His own holiness. For instance, the Bible teaches us “in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago …” (Tit. 1:2). Why can’t God lie? Because lying is contrary to His holiness or His perfect character which includes veracity or truthfulness. Further, in Habakkuk 1:13 the prophet wrote, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.” Here the Old Testament prophet stated his reason. Tolerating evil (i.e., failing to judge sin or accepting a sinner without a just penalty for the sinners sin) is contrary to God’s perfect righteousness or holy character. In God’s perfect righteousness, he cannot have fellowship with sinfulness; so, in His perfect justice He must judge sin. But God is also perfect love, grace, mercy, and wisdom and in His love, grace, mercy and wisdom He is bound by His own character to provide a solution to the sin problem. In His love and wisdom, He gave us His son. Thus we read in John 3:16-18:

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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Related Topics: Theology Proper (God)



LIMIT[Heb ʿaḏ taḵlîṯ (Job 11:7), gāraʿ,—‘withdraw’ (Job 15:8), qēṣ (Ps. 119:96; Nah. 3:9), ḥōq (Prov. 8:29), tôṣāʿôṯ (1 Ch. 5:16); Gk. ámetros (“beyond limit,” 2 Cor. 10:13a, 15), tó métron tón kanános (2 Cor. 10:13b)]; AV END, RESTRAIN, MEASURE, etc.; NEB also “perfection,” “usurp,” “come to an end,” etc.; LIMITATION [Gk. asthenía (Rom. 6:19)]; AV “infirmity”; NEB “weakness.”
The RSV uses the noun “limit” in several different contexts. In 1 Ch. 5:16 it refers to a geographical boundary; in Nah. 3:9 the military-political might of Egypt is “without limit.” In a series of rhetorical questions (Job 11:7–11), Zophar (and later Eliphaz; cf. 15:8) attacks Job for questioning God. While Zophar is correct in pointing out the finitude of man, especially vis-à-vis God’s infinity, he fails to understand or sympathize with Job. This failure points up one of the dangers of dogmatism: the misapplication of a theological truth. Prov. 8:29 refers to creation, when God gave limits or orders to the sea (cf. Job 28:26; Ps. 148:6).
Although the general sense of Ps. 119:96 is clearly a contrast between the finitude of earthly things and the boundless nature of God’s commands, the precise meaning of the hapax legomenon tiḵlâ (RSV “perfection”) is uncertain. It seems to be related to taḵlîṯ (both &62; klh, “complete, finish,” “destroy”).
In Rom. 6:19 the RSV reading is unfortunate; the AV and NEB, though literal, also miss the meaning according to E. Käsemann (comm on Romans [Eng. tr. 1980], p. 182): “In Paul asthenía never means some kind of feebleness but the temptation … of Christians through the impulses of the flesh … not the impotence of the weak … but the defiance of the strong.” Here Paul “envisions neither ethical [contra TDNT, I, 491] nor intellectual weakness [contra Bauer, rev, p. 115] nor immaturity.”
In 2 Cor. 10 Paul offers a strong defense of his ministry and appears quite concerned to answer charges of boasting on his part To that end he claims that he boasts within the limits God has set (vv 13, 15). The NEB “proper sphere” is a suitable rendering; Paul inveighs against opponents who have invaded his sphere of ministry.

Lee, G. A. (1979–1988). Limit. In G. W. Bromiley (Ed.), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Vol. 3, p. 138). Wm. B. Eerdmans.

*Clickable Quick Links Are Below:

#Limit
#Limits
#Limited
#Limitation
#Limitations
#Restrictions
#Limitless
#Unlimited
#NoLimits

1 Corinthians 10:13 (MSG) No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.
1 Thessalonians 2:16 (NIV) in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
John 3:34 For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit.
Jude 1:6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.

Logos Dictionary Themes

You Think About It!
Kevin Rayner


Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Problem Illustrations

 Devotional Thoughts and Teaching Illustrations About Problem 

Creative Thinking
Bits & Pieces, October 15, 1992, pp. 9-10

When St. Petersburg, one of the most splendid and harmonious cities in Europe, was being laid out early in the eighteenth century, many large boulders brought by a glacier from Finland had to be removed.
One particularly large rock was in the path of one of the principal avenues that had been planned, and bids were solicited for its removal. The bids submitted were very high. This was understandable, because at that time modern equipment did not exist and there were no high-powered explosives. As officials pondered what to do, a peasant presented himself and offered to get rid of the boulder for a much lower price than those submitted by other bidders. Since they had nothing to lose, officials gave the job to the peasant.
The next morning he showed up with a crowd of other peasants carrying shovels. They began digging a huge hole next to the rock. The rock was propped up with timbers to prevent it from rolling into the hole. When the hole was deep enough, the timber props were removed and the rock dropped into the hole below the street level. It was then covered with dirt, and the excess dirt was carted away.
It’s an early example of what creative thinking can do to solve a problem. The unsuccessful bidders only thought about moving the rock from one place to another on the city’s surface.
The peasant looked at the problem from another angle. He considered another dimension—up and down. He couldn’t lift it up, so he put it underground.


*Clickable Links Are Blue with Underlines:


Video


Church Songs?

#Problem
#Problems
#Problem-Solving
#Solutions
#Trouble

1 Samuel 19:3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are. I will speak about you to my father. When I find out what the problem is, I will let you know."
Daniel 5:12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”
Ecclesiastes 8:1 (NET) Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person’s wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance.
1 Corinthians 7:28 (NET) But if you marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face difficult circumstances, and I am trying to spare you such problems.
Philippians 4:6 ESV Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Proverbs 3:5 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Philippians 4:13 ESV I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Proverbs 3:6 ESV In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.



You Think About it!
Kevin Rayner




Tuesday, November 25, 2025

It is Finished

When Jesus said, "It is finished"
  • Cry of the Carpenter - Completion of a task that only He could do.
  • Shout of the Shepherd - Solution to getting all the sheep safely into the fold.
  • Voice of the Victor - Villain has been destroyed finally.

Man of Sorrows (a cappella worship song with lyrics and notes)