I know that Godsmack is the name of a heavy metal band but that is not what this discussion is about.  I also know that some of you might be wondering where I have been.  Let’s just say that life is a little full and quite hectic right now and I will try to post soon about what is going on and I am trying to get a better handle on this busyness so that I can at least write a couple of times a week again.  Thanks for hanging in there.

As far as the title goes, I am inteested in knowing what you think and believe about God punishing us.  Wondering if He does smack us.

Do you think God punishes today in light of what Jesus showed us concerning His mercy, grace, and love for us?

If you believe He does, what methods do you believe He uses?

What is your justification for your beliefs?

I miss the conversations and hope to not only post some more but I do hope you will comment.

Love you all

Tags: Belief, Believe, Conversation, Discussion, God, Grace, heavy metal, jesus, Love, Mercy, town hall, Tuesday

Sorry about missing last weeks post.  I have been swamped with study and all of a sudden, work also.  And this week is short too but I wanted to at least get this Tuesday post out.  Thanks for your continued support for this blog.

We all talk about praying and having a relationship with God.  We talk to Him and this implies that he also speaks to us.  Not only in prayer but some say He guides and directs them also.

Does God speak to us today?

How does He speak to us?

How does He speak to you if He does?

Love you all

Tags: blog, God, Prayer, relationship, town hall, Tuesday

My Dad’s name was Bill Cable.  He was not my biological father but he adopted me when I was only two years old and I never knew or met the man that was there when I was conceived.  He is a father also, to me and others later, I heard, so I hope he has a great day also if he still lives.  But he was not my Dad.  Bill Cable was.

I did not even know that I was adopted until sometime in my fourteenth year.  And Bill never gave me any reason to even think it.  I have a sister and two brothers that he was the biological father of but there was never any favoritism.  Well, actually there might have been at times, but it was favoritism towards me.  He loved me as much as or seemingly even more sometimes as any of us.

He was a small man.  Standing only 5′ 2″ tall and weighing about 125 pounds, I still remember him having me sit in his lap when I got out of the Army at six feet tall and 185 pounds.  It was ridiculous looking probably but I am smiling just thinking about it.  My eyes are a little watery also.

Bill Cable, my Dad, died in 1991 at the age of 55.  Much too young and way too early to go.  I miss him.  I don’t talk about it much but before Jesus introduced Himself to me there was no other person on this planet that I felt comfortable telling my deepest secrets, fears, dreams, and thoughts to than my Dad.  I never have been a very open person and have just started growing into it in the last few years even to the degree I am now.  But my Dad would listen, never judge, and tell me like he saw it.  It was not always comfortable but it was real.  How many people tell anyone anything real anymore?  Not enough.  At least not in my life or experience.

Even though I had the best example for a loving father, not a perfect man by any means, but a real, truly loving man which is what really matters, that anyone could have, I still blew it when it came my time.  I have six children.  Five of them are sons that are not mine biologically.  While I do believe I loved them a long time ago, I know I did not do it the right way.  Some of it was me, some was the enemy of all of our souls, but mostly it was my lack of belief that that enemy or God was real.  My Father, God, has and still is, changing me.  I thank Him for that most of all because I do not like who I used to be.

We all have a Father in heaven, whether we have one here or not.  And He is good and gracious and merciful and loving, but most of all He is real.  And He tells us like it is.  If we will only listen.

If you have a father here, let him know you love him and appreciate him today.  Even if he was or is not who you think he should be, he is your father.  And who among us is who our Father, God, wants us to be anyway.  And if you are a father, then be the best one you can be while you still have time.

Happy Fathers Day to all and Dad, I miss you and love you.

Love you all

Tags: army, Belief, Bill Cable, biological father, Father, God, Heaven, jesus, Love, Self

I believe the bible is pretty clear in stating the fact that God does not change.  I am not sure that this implies what most seem to believe though.  If God does not already foreknow the future as a settled fact, whether He predetermined it or not, then it would seem that He would have to change to a certain degree to respond to the free choices made by His created beings.

This also answers my own question from a couple of weeks ago for me but probably not for all.

How do you define the biblical statement’s and concepts about God never changing?

In our understanding of the word change, do you believe He does change in any way?

I really want to read your comments.

Love you all

Tags: Believe, change, foreknow, free choices, future, God, town hall, Tuesday, understanding