31 March 2020

A Few Thoughts About Values and Meaning

Values equals standards of right and wrong.
Meaning equals a reason and purpose for living.

Values
B1 Defined
C1 A never changing standard of right and wrong.
C2 The principles that help you to decide what is right and wrong, and how to act in various situations: (Source)
B2 The best set of values is the standard of the Kingdom of God
C1 God (Yahweh) is King of all kings:
D1 Revelation 19:16 NLT On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
D2 Psalm 136:2 NLT Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever.
D3 1 Timothy 6:15 NLT For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
C2 God’s kingdom is the Kingdom of God. He will come and set up the kingdom. God sets up His kingdom so it will be correct and perfect. Daniel 2:44 NLT During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.
C3 Mosaic Law has ~613 laws that Israel (Jews) must obey: Deuteronomy 8:6 NET So you must keep his commandments, live according to his standards, and revere him.
C4 Believers obey the Law of Messiah/Christ:
D1 John 14:15, 21, 24 NLT If you love me, obey my commandments. ... 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them." ... 24 Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.
D2 Revelation 14:12 NIV This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
C5 The beauty of God’s way and His kingdom
D2 Isaiah 65:25 NLT The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the LORD, have spoken!"
D3 Isaiah 11:6-9 NLT In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. 7 The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. 8 The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm. 9 Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the LORD.
D4 The following things will not happen in God’s Kingdom: Galatians 5:19-21 WEL Now the works of the flesh are obvious. They are adultery, sexual sins, moral corruption, unrestrained lust, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strife, provoking jealousy, hot anger, pushing to be first, selfish scheming, dissensions, heresy, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, wild partying, and so on, about which I have told you before, and as I have also told you in the past that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
D5 These things will happen in God’s Kingdom: Galatians 5:22-23 WEL But, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

Meaning
B1 Why am I here? This is a common question.
C1 We are here to have fellowship with God and serve Him forever.
D1 Fellowship
E1 Christians are invited into fellowship with God and other believers: 1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
E2 We have a choice as all believers. Do we fellowship with God and His people or the other crowd. 2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
E3 We have fellowship with God. There are characteristics of those who fellowship with God. Darkness is the opposite of truth, opposite of righteousness, opposite of a false spirituality. We are required to be in fellowship in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. When we sin, we have a Messiah. 1 John 1:3, 6-7 ESV that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ... 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
D2 Serve Him
E1 All Christians are servants of God: Colossians 3:23-24 NIV Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
E2 God’s yoke (authority and rulership) is easy and His burdens (laws) are light. He is a delegator, not a dictator. Matthew 11:28-30 NIV Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
E3 We are free, but not to do anything: 1 Peter 2:16 ESV Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
E4 Rewards for serving God: John 12:26 BSB If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
C2 God does not need our fellowship. He just enjoys our fellowship.
C3 He never abandons us: Matthew 28:20 GW Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. "And remember that I am always with you until the end of time."
C4 Without God’s help and supply (providence), we cannot be eternally successful. John 15:4-5 GW Live in me, and I will live in you. A branch cannot produce any fruit by itself. It has to stay attached to the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit unless you live in me. 5 "I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who live in me while I live in them will produce a lot of fruit. But you can't produce anything without me.

Colossians 4:2 EMTV Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving;

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