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NASB | 2 Kings 20:6 "I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.""' |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Kings 20:6 "I will add fifteen years to your life and save you and this city [Jerusalem] from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will protect this city for My own sake and for My servant David's sake."'" |
Subject: Does God ever change his mind? |
Bible Note: lovly2me1 In one of your posts, you asked: Why could Jesus never answer a simple question with a simple answer? Because, even though God openly offered a loving relationship with each of us, we must constantly seek and build and strengthen our relationship with God. The only people who strive to understand the parables are those seeking a relationship with God. As you are seeking a relationship with God,your efforts will be guided by the Holy Spirit - but you must make the effort! John 16:13 But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth ... Matthew 16:17 Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. Proverbs 28:5 Evil men understand nothing of justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all. I found some thoughts about prayer and our relationship with God in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I would like to share with you. According to Scripture, it is the heart that prays. If our heart is far from God, the words of prayer are in vain. The heart is the dwelling-place where I am, where I live; the heart is the place to which I withdraw. The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of others; only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter, because as image of God we live in relation: it is the place of covenant. Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with him. Through prayer, open your heart to God and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit. In the mean time, when reading Scripture - remember CONTEXT and a good dictionary. Malachi 3:6 about God and change - wrong interpretation. Start reading at Malachi 3:1 and it speaks of God sending a messenger (John the Baptist) and in 3:6 God is reaffirming that He is not changing His covenant with the people of Israel - He is simply sending a messenger. Gen 17:7 I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. Next, Jeremiah 42:10 Repent means regret, regret means sorry. God was sorry He had to punish the people, but He did not change His mind about the need for the punishment. Last, Exodus 32:12 The significance of the story is this: we see many situations in the Old Testament which are there to help us prepare for and understand, Jesus. Jesus has often been compared to Moses - and in this case, Moses was the only possible intercessor between God and the people. Next, you stated that your faith is being challenged as never before and now you're not sure if there is a God, etc. Is the strength of your faith like the people of Moses, who turned away from God everytime things didn't go right? Instead, as life gets harder - strive to get closer to God, through prayer. Psalm 50:14-15 Offer praise as your sacrifice to God; fulfill your vows to the Most High. Then call on me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall honor me." Pray with all of your heart and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit, God is always with you. Brian |