In The Beginning (Class 2)

In the Beginning

Beginning - Creation, Start, Foundation, Establishment

Creation - the Image of God

What does the bible mean when it says created in Gods image?

the word Image means: Picture, representation, likeness, copy, reflection.

God patterned them after himself. That means being made in God's image refers to Characteristics God shares with us.

No we will never be completely like him because he is our Supreme Creator. He is the Arthur and Finisher of our faith, the Beginning and the End the Alpha and the Omega. He is Omnipotent: unlimited authority, all powerful, he is Omnipresent in all places at all times, and he is Omniscience infinite knowledge never- ending countless, immeasurable.

But we do have the ability to reflect his image in our Love, Forgiveness, Kindness, and faithfulness.

Love: Matthew 22:36-39 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.

Who is my neighbor? Love for ones neighbor is not specifically defined anywhere but there are numerous examples of what it is. In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus shows that a "neighbor" is anyone who is close enough to help. And love involves what ever service that neighbor situation demanded. Who is your neighbor and are you doing everything possible to express Love?

Well do I have to love my enemies? Yes:

Matthew 5:43-45 Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

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What is Love? Love endures long and is patient and is kind: Love never is envious nor boils with jealousy, it is not boastful vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride.) It is not rude and does not act unbecoming, Love does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking it is not touchy or fretful or resentful it takes no account of evil done to it. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, it hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything. Love never fails (never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end) 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (ampl) Love seeks the highest good of the other person.

Forgiveness:

Why should I forgive? So that Your Father will Forgive You.

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14

So that our Prayers will be heard.

And when you stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

How many times?

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.

He forgave you when you asked

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.I John 1:9

How Do I Forgive? - By doing Good

Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good. Romans 12:21

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Kindness: compassion, Sympathy, gentleness, thoughtfulness. Genuine kindness means helping others become better people. It demands our time, money, and personal involvement.

Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering. Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord has appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore, with love and kindness have I drawn thee.

It's not what you gather, but it's what you scatter that tells what kind of Life you live. Jesus said in Mark 7: 15 You are not defiled by what enters in; but what comes out. Look for people you can show kindness, and seek to be kind.

Faithfulness: means keeping faith, staying loyal to something, or showing a strong sense of duty. In Hebrew faith and faithfulness are grammatically related. the Hebrew Root word for these words carries such meanings as "strengthen, support, or hold up. It is used to describe pillars that provide support for doors.

God is Faithful

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God the faithful God, Which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.

Being faithful will cause an Elevation:

Matthew 25:23 His Lord said unto him well done,

good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few

things. I will make thee ruler over many things:

enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord.

Begin to seek to reflect his image in your Love, Forgiveness, kindness, and faithfulness.

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New Beginnings Beginning - Creation, Start, Foundation, Establishment

A new car, a new house, a new job, new clothes, a new day, a new friendship, a new baby all suggest a fresh start. Newness is a beginning or beginning again, something that never was before. or was before but now is different, another way. it is a turn in the road, starting over.

We Get a New Beginning every Day. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed,because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:23-24

We have been made new:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

You must display a new nature because you are a new person created in God's Likeness-righteous, holy and true. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind: and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:24

This is the transformation process. of Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. A new relationship with God comes with a new heart. David cried Create in me a Clean Heart O God, Renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

When can a new beginning be harmful?

When we start to go in the opposite direction of God, As Jonah did. We begin to sin willfully; we begin to think on impure thoughts.

Philippians 4:8 tells us what to fix our thoughts on.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report if there be any virtue, and if there be any good praise, think on these things.

A New beginning is being renewed, refreshed, and revitalized.

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Foundation Beginning - Creation, Start, Foundation, Establishment

Foundation: Base, Groundwork, establishment the basis on which a thing stands, is founded, or is supported.

Failing to build (or lay structure) on a stable foundation leads to destruction. Why would people build a house without a foundation? Perhaps to save time and avoid hard work or preparing a stone foundation.

Maybe they want a waterfront scenery because of the beauty or perhaps beach houses have higher social status. Perhaps because they want to join their friends who have already settled in sandy areas.

Maybe they haven't heard about all the violent storms coming, or because they have discounted the reports, or for some reason they think disaster can't happen to them. Whatever the reason those with no foundation or unstable foundations are they will be sorry.

What makes a dependable foundation for Life?

Being Wise hearing and doing Gods will for our lives.

Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not (practice) what I tell you? For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words (in order to heed their teaching) and does them, I will show you what he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent (flood) broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded (established) on a rock. But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent (flood) burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house was great. Luke 6:46-49 (ampl.)

It is Obedience that determines the quality of our Foundation.

The word of God tells us in James 1:22

But be doers of the Word (obey the message), and notmerely listeners to it betraying yourselves (into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth)

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No one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have - Jesus Christ.

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is is already laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One. I Corinthians 3:11(ampl) Jesus is the Blue Print for our foundation. A building is only as solid as its foundation. The foundation of our life is Jesus Christ; he is our base, our reason for being.

For in him we live, and move, and have our being. Acts 17:28a

Any foundation apart from Christ will not last. Two ways to destroy a building are to tamper with the foundation or to build with inferior materials. So what are you building on? Are you building your life on the only real lasting foundation Jesus Christ or are you building on a faulty foundation of this world. God has given us a sure foundation.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Isaiah 28:16

So remember In the Beginning Make sure that your Foundation is solid, that you have been transformed and is reflecting Christ. And that you are reflecting Gods image through his love, kindness, forgiveness, and faithfulness.

Class Two - In The Beginning (Page 6)

Class 2 Quiz 2 In the Beginning

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