It's Been Forever and a Day!

I can not believe we have not posted for over a year!@! what a messed up world it is when i can't even take a few seconds to drop a thoughtful heartfelt post here and there.

I am reminded of the passage, Acts 28:1-6, of Paul traveling to the destination of Rome when he found himself gathering wood, bitten by a viper, and it hanging from his hand. It is interesting that the islanders see this and condemn Paul for they believe bad things happen to bad people and when Paul is not affected that he is a God, but how often do we fall in this mindset as Clergy or as Leader and even everyday church attenders? Why do we make things a prosperity gospel or drawn out to a logical conclusion that God is the author of evil?

What if in God's infinite wisdom we are created in His image... I think this is even Scriptural.... NIV Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Yes when the above has written man I believe they mean people... men and women.

So if we are created in His image then maybe we have free will and with that the responsibility of our, as a plural all people or humanities, actions.

I am glad we have God that can be described, from Exodus 34:6-7 as "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."

But even more when I think about good and bad I am uplifted by Ephesians 1:4b-12
"In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment-- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. "

Just a few thoughts from the Pastoral Penut Gallory
Corben