The hardest part of being a christian (what's hardest for you?)
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M
Can you elaborate please? 
Most sources of light are classified as incoherent and unpolarized (or only "partially polarized") because they consist of a random mixture of waves having different spatial characteristics, frequencies (wavelengths), phases, and polarization states, as well as...
A clockwise rotation(dextrorotation) and a counterclockwise (levorotation)
As a function of time t, and within its spatial position a plane wave in the +z direction, the fields have no dependence on x or y.
I personally was previously relating +z in the direction of heaven...x, y coinciding to and fro within the earthly plane.
So in short, when we are trying to relate a message and are on a totally different wavelength (as the saying goes) either by being on a different frequency or different wavevector or both...an example relating more worldly than heavenly.
Our light within getting all twisted up from getting bent by the earthly x,y factors and not propagating in a coherent plane in more oneness with the Lord.
I was relating with BananaPie in terms of biblical concepts in relation to mathematical ones.
I think its fun as well as beneficial to combine our knowledge with God so as to not separate what we know into earthly knowledge from heavenly knowledge. If we are to be one with our creator it then I find it evidently clear that our knowledge should be from him and for him in order to Glorify him. This also helps to prevent being an inventor of evil things, as we have read the Lord speaks against in Romans 1:30.
Applying what we know to biblical concepts.
But if the propagation is solely along the z axis then no transverse propagation is made along the x,y plane.
(hard to relate to those in the world) How many times was Jesus asked to explain further?
"Tell us what this means, why does he speak in parables etc" Jesus was speaking heavenly and the people understanding worldly.
2 totally different planes as far as ways of thinking and communicating.
Gods laws are not just the ones we read about in the bible.
All of Gods creation in nature obeys his universal laws of time energy and space.
What if we obeyed God as diligently as nature does
Jesus is our light within.
I'm no expert in all this, just something I enjoy studying.
So what's it all good for, a chasing after the wind?
To me, understanding Gods creation...also helps me better understand the glory and magnificence of our creator
X
For me its finding yourself in places you never dreamed of or realised could happen. A church split that just turned out so bitter and wrong, facing adversity from your own friends and having to suddenly change your direction to stand in your own revelations and convictions ( IN humility )
- or a deep pit of pride that suddenly was revealed to your own self....ouch!
Maybe even fighting the hypocrisy of the pharisee's but also fighting the lies of complacency and maintaining the balance through it all in love - seeking god for the balance and the wisdom.
Those painful, dark seasons that either bring out the worst in you but also polishes you to bring out the best Thay aren't easy nor would you ever want to go through it again - but you hold such a precious testimony and new ground of hope and depth of truth that you would endure the pain again just to obtain what you gained! Priceless.
Usually found in heartache, loss, grief and pain. Where you chase the hem of God desperate for an answer...
Just keep your purpose firm, your hope in him and your confidence sure and strengthened. He is so faithful
What a journey it has been and still is
- or a deep pit of pride that suddenly was revealed to your own self....ouch!
Maybe even fighting the hypocrisy of the pharisee's but also fighting the lies of complacency and maintaining the balance through it all in love - seeking god for the balance and the wisdom.
Those painful, dark seasons that either bring out the worst in you but also polishes you to bring out the best
Thay aren't easy nor would you ever want to go through it again - but you hold such a precious testimony and new ground of hope and depth of truth that you would endure the pain again just to obtain what you gained! Priceless.Usually found in heartache, loss, grief and pain. Where you chase the hem of God desperate for an answer...
Just keep your purpose firm, your hope in him and your confidence sure and strengthened. He is so faithful
What a journey it has been and still is
I mean, any of those can be really difficult for anyone. In my case, I've always known God. It's not even a question of Him being real or anything... That's like the philosophy professors who have gone off the deep end and try to convince you that you or the chair you're sitting in, etc are not real and don't exist outside human perception. Psh!...I don't have time or willingness to pay money for this nonsense! Are you serious?
For me, it's more subtle and personal. I don't know if anyone's heard the last supper story, but according to it, da Vinci looked for the most 'Jesus-like' person he could find to paint first. He found him...a man that seemed to shine out with God's love and light, and asked to/painted him. Several years passed, as he searched and painted each disciple... then, at the last, he needed to find a Judas. He searched for someone who seemed to have a darkened and troubled countenance...suffering with sin and worldly living. He found him, and asked/painted the man...then when he finished, showed him the painting.
The man burst into tears. It was the same man who years ago he had asked to paint as Jesus.
The moral of this story, is my greatest struggle in Christianity. To continually choose God and die to myself. Each day, to study scripture, pray, spend time with God and fellowship with other Christians, to worship and grow and change, to spend myself in love and service... Just as quickly as and easily as we can choose God and find freedom from sin, we can choose sin and our flesh and find ourselves trapped in the same old junk as always.
The hardest part of being Christian (following Christ Jesus), is to actually choose and be like him. Even the disciples constantly messed up, went back to their old ways, didn't get it, chose the wrong things...
The Hebrew for Salvation or Believe are verbs, and really sort of a perfect past, present, and future participle. Something that happened back when, is happening now, and will happen in the future. It's an ongoing process, and always a choice we have to make. To chose Christ each and every moment, every day, no matter what happened, good or bad, or how you feel, or who you're around, or different places and positions you find yourself in... That, my friends, is incredibly difficult.
At the same time, just like 1 Cor 10 tell us, and Jesus showed us by example, no one HAS to sin. We just chose to, unfortunately. We seem to be bent or inclined to do so. Paul explained it as 'the law of sin and death' at work in us. To truly crucify that flesh, over and over, and be born of The Spirit, eating spiritual food and waiting on/following whatever The Father says and does... this is what it means to be Christian. This is what Jesus did and does. Who He is and was.
...and for some reason...it's very very difficult for most of us.
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Yes, I've done this, but it's a prayer that His will will be done; not one of "give them a happy life with everything they've ever wanted, Lord!" .
Yes, I believe I've accomplished this, but it's not in a "let's go have dinner together and catch up; I'm totally fine with you bullying me!" way.
. Yes, I believe I've accomplished this, but it's not in a "let's go have dinner together and catch up; I'm totally fine with you bullying me!" way
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(In reference to Jill & the OP)
Oh, Jesus asking us to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us (Matt 5)? I do this, and have long done it. God convicted me about it back when I was dealing with all the bullying I went through in middle school.
You know, Jill, I do pray good things into their lives. I pray that God would turn their hearts to Him, and bless them. I pray that He would teach and grow and help them in whatever ways they're struggling. No matter who they are or what they've done... we're all in the same boat. To quote a few passages from The Good Book:
Romans 3:23, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God...
Isaiah 53:6, Like sheep, we all have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way, and The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all...
Ephesians 6:12, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, powers, authorities of the world and the dark spiritual places...
I could keep going, but I think you get the point. Scripture also tells us "In your anger, do not sin. (Eph 4:26)", and that God would rather us reconcile with others than offer sacrifices (Matt 5:24). Those were actually Jesus' words, and along with that...Jesus also said,
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
So, Forgiveness (and think of this in terms of enemies as well) is kind of a really big deal! Jesus said that the way we forgive is the way we will be forgiven, and the adverse is that if you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven. The same measure, no double standards. In that light, I'll gladly pray for my enemies, and forgive anyone for anything. Why? ...because I want to be forgiven that way, and if God will that for me, why should I not do that for others?
Oh, Jesus asking us to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us (Matt 5)? I do this, and have long done it. God convicted me about it back when I was dealing with all the bullying I went through in middle school.
You know, Jill, I do pray good things into their lives. I pray that God would turn their hearts to Him, and bless them. I pray that He would teach and grow and help them in whatever ways they're struggling. No matter who they are or what they've done... we're all in the same boat. To quote a few passages from The Good Book:
Romans 3:23, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God...
Isaiah 53:6, Like sheep, we all have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way, and The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all...
Ephesians 6:12, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, powers, authorities of the world and the dark spiritual places...
I could keep going, but I think you get the point. Scripture also tells us "In your anger, do not sin. (Eph 4:26)", and that God would rather us reconcile with others than offer sacrifices (Matt 5:24). Those were actually Jesus' words, and along with that...Jesus also said,
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
So, Forgiveness (and think of this in terms of enemies as well) is kind of a really big deal! Jesus said that the way we forgive is the way we will be forgiven, and the adverse is that if you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven. The same measure, no double standards. In that light, I'll gladly pray for my enemies, and forgive anyone for anything. Why? ...because I want to be forgiven that way, and if God will that for me, why should I not do that for others?
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Possibly I shouldn't have made the post at 6 am, or whatever time it was on the East coast . A quick re-read of it after having had a nap made it understandable why you posted this, Reece. I wasn't talking about praying that God would hurt them, but I have seen in my own life, sadly, that sometimes it was easier to see lessons God had for me when things were a bit harder. I wasn't saying to pray that things GET hard on people, but rather that His will be done. He loves them more than we ever can, and knows what they need in order to meet Him or grow in Him, which would include realize any wrong one has done, and apologize. Not only that, but He wants them to be closer to Him. He must; He said "I'll come get you in the midst of your sins and die for you." I guess He thinks each of us is worth it, even with the price He had to pay ... :').
. A quick re-read of it after having had a nap made it understandable why you posted this, Reece. I wasn't talking about praying that God would hurt them, but I have seen in my own life, sadly, that sometimes it was easier to see lessons God had for me when things were a bit harder. I wasn't saying to pray that things GET hard on people, but rather that His will be done. He loves them more than we ever can, and knows what they need in order to meet Him or grow in Him, which would include realize any wrong one has done, and apologize. Not only that, but He wants them to be closer to Him. He must; He said "I'll come get you in the midst of your sins and die for you." I guess He thinks each of us is worth it, even with the price He had to pay ... :').One reason I phrased it like that is because there have been members of my extended family that were continually abusive, and it came to a point where the attitude needed to be "I can't be around you because you won't stop being hurtful". I've read/heard of preachers saying that you need to constantly try to be their friend, and I disagree. I totally believe that one needs to use prayer and let Jesus decide when the person has had enough kindness extended, and needs to be left alone to decide for him or her self if and when to change.
Too late to edit, so here: I just noticed that the definition of "extended family" apparently only refers to those relatives that aren't one's parents, sibs, spouse, or children (which I knew), AND live close by (which I didn't realize was a restriction of the definition). These folks weren't close, in either definition of the word .
I did want to add that Jesus called some people a generation of vipers, and his own friend Peter "Satan" when He needed to make a point. Saying nothing of the whip He used. Not saying that we should do so, but it does prove that He wasn't always carrying doves around in a figurative sense.
Also, for the record, I'm not upset at Reece at all. Again, I wrote the post to which he responded hastily, and w/o much shut-eye.
.I did want to add that Jesus called some people a generation of vipers, and his own friend Peter "Satan" when He needed to make a point. Saying nothing of the whip He used. Not saying that we should do so, but it does prove that He wasn't always carrying doves around in a figurative sense.
Also, for the record, I'm not upset at Reece at all. Again, I wrote the post to which he responded hastily, and w/o much shut-eye.
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