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--- jn_en_2020_01_06 [2020/01/06 08:55] – potthast
+++ jn_en_2020_01_06 [2020/01/06 17:26] (current) – potthast
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 as it can be observed and experienced. And let us talk about the biblical promises,
 the message of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Let us talk about experiences
-of Christians, and about
+of Christians, and about the life with God, what it can be ...
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 The time of professional development usually coincides with partnership, with
-finding a woman or a man. Humans discover that men and women are made for each other,
+finding a woman or a man. Humans discover that men and women are made for love,
 that we need each other, that we are made for one another. Love is one of our hopes
 and dreams, it is given to our life, deeply rooted into our soul, our desires, our biology
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 God wants to be in all of our life. That is one of the main statements of basically
-all biblical books.
+all biblical books. The biblical books, starting from the opus of Moses, through the
+historical books, the prophets, the psalms and wisdom literature, they all claim
+that God has made the earth, that God maintains the earth with its natural laws, with
+animals and humans, with human mind and spirit and intelligence as well as the
+spiritual world.
+The world is a fascinating place, with many religions. It is a place where different
+people have their own interpretation of how the world works. If you go into
+Islamic countries, you find social systems which impose Muslim religion to its inhabitants.
+Conversion is not an option and highly dangerous. In Africa and Asia,
+you find various versions of kingdoms and dictatorships, some of them under the
+name of democracy, but too many without real
+freedom of speech or political choice. Some communist countries are extremely difficult,
+and modern technology enables far reaching control. You also find countries with a lot
+of freedom, with free choice of religion, with Christian tradition, and some with
+very secular cultural life.
-<color #aa0000>
+Modern free societies have developed on the background of the reformation and enlightenment.
-And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
+These societies have been a Christian movement - mixed with many political interests,
-</color> (John 1, 14)
+but with some core Christian values which became law and order. But I am far from saying
+that all what calls itself Christian would be good just by the fact that it uses the
+name of Christ. Even Jesus himself had his fights with the establishment of his time,
+with the misuse of faith for various purposes, and with the misunderstanding of God.
+Let us explore the core Christian message, as we find it it the Old Testament and the New
+Testament. Let us try to understand God in father, son and holy spirit. Who is he, the
+one who is beyond this world, but also in this world? Who is he, who seems to be a mystery,
+but at the same time openly available through biblical texts and Christian life, art,
+literature and worship for 2000 years. How is life with God supposed to work? How
+can it work? What ever phase of life you are in, it will always be new and refreshing
+to turn to God and explore his presence, his truth, his mercy, his love, his hope and
+perspective for our life today and tomorrow! Let us go this way ...
 (Roland Potthast)