“The Genesis account differs markedly from the other cosmogonies in its assumption of monotheism. There is a single Creator, and no other gods are involved in the creative acts, either as helpers or as opponents. There is no primeval goddess, so the model of procreation for the creative process has no place in the account. It is also notable that there is no theogony as a preface to cosmology. The existence of the Creator is assumed, and there is no attempt to explain it. There are no lesser gods whose coming into being needs explaining. Some scholars think that the plural in Genesis 1:26 (“Let us make …”) is a remnant of an earlier polytheistic account. However, they agree that this is not the significance of the plural in the account as it stands. Most take it as either an address to the heavenly council (Wenham) or as a plural of self-deliberation (Westermann)…

“The use of speech as a metaphor indicates that the divine creative activity is voluntary, rational and effortless. There is no struggle or conflict, as in some of the other cosmogonies.” (T. Desmond Alexander, David Weston Baker, Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch, p. 135)

Some sentences are so convincing that they require entire tomes to refute.

Some sentences are so convincing that they refute entire tomes.

The bigger I become in heaven, the bigger I will know God to be, and therefore the smaller I will feel.

Christian “theosis” or “deification” (if you want to call it that) is the ever-increasing happy feeling of being small and finite before an infinitely big God.

Like the awe of flying through the Grand Canyon, and then an ever bigger canyon.

Reading accompanied by Kevin MacLeod’s Snowdrop

When the sons of Adam said of the Most High
“He perhaps sinned“, the angels stood by
And gasped in horror, drawing their swords
But the Lord of lords, He commanded pause

“Though the sons of man fall like the sons of God,
This time I curse a lightning rod
My justice will come, my fury come fierce
But first my Son I plan to pierce”

Now angels with strange sweet delight
Gasp at the shocking, awesome sight
Of wretches rescued from blasphemy
Gladly singing Holy, Holy, Holy

Some good things, if talked about, are rarely done, and if done, are rarely talked about. Beware of talking about such things.

“Our future self is pretty unreliable, too. He/she doesn’t think that the task in hand sounds like much fun, either, and he/she is just as likely to put it off as you are. Actually, your future self is even more likely to put it off than you are because you’ve already established a pattern that putting off that important thing is okay… If you want to actually succeed in life, stop relying on your future self to take care of things. Now.” (source)

“Our emotions make excellent servants and terrible masters.” (Dallas Willard?)

“As I read the New Testament for the first time, I was arrested by the person of Jesus.” – William Lane Craig