Edition 8 of the NO ANSWER Study

Tuesday, November 15th

Edition 8 of the NO ANSWER Study

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,… nothing will be impossible for you.”

Questions that come to my mind are this (possible answers I have found below them):

• How long should I pray?

1) Continually.

2) Enough to be willing to do God’s will and not mine.

• How should I pray?

1) I should pray with action.
2) As many times as it takes to be content in MY heart.
3) Silently or by speaking is irrelevant, it’s the attitude of the heart.

• How long should I fast?

1) Enough to make it a true sacrifice.

• What accounts for a “mustard seed” of faith?

1) We have seen that a mustard seed is a very small thing. It takes very little faith to do the impossible.
2) The mustard seed would need to grow, so this is a growing faith. This faith is, in a sense, to be harvested, or as I see it, to become useful.
3) I should test my faith.

1. Does God exist? Throughout history, in all cultures of the world, people have been convinced there is a God.

Billions of people, who represent diverse sociological, intellectual, emotional, educational makeups... believe that there is a Creator, a God to be worshipped. Now, the fact that so many people believe something certainly doesn't make it true. But when so many people through the ages are so personally convinced that God exists, can one say with absolute confidence that they are all mistaken?

"Anthropological research has indicated that among the farthest and most remote primitive people today, there is a universal belief in God. And in the earliest histories and legends of people all around the world, the original concept was of one God, who was the Creator. An original high God seems once to have been in their consciousness even in those societies which are today polytheistic."

1. Does God exist? The complexity of our planet points to a deliberate Designer who not only created our universe, but sustains it today.

Many examples showing God's design could be given, possibly with no end. But here are a few:

The Earth... its size is perfect. The Earth's size and corresponding gravity holds a thin layer of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases, only extending about 50 miles above the Earth's surface. If Earth were smaller, an atmosphere would be impossible, like the planet Mercury. If Earth were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, like Jupiter. Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life.

The Earth is located the right distance from the sun. Consider the temperature swings we encounter, roughly -30 degrees to +120 degrees. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would all freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. Even a fractional variance in the Earth's position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible. The Earth remains this perfect distance from the sun while it rotates around the sun at a speed of nearly 67,000 mph. It is also rotating on its axis, allowing the entire surface of the Earth to be properly warmed and cooled every day.

And our moon is the perfect size and distance from the Earth for its gravitational pull. The moon creates important ocean tides and movement so ocean waters do not stagnate, and yet it restrains our massive oceans from spilling over across the continents.

Water... colorless, odorless and without taste, and yet no living thing can survive without it. Plants, animals and human beings consist mostly of water (about two-thirds of the human body is water). You'll see why the characteristics of water are uniquely suited to life:

It has an unusually high boiling point and freezing point. Water allows us to live in an environment of fluctuating temperature changes, while keeping our bodies a steady 98.6 degrees.

Water is a universal solvent. This property of water means that thousands of chemicals, minerals and nutrients can be carried throughout our bodies and into the smallest blood vessels.

Water is also chemically inert. Without affecting the makeup of the substances it carries, water enables food, medicines and minerals to be absorbed and used by the body.

Water has a unique surface tension. Water in plants can therefore flow upward against gravity, bringing life-giving water and nutrients to the top of even the tallest trees.

Water freezes from the top down and floats, so fish can live in the winter.

Ninety-seven percent of the Earth's water is in the oceans. But on our Earth, there is a system designed which removes salt from the water and then distributes that water throughout the globe. Evaporation takes the ocean waters, leaving the salt, and forms clouds which are easily moved by the wind to disperse water over the land, for vegetation, animals and people. It is a system of purification and supply that sustains life on this planet, a system of recycled and reused water.

The human brain... simultaneously processes an amazing amount of information. Your brain takes in all the colors and objects you see, the temperature around you, the pressure of your feet against the floor, the sounds around you, the dryness of your mouth, even the texture of this article in your hand. Your brain registers emotional responses, thoughts and memories. At the same time your brain keeps track of the ongoing functions of your body like your breathing pattern, eyelid movement, hunger and movement of the muscles in your hands.

The human brain processes more than a million messages a second. Your brain weighs the importance of all this data, filtering out the relatively unimportant. This screening function is what allows you to focus and operate effectively in your world. A brain that deals with more than a million pieces of information every second, while evaluating its importance and allowing you to act on the most pertinent information...can we say mere chance brought about such an astounding organ?

When NASA launches a shuttle mission, it is assumed a monkey didn't write the plan, but intelligent and knowledgeable minds. How does one explain the existence of the human brain? Only a mind more intelligent and knowledgeable than humanity could have created the human brain.

Gravitational coupling constant

• If larger: No stars less than 1.4 solar masses, hence short stellar life spans
• If smaller: No stars more than 0.8 solar masses, hence no heavy element production

Strong nuclear force coupling constant

• If larger: No hydrogen; nuclei essential for life are unstable
• If smaller: No elements other than hydrogen

Weak nuclear force coupling constant

• If larger: No hydrogen; nuclei essential for life are unstable
• If smaller: No elements other than hydrogen

Electromagnetic coupling constant

• If larger: No chemical bonding; elements more massive than boron are unstable to fission
• If smaller: No chemical bonding

Ratio of protons to electrons formation

• If larger: Electromagnetism dominates gravity preventing galaxy, star, and planet formation
• If smaller: Electromagnetism dominates gravity preventing galaxy, star, and planet formation

Ratio of electron to proton mass

• If larger: No chemical bonding
• If smaller: No chemical bonding

Expansion rate of the universe

• If larger: No galaxy formation
• If smaller: Universe collapses prior to star formation

Entropy level of universe

• If larger: No star condensation within the proto-galaxies
• If smaller: No proto-galaxy formation

Mass density of the universe

• If larger: Too much deuterium from big bang, hence stars burn too rapidly
• If smaller: No helium from big bang, hence not enough heavy elements

Age of the universe

• If older: No solar-type stars in a stable burning phase in the right part of the galaxy
• If younger: Solar-type stars in a stable burning phase would not yet have formed

Initial uniformity of radiation

• If smoother: Stars, star clusters, and galaxies would not have formed
• If coarser: Universe by now would be mostly black holes and empty space

Average distance between stars

• If larger: Heavy element density too thin for rocky planet production
• If smaller: Planetary orbits become destabilized

Solar luminosity

• If increases too soon: Runaway green house effect
• If increases too late: Frozen oceans

Fine structure constant

• If larger: No stars more than 0.7 solar masses
• If smaller: No stars less then 1.8 solar masses

Decay rate of the proton

• If greater: Life would be exterminated by the release of radiation
• If smaller: Insufficient matter in the universe for life

12C to 16O energy level ratio

• If larger: Insufficient oxygen
• If smaller: Insufficient carbon

Decay rate of 8Be

• If slower: Heavy element fusion would generate catastrophic explosions in all the stars
• If faster: No element production beyond beryllium and, hence, no life chemistry possible

Mass difference between the neutron and the proton

• If greater: Protons would decay before stable nuclei could form
• If smaller: Protons would decay before stable nuclei could form

Initial excess of nucleons over anti-nucleons

• If greater: Too much radiation for planets to form
• If smaller: Not enough matter for galaxies or stars to form

Galaxy type

• If too elliptical: Star formation ceases before sufficient heavy element buildup for life chemistry
• If too irregular: Radiation exposure on occasion is too severe and/or heavy elements for life chemistry are not available

Parent star distance from center of galaxy

• If farther: Quantity of heavy elements would be insufficient to make rocky planets
• If closer: Stellar density and radiation would be too great

Number of stars in the planetary system

• If more than one: Tidal interactions would disrupt planetary orbits
• If less than one: Heat produced would be insufficient for life

Parent star birth date

• If more recent: Star would not yet have reached stable burning phase
• If less recent: Stellar system would not yet contain enough heavy elements

Parent star mass

• If greater: Luminosity would change too fast; star would burn too rapidly
• If less: Range of distances appropriate for life would be too narrow; tidal forces would disrupt the rotational period for a planet of the right distance; uv radiation would be inadequate for plants to make sugars and oxygen

Parent star age

• If older: Luminosity of star would change too quickly
• If younger: Luminosity of star would change too quickly

Parent star color

• If redder: Photosynthetic response would be insufficient
• If bluer: Photosynthetic response would be insufficient

Supernovae eruptions

• If too close: Life on the planet would be exterminated
• If too far: Not enough heavy element ashes for the formation of rocky planets
• If too infrequent: Not enough heavy element ashes for the formation of rocky planets
• If too frequent: Life on the planet would be exterminated

White dwarf binaries

• If too few: Insufficient fluorine produced for life chemistry to proceed
• If too many: Disruption of planetary orbits from stellar density; life on the planet would be exterminated

Surface gravity (escape velocity)

• If stronger: Atmosphere would retain too much ammonia and methane
• If weaker: Planet's atmosphere would lose too much water

Distance from parent star

• If farther: Planet would be too cool for a stable water cycle
• If closer: Planet would be too warm for a stable water cycle

Inclination of orbit

• If too great: Temperature differences on the planet would be too extreme

Orbital eccentricity

• If too great: Seasonal temperature differences would be too extreme

Axial tilt

• If greater: Surface temperature differences would be too great
• If less: Surface temperature differences would be too great

Rotation period

• If longer: Diurnal temperature differences would be too great
• If shorter: Atmospheric wind velocities would be too great

Gravitational interaction with a moon

• If greater: Tidal effects on the oceans, atmosphere, and rotational period would be too severe
• If less: Orbital obliquity changes would cause climatic instabilities

Magnetic field

• If stronger: Electromagnetic storms would be too severe
• If weaker: Inadequate protection from hard stellar radiation

Thickness of crust

• If thicker: Too much oxygen would be transferred from the atmosphere to the crust
• If thinner: Volcanic and tectonic activity would be too great

Albedo (ratio of reflected light to total amount falling on surface)

• If greater: Runaway ice age would develop
• If less: Runaway green house effect would develop

Oxygen to nitrogen ratio in atmosphere

• If larger: Advanced life functions would proceed too quickly
• If smaller: Advanced life functions would proceed too slowly

Carbon dioxide level in atmosphere

• If greater: Runaway greenhouse effect would develop
• If less: Plants would not be able to maintain efficient photosynthesis

Water vapor level in atmosphere

• If greater: Runaway greenhouse effect would develop
• If less: Rainfall would be too meager for advanced life on the land

Ozone level in atmosphere

• If greater: Surface temperatures would be too low
• If less: Surface temperatures would be too high; there would be too much UV radiation at the surface

Atmospheric electric discharge rate

• If greater: Too much fire destruction would occur
• If less: Too little nitrogen would be fixed in the atmosphere

Oxygen quantity in atmosphere

• If greater: Plants and hydrocarbons would burn up too easily
• If less: Advanced animals would have too little to breathe bonding

Oceans to continents ratio

• If greater: Diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited
• If smaller: Diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited

Soil materializations

• If too nutrient poor: Diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited
• If too nutrient rich: Diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited

Seismic activity

• If greater: Too many life-forms would be destroyed
• If less: Nutrients on ocean floors (from river runoff) would not be recycled to the continents through tectonic uplift

1. Does God exist? Mere "chance" is not an adequate explanation of creation.

Imagine looking at Mount Rushmore, in which the likenesses of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt are carved. Could you ever believe that it came about by chance? Given infinite time, wind, rain and chance, it is still hard to believe something like that, tied to history, was randomly formed in the side of a mountain. Common sense tells us that people planned and skillfully carved those figures.

This article only touches on a few amazing aspects of our world: the Earth's position to the sun, some properties of water, one organ in the human body. Could any of these have come about by chance?

The distinguished astronomer Sir Frederick Hoyle showed how amino acids randomly coming together in a human cell is mathematically absurd. Sir Hoyle illustrated the weakness of "chance" with the following analogy. "What are the chances that a tornado might blow through a junkyard containing all the parts of a 747, accidentally assemble them into a plane, and leave it ready for take-off? The possibilities are so small as to be negligible even if a tornado were to blow through enough junkyards to fill the whole universe!"

When one considers the intricacies of our life and universe, it is reasonable to think that an intelligent, loving Creator provided for everything we need for life. The Bible describes God as the author and sustainer of life.

1. Does God exist? Humankind's inherent sense of right and wrong cannot be biologically explained.

There arises in all of us, of any culture, universal feelings of right and wrong. Even a thief gets upset and feels wronged when someone steals from him. If someone violently grabs a child from a family and rapes that child, there is an anger and revulsion and a rage to confront that act as evil, regardless of the culture. Where did we get this sense of wrongness? How do we explain a universal law in the conscience of all people that says murder for fun is wrong?

And in areas like courage, dying for a cause, love, dignity, duty and compassion, where did these come from? If people are merely products of physical evolution, "survival of the fittest," why do we sacrifice for each other? Where did we get this inner sense of right and wrong? Our conscience can best be explained by a loving Creator who cares about the decisions and harmony of humanity.

1. Does God exist? God not only has revealed Himself in what can be observed in nature, and in human life, but He has even more specifically shown Himself in the Bible.

God's thoughts, personality, and attitudes can only be known if God chooses to reveal them. All else would be human speculation. We are at a loss if God does not wish to be known. But God wants us to know Him and has told us in the Bible all we need to know about His character and how to relate to Him. This makes the reliability of the Bible an important consideration.

Archaeological findings continue to confirm rather than refute the accuracy of the Bible. For example, an archeological find in northern Israel in August 1993 confirmed the existence of King David, author of many of the Psalms in the Bible. The Dead Sea Scrolls and other archaeological discoveries continue to substantiate the historical accuracy of the Bible.

The Bible was written over a 1500-year span, by 40 different authors, in different locations and on separate continents, written in three different languages, covering diverse subject matters at different points in history. Yet there is an astounding consistency in its message. Throughout the entire Bible the same message appears:

1. God created the world we live in, and created us specifically to have a relationship with Him.
2. He deeply loves us.
3. We have sinned and are under God's judgment, in need of His forgiveness.
4. God provided a way for our sins to be forgiven.
5. He asks us to receive His forgiveness and have a relationship with Him that will last eternally.

Along with this central script, the Bible specifically reveals God's character. Psalm 145 is a typical summary of God's personality, thoughts and feelings toward us. If you want to know God, here He is.

1. Does God exist? Unlike any other revelation of God, Jesus Christ is the clearest, most specific picture of God.

Why Jesus? Look throughout the major world religions and you'll find that Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius and Moses all identified themselves as teachers or prophets. None of them ever claimed to be equal to God. Surprisingly, Jesus did. That is what sets Jesus apart from all the others. He said God exists and you're looking at Him. Though He talked about His Father in heaven, it was not from the position of separation, but of very close union, unique to all humankind. Jesus said that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father, anyone who believed in Him, believed in the Father.

He said, "I am the light of the world, he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." He claimed attributes belonging only to God: to be able to forgive people of their sin, free them from habits of sin, give people a more abundant life and give them eternal life in heaven. Unlike other teachers who focused people on their words, Jesus pointed people to himself. He did not say, "follow my words and you will find truth." He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me."

What proof did Jesus give for claiming to be divine?

He did what people can't do. Jesus performed miracles. He healed people... blind, crippled, deaf, even raised a couple of people from the dead. He had power over objects... created food out of thin air, enough to feed crowds of several thousand people. He performed miracles over nature... walked on top of a lake, commanding a raging storm to stop for some friends. People everywhere followed Jesus, because he constantly met their needs, doing the miraculous. He said if you do not want to believe what I'm telling you, you should at least believe in me based on the miracles you're seeing.

What did Jesus reveal about God's personality? What about God's thoughts, expectations and His feelings toward humankind?

Jesus Christ showed God to be gentle, loving, aware of our self-centeredness and shortcomings, yet deeply wanting a relationship with us. Jesus revealed that although God views us as sinners, worthy of His punishment, His love for us ruled and God came up with a different plan. God would have His Son receive the punishment for our sin. And Jesus willingly accepted this plan.

Jesus was tortured with a whip of nine sharp-tipped ends. A "crown" of two-inch thorns was pressed into his head. Then they secured Him to a cross by pounding nails through His hands and feet into the wood. Given His other miracles, those nails didn't keep Him on the cross; His love for us did. Jesus died in our place so we could be forgiven. Of all the religions known to humanity, only through Jesus will you see God reaching toward humanity, providing a way for us to have a relationship with Him. Jesus proves a divine heart of love, meeting our needs, drawing us to Himself. Because of Jesus' death we can be forgiven, fully accepted by God and genuinely loved by God. God says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." This is God, in action.

The most conclusive proof that Jesus is equal to God was Jesus' most closely scrutinized miracle - His own resurrection from the dead.

Jesus said that three days after His burial He would come back to life. On the third day after His crucifixion, the almost two-ton boulder in front of His tomb was catapulted up a slope. The guard of well-trained Roman soldiers saw a blinding light and an angel. The tomb was empty, except for the burial clothes that had been wrapped around Jesus' body. Over the years, legal, historical and logical analysis has been applied to Jesus' resurrection and the most feasible conclusion still is that Jesus rose from the dead.

Edition 7 of the NO ANSWER Study

Friday, November 11th

Edition 7 of the NO ANSWER Study

Happy Veteran’s & Remembrance Day!

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,… nothing will be impossible for you.”

Questions that come to my mind are this (possible answers I have found below them):

• How long should I pray?

1) Continually.

2 )Enough to be willing to do God’s will and not mine.

• How should I pray?

1) I should pray with action.
2) As many times as it takes to be content in MY heart.
3) Silently or by speaking is irrelevant, it’s the attitude of the heart.

• How long should I fast?
• What accounts for a “mustard seed” of faith?

1) We have seen that a mustard seed is a very small thing. It takes very little faith to do the impossible.
2) The mustard seed would need to grow, so this is a growing faith. This faith is, in a sense, to be harvested, or as I see it, to become useful.
3) I should test my faith.

Note: I have had a ton of thoughts over the last few days, and I think I may have come up with something interesting.

Mark 6:17-20
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

Note: I had a thought that when John was in prison, it would only make sense for him to pray. Guessing here, I would assume he was in prison for a time, because he had doubts about whether Jesus was the one. And in the end, he was beheaded. Let’s not stop there…

Mark 14:32-42
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."

35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.

41 Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

Note: Jesus prays three times. Enough to bring his heart on board. Enough to give him the strength to do the task at hand. And the key that I noted was that he prayed for “God’s will” in all of it. What happens when my will and God’s will clash? Am I so prideful to think that my ideas are better than God’s? Am I in charge or is God in charge? Just some thoughts. I appreciate the feedback given and look forward to hearing from each of you again real soon. Happy Veterans and Remembrance Day!

Edition 6 of the NO ANSWER Study

Thursday, November 10th

Edition 6 of the NO ANSWER Study

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,… nothing will be impossible for you.”

Questions that come to my mind are this (possible answers I have found below them):

• How long should I pray?

1) Continually.

• How should I pray?

1) I should pray with action.
2) As many times as it takes to be content in MY heart.
3) Silently or by speaking is irrelevant, it’s the attitude of the heart.

• How long should I fast?




• What accounts for a “mustard seed” of faith?

1) We have seen that a mustard seed is a very small thing. It takes very little faith to do the impossible.
2) The mustard seed would need to grow, so this is a growing faith. This faith is, in a sense, to be harvested, or as I see it, to become useful.
3) I should test my faith.

In regards to silent prayer (last time I address this issue? I hope so.):
Dogmatic (adj.):

1. Relating to, characteristic of, or resulting from dogma.




2. Characterized by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproved or un-provable principles.




3. Characterized by arrogant assertion of unproved or un-provable principles.

Hebrews 5:7
7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

Reverent (adj.):

1. Feeling or showing profound respect or veneration.

Matthew 6:5-7
5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

(Notes from a friend): In context, this is in correction of those who pray out loud to be heard by men, and it does no more to restrict us to silent prayer than the other passages restrict us to audible. However, to address God not "hopping" inside our head (and why couldn't he--if our thoughts can be detestable to God, that means he knows what they are), it's interesting that Mt 6:6 says "your Father who sees in secret". The Greek for this, blepo, per the dictionary, can mean not only "to see" in the literal sense but also "to discern mentally", "to see with the mind's eye", or "to have (the power of) understanding". He "sees" our prayer, or "mentally understands" our prayer rather than "hears" (Gk akouo, to hear, which can also mean to understand aurally). The use of blepo rather than akouo would make sense if the prayer referred to were silent.

1 Chronicles 28:9
9 "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Note: So, I was wrong. God knows our thoughts. And this puts me back to square one on this study. Not a bad thing, but it can be a bit frustrating at times. Even though he knows my thoughts and definitely my actions, he still gives me free-will. Tomorrow is Remembrance Day. And in accordance to this, I did a bit of a study last night, which ties into this study that I am doing right now. It’s amazing how everything ties together.

John the Baptist:
Matthew 3:13-17
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

Note: John was to prepare the way for Jesus and was one of the first to proclaim him as Christ. But, check this out:

Matthew 11:2-3
2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

Note: John the Baptist doubts. He’s in prison, day in and day out, he can do nothing and it seeps in. I would be a liar to say that this study has raised doubts in my heart. I’m bi-polar and have had a rough time lately. I don’t just see myself like that moon, but really everyone. We all wax and wan throughout our life. In all aspects, job, marriage, faith, and the list can go on. Some days, I am more full of zeal than others. Peter was all fired up to be with Christ and then denied him three times before repenting. John was encouraged by Jesus while in prison and doubt left him. Elijah fled for his life after an amazing victory before God comforted him.

1 Corinthians 14:36-38
36 Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38 If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

Note: I am grateful that the word did not originate in me. One last scripture,

Psalm 119:137-140
137 Righteous are you, O LORD, and your laws are right. 138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy. 139 My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words. 140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.

Note: Zeal comes and goes (hand in hand with stamina, I guess), but God’s promises have already been tested. The answers are here, I just have to look for them. I love you all, have a great Veteran’s Day and Remembrance Day tomorrow.

Edition 5 of the NO ANSWER Study

Wednesday, November 9th

Edition 5 of the NO ANSWER Study

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,… nothing will be impossible for you.”

Questions that come to my mind are this (answers I have found below them):

• How long should I pray?

1) Continually.

• How should I pray?

1) Examples in the bible show that they prayed out loud. No examples of a silent or quiet prayer.
2) I should pray with action.
3) As many times as it takes to be content in MY heart.

• How long should I fast?




• What accounts for a “mustard seed” of faith?

1) We have seen that a mustard seed is a very small thing. It takes very little faith to do the impossible.
2) The mustard seed would need to grow, so this is a growing faith. This faith is, in a sense, to be harvested, or as I see it, to become useful.
3) I should test my faith.

In Regards to Silent Prayer:
1 Samuel 1:12-17
12 As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."

15 "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."

17 Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."

Romans 15:4
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Psalm 4:4
4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

Psalm 63:6
6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.

Note: (Scriptures recommended from a Yahoo Group) The scripture in 1st Samuel shows that she wasn’t talking, but her lips were moving. This still does not show me that God hops in my brain and reads my mind. I know of people who can read lips. Even though there is no volume to her words, God is all around and can see what she is saying. The Romans scripture is something I think was intended to back up the Samuel scripture. But instead, I don’t see how… I do agree that the Old Testament is good and there is much to be learned from it. It is 3 times the size of the New and something should be said about that alone. The Psalm 4 scripture, I am not sure how that applies either. It doesn’t say anything about prayer, but I think it is more about forgiveness. The mention of anger is talked about earlier in the verse. Psalm 63 looks to be a verse about reflection and not prayer. Surrounding verses speak of singing and so I don’t see the connection of silent prayer, praying within the confines of your mind and God hearing that prayer. I still think that some action is required.

2 Kings 4:32-35
32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD. 34 Then he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out upon him, the boy's body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out upon him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

John 11:32
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 "Take away the stone," he said.

"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.

Matthew 26:36-44
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

42 He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

Note: How big is my faith? Elisha was the first to raise the dead. Jesus raised the dead. So, what happens if I believe and it still doesn’t happen? Did God make his decision as he did with David? The thing I noticed with Elisha is that he didn’t do it just once. He did it twice. Jesus prayed in the garden three times. Elisha’s prayer was answered the second time, Jesus when he raised the dead only took one. But when Jesus was in the garden praying for God’s will to change, God said “no, it needs to happen this way.” Because God doesn’t answer in my way doesn’t mean God doesn’t answer. Still, scripture is good and I will study this out more and more. Any feedback is, of course, more than welcome.

Edition 4 of the NO ANSWER study

Tuesday, November 8th

Edition 4 of the NO ANSWER Study

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,… nothing will be impossible for you.”

Questions that come to my mind are this (answers I have found below them):

• How long should I pray?

1) Continually.

• How should I pray?

1) Examples in the bible show that they prayed out loud. No examples of a silent or quiet prayer.

• How long should I fast?




• What accounts for a “mustard seed” of faith?

1) We have seen that a mustard seed is a very small thing. It takes very little faith to do the impossible.
2) The mustard seed would need to grow, so this is a growing faith. This faith is, in a sense, to be harvested, or as I see it, to become useful.
3) I should test my faith.

James 2:14-26
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Note: Now, one question I have thought about was quiet prayer (praying to oneself) or praying out load so I can be heard. So, I searched and searched on this, and found that “Silent Prayer” - no scripture referring to praying quietly or silently. Silent is used in 59 scriptures; quiet is used in 51 scriptures, none in the context of praying in a quiet or silent fashion.

Genesis 20:6-7
6 Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die."

Note: Here in Genesis, an example of prayer for someone to live and it works. The interesting thing I see is that the one who wanted to live had to do the work… it just stood out to me. He had to make a decision of wanting to live and then have someone pray for him so that it could happen.

2 Samuel 12:7-18a
7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'

11 "This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.' "

13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."
Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."

15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

18 On the seventh day the child died.

Note: God made his decision before David started praying. If God makes a decision, prayer may or may not change the verdict. He has changed his mind in the past, but it is also obvious that to save many, he is willing to sacrifice some (IE: his son, Jesus). David, in this example, was going into the prayer time knowing good and well he was trying to change God’s mind. God came out and said that this was going to happen, and it did. David’s son death was a direct result of a sin in David’s life. One thing I think about is how my sin can hurt others. The consequences of my sin branch out and affect other people. Adultery – it would hurt my wife and the one I cheat with. Excessive Gambling – it negates the responsibility of my bills and has a trickle down effect. Lust – it minimizes the one being lust after and becomes objectification and other sins result. Who am I hurting today?