30. Two choices
Two choices are offered with the surprise of the new conversion. The first choice is to sit on the novelty and think about it. It’s demanding, but it also allows to regroup and to situate us in relation to sudden major interior changes.
Like a person lost in the forest of the opportunities that offers conversion, it’s important to stop, to sit down, assess our position and observe that we live deeply in order to resume our journey. It’s like someone who tells us wonderful news, we’d better sit down.
It’s not wise to run in all directions. That’s the second choice. There is a risk of going astray in the misunderstanding of people confronting us and getting to think we really have “lost our mind”. And we could also lose our orientation in this forest. Rather, it’s time to enjoy peace in the joy of God.
Let’s think about it! In Jesus, it’s impossible to lose our head since it’s now safer than ever. Others will adapt to the enhanced version of our person. We are not changed, we do not become someone else, we are only improved through faith in Jesus.
For some Pharisees go beyond the idea that Jesus has only lost his head and that he is possessed, now they falsely perceive Jesus as the devil, satan. Jesus’ answer is quite illuminating:
“If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, that is the end of him.” Mark, chapter 3, verse 26
Jesus speaks of the nature of evil, satan, that he manipulates to divide. Jesus recalls he’s just the opposite. He came to liberate what is split apart, without love, without joy, without light. Jesus cannot be divided, because Love is not divisible. Evil cannot be joy. We know that we are close to Jesus when we are in joy, peace, real love.
Jesus came to heal the internal infirmities that distance from God, heal what divides us from our relationship to God. Jesus eliminates, eradicates and dethrones evil. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the one (Satan) who dares to keep people away from Love and the Covenant with God. The confusion starts from the principle of the great lie that Jesus is Satan just to prevent the conversion of people to the Love of God.
The Son Jesus keeps us in life, without division, without death, with the promise of eternity. It’s eternity in God we live in this very moment with Jesus.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Normandt' Bible reflexions
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
31. There are many discoveries
The first conversion, a brand new one, needs a very strong push to propel it in the heights of reality. It’s like the plane taking off and displays great power to rise. We feel like something interesting is happening, again and again. We’re in motion.
There are many discoveries, many novelties. This can last for weeks, months. Our heart is cheering and we continually marvel at the wonders of God, one after another. We are witnessing the awakening of our senses taming faith.
As the plane takes off and settles “on” air, we possibly get the impression that our faith has stabilized. So, for the new convert to Jesus as for the disciple, eventually everything seems to normalize. The landscape does not change as fast as in the beginning. We don’t have the same feeling of elevation in faith as for the time of the initial conversion.
We quickly run the risk of getting bored, thinking that nothing is moving and that we are even possibly not in God’s plans anymore. Then we may find comforting thrills in anything other than faith in God.
It’s time to allow us a moment to recheck the path that we have just experienced and to thank God for the evolution through the months or years since our first conversion. This will allow us to get back to the foundation of our faith, to know ourselves better and re-centre our life on Jesus.
This is the right time to strengthen our faith, to dare the periodic conversion of a continuous journey, to be with people who travel together and who want to follow Jesus more confidently.
Then, we must not forget that the people who practise faith in groups are not perfect, as we are not perfect, and that our first goal is to follow Jesus. Let’s try not observing the faults of others, but seek Jesus in the heart of these people. Let’s seek God’s qualities in them and leave to Jesus what isn’t his.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
The first conversion, a brand new one, needs a very strong push to propel it in the heights of reality. It’s like the plane taking off and displays great power to rise. We feel like something interesting is happening, again and again. We’re in motion.
There are many discoveries, many novelties. This can last for weeks, months. Our heart is cheering and we continually marvel at the wonders of God, one after another. We are witnessing the awakening of our senses taming faith.
As the plane takes off and settles “on” air, we possibly get the impression that our faith has stabilized. So, for the new convert to Jesus as for the disciple, eventually everything seems to normalize. The landscape does not change as fast as in the beginning. We don’t have the same feeling of elevation in faith as for the time of the initial conversion.
We quickly run the risk of getting bored, thinking that nothing is moving and that we are even possibly not in God’s plans anymore. Then we may find comforting thrills in anything other than faith in God.
It’s time to allow us a moment to recheck the path that we have just experienced and to thank God for the evolution through the months or years since our first conversion. This will allow us to get back to the foundation of our faith, to know ourselves better and re-centre our life on Jesus.
This is the right time to strengthen our faith, to dare the periodic conversion of a continuous journey, to be with people who travel together and who want to follow Jesus more confidently.
Then, we must not forget that the people who practise faith in groups are not perfect, as we are not perfect, and that our first goal is to follow Jesus. Let’s try not observing the faults of others, but seek Jesus in the heart of these people. Let’s seek God’s qualities in them and leave to Jesus what isn’t his.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
32. Day after day
All believers are called and invited to eternal life. God says to Abraham:
“My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations.” Genesis, chapter, 17, verse 4
Abraham believes in God’s Word, but he may not know what it definitely means. Often, we get intuitions from God, but there’s a mystery surrounding these intuitions, even if after a longer or shorter discernment, they’re from God.
God wants us to remain with him. He wants us to trust him. Day after day, year after year and for the duration of our lives, we’ll need to work the foundation of our faith and solidify it. We then become examples for others, often unknowingly. Like the conversion of Abraham, our own conversion will help lead people to God.
For this friendship (Covenant) to be feasible, God says to Abraham:
“You and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.” Genesis, chapter 17, verse 9
To become credible believers, we need to enter into a relationship with God, in his Covenant. For how can we know someone without trying to know him? God wants to be known. As we were visited in our heart by God, he seeks to be exposed in our surroundings for everyone.
However, some will say to us: “Why do you invite us to perfection, if you are not perfect yourself?” And “why do you talk so much of Jesus, when you’re not that converted to him? Why dare you even speak of Jesus?”
Let’s not wait to be perfect beings before inviting to the perfection of faith to which Jesus calls us. Let’s not expect to be “Jesus” ourselves, before talking about Jesus. We are all called to become like him, to abide in him. And yes, this book is written for the author, so that he may also, himself, convert.
Jesus invites us to evangelize. It’s never in our own name but in Jesus’ name. It’s charitable to invite to the perfection of faith and it’s charitable to mention Jesus’s name. The soul thirsts to hear his name!
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
All believers are called and invited to eternal life. God says to Abraham:
“My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations.” Genesis, chapter, 17, verse 4
Abraham believes in God’s Word, but he may not know what it definitely means. Often, we get intuitions from God, but there’s a mystery surrounding these intuitions, even if after a longer or shorter discernment, they’re from God.
God wants us to remain with him. He wants us to trust him. Day after day, year after year and for the duration of our lives, we’ll need to work the foundation of our faith and solidify it. We then become examples for others, often unknowingly. Like the conversion of Abraham, our own conversion will help lead people to God.
For this friendship (Covenant) to be feasible, God says to Abraham:
“You and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.” Genesis, chapter 17, verse 9
To become credible believers, we need to enter into a relationship with God, in his Covenant. For how can we know someone without trying to know him? God wants to be known. As we were visited in our heart by God, he seeks to be exposed in our surroundings for everyone.
However, some will say to us: “Why do you invite us to perfection, if you are not perfect yourself?” And “why do you talk so much of Jesus, when you’re not that converted to him? Why dare you even speak of Jesus?”
Let’s not wait to be perfect beings before inviting to the perfection of faith to which Jesus calls us. Let’s not expect to be “Jesus” ourselves, before talking about Jesus. We are all called to become like him, to abide in him. And yes, this book is written for the author, so that he may also, himself, convert.
Jesus invites us to evangelize. It’s never in our own name but in Jesus’ name. It’s charitable to invite to the perfection of faith and it’s charitable to mention Jesus’s name. The soul thirsts to hear his name!
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
33. Invitation to conversion
Paul is not perfect, but he invites us nevertheless to a conversion:
You should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 22 to 24
May we get rid of ways that lead us to forget God in our meetings, while we’re sharing memories with our family or with our friends.
Then Paul continues in the quoted text: “put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth”.
Paul offers us a beautiful journey of faith. Let’s trust in Jesus. Let’s find time to explore God’s reality, to thank him, to let him love us. But let’s not think that we have achieved our goal. Let’s continue to move forward in faith, simply, with whom we already are.
Being in God allows us to become more ourselves. We want to be like him, give our lives to him, recognizing him in humanity and inviting people to follow him by charitable ways.
May we let God’s Word transform us to the point of becoming like him.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Paul is not perfect, but he invites us nevertheless to a conversion:
You should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 22 to 24
May we get rid of ways that lead us to forget God in our meetings, while we’re sharing memories with our family or with our friends.
Then Paul continues in the quoted text: “put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth”.
Paul offers us a beautiful journey of faith. Let’s trust in Jesus. Let’s find time to explore God’s reality, to thank him, to let him love us. But let’s not think that we have achieved our goal. Let’s continue to move forward in faith, simply, with whom we already are.
Being in God allows us to become more ourselves. We want to be like him, give our lives to him, recognizing him in humanity and inviting people to follow him by charitable ways.
May we let God’s Word transform us to the point of becoming like him.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
34. God elevates us
Jesus wants us as friends:
“I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” John, chapter 15, verse 15
We become friends if we stay close to what Jesus is teaching us. God seeks to clothe us with his presence. He speaks with his Heart:
“I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar.” Hosea, chapter 14, verse 6
God says: “I will be like the dew for Israel.” But we don’t really understand this passage. Because usually our relation with others contains conscious and unconscious blockages and we’ll say: “When you’ll become my friend, I’ll be your friend.”
Usually, we need to know the person, trust him, and then that person can enter our group of friends. This seems the norm in our way of proceeding, before welcoming and accepting friendship.
But for God, when he says: “I will be like the dew for Israel,” he does not say that he will test us to see if he will love us. God isn’t us. He doesn’t expect to create a relationship with us. He loves us immediately. God loves us unconditionally. He loves us despite our faults and sins. He loves us eternally. God is always the dew that surrounds us, he’s always present to his people, his family, he’s the perpetual love that covers us.
The more we’re hurt, the more people have let us down, the more we have experienced disappointments, the more we become trivial in choosing friends. God isn’t such a person. God will never let us down. God lifts us and loves us without any special request from us.
So, the difficulty of entering a relation with God always comes from us, because we fear some of our past supposed friends. We confuse God with people from our past. We fear God, instead of letting him love us. We block our relationship with God in a thousand ways.
We are resourceful in finding reasons and excuses for not honestly following Jesus. We cut ourselves from his love, and we terribly suffer from the lost. We cannot count the cost of refused blessings.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Jesus wants us as friends:
“I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” John, chapter 15, verse 15
We become friends if we stay close to what Jesus is teaching us. God seeks to clothe us with his presence. He speaks with his Heart:
“I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar.” Hosea, chapter 14, verse 6
God says: “I will be like the dew for Israel.” But we don’t really understand this passage. Because usually our relation with others contains conscious and unconscious blockages and we’ll say: “When you’ll become my friend, I’ll be your friend.”
Usually, we need to know the person, trust him, and then that person can enter our group of friends. This seems the norm in our way of proceeding, before welcoming and accepting friendship.
But for God, when he says: “I will be like the dew for Israel,” he does not say that he will test us to see if he will love us. God isn’t us. He doesn’t expect to create a relationship with us. He loves us immediately. God loves us unconditionally. He loves us despite our faults and sins. He loves us eternally. God is always the dew that surrounds us, he’s always present to his people, his family, he’s the perpetual love that covers us.
The more we’re hurt, the more people have let us down, the more we have experienced disappointments, the more we become trivial in choosing friends. God isn’t such a person. God will never let us down. God lifts us and loves us without any special request from us.
So, the difficulty of entering a relation with God always comes from us, because we fear some of our past supposed friends. We confuse God with people from our past. We fear God, instead of letting him love us. We block our relationship with God in a thousand ways.
We are resourceful in finding reasons and excuses for not honestly following Jesus. We cut ourselves from his love, and we terribly suffer from the lost. We cannot count the cost of refused blessings.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
35. Keeping Jesus with us
Jesus reminds us of God’s Law of Love:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark, chapter 12, verses 30 to 31
Then one of the scribes say:
Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, “He is One and there is no other than he.” And “to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself” is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark, chapter 12, verses 32 to 33
Jesus knows that he makes a good point then adds:
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark, chapter 12, verse 34a
He’s not far, but… he’s not near the kingdom. He still needs to recognize Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. He will need to accept and follow Jesus.
And we have so many activities and projects underway that it will be difficult not to start the journey of faith, but to continue it. A small inconvenience could jeopardize the realization of the journey.
Turbulence under the airplane will make us doubt the craft quality. A negative distraction, especially from people in the church or even elsewhere, can lead us to believe less in Jesus and back off. May we not let distractions or negative situations end our walk with Jesus.
It demands our personal decision, not the one of others, for us to remain forever with Jesus. And it’s for us now, to bring more joy, serenity, positive thoughts and prayers in our parish, then to our surroundings. This is our mission! Let’s keep Jesus with us. It is he who completes us with his presence and grants us his gifts to share.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Jesus reminds us of God’s Law of Love:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark, chapter 12, verses 30 to 31
Then one of the scribes say:
Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, “He is One and there is no other than he.” And “to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself” is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark, chapter 12, verses 32 to 33
Jesus knows that he makes a good point then adds:
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark, chapter 12, verse 34a
He’s not far, but… he’s not near the kingdom. He still needs to recognize Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. He will need to accept and follow Jesus.
And we have so many activities and projects underway that it will be difficult not to start the journey of faith, but to continue it. A small inconvenience could jeopardize the realization of the journey.
Turbulence under the airplane will make us doubt the craft quality. A negative distraction, especially from people in the church or even elsewhere, can lead us to believe less in Jesus and back off. May we not let distractions or negative situations end our walk with Jesus.
It demands our personal decision, not the one of others, for us to remain forever with Jesus. And it’s for us now, to bring more joy, serenity, positive thoughts and prayers in our parish, then to our surroundings. This is our mission! Let’s keep Jesus with us. It is he who completes us with his presence and grants us his gifts to share.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
36. United in God
Jesus tells us:
“The Father and I are one.” John, chapter 10, verse 30
And since God is one, he wants us to unite in his Kingdom. God wants us to unite in him, every one of us, without exception.
May we continue to step forward with Jesus in our lives, in our heart, even if we have the illusion that nothing is happening, and may we be transformed from day to day in Jesus’s manner, with Jesus, for Jesus, for the world and for our salvation.
Let’s continue to go to faith gatherings and share the Word of God in the Bible with others. Let’s walk with Jesus. The small steps that we’ll achieve will lead us one day, perhaps in a few years to discover the improved person we’ve become.
Jesus will rejoice to see each small step we’re taking, like with our parents the day when, very unsettled and unsure of ourselves, we walked toward them with outstretched hands.
If our parents had not allowed us to take these steps, maybe we wouldn’t walk today. They even left us fall with love, to the ground, so that we progress in walking toward them. If our parents had not taught us to speak, and it has taken time to learn, we would not be talking. And yet today we’re still learning our language.
So it’s necessary to rejoice being in places of worship, just to be there even if we don’t seem to bring a lot to the group. Or even by thinking we’re not receiving much out of the group. The important thing is to be there. Jesus is there. Let’s be reassured, we are moving at high speed, like the plane stabilized “on” air at 800 kilometres or more per hour. Even if the landscape seems at a stand still.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Jesus tells us:
“The Father and I are one.” John, chapter 10, verse 30
And since God is one, he wants us to unite in his Kingdom. God wants us to unite in him, every one of us, without exception.
May we continue to step forward with Jesus in our lives, in our heart, even if we have the illusion that nothing is happening, and may we be transformed from day to day in Jesus’s manner, with Jesus, for Jesus, for the world and for our salvation.
Let’s continue to go to faith gatherings and share the Word of God in the Bible with others. Let’s walk with Jesus. The small steps that we’ll achieve will lead us one day, perhaps in a few years to discover the improved person we’ve become.
Jesus will rejoice to see each small step we’re taking, like with our parents the day when, very unsettled and unsure of ourselves, we walked toward them with outstretched hands.
If our parents had not allowed us to take these steps, maybe we wouldn’t walk today. They even left us fall with love, to the ground, so that we progress in walking toward them. If our parents had not taught us to speak, and it has taken time to learn, we would not be talking. And yet today we’re still learning our language.
So it’s necessary to rejoice being in places of worship, just to be there even if we don’t seem to bring a lot to the group. Or even by thinking we’re not receiving much out of the group. The important thing is to be there. Jesus is there. Let’s be reassured, we are moving at high speed, like the plane stabilized “on” air at 800 kilometres or more per hour. Even if the landscape seems at a stand still.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
37. Learning to love
We’re not in a relationship with God to please God, because he has everything he needs. We are in a relationship with God to improve our perception of reality, to see clearly and to learn to love like God loves us.
We are invited to feel the movements of God’s grace as we feel the wind’s breeze on us. God is the light breeze that surrounds us externally and internally.
We can welcome the Holy Spirit in every fibre, in every cell, in all that is infinitely small in our being. Let’s ask him to fill us, complete us with his graces. God’s presence accepted in our heart fulfills, transforms, and embellishes us.
Wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever sin we’ve done, with sincere repentance and confessing to a priest, God will be with us in the joyful struggle for peace and the wonder of new discovery of his grace, if we keep him in us.
We can live a relationship with God as important as all the people in the Bible, of all the saints, making small gestures and saying good and daily edifying words. Moreover, it’s much easier to experience joy and offer the joy of living than to be in despair and collect misery.
Let’s work to help those around us to recognize God’s Love manifested in a multitude of ways, starting with mercy, joy, hope, peace… A small step with open arms, a good deed, a kind word every day and it will illuminate the world around us. When the world becomes joyful and peaceful, our quality of life improves.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
We’re not in a relationship with God to please God, because he has everything he needs. We are in a relationship with God to improve our perception of reality, to see clearly and to learn to love like God loves us.
We are invited to feel the movements of God’s grace as we feel the wind’s breeze on us. God is the light breeze that surrounds us externally and internally.
We can welcome the Holy Spirit in every fibre, in every cell, in all that is infinitely small in our being. Let’s ask him to fill us, complete us with his graces. God’s presence accepted in our heart fulfills, transforms, and embellishes us.
Wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever sin we’ve done, with sincere repentance and confessing to a priest, God will be with us in the joyful struggle for peace and the wonder of new discovery of his grace, if we keep him in us.
We can live a relationship with God as important as all the people in the Bible, of all the saints, making small gestures and saying good and daily edifying words. Moreover, it’s much easier to experience joy and offer the joy of living than to be in despair and collect misery.
Let’s work to help those around us to recognize God’s Love manifested in a multitude of ways, starting with mercy, joy, hope, peace… A small step with open arms, a good deed, a kind word every day and it will illuminate the world around us. When the world becomes joyful and peaceful, our quality of life improves.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
38. Watching
With wisdom and knowledge, he fills them; good and evil he shows them. He looks with favour upon their hearts, and shows them his glorious works, that they may describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name. Sirach, chapter 17, verses 6 to 8
This is what’s written. God gives us to: “describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name”.
God gazes on allowing us to see his work in us and around us.
The miner has a light on his helmet, he sees the environment. It allows him to observe and choose the ore that he’s seeking. The light illuminates whatever is in the dark.
God’s bright light allows us, by grace, to find out what’s in our heart and in the heart of the people on our way. Then we can say:
“His majestic glory their eyes beheld, his glorious voice their ears heard.” Sirach, chapter 17, verse 11
To be mindful of everything from God]] helps us to spring up and eliminate fear. We have seen the wonders of God. We see the wonders of God. We will see the wonders of God. Those who awaken to the grace of God will see his wonders. Let’s see with the eyes of God while he sees in us what is his.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
With wisdom and knowledge, he fills them; good and evil he shows them. He looks with favour upon their hearts, and shows them his glorious works, that they may describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name. Sirach, chapter 17, verses 6 to 8
This is what’s written. God gives us to: “describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name”.
God gazes on allowing us to see his work in us and around us.
The miner has a light on his helmet, he sees the environment. It allows him to observe and choose the ore that he’s seeking. The light illuminates whatever is in the dark.
God’s bright light allows us, by grace, to find out what’s in our heart and in the heart of the people on our way. Then we can say:
“His majestic glory their eyes beheld, his glorious voice their ears heard.” Sirach, chapter 17, verse 11
To be mindful of everything from God]] helps us to spring up and eliminate fear. We have seen the wonders of God. We see the wonders of God. We will see the wonders of God. Those who awaken to the grace of God will see his wonders. Let’s see with the eyes of God while he sees in us what is his.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
39. Giving us time
We live every day the opportunity to convert more. It’s essential to improve our relationship with Jesus. Otherwise, we’ll move on. We will leave the Church and we will leave faith practises so necessary to our survival. We’ll no longer celebrate Mass to thank God for all that he offers.
We are invited to refocus on the need to check with Jesus if we really follow him or if we’re going away. May we rediscover the importance of our first conscious love with God.
A retreat in prayer, a few days to refocus on Jesus and the quality of our faith will help us to find ourselves in him. Let’s give once again our trust to Jesus.
Let’s go back to what initially brought us to Jesus. Let’s rethink when and how we converted to him. Who convinced us to follow Jesus?
May we dare to move another step forward.
May we dare to find ways to get closer to Jesus.
May we dare to improve in faith.
Let’s accept new steps in faith now, otherwise we’ll quickly go astray.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
We live every day the opportunity to convert more. It’s essential to improve our relationship with Jesus. Otherwise, we’ll move on. We will leave the Church and we will leave faith practises so necessary to our survival. We’ll no longer celebrate Mass to thank God for all that he offers.
We are invited to refocus on the need to check with Jesus if we really follow him or if we’re going away. May we rediscover the importance of our first conscious love with God.
A retreat in prayer, a few days to refocus on Jesus and the quality of our faith will help us to find ourselves in him. Let’s give once again our trust to Jesus.
Let’s go back to what initially brought us to Jesus. Let’s rethink when and how we converted to him. Who convinced us to follow Jesus?
May we dare to move another step forward.
May we dare to find ways to get closer to Jesus.
May we dare to improve in faith.
Let’s accept new steps in faith now, otherwise we’ll quickly go astray.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
40. Perseverance
Continuous conversion is necessary if we are to remain strong in the midst of a boat being plagued by high waves, preyed upon by all the promises from the outside, all the illusions that sparkle on the water surface, proposed to us outside the Church.
May conversion be real in our heart and in the heart of our life. May we become lovers of God who loves us first. Let’s love God more and more.
Let’s ask Jesus’s perseverance to remain in him. It’s imperative, important today to rest completely, to anchor ourselves firmly in Jesus’s love, in order not to be tossed on the waves of life, from one side to the other. It must become a commitment to progress and stabilize our faith, by following Jesus Christ.
Perseverance in faith keeps us glued to our loving God who seeks our “yes” every day. No need to tense up our faces to move forward and be persistent, but let down our barriers one by one and believe in the ways and means received by the Holy Spirit, because God believes in us.
Let’s be vigilant. Let’s live our faith. This is the first assurance we need to get. Starting the day with the sign of the Cross. Staying in Jesus’s Heart. Jesus is Love. Jesus Loves us.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Continuous conversion is necessary if we are to remain strong in the midst of a boat being plagued by high waves, preyed upon by all the promises from the outside, all the illusions that sparkle on the water surface, proposed to us outside the Church.
May conversion be real in our heart and in the heart of our life. May we become lovers of God who loves us first. Let’s love God more and more.
Let’s ask Jesus’s perseverance to remain in him. It’s imperative, important today to rest completely, to anchor ourselves firmly in Jesus’s love, in order not to be tossed on the waves of life, from one side to the other. It must become a commitment to progress and stabilize our faith, by following Jesus Christ.
Perseverance in faith keeps us glued to our loving God who seeks our “yes” every day. No need to tense up our faces to move forward and be persistent, but let down our barriers one by one and believe in the ways and means received by the Holy Spirit, because God believes in us.
Let’s be vigilant. Let’s live our faith. This is the first assurance we need to get. Starting the day with the sign of the Cross. Staying in Jesus’s Heart. Jesus is Love. Jesus Loves us.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
41. Caution
To evolve in faith, it is important to observe from time to time, what is and what is not fine in our faith. Let’s replace ourselves before Christ, to be at our best and to grow in faith.
A continued conversion allows the jewel of faith to be polished by the hand of God. People who are filled with God’s Love become inflamed, they become lights in the world.
Paul invites us to persevere:
Provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, am a minister, Colossians, chapter 1, verse 23
during Mass, among other means. May we remain strong and firm in the faith and strong in the grace of God. And as Paul says:
“To live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians, chapter 1, verse 10
Let’s be certain that if we keep Jesus with us, in us, we will make progress “in the true knowledge of God”. In Jesus, we will become bearers of God’s Love. We will grow in this love and the people accompanying us during our earthly pilgrimage will benefit from it.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
To evolve in faith, it is important to observe from time to time, what is and what is not fine in our faith. Let’s replace ourselves before Christ, to be at our best and to grow in faith.
A continued conversion allows the jewel of faith to be polished by the hand of God. People who are filled with God’s Love become inflamed, they become lights in the world.
Paul invites us to persevere:
Provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, am a minister, Colossians, chapter 1, verse 23
during Mass, among other means. May we remain strong and firm in the faith and strong in the grace of God. And as Paul says:
“To live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians, chapter 1, verse 10
Let’s be certain that if we keep Jesus with us, in us, we will make progress “in the true knowledge of God”. In Jesus, we will become bearers of God’s Love. We will grow in this love and the people accompanying us during our earthly pilgrimage will benefit from it.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
42. Fears
Fears, anxieties, phobias, etc., are not from God. The more we get closer to Jesus our Lord, the more our lives will turn around and we will observe decrease of the discomfort.
We can ask ourselves: “Do we let the Holy Spirit work in our lives or do we let fear take over?”
If sadness prevails over joy, if the closure of our heart trumps openness to others, if we become stagnant instead of walking behind Jesus, if fear paralyzes us instead of tasting joy and freedom, the Holy Spirit doesn’t pass. He can’t go where we locked him out. It may be that we spend more time retaining ourselves, locking ourselves up instead of living our faith, free, and in God’s Light.
Let’s enter quickly into God’s delights.
To not choose, to not decide is a devious trap. Elijah speaks these words to the crowd, and they are illuminating for us too:
“How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” 1 Kings, chapter 18, verse 21
Elijah’s invitation does not require an immediate response, but further reflection that will allow an evolution in faith.
Elijah places the people that he guides in front of their choices. There are only two choices. There will always be only two choices for us. God or whatever.
It’s impossible to turn straight ahead. It’s just impossible. We must turn either right or left, or go straight. Either we turn or we go straight. It’s one or the other. God invites us to go straight. But often we “dance” to the left and then to the right, as souls that get out of hand then we may get out of the path that leads to God.
We are constantly faced with choices more or less simple. But what is interesting in what Elijah offers us is that we’re in front of the only decision that really matters. All other decisions we eventually make results from this one. All personal achievements we live will be linked to that decision alone, “Do I choose God or not?” God is God of Love, the Holy Spirit breathes life into us and Jesus came to show us the path to follow to enter Eternal Love. The decision is easy. Or, is it easy?
Nobody can answer that question for us. We have full responsibility. Let’s enter our heart and take the time to verify our choices and then align our life in the direction of our choice.
This sentence is to the point:
“Happy those […] (which) God’s law they study day and night, […] that yields its fruit in season.” Psalm 2, verses 1 to 3
With multiple paths already on the subject, we possibly know the answer. God allows us to become what’s best for us, if we choose and remain focused on him.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Fears, anxieties, phobias, etc., are not from God. The more we get closer to Jesus our Lord, the more our lives will turn around and we will observe decrease of the discomfort.
We can ask ourselves: “Do we let the Holy Spirit work in our lives or do we let fear take over?”
If sadness prevails over joy, if the closure of our heart trumps openness to others, if we become stagnant instead of walking behind Jesus, if fear paralyzes us instead of tasting joy and freedom, the Holy Spirit doesn’t pass. He can’t go where we locked him out. It may be that we spend more time retaining ourselves, locking ourselves up instead of living our faith, free, and in God’s Light.
Let’s enter quickly into God’s delights.
To not choose, to not decide is a devious trap. Elijah speaks these words to the crowd, and they are illuminating for us too:
“How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” 1 Kings, chapter 18, verse 21
Elijah’s invitation does not require an immediate response, but further reflection that will allow an evolution in faith.
Elijah places the people that he guides in front of their choices. There are only two choices. There will always be only two choices for us. God or whatever.
It’s impossible to turn straight ahead. It’s just impossible. We must turn either right or left, or go straight. Either we turn or we go straight. It’s one or the other. God invites us to go straight. But often we “dance” to the left and then to the right, as souls that get out of hand then we may get out of the path that leads to God.
We are constantly faced with choices more or less simple. But what is interesting in what Elijah offers us is that we’re in front of the only decision that really matters. All other decisions we eventually make results from this one. All personal achievements we live will be linked to that decision alone, “Do I choose God or not?” God is God of Love, the Holy Spirit breathes life into us and Jesus came to show us the path to follow to enter Eternal Love. The decision is easy. Or, is it easy?
Nobody can answer that question for us. We have full responsibility. Let’s enter our heart and take the time to verify our choices and then align our life in the direction of our choice.
This sentence is to the point:
“Happy those […] (which) God’s law they study day and night, […] that yields its fruit in season.” Psalm 2, verses 1 to 3
With multiple paths already on the subject, we possibly know the answer. God allows us to become what’s best for us, if we choose and remain focused on him.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
43. The Fruits of the Spirit
Let’s observe the fruits of the Holy Spirit in the persons, which will unfold in goodness, truthfulness, in reality. If the person's words bear fruit and they are in the will of God, they’ll lead to peace, joy, life, to all the gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit, we can then follow what they live internally and be inspired by them.
If not, let’s be careful with all the teachings that are given in the world. No need to deny and banish them, but let’s separate the speeches that lead us to God from the ones that can separate us from him.
And why not internally compare the teachings we hear, not to discredit it at once, but to help us understand and refocus on Jesus. Let’s ask Jesus to enlighten what’s good in what we receive as teachings.
The same is true for gestures. Let’s observe if the gestures of people lead to charity or not. As we listen and observe the others, we can achieve the same study on our ability to want to live and transmit values and if we live it well.
Let’s ask Jesus to help us discern between what is from God and his Holy Spirit of what divides, separates us from him. People we meet may have good intentions, but the path they have chosen may lead away from God, then we are set astray with them. Let’s be aware and careful.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Let’s observe the fruits of the Holy Spirit in the persons, which will unfold in goodness, truthfulness, in reality. If the person's words bear fruit and they are in the will of God, they’ll lead to peace, joy, life, to all the gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit, we can then follow what they live internally and be inspired by them.
If not, let’s be careful with all the teachings that are given in the world. No need to deny and banish them, but let’s separate the speeches that lead us to God from the ones that can separate us from him.
And why not internally compare the teachings we hear, not to discredit it at once, but to help us understand and refocus on Jesus. Let’s ask Jesus to enlighten what’s good in what we receive as teachings.
The same is true for gestures. Let’s observe if the gestures of people lead to charity or not. As we listen and observe the others, we can achieve the same study on our ability to want to live and transmit values and if we live it well.
Let’s ask Jesus to help us discern between what is from God and his Holy Spirit of what divides, separates us from him. People we meet may have good intentions, but the path they have chosen may lead away from God, then we are set astray with them. Let’s be aware and careful.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
44. To seek light
To seek the light of God is a process to do every day of our lives. Let’s rise:
“Rise up in splendour! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you.” Isaiah, chapter 60, verse 1
What is the light that we seek? The Light is already on us. The Light of the Lord, the light of the Trinity is always on us, and it is for us to welcome it, to receive and be enlightened by it.
Jesus’s light is to be demanded on us often, then we allow God to illuminate our lives and help us move forward on a quiet road, a better-defined road since we become better informed. With the light of God, we discern more in the depths of our heart what’s necessarily needed for the road.
A sincere prayer of the heart is the best way to unite with God, to welcome him and be enlightened. It focuses us on God and allows him to do the cleaning of our existence.
A prayer that’s already written, as the prayer of Jesus is, the Our Father, said with the heart, is an act of love. Each time we pray with an already written prayer or from within us, if it’s said with the heart, it’s an “I love you” to God.
We will possibly be distracted during our prayer time. These distractions are an opportunity for us to give them to God. This is part of our internal cleansing. It creates space to better accommodate God’s Presence in us.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
To seek the light of God is a process to do every day of our lives. Let’s rise:
“Rise up in splendour! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you.” Isaiah, chapter 60, verse 1
What is the light that we seek? The Light is already on us. The Light of the Lord, the light of the Trinity is always on us, and it is for us to welcome it, to receive and be enlightened by it.
Jesus’s light is to be demanded on us often, then we allow God to illuminate our lives and help us move forward on a quiet road, a better-defined road since we become better informed. With the light of God, we discern more in the depths of our heart what’s necessarily needed for the road.
A sincere prayer of the heart is the best way to unite with God, to welcome him and be enlightened. It focuses us on God and allows him to do the cleaning of our existence.
A prayer that’s already written, as the prayer of Jesus is, the Our Father, said with the heart, is an act of love. Each time we pray with an already written prayer or from within us, if it’s said with the heart, it’s an “I love you” to God.
We will possibly be distracted during our prayer time. These distractions are an opportunity for us to give them to God. This is part of our internal cleansing. It creates space to better accommodate God’s Presence in us.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
45. Freedom
Jesus came to show us the face of God. He came to heal us and help us out of slavery and convert, of course, if we want to welcome Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. As it is written:
“Many followed him, and he cured them all.” Matthew, chapter 12, verse 15
Let’s continue to work on our own conversion to Jesus’s Sacred Heart and he will show us he’s our Lord and Saviour. Let’s ask ourselves the question: “Did I become a slave to something or someone?”
Let’s briefly do a parallel with the slavery of sin. As soon as we move away from God, we will reduce ourselves to more faults and sins. The remoteness from God will be caused by slavery, which will sink us into sin. Sin and evil always lead us away from God.
May we dare take the risk of following Jesus like the people of Israel out of Egypt with God’s forceful hand. May we dare leave our bad habits.
Jesus heals us from our remoteness if we wish. The decision is ours, because we are free.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Jesus came to show us the face of God. He came to heal us and help us out of slavery and convert, of course, if we want to welcome Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. As it is written:
“Many followed him, and he cured them all.” Matthew, chapter 12, verse 15
Let’s continue to work on our own conversion to Jesus’s Sacred Heart and he will show us he’s our Lord and Saviour. Let’s ask ourselves the question: “Did I become a slave to something or someone?”
Let’s briefly do a parallel with the slavery of sin. As soon as we move away from God, we will reduce ourselves to more faults and sins. The remoteness from God will be caused by slavery, which will sink us into sin. Sin and evil always lead us away from God.
May we dare take the risk of following Jesus like the people of Israel out of Egypt with God’s forceful hand. May we dare leave our bad habits.
Jesus heals us from our remoteness if we wish. The decision is ours, because we are free.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
46. Continuous conversion and notice
When we are living a basic conversion, there arises a deep desire to boldly explore the source, to know who God is and why his Love pierces our hearts.
Continuous conversion involves discovering and deepening the roots that lead us to know God’s Love. Prospecting in the Bible, to examine the source of faith, is a human and natural process to starting to know who is God.
The teenage years are usually coloured by researching and understanding of family roots.
The teenager becomes aware of the people around him who have been present during his life. Who am I? Why am I? Who are they? Why them?
We will do the same exercise, in order to identify in several Bible texts, of which concerns God. Then we will dig into the very source of God’s reality. Who is God? Why him?
But what are we looking for? As every human being one day finds himself before the question of love, we will search together, in the Bible, what’s revealed about the Love of God. On the other hand, and because of this exercise, it will be necessary to dig out what is also contrary to the Love of God.
We are aware that there is a danger in carrying out such a project. It’s sometimes difficult to understand why, on one hand, God is loving and the benefactor, but on the other hand, he seems to be wishing us harm, for obscure reasons.
It’s false that God would want to hurt us, we know that. More precisely, evil is present in the sacred texts (Bible) because the people become lukewarm and they turn away from God; which undeniably attracts him to sin, to evil.
It should be noted that, as you will become aware in this book, the reality of God will never be eliminated (Love, peace, joy, mercy, etc.). On the other hand, what does not suit him will be underlined. This is the difficult part of the exercise. It requires an openness of mind and heart on the reader’s part. After clearing through the deeper meaning of God in the Bible, Love will become visible.
It will be up to every person who reads this book, to discover that God is Love and that he never causes harm or leads his people or anyone to misfortune. We hope this makes the Bible more interesting and easy to read. We want to bring out the best of the Bible and we wish it ardently, without prejudice to the truth it contains.
Let’s be reassured from the start that all that’s written in the Bible is wanted from God. We repeat: All the texts of the Bible God wants. They teach us about history and human behaviour and God who’s with us in history.
So we want to search together, excavate (dig out) and unpack the reality of God through what is written about him. We dare to release and reveal the Love of God by elevating, as within a hologram projection, some chosen passages from the Bible.
It’s an invitation to conversion and to a sincere journey. We do believe, God is Love and he can only be Love. It’s rather humans who sin, hides and disfigures the face of God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas
When we are living a basic conversion, there arises a deep desire to boldly explore the source, to know who God is and why his Love pierces our hearts.
Continuous conversion involves discovering and deepening the roots that lead us to know God’s Love. Prospecting in the Bible, to examine the source of faith, is a human and natural process to starting to know who is God.
The teenage years are usually coloured by researching and understanding of family roots.
The teenager becomes aware of the people around him who have been present during his life. Who am I? Why am I? Who are they? Why them?
We will do the same exercise, in order to identify in several Bible texts, of which concerns God. Then we will dig into the very source of God’s reality. Who is God? Why him?
But what are we looking for? As every human being one day finds himself before the question of love, we will search together, in the Bible, what’s revealed about the Love of God. On the other hand, and because of this exercise, it will be necessary to dig out what is also contrary to the Love of God.
We are aware that there is a danger in carrying out such a project. It’s sometimes difficult to understand why, on one hand, God is loving and the benefactor, but on the other hand, he seems to be wishing us harm, for obscure reasons.
It’s false that God would want to hurt us, we know that. More precisely, evil is present in the sacred texts (Bible) because the people become lukewarm and they turn away from God; which undeniably attracts him to sin, to evil.
It should be noted that, as you will become aware in this book, the reality of God will never be eliminated (Love, peace, joy, mercy, etc.). On the other hand, what does not suit him will be underlined. This is the difficult part of the exercise. It requires an openness of mind and heart on the reader’s part. After clearing through the deeper meaning of God in the Bible, Love will become visible.
It will be up to every person who reads this book, to discover that God is Love and that he never causes harm or leads his people or anyone to misfortune. We hope this makes the Bible more interesting and easy to read. We want to bring out the best of the Bible and we wish it ardently, without prejudice to the truth it contains.
Let’s be reassured from the start that all that’s written in the Bible is wanted from God. We repeat: All the texts of the Bible God wants. They teach us about history and human behaviour and God who’s with us in history.
So we want to search together, excavate (dig out) and unpack the reality of God through what is written about him. We dare to release and reveal the Love of God by elevating, as within a hologram projection, some chosen passages from the Bible.
It’s an invitation to conversion and to a sincere journey. We do believe, God is Love and he can only be Love. It’s rather humans who sin, hides and disfigures the face of God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
47. God coexists with humans
Since the beginning of humanity, mankind has been trying to understand who God is.
Events in the world make us love God. But in a strange way, they can also dissuade us, make us doubt, then move us away from the Love of God.
Writers too, in the Bible, have given intentions to God that does not seem to suit him very well. We’ll try to restore briefly the reality of God, who is Love. We’ll also try to detect the reality of the human being, too often inhuman, because of his faults and his sins, who thinks that God is like him. Or, just like us sometimes, writers imagine God as an avenger, a scary being, who keeps us in fear as well as other unattractive attributes.
There are two basic aspects that influence us in the Bible. First, we discover the Love of God, purer than a perfect diamond with all its facets of mercy, joy, hope, peace, life, etc.
The second point of view that we need to remember is that God is present in the history of humanity. Despite the fact that there are saints in the Bible, very often the story recalls inhuman gestures and words that intermingle with the Love of God, unfortunately.
The image we project on God is often tarnished. We place an opaque veil between us and him. It can become confusing to the point that the “god” we invent seems to betray us, make us suffer and kills us, according to his mood (We place a small “g” to “god” here, because we want to signify, right from the outset, that this “god”, like an idol, is a pure invention of our misunderstanding of the reality of God).
Moreover, we observe that since the beginning of humanity, inhuman sins contradict the Love of God. Violence and evil caused by sin distorts reality. God then becomes, through a false perception, guilty of the evils, the misery and the suffering of humanity. Even today, we blame God for evil and sin.
Now, inhuman acts and words cause harm and its horrors are found in the Bible. Evil becomes an agent of confusion that blurs the reality of God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas
Since the beginning of humanity, mankind has been trying to understand who God is.
Events in the world make us love God. But in a strange way, they can also dissuade us, make us doubt, then move us away from the Love of God.
Writers too, in the Bible, have given intentions to God that does not seem to suit him very well. We’ll try to restore briefly the reality of God, who is Love. We’ll also try to detect the reality of the human being, too often inhuman, because of his faults and his sins, who thinks that God is like him. Or, just like us sometimes, writers imagine God as an avenger, a scary being, who keeps us in fear as well as other unattractive attributes.
There are two basic aspects that influence us in the Bible. First, we discover the Love of God, purer than a perfect diamond with all its facets of mercy, joy, hope, peace, life, etc.
The second point of view that we need to remember is that God is present in the history of humanity. Despite the fact that there are saints in the Bible, very often the story recalls inhuman gestures and words that intermingle with the Love of God, unfortunately.
The image we project on God is often tarnished. We place an opaque veil between us and him. It can become confusing to the point that the “god” we invent seems to betray us, make us suffer and kills us, according to his mood (We place a small “g” to “god” here, because we want to signify, right from the outset, that this “god”, like an idol, is a pure invention of our misunderstanding of the reality of God).
Moreover, we observe that since the beginning of humanity, inhuman sins contradict the Love of God. Violence and evil caused by sin distorts reality. God then becomes, through a false perception, guilty of the evils, the misery and the suffering of humanity. Even today, we blame God for evil and sin.
Now, inhuman acts and words cause harm and its horrors are found in the Bible. Evil becomes an agent of confusion that blurs the reality of God.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
48. Beauty of God in the Bible
But, thanks to God, goodness shines, forevermore, in the Bible. And it’s in this goodness that the transparent Beauty of God is revealed.
The most extraordinary thing about the Bible is that humanity, with its weaknesses and sins, and God with his Love, live side by side.
God inspired writers to write the Bible. We repeat: God inspired writers to write the texts of the Bible.
The Bible could be considered as a one and only parable. What is of God and what is the misunderstanding of the human with respect to God?
It’s up to us to understand the enormous difference, the chasm (gap) that too often exists between us and God. No inhuman gesture, thought or word can be given to God.
The great drama of the Bible is that God wants to convert his people and bring him back to his Love, and his children inhumanly sin and cause harm, then move away from God, pretexting it’s his fault.
We will explore, with this reading guide, some texts of the Bible. We will discover how easy it is to think that God “allows” evil when he’s not responsible for it.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas
But, thanks to God, goodness shines, forevermore, in the Bible. And it’s in this goodness that the transparent Beauty of God is revealed.
The most extraordinary thing about the Bible is that humanity, with its weaknesses and sins, and God with his Love, live side by side.
God inspired writers to write the Bible. We repeat: God inspired writers to write the texts of the Bible.
The Bible could be considered as a one and only parable. What is of God and what is the misunderstanding of the human with respect to God?
It’s up to us to understand the enormous difference, the chasm (gap) that too often exists between us and God. No inhuman gesture, thought or word can be given to God.
The great drama of the Bible is that God wants to convert his people and bring him back to his Love, and his children inhumanly sin and cause harm, then move away from God, pretexting it’s his fault.
We will explore, with this reading guide, some texts of the Bible. We will discover how easy it is to think that God “allows” evil when he’s not responsible for it.
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas
Re: Normandt' Bible reflexions
50. The Covenant
After the flood, God makes a Covenant with Noah and his family. God guarantees that he will always be present:
See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tames and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. Genesis, chapter 9, verses 9 to 10
God’s Covenant is eternal. God never breaks it. We can conclude that his Covenant with humanity was already defined, already established from the creation of the world, even before he formed the universe.
God reassures the people:
“I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis, chapter 9, verse 13
God’s Covenant is the Love he offers us without limit, all the time and in which he wants to keep us. God reminds Abraham of it:
“I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” Genesis, chapter 17, verse 7
God is always in relation with the people, if the people want him. Him, he will never leave.
Are we, ourselves, in the Covenant of the caring Love of God?
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas
After the flood, God makes a Covenant with Noah and his family. God guarantees that he will always be present:
See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tames and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. Genesis, chapter 9, verses 9 to 10
God’s Covenant is eternal. God never breaks it. We can conclude that his Covenant with humanity was already defined, already established from the creation of the world, even before he formed the universe.
God reassures the people:
“I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis, chapter 9, verse 13
God’s Covenant is the Love he offers us without limit, all the time and in which he wants to keep us. God reminds Abraham of it:
“I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” Genesis, chapter 17, verse 7
God is always in relation with the people, if the people want him. Him, he will never leave.
Are we, ourselves, in the Covenant of the caring Love of God?
The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let’s reveal God, Normand Thomas