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Estudio bíblico que nos hace abrir los ojos en menos de cinco minutos! Acceda a todos los episodios aquí.
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Augenöffnendes Bibelstudium in weniger als fünf Minuten! Alle Episoden finden Sie hier.
Was There A Curse On Helen's Romantic Life?
The Third Man by Angela Sheffield is based on a true story. Read chapter one now!
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¿Qué tiene que ver conmigo? por Teófila Gottfried
Lo que leemos en la Biblia tiene que ver con todos los seres humanos, sean cristianos o judíos, ateos o agnósticos, budistas, musulmanes o adherentes a alguna de las filosofías o nuevas religiones que surgen en el mundo. ¿Por qué? Ver mayor información sobre este interesante libro.
Scripture of The Day - St. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Escritura del día - San Juan 14,6
Jesús le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre, sino por mí.
Bibelstelle des Tages - Johannes 14,6
Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die Wahrheit und das Leben; niemand kommt zum Vater, denn durch mich!
Lonely Children with an Imaginary Companion: Guidance from the Christian Bible
The Creation of Make-Believe Friends
There are a variety of reasons why the problem of lonely children is worldwide and every mentally stable adult should realize that dealing with the root of a problem is essential, if it's to be eliminated. Realization of the existence of a problem, however, must come first. Even if somehow it has not been noticed that a child is lonely, it should be realized the moment he or she begins talking to or about an imaginary companion. Lonely children, like adults, will attempt to solve their problems in life in the best way they know how. If they have no friends or play mates, they very well might resort to befriending an imaginary companion that they "created," thus providing themselves with make-believe friends where there are no real friends.
The Making of Images or the Likeness of Beings
The connection between lonely children, an imaginary companion, and the following scriptures might seem non-existent at first glance. However, the connection becomes evident as we focus on what God's word is saying.
God's written word, the Christian Bible, offers guidance, counsel, and solutions for life's problems on Earth. It also offers several warnings, which, if heeded, can prevent many problems from ever occurring. Sadly, the vast majority of people, including Christians, have no idea how to follow the guidance and counsel of God's word, and are ignorant of most of the warnings issued in the scriptures. So, are there any scriptural warnings against lonely children having an imaginary companion?
Exodus 20:4 says, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." And the scripture of Deuteronomy 4:16 - 18 reads, "Lest ye corrupt yourselves and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth."
The Christian Bible reveals God's prohibition of making graven images OR the likeness of living things on earth, in the waters of earth, that fly in the air, or that are in heaven. To do such, according to Deuteronomy 4:16, is to corrupt oneself. Some will argue that Exodus 20:5 lets us know that the only time spiritual harm is done is when those images are worshiped. Notice, however, that Exodus 20:4 forbids the very act of the making of graven images and the very act of the making of the likeness of living things. The verse that follows is a separate command not to bow down to man made images. There are TWO prohibitions: 1. Don't make a graven image or a likeness 2. Don't bow down to it. Disobedience takes place as soon as the images or a likeness of living things are made; this is whether those images are worshiped or not. Some will also argue that God himself told his people to make images of beings for the tabernacle such as the golden cherubims (Exodus 25:18); therefore, nothing is wrong with making images or a likeness of a being. This is not a valid argument because God is the one who ordered the making of the images for the tabernacle in which he dwelt; they were made for himself and by his instructions. Exodus 20:4 says, "Thou shalt not make UNTO THEE...." Deuteronomy 4:16 reads, "Lest ye corrupt yourselves and make YOU...." Here is the difference. Man is not to make images of living things or the likeness of living things for HIMSELF. The golden cherubims were not made for man by man's will; they were made for God by God's will.
An Imaginary Companion Is Not Harmless Even for Lonely Children
What does the making of images or of the likeness of beings have to do with lonely children and having an imaginary companion? Remember, the scriptures forbid making graven images OR the likeness of beings in earth or in heaven. This means that an actual image doesn't have to be physically made to be found in disobedience. The making of the likeness of any of God's created beings can take place in the mind--in the imagination. The Christian Bible is very clear on the power of thoughts when we read scriptures such as, "Casting down IMAGINATIONS and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Lonely children with an imaginary companion make for themselves, in their imagination, the likeness of some being to be their friend. That being might be the fabricated image of a little boy, a little girl, an angel, an animal, or any other being that the imagination can create. These lonely children quickly begin talking to their imaginary companion and the imaginary companion begins to respond. Since creation power belongs exclusively to God, what is it that is interacting with the child? It is an unholy spirit that masquerades as an imaginary friend. Scripture from the Christian Bible warns man that, "...Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). The imaginary "friends" of these lonely kids corrupt them as they keep them company. Children who have imaginary friends might exhibit any type of abnormal behavior and develop psychic powers if they are allowed to continue interaction with a being they "created."
Although the physical and mental making of images and the making of the likeness of God's created beings might seem harmless because it happens all of the time, it is not innocent; and such practices will play a role in the activities of Satan in end times. We read in the scripture of Revelation 13:14-15, "And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."
Based on true events, The Third Man by Angela Sheffield, brings the Bible up close and personal as the characters face real issues of life: Betrayal, deceit, romance, bitterness, anger against God, hopelessness, will power, perplexity, triumph, unforgiveness, mental illness, and the "Alcohol made me do it" excuse. Read chapter one FREE now.
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Comments/Comentarios:
I have prayed about this before only to have God overcome me with a since of peace. I am thinking about it again because of my Blog I am writing with the same conclusion.
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Forgive me but why do you separate the word image from engraven image. I noticed this because one must put something above God in order for it to be an idle. Hints an engraven image.
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I am an aspiring writer hoping to get published. I create characters in my mind and even interact with them to develop their character.
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Would this be an example of an idle because I created an image of something? I still can\t help but think my imaginary realm that I created is not an engraven image.
by: Authors Secret
Posted on 2016-07-26 15:26:05
To Authors Secret:
Why do you leave out the word "likeness"? Exodus 20:4 says, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, OR any LIKENESS...." An image, graven or not, is a likeness. This scripture appears in the article. And, idol worship is not the only way to sin against God. Willful disobedience is sin whether the thing we're doing constitutes idol worship or not. If God tells us not to do something, we're not to do it, simple. No one needs to interact with an imaginary character to develop his or her personality. As the creator of the story, we simply assign a personality and traits. Jesus told parables, which are forms of stories. Not once did He interact with those characters to develop them. He is our example. And let us remember, if we refuse to accept God's leading and guidance, we can persist until we attain a false peace. The Bible does tell us there is such a thing as a false peace. Also, when sending comments, use correct spelling for ease of reading. For example, "since of peace" should be "sense", and ¨"hints an engraven image" should be "hence a graven image." It's "graven", not "engraven."
by: Heavenly Manna
Posted on 2016-07-28 12:16:42
For the most part I am still confused. A graven image is by definition a carved idol or representation of a god..So pretty much anything that you make more important than God the father is an idol. If God asked of me to cut this out of my life I would but he has not made this clear to me..I am open to talk about this in an email if you want, but I am not going to let this continue my writers block.
by: Authers Secret
Posted on 2016-11-04 20:10:57
To Authors Secret:
Perhaps you are still confused, because you emphasize "graven image." Again, scripture also uses the word "likeness". Exodus 20:4 says, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, OR any LIKENESS..." An image, graven or not, is a likeness. An image, whether we worship it or not, is a likeness. We just read that God did not simply forbid us to bow down to or worship images, He also told us not to make them in the first place. These are two separate and easy-to-understand commands. We might not understand why God tells us to do, or not to do something. But that doesn't mean we don't understand what we're being told to do or not to do. And once we understand, it's then our free will choice to obey or disobey.
by: Heavenly Manna
Posted on 2016-11-05 13:14:11
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