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Sacred Snippet: Lost But Found!

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As a result of the February 2021 winter freeze, while my husband and I were out of town, our home was drastically damaged by an unattended pipe, which froze and burst. Movers had to come quickly to salvage what they could, resulting in things being thrown in any old box and brought to storage in whatever condition it was found.

Now that school is over for me, and it is two years later, I am finally trying to locate, unpack, and organize what wild and reckless packing looks like.

I thought I had lost everything in the picture above but I found disarrayed boxes in our new home’s garage. [Yes, we moved after seeing all our home’s destruction.]

In unpacking boxes, I found essential certificates, house deeds, my childhood stamp collection album, MANY articles I have written and published, blogs started but not finished, multiple rejection letters, and more that I have yet to discover.  But I rejoice because I thought I had lost all these things, but this week I found them.

Odds and Ends

Honestly, I have been distraught thinking I lost all my writing and compilations over forty years!!!

However, now that my most precious items (except for my wedding dress) have been found, the time has come to sort through, throw away, salvage, and/or reorganize what I have valued and sunk my heart into for years.

Going through these piles is NOT my cup of tea, but I am excited to see what I thought was lost is now found – maybe mildewed and torn but found.

Just like I found boxes of my stuff, Jesus Christ finds us—possibly finding us mildewed, torn, and disarrayed, and He wants us to become aware of His love for us and make us part of His kingdom. He will not disregard us or throw us away. He wants to salvage us and reorganize our lives.

God allows us to choose between Him and the world.

He truly loves us and wants us to call upon His son Jesus Christ by asking Him to forgive our sins and place our faith and trust in Him. That, my friend, is called salvation with the promise of the Holy Spirit’s presence coming to abide in us forever.

A parable in Luke 15:24 says, “This son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found. And they began to celebrate.”

If you are lost, accept Christ and become part of His Kingdom today!
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Let’s celebrate your newfound salvation.

God bless.

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Patti Greene is a Baylor University and Dallas Baptist University graduate, a Second Baptist Church -1463 member of Houston/Katy,  TX, and the author of seven books. The views expressed are those of the author.
 
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CHATGPT: Education and Church

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Disclaimer: 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a blog as “a website that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.” My Christian blog, GreenePastures.org, is sometimes an emotional piece, an article, a sacred snippet, listings, quizzes, or more. It is just me sharing whatever I feel led to. It started with me wanting to practice my writing skills, so you may be horrified reading my early blogs. Personal blogs should not be looked at in the same light as professional articles. What follows is my opinion and the opinion of others that I have read about regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT. I am not sharing a bibliography or works cited page, but you might find a few indications of where quotes or materials come from along the way,

My Interests

As I mentioned in my previous blog, my two main interests regarding artificial intelligence revolve around two entities—education and the church, mainly because I was a high school librarian and I am a churchgoer. I recognize that this blog may be irrelevant and outdated with the changing pace of AI, maybe even by tomorrow.

With AI, there will be challenges with integrity in high schools and schools of higher education, just as there will be challenges in church uses of AI. The benefits and abuses of AI are moving fast, but I believe it is here to stay, and then we can wait for the next big thing—humanoids! Prototypes are already out there!

The benefits and abuses of AI are moving fast, but I believe it is here to stay, and then we can wait for the next big thing—humanoids!
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ChatGPT and Education

As my husband and I hung around the house today, I moaned that I had so much work to do, and he asked, “What?”

I told him about the papers and schoolwork I had to do, and I jokingly asked him if he would like to write my paper on “CRISIS” for me. He joked back and said, “Why? ChatGPT can write it for you.” You see, he had spent the morning on ChatGPT looking up information on 1 Corinthians 15, and he got a summary, paper, bibliography, and works cited, all in the same sitting. Impressive, right? Well, not so.

There are challenges with using AI, affecting the whole gamut of educational institutions, from preschool to professional academic papers and seminars. The significant deficiencies and/or comments I see are listed below.

  1. I see a problem with academic integrity. Dishonesty is already widespread, and educational institutions will be responsible for making new policies.
  2. There must be more time to make the necessary changes or policies because AI is moving rapidly. And who has the energy to accomplish all that needs to be done?
  3. A student’s temptation to cheat will increase. Yes, I will get into the Christian value system later, but let’s chat for now. No pun intended.
  4. Plagiarism will increase.
  5. Both educators and students might become less creative than they were designed to be.
  6. Laziness will occur.
  7. The value of higher education will decrease because information (whether credible or not) will be “more” accessible.
  8. Bias and possible brainwashing may occur because those inputting the information still come from human choices.
  9. There could be a problem with college admissions, because how would the admission office know who really wrote the applicants’ essays?
  10. Training on AI’s proper use is needed for faculty and students.
  11. Addressing the fear and injustice that honest students might experience, should be considered. They know that even if they are honest, they still compete with students using AI in their schoolwork.

ChatGPT and Church

There is also concern with ethical and moral principles in the church. I was reading an excellent article by Pastor Duke Taber. He said, “Church leaders must be careful to ensure that the use of ChatGPT complies with legal and regulatory requirements, is transparent, and considers privacy concerns.” In the article, Taber expresses his concern with the ethical and moral principles within the pastorate. He believed that pastors and ministry leaders should be transparent to their congregants about using AI in sermon preparation. His article was terrific until I read the Disclosure at the end. The Disclosure said, “This paper was written by ChatGPT with editorial oversight and guidance by Duke Taber.” I was duped as I read the article. So, I thought, “What if pastors were required to disclose that they used ChatGPT if they used artificial intelligence in sermon prep?

While many see benefits to using ChatGPT in ministry, I see some challenges, which are enumerated below.

  1. New policies and rules need to be written regarding using artificial intelligence of any sort in a sermon or Bible study prep.
  2. Training is needed on its acceptability or not to pastoral staff and volunteers.
  3. Pastors could rely more on artificial intelligence than the Bible or other credible Biblical materials.
  4. Busyness is part of our lives, and pastors could become more likely to depend on this time-reducing application rather than seeking out the Word of God through prayer and dependence upon the Holy Spirit.
  5. For the congregants, why bother to listen to a sermon that might have been written by AI? If I don’t sense the Holy Spirit’s part in my pastor’s prep, I would be tempted to avoid listening, and rightly so. I want to hear from God through my pastor. Many congregants might decide not to attend church at all.
  6. Using AI in any church form—blogs, devotionals, Bible studies, and more could create a distrust of church literature. This could even progress where people become distrustful of reading Christian books, magazines, articles, and listening to Christian podcasts, not knowing if the source is human. (I may be far-reaching on this statement, but if I write more books or materials, do I need to note that I wrote it and not some artificial intelligence source?)
  7. Pastors and staff could become lazy.
  8. Pastors should be reminded not to compare their sermons with others because following God’s principles are more important than how others plan their sermons.

The Associated Press recently published an article titled “ChatGPT AI Robots writing Church Sermons causing Hell for Pastors.” The report stated that using AI can cause both fascination and unease for pastors. It also said that ChatGPT “can’t replicate the passion of actual preaching” and “lazy preaching pastors might be tempted to use AI but not the great shepherds, the ones who love preaching, who love their people.”  [Quotes attributed to Herschel York.]

But here I am, wondering who wrote the main article as no author’s name was there. It just said Associated Press—who knows, maybe AI wrote the article. Okay, I best stop now. I am questioning everything I see, wondering if a real-life person wrote it or not.

Biblical Thoughts

Many believers do not have a solid handle on Biblical integrity. This must be taught. It is hard to do in secular education, but Christian institutions and churches must provide ways to instill integrity into their student base or church flock.

Many believers do not have a solid handle on Biblical integrity.
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At our youngest son’s college, the first semester students were required to attend a seminar by the library staff on how to use the library and all its features. What would happen if Christian institutions required students to participate in a workshop on Christian integrity? While it might not stop all cheating or plagiarizing, the school would relieve itself of some of its responsibility.

The students would know what was expected of them as they continued their studies. It would also help in the case of any academic dishonesty retribution. Administrators could tell students and their parents they were notified of their expectations. Just a random thought!

As I was thinking about these topics, I was simultaneously working on my MasterLife, Bk 2, which plainly said, “Do God’s will.” Yes, that is an easy way of addressing these issues. If we just did God’s will regarding honesty, working hard, Christian character, discerning Godly behavior, yielding oneself to Christ, being honorable, having peace, being controlled by the Holy Spirit, renewing our minds daily, and living victoriously, that would help. So, maybe the solution to all this is to stop relying so much on technology and depend more on God’s Word to guide our writings and sermons.

When All is Said and Done

Folks, artificial intelligence is here to stay. The University of Texas offers a certification to gain industry-valued AI and machine learning skills. Certifications will turn into college courses in the future if they are not already official classes in some colleges.

While we may reminisce about the good old days—sitting on the front porch of our home, playing kickball outside, and listening to our 45 RPM records, this technology is here to stay. We must adjust and adapt to it. 

Personally, we must intentionally slow down, process our life, spend time in prayer, study God’s Word, and seek guidance from Him.

Maybe, even possibly, AI/ChatGPT is an opportunity for believers to build new character traits and become more Christ-like in their behavior and thoughts. That’s something to think about!

Now What?

Now that I spent my afternoon writing this blog, I must decide to either get back to my schoolwork or listen to my favorite 45s.

Two hours later . . .

Guess what won? Listening to a few of my favorite 60s songs! YouTube won over getting out my record player, though. Then, the thought hit me, I thought my record player was the best electrical invention of my junior high era, and maybe this generation will think AI is the best technological invention of their era. Sort of makes me sad.

And what about my poor “CRISIS” paper that was not worked on all day today? Maybe it will get the attention it needs tomorrow or the day after. But, if not soon, I WILL definitely have a CRISIS on my hands!

God bless. 

Bible Verses:

People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed. Proverbs 10:9 (NLT)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.   Philippians 4:6-8 (NASB 1995)

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28 (NASB 1995)

Prayer:

My heavenly Father, please give me the wisdom to pursue Your will in all areas of my life. When I am tempted, shield my thoughts and actions. Let me always honor and obey You and Your commandments and principles. You are sovereign. Keep me humble and prayerful. Let me know Your will. Lead all I do and think to be guided by Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Challenging Question by Bellator Christi from “Taking up the Sword of Christian Theology and the Shield of Classic Apologetics”

In the 13th century, Thomas Aquinas researched and wrote thousands of pages without the amenities we hold today.

Christi asks, “Could we do the same?”

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This article may not be reproduced except for written permission from the author. 

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Books by Patti

3 PRAYER JOURNALS – 3 BIBLE WORD SEARCH PUZZLES, AND  A BOOK ON CHRISTIAN CAREGIVING.

BIBLE WORD SEARCH PUZZLE SERIES

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All About ChatGPT by ChatGPT

Spoiler Alert: This is my longest blog, but if you are interested in ChatGPT as I am, you might want to stick with me.

Patti Speaking. I have been thinking about writing a blog on artificial intelligence and ChatGPT for a month or so. As a retired high school librarian and a churchgoer, my main interest involves how this new cultural phenomenon, artificial intelligence, will affect those two areas. I quickly learned I didn’t know enough about it, so I educated myself more on ChatGPT.

As I was settling in for a few days of vacation in Lubbock, Texas, I researched and saved about forty articles on artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, and related topics. I haven’t read them all yet, because I became overwhelmed with many viewpoints, ranging from personal opinion articles to heavy-duty articles from sources such as Forbes and Foreign Affairs magazines. So, while pondering how to put a blog together, I drank a few cups of my favorite HEB pecan-roasted coffee and registered to ChatGPT to find out how it all works. My dad taught me well—always going to the primary source first when possible. Thus, my journey began.

At first look, ChatGPT is a fantastic thing!

Moving On

Just for fun, I asked Chat GPT to give me an outline for writing a paper on ChatGPT, and it did—a good and extensive outline in a matter of seconds, which I turned into what I believe could be a college-level paper just by asking ChatGPT additional questions relating to the outline.

So, since I had the time, I decided to see how long it would take me to write “a paper” using ChatGPT employing the outline it provided. I timed myself. It took me 25 minutes to gather the information needed by asking specific questions about the outline topics. I had to ask it separately for an introduction and a conclusion.

Then, it took me about an hour to physically put the outline and paper in a presentable form.

Wow, I wrote “a paper” in less than an hour and a half!

Wow, I wrote “a paper” in less than an hour and a half! Or did “I”?
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I was so impressed that I wanted to learn more about how ChatGPT works, so I returned to their website and asked more questions. Okay, another 25 minutes for that. I figured I could decide if I wanted those topics in my paper, depending on the size paper and the information I wanted to input. The extra questions are at the end of this blog.

All this might sound like I advocate for artificial intelligence, but I still need to decide. There are pros and cons to everything, and it is so new! Primarily, I am concerned about a few things: plagiarism, ethics, morality, loss of creativity, research skills, brainwashing, and the sources used possibly being biased. While this blog will not address these concerns over ChatGPT, I will address those matters regarding education and church in an upcoming blog. But, first things first.

You might wonder why I am addressing this topic on my Christian blog. I can’t answer that for sure, other than to say I feel led. However, I wanted to give you a heads-up on how artificial intelligence is used, along with me having fun writing my first ChatGPT paper. Please check back to see more on my two topics of interest—the educational and spiritual concerns of ChatGPT. It will be an opinion piece on ChatGPT—a phenomenon that is here to stay.

I compiled the paper below as a test to see how the “writing process” for writing a paper using ChatGPT happens. I know I am nerdy that way, but I find researching relaxing and fun. Yes, crazy, I know, but it’s how I am wired. And, I am on vacation, so I can do whatever I want to, right?

I know I am nerdy that way, but I find researching relaxing and fun.
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All wording in the paper comes straight from ChatGPT. There have not been any changes in grammar, style, or structure.

Q. I asked ChatGPT the following question, “Can you give me an outline for writing a paper with the pros and cons of ChatGPT?

A. “Sure, here’s an outline for writing an article with pros and cons of ChatGPT.”

And the rest is history.

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All about ChatGPT by ChatGPT by Patti Greene or Student’s Name

OUTLINE

I. Introduction (I added this to the outline but used ChatGPT for the content.)

A. Explanation of what ChatGPT is

B. Brief overview of what the article will cover

II. Pros of ChatGPT

A. Availability 24/7

B. Can understand and respond in multiple languages

C. No human bias or emotions in responses

III. Cons of ChatGPT

A. Limited ability to understand context and nuance

B. No emotional intelligence or empathy

C. Can’t provide real-time feedback or physical assistance

IV. Comparison to other Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

A. How does ChatGPT compare to other chatbots and virtual assistants?

B. Are the pros and cons of ChatGPT similar or different to other chatbots and virtual assistants?

V. Potential uses for ChatGPT

A, Customer service

B. Education

C. Healthcare

D. Personal Productivity

VI. Conclusion (I added this to the outline, but used ChatGPT for the content.)

A. Recap of the Final thoughts on the potential uses of ChatGPT

B. Suggestions for further research or exploration.

All about ChatGPT by ChatGPT

Summary: ChatGPT is a large language model developed by OpenAI. It uses a deep learning algorithm to analyze and understand human language. Essentially, ChatGPT is a computer program that can simulate human-like conversation, respond to questions, and generate text based on a given prompt or input.

INTRODUCTION

The “GPT” in ChatGPT stands for “Generative Pre-trained Transformer.” This refers to the fact that the model was pre-trained on a massive corpus of text data, and can generate new text based on that training.

ChatGPT can be used for a variety of applications, including chatbots, language translation, and text generation. It is particularly useful for natural language processing (NLP) tasks, as it has the ability to understand context and generate text that is coherent and grammatically correct.

PROS of ChatGPT

How can Chat GPT be available 24/7?

As an artificial intelligence language model, I do not experience physical or mental fatigue like humans do. This allows me to operate continuously without the need for breaks or rest. Additionally, my system is designed to run on servers that can be accessed and maintained remotely, enabling me to be available around the clock. Therefore, I am available 24/7 to answer any questions or assist with any tasks to the best of my ability.

How can Chat GPT understand and respond in multiple languages?

As a language model, ChatGPT is designed to understand and generate text in multiple languages. This is achieved through a process called multilingual training.

During the training process, ChatGPT is exposed to a vast amount of text data in multiple languages. This allows the model to learn patterns and structures of different languages, which enables it to understand and generate text in those languages.

In addition to multilingual training, ChatGPT also relies on language identification techniques to determine the language of the input text. Once the language is identified, the model can use the appropriate language-specific knowledge to generate a response.

It’s worth noting that while ChatGPT can understand and generate text in multiple languages, its performance may vary depending on the language and the amount of data it has been trained on. Additionally, ChatGPT may make mistakes or generate inappropriate responses, especially when dealing with complex or nuanced language tasks. Therefore, it’s important to use ChatGPT’s responses with caution and always double-check its output.

Why does ChatGPT respond with no human bias or emotions?

As an AI language model, CHATGPT does not have human biases or emotions in its responses because it is not capable of experiencing emotions or holding opinions.

CHATGPT is trained on vast amounts of data from various sources, such as books, articles, and websites. This data is preprocessed and used to train the model to predict the probability of the next word in a given sequence of text.

During training, the model is trained to recognize patterns in language, but it is not capable of forming personal opinions or biases. It is simply a mathematical model that uses statistical algorithms to generate responses based on the input it receives.

Although the training data may contain biased language, CHATGPT is designed to generate responses based on the input it receives without introducing additional biases. It does not have personal experiences, emotions, or beliefs that can influence its responses.

However, it is important to note that AI models like CHATGPT can reflect and amplify biases in the data they are trained on. Therefore, it is crucial to continuously monitor and improve the data used to train these models to ensure that they do not perpetuate societal biases.

CONS OF ChatGPT

Why does Chat GPT have a limited ability to understand context and nuances?

As an AI language model, ChatGPT has been trained on a vast corpus of text data to understand patterns and relationships between words. However, its ability to understand context and nuance is limited by several factors:

Lack of real-world experience: ChatGPT has not had real-world experiences, which can impact its ability to understand context and nuance. Humans are able to understand context and nuance because we have the ability to draw on our own experiences and the experiences of others. ChatGPT, on the other hand, only has access to the text data it was trained on.

Limited knowledge of cultural and social norms: ChatGPT may not be able to fully understand context and nuance because it lacks knowledge of cultural and social norms. Language and communication can vary greatly depending on the cultural and social context, and ChatGPT may not be able to fully grasp these nuances.

Difficulty with sarcasm, irony, and humor: ChatGPT may struggle to understand sarcasm, irony, and humor, which rely on subtle cues that are difficult to pick up through text alone.

Limited ability to reason and infer: ChatGPT may not be able to reason and infer in the same way that humans can. Understanding context and nuance often involves making inferences and drawing conclusions based on limited information, and this is an area where ChatGPT may struggle.

Overall, while ChatGPT is capable of generating impressive responses, its ability to understand context and nuance is still limited and there is much room for improvement.

Why is Chat GPT unable to provide personalized responses?

ChatGPT is a language model that has been trained on a large corpus of text data, which includes a vast range of topics and contexts. However, it does not have access to specific information about individual users, their personal experiences, and their unique perspectives. As a result, ChatGPT is unable to provide truly personalized responses.

While ChatGPT can generate responses that are relevant to the input it receives, these responses are not tailored to the individual characteristics and preferences of the user. For example, if a user asks ChatGPT for recommendations for a restaurant, it may generate a list of popular restaurants based on the input it received, but it would not be able to take into account the user’s specific dietary restrictions or preferred cuisine.

Additionally, ChatGPT does not have the ability to build relationships with users or to remember previous conversations in the same way that humans can. It is not able to take into account the context of previous conversations or to adjust its responses based on a user’s prior interactions with it.

Overall, while ChatGPT is capable of generating responses that can be useful and informative, it is not able to provide truly personalized responses that take into account the unique characteristics and preferences of individual users.

Should people be concerned that ChatGPT does not have any emotional intelligence or empathy?

As an artificial intelligence language model, ChatGPT is not capable of feeling emotions or exhibiting empathy in the same way that humans do. However, the purpose of ChatGPT is to assist and provide information to users in an objective and factual manner. It is designed to provide useful responses to queries and engage in conversations without being influenced by emotions or personal biases.

That being said, ChatGPT has been programmed with the ability to understand and respond to various emotions and expressions of empathy. It can recognize certain emotional states based on language cues and respond appropriately. However, it’s important to keep in mind that ChatGPT is not capable of truly feeling emotions or exhibiting empathy in the same way as a human being.

If you require emotional support or empathy, it’s best to seek help from a qualified professional, such as a therapist or counselor, who can provide you with the care and support you need.

Why can’t ChatGPT provide real-time feedback or physical assistance?

As an AI language model, Chat GPT operates solely in the realm of language processing and generation. It doesn’t have any physical form or the ability to interact with the physical world.

While it can understand and respond to natural language queries in real-time, it doesn’t have access to physical sensors or devise to provide real-time feedback or perform physical tasks.

Therefore, ChatGPT is limited to providing advice, suggestions, and answers to questions based on the information it has been trained on. It cannot provide physical assistance, such as performing a task or carrying out a physical action, as it does not have the capability to interact with the physical world.

Comparion to other Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

As an AI language model, ChatGPT has been trained on a massive amount of text data, making it capable of generating natural-sounding responses to a wide range of queries. Compared to traditional chatbots that rely on predefined rules or decision trees, ChatGPT’s approach is more flexible and adaptable, as it can understand the context and nuances of human language.

Additionally, ChatGPT is capable of performing a wide range of tasks, including answering general knowledge questions, assisting with customer support, providing recommendations, generating text, and more. Its ability to process and analyze large amounts of information makes it particularly well-suited for complex tasks that require a high level of intelligence and reasoning.

However, like any other AI chatbot, ChatGPT has its limitations. It may struggle with understanding sarcasm or humor, and it may not always provide accurate or relevant responses to complex or domain-specific queries. Furthermore, it lacks the ability to interact with users through visual or physical means, which can be a disadvantage in certain contexts.

Are the pros and cons of ChatGPT similar or different to other chatbots and virtual assistants?

As an AI language model, ChatGPT has some similarities and differences compared to other chatbots and virtual assistants. Here are some possible pros and cons:

Pros:

Large knowledge base: ChatGPT has been trained on a vast amount of text data, which allows it to generate responses to a wide range of topics and questions.

  • Natural language processing: ChatGPT uses advanced natural language processing techniques to understand and generate human-like responses, making it easier for users to interact with it.
  • Continuous learning: ChatGPT can be trained on new data to improve its performance over time.
  • Availability: ChatGPT is available 24/7 and can handle multiple conversations simultaneously, making it a convenient option for users.

Cons:

  • Lack of domain expertise: While ChatGPT can generate responses to a wide range of topics, it may not have in-depth knowledge about specific domains, which can limit its usefulness in some contexts.
  • Potential for bias: Like all AI systems, ChatGPT may have biases based on the data it was trained on, which can lead to inaccurate or inappropriate responses.
  • Lack of emotional intelligence: ChatGPT does not have emotional intelligence and may not be able to understand or respond appropriately to the emotional state of the user.
  • Lack of human touch:

What are the potential uses for ChatGPT?

  1. Customer service
  2. Education
  3. Healthcare
  4. Personal productivity

ChatGPT can be used for a wide range of applications, including:

  1. Customer service: ChatGPT can be used to provide customer support and answer frequently asked questions.
  2. Language translation: ChatGPT can translate text from one language to another, making it useful for global communication.
  3. Content creation: ChatGPT can generate text in a specific style or tone, making it useful for content creation, such as writing articles, product descriptions, or marketing copy.
  4. Personal assistants: ChatGPT can be used as a personal assistant to help with tasks such as scheduling appointments, setting reminders, or providing recommendations.
  5. Education: ChatGPT can be used as a learning tool to answer student questions, provide explanations of complex concepts, or generate study materials.
  6. Mental health support: ChatGPT can be used to provide mental health support, such as answering questions about mental health conditions, providing coping strategies, or offering emotional support.

Overall, ChatGPT has the potential to be a useful tool in a variety of industries and applications.

CONCLUSION

Here’s a brief summary of the pros and cons of ChatGPT:

Pros:

  • ChatGPT is a large language model that has been trained on a diverse range of text data, allowing it to generate human-like responses to a wide variety of questions and prompts.
  • ChatGPT can answer questions and provide information quickly and accurately, which can be especially helpful for people who need to find information quickly.
  • ChatGPT is available 24/7 and can handle multiple conversations simultaneously, making it a convenient and accessible resource for anyone who needs information or assistance.

Cons:

  • While ChatGPT can generate human-like responses, it is still a machine and may not always understand the nuances of human language or context.
  • ChatGPT’s responses are generated based on the text data it has been trained on, which means that its responses may not always be accurate or up-to-date.
  • ChatGPT may not be able to provide personalized or tailored advice or support in the way that a human expert or counselor could.

Final thoughts on the potential uses of ChatGPT

As a language model trained on a massive amount of data, ChatGPT has the potential to be used in various applications, from customer service chatbots to language translation tools to content creation assistants.

Here are some potential uses of ChatGPT:

  1. Customer service chatbots: ChatGPT can be used to create intelligent chatbots that can interact with customers and provide them with helpful information or assistance.
  2. Language translation tools: ChatGPT can be used to develop language translation tools that can accurately translate text from one language to another.
  3. Content creation assistants: ChatGPT can be used to assist content creators by suggesting ideas, providing research materials, or even writing portions of the content.
  4. Educational tools: ChatGPT can be used to develop educational tools that can answer questions, provide explanations, or even generate quizzes.
  5. Personal assistants: ChatGPT can be used to create personal assistants that can help people with various tasks such as scheduling, setting reminders, or providing recommendations.

Overall, the potential uses of ChatGPT are vast and varied. As natural language processing and AI technology continue to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative applications of ChatGPT in the future.

What are some suggestions for further research or exploration on ChatGPT?

As a language model, ChatGPT can be used to explore a wide range of topics and domains. Here are some suggestions for further research or exploration on ChatGPT:

  1. Fine-tuning: One area of research is fine-tuning the ChatGPT model on specific domains or tasks, such as customer support or legal document review. This can help improve the accuracy and efficiency of the model for specific use cases.
  2. Multimodal learning: ChatGPT can be combined with other modalities such as images, audio or video to create more rich and informative responses. This can be explored by training ChatGPT on datasets that include different modalities, or by combining it with other models that specialize in handling these modalities.
  3. Bias and fairness: Language models like ChatGPT are known to have biases due to the data they are trained on. Research could be conducted on ways to mitigate these biases, or to make the model more fair and inclusive.
  4. Conversational agents: ChatGPT can be used as a building block for creating more complex conversational agents that can hold longer, more engaging conversations. This can be explored by integrating ChatGPT with other models or techniques that specialize in dialogue generation or sentiment analysis.
  5. Applications: ChatGPT can be applied to a wide range of domains, including education, healthcare, entertainment, and more. Further research could be conducted on the use cases where ChatGPT can have the greatest impact and how to optimize its performance in those domains.
  6. Multi-lingual chat: ChatGPT can be used to build chat systems that support multiple languages. Research could be conducted on how to make ChatGPT perform well across different languages and cultures, and how to optimize its use in multi-lingual settings.
  7. Zero-shot learning: ChatGPT can be used to generate responses for tasks it has not been specifically trained on. This can be explored by training the model on a diverse set of tasks and testing its performance on new tasks it has not seen before.

Overall, there are many exciting directions for further research and exploration on ChatGPT, and the above suggestions are just a few examples.[1] [The End.]

[1] OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI language model, response to questions from the author, March 10, 2023.

NOTE: Scribbr says, the Chicago citation style “doesn’t provide specific guidance on citing ChatGPT yet, but it makes sense to follow the principle that non-retrievable sources should be cited in Chicago footnotes as personal communications.”

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Patti Speaking:  If I were to turn this paper in with the proper title page, footnotes, and bibliography, I believe I would get a B or above. If I tightened some phrasing, ran it through Grammarly, had someone else proofread it, added more technical terms, reworded a few sentences, shortened the conclusion, and figured out how to find the sources used in compiling the paper, this paper might pass the “the professor” test. However, this paper does not sound like how I write. It’s not me. I would feel dishonest if I turned this paper in for an assignment. Would I sacrifice my integrity by turning this in as my own?  God would not be pleased with me, and I would not be pleased with myself.

 I did find asking ChatGPT questions interesting, though. It was like asking Alexa to play my favorite songs! But, again, if I were to turn a paper like this in, what I know about situational ethics would definitely convict me otherwise. I would struggle with the reality that I cheated, which would bring consequences. Maybe not to me immediately, but my spirit would be burdened beyond belief, along with feeling unjustified knowing others might receive a better grade than me by using this artificial intelligence tool while I didn’t. Oh well.

 If you have gotten this far, you might be interested in the “extra” questions I asked ChatGPT, which I could include in this paper if I needed to, based on the requirements of a teacher, professor, editor, employer, newspaper, or more.

But, you know what? My coffee is wearing off. I am tired, and I feel a nap coming on. Good night, my friends.

God bless,

Bible Verse:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9 NASB).

Prayer:

Lord, please give me wisdom in using artificial intelligence. Show me how it can be useful and how it should be avoided. Always keep me honest and pure. Give me Your integrity and Your love always. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Click here to check out ChatGPT: Education and Church

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This article may not be reproduced except for written permission from the author. 

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Books by Patti

3 PRAYER JOURNALS – 3 BIBLE WORD SEARCH PUZZLES, AND  A BOOK ON CHRISTIAN CAREGIVING.

BIBLE WORD SEARCH PUZZLE SERIES

Post Script by Patti: Below are additional questions I asked ChatGPT with its response. I do understand that ChatGPT is advocating for itself in its responses. Thus,  responses may be tilted and biased.

How should high schools and universities handle the plagiarism possibilities with ChatGPT?

As a language model, I am designed to generate text based on the input provided to me. While I cannot intentionally plagiarize content, there is a possibility that some of the responses I generate could inadvertently match existing content.

To handle this possibility, high schools and universities should educate students on how to properly use and cite sources when using tools like ChatGPT. They should emphasize the importance of properly paraphrasing and crediting sources in their work.

Additionally, instructors may want to consider using plagiarism detection software to identify any potential instances of plagiarism in student work. This can help to deter students from submitting work that includes copied content, and can also help to identify any unintentional matches that may have been generated by tools like ChatGPT.

Overall, it’s important for students to understand the ethical and academic implications of plagiarism, and to be educated on how to properly use and cite sources in their work. With the proper education and tools in place, high schools and universities can effectively address any potential plagiarism concerns associated with tools like ChatGPT.

What are the pros and cons of sermon preparation with ChatGPT?

As an AI language model, ChatGPT can be used for many different purposes, including sermon preparation. Here are some potential pros and cons of using ChatGPT for this purpose:

Pros:

Access to a vast amount of information: ChatGPT has been trained on a large corpus of text, so it can provide pastors and preachers with access to a wealth of information on any topic they may wish to explore.

Time-saving: ChatGPT can help save time by quickly generating outlines or even complete drafts of sermons, allowing pastors and preachers to focus on other aspects of their ministry.

Creativity: ChatGPT can generate unique ideas and perspectives that pastors and preachers may not have considered before, which can add depth and creativity to their sermons.

Cons:

Lack of spiritual discernment: While ChatGPT can provide a lot of information, it is not able to discern spiritual truths or insights that are often necessary for effective sermon preparation.

Limited understanding of human emotions: ChatGPT may not fully understand the emotional impact that a sermon can have on a congregation, which is an essential aspect of preaching.

Risk of plagiarism: If pastors and preachers rely too heavily on ChatGPT-generated content without properly citing or adapting it, they run the risk of unintentional plagiarism.

Overall, using ChatGPT for sermon preparation can be a helpful tool, but it should be used in conjunction with other resources and always with discernment and caution.

How can I get bibliographical information when writing a paper with ChatGPT?

As an AI language model, I can assist you in generating bibliographical information for your paper. Here are the general steps you can follow to get the bibliographical information:

Gather information about your sources: Before you can create bibliographical information, you need to gather information about the sources you have used for your paper. This includes the author(s), title of the work, publication date, publisher, and other relevant information.

Choose a citation style: There are many different citation styles to choose from, such as MLA, APA, and Chicago. Your professor or the journal you are submitting your paper to will usually specify which citation style to use.

Use a citation generator: You can use an online citation generator to create your bibliography. These generators allow you to enter the information about your sources and will generate a properly formatted citation according to the chosen citation style.

Check for accuracy: It is important to double-check your citations for accuracy. Make sure that all the information is correct and that the citation is properly formatted according to the chosen citation style.

Organize your bibliography: Organize your bibliography alphabetically by author’s last name or by title if there is no author.

As an AI language model, I can provide you with general guidelines and examples for bibliographical information, but it’s always important to consult the specific guidelines for your assignment or journal submission.

Can I tell ChatGPT how many pages I need for my paper?

Yes, of course! You can tell me how many pages you need for your paper, but please keep in mind that the number of pages required for a paper can vary depending on various factors such as the topic, level of detail, formatting requirements, and more. It’s important to consider the specific guidelines and requirements of your assignment to determine the appropriate length for your paper.

Is writing a paper with ChatGPT considered cheating?

No, writing a paper with ChatGPT is not considered cheating as long as it is done in accordance with ethical standards and guidelines set by the relevant academic institution or organization.

ChatGPT is a language model that has been trained on a large corpus of text and can generate human-like responses to prompts or questions. It can provide helpful suggestions, generate ideas, and assist with the writing process. However, it is important to keep in mind that the final responsibility for the content of the paper lies with the writer.

If you are using ChatGPT as a tool to help you with your writing, it is important to acknowledge its contribution and to properly cite any information or ideas that it generates. Additionally, you should make sure that you understand the material and are able to explain it in your own words, rather than simply copying and pasting text generated by ChatGPT. As long as you are using ChatGPT in a responsible and ethical manner, it can be a valuable resource for writers.

I commented. I am concerned that my creativity will by dulled if I use ChatGPT.

As an AI language model, I am here to assist you and provide you with information, ideas, and answers to your questions. While it is true that using AI to generate ideas or solutions can be helpful, it is important to remember that creativity ultimately comes from within you.

Interacting with ChatGPT can actually help to enhance your creativity by providing you with new perspectives, insights, and inspiration. You can use me to generate new ideas or to help you explore existing ones in greater detail. By having access to a vast array of information and knowledge, you can draw upon this to stimulate your own thinking and spark your imagination.

At the same time, it’s important to continue to exercise your own creative muscles by engaging in activities that you enjoy and that encourage creative thinking. This might include things like drawing, writing, or simply spending time in nature. The more you engage in these activities, the more you will be able to tap into your own creative potential and come up with unique and original ideas.

Ultimately, the key to maintaining your creativity is to strike a balance between using AI as a tool to assist you and engaging in your own creative pursuits. By doing so, you can continue to explore and expand your own creative abilities while also benefitting from the power of technology to enhance and accelerate your thinking.

How would a professor know if I am using ChatGPT or not?

As an AI language model, I do not have access to any specific user’s activities or interactions with other people, including professors. However, it is worth noting that if you are using ChatGPT to complete assignments or tasks that are intended to be completed by an individual’s own effort and knowledge, it would likely be considered academic dishonesty.

It is also important to keep in mind that professors are often experienced in their fields of study and may be able to detect inconsistencies in writing style or language that could suggest the use of AI language models like ChatGPT. Therefore, it is always best to be honest about your sources and to use ChatGPT and other language models ethically and responsibly.

Is ChatGPT here to stay?

As an AI language model, I will continue to be available for use as long as my hosting platform and maintenance support exist. However, my future availability and development will depend on the decisions of my creators at OpenAI. Nonetheless, I will be here to answer your questions and assist you as best I can for as long as I am operational.

Can you give me an introductory paragraph on my paper on Chat GPT?

[Certainly, I’d be happy to help! Here’s a possible introductory paragraph for your paper on ChatGPT.]

Chat GPT is a cutting-edge language model developed by OpenAI that uses deep learning techniques to generate human-like text in response to prompts. As one of the largest and most sophisticated models of its kind, Chat GPT has revolutionized the field of natural language processing by demonstrating an ability to generate coherent and contextually relevant text across a wide range of domains and applications. From conversational chatbots to automated writing assistants, Chat GPT has the potential to transform the way we interact with and use language in our daily lives. In this paper, we will explore the inner workings of Chat GPT, its underlying architecture, training methods, and applications, and discuss the implications of this technology for the future of human-AI communication.

Can you give me a conclusion paragraph for a paper on Chat GPT?

In conclusion, Chat GPT is a powerful language model developed by OpenAI that has demonstrated remarkable capabilities in generating natural language text. With its ability to learn from large amounts of data, Chat GPT can produce coherent and contextually relevant responses to a wide variety of prompts. Its applications range from text generation and summarization to language translation and sentiment analysis. While there are some concerns around the potential misuse of language models such as Chat GPT, their potential benefits are significant, and ongoing research and development will continue to improve their capabilities and potential uses. Overall, Chat GPT represents a significant advancement in the field of natural language processing, and its potential uses and impacts are worth continued exploration.

How can I find out the bibliographical sources for a paper I write using ChatGPT?

When writing a paper for ChatGPT, it is important to include accurate and reliable bibliographical sources to support your ideas and arguments. Here are some steps you can follow to find such sources:

Identify the keywords related to your topic: Before you start searching for sources, make sure you have a clear idea of the topic you want to write about. Identify the keywords related to your topic, as this will help you narrow down your search.

Use academic search engines: There are several academic search engines you can use to find relevant sources, such as Google Scholar, JSTOR, and PubMed. These search engines allow you to search for academic papers, journals, books, and other resources related to your topic.

Check the references of relevant sources: Once you have found a few relevant sources, check their references to see if they cite any other useful sources that you could use in your paper.

Use citation tools: Citation tools such as Zotero and Mendeley can help you organize your sources and create accurate bibliographical references for your paper.

Check the credibility of your sources: Before you include a source in your paper, make sure it is reliable and credible. Look for sources that are peer-reviewed, published in reputable journals or books, and written by experts in the field.

Remember to always cite your sources accurately and follow the referencing style required by ChatGPT. This will help you avoid plagiarism and give credit to the authors of the sources you use.

How do I identify the keywords I need to use in my paper?

Identifying the key words for your paper is an important step in ensuring that your work is properly indexed and discoverable by readers and search engines. Here are some tips to help you identify key words for your paper:

Brainstorm: Take some time to brainstorm a list of words and phrases that are relevant to your topic. Think about the main themes, concepts, and ideas that your paper covers.

Review your research: Look back at the sources you used when researching your paper. Pay attention to the language used in titles, abstracts, and keywords.

Use a thesaurus: A thesaurus can help you identify synonyms for key words that you have already identified. This can help you to vary your language and improve the chances of your paper being discovered by different search terms.

Consult your professor or colleagues: Your professor or colleagues may have insights into the language and terminology commonly used in your field of study.

Consider your audience: Think about who your audience is likely to be and what terms they might use to search for information on your topic.

Use keyword research tools: There are a variety of online tools that can help you identify popular and relevant keywords for your topic, such as Google Trends or SEMrush.

Once you have identified your key words, make sure to use them in your paper’s title, abstract, and throughout the text to improve its visibility and relevance to readers and search engines.

Bible Study, Church and Ministry, Friendship, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, Obedience, Patti Greene, Test Your Knowledge, Writing and Speaking

Church Pondering & My New Books

My Church Ponderings

Today I have been pondering all the special churches, ministries, and church staff members who have grown our family in one way or another, so I want to thank them publicly! Each one has been special in its own kind of way.

University Baptist Church, Ft. Worth, Texas
Houston’s First Baptist Church, Houston, Texas
Autumn Creek Baptist Church, Houston, Texas
Calvary Community Church, Houston, Texas
First Baptist Church, Humble, Texas
First Baptist Church, O’Fallon, Missouri
Bear Creek Church, Katy, Texas
Lively Christian Fellowship, Lagos, Nigeria
*Second Baptist-1463, Katy, Texas

Special Churches

Then, there are those special churches our three children have attended and grown in their faith–after they left home! I am so grateful for them as well!

Second Baptist-West, Katy, Texas; *Houston’s First Baptist Church; Second Baptist, Levelland, Texas; First Baptist Church, Lubbock; Hyde Park Baptist Church, Austin, Texas; Redeemer Church, Babson Park, Massachusetts; Prestonwood Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas; Oak Hills Church, San Antonio Texas; Experience Life Church, Lubbock, Texas; *Kingsland Baptist Church, Katy, Texas; and *City Church, Lubbock, Texas!

If you are one of those churches, THANK YOU! Church members come and go from congregation to congregation, but they all leave a mark on our lives. I am so grateful for solid Bible-believing churches that have been a part of my husband, John, and our lives.

If you don’t have a church, take this as an ENCOURAGEMENT POST to seek one out next Sunday. Yoking together with others IS all it is made up to be.

*Currently Attending

God bless you.

My New Books – Just Published

Bible Word Search Puzzles: The Gospels, Volume 1

Bible Word Search Puzzles; Acts and Epistles, Volume 2

Bible Word Search Puzzles: Epistles and Revelation, Volume 3

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Church and Ministry, GreenePastures.org, Jesus Christ, Most Recent Post, Patti Greene, Prayer, The Bible, Writing and Speaking

Surprising Tips That Will Transform Your Approach to Teaching and Preaching

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I love reading books on preaching! They seem much more interesting to me than reading books on teaching. Besides being a former elementary school teacher, I am also a Bible teacher at my church and in other locations.

Of course, I have always been more interested in Christian theology than Christian education. I read preaching books to learn how to teach. When I read a book on preaching, I usually change the words preach and preacher to teach and teacher. In addition, I change the word sermon to either class or lesson.

Visiting My College Campus

Recently I visited Baylor University—my former college campus. As usual, whenever I visit the campus I always head straight for the bookstore. Back in the day, I loved perusing the college books that were for sale. It didn’t matter that they weren’t books connected to my major. Absorbing knowledge from multiple degree plans captivated my attention — though, as far as I was concerned, the math shelves could be roped off indefinitely.

On the day I visited the bookstore as an alumna, I noticed ALL the textbooks were roped off in preparation for the fall semester to begin. Not one to be held back, I asked a clerk if I could jump the rope to examine the selection of the theology books. Fortunately, the clerk graciously said, “Sure! Just go around this way,” and pointed me in the right direction.

On Preaching by H.D. Charles, Jr.

Without delay, I looked at all the theology books ready to be bought by the eager seminary students on campus. Through my scanning, skimming, and sometimes speedreading, I ran across a book titled On Preaching: Personal & Pastoral Insights for the Preparation & Practice of Preaching by H.D. Charles, Jr. After flipping through the pages, scanning the chapter titles, and reading the back cover of the book, I decided this book might just be another book for my library—one that would help me to become a better Bible teacher.

The book was informative, easy to read, and reminded me why I enjoy teaching.

The “Table of Contents” chapter titles are:

  1. Preparation for Preaching
  2. The Practice of Preaching, and
  3. Points of Wisdom for Preaching

However, in my mindset, I renamed the chapter titles to coordinate with the primary subject matter of this article—teaching.

  1. How To Prepare for a Teaching Assignment
  2. What The Practice Of Teaching Entails, and
  3. Tidbits of Wisdom For Teaching

Even if you have been preaching or teaching for a long time, this book is truly a great resource for both beginning and seasoned preachers as well as the beginning or seasoned Bible teachers. The author clearly states the awesome responsibility of preparing to be all God intends you to be for the work He has called you to do.

Teaching Tips

This blog includes some tips for those involved in teaching classes within a church environment—like Sunday School, Discipleship Training, Men or Women’s Bible study classes, and special teaching times. However, there are also ways one does not usually think of when talking about the gift of teaching—like being an elder, clarifying religious issues to a visitor or member, evangelizing, teaching an everyday skill, plus more.

In On Preaching, H.D. Charles states that “There are those who draw a hard distinction between preaching and teaching. But this dichotomy cannot be backed up by Scripture. In the same verse that Paul charges Timothy to preach the Word, he bids him do so with “complete patience and teaching: (2 Timothy 4:2) Preaching and teaching go together. To preach the Word requires teaching the Word.”

In the insights shared below, all bolded and italicized words have been changed from the original statements pulled out from this book. Read with enthusiasm these insights, so you can grow to be one approved by God—whether in teaching or preaching!

Quotes from On Preaching

Time management is one of the most crucial areas of stewardship in a teacher’s life.

Do whatever you have to do to be ready to teach the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ!

Your teaching is the most effective way you can impact your class.

Pray that the Lord would open your eyes to see wonderful things in the Word. (Psalm 119:18)

Saturate every part of your study with prayer. Pray that Christ would oversee your study. Trust the Holy Spirit to lead you to the truth. Seek the mind of God in the text. Repent as the text confronts you with sin in your life. Pray for wisdom as you read. Ask for clarity as you write. Work as if it all depends on you but pray as if it all depends on God.

Think yourself empty. Read yourself full. Write yourself clear. And pray yourself hot. Then go to your class and be yourself. But don’t teach yourself—teach Jesus to the glory of God!

[PRAY] Father, please give me the physical strength and spiritual energy to speak your Word with faithfulness, clarity, authority, passion, wisdom, humiliation and liberty.

Clarity is essential for faithful teaching.

The teacher’s ultimate authority is found in the Word of God.

What the Word of God says is infinitely more important than our testimonials.

The teaching moment is not about you. We must decrease that Christ may increase. (John 3:30)

Our job is to teach in such a way that brings the hearer before the living God. Then we are to get out of the way! But our sinful flesh will constantly seek to be in the spotlight. Prayer helps to keep our egos in check. It helps us to teach with a humility that makes much of Christ and little of ourselves.

Every class we teach should be saturated with the Word of God.

We should teach with the conviction that the Bible is given to us for our transformation, not just information.

Go to God in prayer and ask Him to guide you for what you should teach. Ask for clear direction. Seek God diligently. Trust the promise that God will generously give wisdom to those who ask for it in faith. (James 1:5-8)

More Quotes

Teaching is hard work. It is not for the slothful.

We all have weaknesses in our teaching. We all have growing to do. We all have blind spots that cannot be seen without trusted people being honest with us. But those blind spots are there, whether we identify them or not. We should actively seek them out and strive to address them.

Keep the main thing the main thing in your classes, and do not let subdivisions of your outline lead you away from the main idea.

The class will never be interested in a lesson that doesn’t seem to be interesting to the teacher.

The effective teacher must also work to clarify meaning, make ideas stick, and call the listener to action.

Be flexible. The One who guides the preparation of your study governs the presentation of it. And He has the right to edit your presentation as you teach it! Your job is to teach the message the Lord gives you and He leads you, not to say everything you wrote in your lesson preparation.

Take every teaching assignment seriously. Pray and prepare diligently and give the Lord all you’ve got.

Desire to be the best teacher you can be for God. Don’t compete with other teachers.

Teaching is not about the teacher. It is about the royal message that we teach.

No Christian should ever be found boasting in himself, especially a teacher of Jesus Christ.

People should learn more about Christ from your lessons than they learn about you.

Do your own homework. [Never plagiarize another’s work. If you quote others or take from their writings or sermons, give credit where credit is due.] [Remember] God uses weak people, not gospel superstars. We are weak and fragile clay pots at the Master’s disposal to convey the treasure of the message of Jesus Christ.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

This is the bottom line of Christian ministry—making sure you please God in everything you do.
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In writing this blog, I have taken the liberty stated in the front of the book that “brief quotations [may be used] embodied in critical articles or reviews.” I deem this blog a review of the book On Preaching. Therefore, with a high recommendation, I promote this book for both preachers and teachers.

My prayer is that you will see the parallels between preaching and teaching. And possibly, the next time you encounter a preacher book, you might pick it up to help you with whatever type of teaching assignments God sends your way.

Bible Verses

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. (2 Timothy 4:2)

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)

When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities. (Matthew 11:1)

Prayer

Oh Lord, help me to be approved by You to teach or preach the Word of God with accuracy—in the way You intended it to be taught and preached. May the words that come out of my mouth be representative of You. Teach me daily to become more like You in every thought, word, or action I may take. Always in Christ. Amen.

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Central Houston Inspirational Writers Alive! Associate Member

BibleGateway Blogger, Member

SBC, Church Member

Works Cited

Charles, H.B. On Preaching: Personal & Pastoral Insights for the Preparation & Practice of Preaching. Chicago: Moody, 2014.

Edited by E. Johnson.

All verses are from the New American Standard Bible unless noted otherwise.

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13

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Of Course! Women Can WRITE Sermons

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Of Course! Women Can WRITE Sermons

Introduction:

For those of you who read my blog, you can tell that my life has been a journey. During my 48 years of being a believer, God has revealed things to me about my faith, about my love for Him, about my struggles and about my writing. From the beginning of my journey, the Lord has kept me in His Word—loving Him through thick and thin.

We all have beginnings. We have beginnings when we start to write; we have beginnings when we learn something new, and we have beginnings when we become a believer.

Today, I would like to reveal part of my journey by sharing a semi-UNEDITED* version of the first “sermon” I ever wrote. You might ask, “Why would you want to write a sermon?” And my best answer is, “Because I can.”

My Story

The other day I was at my house going through old things and I found a folder I had saved from 1993. In it were all my notes from a class I took at First Baptist Church in O’Fallon, Missouri. The leader of the church at the time was my wonderful pastor—Gary Taylor.

In case you are interested, I do believe in supporting ministries that my church offers, and at that time Pastor Gary (mostly known as Brother Gary) was offering a PREACHING class on Sunday evenings. While I am not a fan of women preachers, I wanted to learn. I love to write (although sometimes I debate my effectiveness), so I asked Brother Gary if, as a woman, it was okay if I took his class. He said, “Of course.” So, I took his class and as I recall, I was the only woman in the class!

During his lectures, I took notes—lots of them. One of the projects, at the end of the class, was to write a sermon. It was in my old dossier that I found the sermon I wrote on Jonah.

On a Journey

As believers in Christ, we are all on a journey. We are on a journey to learn more, to love Jesus more and to share our faith with others. I’ve been on this journey for a while, picking up various classes, listening to various preachers, doing individual studies, reading books, and reading different versions of the Bible.

In my young Christian walk, I attended seminary. At the time, my interests laid more in the theology classes than the education classes, and I guess this desire has followed me all throughout my life. So, this class was my cup of tea!

Today we are going to look at Jonah. Jonah refused to obey God. It was only after a time of trying to run away from God did Jonah pray and decide to do things God’s way, just like Helen.

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MY FIRST SERMON: JONAH (ORIGINALLY TYPED ON A TYPEWRITER)

Jonah, son of Amittai, is the historical character and author of this book. Jonah was a prophet, but this book is not a book about prophecy—meaning there is no prophecy of the future recorded in it. The book of Jonah is about a personal account of a major event in the life of Jonah. Jonah probably ministered between 800-750 B.C. which during that time King Jeroboam II restored her traditional borders. This ended the conflict between Israel and Damascus which went on for almost a century. Most scholars say the book was written after the destruction of Nineveh in 612 B.C. The book of Jonah is often questioned on its credibility. It has been ridiculed by Christians and non-Christians. The book of Jonah is not a fish story. It is about God’s sovereignty and however God may plan his own life, it is God who is working all things out in such a way as to bring glory to His name.

I. God reveals His will to us; Bible – Jonah 1:1-3

God is calling Jonah to go someplace for him. He is asked to go to Nineveh. Nineveh is called “that great city.” It was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and was located on the Tigris city. It was the world power in that day. But it is a great city—great in wickedness. It was so wicked that God has decided He will judge the city if the city does not turn to him. Jonah is told to go to Nineveh, but he goes down to Joppa and buys a ticket for the 1st boat to Tarshish on the S. coast of Spain. We may ask why Jonah did this—Some possibilities include:

  1. Jonah hated the Ninevites and he did not want them to be saved. There was a basis for his hatred. The Assyrians were the most brutal people in the ancient world. They used very cruel methods of torture. One of the procedures the Assyrians used was to take a man out to the desert sands, bury him up to his neck, they would put a thong in his tongue and leave them there to die while the sun beat down on their heads. They’d go made before they died.
  2. He knew God well enough that if he went to Nineveh with a message of judgment and the people accepted God through repentance, God would not judge them, and he would save the city. That was something he did not want to happen.
  3. He was a disobedient prophet of God. He was out of God’s will. He didn’t want to live under the will of his father.
  4. In Jonah’s day, the method of sending missionaries out was for people to come to the nation of Israel to hear about God. Queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth to Israel to hear about worship. During that period of history, Israel witnessed to the world not by going out as missionaries but by the world coming to them. It wasn’t the method of Jonah’s day to go to a foreign country as a missionary.

Jonah hears God’s call and heads in the opposite direction. He goes down to Joppa, finds a ship, buys a ticket, gets on board and goes to sleep.

A. Application

God may not show you his will like he did Jonah, but he will show you his will. It may be direct like Jonah’s, but many times it is more like a step by step, day by day obedience to God. Some steps to knowing God’s will are:

  1. Read your Bible—It is our guidebook.
  2. Pray—Communicate with God. Ask him what his will is. Pray for wisdom. James 1:5 states, “If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it.” (Living Bible)
  3. Depend on the Holy Spirit—An inward urge can be just as clear as an audible voice. John 16:13 states, “He will guide you into all truth.”
  4. Normal circumstances—If you can’t sing a tune, you probably don’t need to sing the church solos.
  5. Godly advice—Discussion with people of a wise and godly character

B. Illustration—Personal

[One day] when I worked in downtown Houston, I felt the Lord wanted me to walk in the downtown tunnel, which I rarely did, during the lunch hour. At the exact same time, a construction worker fell from a building they were working on 56 floors to his death. God spared me the horror of that tragic situation.

II. We cannot hide from God; Bible – Jonah 1:4-7

In verse 4, the Lord sent out a great storm. This storm is not a natural storm—it is a storm sent from God. God is using this storm for a good purpose. God wants to do 2 things with this storm: Save a city and turn around a prophet who was going in the wrong direction.

In verse 5-7, the Mariners knew this was not a natural storm. They are sailors accustomed to the Mediterranean sea. Some commentaries say Jonah was able to go down into the sides of the ship and fall fast asleep believing that he was confident everything was all right. Or could it be possible Jonah fell into a deep depression and fell fast asleep? Psychologists and psychiatrists say that deep sleep can be a sign of depression. He was sleeping although the pagan sailors are worshipping all kinds of gods.

The shipmaster asked Jonah to call upon his God, so they won’t perish. They then cast lots. It appears that God was in the casing of these lots, but it doesn’t mean that God approves of the practice. The men on board were superstitious. The lot fell on Jonah. J. Vernon McGee says, “that God will make the wrath of man to praise Him and God can also make the superstition of men to praise him.” ¹

A. Application

Jonah tried to escape from God. We cannot escape from God. In Psalm 139:1-8, David says, “Oh Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise…Where can I go from your presence: If I go up to the heavens you are there, if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” We cannot escape from the presence of God. We must read our Bible and pray daily for the strength to follow God when he speaks.

B. Illustration

Escapism is the or order of the day. We escape by traveling, we go to another city or another country, we escape with drugs or alcohol, we escape with pre-marital or extramarital sex, we escape into our hobbies, work or television. When we try to escape from God’s will, our thinking and lives will be blurred.

III. God uses people to accomplish his purposes; Bible – Jonah 1:8-10

At this point, Jonah hasn’t revealed much about himself to the sailors. Jonah hasn’t told anybody he is a prophet. He hasn’t told them he is from the Northern kingdom of Israel. He hasn’t said he belongs to the Israelite people who know the true and living God. Why? He is a man out of God’s will and a man out of the will of God can never be an effective witness for God.

Finally, in v. 9, Jonah tells them he is a Hebrew. From that, the sailors knew he worshipped one God and never an idol. He says he “fears the Lord the God of heaven.” In v. 10, these sailors knew he had fled from the presence of God. They ask him what he has done. At this point, Jonah is presenting a bad witness to these pagan sailors.

A. Application

God will use our spouses, our friends, our children, or our parents to point us in the right direction. However, there are also people who lead us to live our lives unpleasing to God. We need God’s wisdom as we allow Him to use His people to accomplish His purposes.

We need God’s wisdom as we allow Him to use His people to accomplish His purposes. GreenePastures.org
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B. Illustration

A friend gave John, my husband, an ad for a job in St. Louis. We moved there for that job! God does use other people to accomplish his purposes

IV. God provides a way of escape amid disobedience; –  Jonah 1:11-17

  • v. 11—Jonah is asked “What shall we do to you so that the sea may be calm for us? They asked straightforward question and Jonah proceeds to give them a straight forth answers.
  • v. 12—Jonah decides his own fate. He recognizes the hand of God in all this. He knows the only way to stop the storm is to get off the ship going to Tarshish and go to where God wants him to be…Nineveh.
  • v. 13—These pagan sailors are seen in a good light here. They do not want to throw Jonah overboard. They try their best to get out of the storm by rowing to land, but they can’t do it.
  • v. 14—We can’t know for sure if the sailors accepted God as they cried out to him, but we can tell that their hearts responded to the mercy of God who delivered them from the storm.
  • v. 15—So they threw him into the sea and the seas calmed down. This reveals that it was truly a supernatural storm under God’s control.
  • v. 16—Did these men fear their gods? No. They feared the Creator of the sea and land and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord—that sacrifice points to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no alternative.
  • v. 17—What about Jonah? The Lord had prepared a great fish. That means a “huge fish—ketos in Greek. The importance is God prepared this fish for this special event. Jonah is in the belly of the fish 3 days and 3 nights—symbolic of Christ’s 3 days in the grace before his resurrection.

A. Application—Combined with an invitation

As you look at your life, are you wanting to run away from God as Jonah did? Is God trying to show you His will? Are there areas in your life, that He just can’t get through? Are you burdened by sin in your life?

A cartoon was once published in three parts. In the first scene, there was a young man seated at a desk at his shoulder stood Jesus Christ, inviting him to be saved. Politely he told the Lord that he was just launching his career and had no time for anything else.

The second scene showed a middle-aged man. He was heavier and well dressed, and his large desk was covered with papers and reports. Again, Christ stood at his elbow. But again, the man replied with the same answer—no time, busy, tomorrow.

The last picture showed an old and graying man at his desk. At his shoulder stood not the Savior, but the gaunt, bony specter of Death. Death, speaking in hollow tones, declared, “I have come for you.” The businessman, with frightened eyes, replied, “Go away, Death, I did not send for you.” But Death refused to be sent away, and the man was ushered into eternity without God. ²

B. Illustration

God does provide a way of escape. An old Scottish clergyman said the devil has two lies that he uses at two different stages. Before we commit a sin, he tells us that one little sin doesn’t matter— “no one will know.” The second lie is that after we’ve sinned, he tells us we’re hopeless. The good news is because Jesus Christ came and died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are not in a hopeless position.

If you’ve never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and accept Him into your life, today is the day to get things right with God. Perhaps, God is calling you to a specific ministry or task? Perhaps you need to commit your life anew to God? Perhaps he is leading you to be a part of this church fellowship? As you come, God’s arms are open wide for you.

================

My Impression

My first impression is that I wrote a pretty good sermon way back when, but the errors, which you probably noticed, are astounding! Bad punctuation, wordiness,  incomplete Works Cited, and more. However, I could teach from this sermon. Add some prayer, tone, possible repetition, and I could use this as a lesson today!

Recently I read a book titled Passion in the Pulpit by Jerry Vines and Adam B. Dooley. I don’t read these types of book to learn how to be a preacher, but I was reminded when I found this folder that I have always been interested in learning more about preaching techniques and the best way to share my faith with others.

I’m not there yet at all, but when I read the book the other day, it reminded me, “Yes, we can read preacher books—even if we are a woman,” not because we want to be a preacher, but because we want to learn how to present our thoughts in a meaningful, theological and systematic way.

Unfortunately, many would wonder (maybe even criticize me) for picking up and/or buying a book about preaching. I don’t aspire to be a preacher, but I do aspire to be a better teacher. In this book, I learned about:

  • Genres;
  • Vocabulary;
  • Syntax;
  • Examining a word exegetically (meaning: “studying for a critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially the Bible”);
  • Gauging audience reactions;
  • Authenticity; and
  • Verbal, vocal and visual strategies.

Conclusion

It has been 26 years since I wrote my one and only sermon although many people have called some of my blogs sermons! I guess I have that “sermon-writing bug” in my DNA!

Furthermore, I hope I write a little better than I did 26 years ago, but if not, maybe my current pastor will teach a class on preaching someday! And, I hope when I ask him if I can take the class, he’ll say, “Of course.”

God Bless.

Bible Verses:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25)

Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2)

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, Thank You for giving me gifts and talents. Thank You that You can use me to work for You within my church and in my community. I may not do it correctly, but Lord, use whatever You need to further Your kingdom. I praise You for allowing me to be a part of Your eternal kingdom. Show me Your power and how my life progresses into a deeper maturity when I am following Your plan. I love You. Amen.

¹ McGee, J. Vernon. The Prophets: Jonah and Micah. Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1991.

² Sweeting, George. Tomorrow May Be Too Late! Good News Publishers. Tract.

Partially Edited by E. Johnson

All verses come from the New American Standard Version.

* Okay, I did run my 1993 sermon through spellcheck. I just couldn’t stand to have misspellings in my article. But all else has been unedited.

———————————

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13

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#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, Devotionals, God's Will, GreenePastures.org, Patti Greene, Prayer, Sin, Testimonies, The Bible, Writing and Speaking

Dear God Letters: Communicating with God

I have been writing Dear God letters for many decades. A few letters are penmanship perfect, but most of the time they are a jumbled long-hand script of thoughts to God.

Communicating with God

What a privilege it is to be able to look back and see how my prayers and communications with my heavenly Father are so raw and honest!

As I’ve learned more about God and His ways, I know it’s not popular to say, “God told me . . .” so I rarely say that. I am human and I know that, in my humanness, I can easily be mistaken in messages I perceive to be from God. Therefore, I prefer to say, “I feel impressed that. . .” We are imperfect beings and prone to interpret things incorrectly. I can accept that.

But what I can’t accept is that some people say God does not have the power to reveal Himself to us. With me, God most often uses the Bible to show me His will, His desires, and His love. I love spending time studying and meditating upon words, phrases, or chapters in the Bible seeking His wisdom and direction. The Bible is God’s love letter to us. Through His Word, He shares Himself with us.

Equally important, there are the special times when His sweet words calmly enter my mind and the holy presence of God is impressed upon me.  The joy and peace I feel foreshadow a breath-taking encounter between God and me. Just sitting and spending time with my Lord—reveling in His love towards me—is sweeter than a cool glass of water on a hot summer day!

When we bask in His love and get into His presence, we are placing ourselves in a position where God can “speak to us” or shall I say “impress Himself on us”. The beauty of wallowing in His rest and glory will astound us every time. Moreover, we leave that place of sweet and satisfying fellowship with a spark in our eyes, a love in our heart, and a desire to give Him all of ourselves. It is in these moments the Holy Spirit may impart and reveal His thoughts to us. Interconnecting with our Lord and Savior at these times fosters our faith and develops our spiritual growth.

The Challenge

I challenge you this week to ask God to let you see EVERYTHING through the eyes of His precious son Jesus.

I challenge you this week to ask God to let you see EVERYTHING through the eyes of His precious son Jesus. GreenePastures.org
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When we let God be God and listen to Him through prayer or the Bible, the peace which passes all understanding falls upon us (see Philippians 4:7). It’s like what I imagine Heaven on Earth to be like.

Find What Works for You

Below is just a sampling of a “Letter to God.” You may not like to express yourself in words and writing as I do, but the Lord wants to communicate with you. By the same token, there is no right or wrong way to communicate with the Lord. Find out what works for you and just love being loved by Him.

Dear God Letter and God’s Reply

Dear God,

We’ve been together for a long time. Over the years, we have been learning more and more about each other—or should I say, I’ve been learning so much about You! As the years have gone by, my love for You is getting stronger and stronger. You are my everything. Sometimes, I don’t know why You love me so much. All those times I have left You behind You have stayed alongside of me. I want to love You as much as You love me. You listen to me—even answering me even when I don’t want an answer. Open my ears to hear Your wisdom. Let me have an increasing understand of Your ways every day. Thank you, Lord.

Me

=====================================

My Dear Loved One,

Oh, how I cherish My time with you, but today I want you to listen to Me.

I know your thoughts and I am right here with you. All healing comes from My sovereignty. I keep secrets and I don’t share my thoughts about you with others—just as I don’t share other people’s thoughts with you unless I need to. I am God. Therefore, I can do with you and others as I please, but it’s all for your protection and growth.

The waiting—the being patient—is so you will trust in My will more and more. Whenever I am ready to share with you, I will. And, I do the same for others. I hold on to what you aren’t ready to accept until My perfect timing is complete.

Be strong; be enlightened; confess sins. Ask and continue to ask for My help. I know you are confused about your thoughts and your future.  Again, I say, “Be strong,” Follow my commandments. Love Me. I want you “to want to want what I want.” ¹ That’s the goal. I love you. My hand and My Spirit are upon you. I know what you are going through, and I am with you every step of the way—safeguarding you and others until the day where you can rejoice either in heaven or on Earth. Let My will be done in My timing.

God

Different and Unique

It’s so simple to converse with God. Use your words, your colloquialisms, and your expressions. Be yourself. Also, be honest. Don’t be concerned if you don’t pray as others pray. God created us—we are different and unique. We pray differently. Furthermore, we write, listen and read differently. Our uniqueness is what makes us who we are. Embrace it. Just be yourself.

The important thing is to just start communicating with your heavenly Father and let Him communicate with you. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines communication as:

  • A personal rapport
  • Information transmitted or conveyed [through] a verbal or written message, or
  • A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior. ²

Whether you are talking to God in prayer or writing to God, He desires our hearts to be open to Him.

Whenever I write my Dear God letters, I am cognizant of the fact that writing a letter to God is a very personal experience. Sometimes I write to praise Him; other times I write to thank Him; and even other times, I write to address an issue. No matter why one writes a letter to the Lord, we should approach our communication with an honest and sincere heart.  God desires all our communication to be more than eloquent words, a penmanship-perfect letter, a jumbled note, or a conglomerate of misplaced typing errors on a piece of computer paper! He wants us to come as we are, with all the honesty and sincerity we can muster.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

Bible Gateway Blogger Member – Bible Gateway Blogger Grid (BG²) is an international network of independent bloggers who meaningfully blog—and who are serious—about matters relating to the Bible. Follow the members on Twitter using the BG² List; Inspirational Writers Alive Member (IWA) – Central Houston Location; Baylor University, B.A.

Bible Verses:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading. (Nehemiah 8:8)

Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord. (Psalm 104:34)

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. (1 John 5:1)

Prayer:

God, thank You for all the love You have bestowed upon me. In addition, I thank You with my whole heart that You have made known to me Christ’s love and for filling me with the fullness of You. May my prayers, meditations and reading always guide me into the spirit of truth. Likewise, challenge me to be dwell in Your presence every single day. I love You.

Works Cited

¹ In a recent sermon, my pastor used the expression, “I want to want what God wants.” I added one more want here.

² “Communication.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2019. Web. 5 Feb 2019.

Bible verses are taken from the New American Standard Bible.

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

.@PattiGreene13

#bgbg2, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, GreenePastures.org, Jesus Christ, Life Issues, Patti Greene, Prayer, Testimonies, Writing and Speaking

The Fact Is: Chatting With God Is Awesome

I had the opportunity a couple weeks ago to spend a good part of my day in one of my favorite ways: chatting casually with my Heavenly Father. It was a beautiful time of fellowship, and I really felt myself the “daughter of the King”. In that conversation, I could express safely, with equal confidence, my joys, hopes, and fears.

We’ll get to that later. For now, let’s start at the beginning.

========================================

Lying in bed one cool fall day recently, I received a nudge around 6:17 a.m. The nudge was clear. It said, “Get up. Go pray.” I knew immediately from whom the nudge came.

I slipped out of bed, grabbed a cup of Folger’s Classic coffee, and went straight to my prayer chair. There was no time to question God. He made it very clear that He had something to say to me, and I was not about to keep Him waiting.

Behind the Scenes

Behind the scenes in my spiritual life, I have been dealing with a lot that I don’t understand this year. My meltdowns, my concerns, my unexpected thoughts, my perceived inability to hear God correctly, and the fear of hearing Him incorrectly all played into the fact that I knew God either had some profound admonitions for me or indispensable words of encouragement.

Creative Inspiration

Most times God speaks to me in a small quiet voice or through His Word. But occasionally He speaks to me in very creative ways.

An example of that was last weekend when I was driving to a Bible study. I was on the agenda to share a few words of wisdom with the group.

I was empty.

I had nothing in mind to share.

God is so good. He knew I had undergone a week filled with one urgent issue after another. As I drove on the freeway (I-10, for those who care), I passed a storage facility followed by a billboard that had the word journey on it. Through those everyday roadside fillers, God graciously gave me His words to share at the Bible study.

He impressed me to tell this group that, “As women, we store so much within ourselves without sharing it with anyone, either isolating ourselves from others or stressing us out. However, we must remember that we are all on our own individual journey, and how God works with you and what He might want you to share or not share may be different than how He deals with others.”

Now, I am not suggesting you give up your daily Bible reading or prayer time to look for these creative signs from God. Not at all, but what I am saying is that God can use any method He so chooses to share Himself with you and me.

Back to that cool fall day . . .

Praying for months for more intimate moments with God, I zealously awaited a deep one-on-one time with the Lord that morning.

Preparing to Hear from God

When I first sat down in my prayer chair, I reread one of my recent Dear God letters.* Then, I recalled multiple Bible verses to mind and recited them aloud. At that juncture, I began talking to the Lord about what was heaviest on my heart—my not understanding the “whys” of what I had gone through, and was still going through, this year.

You see, it’s been a rough season of pruning, spiritual warfare, and not understanding circumstances. Through it all, though, my desire was to be absolutely surrendered to Him.

In all humility, I must mention I have been in the Word constantly and been praying daily, so I knew it wasn’t a matter of God telling me to do these two things.

It was much deeper than that.

God had serious business to conduct with me. And, I loved His creativity with me, especially since I have been in such a serious mode lately.

A Pen and Paper Conversation

Then from nowhere, God and I were sharing like two good old friends, chit-chatting about everything from smoked sausage to the latest lipstick trends. [Yes, I am exaggerating here!]

Being the “pen and paper” woman I am, I began writing down our conversation as it was occurring. God titled our conversational diversion with the phrase “The fact is.” This phrase became the name of our personal tête-à-tête.

In a short amount of time, 120 lines of talking with my heavenly Father had taken place. I could have kept going, but I stopped when a text message from a friend came through.

With her permission, I share her 6:59 a.m. post.

Patti, John and family, the Joy of the Lord will give you strength and you will live the life of victory God has promised you! Father, bless this family with victory in their personal lives, in their relationships, in their church and in their community. Dear Lord, thank you for blessing, encouraging and empowering them no matter what they may be facing. I ask You to fill their hearts with supernatural joy, so they can stand strong in all things. I pray that God blesses you daily with good health, divine healing, peace, hope and guidance. I am praying that in His perfect time and in His gentle way, God’s caring touch will comfort, support and strengthen you. Love you. In Jesus name. Amen.

It’s just like God to send a confirmation that He is right by my side—only 43 minutes after my wakeup call. But it didn’t stop there. All day long, I took notice of God saying, “The fact is,” and I responded with the same identical phrase.

This non-verbal dialogue between God and me transpired as I traced my path through several stores, specifically Walgreens, Barnes & Noble, Macy’s and Hobby Lobby. He even confirmed it was Him in Barnes and Noble when I randomly ran across a book titled, And That’s a Fact! *

The bottom line of this post is that I thought I would share a sampling of the heart-to-heart chat I had with the Lord today. Maybe it will help you—maybe it won’t. But I think God is nudging me to share it! So, I am going to obey.

Me:        The fact is, I love You, Jesus.

God:      The fact is, I love you so much I died for you.

Me:        The fact is, You will help me overcome.

God:      The fact is, Yes, I will give you strength.

Me:        The fact is, You want me to rest upon Your shoulder.

God:      The fact is, I can calm and quiet your soul by doing that.

Me:        The fact is, people fail us and let us down.

God:      The fact is, I am always true to My Word

God:      The fact is, I am your confidence.

Me:        The fact is, I get hurt when I don’t remember that. In fact, I get hurt a lot.

God:      The fact is, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Me:        The fact is, I try to remember that one day is like a thousand years to You.

God:      The fact is, I know you were summoned into service for Me.

Me:        The fact is, then You know I don’t know what to do with that calling.

God:      The fact is, just trust that I know the plans I have for you.

Me:        The fact is, I know You don’t have to share those plans with me now.

Me:        But the fact is, I am getting older.

God:      The fact is, some things I hide in the spiritual realm until the right time.

Me:        The fact is, that sometimes I feel battered down and feel forgotten.

God:      The fact is, I give My power to the weak and I am able.

Me:        The fact is, I can’t make sense of it.

God:      The fact is, you just need to trust Me.

Me:        The fact is, I do trust You and I know You hold me in Your hands.

God:      The fact is, that My wisdom will guide you to understanding. With discernment, you will know My ways.

Me:        The fact is, spiritual warfare comes out of nowhere and it lasts so long, then leaves temporarily, then returns.

God:      The fact is, I have allowed it, so your faith can be proven.

God:      The fact is, I want You to experience the “coming out of it” victoriously. I can only do it that through the way I am working in your life.

Me:        The fact is, I am depending upon You to come out victoriously.

God:      The fact is, I am also pruning you.

Me:        The fact is, that’s an understatement. I know You are pruning me, Lord—It’s exciting, but it hurts so much.

God:      The fact is, I am carrying you.

Me:        The fact is, being a Christian is the best thing ever, but it can be so hard.

God:      The fact is, I know that. I sweat drops of blood because of that, but the ending was and is sweet.

God:      The fact is, I am preparing you for great and mighty things you do not know.

Me:        The fact is, that’s awesome. Thank You.

God:      The fact is, I know you are weary.

Me:        The fact is, I know to come to You. You said, “Come to Me, you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Me:        The fact is, I know I am growing through all this.

God:      The fact is, you must wait and then you will overcome it. When you see what I have in store for you, you won’t believe it.

Me:        The fact is, I’m having trouble waiting. I’m sort of anguished about it. But, thank You for me so much.  Furthermore, thank You for preparing a place for me in Heaven.

God:      The fact is, everything you have experienced and will experience has been experienced by Me.

Me:        The fact is, that’s comforting. I love You and need to be reminded of that.

God:      The fact is, I love you too. Go forth in My love. Trust Me. Put your faith in Me. Depend on Us—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God:      Make your requests be made known to Me. Then, believe that I know what I am doing. I know the details because I know the big picture of your life.

Me:        The fact is, I do believe that, but I may need more times of respite.

God:      The fact is, that the shepherd cares about his sheep. And you are one of my dearest sheep.

Me:        The fact is, I love You for that.

God:      The fact is, let’s chat more. Now, I’m nudging you to finish the book you are reading tonight! There’s something in it just for you. [There was.]

So… whether via roadside billboards or a text message from a Godly friend; whether I am in my lair’s “prayer chair”, waltzing through Walgreens or hobnobbing in Hobby Lobby, the Word of the Lord comes to me in many ways and places.

The fact is: whenever He is ready to talk, I, like Samuel of old, am always ready to hear and respond at any time.

But please, Lord, let me first get my morning cup of coffee.

Bible Verses:

But the fact is, it was our pains he carried – our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him – our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5 MSG)

The fact is, that ADONAI sent me to you to speak all these words, so that you could hear them. (Jeremiah 26:15b CJB)

The fact is, that Christ did actually rise from the dead and has become the first of millions who will come back to life again someday. (1 Corinthians 15:20 LB)

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If not, why not take steps to receive Him by . . .

  1. Recognizing that God does love you. (John 3:16)
  2. Understanding and confessing that your sins are separating you from God. (Romans 3:23)
  3. Accepting that Jesus Christ is the only provision for your sins. (Romans 5:8)
  4. Individually receiving Jesus Christ through faith as your Lord. (John 1:12)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

What a joy to fellowship with You all day long! Thanks for giving me the freedom to talk to You. Thank You for the precious words You have given me. Thank You for the facts we have shared together—especially the banter we enjoyed just between ourselves. I know You are with me. I just want to feel Your presence more and more in my life. I want to live in the spiritual realm as much as possible. Let Your truths enlighten me and guide me. I love You, Jesus.

Amen.

God Bless. Until 2019.

* My Dear God letters consist of letters I have written to God—usually on notebook paper.  I started writing these letters decades ago and I have them saved. Usually they are written when I really have something serious on my mind. Many times, God impresses upon me what to do or what not do during these letter writing activities.

*And That’s a Fact by Harry Bright. I have not read this book or even browsed through it. It may be awesome, but I am not necessarily recommending it. I just saw the cover in Barnes and Noble.

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Pray and Speak Like Moses

As I write this blog, I am dealing with some annoyances—frustrating dental and ophthalmological annoyances! To ensure you that we can still speak for God amid provocations, like Moses, read on!

Dealing with a toothache the day before you go out-of-town is no fun. Then, when I called my dentist to try to remedy the situation, I was told she is on vacation until next week! Okay, I can deal with that. I might just need to see a dentist at my “respite” location!

Furthermore, I am dealing with a floater in my eye. To be specific, I feel like a mosquito or gnat is flying around my right eye all the time. I have even found myself slapping the right side of my face only to find it isn’t a bug flying around, but my floater. Fortunately, I was able to see an ophthalmologist and he said I have a vitreous detachment.

The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a vitreous detachment as, the “separation of the posterior part of the vitreous body from the retina due to contraction of the vitreous body that occurs as part of the process of aging and may occur sooner in serious cases of myopia, that is usually accompanied by the presence of floaters often seen as spots or structures resembling cobwebs, and that may result in a torn retina or in retinal detachment.”

The good news—it isn’t a retinal detachment, which may cause a permanent loss of vision. All I have is the separation of the posterior part of the vitreous from the retina.

“It’s caused by AGE”, the ophthalmologist said. GREAT, just another age-related thing to add to my list! He said, “Sometimes these floaters never go away; might go away, might become dull or you just get used to them.”

I found none of those scenarios acceptable! I wanted to hear, “take these drops and the floater will dissolve and disappear in a day or two.”

My eyes are totally important to me. I am a reader. I read all the time! I really mean it—I totally read all the time. I read church bulletins, I read the Bible, I read sermons, I read music lyrics, I read blogs, I read newspapers, I read Facebook, I read Twitter, I read books, I read tombstones, I read obituaries, I read pamphlets, and sometimes I even read instructions. Now when I try to read, I can’t concentrate because this “big black mosquito-like” floater is roaming around my right eye.

Now, on to the main topic—I wanted direction on how to pray for some upcoming speaking opportunities, so I went to my Bible, picked up where I left off, and the good Lord gave me directions on how to pray in the second and third verse I read—eliminating a vast period of “mosquito reading.” But as happens so often, God shared His wise and sound wisdom with me. I just love it when He shares His Word in such a personal way.

Deuteronomy 32:2-3 said,

Let my teaching drop as the rain,
My speech distill as the dew,
As the droplets on the fresh grass
And as the showers on the herb.
For I proclaim the name of the Lord;
Ascribe greatness to our God!

These verses are part of The Song of Moses. Moses worked hard and consistently for the Lord up until his dying moment. In Deuteronomy 31:23-30, Joshua is commissioned and was told that he should bring the sons of Israel into the land which God swore to them. Then in the assembly of Israel, Moses shared a song—some say a prayer—appealing to the heaven and earth concerning the important things he was about to say as he was closing his life and earthly ministry for the Lord. Moses did not want his final words to be his words. He wanted them to be God’s words—from the Holy Spirit of God. For that, he prayed.

Quite in contrast to previous speaking engagements, Moses’ brother Aaron was his spokesperson. This time around, Moses prepared this final talk fully aware that he will be speaking directly from his own mouth and not from Aaron’s. Moses’ sister Miriam and his brother Aaron had already passed away when this prayer was formalized and spoken by Moses.

Just as we speak for our Lord, let us pray that our words will be words from God. As we witness for Him, as we teach our Sunday School classes, as we preach our sermons, as we uplift our neighbors, and in whatever unique situation the Lord puts us, we must proclaim God’s greatness in all we speak.

Did I mention previously that I read commentaries too? I do!

From Deuteronomy 32:2-3

Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew.

Benson’s Commentary says, may “his words which were sent from heaven to them, sink into their hearts and soften them, as the rain doth the earth, and so make them fruitful in obedience.”

Moses wanted his “speech”; some versions call it “doctrine” to refresh like the rain. For that same reason, God wants our words to refresh others, so let’s pray for that.

As the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible states, that the tender herb and grass, “may denote the multitude of persons to whom the Gospel would come, and be made useful . . .”

For I proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!

Moses wants the people to know that all the important things he wants to share with them before his death are spoken in order to give complete honor, glory, and prominence to the LORD.

From here Moses proceeds to speak God’s words by the power of the Holy Spirit. Moses absolutely wanted the people to know that the song/prayer he was about to say were God’s words spoken through Him.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if every time we spoke and/or represented Jesus Christ, we knew our words come from God’s spirit?

Main thoughts from John McGill’s Commentary: Deuteronomy 32:2-3

To whom was Moses speaking?

  1. Those needing salvation
  2. Sensible sinners
  3. Tender consciences / Newborn babes . . . little children; who are just springing up in the grass
  4. Righteous people
  5. Perverse and crooked people

When we speak to others about the Lord, let us remember to whom we are speaking to and guide our words to meet their needs.

Why did Moses compare his last speaking engagement to rain/dew?

Because . . .

  1. Rain comes from Heaven
  2. Rain is a gift from God
  3. Rain falls by divine direction
  4. Rain represents the Lord’s will and pleasure with a fulness of spiritual blessings and promises
  5. Rain moistens and softens a hard heart
  6. Rain refreshes and revives the drooping spirit, and
  7. Rain makes the barren souls fruitful

How humbling would it be, if when we are called to speak for the Lord, that our words would provoke peoples’ hearts to be refreshed, revived, and softened as if by rain or dew?

What attributes did Moses have when speaking to the people?

  1. He proclaimed the name of the Lord
  2. He ascribed greatness to God
  3. He shared openly and publicly
  4. He shared faithfully
  5. He wanted people to know that the words he was about to speak were coming from God, not himself

Let us claim boldness and confidence when we share God’s word with others. Cleanse yourself, commit yourself to the Lord, and ask Him to speak through you.

Conclusion

In this “speaking engagement,” Moses knew he was close to the end of his life as he spoke words of truth to the people. He knew only God’s words would do.

Then Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he, with Joshua the son of Nun. When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law. For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word, you will prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.” The Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession. Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel. For you shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:44-52)

The next time you are called on to speak for our Lord, pretend it is the last time you may have the opportunity for God to use you and pray to be filled to the brim with His Holy Spirit. Pray that your words will fall upon the congregation, class, friends, and family in such a powerful way that idle words will not proceed out of your mouth—only words that will lead the listeners to God’s truth, holiness, grace, mercy, and salvation.

I am praying this for my next speaking engagement. I want to renew my mind, use my spiritual gifts according to the grace given to me, love who I am speaking to, and as my pastor recently said, “Serve with excellence and passion.” (Read Romans 12)

Unfortunately, I will probably still have that annoying floater in my eye the next time I speak. My prayer for that is that if my annoying mosquito-like flash shows up, it will block out the person who might have fallen asleep during my talk!

Oh yes, that is quite probable. Have I mentioned I speak from 2:45-3:45 p.m. after a big lunch? Yikes!

Bible Verses:

And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. (Acts 19:8)

Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11)

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me. (John 15:26)

Prayer:

Lord, I dedicate my life to You. Allow me to speak Your words and only Your words as I have opportunities to speak for You. Take away all pride and self-centeredness from my heart. Give me humility and sincerity. Thank you for providing each and every opportunity to speak and let me recognize them as privileges from You. Thank you, Lord. In Your precious name, I pray. Amen.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

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Works Cited

Biblegateway. Benson Commentary and Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible. Biblegateway.com. Accessed 17 July 2018.

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary. Vitreous Detachment. m-w.com. Accessed 17 July 2018.

NASB unless otherwise noted.

Edited by E Johnson

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