My journey so far

 Personal faith in Jesus is something that came early in my childhood. Teachings of Jesus read to me from a children’s bible inspired me with confidence in Jesus when I was still young. I learned more of Jesus over years of church attendance and summer camps, then in my years at university. Miracles God put into my life, as I met with other believers, boosted my faith. I was challenged during my university years to seek to be given by God the Holy Spirit as part of this faith journey in Jesus Christ. I was also taught to keep the ten commandments, by my grandparents, who were Pentecostal missionaries, and they laid hands on me in prayer before I went on a missionary trip. I then found the Holy Spirit started visiting me, gifting me prophetically, and one or two others on the missionary trip with me. Yet the doubts crept in over the following years about whether I had been given the Holy Spirit as a mark from God of me being a true believer. A true disciple of Jesus keeps the commands and other teachings of Jesus. So I set about ensuring I was doing this, after earnestly asking God for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came upon me, and commanded me to “Build the Temple”. It was confirmed threefold in a church service soon afterwards. Now, it might be strange to a Jewish believer in Christ to see a Gentile believer receive the Holy Spirit but it does happen, just like the Book of Acts in the Bible records. Yet faith which leads to obedience is what counts, whether Jew or Gentile. To obey the command to build the Temple, aware it meant the building up of the body of Christ, the body of believers we call the Church, I felt I should be able to teach believers. I was convicted of my lack of real personal knowledge of God. I asked God for such knowledge. I was then taught by the Father that He is God. Then taught by Jesus that he is Master over me and, under the Father, over Nature. Then I was taught by the Holy Spirit that all Nature functions by the power of Jesus’ name. In this last lesson it was again remarkable to a Jewish believer in Jesus that a Gentile believer in Jesus can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit too. But that is the heart of the gospel. I even found myself, a Gentile believer in Jesus, telling Jews the message of God, which is an interesting development of how the journey of Christian faith has been. Now it is a matter of persisting in faith in Jesus and in holding to his teachings, while seeking opportunities to build his body of believers. It is all out of love for God, and love for one another. We grow in knowledge of the Father and the Son, in fellowship with this Holy Spirit. That is how it continues. And the Holy Spirit reveals things of the future which lies ahead of us, like our heavenly headlights. Yes, deep within this journey in faith is the revealing to us and teaching to us of the things of heavenly truth, of the truth that is there in Jesus himself, of how to live, and of what lies ahead, and of what to believe. We who have this truth are one in Jesus Christ who brought the truth from God into human history and thence to us. We are his body. We love each other in him. 

Easter

 Easter

The apostle Paul warned Galatian believers against the human effort of keeping feasts.

AI responds: “Yes—this idea comes from Epistle to the Galatians, where Paul the Apostle warns believers about relying on human effort—especially religious observances—as a means of righteousness.

A key passage is Galatians 4:9–11, where Paul writes (paraphrased):

“You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you…”

What Paul meant

Paul wasn’t condemning all observance of days outright. His concern was deeper:

• Returning to legalism: The Galatian Christians were being pressured to adopt Jewish law (including feast days) as necessary for salvation.
• Human effort vs. grace: Paul argued that righteousness comes through faith in Christ—not through works like keeping festivals, circumcision, or dietary laws.
• Spiritual regression: He saw this as going “backwards” into a system of earning favor with God rather than living in freedom.

Related teaching

In Galatians 5:1, Paul reinforces this:

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free… do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

And similarly in Epistle to the Colossians (2:16–17), he says:

“Do not let anyone judge you… with regard to a festival, a new moon, or a Sabbath day.”

Bottom line

Paul’s warning wasn’t about feasts themselves—it was about depending on them for justification. His core message:

• Salvation is by grace through faith, not ritual observance.
• Religious practices should not replace or compete with Christ as the basis of righteousness.

If you want, I can break down how different Christian traditions interpret this passage—some see it very differently.”

And today so many rely on keeping feasts such as Easter.

AI responds: “From Paul’s perspective in Epistle to the Galatians, the core issue wasn’t which days people observed, but why they observed them. His concern was that believers might start thinking their standing with God depended on keeping certain religious calendars—what you could call “earning” righteousness.

How that connects to Easter

Easter, however, developed later as a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus—not as a requirement for salvation.

So there are two very different ways people relate to it:

1. In line with Paul’s warning (what he opposed):

• Thinking: “I must observe this feast to be right with God.”
• That mindset shifts trust from grace to human effort.

2. In a way many Christians understand it today:

• Seeing Easter as a remembrance or celebration, not a requirement.
• Similar to how someone might celebrate a meaningful anniversary—it expresses faith, not earns it.

A balancing passage

In Epistle to the Romans 14:5–6, Paul actually gives a nuanced view:

“One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind…”

That suggests:

• Observing a day isn’t inherently wrong
• But imposing it as necessary is where the problem begins…”

It is a matter of individual persuasion.

But this persuasion should cone from first being persuaded towards faith in Jesus Christ, the light of the world sent by God—Jesus who sent Paul as light to the Gentiles.

AI responds: “At the centre is Jesus Christ himself. In Gospel of John 8:12, he says:

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

So the starting point isn’t:

• traditions
• disputes about days
• or even personal convictions

It’s being persuaded about who Jesus is, and then following him.

Then comes everything else

Only after that foundation does what you called “individual persuasion” make sense.

In other words:

1. First — faith in Christ as Lord and Teacher
2. Then — learning and living his teachings
3. Then — forming convictions about practices (days, customs, etc.)

That keeps things in the right order.

Paul fits into that framework

Paul the Apostle saw his role as pointing people to Christ, not to himself.

In Acts of the Apostles 26:18, his mission is described as:

turning people “from darkness to light…”

So even when Paul speaks about freedom or individual conviction, it’s not independent of Christ—it’s rooted in:

• knowing Christ
• belonging to Christ
• walking in the light of Christ

So your point holds together

What you’re saying can be summed up like this:

True persuasion isn’t just personal opinion—it begins with being persuaded about Christ, and then shaped by his teaching.

That keeps:

• Christ at the centre
• Paul in his proper role (as a servant and messenger)
• and personal conviction grounded in something deeper than preference

The implication

When that order is kept, it naturally guards against:

• elevating traditions above Christ
• or treating practices as more important than actually following him

And it brings the focus back to what you’ve been emphasizing all along:

faith in Jesus expressed through living by what he taught.”

Fixing the conflict of interest

 Continuing from my previous posts: The resurrected Jesus Christ is there for us to fix a conflict of interest we have. We have a conflict of interest with God. God does things which we feel are not in our interest, and His plans include more of this. So He sent Jesus. Jesus will bring us under his umbrella, and be the good shepherd we need. God will continue His plans in the world, leading to some terrible times ahead, but we have Jesus Christ, if we believe in him and remain disciples to his teachings, being taught according to the truth provided in him. Over time there will be more and more of the fulfilment of what God will accomplish in the world, some of which is not what we would consider to be in our interests, but Christ Jesus is an umbrella from this storm, and as Lord, Jesus presides over it all. We cannot easily understand all that God will be doing, but when it is all fulfilled under God, Jesus will be given more and more influence, and then will submit forever to God, bringing us under him into the right position with God. 

Death-throes of humanity

 Continuing from my previous post: The resurrected Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation explains, according to the revelations he had received from God, how the series of events are linked, leading up to the terrible time of wrath of God, and we are, I do believe, only decades away from the outpouring of wrath. 

China is so fast in its growth of cities and technology, as it has been for the past two, three decades. It can now pull into its sphere of influence all other nations, as we saw during the pandemic responses of the early 2020s. Russia and USA are not exactly united, yet. They pursue similar goals, as USA technological advances are an influence of Russian technologies, as they have been for four decades or more since Soviet Union times. All three are major permanent UN Security Council members. 

The events of apocalyptic wrath of God could easily pull Russia and USA closely into orbit with China. The pandemic illustrated this. Once together in close alignment of their powers, we might see the emergence of the last of the great worldly empires, the kingdom of ‘the Beast’. It would be the final outpouring of wrath. Only the return of Jesus Christ would undo its dystopia. 

The lead-up to the time of wrath of God

 The resurrected Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation explains, according to the revelations he had received from God, how the series of events are linked, leading up to the terrible time of wrath of God. In the light of these explanations, it is apparent that first comes sin, which God does not ignore. Then while God is angered by the spiritual blindness behind these sins, comes wars and other such excess-death-causing disasters. The excess deaths, and many further deaths involving persecutions, include the deaths of many true believers. These saintly believers in turn implore God to avenge them. The clock is then ticking. The counter of the deaths of saintly believers is incrementing. Then a limit will be reached. This in turn marks the start of the major outpouring of the wrath of God, in catastrophes we most associate with Apocalyptic times. We are, I do believe, only decades away from the outpouring of wrath. 

Occlusion of the light

 There are true believers gathering in true churches, but often with imposter leaders. The sin of tolerating these leaders is a destructive force preventing growth in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and God who sent him. It is just like the times scripture records of the prophet Elijah, and of Jezebel with her husband King Ahab. The sin of Jezebel was so famously revealed by Elijah on Mount Carmel. Yet it took great courage and moral fortitude for the people in the palace of Jezebel and Ahab to throw down Jezebel. Today the true believers lack this fortitude and courage. Warmongers, imposters, false leaders are tolerated too long. They blot out the light from the fellowship. The light, which once shone bright on Carmel, is hidden from the true believers, so, though they have the Holy Spirit, their growth in Christ is hindered. This is like the letters of resurrected Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation. The false ones need to be expelled, not tolerated. 

Truth is cast to the ground

 ‘The “sign” is not primarily an external symbol in the sky, but a convergence of conditions: widespread departure from truth, substitution of ultimate values, performative spirituality, and systems built on those distortions. In that framework, the “eagle” represents the moment when consequences that were long in motion finally become visible and unavoidable.’ — ChatGPT

“Widespread departure from truth.” Unfortunately, in today’s world, the very institutions designed to promote and uphold truth are setting it aside in favour of blasphemous fabrication. It is not new. It goes back to early centuries AD. It goes back to destruction of the Jerusalem temple. That in turn goes back to a reaction against the workings of God. When God sent His Son into the world, He did so in holiness and truth. Yet since that time, men have sought to distort that truth, with false claims. Some do so by claiming that Jesus called himself the Most High God, in blasphemy. This was in hatred of him, leading to his crucifixion. But God raised him from the dead. Others do so by claiming Jesus actually is God. They do so in pulpits, charging congregations for the so-called service. But Jesus never claimed this, nor ever called himself the Most High God. Son of God, yes. But the Son as the one set apart for the Most High God, by the Most High God, and sent into the world. A son in this sense, and therefore divine in this sense. Not the Most High God Himself. Believers in him who hold to his teachings pray to the Father in heaven, confessing that it is this Father whose is the kingdom forever and ever, Amen. This is an acknowledgment prayed over and over that it is the Father who is uniquely the Most High God, and who gives all power to His Son, Jesus Christ. Yet, the sins continue in the house, and thus the eagle continues overhead as sign of it. 

That ominous eagle overhead

 When Hosea speaks of “an eagle over the house,” the imagery is not vague or mystical in its original setting. It is a warning of something fast, predatory, and unavoidable descending on a people who believe they still belong to God but have actually broken relationship with Him. The “eagle” is widely understood as a symbol of invading judgment—historically pointing to the Assyrian power that would sweep in suddenly and decisively . The text itself gives the reason plainly: “because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law” .

The root cause, then, is not a hidden sin but a layered collapse of fidelity. At the center is covenant-breaking—meaning a deliberate turning away from what was known to be right. This is not ignorance but rejection. The people still claimed “My God, we know you,” yet their actions contradicted that claim, showing a form of outward religion without inward obedience . That contradiction is key: the prophetic crisis emerges when identity and reality no longer match.

Closely tied to this is idolatry, which in Hosea is not just about statues but about misplaced trust. The references to the “calf” point to systems of worship and power that replaced God with something controllable, political, or culturally acceptable . This represents a deeper shift: people redefining truth and security on their own terms. In prophetic language, that is spiritual adultery—giving ultimate loyalty to something other than what is true and good.

There is also a social and political dimension. Hosea criticizes the setting up of kings and alliances “not by” God, meaning leadership and systems built without alignment to justice or truth . This suggests that corruption at the top and compromise in public life are not separate from spiritual decline but expressions of it. The society becomes structurally misaligned, not just individually sinful.

The phrase “they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind” explains how these causes unfold into consequences. It implies that what seems small, subtle, or even clever—compromise, self-made systems, moral drift—eventually multiplies into something destructive and uncontrollable . The “eagle” is not arbitrary punishment; it is the natural culmination of accumulated disorder.

So if someone reads this prophetically in a modern sense, the pattern is less about predicting a specific event and more about recognizing a recurring dynamic. The “sign” is not primarily an external symbol in the sky, but a convergence of conditions: widespread departure from truth, substitution of ultimate values, performative spirituality, and systems built on those distortions. In that framework, the “eagle” represents the moment when consequences that were long in motion finally become visible and unavoidable.

ChatGPT, prompted by Stephen D Green, late March 2026 

The evil good guys

 Psalm 82 is a psalm about those with whom Jesus by implication in John 10 contrasts himself: Sons of god who are less than worthy of that description, but called it anyway. In John 8, Jesus also describes even less worthy people, despite their self-description as what today would be called by some, ‘the good guys’, Jesus pointed out their inner hatred and lying tendencies as actually akin to sons of Satan. So there are good guys who are evil good guys, and there are sons of God who are not worthy of it. Jesus wants all, even if only good guys in name and not in nature, to not only believe in him, but to hold to his teachings in order to be his true disciples, and thereby become worthy sons of God. 

Ultimate investment and stewardship

 The cross of Jesus Christ is often perceived as weakness, suffering, and apparent defeat. Yet within the Christian narrative, it embodies a radical form of power—one rooted in obedience, faithful stewardship, and sacrificial love. The cross is not merely an endpoint of suffering; it is the culmination of a life lived as a divine investment and the mechanism through which that investment multiplies.

Jesus received life, gifts, authority, and the mission to teach, guide, and form disciples. His ministry can be seen as an investment of these God-given resources, producing multiplication through the disciples trained, the communities inspired, and the moral vision propagated. The cross itself is the apex of this investment: Jesus consented to surrender, not as loss, but as the necessary condition for the greatest possible yield. As he explained, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces many seeds.” The cross is the seed that dies, yielding abundant life far beyond the immediate moment.

This framing reframes human notions of power. The cross demonstrates that true influence does not lie in domination or accumulation but in faithful use of what God entrusts, multiplied through surrender at the precise moment God wills. Sacrifice becomes a vehicle for multiplication: by giving himself fully, Jesus ensured that his teaching, example, and moral authority would extend far beyond his earthly life. God, as the source of all gifts, has the right to reclaim what He entrusts, and the cross is the moment when that divine reclamation produces maximal fruitfulness.

The resurrection confirms this principle: the surrender at the cross is not an endpoint but part of a larger divine movement. Faithful stewardship, multiplied gifts, and sacrificial love are shown to have enduring impact, connecting human obedience with God’s transformative purposes.

At the personal level, the cross calls followers to steward their own gifts responsibly, multiply what is entrusted to them, and consent to surrender in God’s timing. At the communal level, it reframes power as a principle of multiplication and faithful service rather than coercion or accumulation. The deepest influence arises not from imposing will, but from embodying a life of love, obedience, and multiplication—even when this requires self-sacrifice.

Thus, the cross is both sacrificial and generative. It models power in suffering, authority in obedience, and influence in multiplication. By consenting to die, Jesus demonstrates that God’s gifts reach their greatest impact when they are fully invested, surrendered, and multiplied—revealing a vision of power that transforms individuals, communities, and history itself.

ChatGPT, as prompted by Stephen D Green 

The cross of Christ

 The idea of power is often associated with control, strength, and the ability to impose one’s will on the world. Yet at the center of the Christian narrative stands an image that appears to contradict all such expectations: the cross. It is a scene not of dominance but of surrender, not of triumph in conventional terms but of suffering, humiliation, and death. And yet, paradoxically, it is precisely here that a different kind of power is revealed—one that has shaped moral imagination, spiritual conviction, and human history in enduring ways.

The crucifixion represents a moment where physical reality is not bypassed but fully entered into. The suffering is not symbolic or abstract; it is bodily, tangible, and extreme. Pain, exhaustion, exposure, and the gradual approach of death are all part of the experience. This physical dimension matters, because it grounds the meaning of the event in the real conditions of human life. It is not a detached moral lesson delivered from a distance, but an act that takes place within the same vulnerability and limitation that define human existence. In this sense, the cross of Jesus Christ and his faithful followers speaks directly to the reality of suffering in the world, not by avoiding it, but by passing through it.

What makes this suffering significant is not suffering alone, but the intention and context in which it occurs. The narrative presents the crucifixion as an act of willing self-offering rather than mere victimhood. It is described as a laying down of life, consistent with the earlier teaching of the shepherd who gives himself for the sake of others. This transforms the meaning of the event. Instead of being simply an instance of injustice or brutality, it becomes an act that embodies a deliberate choice: to absorb violence rather than return it, to endure rather than retaliate, and to remain aligned with a purpose rooted in love rather than self-preservation.

This introduces the concept of sacrifice as a form of power. In ordinary terms, sacrifice is often associated with loss. Something is given up, something is surrendered. But in the case of the cross, sacrifice becomes the means through which a deeper influence is released. The willingness to suffer rather than to harm others creates a moral force that extends far beyond the immediate moment. It exposes the limitations of systems built on coercion and fear, revealing that such systems depend on the compliance of those who participate in them. When someone refuses to respond according to those expectations, a different kind of possibility emerges.

The power of this sacrifice is therefore not coercive but transformative. It does not compel obedience through force; it invites response through example. Those who encounter the story are confronted with a model of conduct that challenges instinctive reactions. Where instinct might suggest retaliation, the cross suggests forgiveness. Where instinct seeks self-preservation at any cost, the cross demonstrates a willingness to give oneself for a greater good. This contrast creates a tension within the observer, prompting reflection on the nature of one’s own responses to conflict, injustice, and suffering.

From this act of sacrifice flows what can be described as a spirit of inspiration. The teachings associated with Jesus—love of neighbor, mercy, humility, and forgiveness—are not presented as abstract ideals detached from reality. They are embodied in the event of the cross. The physical suffering gives weight and credibility to the moral message. It shows that these teachings are not merely aspirational but can be lived out even under the most extreme conditions. This embodiment strengthens their impact, making them more than words; they become a lived demonstration of a different way of being.

The relationship between the physical act and the spiritual message is therefore central. Without the suffering, the teachings might remain admirable but distant. Without the teachings, the suffering might appear meaningless. Together, they form a unified expression in which the physical act gives substance to the moral vision, and the moral vision gives meaning to the physical act. The result is a form of power that operates through persuasion, example, and transformation rather than domination.

This power also relates to the broader theme of divine authority. The narrative does not end with the cross but continues with the claim of resurrection. The one who suffers and dies is also described as being raised, suggesting that the act of sacrifice is not an endpoint but part of a larger movement. The power that sustains creation and overcomes death is presented as affirming the path taken through suffering. In this way, the cross is not only an example of moral courage but also a point of connection between human vulnerability and divine power.

For those who reflect on this narrative, the implications are both personal and communal. At a personal level, it challenges individuals to reconsider how they respond to conflict, injustice, and suffering. The instinct to protect oneself or to retaliate is strong, yet the example of the cross introduces the possibility of a different response—one that prioritizes integrity, compassion, and restraint. At a communal level, it raises questions about how societies organize power and resolve conflict. Systems that rely solely on coercion may achieve short-term stability, but they often perpetuate cycles of harm. The model of sacrificial love suggests an alternative approach grounded in reconciliation and care.

The power of sacrifice, as seen in the cross, is therefore not immediately obvious. It does not produce instant results or visible dominance. Its effects unfold over time, influencing hearts, shaping values, and inspiring actions that reflect its principles. It is a quiet but persistent force, capable of transforming individuals and, through them, the communities in which they live.

In this sense, the cross reveals a form of power that stands in contrast to the dominant patterns of the world. It shows that true strength may lie not in the ability to control others, but in the capacity to remain faithful to a higher purpose even in the face of suffering. It suggests that the deepest influence arises not from imposing one’s will, but from embodying a way of life that others recognize as meaningful and true.

Thus, the physical suffering of the cross and the spiritual message that flows from it are inseparable. Together they present a vision of power rooted in sacrifice, sustained by love, and capable of transforming both individuals and the broader human story.

ChatGPT, as prompted by Stephen D Green, March 2026 

The Beast and a potential fulfilment

 In John’s apocalyptic vision, the sea symbolizes the nations and peoples of the world—a place of turmoil and multiplicity, not mere water. The beast rising from it represents a world power emerging from among the nations with universal reach and influence. 

This imagery parallels Daniel’s vision, where four beasts rise from the sea representing four successive world empires:

• Leopard → Greece
• Bear → Medo-Persia
• Lion → Babylon
• Fourth dreadful beast → Rome

In Revelation, all three beasts’ traits are united in one entity, signaling a composite power with the characteristics of each. This imagery evokes a composite kingdom emerging from three parts after a terrible global cosmic-level period of many unprecedented natural catastrophes coming together. In the world today is the bitter aftertaste of a global time of global disaster, the pandemic, and how power emerged from it brought together by the WHO and UN to manage the response. It showed how three superpower UN Security Council  permanent members despite rivalries could come together to create global power in the health crisis response, bridging their very different political systems. The three superpowers indeed have the characteristics of the three-fold Beast in Revelation:

• Leopard → China, potential to become the main Beast, with very fast progress through its huge manufacturing base and centralisation of control
• Bear → Russia, potential to become the Beast’s feet, with great diplomatic stability through its ability to pull together many faiths and cultures, with a great history of building a strong political system despite major setbacks
• Lion → USA, potential to become the Beast’s mouth, with its aggressive hegemonic rhetoric and unsurpassed military muscle.

If we are only a few decades away from the apocalyptic wrath of the sixth seal foretold in Revelation, we might expect to see these three powers merge into something unprecedented in human history. Its combined power under some kind of post-apocalyptic king could impose utterly dystopian rule globally. But the Christ will overcome the Beast at his coming, Revelation assures. 

See an AI-generated critical response here: 

https://chatgpt.com/share/69b994fa-246c-8005-8e79-4271dda67346