Beyond Time and Space

September 12, 2011 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

Welcome to Journey 3 – Beyond Time and Space

Continue your Omniallinfinitude™ Journey Here

Beyond Time and Space is the third of the twelve Omniallinfinitude™ Journeys.  Each Journey is presented through 16 blog posts. Even though we are now pausing or blogging a different Journey, we highly recommend completing the journeys in order at your own pace.

Each Journey is made up of Journey Elements – you can view this list in its entirety, like a Table of Contents, on the left sidebar.  You can also view or download the PDF version of this Journey by clicking the Beyond Time and Space graphic at the top of the left sidebar.

Here’s how to participate:

  1. Read each blog post in the order they were posted.
  2. Complete the Journey Elements contained in each post. Each Journey covers one attribute group and one spiritual practice.  All of the Elements relate to these in some way.
  3. Return to the Blog Post – we encourage you to comment based on the specific assignment.  Read other’s comments and engage in an online conversation. These posts and comments are ongoing.
  4. For more information see How Does This Work on the Main Omni page.
  5. Then move on to the next post. You can access the individual post pages from the top menu bar under Journey Elements, or by clicking the Element name in the Table of Contents on the left sidebar.
  6. When you complete a Journey – move on to the next Journey.  The format and Element structure will be the same in all the Journeys.
  7. Each Journey will also have its own blog, and each post will have its own page, in addition to appearing in the complete blog. This will make it easier to complete the blog at your own speed, as well as for others who start later.  We will eventually have 12 active blogs with people participating in all of them at the same time.

Complete the Blog Posts below in this order:

Click on the links to go to the individual blog posts with their respective comments. Once you click to the Journal pages, scroll up to get to the beginning of the blog post.  Each Journal post will also appear on the Journey Element Page that it follows. For example, Journal 3.1 will appear on the same page and directly under Remember and Read.

Beyond Time and Space: What comes to your mind?

Beyond Time and Space 1: Remember and Read

Beyond Time and Space 2: Journal 3.1 – Don’t Stop, Keep Moving On

Beyond Time and Space 3: Analyze – The Big Picture

Beyond Time and Space 4: Journal 3.2 - I Don’t Believe It!

Beyond Time and Space 5: Investigate – Eternal and Infinite and 10 Things

Beyond Time and Space 6: Journal 3.3 – Unlimited Sameness

Beyond Time and Space 7: Practice – Study and Meditation and Why?

Beyond Time and Space 8: Journal 3.4 – The Big Jump

Beyond Time and Space 9: More Cool Stuff – Unshakeable

Beyond Time and Space 10: Journal 3.5 - It’s About Time

Beyond Time and Space 11: Inventory – Your Hopes and Fears

Beyond Time and Space 12: Journal 3.6 – Space Case

Beyond Time and Space 13: Adventuring – Creation Study

Beyond Time and Space 14: Journal 3.7 - Nitty Gritty

Beyond Time and Space 15: Lyrics

Beyond Time and Space 16: Closure

 

While we encourage you to leave Comments, we totally understand if you want to participate anonymously.  This format also works well for small groups meeting in person.  It’s ok to print out the PDF – just remember to keep a copy on your computer so you can use the links.

Credits for quotes, music, lyrics and videos appear in the Credits section in the back of the PDF. Omniallinfinitude™ material may be reproduced as long as credit is given. There is no fee for using this material.

Enjoy the Journey…..take your time….but take the Journey!

 

Beyond Time and Space 16: Closure

September 9, 2011 in Closure with 0 Comments

closure

Because it matters what we think about God

We have come to the end of Beyond Time and Space, the third of the 12 Omniallinfinitude™ Journeys.

This journey has caused us to Remember “I AM the Alpha and Omega”, says the Lord, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8) and Read Job 38-42 and Isaiah 40.

We Analyzed by getting The Big Picture and then Putting Things in Context and Investigated the Eternal, Infinite, Omnipresent and Immutable One, as well as Practiced Study and Meditation. We also took Inventory of our Hopes and Fears and went on an Adventuring Creation Study.  We were also challenged by revelations about our Unshakeable Word of God, the Bible, in More Cool Stuff.   And finally, Lyrics spoke to our hearts and souls as we pondered the impact of Time and Space on our lives through music.

The Journal guided us through discovering that we need more information to come to a true understanding of our One and Only God.  God knew this and provided us two extraordinary means of communication.  He wrote us a book and came on a visit. And yet we still wonder if we are getting the truth – so much information comes our way and how do we decide?  Does truth change over time?  We learned the Bible contains God’s message to the world, His Story, the core of Christianity and that it’s Unshakeable in its trustworthiness and worthy of belief.  In all ways, it is the most amazing book ever written.

Next we explored the fact that there are no limits to God – He exists outside of time, and is everywhere in time, at the same time. He never changes and is consistent and trustworthy.  Since there are no surprises with God, we can count on Him.

Time and Space do not apply to God even though He created them both.  When God created the universe, the clock started ticking.

We, however, are trapped in space, moving through time, ever-changing, most often totally unaware.  We discovered space is not nothingness.  The smarter we get, the better technology we create, the more we discover, the more God reveals.

Now it’s time to think back over this part of your journey and reflect on what you have discovered and learned.   The categories below may help jog your memory.   Describe the details of any areas that apply to you.

New Things I Learned

 

 

Old Things I was reminded of

 

 

Questions I have



Areas I was challenged in

 

 

First steps I took

 

 

Areas I would like to study more

 


“AHA!” moments

 

 

Dreams and visions

 

 

COMMENT: (In the PDF, your journal, or in the Comment section of this post)

Please share any personal reflections from the above closure categories.

 

This is the last post for Journey Three – Beyond Time and Space.  Please join us next at the Journey Four – Large and In Charge blog for Large and In Charge 1: Remember and Read.

Beyond Time and Space 15: Lyrics

September 6, 2011 in Lyrics with 0 Comments

You might wonder why lyrics are included in a study like this.

We believe lyrics,
or poetry put to music,
as well as the accompanying music,

have always been used by the Most High to impact our hearts and minds –

either by our part in its creative process –
or through our participation in its expression –
or through our pleasure as a recipient of its sensory benefits.

 

 

Clicking on the song titles will take you to another page to listen and watch a music video of each song.  The lyrics and questions that appear below will also appear under each video.

The lyrics may not always be spiritual in their original context – but much can still be gained from applying them to how they describe and point to the the God who is Beyond Time and Space.  Please return to this page to enter your Comments.

 

 

When It’s All Been Said and Done

Words and Music by Jim Cowan

When it’s all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters
Did I do my best to live for truth
Did I live my life for You

When it’s all been said and done
All my treasures will mean nothing
Only what I’ve done for love’s Reward
Will stand the test of time

Lord Your mercy is so great
That You look beyond our Weakness
And find purest gold in miry clay
Making sinners into saints

I will always sing Your praise
Here on earth and ever after
For You’ve shown me Heaven’s my
True home

When it’s all been said and done
You’re my life when life is gone
Lord I’ll live my life for You

© 1999 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

 

COMMENT: (In your journal, the PDF, or the Comments section of this post.)

What do you hope will stand the test of time in your life – when it’s all been said and done? 

 

Only Time

Performed by Enya
Lyrics by Roma Ryan 

Who can say where the road goes
Where the day flows, only time

And who can say if your love grows
As your heart shows, only time

Who can say why your heart sighs
As your love flies, only time

And who can say why your heart cries
When your love lies, only time

Who can say when the roads meet
That they might beat, in your heart

And who can say when the day sleeps
If the night keeps, all your heart

Night keeps, all your heart

Who can say if your love grows
As your heart shows, only time

And who can say where the road goes
Where the day flows, only time

Who knows, only time..
Who knows, only time..

© 2000 EMI Music Publishing Ltd.

 

COMMENT: (In your journal, the PDF, or the Comments section of this post.)

What elements of time are revealed in this beautiful, ethereal song about future time?

Now read these lyrics, only substitute God for time. Does that change the meaning for you at all? In what way?

 

The Time of Your Life

Performed by Green Day
Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go

So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why
It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time

Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it’s worth it was worth all the while

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right
I hope you had the time of your life.

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

© 1997 Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

 

COMMENT: (In your journal, the PDF, or the Comments section of this post.) 

This song was written as a classic breakup song. What comments does it make about living our lives within time, about choices, decisions, memories and perspective when looking back? 

Are you having the time of your life? What do you think that line means?

Our next post will be Beyond Time and Space 16: Closure.

 

Beyond Time and Space 14: Journal 3.6 – Nitty Gritty

September 2, 2011 in Adventuring, Journal with 1 Comment

The term Nitty Gritty means to get to the heart of the matter, the basic essentials or realities of something. The concepts below are the main points or the Nitty Gritty of the Beyond Time and Space journey you have almost completed.  Take some time to review them.

 

1.   We need more information or Proof of Life to move from belief in a ONE and ONLY god, to belief in THE ONE and ONLY TRIUNE YAHWEH GOD of Christianity.

 

2.   God wrote us a Book and came on a visit to provide us what we needed.

 

3.   The Bible contains God’s message to the world, His Book, the core of Christianity. It is Unshakeable in its trustworthiness, and worthy of belief. It is the most amazing book ever written.

 

4.   There are no limits to God. He exists outside of time, and is everywhere in all time, at the same time.

 

5.   God never changes. He can only act within His nature, which makes Him consistent and trustworthy. There are no surprises with God. We can count on Him.

 

6.   Time are Space do not apply to God even though He created both.  We are trapped in space, moving through time, everchanging, without a second thought. 

 

7.   When God created the universe, the clock started ticking. 

 

8.   Space is not nothingness.  Just when you think there is nothing new to discover, God reveals. 

 

9.   Extra Credit Reading Recommendation:  A Ready Defense by Josh McDowell.

 

COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal or the Comments section of this post)

Please share which concepts presented above were new to you, challenged your current thoughts about Beyond Time and Space, or refocused you on areas from which you may have wandered.

Please share any other concepts from this  journey that have impacted your concept of Beyond Time and Space.

Make sure you can Remember all the verses.  Also make sure you have completed all the Journey Elements and Journal readings so far. Our next post will be Beyond Time and Space 15: Lyrics.

Beyond Time and Space 13: Adventuring – Creation Study

August 30, 2011 in Adventuring with 1 Comment

adventuring

Creation Study

Plan a 30 minute time of uninterrupted reflection outside in a natural environment. It can be in your backyard or any other safe place.  If you have the time, plan to do this twice, once in the daytime and once at night in the same place.

Take your pen and notebook to record your observations and reflections.

 

Start out by sitting down and getting the broad strokes.

Where are you?

 

What do you see? What’s going on?

 

What do you hear?

 

What do you smell?

 

What do you physically feel?

 

Now really look and listen.

What kinds of colors, variety of foliage, different sounds, living creatures are there?

 

Look up. What’s happening in the sky?

 

Now move to a specific area and really zero in on one piece of God’s creation that has caught your eye.

Touch it if possible. Look closely. What does it feel like, look like, smell like?

 

What’s amazing about it?

 

 

COMMENT: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post)

Share as a Comment what you discovered during your Creation Study. Our next post will be Beyond Time and Space 14: Journal 3.6 – Nitty Gritty.

Beyond Time and Space 12: Journal 3.6 – Space Case

August 26, 2011 in Inventory, Journal with 1 Comment

Not only are we moving through time – we are also moving through space.

Three dimensional space is where we live – we see everything in terms of length, width, and depth or height.  We have mass and matter – and then as matter in space, we move through time.

But God is not spatial or material because He is spirit and unburdened by any limits. He created the very space He fills. Yet He can appear as He chooses – for our benefit and understanding.

 

Are you sitting still?

Wherever you are sitting at this moment – you are moving all over the place – in space.

  • The earth is rotating on its axis (1000 mph) and at the same time rotating around the sun (66,000 mph).
  • Our entire solar system is at the same time rotating in our galaxy, the Milky Way (483,000 mph)
  • The Milky Way while it is rotating is moving away towards the edge of the universe with the earth in it, so the earth is moving 1.3 million miles per hour and since you and I are along for the ride, so are we.

 

Recent improvements in technology allow us to see farther out in space and back in time.

When we see something – it is either reflected light (like the moon or your shirt) or light emitted from a light producing source, such as the sun or a light bulb.

 

Light travels at 670 million mph (1.09 billion km/hr), so it would take it .01 second to cross the United States and 1 second to travel around the world 7 times.

The moon would be just 1.25 light seconds away and the Sun only 8 light minutes, Jupiter 40 light minutes, and Pluto 5.5 light hours.

 

  • Center of the Milky Way galaxy – 25,000 light yrs
  • Nearest large galaxy – Andromeda – 2 million light yrs
  • Nearest galaxy cluster (Virgo cluster) – 50 million light yrs
  • Edge of the visible universe – 13.7 billion light yrs away in any direction
  • 1022 stars in known universe, 100 billion galaxies – each with 100 billion stars

 

There is a lot of space out there. But there is also as amazing a universe within each cell. Yet much of both appears empty of mass and matter. In fact, if all the matter in the earth were compressed together it would take up as much space as a peanut MM. Honest!

Scientists now believe that empty space is not nothingness.

  • In fact 5% of space is filled with normal matter like what we can see on earth,
  • 25% is filled with dark matter – matter that does not emit or reflect light but does create its own gravity.
  • The other 70% is filled with dark energy – a very mysterious substance that they only know about because they can observe how it affects other things.

Just when you think there is nothing new to discover – God reveals.

 

Click the link below to journey through the universe within and without.

Powers of 10

The Universe is huge……God is Bigger!

 

COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal or the Comment section for this post.)

What is the most fascinating thing to you about outer or inner space?

Our next post is Beyond Time and Space 13: Adventuring – Creation Study.

Beyond Time and Space 11: Inventory – Your Hopes and Fears

August 23, 2011 in Inventory with 1 Comment

inventory

Your Hopes and Fears

Take some time to think about and answer the following questions about your own personal Hopes and Fears. Remember there are no wrong answers, only honest answers.

 

What do you fear?

 

What do you feel guilty about?

 

What are you ashamed of?

 

What ticks you off, makes you angry?

 

What are you proud of?

 

What keeps you going?

 

What are you hoping for?

 

What are you sure of?

 

What do you struggle with?

 

What would you risk and for what?

 

What would you fight for? die for?

 

What one thing do you wish you’d known ahead of time?

 

 COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post)

Share the answers to the questions that impacted you the most.

Were some questions harder to answer than others?

Were any of these questions new to you – ones you’d never even thought about before?

Were any of these questions ones you would rather not answer?

Our next blog post will be Beyond Time and Space 12 – Journal 3.6: Space Case.

 

Beyond Time and Space 10: Journal 3.5 – It’s About Time

August 19, 2011 in Journal, More Cool Stuff with 1 Comment

Time does not apply to God – He created it and exists outside of it.

It is a measure of moving, changing beings and God does not look forward or back. He doesn’t need to. Movement always requires change, and God doesn’t change and he doesn’t have to move, because He is already everywhere.

 

 

Time is the 4th dimension and only has one direction. Light only travels forward in time. But when you see light – you are actually looking back in time.

In Physics, time is a fundamental quantity – like space, mass, and number. It cannot be defined in terms of something else. It can either be thought of as a unit of measurement or a dimension through which things flow or occur.

 

 

Time measures our before and afters and it changes things – or things change as they move through time.

  • Substantial changes are a change to what something is - like how fire changes wood.
  • Accidental changes are a change to what something has  – like when we grow in knowledge.

Over time we change our place, attitude, appearance, mind, energy level, hair color and effectiveness. The older you are – the faster time appears to go by. And over time – things left to themselves will run down. We waste time, redeem time, take time, hurry to be on time, wish we had more time.

Our lives are a series of yesterdays, todays and tomorrows, moments on top of moments, we can’t stop it and we can’t get it back once its gone. We are always moving through time – everchanging.

         God is eternal, outside of time – never changing.

                   Eternity is now forever.

And one day our souls will leave the confines of time – as that part of our being is also eternal.

Time also needs a beginning – or we would never arrive at today. It can go on forever, but it had to start somewhere – at some point.

 

When God created the universe – the clock started ticking.

 

 

 

 

COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post.)

When does time matter the most to you?

Do you spend more time thinking about your past or your future? Why do you think that is?

What one thing from your past would you like to do over? Why?

What one thing about your future would you like to know about now? Why?

Our next post will be Beyond Time and Space 11: Inventory – Your Hopes and Fears

Beyond Time and Space 9: More Cool Stuff – Unshakeable Thru the Ages

August 16, 2011 in More Cool Stuff with 1 Comment

more cool stuff

Unshakeable Thru the Ages

The Bible contains the core message of Christianity – breathed by God Himself through men and onto paper so you and I can read its inspired message 3000 years later.

My own personal spiritual journey included a time prior to my becoming a believer in Christ, when I had to validate for myself that the Bible was indeed reliable, true, and accurate -  before I would believe and do what it said.

I set out to find out – as many, many others have before me, and it changed my life.

 

The Bible stands up to scrutiny – as it has for generations and as it will until the end of time.

 

What did I find out?

 

*Bible is from the Greek word – biblios – meaning book

  • Contains 66 books, written by 40 authors over 1500-1600 years
  • The original languages of the OT are Aramaic and Hebrew, while the NT was written in Greek
  • It contains multiple literary genres or styles and was written in different places and times
  • Gutenberg Bible was the first ever printed book
  • The Septuagint was the first ever book translated into another language. It contains the Hebrew scriptures translated into Greek during the 3rd century BC.
  • Since then portions of the Bible have been translated, as of 2003, into over 2500 languages representing 90% of the earth’s population. Currently over 500 new translations are being worked on.

 

*The Bible is Unique in its:

  • Continuity of teaching - One story of redemption about one person, Jesus, in complete harmony – no contradictions
  • Circulation – Best selling book of all time
  • Survival and preservation – Copied countless times over 3500 years with amazing accuracy by professional scribes. – In NT only 400 words are in question, most of them are obscure and none affect Christian doctrine, many are just spelling or clerical errors.
  • Historical accuracy– No artifact has ever been found to contradict the Bible. – In fact over 1500 archeological discoveries were made using the Bible as a guide.
  • Archeological survival - Over 24,000 original copies from antiquity still survive, including 5000 complete copies, many written within 100 years of the original text. – The Iliad is the next closest when it comes to number of original texts available, with only 600.  – the earliest on hand dating 500 years after the original.
  • Scientific accuracy – It accurately describes the way the universe works, beyond what people thought at the time.

 

* It’s Prophetic accuracy – What are the odds?

  • Of the 2500 prophecies in the Bible, 2000 have already come true
  • Odds of one person fulfilling just 8 prophecies is like covering the state of Texas with 2 feet deep of silver dollars. Mark one silver dollar and hide it. Blindfold a man and tell him to go and pick up one silver dollar and it must be the right one. 1 in 1017.
  • The probability of one person fulfilling 48 prophecies is 1 in 10157. The number of atoms in the universe has been calculated at 1066.
  • Jesus Christ in his first coming to earth fulfilled 332 of the prophecies regarding Him in the OT.
  • What are the odds?

 

*It presents a very honest portrayal

……of its heroes, controversial subjects and miracles.

 

*It is the ONLY Book

 ……that claims to be the WORD of GOD.

 

*The Bible makes other claims about itself

 

*How were books selected to be in the Bible?

Each book had to meet 5 qualifications

  1. Written by a spokesperson of God (prophet, teacher or apostle, or one close to them)
  2. Who was confirmed by an act of God (miracle or other act of God – only immediate contemporaries experienced this)
  3. Who told the truth about God (compared to already revealed truth)
  4. In the Power of God (changed lives resulted)
  5. And was Accepted by the People of God. (The early Church who received it)

 

*And Finally – Testimonies through the ages

…….and continuing today of It’s transforming power in ordinary lives. These become an extension of His special revelation – oftentimes the most powerful kind. It works. It brings real healing to the human soul.

 

*Only one conclusion makes sense – the Bible is indeed worthy!

Of study, of trust for direction and truth – unified in ONE story, spirit and theme

We can believe it –

It’s inspired by God – and it stands up to the tests of time.

 

Click here to watch the Unshakeable Truth video

 

COMMENTS: (In the PDF, your journal, or the Comment section for this post)

Share anything new you learned from the above information.

What are some of the key issues you use to determine if something or someone is worthy of study and trust?

What truth about the Bible presented above or in the video is critical to placing your trust in it?

What stumbling blocks or misconceptions cause you or others to doubt the authenticity of the Bible?

Do you have a testimony about The Bible’s transforming power in your life you would like to share?

Our next post will be Beyond Time and Space 10: Journal 3:5 – It’s About Time.

 

Beyond Time and Space 8: Journal 3.4 – The Big Jump

August 12, 2011 in Journal, Practice & Why? with 2 Comments

So how do we make the jump from Theism (a belief in the one and only transcendent god who interacts with his creation) to the belief in the Triune God, God Almighty, The One and Only Yahweh God of Christianity?

God is not a triplex, but a triunity.  Instead of 1+1+1=3, think 1x1x1=1. The trinity cannot be proved by human reason, but just because it goes beyond human reason does not mean it goes against human reason. God has one essence (What) and three persons (Who). The three Who’s each share the same What, all the while remaining ONE.

This sounds crazy, we can’t really understand it – we would have never created a God like this. It is one of many truths about our transcendent God that remain just out of our mental reach.

So God provided more information – and that comes through what is known as Special Revelation – found in the Book called the Bible.

 

The Bible contains the core message of Christianity – breathed by God Himself through men and onto paper so you and I can read its inspired message 3000 years later.

My own personal journey included a period in time prior to my becoming a Christ follower, when I had to validate for myself that the Bible was indeed reliable, true, and accurate – before I would believe it and do what it said.

 

The basis for this study is the Bible. We are looking up verses and reading chapters to learn more about God.

How do we know this isn’t just some myth? Someone’s primitive wishful thinking?  I set out to find out – as many, many others have before me, and it changed my life.

The Bible stands up to scrutiny – as it has for generations and as it will until the end of time. (Make sure to review the More Cool Stuff section in this Journey to see what I found out.)

My ultimate conclusion: the Bible is indeed worthy –

Of study, of trusting, for direction and truth, God’s instructions, encouragements, rebukes, everything we need to know about Him, and His plans for our lives and our world.

We can believe it – It’s inspired by God.

 

 

COMMENT: (In your own journal, the downloadable PDF for this blog, or in the Comment section for this post)

What kinds of things would you want to know about the Bible to validate that what it says is true?

What excuses do people use to not believe in the Bible?

Our next blog post will be Beyond Time and Space 9: More Cool Stuff – Unshakeable.

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