1. Introduction To Informal Presentations
2. A Biblical Model For Creation And Its Extension
3. A Demonstration Of Life And Its Purpose
4. How Were You Put Together?
5. Comparing God's Wisdom With The World's
6. Reigning With Jesus Now And Forever
7. Help Interpreting The Teachings Of Jesus
8. A New Heavens And A New Earth
9. The Climax Of The Ages

1. The development of my physical body:

1. Ps. 139:13-16.... For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery]. Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.

2. The development of my soul and spirit, or the person I became:

1. My family:

1. I don’t remember my dad ever talking to me about life, only telling me what I should do or not do.
2. Neither did my mother discuss these things with me, but she did take me to Sunday school with her from as early as I can remember, and seemed to rely upon the church for my spiritual instruction.

2. Sunday school:

1. I attended Sunday school and sometimes church until I was about twelve years old.
2. The church that we attended was an independent, fundamental church and held faithfully to Biblical teachings. It was here that I came to know Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life, as my personal Savior. But again, as with my parents, I was never given any personal counsel or help beyond what was presented in the Sunday School lessons and the sermons.

3. Public school:

1. Received good traditional instruction from both grade school and high school.

1. The grade school that I attended in Lockeford, California had a Christian principle named Mrs. Danver.
2. The high school that I attended was in Lodi, California.
3. I quit high school when I was sixteen years old, and went to work in a lumber yard.

4. My teen years:

1. I worked in the lumber yard for about one year, then went back to high school for about four months, and then quite again.
2. Worked in a welding shop for about one-and-a-half years.
3. Was in the army from September 1954 to September 1956.

5. My adult years:

1. Got married in November of 1956 at the age of 20. About a month later my mother took my wife to church where she chose to receive Christ as her personal Savior. I rededicated my life to Christ a few months later, and began a life-long-intermittent personal study of God’s Word and creation. This was the continuation of my Christian education and it has continued until the present – about 9 years as a child and 61 years as an adult (4/11/2015).

1. My Christian education was interrupted during my terrible teen years for about 9 years.
2. It took me that long to realize there was more to life than trying to enjoy the things of this world.

2. Continued my secular education for the next seven years in 1959 at the age of 23, at various schools at night and a correspondence course. And again, as with my Christian education, I continued a life-long search for educational improvement that agreed with God and His Word.

1. So my secular education was interrupted for about 7 years.
2. It took me that long to realize that I didn’t want to do hard manual labor all my life.

6. So what has changed or altered "the most predominate consideration of life that I entertained throughout my childhood, adolescence and into adulthood that I should be able to and allowed to do whatever I wanted to do – as long as it was not harmful in any way?"

1. Undoubtedly it was the result of being exposed and introduced to God’s truth through the ministry of the Holy Spirit – step by step and building block by building block! (Phil. 3:7-21)

1. As Paul mentions in the above link, there was a time when he strove for the things of this world that were of his own personal interest, but when he was introduced to Jesus all of that began to change, and as time passed he began to see the much greater importance and benefit of knowing and following what God has revealed to us in His Word, than all the advise, wisdom and counsel that men of this world have to offer. (Ps. 119:96-100; 129-130; 160)
2. As citizens of heaven we are to learn to set our minds on things above, and not on the things of this world, but unfortunately for the individual and the world, most neglect this far too long! (Col. 3:1-5)

Scripture and comments to be used in the above article

1 Cor. 3:9-10.... For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God's building. [Isa. 61:3.] According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it, . . .

1 Peter 2:5.... [Come] and, like living stones, be yourselves built [into] a spiritual house, for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up [those] spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

2 Cor. 3:18.... And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

Phil. 3:7-21.... But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ's sake. Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed one), and that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law's demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed one), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.

¹⁰[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] that if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

¹³I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. So let those [of us] who are spiritually mature and full-grown have this mind and hold these convictions; and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also. Only let us hold true to what we have already attained and walk and order our lives by that.

¹⁷Brethren, together follow my example and observe those who live after the pattern we have set for you. For there are many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, who walk (live) as enemies of the cross of Christ (the Anointed one). They are doomed and their fate is eternal misery (perdition); their god is their stomach (their appetites, their sensuality) and they glory in their shame, siding with earthly things and being of their party. But we are citizens of the state (commonwealth, homeland) which is in heaven, and from it also we earnestly and patiently await [the coming of] the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [as] Savior, Who will transform and fashion anew the body of our humiliation to conform to and be like the body of His glory and majesty, by exerting that power which enables Him even to subject everything to Himself.

Ps. 119:96-100.... I have seen that everything [human] has its limits and end [no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent]; but Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity]. [Rom. 3:10-19.] Oh, how love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day. [Ps 1:2.] You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies, for [Your words] are ever before me. I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers, because Your testimonies are my meditation. [2 Tim. 3:15.] I understand more than the aged, because I keep Your precepts [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them].

Ps. 119:129-130.... Your testimonies are wonderful [far exceeding anything conceived by man]; therefore my [penitent] self keeps them [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them]. The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light; their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple.

Ps. 119:160.... The sum of Your word is truth [the total of the full meaning of all Your individual precepts]; and every one of Your righteous decrees endures forever.

Col. 3:1-5.... If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [Ps. 110:1.] And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory. So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God).