THE TRIANGLE | Frank Becker

Week Fourteen, 2024

I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. Though there is a complete mutual indwelling of the Father and the Son, the Father and the Son remain distinct persons within the Trinity, as does the Holy Spirit (John 14:10).

It sounded like a dumb idea to me when they said I had to take geometry. What good is that I asked. I remembered algebra when the teach started off with saying pie are square when I knew that pie are round. What a waste studying triangles, rectangles and other forms of design. I would never use that information.

But the value came to life when I was in flight training learning how to calculate a wind triangle. A wind triangle, the pilot’s version of vector analysis, is the backbone of dead reckoning. The wind triangle is a graphic explanation of the effect of wind upon flight. Groundspeed, heading, and time for any flight can be determined by using the wind triangle. It involves figuring a compass deviation factored by airspeed and the speed and velocity of the wind blowing from a side off the ground course.

wind triangle

Once I knew that, the triangle I learned in geometry came alive as I understood that on a windy day, all three lines of the wind triangle got me right where I wanted to fly to and at a time I wanted to arrive. All three sides of the triangle were necessary for a safe and accurate flight.

There is a spiritual parallel here. Christians believe that God is a Trinity of Persons, each omnipotent, omniscient and wholly benevolent, co-equal and fully divine. There are not three gods, however, but one God in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Trinity

The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how He relates to us, and how we should relate to Him.

I remember when my wife was speaking with a Jewish neighbor who said that Christians worship three gods. Not so. God sent His Son, who came and returned but left us with the Holy Spirit to guide us through life until we meet the Father and Son in eternal glory.

How does the Holy Spirit guide your life?

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

In the New Testament – Jesus made…

• 132 public appearances – 122 were in the marketplace

• 52 parables that Jesus told – 45 had a workplace context

• Of 40 miracles in the Book of Acts – 39 were in the marketplace

• Work, in its different forms, is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible – more than all the words used to express worship, music, praise and singing combined.

Don’t minimize your daily work – it is nothing less than a Holy Calling:

• God has you right where He wants you… Right now!

• Remember – Jesus was a Carpenter most of His adult life.

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Words of wisdom from Edgar Aponte:

• We demonstrate our faith in Jesus by bringing our deepest needs and burdens to Him. Take it to Jesus!

• The Lord will make you wait, not to hurt you, but to grow you for His glory. Wait on Him in faith!

• Guard your heart from cynicism. It destroys hope and it makes your heart a perpetual mourner. Believe in God and hope in Him!

• Do not give over to hopelessness those who Jesus came to save.

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Forgiveness is the greatest miracle that Jesus ever performs. It meets the greatest need; it costs the greatest price; and it brings the greatest blessing and the most lasting results.

Forgiveness is Biblical and it is costly. The greatest act Jesus did for me was to make me a child of God by forgiving our sins. When we sin, we sin against God and only he can forgive our sins. When Jesus says your sins are forgiven, He is saying He is ready to pay the price for our sins. Be a great friend and bring others to Jesus. Warren Wiersbe

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human, are created, strengthened, and maintained. Winston Churchill

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. John C. Maxwell

To love what you do and feel that it matters – how could anything be more fun? Katharine Graham

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. Eleanor Roosevelt

The Christian life is easy to talk about but difficult to live. Jim Wilson

Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell your storm how big God is! Adrian Rogers

In order to be faithful to the message and mission of Jesus, we must leave behind the Pharisaical judgment and personal prejudice. Tommy Campbell

Cell phones are a digital pacifier.

Though we may not understand the timing, good will always win out, and our prayers will be answered. So don’t stop praying. Be patient. God’s timing is always perfect.

Only one-fourth of America’s preteens believe the Bible is the Word of God and only one-fifth believe in absolute truth, according to a new survey that warns the nation’s preteens are “following in the unfortunate spiritual footsteps of the generations that have preceded them.” Michael Faust

The one who will judge us is Jesus who saved us. Edgar Aponte

Love is demonstrated by our actions.

People don’t perish because they didn’t hear the Gospel, they perish because they have sinned and rejected the Lord. The Gospel is the only hope for salvation. Edgar Aponte

No matter how hard any of us might try we can never be right with God unless we do it God’s way. Elbert Nasworthy

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