Bible Discussion Replies PAGE 17

Nearly every nation first started out as families then tribes each with its own chief or king then one king ruling over them all till finally there was one king over one country . The USA a little different bough it too had tribes and internal warfare . But it's revolution with Britain was in fact the birth of a nation and at any birth there is blood shed . It's roots thus being in Great Brtains liberties. The history of Scotland goes as far back and has much the same history as other peoples . English kings reasons I don't know yet insisted that Scottish kings be in submission to them . They said No. not even the Romans were able to conquer Scotland . When England was strong England subdued them but when weak they rose up and invaded England .but neither couid conquer the other . Geographically they have always been one . But the enemies of England used the animosity to wage war on England . But when England got hold of the Bible in English and by the grace of zGod was converted to Christ she that was always geographically separated from Europe now became spiritually separated also . Then Scotland also go the Bible and preachers like Knox delivered Scotland under God from the superstitious none sense of Rome and became spiritually united with England . Then God in his goid providence without war and by the natural law of inheritance United the kingdoms under James king of Scotland who became Kingnif England . " Let no man separate what God has joined' it is repitrted he said .

Thus we became the United Kingdom of Great Britain .and prospered accordingly . Why some Scots wish to leave this true Union for one that is in name only one can only put down to the fact that thec' Jacobites' are alive and kicking once again .

The Stuarts only lost the throne when they insisted on trying to reverse what God had wrought and return to the European model of rulers . Charles 1st using " the divine right of kings " as his justification . The man shouid have read his Bible

Annotated Gen.13.14-18 "Lift up"

God asks the patriarch to lift in order to see for himself the land his seed shall inherit.

"And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:"

v.15 "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever."

The tag 'forever' refers to Jesus Christ by whom all things consist.

In the next we have two worlds setting the upper lmit and the lower limit. In ch.15 the lower limit refers to the sea of Egypt. Here the seed is compared to dust of the earth. We have a reference to it in this verse,"Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, ... and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable."(Heb.11.12)

16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

From so many instances it is clear where our true worship ought to be. In spirit and truth warrant our faith more than lip-service.

The apostles were nor for worshipping in mega churches,"And all that believed were together, and had all things common;/And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need./And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,/Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."( Acts 2.44-47) Temple precints were neutral places or in the open by the banks of a river where the church gathered with singleness of heart. Unlike Lot had to have his church in the midst of Sodom. How did this simplicity of the apostles was confounded as we see today?

"and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." 3x1000 Not actual number but the church of the first born and in heaven.

Trying to outsmart the Devil: Man's way or God's way

When we hear "deliverance" preachers calling for a demon to go back to hell; or go there the first time clearly we are taking liberties the scriptures won't allow us to do. The demons asked Jesus at the time He was casting them out not to send them to the abyss before the time.

A lack of clear understanding of what the problem of man is comes from titles such as a "demon of lust" etc that somehow is supposed to describe the personality of an entity. There is no doubt; of course that certain illnesses (such as a mute boy) describe a demon and its effects. Not understanding the sin nature; however puts us in danger that if the house isn't cleaned out; as it were a demon after going out brings in 7 more wicked ones. Pride; for instance can replace lust; or alcohol as a vice.

This "one sided" approach to Satan negates the fact that he has many methodologies to meet his goals; and it also doesn't get to the source of the issue; our sin nature which gives Satan legal access to some extent to accuse us; oppress and in some cases at least for nonbelievers possess them with his minions.

This again relates to the whole concept of trying to have a political crusade married to a religious one. God rules over all; but the world system in all its institutions has deep roots in our nation as well as others; whether we choose to admit it or not. To appeal to the masses an ecumenical concept has to reign supreme and there is no doubt that is going to lead to the Babylon religion and economic world system. The deception is that one party or another is the problem. And a lack of REPENTANCE characterizes this whole concept. To bring in the masses we need a lukewarm watered down approach to God's Word which inevitably involves "inclusivity"; and has an appearance of change that is illusory. We all need to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Satan is; as I like to say an "equal opportunity" destroyer

Hello Chris

Amen brother. You are right. I think my pastor used that example to give us the message that without letting God change our characters nothing can be done. We can not change our character on our own, with our own ability. We have to let God do that. We actually know what to do but we can not do it. A social worker might had given good advice as well. But still people separare. Why? Because they don't or cannot do the advice that was given to them. But you are right. That pastor should had adviced them as well saying words of encouragement from the Bible.

GBU

Annotated Gen.13.10 "Lot"

" And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar."

" Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house" (12.1) Lot was the nephew who was not called by God as he did with Abraham. 'From thy kindred' included Lot. But by the call it stamped Lot as a son of Adam while Abraham was the heir of promise, and belonged to another seed beginning with Seth. Abram went south and came back where he started so he was following the Word was God, the Word circular. The Word which was with God set a template the last Adam and this lord from heaven was his people in the land of the living while Lot tied to him by flesh and blood showed what a gulf did exist between the,. In this parting of ways, Lot relied on his physical eyes. Plain of Jordan was well watered, even as the garden. Worldly wise it will do. Yes for man without calling he sees wealth as gain and without forsaking all what does his religion amount to. We shall come to it soon.

The Spirit sets a few names leading to Zoar which is synonymous with a trifle, and outer darkness. Egypt and Sodom in one breath, are a bit too steep is it not? But it is how the cities are lined up in the will of God. "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified."(Rev.11.8) The adjective 'great' without exception is used to establish the divine Will " The people which sat in darkness saw great light," and judgment is in order. Thus tribulation is 'great' (Mt.4.16;24.21) Jerusalem, Sodom and Egypt are one and the same. Babylon is yet in future, same fate as Babel. Fall of it was the beginning and it sets fall of Babylon as sure and beyond recall. Lot was heading to it both eyes open

Dear Gerald,

In conclusion.

You are right that we are to rule our lives by God's standards as revealed in Scripture as He calls to Himself every true elect person to Christ Jesus to be in Him and placed in His eternal Kingdom by faith. We cannot put our trust in governments no matter how free one is within a certain country. We need to guard our freedoms, of course, so that the cause of Christ and His Gospel can be expanded through His people by His Holy Spirit.

And, we who are such elect, are to adhere to the faith once and for all delivered to us by the apostles, to stand up for it in season or not. I pray that we all will be strengthened to bear what we need to face on account of our faith and living it faithfully privately, amongst the brethren, within our families, and out in the public arena. Let us be light to those who are in darkness of unbelief. Let us not shrink from trials or seek to play it safe when there is much at stake if we fail to stay true to our calling in Jesus Christ.

Gerald Pg. 2

England and Scotland fought for centuries over whom would rule overall even thought the kings intermarried with one another beginning with William I's son Henry I marrying Matilda of Scotland, (who was actually descended from the royal house of Wessex (Anglo-Saxon) as well as the King of Scotland. In 1603 under James I/VI the Union of the Crowns occurred uniting Scotland to the English crown. Under this Stuart dynasty, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and England were all united under the English crown for the first time. But also under the Stuarts this newly formed unified England was plunged into a civil war, the result of which being that the English crown cannot rule without the consent of the Parliament. (King Charles I had disbanded Parliament, Oliver Cromwell led the Parliamentarians to victory).

So, in 1688, England (to become the United Kingdom) now operated under a constitutional monarchy. It was in 1707 when England and Scotland gave up their monarchy to become Great Britain under the Acts of Union. During the time of the 1500's-1600's many migrated to the New World seeking not only religious freedom as non-conformists (Pilgrims/Puritans) but also to escape the upheaval in the homeland that was torn apart by strife, overcrowding, plague, dismantling of feudalism, lack of employment, the rise of a non-gentry class, and gentry who were not first born sons to inherit land and estates in England.

There were many factors that led to the migration to the New World. And we can know that God had His hand in bringing into the New World at the opportune time those who worked to form the continental Congress, the Constitution and the Republic that was formed from the American Revolution.

Through the ups and downs of the relations between Great Britain and the U.S., these two nations have become strong allies through 2 World Wars and other political events that brought about this strong bond.

Gerald, is there anything else you wish to discuss about this?

Hello Gerald,,

What Harold are you speaking of who was king of England?

After the Anglo-Saxons, Jutes and Danes invaded the isle of Britain, the Isle was ruled by a number of petty kingdoms, each with separate kings.

In 886 Alfred the Great declared himself "king over all the Anglo-Saxons in Britain after taking back areas from the Danish Vikings. The Isle was divided up into kingdoms ruled by descendents of Alfred the Great. during the 900's the kingdoms were united under Edward the Elder and then Aethlstan to form the Kingdom of the English. In 927 Aethlstan finally defeated the last remaining Danish Viking kingdom of York (Known as Danelaw). This was the first time all of England (not Scotland or Wales) was united under one Anglo-Saxon monarch. In 1016, Cnut the Great of Denmark took the monarchy and merged England with Denmark and Norway as a kingdom.

Before the Norman conquest of 1066, William the Conqueror took control of all of Britain (except for Wales) and merged all the former kingdoms into one, with him as the sole king. The other kings were deposed, killed, or submitted to King William I, relinquishing their role as a monarch. All of the land in England was confiscated by William I and designated as belonging to the crown (monarchy). William I then redistributed the lands among his Norman brethren who assisted him in the Conquest who became lords of the new fiefs and were designated as Earls, Barons, who were given charge of their land designation but not ownership. Each lord needed to supply a set # of knights for the king's service and pay taxes to support the monarchy. The serfs did not have many rights at that time.

In 1284 King Edward I took control of Wales in the conquest of Wales, placing Wales under the English crown.

The Baron's War brought about the Magna Carta, which King John was forced to sign. It established rights to the feudal lords that the crown would uphold. The U.S. Bill of Rights was influenced by the Magna Carta.

See pg.2

Thank you brother Giannis for that important lesson: that it is only by God's Spirit can we have our minds, attitudes, and problems sorted out.

Though, I would have liked to have seen the pastor also giving wise counsel to those with marriage difficulties. As you shared in a later post of the biblical requirement of self-discipline, I also apply that discipline to someone correctly & consistently applying biblical Truths and patterns in both one's personal life and in Church life. So, by definition, a pastor is a shepherd, quite different to the other gifted appointments in the Church. Yes, a pastor (& elder) should be able to teach & lead a Fellowship, but primarily he is gifted (or, ought to be) as a shepherd of his flock.

I think that the pressing need of that couple was to hear some good helpful words from the Bible & with the pastor's mature experience, to both guide them and also to assure them of his understanding of their issues and assured prayers - and of course to follow-up in their progress. But those are just my thoughts, yet fully agreeing that the pastor's words to first seek the Lord in prayer & allow His Spirit to fill and guide them towards forgiveness and reconciliation, is most important. GBU.

Moral behavior only comes from the Spirit

The efforts to enforce a code of morality began with a popular movement in the 1980's. Since any mention of a particular group or organization on this cite that is perceived as negative could get me flagged; let me just say that the same concept exists today.

This is the idea of Dominionism to subjugate the world to somehow expand the church and have the nations of the world prepare for His coming. Again; that ignores clear passages in Revelation and elsewhere of the Tribulation which is meant to bring in the greatest revival in history as well as provide Satan with his masterpiece; the Antichrist. A person who is strongly Post Millennial (more like Preterist) could assess that all the prophecies are either fulfilled already or symbolic. Most just believe that we go straight into the eternal Kingdom with a new heaven and earth with a final conflagration of Gog still necessitating a brief turn for the worse for the world before He comes.

What part of He treads the winepress alone ( Isaiah 63:3) is not understood? Is making the world right for His return considered achieved with the whole world fighting against Christ ( Psalm 2; Revelation 19).

Now if we are way off on Christ's return it is conceivable; albeit seems less likely by the day that some true revival will occur prior to HIs coming. The falling away described in numerous scriptures certainly seems to be occurring; particularly having a form of godliness but lacking the power thereof. ( 2 Tim. 3:5).

The latest "communion" event in D.C. let's just say doesn't take much research to see the sponsors and their heretical teachings; and from what I understand was open to all. However we feel about revival there has to be a sober approach to such an event; and this explains why warnings such as 1 Cor. 11:27 are largely ignored. This is one step further; it appears from what is a scripturally sound approach to the death; burial and Resurrection.

Sorry it is actually 1 Cor 9:24-27.

Discipline and self discipline.

In the Eastern Orthodox monasticism the idea of discipline and self discipline is very important. I do not recomend or support monasticism. It is more than obvious that God wants His children among the world and not in the wildereness. But we can get some good examples from certain areas of Christianity.

Well as said discipline is very essential to monks. The monasteries have stict schedules about time for prayers, time for liturgy, time for work, time for sleep and so on. That program almost never changes and monks keep it day after day for years and years. Also monks who live in individual houses (are not members of a monastery) also have a program that they follow every day and sometimes for their whole lifetime. Discipline and self discipline are very essential to those people.

In a similar way it is good for a christian to have a daily program which they should follow. A schedule for specific time for reading the Bible, time for praying, time for going to the church and so on and keep that daily program, if of course this is possible. It is not good to be loose. It is not good to pray when we feel like it and not pray if we don't feel like it, read our Bible when we feel like doing it and not read it when we don't feel like doing it. The later will not help us at all. A daily program will prevent us from getting far from God.

1 Cor 10:24-27,

"24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

Blessings.

Hello

Once our pastor told us a story.

There was a couple that couldn't get on together so they decided to separate. So they went to their pastor and asked for his advice. The man started saying his complaints for his wife's behavior. He blamed his wife for many things. Similarly the woman was blaming her husbant for lots of things. After listening to them for some time the pastor said "OK stop it here. Well, you know I am not Solomon to find out who is right and who is wrong. But I want to ask both of you a question" He turned to the man and asked him "When was the last time you were filled with our Lord's Spirit?". The man turned his head down and stayed silent. Then the pastor turned to the woman and asked her the same question. Similarly the woman turned her head down and kept silent as well. And the pastor said "How is it possible to expect our Lord to change your hearts if you are not filled with His Spirit? So instead why don't you go home and start praying and getting filled with the Holy Spirit?"

Nobody can change our heart, our character. Only the Spirit of God can do that. So let's give Him the chance to do it.

Blessings.

If there is death in the pulpit there will be death in the church . If there is death in the pulpit and some life in the church then there is trouble .

It is quite an awful thing that in John 17 the Lord said " I do not pray for the world "

The world is not going to change but rather it is going to get worse .

There are lines with God . That if you cross there is no comeback .

Cain crossed it .King Saul crossed it .Ahab and Jezebel . Others also . King Herod too and when the Lord was brought before him . The Lord said not a word to him ( like Saul) Judas also .

"God will not always strive with man "

Am I advocating not orating for unsaved loved ones?

No.

But let is not be sentimental about their rebellion against God they are as we were once " chiodren of disobedience and " children of wrath ". Or pray for them making excuses for them . They are in a very serious place .

Which " If they do not repent they too shall likewise perish"

Consider we who " once knew not mercy now have received mercy" .

If then we pray that zGod will have mercy upon them ,should we not pray with that understanding of what mercy is? And what is what like when we knew it not? Yet was in such great need of it .

Those who are so indifferent to the increasing warnings of God are but one step and one breath from a lost eternity That one unrepentant thief did not redeem the time given him and when the Lord turned to the repentant thief and gave him a promise . He turned his head away from the unrepentant thief who went into eternity with nothing .

In that Harold was king England was more unified than you suppose and it's infrastructure and the way it was organised made it a very rich prize in deed .

The Normans did not unify the country but they did establish a bit of iron in our character . And when King John began to rule and govern like all European rulers did arbitary dictatorial and a law unto themselves it got so bad that the Norman barons looked to the Saxon King Alfred of what an English king should and at the point of a sword got thecKing to publicly admit that even kings must be subject not to their subjects but to principles of heaven and goid government and in signing the Magna Carta laid the foundations to this nations political liberties .

William in calling all the barons to meet with him near Winchester and to swear an oath to the crown is still renewed at each State opening of Parliament .

This nations true liberties are founded upon biblical principles . But we have exchanged the truth for a lie our liberty for bondage and our true Christian heritage and liberty (founded in thst early first cent and secured at the Reformation) this nation has exchanged for a " mess of pottage" . We are thus heading for storms the like of which we have not seen for over 400 years or so .For when the political power economic and religious powers join up then we will see the persecution of THE faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints" . But thanks be to God " we have this confidence ,God knows who are His " and if men can no longer make righteous judgement God still can and will,sepera ting the sheep from the goats .

As the cross of Calvary loomed people made their choices and took up their positions .

From Judas to the religious leaders . So it is happening now .and if any doubt that consider that if you are taking up,your cross and following Him where it is your actually going to?

Hello sorry for long delay in reply .

Say again while Man was created in the image of God and as you pointed out man by his creation was made and is a tri part of Mind body and spirit and much else besides .

But that image has been so lost and marred by the fall of man and of sin it' is no longer recognisable. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost . My first born son bore my image he did so because I was his father and he came from me.If I had not been his father hecwouid not have born my image but the image of his true father and I wouod have rejected him as my son .

Which is why we" MUST" be born again not of that corruptible seed but of the incorriotable seed which is the Word of God" not by the eill of man nor of the flesh nor of blood but by the will of God.

The " old man" is lost and passeth away . We are a new creation created IN Christ Jesus and His image in us is renewed daily in Christ . If we ar3 born again the same law that states " every seed brings forth fruit after its own kind" applies to the " corruptable seed " that can on,y bring forth corruption unto death . But glory to God the same law also applies to the " incorruptable seed? which will bring forth righteousness unto lifec. Jesus speaking of himself said " unless a seed fall into the ground and die it abudeth alone ,but if it dies it brings forth much fruit " what sort of fruit ? After its own kind" Is it not written " By thrur fruits shall you know them" ?

We respect all men for in that man is not an animal notvsomecsortbif fish kind or dog kind or simecdirt of ape kind but Mankind .

But what do we have today? But men and women even rejecting that and somevproffessingbchristians conforming to it .

But can only do so so far and it wouid be a mistake to say all men are made in the image of God so loosely .

The imperative that you " MUST" be born again is not a take it or Leave it an option of ,ife . It is an imperative of heaven that if not obeyed has eternal consequences

Annotated Gen.12.4

"And Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran."

The Spirit sets Abraham and David in terms of the generation of Jesus Christ. "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

First consider the verse connecting them in the gospel. "So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations."(Mt.1.17)

The age of David is 70 years made up in multiples of Five. 14x5=70

Abraham was seventy five when God called him out. Thus Five is an indication that he was to be conformed to the image of his son. In a manner of speaking his soul was to be centred in the life of the Son. It was also the case with Enoch, "And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:/And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.." (5.23-24)Thus when God commands him,"and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."(17.1) Circumcision was a sign, an outward indication of setting his life in alignment with the Son. We shall come to it anon. But it serves as book ends for the life of the patriarch. He died 175 years of age. The number five establlshes in what sense we are to interpret generation of Jesus Christ. David as the son of Abraham similarly identified as having the same heart " the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart."(1 Sam.13.14)

12.7 "And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. The passage beginning here to 13.4-5 van be understood as training Abraham to trust him totally. He builds an altar unto the Lord.

"Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord." He calls on the name of the Lord, meaning his growth towards becoming a friend of God. 13.5 "And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. Did Lot benefit from this walk with God?

Annotated Gen/12.17 "Egypt"

"And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife."

What necessitated Abraham to go south in the first plac? Obviously there was a famine going on in the land. " And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land."(v.10) Abraham had to enter into the mind of Christ of whom the prophet had foretold,"When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt."( Hosea 11.1). In the gospel we read,"that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son."(Mt.2.15)

Outwardly we have circumstance of nations running helter-skelter in their foolish pursuit going farther from the east but God is preparing to be part of a great nation while Egypt in the will of God was on the way out. "It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations."(Ezek.29.15). Those who took Prophet Jeremiah hostage were cursed. "Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the Lord, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord God liveth."(Jer.44.24) God set the boundary of the sea of Egypt for the seed of Abraham so they were cursed to dwell in perpetual desolations called the outer darkness.

God led him to the land of Egypt. Here God plagued the court of Pharaon as promised by God, "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee."(v.3) Abraham's world moving with him carried an envelope and framed by the word made the chastity of Sarah inviolate."And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had."(v.20) Angel of the Lord was his defence.

Thank you! It is helping me to continue praying, reading the Word as well as these posts. I am so very far from His Light, it seems like a distant dot, when it used to seem like an overwhelming searchlight!

Bless you and your family!

Hello again "Not good enough for HEAVEN"

I think i must make clear something in my previous post. When I said that repentance comes first and next everything else like going to the church, praying and reading the Bible I simply meant that you don't have to do something to get God's love. His love for you is always there, never stopped. I like what brother Spencer wrote. The young man never lost his indentity. He was always God's son no matter if he was far from home. God loves you. He only wishes to hear from You, "I am sorry my God, I've done it all wrong, I'm coming home" No need to do something more to make him accept you. But if reading the Bible or praying or going to the church makes you getting closer to him then keep doing them. And to be honest I think it is necessary to get your heart warmed by His Word. Also companionship with other christians. Secular people have the spirit of the world. They can not help you with your relationship with God. And praying will make you feel His presense. Blessings.

Annotated Gen.ch.12 "Nation"

"And I will make of thee a great nation," What makes a nation? Let us put this in proper context." I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (Mt.22.32) God is the God of the living and Jesus declared the individual names of the three partiarchs that ihe nation called to occupy the land of the living is already in formation. It is what the generation of Jesus Christ indicates.. When Jesus delivered this doctrine that God is the God of the living the people were astonished at his doctrine.. What is his doctrine but that of his Father? Jn 7.16-18. The only way this Father Son can be understood is by doing the will of God.

'The firmament sheweth his handiwork', this much oft quoted verse is called heaven and what are the works of God? In another place Jesus explained,"This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

There are only two nations either you belong to the light which is the life of men or of darkness. So when God promises inheritance, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:"The river of Egypt is reserved for darkness while the great river, the river of Ephrates is the river of time that shall never break as with the word of God."Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.." In Daniel's vision this river takes the place of Ulai,as in this verse, the 'man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river' (Dan.12.6-7)

The man clothed in linen is an angel, "my name is in him" and it is thus God made angels spirit, and thy shall lead ther heirs of promise to the land.

In the caseof Moses there were two other signs signifying the two great lights. leading the Israelites,"For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys."(Exod.40.38)

Thank you and God bless. I never thought that I would start having such doubt. As a kid, my faith seemed much stronger. I think that the stresses of life and the bad things going on in the world sometimes gets me down. I know that what we see as God "dragging his feet" as it relates to allowing all of the evil in the world to prevail is actually his mercy.

God bless!

Annotated Gen.12.2-3 "Name"

"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:"

The name is in the sense God warned Moses,"Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him."(Exod.23.21). Abraham is called out and his name is not his own but what God shall give him, at the end, in other words he had to prove himself. He was framed by his word so the angel who led him served hiis envelope. He was the angel of the Lord, bearing 'my name'. Phi.2.8 sets a context for Abraham. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:"

The Spirit repeats the blessing on behalf of his Son.

"And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

All families are included.

vv.9-10 "And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south./ And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land."

Hi.

Welcome to the site.

I would like to add to the Great comfort and words that the others gave you.

The Prodigal Son.

In Luke 15:3-32 we see the Lord give a in three phases in one parable with the last phase being the Prodigal Son.

The context of all three of these phases of this one Parable is Rejoicing over that was lost and now found!

We see the audience and reason for the parable in verses 1and 2

"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them".

The lost sheep, the lost coin and the younger Son going into a far country, represent the son going into a far country,

The elder son in the field represents the Pharisees and their murmuring in verse 2.

The father didn't go looking for his younger son but he never stopped expecting his son to return.

It's the Holyspirit that gathers us and brings us back home!

The younger Son went out like the sheep and got lost but he never ceased from being a Son!!

He said "I will arise and go to my father!

He left the pig pen because he didn't belong there! He's not a pig, he's a Son!

In 2 Peter 2:22 we see a biblical proverb "But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire"

A pig returning back to her wallowing in the mire. "Because she was a pig!

The Son returned home because he was a Son and he never lost his identity.

And joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,

We have a Great Shepherd that leaves the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it and he will never leave or forsake us!

We see the role of the Father the Son and the Holyspirit in this parable!

God bless you.

Dear Donna,

So glad to hear of Arthur's progress in gaining weight and getting insulin regularly. It sounds like this home is caring for him well. I hope that he stays there for a while. He has addiction to overcome and recover from the harmful life habits that entrapped him so.

Do you live in Yakima? I live west of the mountains near Olympia. Does he want to move to Yakima to be close to you or his brother who's drug involvement is treacherous for both of them?

I continue to pray for him. I am glad you are being a strength to him when he cannot be for himself. But above your wonderful love and concern for Arthur, our God is strong and mighty to save him and bring victory in his life. So, I pray that God does all this for him and that you will see continued improvement in Arthur, a renewal in his spiritual life and gifted with strong faith in Christ to face the rest of his life.

Thank you so much for the update. It is good to hear such promising news.

Giannis,

One thing among many that this parable reminds me of is that of the Father looking day after day for his son. He was expecting to see him. I think that this reflects that the Father trusted that God would bring his son back home to finish what He started in him.

I believe we should all have this expectation for any and all of our children who have gone away from the faith they once had, whether as children, teens, or adults. We should believe that God is faithful to those He has given faith and the Holy Spirit to knowing that God will keep that seed of faith alive until the time He draws that elect one back to Himself.

Giannis,

This is true, there being an Eastern and Western aspect of the Church until the Great Schism of 1050 when Eastern branch broke away forming the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Regardless of what background we have in our church journey, Jesus built His church through the Catholic Church for a thousand years and then through Roman Catholicism from 1050 through various reformers and branches of Protestantism through today.

This truth is why I posted this history because it is the history from which we all can trace our Christian faith through back to Christ Jesus and His apostles.

I can appreciate what people say that may criticize aspects of what the Church did. Those who do indeed take the time to learn at least a precursory learning of the history as I have given here I tend to have more respect for their opinions on the early church, the Roman Church up to the Schism, the church prior to the Reformation, and the 5 centuries that came after the Reformation. All of these eras of the Church are part of Christ's building of His Church. We should be humble enough to acknowledge this and to be careful of what theologies and whom we follow lest we be deceived or choose to step into error.

Amen Brother Chris.

Integrity and honesty goes well with the presence of a zealous belief in God's word when being displayed

Also, when you are recognized and identified as a Christian you must be blameless in your present walk.

We must have the mindset to serve with humility and without partiality and not seek glory of men as the example given by our Lord in Mark 10:45.

I've seen people join a Church and soon leave because of partiality and a proud look from leadership.

Blessings.

That it is recorded that " Jesus loved him" is significant . That he walked away from that love was tragic for he loved his riches more than Christ .

The scriptures is " that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to a knowledge of the truth " The implication is that if fir whatever reason you do not come to a knowledge of the truth you will perish .

" As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so shall the Son of Man be lifted up( on the cross) and if I be lifted up,I will draw all me; not me" in that He said ALL none therefore are excluded .

To resist the irristable is to bring destruction upon your own head and to deny the irrefutable is to bring damnation upon yiur own; soul .

As I said the fact that Gods loves you does not in of and by itself save you. It's not exposure to truth that changes a person but there response to it .

Judas was exposed for 3 1/2 years walked with the Lord was involved in ministry but was never changed but rather grew worse .

" He did not say this because he loved the poor but because he carried the bag" He was a thief .

In the end he sold the truth fir 30 pieces of silver and. Betrayed the Christ .