In our current stage; we do well to keep a healthy distance from spending a lot of time reading news. The best way to get some idea of the truth is to read alternative as well as mainstream news and try to piece things together. We don't want to react like Job in chapter 3; verse 25 when he said that essentially his worst fears came upon him. Easier said than done; of course.
The mainstream narrative wants us to bring about a "self fulfilling prophecy" by conditioning the masses to react a certain way then have a "solution" to a crisis that itself is worse than the problem. It frequently exacerbates an issue by pitting one side against another; and usually is bias leaning far too much one way or another in international affairs. Alternative news brings a different angle but still can be biased. This helps us usually to hear about what is going on in nations that are of little interest to the West where nonetheless significant things are occurring.
We know; of course that He is with us until the end of the Age; whether that be defined as the end of the church age; or the Second Coming. There are people still coming to faith; no matter how bleak things are. Think of how miraculous that is; with the majority (70 something percent) believing in God about 40 years ago; and now 26 percent (unknown poll my Pastor mentioned Sunday). By and large the churches are turning into the Whore of Babylon; let's face it between the political agenda and the merging of religions we definitely see a sinking ship with churches in general today. We need to keep in mind that the Laodicean church still has a remnant in it. There is still a Philadelphia church; I would argue even if the main period in history for that typology passed a hundred years ago. As Daniel says none of the wicked only the wise understand ( Daniel 12:10) and the righteous will shine like the sun ( Matt. 13:43). Let us remain as "salt and light" ( Matt. 5:13).
Heavenly Father, we come before You today in the name of Your Son, Jesus our Lord asking for healing and peace for Christina. Lift up her spirit and heal her mind from the unhealthy thoughts of depression. Take back what the devil has stolen from Christina that she may be joyful in You and hope in You. Lead her in the reading of Your Word that she may be encouraged and be filled with praise for You. Prevent Christina from slipping deeper into depression but instead bring her out of it. We ask this of You, Father, because You are near to the faint of heart and those broken in their spirit. Amen.
Rose is beautiful and healthy and very calm and content for now. That is good for mom Vivian to recover from c-section. My son Kevin is handling her like a pro. They are so happy. I guess all those years I did childcare in our home while the boys were growing up pays off with their calmness and confidence with a new baby. Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes. It was a blessing to see Rose today, to hold her and to enjoy the moment.
Lord, we come before you at this hour with sad hearts as we remember the ones that is no longer among us. Some was well known. Others were less known. Maybe they were a mother or father; son or daughter; sister or brother;
husband or wife; whether healthy or handicapped; whether needy or well off;
whether they were blessed with a long life or whether their life was cut short; whatever title they held they shared their life with us and we remember their presence on this earth.
Our memory of them shall never fade away.
We pray they are in a place where the wicked shall cease from troubling and the weary shall be at rest. Lord, relieve our pain, ease our sorrow, calm our fears, comfort our hearts and Lord, grant us peace.
Having discussed briefly the desires of the flesh for money that convince people (supposedly) that they too can have mountains of cash or at least a foothill or two if they sow generously to the megachurch we turn our attention to the other major appeal; that is of healings. As long as botox and plastic surgery keep the preacher (or "Apostle" or "prophet") from looking as crooked as their heart is they can hold some leverage; to those foolish enough to believe them to the concept that somehow they have locked into some sort of "healing ministry" that they can attach to their official title. It reminds me of the Jethro Tull song "Wind up" where he says "he's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays" as one of his lines describing God. The same could be said for his song "My God" where the hypocricy of those who use a "plastic crucifix" is mocked. Sometimes we can find more wisdom with secular music than so called "Christian."
At any "road" as they say in England; if they can't sell you the concept of healing they will also often promote products that are; of course overpriced that are organic or something to that effect to keep your appearance younger. It appears almost always the evidence of so called healings have no factual backup; such as names; places or verifiable witnesses. Emotional healings of course aren't as easily verified and spiritual change is more than hype and drama. I am not a "cessationist" in principle; but would venture to say that any true miracle isn't something which should be made a spectacle; just as any true conversion has lasting power as based on John 15:5 about remaining in Him. If there is a true miracle of God it certainly isn't to promote a particular ministry but to give glory to God. It also; no doubt will bring the same sort of persecution that happened during the time of Christ. The same could be said about tongues; another thing these churches tend to emphasize.
Prosperity teachers: Factors today which allow them to thrive.
Much as with the conspiracy theorists; prosperity teachers like to prey on people who want to obtain wealth the easy way; because they largely grew up with a lack of a work ethic of previous generations. This is why an atheist with worldly wisdom can see the hypocrisy right away when the "religious" folk have to ponder things further. As to the teachers themselves; we can see patterns in their youth and upbringing that are common to dictators; often spoiled as children and getting much attention; or struggling to some extent but finding a way to dominate and control others through various means and methods (that would perhaps be more true with women who get into this vocation; again I'll leave names out; do your own research).
Of course; all we need to do is look at Paul in scripture who sarcastically pointed out that they were "kings" in the Corinthian church. ( 1 Cor. 4:8). He spends much time describing his sufferings for their sake as a necessity; not that he wishes to boast about anything of himself. They were; basically spoiled brats; but thankfully got straightened up right quick. Paul of course was the antithesis of a prosperity preacher; living in want and need and providing for himself and other churches at his own expense.
Of course another appeal in our country is the whole concept of pride about our independence; and the ability to "live out your dreams" in regard to having a big building as an indication of a thriving ministry. That; at least was the fashion up until say the beginning of the 21st century. Today; we see churches branching out to the aforementioned African Megachurches in particular where excesses of the rich are more of a novelty for those who have never seen it before; and sadly many view this type of "Christianity" as typifying the American church. Those with sense run like the plague. Sadly also there is the promise of health along with wealth.
There is nothing impossible with God. Just now I prayed for your complete healing. I am also on insulin and have an eye damaged, and with legs barely holding up. Despite of it all God helped me so far and for complete recovery I have placed my need into His hands. His grace has been sufficient to me. May God fully restore your health and of your son and bless your family. Amen..
Further discussion on definitions for secondary themes; applications and doctrines.
Besides UNIVERSAL rules with examples such as I posted in my last message about marriage regulations; murder would also be something which demands justice as a universal law.
What I will call CASE SPECIFIC tenants are not going to determine whether we are truly saved or not but are primarily appropriate for confessing believers. Sin is sin; but we shouldn't expect people to stop cussing; drinking; gambling or doing other vices that aren't at least strictly forbidden in scripture. Also things which are impossible become possible such as not loving the world or anything in it ( 1 John 2:15). These issues also could determine the lifespan of an individual and be considered more in the category of general wisdom. Someone who is habitually overeating is doing more harm to their bodies (in general) because of what is in reality a soul issue; whereas someone sleeping around is primarily hurting their soul. In either case physical health concerns can develop simply living in a perishable vessel.
Perhaps the classification here could be something that is associated with but not directly linked to a primary doctrine. Showing hospitality such as described in Hebrews 13:2 ties into the concept of loving God (1st commandment0 and loving your neighbor as yourself. Since it would be more difficult for a homeless man to be able to offer much in the way of hospitality it is somewhat case specific.
The third category may be something that is POSSIBLY related to a primary tenant but can't be strongly proven. Such could be a person who holds to a certain diet mentioned as ceremonially clean in the Old Testament. One could argue this is to honor the "Temple" where the Spirit now resides ( 1 Cor. 6:19-20). A more controversial issue is the day of worship. We could make an argument for the original day of rest or the first day of the week but we must remember Collossians 2:16!
In considering what I am calling "secondary" themes and applications in scripture; some definitions would probably be helpful.
We probably need to have a whole subdivision of the term "secondary" as nothing in the inspired Word of God is for naught.
The simple approach would be to have "tertiary" issues included for things such as eschatology; ceremonial laws and scientific validity of various health regulations; lists of names which aren't directly in the genealogy of Christ; etc. But of course; when we do this we add to the problem of correctly classifying something as one or another without considering the "gray areas" in between.
Perhaps secondary themes are easier to define. We could point out any facts in the Bible as to family situations; names and numbers of offspring; locations where certain events with associated details are mentioned and all the varieties of personalities with the characters mentioned throughout the entire 1500 year or so timespan of the writings; which involve about 4000 years of human history. Again; we have the issue of a theme being a lesson to further draw out the truths in the laws of God; hence we indirectly use these examples to apply to our lives; primarily to avoid sins and similar consequences in our own lives and hopefully find an example or two we can emulate and relate to.
In terms of application let's start to divide this way.
SECONDARY but attached to a primary application or doctrine. This would be repentance and saving faith LEADING to baptism as one example. These would also be directly meant and clearly understood as a moral law. I would further divide this into a universal law (such as the covenant involved in marriage which I consider of primary importance for that reason); and how we respond depending on our individual situation (married or unmarried). Personally I would argue for illegitimate divorce and remarriage as a primary issue but am aware many would disagree.
To enter into this conversation on the topic of discipleship/evangelism.
Deuteronomy 6:4-8 came to mind as the Israelites were commanded to teach their children according to the ways God proscribed to this chosen nation.
I think that this verse applies to the church in that we are to teach sound doctrine to those who come into the church by faith in Jesus. Since there was not Scriptures printed for all to read and that not all were able to read, it was important for the leaders to read the Scriptures they had access to and to teach what they learned from the apostles in order to encourage growth and maturity among the believers. Just as parents are responsible for bringing their children up in the faith, those who bring are brought into fellowship are to be brought up in the faith taught by the apostles. So, I don't think that either evangelism nor discipleship are primary or secondary, but both are vital to the health of the individual (to hear the gospel and grow in doctrinal knowledge of God and His ways) and the church (to preach the gospel and disciple those who are babes to become mature and able to teach others Scriptural truths). Some are gifted and called more specifically for evangelism and others for discipleship. While it is only by faith that one is saved in Christ, the church is tasked with discipling converts and babes in Christ. Paul did plenty of discipling in his letters to the churches he had planted.
It seems to me that God wills for every believer to grow in their faith and knowledge of the truths taught in Scripture, and, even though we do not need to be perfect in every way to be saved, it is valuable to each believer to be discipled and to learn to feed themselves on the Word, its truths and to grow into a life of willing service to God.
Jesus defined eternal life this way: to know the one true God and Jesus. This involves a right relationship with God, but then we are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God.
Hello Stephanie V. I am happy to continue to pray for you and your health. You have been posting your prayer needs here for a long while and I am glad you do. May the Lord bless you and heal you and restore to you your energy, strength, resistence to illness, and increase your body's health from day to day.
It is not an excuse for abandoning our faith in the Lord; but it seems there is less encouragement today than their should be when it comes to acknowledgment from one believer to another of seeing evidence of good fruit in their lives and thus Christ is on display. This is not to substitute for good theology and in the short term would not be good advice for someone to share with another without carefully and prayerfully examining the evidence. As a rule; I would say that those needing such a boost are the ones who say little of their struggles; their needs and their personal lives but where it is evidence of sacrificial service to God.
It is easy to look to the academic achievements; or a legacy of years of preaching with authority and assume such building up is unnecessary. At times; of course it seems those who are in authority are unapproachable. This is unwise; and is an issue if there isn't a group of elders helping to copilot or keep the ship steady; as it were.
Kindness and compassion should never be out of style. Neither should rebuke and exhortation as well. We need a healthy balance of these two for the overall health of a local church congregation.
What we should NOT do is first of all spend all our time with those who simply are looking for a handout (of money; or unreasonable use of our time) that are NOT serious about God's Word. This means according to scripture a SEPARATION from those who would claim to believe but are living in a sinful LIFESTYLE. If we advise someone and they are not interested in either their personal edification it is probably even more problematic that the welfare of those in the Body of Christ that are nearest to them isn't a concern. IF WE HAVE THE SPIRIT we then have the mind of Christ. ( 1 Cor. 2:16). Just as we function to strengthen our brothers and sisters we also learn to TRUST God to bring other believers when in need to strengthen us.
Hi GIGI, Thank you! We are doing well enough. We are looking forward to our oldest, Sarah getting married this summer to a young man from Mississippi. From what we can tell it looks like the two have been brought together by the Lord. Our lives seem so busy as older ones already and now... I hope you and family are also in reasonably good health and happiness!
There are currently wars and rumors of wars. Ukraine+UN/Russia is the biggest currently.
Nation rising against nation. UN stands for United Nations and UN is against Russia and probably China and Iran who seem to be natural partners. The US is pushing WW3 hard with blowing up Russia's pipeline, funding nefarious labs in Ukraine, overthrowing their government, putting carriers close to strike, putting assets in south china sea. They are doing everything that a country would do if they wanted to start a world war. They are not moral peacekeepers by any means, that was an idea of the past. It's based on greed, lust for power and evil. Immoral lost people are in charge. Look at the Biden admin staff- the health director is an overweight transvestite. They are committing federal crimes in public such as treason and interfering in presidential elections by changing voter laws and human trafficking on a huge scale to bribe and import voting power. They took over all the DAs so they don't prosecute themselves and the supreme court are cowardly and are not challenging any of their open criminal activity.
I think the wars and chaos will cause famine. We saw how the covid scare created shortages and panic. Many in the US were artificially created such as locking down ships from docking from Long Beach harbor, and employee shortages. Prices are skyrocketing and there are now probably more homeless than ever in the US. Artificially forced minimum wage at high levels means more laid off workers and automation, but may lead to shortages and closures. There's currently minor pestilences from crickets, cicadas, and regional bug issues. Not aware of any mass earthquakes yet, but I agree that these are to come. I think it will be obvious when its happening. But as we saw with covid, fear causes people to act like irrational wild animals and cause us much harm.
Rethinking some concepts in regard to World War and the Rapture/Tribulation
It has; in my mind anyway been a miracle that since the atomic bomb was invented and first used in 1945 that we haven't had any war since that has been involved with that type of weaponry.
The traditional take on Revelation (at least after this type of warfare became a possibility) is that the judgments primarily at least symbolize missiles and the deaths correspond to the mass destruction expected and only explained by such a conflict. There is one such major problem with that theory; the descriptions in the verses themselves seem to indicate otherwise. In general ALL of the 21 judgments originate from God; including the seal judgments which only Christ can open which in a sense opens up the book for further more widespread judgments in the trumpet and bowl judgments. We don't see a specific mention of armies until we get to the 6th Trumpet; and it seems to occur only once more with the catastrophic hailstorm of the 6th bowl.
These events probably bracket the time from the instigation of the movement of armies "from the east" across the dried up Euphrates; the invasion of "Gog and Magog" and their allies from the north (the so called Ezekiel 38 war) and extend to the final assimilation of armies in the valley of Mediggo (Armageddon) with their collateral destruction.
I will make this another "series" as it were...going through the seals then the trumpets then the bowls and Lord willing have a healthy bolstering of cross references. What I want to do is accomlish several things; first focusing on how we can continue to remain faithful until the end; which I believe for the victorious church is the Rapture; second I want to see what is described in Scripture with a focus on a LITERAL fulfillment to see how it pans out with other references; and third look at how best we can reach the lost now knowing these things to come and perhaps after the Rapture with personal notes; etc.
Before I begin; I want to say that I enjoy the fellowship here; as well as writing postings. If there was any time that I wanted to make an impact it is now on this subject. Other than the attributes of God; at least from my perspective and experience this is needed the most. Many go to either extreme (NOT unique to this subject). People either will exaggerate Satan and allow fear of him to paralyze them or will underestimate the threat. It is; and I hope everyone here agrees with this BEYOND our strength to fight the enemy of our souls; we only have Christ to help us; as evidence of Michael the Archangel appealing to the Lord in the case of the dispute over Moses' Body ( Jude 1:9). Since he WILL kick Satan out of heaven at some point; this is evidence of respecting God; although it could show that the combined forces of angels of God are needed to kick out Satan and his minions.
It also avoids presumptuous action as well as acting out before the proper time and without the direct command of God which involves a pride of sorts that Lucifer himself was brought to his downfall. In any case; what causes fear is either our own sin which God allows the enemy to torment us with and accuse us; or an unhealthy obsession with the media representation or occult practices rather than avoiding every appearance of evil. Knowing that Satan is the god of this world and offered all the Kingdoms to Christ and that everyone's name that is NOT in the book of life worships his masterpiece the Antichrist Beast we do well to heed to the warnings not to trivialize the enemy we face but to have an Ephesians 6 mindset.
Satan's "machinations"
Part One.-Self
John 12:25 states that if we love this life we will lose it and if we hate it we gain eternal life. Proverbs 16:18 says that pride comes before a fall. Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many ( Mark 10:45) and the verse begins talking about Him serving others than being served. I will discuss Matthew 16:23 next post.
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. ( Galatians 5:9).
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. ( Malachi 4:6)
The first verse serves as a warning for any so called "revivals"; the last is related to the end times witness of Elijah and probably John the Baptist as a forerunner in his time. A church consists as any other element of society of individuals and a collective group and the sum is greater than its parts at least in the case of a healthy church. If we study the Laodiceans in particular however we could say the opposite; that the power is truly only in the hands of a few that will receive a reward; and/or make the Rapture (at least for those who are deceiving themselves as to having saving faith).
One major concept that needs to be grasped is that we are all as the Body of Christ working for the same goal and should find ways to work with different local and international ministries that are preaching truth. There of course needs to be careful consideration for any signs of associations with those ministries that clearly have spurious doctrines about key theological issues. In general the vision should focus on fulfilling the Great Commission rather than always planning on grandiose and exorbitant construction of new facilities; conferences etc. To help discipleship efforts within and without must be a key priority. Leadership needs to be open to the Spirit's leading in regard to changes and transitions in the future; having competent financial accounting but not making a corporate business structure the chief pursuit. Short term mission trips are great for youth especially; as well as having missionaries come visit home churches and do witnessing in our country as well. Group efforts in sharing the Gospel on a regular basis should be a foundation as well.
Here we have two aspects of life where sin controls circumstances of man's world. We shall come to the other man's riches reigning uppermost whereas God covered him with glory and honor in the beginning; so much so Adam and Eve were naked and yet they felt no shame at all. Wealth of a sinful man's inventive mind, in terms of a sentient life did not exist at all.
The man who came running to Jesus must not have come on the spur of the moment. A good life for a fine mind can hold a deadening effect when one sees at every turn the squalor and misery of lives floating about. It is like a healthy man chained to a almost a decaying corpse. Does it not spoil his sleep though he has a comfortable bed to sleep on? He may have kept a good table with rich viands and possessed thoroughbreds in his stables and lived in the midst of objet d'art, and he may have even tried not to succumb to its lure. He would only know how his soul has been left bound so he hastened to Jesus in a moral dilemma. Only when the moment of truth demanded him to declare where he stood in terms of eternal life, "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions".(v.22)
The Spirit repeats thrice in vv.23-25 Jesus makes a general observation; secondly with regards to those who would want an abiding life as branches to the true Vine. " Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"(v.24)
"Who then can be saved?/And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."(vv.26-27) Grace is required to negotiate between true riches and other man's riches.
On the other hand true riches of man has been established between God and Man and the blessings are allowed to whosoever trusted the Son unreservedly. Besides God sanctified the day Seven and would send him to the world in fullness of time.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. ( Revelation 21:8)
These verses at the end of the Bible and representing the end of the wicked is the end result of those who won't heed to warnings such as 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; see also Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:5 and many other scriptures on the subject. We do well to heed to what was said in the last verse of 1 Corinthians 6 of this reference (v. 11) where it states that some were this but they have been sanctified and justified.
There are several issues here that I feel need to be addressed. First is the difference between a sinful lapse; a sinful habit and a sinful lifestyle. All three of these behaviors could be attributed to nonbelievers; albeit in today's society there would be few that would care about a slip up except perhaps some atheists who hold to what they consider a moral standard superior to much of society. Clearly as a Christian we shouldn't play games with God with any type of sin. The third category; however is something that must be abandoned; otherwise there is no fruit of our salvation. Also we undestand that breaking the law in one area makes us guilty of breaking it all ( James 2:10). Often one sin leads to another; whether it is abuse or abandonment of a family due to the greed of a gambling addiction (something which is being advertised currently in local media); or murder stemming from the bad fruit of adultery or fornication that usually is also tied to greed or jealousy; etc.
The word "fearful" in Revelation 21:8 is in many translations "cowardly". It results when men fear man over God which we are to have a healthy fear of and ignores ( Proverbs 29:25). Wanting the praise of men is at least equally if not worse because it compromises our bold witness against sin ( John 12:43).
Since I had several postings on the subject yesterday; I would recommend you to look at that if helpful.
On my last commentary yesterday, I discussed the "mark of Cain" as mentioned in Genesis 4:15. This was something God allowed after Cain murdured his brother and was promised that he would be a vagabond on the earth from that point forth and Cain protested saying that was too hard. The Lord could have wiped him out at that point; but there was a greater lesson there.
Later on we see Lamech in Genesis 4:24 saying that he would be avenged seventy seven times after his violent acts.
Several things can be pointed out here; firstly this was the first time a mark on a person was given; and also God ultimately was the authority. Cain at the time would have been the only man alive; conceivably marrying one of his sisters later born to Adam and Eve so that God had to preserve him to continue the human race at that point at least until Seth was born; of course God knew ahead of time that others would reproduce; but also at the time there was no formal law regarding murder.
The main concept here and later passages is any mark whether of God or Satan is an identifier of a master and ownership. The idea that we ultimately have free will in regard to this issue seems to be ultimately not true. God once again mentions a mark with those who are mourning over the abominations at the time in the Temple of Jerusalem ( Ezekiel 9:4). God's mark again is mentioned with the 144,000 in Revelation 7 starting in verse 4. This is to make the judgments of God to not affect these men.
Of course the infamous mark of the Beast in Revelation 13 is something people will take or "decide" on; but all those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will not only take it but worship the Beast. ( Rev. 13:8).
Computer chips are now assimilating economic and health care information; so likely a chip is meant ("chargma") in original language means a mark on or under theskin
It is said by Catholics that marriage is a sacrament that is only necessitated by the vow a man makes with a woman; and I agree with that view despite disagreeing with many other things in their belief system. The idea of a minister to oversee the event from what I can tell helps to involve two or three witnesses (usually along with parents) such as 2 Corinthians 13:1 states. There are other verses as well; none directly discuss a marriage or any other vow; but it does apply in the fact that should one or more parties violate the covenant church discipline can be used against them. I am not sure how things are in the big picture but it seems whenever marriages do occur it is often in another church that the family prefers and many times there is little sense of a whole congregation being involved at least like they used to in the past. Maybe I am off somewhat but that's how I see it.
Good counsel is helpful in that respect however; if anything to keep a healthy balance of older women guiding the youth and allowing for good interactions and support. This is something more favorable it seems today in the Reformed churches from my experiences. Such interactions of a church being a family of course should extend to foreign missionaries that are affiliated with a denomination. It is a shame when we think of missionaries being "out there" and we detach ourselves emotionally when we give financial support. Their marriages and family are components of their witness as much as their evangelism and one can't be separated from the other; although of course some are single individuals on the mission field.
Again; it is sad to say that from my viewpoint there is a tolerance for remarriage in these same sort of congregations (although many won't perform them). I would say that existing marriages have greater chance of longevity and less for divorce in the Reformed circles than others who have 50 percent divorce rates as all of society if they marry at all.
I look forward to read your answers because I truly want to know what you believe on this topic and understand your point of view better. I will be better able to respond back to you without assuming that you believe in ways you do not.
If there are any questions you wish to ask me, I would be glad to give you answers to those this week, too. Take care. I am on the mend and am thankful that covid did not do me in, having avoided it for 4 years. It seems that the present strains are not as dangerous for at risk people as at the beginning of the outbreak. Thanking God for that!
Please pray for my nephew. He has been in psyche ward twice in the past two months. He has attempted suicide 5-6 times in the last two months. He does not want to go back home to live with his dad (my brother) or his mom (both contributed to his traumatic childhood by serious neglect, manipulation, and denial of his medical needs and mental health issues. They are catalysts for this dangerous place he is 'in' right now. He wants to move to Texas to live with his sister. He has several sisters there. I hope that will work out and we will help him move there if he needs assistance. It is best for him to not be around my family because so many things can trigger him. He asked my other brother if he could stay with him for a few weeks until he can move to Texas. But neither my brother, nor I really know him very well. I pray that he can go straight from the hospital to his sisters home to live. His sisters know him and experienced the same neglect and denial of medical needs as he did to their detriment. His sisters were also sexually abused by my brother, their father and step-father, which led to him being put out of the family when my nephew was 18 months old. He has been living with his dad (my brother) since he was 18 years old. But my brother is a spiritual abuser and manipulator to him. So, such a sad and bad situation. I think his sisters can give him the best support.
Dear Lord God, we come to You in prayer today asking that You heal Suzannes' back pain as You did mine. I pray that You will bless her with rigorous strength and health for the years to come. I pray that You bless her financially so that her needs will be met well without worry and trouble. You have made us rich in You in all things, and you told us to ask You for our daily needs. So we do that today for Suzanne, and all on this forum. Thank you for the way You have provided for us all of our lives and for Your goodness towards us. You are great and nothing is outside of Your control or providence, so we rest in You today, Maker of heaven and earth. We ask these things of You, Father, in the name of Your wonderful Son. Jesus. Amen.
I just got back from Urgent Care and I have covid. I have not had it before so I do not know how my body will do. God Paxlovid to take this week and have prednisone to take when Paxlovid is done.
Please pray for my health to hold strong and that I have a quick recovery. I am feverish, coughing, have a headache and my chest is tight.
Pray that no one else in our home gets this, especially Vivian who is 6 months pregnant.
Hi Bennymjke: I agree with you to a certain extent and God did have a much better man in the White House then, then we have now. Anybody would be better than who we have now but God put him there so I guess we just have to endure. Do you think progress is important?It's true there are plastic bottles in our oceans but there are people a lot healthier, also, because of the strides made in medicine since then. What do you think of what we've been told that the bomb took a lot less lives than if the war had gone on as a ground war? Do you believe that was true? I think you know a lot about history so I look forward to reading your reply. God Bless :)
Thank you for reminding us of how your wife is abusing you. Will be praying for you.
I will advise you the same way I would advise a woman who is being physically abused-leave the abuser. Get yourself into a situation where you are removed from her so that she cannot physically hit you anymore. That is good for you and also for her. If you are not around her, she will not be allowed to continue behavior that is sinful and harmful to you and your relationship. I would recommend that you get away from her sooner than later. If you need to stay in the home, then document the times she hits you for a week or so and then file a restraining order that will require her to leave the home. it is healthy for both of you to not continue interacting in this way. I will remember you and her in my prayers today.
Today in Sunday school someone mentioned that before prayer it is good to say "Lord I don't love you; or other people (fill in the blank). Alas some with a spiritual gift of compassion would find what I am saying repulsive. We all can apply this principle to scripture reading as well "help me with my unbelief" ( Mark 9:24); or "God be merciful to me a sinner" ( Luke 18:13).
Since we are reading the "living Word" ( John 1:1) it behooves us to focus on our Lord and Savior and how much He suffered for our benefit. It also is important that we trust the Lord and also His Word as being truth and something we can lean on. Trusting in the Lord and not our own understanding ( Proverbs 3:5-6) is something we need to discuss in more detail.
Assuming we have a legitimate faith and basic understanding that the Bible is the truth and we live on that premise we could say that we trust the Lord. That of course is easier said than done; we can suddenly find ourselves overwhelmed by circumstances and allow our emotions to dictate through either a "fight or flight" mentality. This is true if we face martyrdom or serious persecution; but as with anything else the Lord usually leads us through the valleys of everyday trials and stresses to teach us to trust Him more for those big things. We can look at scripture for these examples with the 12 Apostles and their growth through Christ's earthly ministry then after Pentacost; or look at the kings of Israel with all their sins exposed for us to see.
There are a few who don't have sins mentioned; it is noteworthy that only Moses seems to be a Prophet whose sins were mentioned and the consequence of not being able to enter the Promised Land. David technically prophesied as well about the Messiah in the Psalms in particular and his personal sins and immediate consequences out the for us to see. These; of course are examples for us all ( 1 Cor. 10:11).
Hello Richard, The Greek word for the English perfect used in Scripture is teleiois, I believe, and it refers to :
completeness, maturity, full measure, coming to a desired end, especially in regards to christian character and knowledge of faith.
So to be perfect in most of the verses that instruct us to be perfect or perfecting of the saints is in this vein of meaning. It does not mean to be perfect in the sense that God is eternally perfect with no change whatsoever in His holiness, purity, righteousness, and justness.
Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John were desiring for us to reach the maximum degree of Christian maturity in this life. But not everyone will reach the same degree because of such things as:
The age at which they come to faith,
The teaching and counsel they receive from those God places over them as pastors and teachers,
Their own rate of growth,
Their own personal practices of prayer, bible study, and the iron sharpening iron of Christian fellowship,
The degree to which they remove themselves from situations that pose temptation in their areas of weakness,
Their commitment to keeping godly company as opposed to spending time with people who wish to live unbelieving and sinful daily lives.
The closeness they are to their time of death as determined by God. One who came to the Lord early in life and lives a normal lifespan will have a different level of maturity than one who came to the Lord in the last decades of their life whether their life be long or short.
The influences of their upbringing, parenting, family life and adverse events such as divorce, abuse, etc. that do so much harm along with positive events that promote healthy growth and maturity.
Who they marry.
Whether they we in a cultic situation where they eventually separated from and needed to be recover from its effects.
Whether they face a life of ease or a life of difficulty or persecution.
And so many other factors. Truly, we just can't judge each other.
In our current stage; we do well to keep a healthy distance from spending a lot of time reading news. The best way to get some idea of the truth is to read alternative as well as mainstream news and try to piece things together. We don't want to react like Job in chapter 3; verse 25 when he said that essentially his worst fears came upon him. Easier said than done; of course.
The mainstream narrative wants us to bring about a "self fulfilling prophecy" by conditioning the masses to react a certain way then have a "solution" to a crisis that itself is worse than the problem. It frequently exacerbates an issue by pitting one side against another; and usually is bias leaning far too much one way or another in international affairs. Alternative news brings a different angle but still can be biased. This helps us usually to hear about what is going on in nations that are of little interest to the West where nonetheless significant things are occurring.
We know; of course that He is with us until the end of the Age; whether that be defined as the end of the church age; or the Second Coming. There are people still coming to faith; no matter how bleak things are. Think of how miraculous that is; with the majority (70 something percent) believing in God about 40 years ago; and now 26 percent (unknown poll my Pastor mentioned Sunday). By and large the churches are turning into the Whore of Babylon; let's face it between the political agenda and the merging of religions we definitely see a sinking ship with churches in general today. We need to keep in mind that the Laodicean church still has a remnant in it. There is still a Philadelphia church; I would argue even if the main period in history for that typology passed a hundred years ago. As Daniel says none of the wicked only the wise understand ( Daniel 12:10) and the righteous will shine like the sun ( Matt. 13:43). Let us remain as "salt and light" ( Matt. 5:13).
I am happy to pray for you today.
Heavenly Father, we come before You today in the name of Your Son, Jesus our Lord asking for healing and peace for Christina. Lift up her spirit and heal her mind from the unhealthy thoughts of depression. Take back what the devil has stolen from Christina that she may be joyful in You and hope in You. Lead her in the reading of Your Word that she may be encouraged and be filled with praise for You. Prevent Christina from slipping deeper into depression but instead bring her out of it. We ask this of You, Father, because You are near to the faint of heart and those broken in their spirit. Amen.
May God Bless All of You Today!
MEMORIAL PRAYER
Lord, we come before you at this hour with sad hearts as we remember the ones that is no longer among us. Some was well known. Others were less known. Maybe they were a mother or father; son or daughter; sister or brother;
husband or wife; whether healthy or handicapped; whether needy or well off;
whether they were blessed with a long life or whether their life was cut short; whatever title they held they shared their life with us and we remember their presence on this earth.
Our memory of them shall never fade away.
We pray they are in a place where the wicked shall cease from troubling and the weary shall be at rest. Lord, relieve our pain, ease our sorrow, calm our fears, comfort our hearts and Lord, grant us peace.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
HEALTH
Having discussed briefly the desires of the flesh for money that convince people (supposedly) that they too can have mountains of cash or at least a foothill or two if they sow generously to the megachurch we turn our attention to the other major appeal; that is of healings. As long as botox and plastic surgery keep the preacher (or "Apostle" or "prophet") from looking as crooked as their heart is they can hold some leverage; to those foolish enough to believe them to the concept that somehow they have locked into some sort of "healing ministry" that they can attach to their official title. It reminds me of the Jethro Tull song "Wind up" where he says "he's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays" as one of his lines describing God. The same could be said for his song "My God" where the hypocricy of those who use a "plastic crucifix" is mocked. Sometimes we can find more wisdom with secular music than so called "Christian."
At any "road" as they say in England; if they can't sell you the concept of healing they will also often promote products that are; of course overpriced that are organic or something to that effect to keep your appearance younger. It appears almost always the evidence of so called healings have no factual backup; such as names; places or verifiable witnesses. Emotional healings of course aren't as easily verified and spiritual change is more than hype and drama. I am not a "cessationist" in principle; but would venture to say that any true miracle isn't something which should be made a spectacle; just as any true conversion has lasting power as based on John 15:5 about remaining in Him. If there is a true miracle of God it certainly isn't to promote a particular ministry but to give glory to God. It also; no doubt will bring the same sort of persecution that happened during the time of Christ. The same could be said about tongues; another thing these churches tend to emphasize.
Much as with the conspiracy theorists; prosperity teachers like to prey on people who want to obtain wealth the easy way; because they largely grew up with a lack of a work ethic of previous generations. This is why an atheist with worldly wisdom can see the hypocrisy right away when the "religious" folk have to ponder things further. As to the teachers themselves; we can see patterns in their youth and upbringing that are common to dictators; often spoiled as children and getting much attention; or struggling to some extent but finding a way to dominate and control others through various means and methods (that would perhaps be more true with women who get into this vocation; again I'll leave names out; do your own research).
Of course; all we need to do is look at Paul in scripture who sarcastically pointed out that they were "kings" in the Corinthian church. ( 1 Cor. 4:8). He spends much time describing his sufferings for their sake as a necessity; not that he wishes to boast about anything of himself. They were; basically spoiled brats; but thankfully got straightened up right quick. Paul of course was the antithesis of a prosperity preacher; living in want and need and providing for himself and other churches at his own expense.
Of course another appeal in our country is the whole concept of pride about our independence; and the ability to "live out your dreams" in regard to having a big building as an indication of a thriving ministry. That; at least was the fashion up until say the beginning of the 21st century. Today; we see churches branching out to the aforementioned African Megachurches in particular where excesses of the rich are more of a novelty for those who have never seen it before; and sadly many view this type of "Christianity" as typifying the American church. Those with sense run like the plague. Sadly also there is the promise of health along with wealth.
There is nothing impossible with God. Just now I prayed for your complete healing. I am also on insulin and have an eye damaged, and with legs barely holding up. Despite of it all God helped me so far and for complete recovery I have placed my need into His hands. His grace has been sufficient to me. May God fully restore your health and of your son and bless your family. Amen..
Besides UNIVERSAL rules with examples such as I posted in my last message about marriage regulations; murder would also be something which demands justice as a universal law.
What I will call CASE SPECIFIC tenants are not going to determine whether we are truly saved or not but are primarily appropriate for confessing believers. Sin is sin; but we shouldn't expect people to stop cussing; drinking; gambling or doing other vices that aren't at least strictly forbidden in scripture. Also things which are impossible become possible such as not loving the world or anything in it ( 1 John 2:15). These issues also could determine the lifespan of an individual and be considered more in the category of general wisdom. Someone who is habitually overeating is doing more harm to their bodies (in general) because of what is in reality a soul issue; whereas someone sleeping around is primarily hurting their soul. In either case physical health concerns can develop simply living in a perishable vessel.
Perhaps the classification here could be something that is associated with but not directly linked to a primary doctrine. Showing hospitality such as described in Hebrews 13:2 ties into the concept of loving God (1st commandment0 and loving your neighbor as yourself. Since it would be more difficult for a homeless man to be able to offer much in the way of hospitality it is somewhat case specific.
The third category may be something that is POSSIBLY related to a primary tenant but can't be strongly proven. Such could be a person who holds to a certain diet mentioned as ceremonially clean in the Old Testament. One could argue this is to honor the "Temple" where the Spirit now resides ( 1 Cor. 6:19-20). A more controversial issue is the day of worship. We could make an argument for the original day of rest or the first day of the week but we must remember Collossians 2:16!
We probably need to have a whole subdivision of the term "secondary" as nothing in the inspired Word of God is for naught.
The simple approach would be to have "tertiary" issues included for things such as eschatology; ceremonial laws and scientific validity of various health regulations; lists of names which aren't directly in the genealogy of Christ; etc. But of course; when we do this we add to the problem of correctly classifying something as one or another without considering the "gray areas" in between.
Perhaps secondary themes are easier to define. We could point out any facts in the Bible as to family situations; names and numbers of offspring; locations where certain events with associated details are mentioned and all the varieties of personalities with the characters mentioned throughout the entire 1500 year or so timespan of the writings; which involve about 4000 years of human history. Again; we have the issue of a theme being a lesson to further draw out the truths in the laws of God; hence we indirectly use these examples to apply to our lives; primarily to avoid sins and similar consequences in our own lives and hopefully find an example or two we can emulate and relate to.
In terms of application let's start to divide this way.
SECONDARY but attached to a primary application or doctrine. This would be repentance and saving faith LEADING to baptism as one example. These would also be directly meant and clearly understood as a moral law. I would further divide this into a universal law (such as the covenant involved in marriage which I consider of primary importance for that reason); and how we respond depending on our individual situation (married or unmarried). Personally I would argue for illegitimate divorce and remarriage as a primary issue but am aware many would disagree.
To enter into this conversation on the topic of discipleship/evangelism.
Deuteronomy 6:4-8 came to mind as the Israelites were commanded to teach their children according to the ways God proscribed to this chosen nation.
I think that this verse applies to the church in that we are to teach sound doctrine to those who come into the church by faith in Jesus. Since there was not Scriptures printed for all to read and that not all were able to read, it was important for the leaders to read the Scriptures they had access to and to teach what they learned from the apostles in order to encourage growth and maturity among the believers. Just as parents are responsible for bringing their children up in the faith, those who bring are brought into fellowship are to be brought up in the faith taught by the apostles. So, I don't think that either evangelism nor discipleship are primary or secondary, but both are vital to the health of the individual (to hear the gospel and grow in doctrinal knowledge of God and His ways) and the church (to preach the gospel and disciple those who are babes to become mature and able to teach others Scriptural truths). Some are gifted and called more specifically for evangelism and others for discipleship. While it is only by faith that one is saved in Christ, the church is tasked with discipling converts and babes in Christ. Paul did plenty of discipling in his letters to the churches he had planted.
It seems to me that God wills for every believer to grow in their faith and knowledge of the truths taught in Scripture, and, even though we do not need to be perfect in every way to be saved, it is valuable to each believer to be discipled and to learn to feed themselves on the Word, its truths and to grow into a life of willing service to God.
Jesus defined eternal life this way: to know the one true God and Jesus. This involves a right relationship with God, but then we are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God.
It is not an excuse for abandoning our faith in the Lord; but it seems there is less encouragement today than their should be when it comes to acknowledgment from one believer to another of seeing evidence of good fruit in their lives and thus Christ is on display. This is not to substitute for good theology and in the short term would not be good advice for someone to share with another without carefully and prayerfully examining the evidence. As a rule; I would say that those needing such a boost are the ones who say little of their struggles; their needs and their personal lives but where it is evidence of sacrificial service to God.
It is easy to look to the academic achievements; or a legacy of years of preaching with authority and assume such building up is unnecessary. At times; of course it seems those who are in authority are unapproachable. This is unwise; and is an issue if there isn't a group of elders helping to copilot or keep the ship steady; as it were.
Kindness and compassion should never be out of style. Neither should rebuke and exhortation as well. We need a healthy balance of these two for the overall health of a local church congregation.
What we should NOT do is first of all spend all our time with those who simply are looking for a handout (of money; or unreasonable use of our time) that are NOT serious about God's Word. This means according to scripture a SEPARATION from those who would claim to believe but are living in a sinful LIFESTYLE. If we advise someone and they are not interested in either their personal edification it is probably even more problematic that the welfare of those in the Body of Christ that are nearest to them isn't a concern. IF WE HAVE THE SPIRIT we then have the mind of Christ. ( 1 Cor. 2:16). Just as we function to strengthen our brothers and sisters we also learn to TRUST God to bring other believers when in need to strengthen us.
Carleton
There are currently wars and rumors of wars. Ukraine+UN/Russia is the biggest currently.
Nation rising against nation. UN stands for United Nations and UN is against Russia and probably China and Iran who seem to be natural partners. The US is pushing WW3 hard with blowing up Russia's pipeline, funding nefarious labs in Ukraine, overthrowing their government, putting carriers close to strike, putting assets in south china sea. They are doing everything that a country would do if they wanted to start a world war. They are not moral peacekeepers by any means, that was an idea of the past. It's based on greed, lust for power and evil. Immoral lost people are in charge. Look at the Biden admin staff- the health director is an overweight transvestite. They are committing federal crimes in public such as treason and interfering in presidential elections by changing voter laws and human trafficking on a huge scale to bribe and import voting power. They took over all the DAs so they don't prosecute themselves and the supreme court are cowardly and are not challenging any of their open criminal activity.
I think the wars and chaos will cause famine. We saw how the covid scare created shortages and panic. Many in the US were artificially created such as locking down ships from docking from Long Beach harbor, and employee shortages. Prices are skyrocketing and there are now probably more homeless than ever in the US. Artificially forced minimum wage at high levels means more laid off workers and automation, but may lead to shortages and closures. There's currently minor pestilences from crickets, cicadas, and regional bug issues. Not aware of any mass earthquakes yet, but I agree that these are to come. I think it will be obvious when its happening. But as we saw with covid, fear causes people to act like irrational wild animals and cause us much harm.
It has; in my mind anyway been a miracle that since the atomic bomb was invented and first used in 1945 that we haven't had any war since that has been involved with that type of weaponry.
The traditional take on Revelation (at least after this type of warfare became a possibility) is that the judgments primarily at least symbolize missiles and the deaths correspond to the mass destruction expected and only explained by such a conflict. There is one such major problem with that theory; the descriptions in the verses themselves seem to indicate otherwise. In general ALL of the 21 judgments originate from God; including the seal judgments which only Christ can open which in a sense opens up the book for further more widespread judgments in the trumpet and bowl judgments. We don't see a specific mention of armies until we get to the 6th Trumpet; and it seems to occur only once more with the catastrophic hailstorm of the 6th bowl.
These events probably bracket the time from the instigation of the movement of armies "from the east" across the dried up Euphrates; the invasion of "Gog and Magog" and their allies from the north (the so called Ezekiel 38 war) and extend to the final assimilation of armies in the valley of Mediggo (Armageddon) with their collateral destruction.
I will make this another "series" as it were...going through the seals then the trumpets then the bowls and Lord willing have a healthy bolstering of cross references. What I want to do is accomlish several things; first focusing on how we can continue to remain faithful until the end; which I believe for the victorious church is the Rapture; second I want to see what is described in Scripture with a focus on a LITERAL fulfillment to see how it pans out with other references; and third look at how best we can reach the lost now knowing these things to come and perhaps after the Rapture with personal notes; etc.
It also avoids presumptuous action as well as acting out before the proper time and without the direct command of God which involves a pride of sorts that Lucifer himself was brought to his downfall. In any case; what causes fear is either our own sin which God allows the enemy to torment us with and accuse us; or an unhealthy obsession with the media representation or occult practices rather than avoiding every appearance of evil. Knowing that Satan is the god of this world and offered all the Kingdoms to Christ and that everyone's name that is NOT in the book of life worships his masterpiece the Antichrist Beast we do well to heed to the warnings not to trivialize the enemy we face but to have an Ephesians 6 mindset.
Satan's "machinations"
Part One.-Self
John 12:25 states that if we love this life we will lose it and if we hate it we gain eternal life. Proverbs 16:18 says that pride comes before a fall. Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many ( Mark 10:45) and the verse begins talking about Him serving others than being served. I will discuss Matthew 16:23 next post.
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. ( Galatians 5:9).
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. ( Malachi 4:6)
The first verse serves as a warning for any so called "revivals"; the last is related to the end times witness of Elijah and probably John the Baptist as a forerunner in his time. A church consists as any other element of society of individuals and a collective group and the sum is greater than its parts at least in the case of a healthy church. If we study the Laodiceans in particular however we could say the opposite; that the power is truly only in the hands of a few that will receive a reward; and/or make the Rapture (at least for those who are deceiving themselves as to having saving faith).
One major concept that needs to be grasped is that we are all as the Body of Christ working for the same goal and should find ways to work with different local and international ministries that are preaching truth. There of course needs to be careful consideration for any signs of associations with those ministries that clearly have spurious doctrines about key theological issues. In general the vision should focus on fulfilling the Great Commission rather than always planning on grandiose and exorbitant construction of new facilities; conferences etc. To help discipleship efforts within and without must be a key priority. Leadership needs to be open to the Spirit's leading in regard to changes and transitions in the future; having competent financial accounting but not making a corporate business structure the chief pursuit. Short term mission trips are great for youth especially; as well as having missionaries come visit home churches and do witnessing in our country as well. Group efforts in sharing the Gospel on a regular basis should be a foundation as well.
Here we have two aspects of life where sin controls circumstances of man's world. We shall come to the other man's riches reigning uppermost whereas God covered him with glory and honor in the beginning; so much so Adam and Eve were naked and yet they felt no shame at all. Wealth of a sinful man's inventive mind, in terms of a sentient life did not exist at all.
The man who came running to Jesus must not have come on the spur of the moment. A good life for a fine mind can hold a deadening effect when one sees at every turn the squalor and misery of lives floating about. It is like a healthy man chained to a almost a decaying corpse. Does it not spoil his sleep though he has a comfortable bed to sleep on? He may have kept a good table with rich viands and possessed thoroughbreds in his stables and lived in the midst of objet d'art, and he may have even tried not to succumb to its lure. He would only know how his soul has been left bound so he hastened to Jesus in a moral dilemma. Only when the moment of truth demanded him to declare where he stood in terms of eternal life, "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions".(v.22)
The Spirit repeats thrice in vv.23-25 Jesus makes a general observation; secondly with regards to those who would want an abiding life as branches to the true Vine. " Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"(v.24)
"Who then can be saved?/And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."(vv.26-27) Grace is required to negotiate between true riches and other man's riches.
On the other hand true riches of man has been established between God and Man and the blessings are allowed to whosoever trusted the Son unreservedly. Besides God sanctified the day Seven and would send him to the world in fullness of time.
These verses at the end of the Bible and representing the end of the wicked is the end result of those who won't heed to warnings such as 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; see also Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:5 and many other scriptures on the subject. We do well to heed to what was said in the last verse of 1 Corinthians 6 of this reference (v. 11) where it states that some were this but they have been sanctified and justified.
There are several issues here that I feel need to be addressed. First is the difference between a sinful lapse; a sinful habit and a sinful lifestyle. All three of these behaviors could be attributed to nonbelievers; albeit in today's society there would be few that would care about a slip up except perhaps some atheists who hold to what they consider a moral standard superior to much of society. Clearly as a Christian we shouldn't play games with God with any type of sin. The third category; however is something that must be abandoned; otherwise there is no fruit of our salvation. Also we undestand that breaking the law in one area makes us guilty of breaking it all ( James 2:10). Often one sin leads to another; whether it is abuse or abandonment of a family due to the greed of a gambling addiction (something which is being advertised currently in local media); or murder stemming from the bad fruit of adultery or fornication that usually is also tied to greed or jealousy; etc.
The word "fearful" in Revelation 21:8 is in many translations "cowardly". It results when men fear man over God which we are to have a healthy fear of and ignores ( Proverbs 29:25). Wanting the praise of men is at least equally if not worse because it compromises our bold witness against sin ( John 12:43).
On my last commentary yesterday, I discussed the "mark of Cain" as mentioned in Genesis 4:15. This was something God allowed after Cain murdured his brother and was promised that he would be a vagabond on the earth from that point forth and Cain protested saying that was too hard. The Lord could have wiped him out at that point; but there was a greater lesson there.
Later on we see Lamech in Genesis 4:24 saying that he would be avenged seventy seven times after his violent acts.
Several things can be pointed out here; firstly this was the first time a mark on a person was given; and also God ultimately was the authority. Cain at the time would have been the only man alive; conceivably marrying one of his sisters later born to Adam and Eve so that God had to preserve him to continue the human race at that point at least until Seth was born; of course God knew ahead of time that others would reproduce; but also at the time there was no formal law regarding murder.
The main concept here and later passages is any mark whether of God or Satan is an identifier of a master and ownership. The idea that we ultimately have free will in regard to this issue seems to be ultimately not true. God once again mentions a mark with those who are mourning over the abominations at the time in the Temple of Jerusalem ( Ezekiel 9:4). God's mark again is mentioned with the 144,000 in Revelation 7 starting in verse 4. This is to make the judgments of God to not affect these men.
Of course the infamous mark of the Beast in Revelation 13 is something people will take or "decide" on; but all those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will not only take it but worship the Beast. ( Rev. 13:8).
Computer chips are now assimilating economic and health care information; so likely a chip is meant ("chargma") in original language means a mark on or under theskin
Try not to read this if you are ready to eat. The World Health Organization states that about 73 MILLION abortions occur worldwide PER YEAR.
That would in little over 100 years be equivalent to the entire population of those living on the earth today.
Nothing more to say here.
It is said by Catholics that marriage is a sacrament that is only necessitated by the vow a man makes with a woman; and I agree with that view despite disagreeing with many other things in their belief system. The idea of a minister to oversee the event from what I can tell helps to involve two or three witnesses (usually along with parents) such as 2 Corinthians 13:1 states. There are other verses as well; none directly discuss a marriage or any other vow; but it does apply in the fact that should one or more parties violate the covenant church discipline can be used against them. I am not sure how things are in the big picture but it seems whenever marriages do occur it is often in another church that the family prefers and many times there is little sense of a whole congregation being involved at least like they used to in the past. Maybe I am off somewhat but that's how I see it.
Good counsel is helpful in that respect however; if anything to keep a healthy balance of older women guiding the youth and allowing for good interactions and support. This is something more favorable it seems today in the Reformed churches from my experiences. Such interactions of a church being a family of course should extend to foreign missionaries that are affiliated with a denomination. It is a shame when we think of missionaries being "out there" and we detach ourselves emotionally when we give financial support. Their marriages and family are components of their witness as much as their evangelism and one can't be separated from the other; although of course some are single individuals on the mission field.
Again; it is sad to say that from my viewpoint there is a tolerance for remarriage in these same sort of congregations (although many won't perform them). I would say that existing marriages have greater chance of longevity and less for divorce in the Reformed circles than others who have 50 percent divorce rates as all of society if they marry at all.
I look forward to read your answers because I truly want to know what you believe on this topic and understand your point of view better. I will be better able to respond back to you without assuming that you believe in ways you do not.
If there are any questions you wish to ask me, I would be glad to give you answers to those this week, too. Take care. I am on the mend and am thankful that covid did not do me in, having avoided it for 4 years. It seems that the present strains are not as dangerous for at risk people as at the beginning of the outbreak. Thanking God for that!
Please pray for my nephew. He has been in psyche ward twice in the past two months. He has attempted suicide 5-6 times in the last two months. He does not want to go back home to live with his dad (my brother) or his mom (both contributed to his traumatic childhood by serious neglect, manipulation, and denial of his medical needs and mental health issues. They are catalysts for this dangerous place he is 'in' right now. He wants to move to Texas to live with his sister. He has several sisters there. I hope that will work out and we will help him move there if he needs assistance. It is best for him to not be around my family because so many things can trigger him. He asked my other brother if he could stay with him for a few weeks until he can move to Texas. But neither my brother, nor I really know him very well. I pray that he can go straight from the hospital to his sisters home to live. His sisters know him and experienced the same neglect and denial of medical needs as he did to their detriment. His sisters were also sexually abused by my brother, their father and step-father, which led to him being put out of the family when my nephew was 18 months old. He has been living with his dad (my brother) since he was 18 years old. But my brother is a spiritual abuser and manipulator to him. So, such a sad and bad situation. I think his sisters can give him the best support.
How is your health and the health of your daughter in law? Are the repairs in your house over? Everything OK?
Dear Lord God, we come to You in prayer today asking that You heal Suzannes' back pain as You did mine. I pray that You will bless her with rigorous strength and health for the years to come. I pray that You bless her financially so that her needs will be met well without worry and trouble. You have made us rich in You in all things, and you told us to ask You for our daily needs. So we do that today for Suzanne, and all on this forum. Thank you for the way You have provided for us all of our lives and for Your goodness towards us. You are great and nothing is outside of Your control or providence, so we rest in You today, Maker of heaven and earth. We ask these things of You, Father, in the name of Your wonderful Son. Jesus. Amen.
I just got back from Urgent Care and I have covid. I have not had it before so I do not know how my body will do. God Paxlovid to take this week and have prednisone to take when Paxlovid is done.
Please pray for my health to hold strong and that I have a quick recovery. I am feverish, coughing, have a headache and my chest is tight.
Pray that no one else in our home gets this, especially Vivian who is 6 months pregnant.
Thank you for reminding us of how your wife is abusing you. Will be praying for you.
I will advise you the same way I would advise a woman who is being physically abused-leave the abuser. Get yourself into a situation where you are removed from her so that she cannot physically hit you anymore. That is good for you and also for her. If you are not around her, she will not be allowed to continue behavior that is sinful and harmful to you and your relationship. I would recommend that you get away from her sooner than later. If you need to stay in the home, then document the times she hits you for a week or so and then file a restraining order that will require her to leave the home. it is healthy for both of you to not continue interacting in this way. I will remember you and her in my prayers today.
Today in Sunday school someone mentioned that before prayer it is good to say "Lord I don't love you; or other people (fill in the blank). Alas some with a spiritual gift of compassion would find what I am saying repulsive. We all can apply this principle to scripture reading as well "help me with my unbelief" ( Mark 9:24); or "God be merciful to me a sinner" ( Luke 18:13).
Since we are reading the "living Word" ( John 1:1) it behooves us to focus on our Lord and Savior and how much He suffered for our benefit. It also is important that we trust the Lord and also His Word as being truth and something we can lean on. Trusting in the Lord and not our own understanding ( Proverbs 3:5-6) is something we need to discuss in more detail.
Assuming we have a legitimate faith and basic understanding that the Bible is the truth and we live on that premise we could say that we trust the Lord. That of course is easier said than done; we can suddenly find ourselves overwhelmed by circumstances and allow our emotions to dictate through either a "fight or flight" mentality. This is true if we face martyrdom or serious persecution; but as with anything else the Lord usually leads us through the valleys of everyday trials and stresses to teach us to trust Him more for those big things. We can look at scripture for these examples with the 12 Apostles and their growth through Christ's earthly ministry then after Pentacost; or look at the kings of Israel with all their sins exposed for us to see.
There are a few who don't have sins mentioned; it is noteworthy that only Moses seems to be a Prophet whose sins were mentioned and the consequence of not being able to enter the Promised Land. David technically prophesied as well about the Messiah in the Psalms in particular and his personal sins and immediate consequences out the for us to see. These; of course are examples for us all ( 1 Cor. 10:11).
Having a healthy fear of God (to come part 3
completeness, maturity, full measure, coming to a desired end, especially in regards to christian character and knowledge of faith.
So to be perfect in most of the verses that instruct us to be perfect or perfecting of the saints is in this vein of meaning. It does not mean to be perfect in the sense that God is eternally perfect with no change whatsoever in His holiness, purity, righteousness, and justness.
Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John were desiring for us to reach the maximum degree of Christian maturity in this life. But not everyone will reach the same degree because of such things as:
The age at which they come to faith,
The teaching and counsel they receive from those God places over them as pastors and teachers,
Their own rate of growth,
Their own personal practices of prayer, bible study, and the iron sharpening iron of Christian fellowship,
The degree to which they remove themselves from situations that pose temptation in their areas of weakness,
Their commitment to keeping godly company as opposed to spending time with people who wish to live unbelieving and sinful daily lives.
The closeness they are to their time of death as determined by God. One who came to the Lord early in life and lives a normal lifespan will have a different level of maturity than one who came to the Lord in the last decades of their life whether their life be long or short.
The influences of their upbringing, parenting, family life and adverse events such as divorce, abuse, etc. that do so much harm along with positive events that promote healthy growth and maturity.
Who they marry.
Whether they we in a cultic situation where they eventually separated from and needed to be recover from its effects.
Whether they face a life of ease or a life of difficulty or persecution.
And so many other factors. Truly, we just can't judge each other.
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