fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 9, 2020 9:58:36 GMT -5
We live today in a world that is youth directed and oriented, that relies and thinks with their feelings.
But the Christians are to rely on the the Truth of God's Word the Bible.
[smear:#e64219]17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17[/smear:#19e62f:0]
As a reminder of why we are to put on the whole armor of God daily:
[smear:#44b907]11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11[/smear:#0b9b83:0]
And also [smear:#7b19e6] 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:13[/smear:#19e644:0]
When one is in a war, feelings are not the way to win. Feelings don't always tell the truth and can lead one into tactical errors. We need to Word of Truth for the ongoing spiritual battle.
How does one win against, Hell's demons and Satan?
Without being saved by Jesus, no one can. And it is God who fights our battle, if we are saved the Holy Spirit is within us:
[smear:#e61994]20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, Ephesians 3:20[/smear:#125888:0]
So many people today are 'drunk' in many different ways..... they live in all types of debauchery...
They are unaware they are in a spiritual battle, and about to be another grievous causality [smear:#195be6] 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18[/smear:#59e619:0]
This is an ongoing battle even for the saved the devil and his demons continue to try and lure us into all manner of sins and thus we need to put on the armor daily.
As a review remember the first two parts of the armor...
(these two by the way should be always on a soldier in a war....a spiritual war they should never be taken off not even to sleep)
[smear:#e63919]14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, Ephesians 6:14[/smear:#8e19e6:0]
Unfortunately, Christians sometimes forget, and take them off or the enemy lures them with lies, that it is okay to rest a little.
I will pick this up tomorrow but I have to get ready for church
So Done for Today.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 9, 2020 10:02:01 GMT -5
I don't know what Aman means Anna LOL But HEY! Aman to you too :) :) :)
Nice to see you!!!
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anna
Trials
Posts: 1,876
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Post by anna on Aug 9, 2020 10:06:39 GMT -5
ok amen Barbra.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 9, 2020 10:45:42 GMT -5
LOLOL Aha Anna......AMEN to you too :) :) :)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 10, 2020 10:15:19 GMT -5
Back to The armor of God to be used daily in today's world.
[smear:#bd19e6] 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17[/smear:#1a5d8b:0]
A helmet protected a soldier from fiery arrows to the head. Since the believer is saved, the helmet of salvation ( of being saved) helps him or her with the fiery darts Satan throws at them, to sin in this world today.
Satan has a plethora of enticing sins today. people have always had them, but the devil has so many ways now to make them seem desirable, fascinating, enchanting, exciting, alluring, attractive, thrilling etc etc etc And believers would have to live in a cave totally away from humanity to not be exposed to them in some degree.
Satan always promises all types of freedom but dishes out slavery.
[smear:#377e45]16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:16[/smear:#a931b2:0]
The helmet which is protecting our head and thoughts which has God's Word stored in it, is a great protection in the War we are fighting. [smear:#2519e6] I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11[/smear:#f206c5:0]
This verse might be confusing if one is speed reading over it
[smear:#8319e6]8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation 1 Thessalonians 5:8[/smear:#6ffa06:0]
Since believers are already saved what would be the 'hope' of salvation I am thinking it could be our ultimate salvation either when we die, and are forever with Jesus in Heaven or we are raptured....and forever with our Lord and Savior.
I think we have so many sins in this world today we must fight not just the enticing ones... but also, discouragement, doubt, depression, despair, dismay etc. We get tired of the battle war can be exhausting
But the helmet of salvation encourages us that there is an end We won't be stuck forever fighting
An example of a tired saint would be Elijah
[smear:#069586]4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:4[/smear:#d3052d:0]
David also was discouraged
[smear:#11a23f]3 And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 1 Samuel 30:3,4[/smear:#180c94:0]
We can easily begin to feel discouraged in this world today and there are many examples in the Bible, besides the two I listed of people who became tired and depressed...
But the answer to their weariness Was the salvation from God.
The battle will not end in this life but we have an all powerful God and we will be able to say with Paul
[smear:#218d29]7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7[/smear:#7f0e71:0]
The helmet of salvation I think is like the one in this verse... note: when we first 'believed' means ....we are already saved
the salvation would be finally being with our Lord Jesus!
[smear:#0a6504]11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. Romans 13:11[/smear:#04bfb5:0]
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on Aug 10, 2020 10:39:12 GMT -5
that is a great point Cindy!!
It shows that although, people hate the Christian message, Jesus, and Christians...
mankind is still 'religious' at heart.... by the billions following other religions, or people,
or in some cases a kind of religious doctrine like 'Save the planet' a political ideology like socialism, communism, etc. or social justice or science is their god etc.
You might wonder why are there TWO posts for today!!!! Glad you asked LOL
Sooooooo I had been writing about 1/2 an hour but only posted a few paragraphs because I was so into what I was writing
unbeknownst to me, the thingy that connects to my computer had come out
It does that a lot (LOOOONG story)
and so because I had written a LOT and the plug ( whatever connector something) had come out
my computer died when I booted up again..... and yes yes restore pages
it only restored the few paragraphs!!! :( :( :( Bah humbug!!!
So rather than delete one.... I thought I would leave both for now so as better to whine about it :)
I will delete it tomorrow or so or you could I'd rather pout right now sigh! sigh sigh
until you sigh with me LOL
I do hate to loose stuff when I worked on something but oh well there is probably a lesson in here somewhere huh?
But what is upsetting, is I don't remember a lot of what I wrote I think it might have been good sigh sigh sigh
But maybe the shorter version will be okay
I'm sorry you lost your work hon. I hate it when that happens!
Yesterday, I was looking at how Christians should live, as our world continues to spiral out of control.
One of the first things was: to abide in God's Word the Bible.
Another help is: to put on the whole armor of God, daily.
I looked a little at the belt of Truth ( which we need now, more than every)! and the breastplate of righteousness
Not only do we need to saturate our minds with God's truth, but we need to rid our minds of everything that is not godly. We should not be cultivating worldly secular drivel
[smear:#e6a019] 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15[/smear:#2d7675:0]
Christians ought to desire what our Lord desires..... Whenever we listen to secular movies, songs, you tube videos etc. etc. or look at magazines, 'art', etc.
We need to ask ourselves, is this what Jesus would have us be doing, looking at, listening to etc.???
The next piece of armor is: [smear:#8209af]5 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:5[/smear:#04bcd0:0]
The temptation for the Christian in today's world is, to protect ourselves, our family, our loved ones not only from the secular influence.... but also from the anger, violence, and hatred of the lost people.
However, by doing so we deny them the salt, light and love of our Savior. Plus, we would be avoiding the 'great commission':
[smear:#0f2d50]15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Mark 16:15[/smear:#d903e0:0]
We were also like them at one time:
[smear:#e66f19]30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God.... Romans 11:30[/smear:#17a5a9:0]
[smear:#26743b]8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light Ephesians 5:8[/smear:#af4577:0]
This can help us have more compassion for the 'unlovable ' (it feels like that sometimes but so were we 'unlovable' at one time and sometimes still are)
Once it seemed like we had to travel far away for our 'mission field' Of course, that is still needed.
Nevertheless, the lost are also in our own back yards so to speak ( they might be our dearest loved one)
Soooo all our angry people in our country are not our 'enemy' so much...
( those we want to run from, his from, avoid, protect ourselves from talking to etc.)
but they are to be looked at as our 'mission field"
And notice, the shoes we put on as the gospel of peace Something, we surely need in the world today as the slightest thing can trigger someone into a rage
Therefore, Christians need to be attentive and careful concerning their own anger.
If we keep our minds on Jesus.....
[smear:#126585]Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4[/smear:#ae19e6:0]
when He provides opportunities to share the gospel, our anger ( all humans can get angry) will be checked by His love.
I had a mishap with my computer, and lost about 1/2 hour worth that I can't pull back up, so I will just have to let this shorter version, be it for today.
Done for today.
Well said!
The next spiritual armor we must put on in Today's world is: [smear:#9c19e6]16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; Ephesians 6[/smear:#e65c19:0]
We need to keep in mind, that although we live in this physical world, there is also a spiritual world.
That world has the fallen angels and Satan as it's leader.
We not only have anger, violence, wars etc. here in this dimension, but there is a war being aimed at us, from the spiritual domain... tho we may or may not know it.
But how do Christians deal with a spiritual warfare going on, that spills over and is aimed, into our realm?
First, we need to check our fear, and know, that God has already won the battle (ultimately).
Therefore we pray
[smear:#83339d]6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6[/smear:#02a3bb:0]
And keep this in mind
[smear:#e619b1]31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31[/smear:#19e62f:0]
This does not mean we may not get hurt, or even die ( all people die) but we need not fear, because, the battle is already won.
[smear:#2ccafc]35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39[/smear:#951df1:0]
Although the world looks bleak, and is getting more so each day... There are still many positives.
Strangely, as thing spiral out of control, it does begin to prove God's word. God has said we are all sinners, and we have been proving that since the beginning ( and even more so now as we are working our way back to the time of Noah:
[smear:#e61922]23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23[/smear:#1b19e6:0]
[smear:#fb545e]37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37[/smear:#8554f2:0]
The fiery darts are spiritual attacks, but we have confidence in God's power and His timing.... that is a big part of faith. When we are putting out trust in God, All the fiery darts going around now in the world today, can never really kill our spirit. We might despair or feel sad for all the chaos, violence and anger, for a moment....
Yet we know God word, and prophecy is being fulfilled....... and many will yet be saved ( no matter how grim things are looking).
[smear:#60f24f]27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27,28[/smear:#e619c7:0]
Again, that does not mean physical death, but we will be with the Lord, and our spirits will never die and God will give us new bodies also.
Satan and his demons are firing darts of fire, at us, and if we are well prepared soldiers we are using the shield of Faith, to put them out.
[smear:#812977]11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11 [/smear:#19e675:0]
What are the darts? They are not all the same sins and temptations come in many different kinds.
When those things come at us and they will....
we believe in our Savior who dies for us ( me) who rose who is coming again (every day is one day closer to His return).
The fiery darts are all lies! Temptations promise...but never deliver....not really. Not only that, it tells you to 'believe' in it whatever it is.... whatever sin and temptation
and not what God said about it.
The choice is who will you have faith in Satan or God
Satan promises his way will be fun, will get results fast, will make you happy but he lies.
Are people today, hearing lies Are they looking to God for truth and using their shield of faith
God says:
B[smear:#d5b306]lessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. Proverbs :31[/smear:#08aba9:0]
The only way to quench Satan's fiery darts is to believe God.
Done for today.
Good job!
We live today in a world that is youth directed and oriented, that relies and thinks with their feelings.
But the Christians are to rely on the the Truth of God's Word the Bible.
[smear:#e64219]17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17[/smear:#19e62f:0]
As a reminder of why we are to put on the whole armor of God daily:
[smear:#44b907]11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11[/smear:#0b9b83:0]
And also [smear:#7b19e6] 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:13[/smear:#19e644:0]
When one is in a war, feelings are not the way to win. Feelings don't always tell the truth and can lead one into tactical errors. We need to Word of Truth for the ongoing spiritual battle.
How does one win against, Hell'd demons and Satan?
Without being saved by Jesus, no one can. And it is God who fights our battle, if we are saved the Holy Spirit is within us:
[smear:#e61994]20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, Ephesians 3:20[/smear:#125888:0]
So many people today are 'drunk' in many different ways..... they live in all types of debauchery...
They are unaware they are in a spiritual battle, and about to be another grievous causality [smear:#195be6] 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18[/smear:#59e619:0]
This is an ongoing battle even for the saved the devil and his demons continue to try and lure us into all manner of sins and thus we need to put on the armor daily.
As a review remember the first two parts of the armor...
(these two by the way should be always on a soldier in a war....a spiritual war they should never be taken off not even to sleep)
[smear:#e63919]14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, Ephesians 6:14[/smear:#8e19e6:0]
Unfortunately, Christians sometimes forget, and take them off or the enemy lures them with lies, that it is okay to rest a little.
I will pick this up tomorrow but I have to get ready for church
So Done for Today.
Well done!
You know what I keep thinking about lately? When Jesus was on earth before, Israel at that time had the most knowledge about God and was the most righteous group of people on the earth. (because they knew God's Word and His laws and tried hard to obey them.) They knew, they absolutely knew that their Messiah was coming and should arrive at any moment during the time Jesus was alive on this earth. In fact there were over 50 people who claimed to be the Messiah during the time of Christ, but of course He was the only one that met all the requirements. (I often wonder if Jesus ever met any of the other people who were saying they were the messiah....) But because the priests and leaders of the Nation had corrupted things by saying their traditions were more important than God's Word, and teaching the people that, they missed their Messiah. They have been paying for that ever since, and will continue to pay for it until the end of the Tribulation.
That gives a whole new definition to the Lord's saying that "To those who have been given much, much is expected!" “...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48)
I think of all of that and wonder how far off we are from what the Lord teaches in His Word. We have a tendency to be very arrogant and to think that we know it all and have it all right and it's the other folks that are wrong, (if anyone is). All we can do though is cling fast to His Word and ask Him to remove any misconceptions we may have and to teach us the Truth from His Word. The more we rely on Him and the less we rely on ourselves or any other human being, the better off we are.
That reminds me of some of the false teachings being taught today. It seems many people are fascinated by Israel. So much so they have decided that the only way to know the bible is to get to know how the Jewish people interpret it, as well as to get to know all about their traditions. Hmmm let's see... the Jewish people are being punished because they got it so wrong, and they got it wrong from just about the beginning! Thankfully they had some good godly prophets and even a few kings, but the fast majority were way off as far as knowing God's Word and what He wants to teach us. Why then would anyone want to go to them to learn about God or His Word???? Jesus made all of us His priests and gave us all the commission to make disciples. It's our job now until the Millennial Kingdom starts up. Then it will go back to Israel again.
However, today there's so much false teaching that it's hard to recommend any teacher or pastor. In a way that's good, because there is no better teacher then the Holy Spirit and we shouldn't be so quick to try and take His job away from Him. He's the one who can and will teach us what God's Word is saying. All we have to do is open our Bibles daily and ask Him to guide us; and then when we're reading, ask Him questions if we don't understand something. Pastor MacArthur is very good and I know he loves the Lord and tries hard to present the Word faithfully. But even he is wrong at times, because he's human. He would tell us that himself I'm sure. The Holy Spirit on the other hand, is never wrong! So let's study the Bible without looking to other humans for it's meaning. After all, it's pretty straight forward. It means exactly what it says and is pretty easy to understand for the most part. For those few areas that aren't easy, the Holy Spirit loves to explain those and teach us about them!
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Post by Cindy on Aug 11, 2020 9:46:58 GMT -5
I hope you're feeling well Barbara. Looks like I got here before you did today though. So I'll just write some of what's on my mind today if that's ok...
I was thinking about how we want all of our loved ones to be ready before Jesus returns for us and takes us to be with Him in the rapture. If anyone would ask us if we believed that Jesus could return today, we'd say a resounding "YES!!!" But when I look at the fruit of my life, I then have to doubt my "yes" because I'm honestly not living as though I believe that. If i truly believed that Jesus could return at any moment for us and that He most likely would return very, very soon, possibly even today, I would not waste any time at all telling people about Him. I wouldn't care what they thought about me and would tell them so. I'd be anxious to tell them! I'd run to them and say, "Look, I know you most likely don't want to hear this, but for my sake, please listen this one time, because I don't think I'll have another chance to tell you; or at least I won't have for long." And then I'd tell them all about my Jesus and what He would do for them if only they'd let Him. Once I'd told everyone I could think of, either in person or on the phone, I'd make sure things here were in order, such as bills being paid up to date, insurance, any will I had, etc. and that I had left information about the rapture, why it happened and what would happen next, in places that would be easy to find in my home and of course on line too.
Maybe I could also tell neighbors or someone close to me that when they saw that there hadn't been any activity at my house for a couple of days and when I hadn't answered the phone, to please go into my house and get all the food and anything else they might want as I wouldn't be needing it any longer. Maybe I could figure out a way to give them a paper giving them my permission to take anything they wanted from my house when I'd been gone for two days.
Anyway, my point is that I don't do that, and don't know anyone who does. But the first Christians certainly did! They lived that way because they really believed that Jesus could return at any moment for them. They were always looking over their shoulders to see if He had returned yet. How sad that we don't believe that way! My plan is to ask the Lord daily to help me to believe that way and to live my belief. I have a feeling that's a prayer He will love to answer!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 11, 2020 11:17:24 GMT -5
That is so true Cindy and sad huh?
The only thing I do
( and trust me its not much....not compared to what you wrote..
maybe some of the street evangelist come closer than most Christians tho?)
I read with Devon and we talk a bit about these things I also sent my three posts on Goths to my son I had actually asked for his input to correct or add to what I was writing but of course no answer at all
He has taken a rock solid firm stance of refusing to engage at all And I did not give the whole gospel as I was hoping he might have answer to correct or add to my posts and thus open up a chance for more dialog
I also try to post scripture daily on facebook but even then I don't always manage
So yes, not a great track record for my Lord and Savior Jesus. It also makes me wonder if my cowardliness, might even be the holdup to His coming because, I have not talked to the last person to be saved before He will come?
I know that is unlikely, and nothing I do or do not do, will not stop God's plan but there may be a great loss on my part for my lack of being a bold soldier for Jesus.
However, I have taken my first few baby steps I just need to start walking and running.....
I seem to be missing the: I can do ALL things through Christ....part, at least, so far.
But I too will pray the prayer you mentioned!
I guess the Lord didn't call me a sheep for nothing now a Lion would have no trouble being bold!!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 11, 2020 11:24:49 GMT -5
I did not get the the second half of verse 17 when talking about Christians putting on the armor of God in the world today the 2nd half is this: [smear:#fd1805] the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17 (b)[/smear:#69e619:0]
The other parts of the armor were for protection but a sword is a weapon that can kill. What? What would a believer being wanting to kill Things like: Satan's lies, the death that is trapping people, etc.
[smear:#cd19e6]12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12[/smear:#e66519:0]
The sword we use is the Word and the Word is none other than Jesus [smear:#15b20b] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 [/smear:#aa248c:0]
And what is our conviction concerning fighting with God's word?
[smear:#e61932]so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11[/smear:#28973b:0]
And what things will it accomplish? No wonder people do not want to have scripture quoted to them because it can have this effect:
[smear:#19bf6c]7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:7-9[/smear:#a4329c:0]
The Bible will give people the absolute Truth strange as it may seem, not everyone want to hear the truth, but regardless that is what they will hear if they are exposed to it
[smear:#f76229]17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17[/smear:#d62df4:0]
Not only that but Jesus said they can be blessed ( if they keep it):
[smear:#950275]28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28[/smear:#19e679:0]
It will also give people direction in this sad sin filled, evil world
[smear:#135857]105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalms 119:105[/smear:#e6d719:0]
In a sense we can also resist the devil and he will flee from us if we have God word ( the Bible) as our sword The Bible is a weapon, a spiritual weapon.
[smear:#bd19e6]7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7[/smear:#02bb7a:0]
And let's not forget why wouldn't the devil/Satan flee as the Word is Jesus. As in any war, take out the commander, and the foot soldiers are lost.... and victory is at hand!
Not only that, but by the Word of God, we can steal human soldiers, that were once on the enemy's side
[smear:#19e621]16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16[/smear:#4c19e6:0]
[smear:#f25f2c] 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17[/smear:#b319e6:0]
This is not a 'pretend' battle a figment of our imagination some crazy myth
1[smear:#c5ae07]2 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 [/smear:#5b0aa3:0]
But in order to win, we have to to be prepared.
We have to have our minds filled with God's word we have to be reading the Bible daily and memorizing it and even speaking it in conversations.
You have to know what God says about the fiery darts Satan is lobbing at you or a loved one,... or even the secular world system...
in order to fight.
However, we don't rebuke Satan we resist God does the rebuking [smear:#458a05] 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! ....... Zechariah 3:2[/smear:#8e19e6:0]
Without God's word, the Christian is defenseless Without God's Word the non-believer will always be defenseless
We need the sword which is God's Word, the Bible.
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on Aug 12, 2020 8:49:56 GMT -5
That is so true Cindy and sad huh?
The only thing I do
( and trust me its not much....not compared to what you wrote..
maybe some of the street evangelist come closer than most Christians tho?)
I read with Devon and we talk a bit about these things I also sent my three posts on Goths to my son I had actually asked for his input to correct or add to what I was writing but of course no answer at all
He has taken a rock solid firm stance of refusing to engage at all And I did not give the whole gospel as I was hoping he might have answer to correct or add to my posts and thus open up a chance for more dialog
I also try to post scripture daily on facebook but even then I don't always manage
So yes, not a great track record for my Lord and Savior Jesus. It also makes me wonder if my cowardliness, might even be the holdup to His coming because, I have not talked to the last person to be saved before He will come?
I know that is unlikely, and nothing I do or do not do, will not stop God's plan but there may be a great loss on my part for my lack of being a bold soldier for Jesus.
However, I have taken my first few baby steps I just need to start walking and running.....
I seem to be missing the: I can do ALL things through Christ....part, at least, so far.
But I too will pray the prayer you mentioned!
I guess the Lord didn't call me a sheep for nothing now a Lion would have no trouble being bold!! Me too Barbara! Yep, He knows we really are like sheep! I'll post this now and then Edit it to finish replying to you shortly. As for your son, I thought you said you were going to leave him alone and not send Christian stuff to him any more? Better for you to write short sweet emails to him, letting him know you love him, then trying to force feed him stuff about Jesus. The one way will open his heart and the other will keep it closed tight.... Especially if he thinks you're going to try and trick him into reading stuff about God. That's only going to make him angry.
I just remembered something... awhile ago, in one of your recent posts you asked me if I saw the changes in you, and of course I've seen them! I meant to tell you that and totally spaced it out. You've grown so much it's amazing. You're a totally different person then the woman I met so many years ago! Back then you were depressed and your posts were almost always about something bad that had happened to you. So they were pretty depressing to read too. Now though your posts are uplifting, encouraging and happy posts. They're the kind of posts that people want to read because it makes them feel good, and unbelievers I'm sure also want to know what it is that makes you feel so good yourself! Now you're the kind of person other people want to be around too!
I did not get the the second half of verse 17 when talking about Christians putting on the armor of God in the world today the 2nd half is this: [smear:#fd1805] the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17 (b)[/smear:#69e619:0]
The other parts of the armor were for protection but a sword is a weapon that can kill. What? What would a believer being wanting to kill Things like: Satan's lies, the death that is trapping people, etc.
[smear:#cd19e6]12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12[/smear:#e66519:0]
The sword we use is the Word and the Word is none other than Jesus [smear:#15b20b] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 [/smear:#aa248c:0]
And what is our conviction concerning fighting with God's word?
[smear:#e61932]so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11[/smear:#28973b:0]
And what things will it accomplish? No wonder people do not want to have scripture quoted to them because it can have this effect:
[smear:#19bf6c]7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:7-9[/smear:#a4329c:0]
The Bible will give people the absolute Truth strange as it may seem, not everyone want to hear the truth, but regardless that is what they will hear if they are exposed to it
[smear:#f76229]17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17[/smear:#d62df4:0]
Not only that but Jesus said they can be blessed ( if they keep it):
[smear:#950275]28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28[/smear:#19e679:0]
It will also give people direction in this sad sin filled, evil world
[smear:#135857]105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalms 119:105[/smear:#e6d719:0]
In a sense we can also resist the devil and he will flee from us if we have God word ( the Bible) as our sword The Bible is a weapon, a spiritual weapon.
[smear:#bd19e6]7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7[/smear:#02bb7a:0]
And let's not forget why wouldn't the devil/Satan flee as the Word is Jesus. As in any war, take out the commander, and the foot soldiers are lost.... and victory is at hand!
Not only that, but by the Word of God, we can steal human soldiers, that were once on the enemy's side
[smear:#19e621]16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16[/smear:#4c19e6:0]
[smear:#f25f2c] 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17[/smear:#b319e6:0]
This is not a 'pretend' battle a figment of our imagination some crazy myth
1[smear:#c5ae07]2 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 [/smear:#5b0aa3:0]
But in order to win, we have to to be prepared.
We have to have our minds filled with God's word we have to be reading the Bible daily and memorizing it and even speaking it in conversations.
You have to know what God says about the fiery darts Satan is lobbing at you or a loved one,... or even the secular world system...
in order to fight.
However, we don't rebuke Satan we resist God does the rebuking [smear:#458a05] 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! ....... Zechariah 3:2[/smear:#8e19e6:0]
Without God's word, the Christian is defenseless Without God's Word the non-believer will always be defenseless
We need the sword which is God's Word, the Bible.
Done for today
Good job! Barbara, I have a feeling you won't believe me, but you really are every bit as good a teacher as I am. I remember when I was first learning how to do this, when people who had some knowledge of the Bible and were caught up in a false teaching would ask me about something and would have a really long post supporting the false teaching, quoting the bible (out of context usually lol) I would freak out and not know how to answer them. So I'd go find something someone else had written and posted on the web and post that to answer them. One day though, the Lord quite clearly told me to "stop!" when I started to freak out and feel incapable of answering them. (Yes, I was very startled!) Then I felt that I was to read the post slowly and only up to his first question. I was to answer that question and then slowly read to the next question and answer that one and continue doing that until the entire post had been read and answered. So I did that and was very surprised at how easy it was to answer! Yes, it took quite a while because there was a lot to answer, but as long as I took one question at a time and then went to my Bible and looked up the answer, I had no problem. Just as you've had no problem with what you've been answering here.
What I'm trying to say is that when you think something is beyond you, it really isn't. That's just fear talking. Instead, talk to the Holy Spirit and ask for His guidance and just do your best.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 12, 2020 11:35:37 GMT -5
Thank you Cindy as always.
I did mean to not write our son bible quotes etc. However, in part, I honestly wanted his input on Goths since he had been involved in that for years and if I was saying anything that he felt was wrong I really wanted to know from someone who had been in that culture
But I am so glad you reminded me I never heard from him Soooo today, after reading what you wrote I did write a reminder of his dad's birthday I don't think he will forget it he never has before but times are crazy and it was seemingly a way back to what he is only willing to have: 'happy' conversations.
Also, I am trying to reach the place where it only the Holy Spirit.
I think I have made some progress where as before, it would be almost 100 percent ideas from others
I think it's down to about 50% Sometimes higher but sometimes lower
But what you wrote about how you learned is really helpful So prayerfully I can move to totally relying on God the Holy Spirit.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 12, 2020 12:19:32 GMT -5
As we dress in our physical clothes each day, we can also put on the armor of God
I understand not so many people have belts anymore, but that piece ( we need to have the true truth every day, God's words from the Bible) we can imagine
as we put on a shirt or tee shirt or blouse etc. and along side it , we put on our 'spiritual breastplate of righteousness
[smear:#24f008]22 Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22[/smear:#e619b3:0]
This does not mean that anything a secular person might decide you are doing is wrong but Christians are to pay attention to what God says is sin We put on the breastplate of righteousness in the world today to please God our Father, because we love Him , and do not want to grieve Him.
and we do not wish to make another Christian or a secular person stumble
[smear:#e61946]9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 1 Corinthians 8:9[/smear:#191be6:0]
When we put on our shoes each morning we also put on "the readiness given by the gospel of peace"
We will be ready to give the gospel if the Lord provides an opportunity which means we have to be daily in the Word, reading and studying the Bible.
Well you get the idea of physical dressing, and, at the same time, spiritually dressing, in the armor of God each day.
and the last thing concerning the Armor of God is: [smear:#f10dc4] 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Ephesians 6:18[/smear:#0c7590:0]
I think at first this seems impossible and perhaps it is but it is sill the believers goal.
I also think we tend to remember to pray AFTER the fact
This is a habit we need to cultivate:
[smear:#f78140]17 pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17[/smear:#2cd3f4:0]
Now in today's world more than ever!
[smear:#e6b919]2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2[/smear:#17f576:0]
and this verse
[smear:#54f760]12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12[/smear:#e619bb:0]
Notice this verse mentions tribulation... some of which we have been having a wee bit of in today's world.
And in this world today, if tribulation gets worse, before we are raptured we might also keep this in mind....this is NOT our home:
[smear:#e619be]13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:14-16[/smear:#06ef94:0]
and this:
[smear:#0bf2b6]11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:11,12[/smear:#429806:0]
Even now we are being spoken of as mean spirited but do good to those who hate you and pray for them.
Done for today.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 13, 2020 10:10:22 GMT -5
Thinking about the World today it might be hard to not long for 2019 again I think many of us are already tired of 2020!
Of course, that is not wise, just because it is in the past, and we are no longer there in the past This is now. [smear:#0b928d] Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Ecclesiastes 7:10 [/smear:#e61992:0]
But we may think, but today, we have so much sickness, anger, confusion, chaos etc. So much of it, that this verse almost seems to apply Though it was a different time, the same feelings and thoughts may attack us as it did then:
[smear:#339652]13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” Judges 6:13[/smear:#e619e4:0]
In our country which was the world's super power, people from all over the world wanted to come here for freedom and opportunity
But today, many might be asking, why? What has happened to us? First a pandemic, them violent chaos...
God had blessed our country but now? Has He forsaken us?
I think we have to ask that and look sincerely at our country Perhaps it is true....
Have we been heading towards the days of Noah?
[smear:#b0497d]For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37[/smear:#36a294:0]
what was life like before the world wide flood of Noah would be a question to help us gauge where we are ( and not just the USA, but really the world.... since the pandemic is world wide and so is chaos).
Here are some verses to give us an idea:
[smear:#9042f3]5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5[/smear:#e61971:0]
and
[smear:#9341b7]11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. Genesis 6:11,12[/smear:#19e6bb:0]
this
[smear:#a7f108] The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. Psalms 14:1[/smear:#1992e6:0]
also
[smear:#3a8e53]38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, Matthew 24:38[/smear:#e419e6:0]
So what kind of things do we notice well, business as usual eating, and drinking etc.
But not believing in God why?
Because they do not want to do 'good' as God describes but rather people want to do whatever evil they choose.
And how did God respond ( after giving them a long long time to come to Him , but they refused)
[smear:#038f9b]if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 2 Peter 2:5[/smear:#d806f3:0]
The fact God has not done that to us, the rainbow promises he will not do that again....
and these uncomfortable, sad, hurtful things going on in the world today Actually, shows He is still being merciful, and wanting many to repent and turn to Him..
but he will not wait forever Much Much worse things are coming in the future This is not doom and gloom but the truth
and I think these truly upsetting, overwhelming, painful things going on in the world today, could be merciful judgments Warnings, not unlike Noah received:
[smear:#9401ad]7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Hebrews 11:7[/smear:#b2f401:0]
The secular world is talking a lot about getting 'woke' And indeed, everyone ought to be... but..... not exactly the way, they are implying
Instead:
[smear:#7c1f71]But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Hebrews 11:7[/smear:#52f835:0]
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on Aug 13, 2020 11:38:43 GMT -5
Thank you Cindy as always.
I did mean to not write our son bible quotes etc. However, in part, I honestly wanted his input on Goths since he had been involved in that for years and if I was saying anything that he felt was wrong I really wanted to know from someone who had been in that culture
But I am so glad you reminded me I never heard from him Soooo today, after reading what you wrote I did write a reminder of his dad's birthday I don't think he will forget it he never has before but times are crazy and it was seemingly a way back to what he is only willing to have: 'happy' conversations.
Also, I am trying to reach the place where it only the Holy Spirit.
I think I have made some progress where as before, it would be almost 100 percent ideas from others
I think it's down to about 50% Sometimes higher but sometimes lower
But what you wrote about how you learned is really helpful So prayerfully I can move to totally relying on God the Holy Spirit.
As we dress in our physical clothes each day, we can also put on the armor of God
I understand not so many people have belts anymore, but that piece ( we need to have the true truth every day, God's words from the Bible) we can imagine
as we put on a shirt or tee shirt or blouse etc. and along side it , we put on our 'spiritual breastplate of righteousness
[smear:#24f008]22 Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22[/smear:#e619b3:0]
This does not mean that anything a secular person might decide you are doing is wrong but Christians are to pay attention to what God says is sin We put on the breastplate of righteousness in the world today to please God our Father, because we love Him , and do not want to grieve Him.
and we do not wish to make another Christian or a secular person stumble
[smear:#e61946]9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 1 Corinthians 8:9[/smear:#191be6:0]
When we put on our shoes each morning we also put on "the readiness given by the gospel of peace"
We will be ready to give the gospel if the Lord provides an opportunity which means we have to be daily in the Word, reading and studying the Bible.
Well you get the idea of physical dressing, and, at the same time, spiritually dressing, in the armor of God each day.
and the last thing concerning the Armor of God is: [smear:#f10dc4] 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Ephesians 6:18[/smear:#0c7590:0]
I think at first this seems impossible and perhaps it is but it is sill the believers goal.
I also think we tend to remember to pray AFTER the fact
This is a habit we need to cultivate:
[smear:#f78140]17 pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17[/smear:#2cd3f4:0]
Now in today's world more than ever!
[smear:#e6b919]2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2[/smear:#17f576:0]
and this verse
[smear:#54f760]12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12[/smear:#e619bb:0]
Notice this verse mentions tribulation... some of which we have been having a wee bit of in today's world.
And in this world today, if tribulation gets worse, before we are raptured we might also keep this in mind....this is NOT our home:
[smear:#e619be]13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:14-16[/smear:#06ef94:0]
and this:
[smear:#0bf2b6]11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:11,12[/smear:#429806:0]
Even now we are being spoken of as mean spirited but do good to those who hate you and pray for them.
Done for today.
Well done Barbara!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 14, 2020 9:46:32 GMT -5
Is it me or is yesterdays post above the day before? Yesterday was the 13th and you replied to the 12th but it looks like the 13th is above ( not below) the 12th?
maybe its just me? But normally you would reply and post to both so since you did not I wonder if you saw it....because it looks like its out of place?
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 14, 2020 10:03:33 GMT -5
I don't know how long we will have to stay at home, wear masks, social distance, some Christians cannot go to church, some are not be able to see a dying friend in the hospital, some cannot go to a funeral, others cannot work etc.
Will it be another year of all these things and even more restrictions, two years, possibly indefinitely?
I touched a bit on some things Christians can do during this time but a spirit of gloominess, discouragement, bleakness, depression, downheartedness, hopelessness, melancholy etc. can try to make us sorrowful and glum.
So what are some ways to combat this attack?
It is not that the world is not in turmoil...it is!
However, we may be are forgetting to count our blessings and to set our minds on things like this:
[smear:#e64a19] Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8[/smear:#45fb25:0]
And tho at times it may 'seem' God has deserted us, that is not true
It is not His job to make us happy, wealthy, healthy, safe Oh, he may indeed do that....
but, He is not our servant If we suffer, there is a reason.... we may not understand it nevertheless, He has NOT left us
[smear:#aada8a]8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8[/smear:#c04306:0]
Jesus said:
[smear:#f73f17]"...................And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20[/smear:#04d879:0]
But what if we do fall, and discouragement is at our door?
[smear:#7dace2]Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:1[/smear:#fb06f9:0]
Count our blessings: here are just a few we still have air to breath, and a beautiful world (thought it is nothing like when God created it), we still see beautiful clouds, mountains, oceans, trees, animals, flowers etc. We have family and friends and best of all we still have His Word the Bible!
[smear:#8abcbb]6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6,7[/smear:#ba0229:0]
We can pray and leave our cares and worries with Him. But what if the outcome is we will die? The apostle Paul did not see death as a terrible thing just the opposite:
[smear:#19e683]21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. Philippians 1:21-23[/smear:#e619ab:0]
But we are still alive in this world and Jesus said we would have trouble
[smear:#fc3c72]33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33[/smear:#2ba5f9:0]
And we can camp on this verse also:
[smear:#51ce60] 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38,39[/smear:#ab52fb:0]
There is this also:
[smear:#f8be08]12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12[/smear:#16bcb7:0]
So yes, we are living in trying times and it can get us down but God's Word can lift us up we need to be saturating our minds with His Word
[smear:#f6764a] Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. Proverbs 12:25[/smear:#0a8ba2:0]
We have to options:
[smear:#0cada7]5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6[/smear:#f87957:0]
we can trust God even when things continue to spiral out of control, and get worse and worse yet even if we die, we can have peace, that He is in control, no matter what! That can give us peace and not depression.
[smear:#53b761]You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3[/smear:#f935f3:0]
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 15, 2020 9:43:43 GMT -5
I wanted to note a couple of things that are happening elsewhere. Brazil is having the lowest temps ever recorded, while China is having severe floods that so far is effecting 63 million ( but more rain and deluge is still to come).
Which reminds us of this verse:
[smear:#08f7d0]For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour. Job 37:6[/smear:#a64df6:0]
As we know from scripture, such things will only increase as time goes on. Jesus said this:
[smear:#7ce619]25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Luke 21:25,26[/smear:#e63c19:0]
And talk about global warming, in the tribulation there will come this:
[smear:#319d78] 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. Revelation 16:9[/smear:#e619b7:0]
Praying you are a Christian now, so you won't have to go thru this but if not, notice what the unbelievers do....
They curse God.
I think that shows they know who is causing the 'global warming' but instead of repenting, turning to God so He might save them They do NOT repent..... even though they can no longer say: There is no God.....they know there is.
and there is this:
[smear:#c52e4d]With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur. Ezekiel 38:22[/smear:#197ae6:0]
Which brings me to think about what Christians should do or think about the environmental movement.
We know we should be good stewards for one thing:
[smear:#0af065]Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26[/smear:#4419e6:0]
I think we some people read the word 'dominion' they think of it negatively... but it is more like: a care taker, a responsibility to manage, even a privilege
one of the first things God had man do was to classify and name the animals
[smear:#ae32fb]19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. Genesis 2:19,20[/smear:#19e661:0]
And Adam and Eve also were the caretakers of the Garden.
So yes, we are to be responsible good stewards of the earth
However......
I think as Christians we need to be very very careful that we don't end up sliding into the sin of 'worshiping' the earth.
[smear:#19e663]because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Romans 1:25[/smear:#b719e6:0]
We are not to 'worship' the so called 'mother Earth Gaia'
This is God's creation, and we can care for it, enjoy its beauty give God the glory
But we do not have to scrimp in fear of using any oil, gas, coal etc. Because another aspect of this planet....
is it is NOT going to last!
I suppose in a way, one could even say it a disposable planet.
The minute Adam and Eve sinned not only was there a physical death sentence put on all humanity but also on the whole universe We die ,and it is dying.
I am thinking that when they sinned that maybe that was when, the 2nd law of thermodynamics started.... and thus Entropy and heat death of the universe
But more than that God will end this universe maybe in the not too distant future:
This is foretold both in the Old and new Testament:
[smear:#edba06]Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. Isaiah 51:6[/smear:#aa0218:0]
Another OT verse
[smear:#e6c519]Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. Zephaniah 1:18[/smear:#e61959:0]
And this [smear:#19b9e6] All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree. Isaiah 34:4 [/smear:#e619c7:0]
and the NT
[smear:#ac2535]7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 2 Peter 3:7[/smear:#e6e019:0]
[smear:#398954] 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. Revelation 20:11[/smear:#e619d0:0]
There are other verses, but these verses show that God does not intend for this world and universe to last.
We can be good stewards, but we do not need to fret over every drop of gas in the car to the point, we find ourselves worshiping the Creation more than God.
Perhaps it is a bit sad, but the truth is this is a disposable universe and yes, it was us that made it so, because of sin
Our interest should be on our God, spreading the gospel, loving people, being in God's word daily, worshiping Him etc, Not on saving a doomed planet Time is short, and getting shorter.
Plus, we should know if we belong to Him
We will be in the New Heaven and Earth
[smear:#cc38f1]Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, Revelation 21:1[/smear:#05f8a2:0]
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 16, 2020 10:42:44 GMT -5
Pastor John MacArthur received a legal win, (so far) , when "Judge James Chalfant of Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday agreed with MacArthur and his church , that it is the county’s burden to show why they should be permitted to infringe on the constitutionally protected rights of churches to freely exercise religion"
Grace community church will comply with masks and social distancing, but they can be indoor and sing, and no real quota on numbers.
I think at the beginning of the pandemic, when no one knew if we were going to be seeing 10's, 100's or 1,000's, of people dropping dead on sidewalks all over the world daily, it was reasonable to stop holding church for awhile.....
There is no doubt people are dying from Corvid, as people continue to die, from flu, cancer, ebola, and many many such things.
So the question is, should Christians be so loving and caring of others to give up going to a building, the Church, perhaps forever.... because of possibly spreading something that might kill others.
And what about the government mandating it, on the basis that, church is NOT and essential, (and threatening fines and/or imprisonment if Christians continue to meet)?
While at the same time the government is finding and allowing: protests ( even riots), on the basis that they are essential abortion clinics are essential, liquor stores are essential, grocery stores are essential, gambling is essential etc,
The question is: are we seeing intentional discrimination against biblical Christianity and the church?
While it is true, Based on the Constitution, people have the right to peaceful protests they also have a Constitutional right to go to church.
Sickness and even death does not infringe on that right to worship God together From my perspective, people, ALL people are going to die Walk out the door and you may get hit by a car, or any of a plethora ways of dying.
But since most people have such a great fear of death is not the church essential in helping people who are so fearful of dying Because even IF no person ever when to church again anywhere in the world Corvid is still going to be killing people and they will still be afraid of dying.
So what does the Bible say about death, dying, fear etc.:
[smear:#53e619]Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4[/smear:#5c19e6:0]
We are all walking right now in the 'shadow' of death but we can be comforted...if we choose by God.
I think one of the scariest things about death and dying, is it 'seems' we have to do it alone..... but that is not true for the Christian Why?
[smear:#0c8e99]17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:17[/smear:#e619b3:0]
People who are fearful, alone ( partially by self isolating) depressed, worried, etc. can find answers to their fear in Church and yes, online church can be a help but electronic messages of even the gospel is not the same as being able to ask questions, receive council, fellowship with real live people... at least not if there's no end in sight to the restrictions ushered in by COVID-19.
But back to what God says in His word. Paul the apostle said this:
[smear:#239f70]For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21[/smear:#e6197e:0]
A fearful unbeliever might wonder why would Paul say that? Because it depends on your belief Do you think our brains just formed by themselves over eons of time? And when you die you just cease to exist?
The Bible says differently:
[smear:#a419e6]I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14[/smear:#3d93f6:0]
The absolute complexity and order of our bodies continues to be found.
And so Paul knew when he died the wonders that God has for the believer cannot even be imagined.
[smear:#19e625]But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9[/smear:#bb19e6:0]
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 17, 2020 11:00:33 GMT -5
I was interested in some kinds of weather related news today:
The hottest temp recorded, was 130 in Death Valley.
Also during a fire in California, it hailed ( apparently rain is not unusual, but hail is a totally different matter)
And there is more and more concern about the sun, which is going into a solar minimum .
Plus they have discovered the moon is moving about 1 inch ( or more) away from Earth each year.
All of those things reminded me of scripture and the birth pangs... how they start out slowly but build up, more and more
Some of the verses which these things reminded me of today:
[smear:#bda709]For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. Isaiah 13:10[/smear:#70398e:0]
And this
[smear:#03f5eb] 25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, Luke 21:25[/smear:#e619cc:0]
Because the hail in a fire is so unusual it reminded me a wee bit of this:
[smear:#33f87e]22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt.” Exodus 9:22[/smear:#40adc1:0]
and this
[smear:#c749f8]There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. Exodus 9:24[/smear:#e61938:0]
We are talking about hail , in the very hot state of California
Which has, at the same time, a new record for heat!
[smear:#845cf7]8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. Revelation 16:8 [/smear:#e65019:0]
The above verse happens during the tribulation but to already have a new record of heat, does remind me of 'birth pains'.
[smear:#d80710]8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. Matthew 24:8[/smear:#2b69ca:0]
God continues to warn people:
The world today, the fear of the pandemic chaos and violence in the street confusion and all manner of 'fake news' weather getting more and more strange locust ravaging countries food supply Anger at an all time high with no end in sight
[smear:#fc4f0c]10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. Matthew 24:10[/smear:#1938e6:0]
and more.....
God has revealed all of this, in His Word the Bible
We are seeing violent lawlessness and hearts growing cold
[smear:#e6195b]12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold Matthew 24:12[/smear:#2319e6:1]
God has given us signs as warnings, they are wake up calls This world is not all there is, and we need to get serious about our eternal future.
[smear:#f7359e]33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates Matthew 24:33[/smear:#19e68a:0]
Christians also need to consider ways of evangelizing
[smear:#981a7d]3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3[/smear:#37fcbf:0]
Until Jesus comes back, Christians need to weather this growing storm and the only way to so is: by being in God'w Word and prayer, and worshiping our Savior and God
[smear:#19a5e6]22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 3:22[/smear:#cf19e6:0]
People have to know that deception is only going to increase mankind deceive each other, Satan is a liar, and finally God Himself will eventually ( during the tribulation) send a strong delusion
so the time to discover the truth is now!
[smear:#6bd4a6]10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12[/smear:#c950c2:0]
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on Aug 17, 2020 12:14:45 GMT -5
Remember how we spoke about anger? Anger is a big sign of the times we're living in. It's once more rearing it's ugly head on our board in the chat thread. So I had to make a new rule for the board. I just don't understand how Christians can continue to argue and get nasty about their beloved Trump. The only thing that makes sense to me is that they love Trump too much and don't love fellow Christians enough.
Thinking about the World today it might be hard to not long for 2019 again I think many of us are already tired of 2020!
Of course, that is not wise, just because it is in the past, and we are no longer there in the past This is now. [smear:#0b928d] Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Ecclesiastes 7:10 [/smear:#e61992:0]
But we may think, but today, we have so much sickness, anger, confusion, chaos etc. So much of it, that this verse almost seems to apply Though it was a different time, the same feelings and thoughts may attack us as it did then:
[smear:#339652]13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” Judges 6:13[/smear:#e619e4:0]
In our country which was the world's super power, people from all over the world wanted to come here for freedom and opportunity
But today, many might be asking, why? What has happened to us? First a pandemic, them violent chaos...
God had blessed our country but now? Has He forsaken us?
I think we have to ask that and look sincerely at our country Perhaps it is true....
Have we been heading towards the days of Noah?
[smear:#b0497d]For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37[/smear:#36a294:0]
what was life like before the world wide flood of Noah would be a question to help us gauge where we are ( and not just the USA, but really the world.... since the pandemic is world wide and so is chaos).
Here are some verses to give us an idea:
[smear:#9042f3]5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5[/smear:#e61971:0]
and
[smear:#9341b7]11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. Genesis 6:11,12[/smear:#19e6bb:0]
this
[smear:#a7f108] The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. Psalms 14:1[/smear:#1992e6:0]
also
[smear:#3a8e53]38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, Matthew 24:38[/smear:#e419e6:0]
So what kind of things do we notice well, business as usual eating, and drinking etc.
But not believing in God why?
Because they do not want to do 'good' as God describes but rather people want to do whatever evil they choose.
And how did God respond ( after giving them a long long time to come to Him , but they refused)
[smear:#038f9b]if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 2 Peter 2:5[/smear:#d806f3:0]
The fact God has not done that to us, the rainbow promises he will not do that again....
and these uncomfortable, sad, hurtful things going on in the world today Actually, shows He is still being merciful, and wanting many to repent and turn to Him..
but he will not wait forever Much Much worse things are coming in the future This is not doom and gloom but the truth
and I think these truly upsetting, overwhelming, painful things going on in the world today, could be merciful judgments Warnings, not unlike Noah received:
[smear:#9401ad]7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Hebrews 11:7[/smear:#b2f401:0]
The secular world is talking a lot about getting 'woke' And indeed, everyone ought to be... but..... not exactly the way, they are implying
Instead:
[smear:#7c1f71]But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Hebrews 11:7[/smear:#52f835:0]
Done for today
Well said!!! Also, in those days each person did what they thought was right. There was no law at all: “You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit,” (Deuteronomy 12:8) This was said by Moses when he was telling the people they couldn't live like the Pagans do; and again it's said here: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” (Judges 21:25) and two other times as well. God wants us to know that we need law and government which is why He ordained it. It's purpose is to help hold sin at bay. But today we're heading back to the "do what you think is right" rule, which is a terrible place to be. We see how the Black Lives Matter people want to live and what they think is right? I sure don't want to live their way! We see how the homosexuals and transgenders live and I don't want to live that way either. We see that even with government that people are being allowed to do pretty much whatever they want, especially if it's sinful! If that doesn't prove that we are near the end of this age, then nothing will. People are actually protesting for anarchy, which is what you have when everyone does what they want. Scary times for those who aren't saved! My husband isn't as close to the Lord as I am, and his response to all of this is to always wear his gun whenever we leave the house. I know that's how many are reacting and I have a feeling it will come to no good. Because no matter how good their intentions are, sin is contagious and the most contagious sin of all I think is anger. Anger spreads like wildfire! We see it constantly in our world and now even among some members of our board. Nothing hurts me more then that. There is nothing in this world that's more important then loving another person, whether they're saved or not, but especially if they're saved! Yet we have brothers and sisters putting Trump or Obama or some other person above their brothers and sisters. They just don't get it. And of course, they don't want to hear what God says. They want to be angry at what someone has said about their person - Trump, Obama or whoever.
Is it me or is yesterdays post above the day before? Yesterday was the 13th and you replied to the 12th but it looks like the 13th is above ( not below) the 12th?
maybe its just me? But normally you would reply and post to both so since you did not I wonder if you saw it....because it looks like its out of place? yeah it got posted before i posted mine.
I don't know how long we will have to stay at home, wear masks, social distance, some Christians cannot go to church, some are not be able to see a dying friend in the hospital, some cannot go to a funeral, others cannot work etc.
Will it be another year of all these things and even more restrictions, two years, possibly indefinitely?
I touched a bit on some things Christians can do during this time but a spirit of gloominess, discouragement, bleakness, depression, downheartedness, hopelessness, melancholy etc. can try to make us sorrowful and glum.
So what are some ways to combat this attack?
It is not that the world is not in turmoil...it is!
However, we may be are forgetting to count our blessings and to set our minds on things like this:
[smear:#e64a19] Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8[/smear:#45fb25:0]
And tho at times it may 'seem' God has deserted us, that is not true
It is not His job to make us happy, wealthy, healthy, safe Oh, he may indeed do that....
but, He is not our servant If we suffer, there is a reason.... we may not understand it nevertheless, He has NOT left us
[smear:#aada8a]8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8[/smear:#c04306:0]
Jesus said:
[smear:#f73f17]"...................And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20[/smear:#04d879:0]
But what if we do fall, and discouragement is at our door?
[smear:#7dace2]Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:1[/smear:#fb06f9:0]
Count our blessings: here are just a few we still have air to breath, and a beautiful world (thought it is nothing like when God created it), we still see beautiful clouds, mountains, oceans, trees, animals, flowers etc. We have family and friends and best of all we still have His Word the Bible!
[smear:#8abcbb]6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6,7[/smear:#ba0229:0]
We can pray and leave our cares and worries with Him. But what if the outcome is we will die? The apostle Paul did not see death as a terrible thing just the opposite:
[smear:#19e683]21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. Philippians 1:21-23[/smear:#e619ab:0]
But we are still alive in this world and Jesus said we would have trouble
[smear:#fc3c72]33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33[/smear:#2ba5f9:0]
And we can camp on this verse also:
[smear:#51ce60] 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38,39[/smear:#ab52fb:0]
There is this also:
[smear:#f8be08]12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12[/smear:#16bcb7:0]
So yes, we are living in trying times and it can get us down but God's Word can lift us up we need to be saturating our minds with His Word
[smear:#f6764a] Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. Proverbs 12:25[/smear:#0a8ba2:0]
We have to options:
[smear:#0cada7]5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6[/smear:#f87957:0]
we can trust God even when things continue to spiral out of control, and get worse and worse yet even if we die, we can have peace, that He is in control, no matter what! That can give us peace and not depression.
[smear:#53b761]You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3[/smear:#f935f3:0]
Done for today
I wanted to note a couple of things that are happening elsewhere. Brazil is having the lowest temps ever recorded, while China is having severe floods that so far is effecting 63 million ( but more rain and deluge is still to come).
Which reminds us of this verse:
[smear:#08f7d0]For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour. Job 37:6[/smear:#a64df6:0]
As we know from scripture, such things will only increase as time goes on. Jesus said this:
[smear:#7ce619]25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Luke 21:25,26[/smear:#e63c19:0]
And talk about global warming, in the tribulation there will come this:
[smear:#319d78] 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. Revelation 16:9[/smear:#e619b7:0]
Praying you are a Christian now, so you won't have to go thru this but if not, notice what the unbelievers do....
They curse God.
I think that shows they know who is causing the 'global warming' but instead of repenting, turning to God so He might save them They do NOT repent..... even though they can no longer say: There is no God.....they know there is.
and there is this:
[smear:#c52e4d]With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur. Ezekiel 38:22[/smear:#197ae6:0]
Which brings me to think about what Christians should do or think about the environmental movement.
We know we should be good stewards for one thing:
[smear:#0af065]Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26[/smear:#4419e6:0]
I think we some people read the word 'dominion' they think of it negatively... but it is more like: a care taker, a responsibility to manage, even a privilege
one of the first things God had man do was to classify and name the animals
[smear:#ae32fb]19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. Genesis 2:19,20[/smear:#19e661:0]
And Adam and Eve also were the caretakers of the Garden.
So yes, we are to be responsible good stewards of the earth
However......
I think as Christians we need to be very very careful that we don't end up sliding into the sin of 'worshiping' the earth.
[smear:#19e663]because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Romans 1:25[/smear:#b719e6:0]
We are not to 'worship' the so called 'mother Earth Gaia'
This is God's creation, and we can care for it, enjoy its beauty give God the glory
But we do not have to scrimp in fear of using any oil, gas, coal etc. Because another aspect of this planet....
is it is NOT going to last!
I suppose in a way, one could even say it a disposable planet.
The minute Adam and Eve sinned not only was there a physical death sentence put on all humanity but also on the whole universe We die ,and it is dying.
I am thinking that when they sinned that maybe that was when, the 2nd law of thermodynamics started.... and thus Entropy and heat death of the universe
But more than that God will end this universe maybe in the not too distant future:
This is foretold both in the Old and new Testament:
[smear:#edba06]Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. Isaiah 51:6[/smear:#aa0218:0]
Another OT verse
[smear:#e6c519]Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. Zephaniah 1:18[/smear:#e61959:0]
And this [smear:#19b9e6] All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree. Isaiah 34:4 [/smear:#e619c7:0]
and the NT
[smear:#ac2535]7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 2 Peter 3:7[/smear:#e6e019:0]
[smear:#398954] 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. Revelation 20:11[/smear:#e619d0:0]
There are other verses, but these verses show that God does not intend for this world and universe to last.
We can be good stewards, but we do not need to fret over every drop of gas in the car to the point, we find ourselves worshiping the Creation more than God.
Perhaps it is a bit sad, but the truth is this is a disposable universe and yes, it was us that made it so, because of sin
Our interest should be on our God, spreading the gospel, loving people, being in God's word daily, worshiping Him etc, Not on saving a doomed planet Time is short, and getting shorter.
Plus, we should know if we belong to Him
We will be in the New Heaven and Earth
[smear:#cc38f1]Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, Revelation 21:1[/smear:#05f8a2:0]
Done for today
Yes, and we're not to worship the animals either or ever put them above human beings who are made in the image of our God. That's another sin that has gone viral over recent years. I've even heard many Christians say they'd rather be with an animal (usually their pets) then with other people, (in fact, I think I've said that in the past too!) and yet that's so very against what God wants of us! Yes, we're to love and care for animals, and having pets is great, but we are not to treat them as though they are human beings or give them "rights" like humans have. They absolutely should not be abused, but they also cannot get married or have other "rights" like PETA wants for them. That's not only ridiculous it goes against God's Word. Just another way that Satan is turning people away from God. When we put animals before people or animals before God, it's sin.
Pastor John MacArthur received a legal win, (so far) , when "Judge James Chalfant of Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday agreed with MacArthur and his church , that it is the county’s burden to show why they should be permitted to infringe on the constitutionally protected rights of churches to freely exercise religion"
Grace community church will comply with masks and social distancing, but they can be indoor and sing, and no real quota on numbers.
I think at the beginning of the pandemic, when no one knew if we were going to be seeing 10's, 100's or 1,000's, of people dropping dead on sidewalks all over the world daily, it was reasonable to stop holding church for awhile.....
There is no doubt people are dying from Corvid, as people continue to die, from flu, cancer, ebola, and many many such things.
So the question is, should Christians be so loving and caring of others to give up going to a building, the Church, perhaps forever.... because of possibly spreading something that might kill others.
And what about the government mandating it, on the basis that, church is NOT and essential, (and threatening fines and/or imprisonment if Christians continue to meet)?
While at the same time the government is finding and allowing: protests ( even riots), on the basis that they are essential abortion clinics are essential, liquor stores are essential, grocery stores are essential, gambling is essential etc,
The question is: are we seeing intentional discrimination against biblical Christianity and the church?
While it is true, Based on the Constitution, people have the right to peaceful protests they also have a Constitutional right to go to church.
Sickness and even death does not infringe on that right to worship God together From my perspective, people, ALL people are going to die Walk out the door and you may get hit by a car, or any of a plethora ways of dying.
But since most people have such a great fear of death is not the church essential in helping people who are so fearful of dying Because even IF no person ever when to church again anywhere in the world Corvid is still going to be killing people and they will still be afraid of dying.
So what does the Bible say about death, dying, fear etc.:
[smear:#53e619]Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4[/smear:#5c19e6:0]
We are all walking right now in the 'shadow' of death but we can be comforted...if we choose by God.
I think one of the scariest things about death and dying, is it 'seems' we have to do it alone..... but that is not true for the Christian Why?
[smear:#0c8e99]17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:17[/smear:#e619b3:0]
People who are fearful, alone ( partially by self isolating) depressed, worried, etc. can find answers to their fear in Church and yes, online church can be a help but electronic messages of even the gospel is not the same as being able to ask questions, receive council, fellowship with real live people... at least not if there's no end in sight to the restrictions ushered in by COVID-19.
But back to what God says in His word. Paul the apostle said this:
[smear:#239f70]For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21[/smear:#e6197e:0]
A fearful unbeliever might wonder why would Paul say that? Because it depends on your belief Do you think our brains just formed by themselves over eons of time? And when you die you just cease to exist?
The Bible says differently:
[smear:#a419e6]I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14[/smear:#3d93f6:0]
The absolute complexity and order of our bodies continues to be found.
And so Paul knew when he died the wonders that God has for the believer cannot even be imagined.
[smear:#19e625]But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9[/smear:#bb19e6:0]
Done for today
Good job! Sounds a lot like what MacArthur said too!
I was interested in some kind of weather related news today:
The hottest temp recorded was 130 in Death Valley.
Also during a fire in California, it hailed ( apparently rain is not unusual, but hail is a totally different matter)
And there is more and more concern about the sun, which is going into a solar minimum
Plus they have discovered the moon is moving about 1 inch away from Earth each year.
All of those things reminded me of scripture and the birth pangs...how they start out slowly but build up, more and more
Some of the verses which these things reminded me of today: [smear:#bda709]For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. Isaiah 13:10[/smear:#70398e:0]
And this [smear:#03f5eb] 25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, Luke 21:25[/smear:#e619cc:0]
Because the hail in a fire is so unusual it reminded me a wee bit of this:
[smear:#33f87e]22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt.” Exodus 9:22[/smear:#40adc1:0]
and this
[smear:#c749f8]There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. Exodus 9:24[/smear:#e61938:0]
We are talking about hail in the very hot state of California
Which has at the same time a new record for heat!
[smear:#845cf7]8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. Revelation 16:8 [/smear:#e65019:0]
The above verse happens during the tribulation but to already have a new record of heat does remind me of 'birth pains'.
[smear:#d80710]8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. Matthew 24:8[/smear:#2b69ca:0]
God continues to warn people:
the world today, and all the fear of the pandemic chaos and violence in the street confusion and all manner of 'fake news' weather getting more and more strange locust ravaging countries food supply Anger at an all time high with no end in sight and more.....
God has revealed all of this in His Word the Bible
We are seeing violent lawlessness and hearts growing cold
[smear:#e6195b]12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold Matthew 24:12[/smear:#2319e6:1]
God has given us signs as warnings, they are wake up calls This world is not all there is, and we need to get serious about our eternal future.
[smear:#f7359e]33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates Matthew 24:33[/smear:#19e68a:0]
Well done! And all very interesting! Thank you Barbara!
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Post by Cindy on Aug 18, 2020 8:20:59 GMT -5
I guess I beat you here again, so I'll have to wait till tomorrow to see what you post. I hope you're feeling ok and not sick.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 18, 2020 9:43:24 GMT -5
Not feeling the greatest. I decided I had to get in a walk yesterday....I don't 'think' it wore me out, but yet....just not feeling very good.
However I think I got here at about 7:30 my time, which is pretty early for me LOL I often don't even start until about 9:00
You are the early bird!! LOL :)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 18, 2020 9:57:22 GMT -5
In today's world, with Satan the great deceiver, behind much of what is going on Deception is key.
A great way to deceive is by changing the meaning of words.
However, there is absolute truth, and it's in the Bible, and it is God's Word
But right from the very beginning, God's truth was the first thing the devil attacked:
[smear:#3dda75]Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1[/smear:#e619c3:0]
So the first thing Satan did was to plant doubt, that there even is absolute truth,
and/or that a fact is a fact.... rather, the devil, suggested questioning God's Word.
This is not the type of questioning where you do not understand something but rather, a 'question '......insinuating it's a lie.
However, since we are talking about God and His word
( Satan the Father of lies accusing God of lying, such the ultimate in hypocrisy)
It ought to be a given, that God does not lie and He is perfect and His words are 100% trustworthy
[smear:#e64a19]God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30[/smear:#aa03f6:0]
also
.....it is impossible for God to lie, w[smear:#ef1231]e who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Hebrews 6[/smear:#2c4ef5:1]
However Satan never gave up on that strategy and relativism runs rampant in our culture
You will often hear this ( stated as an 'absolute' fact, I might add )
What's true for you is not true for me!!!
But 'true'..... by its very definition is ;
being in accordance with the actual state of affairs
Something cannot be both true and not true...
however it can be a lie or it is 100% true
Pontius Pilate , even asked Jesus:
[smear:#75ce8d]38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him" John 18:38[/smear:#f60ad5:0]
Sadly, Pilate did not stay to hear what the answer was from Jesus Jesus had given the answer previously to Thomas:
[smear:#d65bf9]6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6[/smear:#19a5e6:0]
it is important to note, Jesus did NOT say I am 'A' way.... as in, one of many ways
Nor did Jesus say I am A truth as in, one of many truths
Jesus said I am THE truth as in, only one truth THE TRUTH!
Jesus also said this speaking of God the Father (remember God is One, but 3 persons: God the Father God the Son ( Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit)
[smear:#17cab5]17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17[/smear:#e6d719:0]
So the devil is continuing to redefine the definition of 'truth' so that today, this is often the case:
[smear:#bbf70d]Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20[/smear:#5018a7:0]
Another tactic being used very successfully today is to call truth hate speech and often words in scripture are a target.
It is a sad, and degrading life to be a street walker for example but to make that sin ( the woman is often forced by a man into this degradation, by violence)
You make it a high calling, she a sex worker and perhaps even better a porn 'star'
As if, changing the words to have different meanings Changes the pain, sorrow and suffering.
or instead of being a pedophile you are just some engaging in inter generational love and sex.
And so both that were sin are now deemed 'good'.
The intent is deception and Satan approves of those kinds of word games and sadly, so do many many people.
[smear:#df8a0c]An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue. Proverbs 17:4[/smear:#1005ef:0]
we are now immersed in not only words but a full blown cancel culture Which once again , reminds me to continue to stay in God words ( the Bible) before the Bible is banned once again.
I[smear:#37ecbc] have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 [/smear:#f745f2:0]
Done for Today
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anna
Trials
Posts: 1,876
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Post by anna on Aug 18, 2020 11:23:13 GMT -5
about deception.
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Post by Cindy on Aug 19, 2020 8:34:46 GMT -5
Not feeling the greatest. I decided I had to get in a walk yesterday....I don't 'think' it wore me out, but yet....just not feeling very good.
However I think I got here at about 7:30 my time, which is pretty early for me LOL I often don't even start until about 9:00
You are the early bird!! LOL :) I'm sorry to hear that. I'm not really early... I posted the same time yesterday as I am today
In today's world, with Satan the great deceiver, behind much of what is going on Deception is key.
A great way to deceive is by changing the meaning of words.
However, there is absolute truth, and it's in the Bible, and it is God's Word
But right from the very beginning, God's truth was the first thing the devil attacked:
[smear:#3dda75]Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1[/smear:#e619c3:0]
So the first thing Satan did was to plant doubt, that there even is absolute truth,
and/or that a fact is a fact.... rather, the devil, suggested questioning God's Word.
This is not the type of questioning where you do not understand something but rather, a 'question '......insinuating it's a lie.
However, since we are talking about God and His word
( Satan the Father of lies accusing God of lying, such the ultimate in hypocrisy)
It ought to be a given, that God does not lie and He is perfect and His words are 100% trustworthy
[smear:#e64a19]God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30[/smear:#aa03f6:0]
also
.....it is impossible for God to lie, w[smear:#ef1231]e who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Hebrews 6[/smear:#2c4ef5:1]
However Satan never gave up on that strategy and relativism runs rampant in our culture
You will often hear this ( stated as an 'absolute' fact, I might add )
What's true for you is not true for me!!!
But 'true'..... by its very definition is ;
being in accordance with the actual state of affairs
Something cannot be both true and not true...
however it can be a lie or it is 100% true
Pontius Pilate , even asked Jesus:
[smear:#75ce8d]38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him" John 18:38[/smear:#f60ad5:0]
Sadly, Pilate did not stay to hear what the answer was from Jesus Jesus had given the answer previously to Thomas:
[smear:#d65bf9]6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6[/smear:#19a5e6:0]
it is important to note, Jesus did NOT say I am 'A' way.... as in, one of many ways
Nor did Jesus say I am A truth as in, one of many truths
Jesus said I am THE truth as in, only one truth THE TRUTH!
Jesus also said this speaking of God the Father (remember God is One, but 3 persons: God the Father God the Son ( Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit)
[smear:#17cab5]17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17[/smear:#e6d719:0]
So the devil is continuing to redefine the definition of 'truth' so that today, this is often the case:
[smear:#bbf70d]Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20[/smear:#5018a7:0]
Another tactic being used very successfully today is to call truth hate speech and often words in scripture are a target.
It is a sad, and degrading life to be a street walker for example but to make that sin ( the woman is often forced by a man into this degradation, by violence)
You make it a high calling, she a sex worker and perhaps even better a porn 'star'
As if, changing the words to have different meanings Changes the pain, sorrow and suffering.
or instead of being a pedophile you are just some engaging in inter generational love and sex.
And so both that were sin are now deemed 'good'.
The intent is deception and Satan approves of those kinds of word games and sadly, so do many many people.
[smear:#df8a0c]An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue. Proverbs 17:4[/smear:#1005ef:0]
we are now immersed in not only words but a full blown cancel culture Which once again , reminds me to continue to stay in God words ( the Bible) before the Bible is banned once again.
I[smear:#37ecbc] have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 [/smear:#f745f2:0]
Done for Today
Speaking of storing up His Word in our hearts, I found some great songs on youtube for that. I used to own all the cassettes with all the songs on them years ago and played them constantly when I was home and awake. It's literally all I listened to, and therefore all my children could listen too. (and they were teens so didn't particularly appreciate it at the time lol). But to this day I remember these scriptures! The 2nd link has tons of them!
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiOB6WAOkhQ1d92JabgFT7SX8lWYhP6ng
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 19, 2020 10:30:26 GMT -5
I have listened in the past to those, but forgot what they were titled. so thank you sooooo much for posting about them!! Now I too can listen to them again yeah!!!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 19, 2020 11:31:30 GMT -5
I think to a degree, our present ( and really in the past, for a long time now) School system, has had a big hand in what we are seeing in our culture today.
Originally, the first schools in the US were based on the Bible but of course, Satan knew that from his perspective, that was not good! and so, the devil has encouraged the chipping away of anything Christian in public schools.
Hitler understood the enormous importance, of molding and brainwashing children, from an early age
he said things like:
"He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future" and "Give me a child when he's 7 and he's mine forever," And sadly this mass murderer, had a point.
I think, at least .....for a long time Christian parents believed that the school had just become 'neutral'.....
They may have thought along these lines:
True, it no longer had the Bible for its basis and root but ...
the fact is, any such 'neutrality', is just an illusion, a misconception, deception, and a misrepresentation.
[smear:#19e64e] Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6[/smear:#bf19e6:0]
I think the first big push to get the Christian God and the Bible out of schools was basically started with John Dewey, the father of 'modern' education in America.
Dewey was an: atheist, evolutionist, socialist, and a signer of the Humanist Manifesto.
Do we see a satanic plan, and its results today?
Frankly, none of that is 'neutrality'!
[smear:#e619a5]The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. Psalm 14:1[/smear:#0b8673:0]
This strategy has been a massive success young people today are almost totally secular, socialist, atheists, evolutionists, environmentalists etc.
Even if the children are brought up in a Christian home and go to church for an hour once a week.... The schools have them for 8 plus hours a day, 5 days a week.
So the odds of them buying into an anti-god secular and socialist system is very high.
Plus, even in a Christian home, this verse has been mostly abandon because in most homes, both mom and dad work come home exhausted
So they do not have the 'time' or 'energy' for this most important parenting:
[smear:#3baa4c] Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6[/smear:#e619e4:0]
I know, I posted the same verse twice because really, it is not the school's job to train up your child in morality, worship, the Bible etc.
Oh the school system and teachers are training up our children in.... A way to go, and we are now seeing the fruits of their training.
I think most of us have been bamboozled into thinking, we must work hard to give our children and ourselves nice material things and by doing so, we have neglected the most important one
[smear:#6288b2]7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:7[/smear:#aa19e6:0]
In today's world they are teaching the children even more extreme things in the schools things like: gender fluidity, everything LGBT, white privilege, climate change, evolution, etc etc.
Plus, some teachers do talk about the Bible and God great yes....????
No, what they often have to say are things like:
The myths in the Bible are not compatible with science and there is no pie in the sky God. They also make a case that the Bible is: racist, silly, does not teach absolute truth, is against women etc. etc. etc.
Things from Satan himself:
[smear:#518feb]22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:22[/smear:#e61938:0]
But as terrible as all that is:
Children still watch their parents and pick up on what they do, or do not do If the parent is always too tired to read the Bible forgets to pray watches and talks ONLY bout everything secular etc. That too is a big influence.
It is absolutely clear today's culture is anti-Christian and so are public schools!!
The schools have totally different goals and paths, they want the youth of today to follow. And if parents can't drop some of what is keeping them too busy.. perhaps not be so focus on getting a bigger house, a better car, better furniture etc etc. If parents cannot focus on training their children about God, truth, the Bible, salvation, godly character etc.
Then all their children will be exposed to, will be what is the 'opposite 'of what God said:
[smear:#69de87]Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; Psalms 1:1[/smear:#7b1496:0]
The verse above does say 'man', but actually children are getting 'counsel' from the wicked and sitting under the tutelage of the 'scoffers' 8 hours every day!
Tho not right now because of the pandemic.... I can't help but think, that might be a blessing in disguise.
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on Aug 20, 2020 9:13:13 GMT -5
I have listened in the past to those, but forgot what they were titled. so thank you sooooo much for posting about them!! Now I too can listen to them again yeah!!! I posted this in chat but will post it here for you too. I've saved tons of them, the full albums on my you tube site so you're welcome to check them out there too. I'll post a link to my page and the video of the one I'm listening to now:www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwSWz9UcVy1vH1b72AqeErZZmWZp5K0JX
I think to a degree, our present ( and really in the past, for a long time now) School system, has had a big hand in what we are seeing in our culture today.
Originally, the first schools in the US were based on the Bible but of course, Satan knew that from his perspective, that was not good! and so, the devil has encouraged the chipping away of anything Christian in public schools.
Hitler understood the enormous importance, of molding and brainwashing children, from an early age
he said things like:
"He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future" and "Give me a child when he's 7 and he's mine forever," And sadly this mass murderer, had a point.
I think, at least .....for a long time Christian parents believed that the school had just become 'neutral'.....
They may have thought along these lines:
True, it no longer had the Bible for its basis and root but ...
the fact is, any such 'neutrality', is just an illusion, a misconception, deception, and a misrepresentation.
[smear:#19e64e] Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6[/smear:#bf19e6:0]
I think the first big push to get the Christian God and the Bible out of schools was basically started with John Dewey, the father of 'modern' education in America.
Dewey was an: atheist, evolutionist, socialist, and a signer of the Humanist Manifesto.
Do we see a satanic plan, and its results today?
Frankly, none of that is 'neutrality'!
[smear:#e619a5]The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. Psalm 14:1[/smear:#0b8673:0]
This strategy has been a massive success young people today are almost totally secular, socialist, atheists, evolutionists, environmentalists etc.
Even if the children are brought up in a Christian home and go to church for an hour once a week.... The schools have them for 8 plus hours a day, 5 days a week.
So the odds of them buying into an anti-god secular and socialist system is very high.
Plus, even in a Christian home, this verse has been mostly abandon because in most homes, both mom and dad work come home exhausted
So they do not have the 'time' or 'energy' for this most important parenting:
[smear:#3baa4c] Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6[/smear:#e619e4:0]
I know, I posted the same verse twice because really, it is not the school's job to train up your child in morality, worship, the Bible etc.
Oh the school system and teachers are training up our children in.... A way to go, and we are now seeing the fruits of their training.
I think most of us have been bamboozled into thinking, we must work hard to give our children and ourselves nice material things and by doing so, we have neglected the most important one
[smear:#6288b2]7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:7[/smear:#aa19e6:0]
In today's world they are teaching the children even more extreme things in the schools things like: gender fluidity, everything LGBT, white privilege, climate change, evolution, etc etc.
Plus, some teachers do talk about the Bible and God great yes....????
No, what they often have to say are things like:
The myths in the Bible are not compatible with science and there is no pie in the sky God. They also make a case that the Bible is: racist, silly, does not teach absolute truth, is against women etc. etc. etc.
Things from Satan himself:
[smear:#518feb]22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:22[/smear:#e61938:0]
But as terrible as all that is:
Children still watch their parents and pick up on what they do, or do not do If the parent is always too tired to read the Bible forgets to pray watches and talks ONLY bout everything secular etc. That too is a big influence.
It is absolutely clear today's culture is anti-Christian and so are public schools!!
The schools have totally different goals and paths, they want the youth of today to follow. And if parents can't drop some of what is keeping them too busy.. perhaps not be so focus on getting a bigger house, a better car, better furniture etc etc. If parents cannot focus on training their children about God, truth, the Bible, salvation, godly character etc.
Then all their children will be exposed to, will be what is the 'opposite 'of what God said:
[smear:#69de87]Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; Psalms 1:1[/smear:#7b1496:0]
The verse above does say 'man', but actually children are getting 'counsel' from the wicked and sitting under the tutelage of the 'scoffers' 8 hours every day!
Tho not right now because of the pandemic.... I can't help but think, that might be a blessing in disguise.
Done for today
Good One!
It's possible that some Christian parents were fooled by the school systems into thinking that sending their child to someone else to teach was better for the child. But many people knew better and tried to tell others. But Satan is good at telling us that we're no good and that we can't possibly know enough to teach our children; and most would never even think that they could actually learn something themselves first and then teach it to their children, and so our precious children were sent to strangers to be taught whatever they wanted to. Yes, at first it was from the Bible, but even right at first there were may "Progressive" teachers that fought to get away from the Bible and they won just about every time. It's also part of our sin nature to be lazy and the thought of not having to watch and teach our children for 8 hours every day really appealed to many parents. After all, they were very busy with their own lives and this would give them time to do so much more! Sadly there was nothing they could do that was more important then their children. And as time went by, public school became the norm and no one every questioned it anymore. (well, practically no one.) Yet all through the years there were always people who made it their job to inform parents that they could home-school their children; and that public school didn't have to be the norm. Of course there were lots of catholic schools too. Trust the catholic church to be anywhere there was money to be made. At the same time Satan has set the world up to make it almost impossible for mothers to stay home with their children, which makes teaching them just about impossible.
If it wasn't for God we could assume that many children have been lost to Satan because of all of that. But not one single one was lost, because although it was impossible for men, it was possible for God to save those He had chosen to elect. It's really amazing when you think about it. Every single person who's been saved is a living miracle in more ways then one!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 20, 2020 11:27:44 GMT -5
I love that you added that what is impossible for man, is possible for God. And even if almost all children in public schools get indoctrinated into everything anti-God, anti-Christian, anti-Bible etc.
Still, some years later ( after school) do come to Jesus and are saved......sometimes in the most amazing ways.
For some reason I keep an eye on Elon Musk's neuralink ( perhaps its my 'horror' movie? LOL)
But today, I read a article titled:
Your Brain, With a USB Port in It: Elon Musk’s Neuralink Vision Divides Experts (From CBR site)
The reason, I mention this is the last quote by a leading neurosurgeon expert was sooooooo encouraging to me...
maybe in a way not intended but it so pointed to our amazing God!!
The expert said:
"Armitage summed up the complexity of the human brain with what he called a theoretically intractable problem:
“Famously, there aren’t enough atoms in the universe to build a full model of what every cell is doing [in the brain].
It’s a theoretically intractable problem,
you can’t even conceive of a computer large enough because there isn’t enough material in the universe to make it”.
To me reading that! Like WOW! How Great is our God.
And yet, people insist, this complex brain, just made itself, over millions of years and yet, we have a leading expert saying there is not enough material in the universe, to build a full model of what every cell is doing [in the brain].
We have this estimate of how big the universe is:
"While estimates among different experts vary, an acceptable range is between 100 billion and 200 billion galaxies, said Mario Livio, an astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.
And in each galaxy there are billions of suns and even more planets
Sooooo I would say, that is a LOT of material.......a LOT of atoms
and yet, it would not be enough atoms.... to make a computer large enough to build a model of what each cell in the brain is doing!!!
Of a brain .....that by 'chance' made itself
Ummmmm maybe not! It's seems more likely it was programmed,
by an all knowing programmer
Otherwise know as God!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 7,658
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Post by fearnot on Aug 20, 2020 11:56:23 GMT -5
When I was a child we would recite the pledge of allegiance to flag
The reason I mention it is that it says:
To the republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all
Well, I am thinking, we are perhaps the farthest away from those ideals then ever in our history.
So yes, we had an actual 'war.'... the civil war and I think we are in a 'civil war' in our country right now
Only it is not be fought in the same way as the civil war, with armies lined up on a battle field, shooting at each other.
The war being fought now is more like guerrilla warfare (terrorists etc.). They are now fighting all over the country.
And the verse that come to my mind are:
[smear:#19e662] 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. Mark 3:25[/smear:#e61961:0]
Of course, that is really the whole point of the riots today. To divide the country so it can no longer stand.
Yes, they may have started out as a protest against the police brutality against George Floyd but that became an opportunity:
to create a new socialist government by creating so much chaos and then.... a 'new order' out of the chaos.
By the way, it is not just in our country of protests/riots and chaos leading to a calling for a new world order you see it basically world wide.
[smear:#e9ed0b]6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. Matthew 24:6[/smear:#eb0558:0]
And I believe Satan will use this tacit, so that during the tribulation people will be so stressed, fearful, tired etc. that will willing except a 'savior' the Antichrist.
There are two different people riding a white horse in the book of Revelation one is the Antichrist and later is Jesus
When things get so bad ( and after the rapture) the anti-Christ will come on the world stage promising and end to chaos and war, and promising peace.
[smear:#e65b19]2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, Revelation 6:2[/smear:#037ab4:0]
and this verse, is the character of the Anti-Christ and his fallen angels.
[smear:#19e64a]Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts. Psalm 28:3[/smear:#f56c39:0]
there are mysteries in the Bible that only God knows (He has given us the information we need to know)
[smear:#a13979]29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29[/smear:#299f81:0]
It is not super clear to me, exactly what will happen to the USA in the future?
Clearly the words Untied States of America, are not in the Bible.
Which does not necessarily meanthe USA is not referred to
But I wonder, if this could end up being a definition:
[smear:#e61942]How the hammer of the whole earth is cut down and broken! Jeremiah 50:23[/smear:#2b19e6:1]
The actual verse is in reference to Babylon.
But often scripture has an immediate time frame and also a future time meaning.
USA did ( and to some extent still is)
twas the hammer of the whole earth We have been the world's super power
But there are forces ( I would call them evil forces) that are working both from the outside and from within To cut America down and break her. Which to me, is very sad
Furthermore we as a nation, have been evil ( things like killing millions of babies in the womb over the years)
Still it is very sad the ideals and goals ( based on Christian values) were:
one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all
Are being destroyed before our eyes.
I have less and less hope no matter who wins the upcoming election that the on going civil war in our country will end and peace will reign
I will pray for our country, But it could be that God is at work in its destruction also.
Done for today.
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