fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397 
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Hebrews
Nov 10, 2019 12:50:34 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 10, 2019 12:50:34 GMT -5
Hebrews 10: 26-31
This is a good verse for those who falsely say once a person is saved they either must never sin again or cannot ( are not even able to) sin again....
I suppose if you were an extremely careless reader
( like I am sometimes when I forget and still speed read.....
but very very seldom with scripture anymore....
but it still does happen from time to time, when I discover I zoomed right over a word)
and only read:
"For if we go on sinning.....
( skip over a word.....which I will post the skipped word in a minute)
after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins"
A person could come to the absolutely false wrong conclusion some try to teach that I said above
HOWEVER
The word they leave out is
For if we go on sinning DELIBERATELY
And even then....I don't think this means an occasional deliberate sin ( of a lie, or even an affair or whatever but in our hearts we are disturbed, feel guilty, etc. ). They might even deceive themselves into to thinking they don't care, but the difference is, in time it will become clear, they really really do....but others really really do NOT!!
It is total and final rejecting in order to habitually, willfully, gleefully, continually sin without ever having any remorse ever again.
In some cases this has been with famous evangelists, pastors, worship leaders etc.
And how can that be?
They never were really truly saved....it may have seemed so, but sadly, they were not.
They have chosen Hell.
I think this might mean more we simply do not care...not that we think we are in 'love' like an affair,
and yet deep down inside are not ok with turning our backs on the Lord.....
it could even be something like :
watching a TV program we know He dose not approve of,
or putting anything above Him like children, pets, gardening etc etc.)
This happens because we are not yet perfect.
All saved humans have at some time willfully sinned...doing what they knew they should not or not doing what they knew they should.....so it is not just willful sinning,
Even rejecting under the Old....the Law had dire consequences.
No the people being looked at now, are those who trampled underfoot the Son of God....not by willfully sinning, but by totally forever turning their backs against Jesus....rejecting His cross, the gospel ( not those who think they can't be saved.....but those who don't care, don't want it anymore, it interferes with their joy of sinning!!).
The will fall into the hands of the living God.
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Hebrews
Nov 11, 2019 10:28:26 GMT -5
Post by Cindy on Nov 11, 2019 10:28:26 GMT -5
This was super helpful!!!
quoting you :-)
"The blood sprinkled on a piece of furniture didn't change the nature of that piece, but it changed God’s relationship to it".
Hebrews 10: 8-14
Jesus came to do the will of God, and replaced the endless repetitions of sacrificing animals over and over.
In a way, we as believers are to offer 'sacrifices'....our bodies as living ( not dead) sacrifices
And thus He establishes the second.
The Old Testament priest performed a daily task that was never finished, it could never give complete forgiveness for sins., never completely cleanse, never clear our guilt etc.
There was no chair for them to sit ( the task was never done) but Jesus sits, have once and for all completed His task!! And there had to be many priest, but Jesus did it all Himself.
The priests could only do their job while they were living, but Jesus is eternal.
They could only temporarily cover up sin, Jesus totally removes it.
One commentator made a point I never thought of
When the Antichrist will sit down in the temple during the tribulation, he is once again counterfeiting the fact the Jesus is sitting down in Heaven ( also that the priests were never able to sit) ....the devil will mimic Christ's finished work on the Cross.
Jesus sits because the task is completed!
His enemies ( even believers were once rebellious enemies), but satan, his demons, and those who refuse to be saved, have a limited time, and then it will be up for them.
Hebrew 10: 15-20
Now the Holy Spirit bears witness to us about the new
( it will be applied to our hearts and minds and not just shadows and outwardly in religious symbols).
From Jeremiah 31:33
Sin is so powerful that the Iron cage of the law could not contain it, but the love of Jesus conquers it by ( His perfect life and death on the cross)
and putting it the victory and love in our hearts and minds, so we now hate sin.
Even more than that....God says He will then no longer remember our sins...He will never make us pay for them or feel bad or make us like slaves in Heaven, He won't mention them again etc.
And since our sins are forgiven because Jesus paid for them in full, and God the Father has forgiven them and will no longer ever mention them....there is no longer any need for the shadows, symbols of sacrifices and offerings for sin.
Based on this truth we can now enter into the Holy based on the blood of Jesus.
Now we can enter before God ( not just once a year by one man) but at any time by any believer, because Jesus is ever living, eternal and infinite ....the veil was torn when Jesus died....so the way the way is no barred.
Hebrews 10: 21-25
Now we are told how we are to come to God
with a true heart
in full assurance of faith
clean from an evil conscience
bodies washed with pure water
Sadly some come with an insincere, evil heart ( and have given Christianity a bad name)....they see a great marketing scheme and become 'pastors' to become super wealthy, and/or to have great power over people.
They have no real love for Jesus as Savior, they have not been convicted of their sins, or born again, and the only 'faith' they have is this will somehow benefit them in this life be it money, power, sexual favors etc......
This is not the way to come.....we must come in real love for what Jesus has done for us. We do not come based on our 'good works', being 'good' people etc. but based on the faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross, paying for our sins.
In the old testament, things were sprinkled with blood and/or but it never got to the inside...only by God ( living pure water) is the inside heart /conscious etc truly cleaned of sin, so we live changed lives.
We are not to waver in this truth but hold fast to it.
And we should consider how to encourage one another to love and good works ( after we have been saved and born again).
One good way to do that is to be that way ourselves.
I so appreciate that you have helped me this way....because I am lacking ( I think we are all self-centered, but perhaps, for some like me, being an 'only' child, for some people..... only exacerbates this sin.
So encouragement is so helpful.
And another most important encouragement is church where we meet and are together with other believers.
Its funny, as time goes by, I find going to church more and more encouraging, uplifting, pleasant, joyful, fun,
etc. , to be around believers instead of angry atheists.
Going to church is so very important. I only wish I'd understood that back when I was able to go. It's ironic because I went to church every Sunday since I was about 11 years old, except for the first two years we lived here. (because I wasn't sure how to find the church I wanted to go to here and was afraid to try). And while I loved going to church then, I know now that it would have been even better if I'd understood that it was my job to come to know the other members well and love them like the Lord does, and pray for them, and just be with them, even during the week, so that we became a real family... so the whole church would become a true family as I learned to love one member at a time until all were loved and loving each other. But instead I waited for others to come to me because I didn't know how to go to them as I was so shy. Ah well. Such is life. Now although I can't attend the church, I'm getting to know all the members a little at a time, and loving them and praying for them like we're told to. I just wish I could attend the church on Sundays and go to all the weekly things they do, but that's just impossible for me. But at least I'm getting to know some of them, little by little! I'm glad you're able to go and enjoy it still as Church is one of God's wonderful gifts to us!
This is a wonderful scripture!
“let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22)
We are each to approach God in the conscious enjoyment of freedom from guilt (having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience) and with a sense of the personal holiness that Christ’s sacrifice makes possible (having our bodies washed with pure water) even though we may not "feel" holy. The writer wants us to lay hold consciously of the cleansing benefits of Christ’s Cross and to draw near to God in enjoying them, putting away inward guilt and outward impurity.
Hebrews 10: 26-31
This is a good verse for those who falsely say once a person is saved they either must never sin again or cannot ( are not even able to) sin again....
I suppose if you were an extremely careless reader
( like I am sometimes when I forget and still speed read.....
but very very seldom with scripture anymore....
but it still does happen from time to time, when I discover I zoomed right over a word)
and only read:
"For if we go on sinning.....
( skip over a word.....which I will post the skipped word in a minute)
after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins"
A person could come to the absolutely false wrong conclusion some try to teach that I said above
HOWEVER
The word they leave out is
For if we go on sinning DELIBERATELY
And even then....I don't think this means an occasional deliberate sin ( of a lie, or even an affair or whatever but in our hearts we are disturbed, feel guilty, etc. ). They might even deceive themselves into to thinking they don't care, but the difference is, in time it will become clear, they really really do....but others really really do NOT!!
It is total and final rejecting in order to habitually, willfully, gleefully, continually sin without ever having any remorse ever again.
In some cases this has been with famous evangelists, pastors, worship leaders etc.
And how can that be?
They never were really truly saved....it may have seemed so, but sadly, they were not.
They have chosen Hell.
I think this might mean more we simply do not care...not that we think we are in 'love' like an affair,
and yet deep down inside are not ok with turning our backs on the Lord.....
it could even be something like :
watching a TV program we know He dose not approve of,
or putting anything above Him like children, pets, gardening etc etc.)
This happens because we are not yet perfect.
All saved humans have at some time willfully sinned...doing what they knew they should not or not doing what they knew they should.....so it is not just willful sinning,
Even rejecting under the Old....the Law had dire consequences.
No the people being looked at now, are those who trampled underfoot the Son of God....not by willfully sinning, but by totally forever turning their backs against Jesus....rejecting His cross, the gospel ( not those who think they can't be saved.....but those who don't care, don't want it anymore, it interferes with their joy of sinning!!).
The will fall into the hands of the living God.
Very well said! Reading what you wrote made me think of something too. I realized that those who do turn away from God, do so because they have never really known Him. To them, Christianity is just a bunch of rules, and a new way of speaking about things which they adopt so they sound like they've been saved. But to those of us who are really saved, it's not about rules at all, it's about Jesus! See, the unsaved see telling a lie or any other sin as simply breaking a rule, but we see it as literally turning our backs on our Lord and breaking His heart! To us, Christianity is a person. A person we know and love. To those who are unsaved, including those who think they're saved but really aren't, it's just rules and a different way of speaking. They've never come to know the Lord, which is just so very sad....
It's like the unsaved who don't believe that the Lord caused me to stop smoking and think that I somehow managed to do it myself. Bruce tells me the different things they say and it's just so sad, because they can't figure out how "I" did it. And they never will, because I didn't do it at all. What's even kind of funny is that some of them have decided to try and quit smoking themselves since they think I was able to do it. They aren't doing very well at it though and can't figure out what they're doing wrong. The missing piece is Jesus though.  But who knows. Maybe they'll eventually manage it and stop smoking in their own power. Plenty of others have in the past and will in the future. I'm sure glad I didn't have to do it on my own though, and in fact, didn't have to do anything at all, lol. God in His mercy did it all for me, for which I'm very grateful!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 11, 2019 11:27:06 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 11, 2019 11:27:06 GMT -5
Hebrews 10:32-
Now the writer talks to those who have not rejected Jesus, and salvation but have endured such things as struggles, sufferings, reproaches and afflictions, insults and persecutions, stood with fellow believers who were also thusly treated....
But here is one that I would have had a hard time identifying with:
actually felt joy over watching their property confiscated....
That is ,until our car died Sat.
but...
ended up being the catalyst for Hossanah and Brian going to church yesterday......
not that losing a material item would always or even mostly be a similar result.....
but things of this world are not even close to what we will have in eternity.
And yes, we still need a car, and have zero way of getting one ( we have to take 3 kids to two different schools....both Hossanah and Brian are at work) we pick Hossanah up at work so she does not have to be there 12-14 hours each day, we take Doug here there and everywhere, and we need to shop go to doctors etc.......
but God's will be done....maybe the rapture will happen today, or tomorrow.....we know it is coming someday :-)
So endurance and perseverance are a necessary part of being saved, and knowing you are saved. Those who were attracted with head knowledge, and so on, but fall away when going gets tough,
in general, are not really saved.
Tho, I think a weak baby Christian, might act like a baby and get mad or angry at God, but don't truly chose to walk away for ever ( its more a temporary snit, pouting, hurt, lack of maturity etc. but they still want the Lord in fact).
More than that tho, the believers also had compassion on those in prison ( I thinking this might include believers, maybe in large part as Jesus did say many of us would suffer because we were Christians).
Jesus said something to the effect, If they hate you, remember they hated me.
In a way, that is another reason for joy.....we are closer to Him.
Trials teach us to trust and grow, even in the end to triumph.
God could gift us with wealth and it could be a mercy, but affliction is even greater because it draws us closer to Jesus....
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, because Jesus is the greatest reward.
One way we would throw it away would be to change from confidence in God to ourselves ( self confidence) and other shallow temporary rewards, whereas, we have the greatest reward of all....God Himself.
We don't have it in full now, but we will for all eternity.
We know 'greed' is a grievous sin, and if by it we could gain the whole world, we most likely would lose our eternal soul to Hell....
but in a way....such a person is not 'greedy' enough....
No I don't really truly mean that is a sinful way....
but the greediest person is asking toooooooooo little
with Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit
you gain everything, for all eternity ( things we cannot imagine)
and even if you had unloving sex with 10,000 people or more
you are missing out on being loved truly loved like you also cannot ever imagine, by God forever and ever
That's what I mean by they are asking for tooooo little.
I wanted to finish but I just saw the kids outside sooooo I really have to go
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 12, 2019 11:42:24 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 12, 2019 11:42:24 GMT -5
Hebrews 10:36-39
We can only do His will if God provides for us, and we need endurance.
It does not work trying to do it in our own strength, that often turns out to be a grim, even angry, put upon, hanging on by our teeth.....which is useless and often very detrimental.
But with God we have a reward ( often in this life.....just doing His will is a joy) but even more, is our reward in the afterlife.
And we have the joy of looking forward to Christ coming again ( if its when we are still alive on earth or we come with Him)....He is the best reward anyone could have in all eternity.
Some may ask...
ummmmmmmmm a 'little' while???
It's been 2,000 years, soooooo how does that work?
Well 2nd Peter 3:8 says:
“with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”
So that works out to 2 days (give or take a few years), that Jesus has been gone.
But also, when ever any believer dies, He is present with the Lord.
The fact no one know when it will be, is encouragement to always be ready for Him.
Next the writer quotes Habakkuk 2:4 The just shall live by faith
We must live by faith, and not shrink back even under persecution.
We are not to live by pride as the captain of our own ship 'self' and our own abilities.
We are righteous by faith in what Jesus has done.
The opposite of faith is apostasy.
Faith in God's power and what Jesus has done give us victory over sin, and temptations by the devil.
We can patiently endure thru faith ( and that not of our own it is a gift of God).
God does not take pleasure in those who draw back in fear
I have to say I always worry that I might do so....being a fearful sort
but I am growing much stronger
and I now think, if the time ever came,
God would, at that time,
give me the strength I needed
because I would rely on Him...... not my own strength.. (
I've been fearful of my fear, because I've unknowingly, was thinking of having to rely on my own strength....
no wonder I was fearful.
"But we ( I ) are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls".
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Hebrews
Nov 12, 2019 11:55:11 GMT -5
Post by Cindy on Nov 12, 2019 11:55:11 GMT -5
Hebrews 10:32-
Now the writer talks to those who have not rejected Jesus, and salvation but have endured such things as struggles, sufferings, reproaches and afflictions, insults and persecutions, stood with fellow believers who were also thusly treated....
But here is one that I would have had a hard time identifying with:
actually felt joy over watching their property confiscated....
That is ,until our car died Sat.
but...
ended up being the catalyst for Hossanah and Brian going to church yesterday......
not that losing a material item would always or even mostly be a similar result.....
but things of this world are not even close to what we will have in eternity.
And yes, we still need a car, and have zero way of getting one ( we have to take 3 kids to two different schools....both Hossanah and Brian are at work) we pick Hossanah up at work so she does not have to be there 12-14 hours each day, we take Doug here there and everywhere, and we need to shop go to doctors etc.......
but God's will be done....maybe the rapture will happen today, or tomorrow.....we know it is coming someday :-)
So endurance and perseverance are a necessary part of being saved, and knowing you are saved. Those who were attracted with head knowledge, and so on, but fall away when going gets tough,
in general, are not really saved.
Tho, I think a weak baby Christian, might act like a baby and get mad or angry at God, but don't truly chose to walk away for ever ( its more a temporary snit, pouting, hurt, lack of maturity etc. but they still want the Lord in fact).
More than that tho, the believers also had compassion on those in prison ( I thinking this might include believers, maybe in large part as Jesus did say many of us would suffer because we were Christians).
Jesus said something to the effect, If they hate you, remember they hated me.
In a way, that is another reason for joy.....we are closer to Him.
Trials teach us to trust and grow, even in the end to triumph.
God could gift us with wealth and it could be a mercy, but affliction is even greater because it draws us closer to Jesus....
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, because Jesus is the greatest reward.
One way we would throw it away would be to change from confidence in God to ourselves ( self confidence) and other shallow temporary rewards, whereas, we have the greatest reward of all....God Himself.
We don't have it in full now, but we will for all eternity.
We know 'greed' is a grievous sin, and if by it we could gain the whole world, we most likely would lose our eternal soul to Hell....
but in a way....such a person is not 'greedy' enough....
No I don't really truly mean that is a sinful way....
but the greediest person is asking toooooooooo little
with Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit
you gain everything, for all eternity ( things we cannot imagine)
and even if you had unloving sex with 10,000 people or more
you are missing out on being loved truly loved like you also cannot ever imagine, by God forever and ever
That's what I mean by they are asking for tooooo little.
I wanted to finish but I just saw the kids outside sooooo I really have to go
This is very good! I know what you mean when you say asking too little. That's a good way to look at it. I'd like to talk about this, even though I know you understand it. It's just something I'm thinking about.....
It is very hard to be joyful because of a trial. I know some commentators try to make this and other scriptures that speak about being joyful because of a trial seem like they're saying to be joyful because of Jesus and our salvation and not because of the actual trial. While it's certainly good to be joyful about those things, that's not what these verses are saying. They are quite obviously saying to be joyful because of the trial. I think the reason we have such a hard time accepting this is because we've never really seen or known anyone who's rejoiced due to a trial in their life. (It's even rare to see people who are truly saved and growing in their faith these days!) Sadly, this too is due to living during the great falling away.
However, we can look back to when Jesus was on the earth; read about all the ways He was persecuted from the moment He began His ministry. From there we can look at the disciples and later when they were apostles; and then finally we can read about the early Christians and how they were persecuted. That will bring to our minds people today in third world countries who really are joyful they're being persecuted, and we can learn from them as well. Mostly when we look at Jesus and all these other examples, we see that the reason they're joyful is because they're being allowed to suffer like Jesus did. They consider that a wonderful thing because they love Jesus and want to be just like Him. They know this world hates what is good and loves sin, so the more like Jesus they become, the more they (and we) will be hated and persecuted.
People in the world today have become so complacent and often don't even realize that they've become "lukewarm" Christians - and many of them aren't even really saved. You see them in Church on Sundays praising God, and at work on Mondays swearing a blue streak! And they think nothing of it. After all, they know many other "Christians" who use foul language. When you look at "Christians" today, about the only thing different between them and everyone else in the world is that they go to Church on Sundays. That's not at all what we see about the early Christians though!
When I look back at my life, I'm amazed at how few true Christians I've met. (and remember, I went to church every single Sunday from the time I was about 11 years old! and my favorite place to shop was at Christian book stores!) From the age of 11 until I was in my 40's, I can literally count the number of truly saved Christians I met on one hand! This made it very hard for me to know what being a Christian looked like today. And not just me but anyone else who wanted to know the Lord, child or adult. Plus, here in the US, most thought that people weren't persecuted for their faith here, so figured that wasn't true anymore. We prided ourselves that we weren't persecuted as though that somehow made us better Christians. In fact, it made us worse Christians!
Now though, because of the great falling away, those few who are truly saved, are starting to really stand out from the crowd now. They didn't so much before because sin wasn't so obvious and in people's faces before. Now all it takes to be known as a true believer is for folks to find out that you think abortion is wrong, that the world was created in 6 days, and that any sexuality other than heterosexuality is a perversion and an abomination to God. Once even one person knows what you think about those things, it spreads like wildfire and you do find yourself persecuted. It may simply be people making snide remarks behind your back, or even to your face. Or you could lose your job or even go to jail over some thing. It can and does divide families (just like Jesus said it would). In other countries people lose their lives for being a believer in Christ. I'm sure it will come to that here too eventually. People today though tend to go out of their way not to "get caught". They don't want to lose their job or go to jail or be fined, etc. And who can blame them, it doesn't sound like fun to me either. But the early Christians rejoiced when those things happened!!!!! To them it was like getting a promotion from God! I tend to think about this a lot because I believe that if we aren't being persecuted in some way, then we're not living our life the right way. Because Jesus didn't say we might be persecuted, He said we "would be" persecuted. I also think about this a lot because I want my attitude to be the same as the early Christians; to be the same as Paul and Timothy and the other disciples and apostles. I want to be so certain of what the Lord has for my future that this world looks sort of dingy and dirty compared to it! It is a way to know the Lord has counted us worthy of His Kingdom... “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.” (2 Thessalonians 1:4–5) and.... “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,” (2 Timothy 1:7–8) and especially, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10–11)
you know me...I could go on and on and on lol but I'll stop now. 
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 12, 2019 12:35:23 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 12, 2019 12:35:23 GMT -5
I think the sentences you wrote were very awe inspiring:
"People today though tend to go out of their way not to "get caught". They don't want to lose their job or go to jail or be fined, etc. And who can blame them, it doesn't sound like fun to me either. But the early Christians rejoiced when those things happened!!!!!
To them it was like getting a promotion from God"!
Yes, I find that a very very hard concept.
I do remember a Christian fiction I read once, where a bunch of Christians were being thrown to the lions and they actually looked forward to it.
It almost sounded ( at first, to me)
like they 'hated' themselves, or were some kind of weird masochists.....
but no it was as exactly you said:
"They consider that a wonderful thing because they love Jesus and want to be just like Him".
I suppose some non believers might think what I first thought about the fictional characters ( but this actually really happen in history....Christian being thrown in the arena for the lions to eat as entertainment)
They might think Jesus was a masochist......but
they totally misunderstand His great love for all people,
that,
and He was and is God.
Today's post I made is above your post of today.....
and....
the site is strangely, but beautifully weirdly different today.....
many words are written... with each letter.... having a different color
Cool!!! LOL
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Hebrews
Nov 13, 2019 12:27:05 GMT -5
Post by Cindy on Nov 13, 2019 12:27:05 GMT -5
I'm going to reply to you inside your post....
Hebrews 10:36-39
We can only do His will if God provides for us, and we need endurance.
It does not work trying to do it in our own strength, that often turns out to be a grim, even angry, put upon, hanging on by our teeth.....which is useless and often very detrimental.
But with God we have a reward ( often in this life.....just doing His will is a joy) but even more, is our reward in the afterlife.
And we have the joy of looking forward to Christ coming again ( if its when we are still alive on earth or we come with Him)....He is the best reward anyone could have in all eternity.
Some may ask...
ummmmmmmmm a 'little' while???
It's been 2,000 years, soooooo how does that work?
Well 2nd Peter 3:8 says:
“with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”
So that works out to 2 days (give or take a few years), that Jesus has been gone.
But also, when ever any believer dies, He is present with the Lord.
The fact no one know when it will be, is encouragement to always be ready for Him.
Next the writer quotes Habakkuk 2:4 The just shall live by faith
We must live by faith, and not shrink back even under persecution.
We are not to live by pride as the captain of our own ship 'self' and our own abilities.
We are righteous by faith in what Jesus has done.
The opposite of faith is apostasy.
Faith in God's power and what Jesus has done give us victory over sin, and temptations by the devil.
We can patiently endure thru faith ( and that not of our own it is a gift of God).
God does not take pleasure in those who draw back in fear
I have to say I always worry that I might do so....being a fearful sort
but I am growing much stronger
and I now think, if the time ever came,
God would, at that time,
give me the strength I needed
because I would rely on Him...... not my own strength.. (
I've been fearful of my fear, because I've unknowingly, was thinking of having to rely on my own strength....
no wonder I was fearful.
"But we ( I ) are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls".
You're using the KJV now? I ask because you quoted Hebrews 10:38 and Habakkuk 2:4 using the word "Just'. I though that sounded strange and unfamiliar, so I looked at 18 other versions, and all but two used the words I'm familiar with "righteous one". The two that didn't use that used "just one" and they were the kjv and the nkjv.
You know, because we write so much in our bible studies, it gives us a great way to hold ourselves accountable. Actually, anywhere we write gives us that ability, because we can then see where we have thoughts or ideas that need to be taken captive, or where we have thoughts or ideas that have made a breakthrough or are about to make a breakthrough with a little more thinking. So, if when you're done with your bible study, you go back and read what you've written, you may find lots of things to help you grow in Christ.
You said: "I have to say I always worry that I might do so....being a fearful sort but notice the last 3 words above, what a terrible thing to think that you're a fearful sort! But I've got good news for you! When you were saved, God changed you and gave you a new nature. Your old nature was fearful of many things, this is true, but your new nature only fears one thing - God! And that's a good healthy fear. It's also not a fear of something terrible, but is instead a reverence for the God you love.
:
but I am growing much stronger Praise God that you do recognize that! But hon, your old nature is the one that fears, and it's growing weaker because you're not using it as much. Instead of falling back onto your old nature, you now abide in the new nature the Lord gave you most of the time, and because you spend time in His Word daily, that new nature is becoming stronger and stronger and stronger! We need to realize too that even when we fall back into our old natures for some reason, that we can always choose to abide in our new nature instead; and as soon as we choose to do so, that's what will happen!
and I now think, if the time ever came,
God would, at that time,
give me the strength I needed
because I would rely on Him...... not my own strength..
I've been fearful of my fear, because I've unknowingly, was thinking of having to rely on my own strength....
no wonder I was fearful." Praise God that you do recognize that! That's quite a big step for anyone to make. And how sad that so many of us, including you and me spent so long fearful of our fear! Thinking our Daddy wouldn't take care of us when we needed Him most. How that must break His heart.
I think the sentences you wrote were very awe inspiring:
"People today though tend to go out of their way not to "get caught". They don't want to lose their job or go to jail or be fined, etc. And who can blame them, it doesn't sound like fun to me either. But the early Christians rejoiced when those things happened!!!!!
To them it was like getting a promotion from God"!
Yes, I find that a very very hard concept.
I do remember a Christian fiction I read once, where a bunch of Christians were being thrown to the lions and they actually looked forward to it.
It almost sounded ( at first, to me)
like they 'hated' themselves, or were some kind of weird masochists.....
but no it was as exactly you said:
"They consider that a wonderful thing because they love Jesus and want to be just like Him".
I suppose some non believers might think what I first thought about the fictional characters ( but this actually really happen in history....Christian being thrown in the arena for the lions to eat as entertainment)
They might think Jesus was a masochist......but
they totally misunderstand His great love for all people,
that,
and He was and is God.
Today's post I made is above your post of today.....
and....
the site is strangely, but beautifully weirdly different today.....
many words are written... with each letter.... having a different color
Cool!!! LOL
As far as people looking forward to suffering for their belief and love of Jesus, I'm sure none of them were looking forward to the pain or the actual suffering itself, (in fact, they likely prayed for strength and that their death would be a good testimony for the Lord.) but instead were looking forward to being praised by their Lord for being willing to love Him more then their own life.
It reminds me of when I was a very little girl. I was probably about 5 years old. My Mama told me just before I went to bed, that she and Daddy wanted me to start answering them by saying "Yes sir, no sir, or yes Mam and no mam". I loved my parents and wanted so badly to please them that I fell asleep saying those words over and over again so I wouldn't forget. The next day, I did remember and answered them the way they'd asked me to, and they let me know how very proud of me they were. That made me feel so good that I would have done anything for them that was within my power. And that's how we should also feel about Jesus. When we realize that He's asked us to do something, we should be excited that He thinks we can do that thing, and then we should put every bit of effort we have into doing it in order to please Him because we love Him, and of course, knowing that when we do, that He will let us know how very proud of us He is! “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28) “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:16–18) “and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:11) and as hebrews itself says: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” (Hebrews 10:35) because not only will He tell us He's proud of us, but He will reward us with rewards that will last for all eternity!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 13, 2019 12:53:19 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 13, 2019 12:53:19 GMT -5
Hebrews 11:1-3
We now get a definition of what is faith....
being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
This is not a :
I 'hope so'
being optimistic
superstitious
not wishful thinking
not imagination as many non believers accuse
not a blind leap
is not a crutch in the negative sense
it's not a 'feeling'
Instead we trust God ( despite circumstances) that God will keep His promises....we are convicted of His faithfulness. We rely on what God has done, is doing, and will do in the future....and on His love.
( Faith is built on trust....we trust through our relationship with God, who we get to know and trust by reading, studying, memorizing His Word, and what He has done in our lives so far).
Here is one illustration: there was a time before the first chair was ever constructed.
People could theorized about an object that a man might sit upon it, how it would be constructed, and so on....
but faith is actually the trust and conviction by actually sitting in it.
There are some atheists that believe some of the facts about Jesus, but they will not trust in Him....they don't have faith in His providing salvation.
They have not seen Heaven.....therefore they do not believe in it
Believers have not seen Heaven either but we trust in God's faithfulness and truthfulness ( we sit in the chair so to speak :-)
Nevertheless people are going to ( as they have always done) ridicule people who live by faith.
However, it was by their ( even if somewhat limited) faith, the people of old received their commendation
( from God).
In a way we now come to Creation vs. the "big bang"
Both take faith, as no human was there.
To believe that back in the eons of time, there was absolutely nothing, but in a millionth of a second ( or whatever) all matter of the universe exploded and appeared out of nothing
or
if you will...
there was a singularity ( a tiny, infinitely hot and dense point that exploded).
This theory of the universe has all sorts of 'problems'....like just one:
likewe should not even exist because of antimatter annihilation.
I have often thought if I were to ask these unbelievers, if there might be some sort of intelligent life in the universe....most would agree
if I then asked could some of these intelligent life forms be way superior intellectually to humans
again they would agree
and if I asked if they could have 'evolved' to the point of no longer even needed a physical body...could that be even possible.....I think some ( maybe many) would say theoretically or even just plain.....yes.
( by the way.....I do not believe in aliens.....other than perhaps demons masquerading as such)
And yet....God is infinite intelligence ( all knowing),
without physical form,
all powerful,
and eternal...
outside of time....
and He created the universe by His Word.
"so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible".
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 13, 2019 13:36:14 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 13, 2019 13:36:14 GMT -5
I think what probably happened is I was reading a commentary somewhere and they used KJV quotes....
I did not copy and quote them verbatim,
but I probably thought rather than going to biblegateway and hunting up ESV because I wasn't feeling well.....
I just copied their Bible quote.
I don't think I even noticed in was KJV ( I spent so many years with it, it still often seems 'normal').
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Hebrews
Nov 14, 2019 12:03:52 GMT -5
Post by Cindy on Nov 14, 2019 12:03:52 GMT -5
Hebrews 11:1-3
We now get a definition of what is faith....
being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
This is not a :
I 'hope so'
being optimistic
superstitious
not wishful thinking
not imagination as many non believers accuse
not a blind leap
is not a crutch in the negative sense
it's not a 'feeling'
Instead we trust God ( despite circumstances) that God will keep His promises....we are convicted of His faithfulness. We rely on what God has done, is doing, and will do in the future....and on His love.
( Faith is built on trust....we trust through our relationship with God, who we get to know and trust by reading, studying, memorizing His Word, and what He has done in our lives so far).
Here is one illustration: there was a time before the first chair was ever constructed.
People could theorized about an object that a man might sit upon it, how it would be constructed, and so on....
but faith is actually the trust and conviction by actually sitting in it.
There are some atheists that believe some of the facts about Jesus, but they will not trust in Him....they don't have faith in His providing salvation.
They have not seen Heaven.....therefore they do not believe in it
Believers have not seen Heaven either but we trust in God's faithfulness and truthfulness ( we sit in the chair so to speak :-)
Nevertheless people are going to ( as they have always done) ridicule people who live by faith.
However, it was by their ( even if somewhat limited) faith, the people of old received their commendation
( from God).
In a way we now come to Creation vs. the "big bang"
Both take faith, as no human was there.
To believe that back in the eons of time, there was absolutely nothing, but in a millionth of a second ( or whatever) all matter of the universe exploded and appeared out of nothing
or
if you will...
there was a singularity ( a tiny, infinitely hot and dense point that exploded).
This theory of the universe has all sorts of 'problems'....like just one:
likewe should not even exist because of antimatter annihilation.
I have often thought if I were to ask these unbelievers, if there might be some sort of intelligent life in the universe....most would agree
if I then asked could some of these intelligent life forms be way superior intellectually to humans
again they would agree
and if I asked if they could have 'evolved' to the point of no longer even needed a physical body...could that be even possible.....I think some ( maybe many) would say theoretically or even just plain.....yes.
( by the way.....I do not believe in aliens.....other than perhaps demons masquerading as such)
And yet....God is infinite intelligence ( all knowing),
without physical form,
all powerful,
and eternal...
outside of time....
and He created the universe by His Word.
"so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible".
I think what probably happened is I was reading a commentary somewhere and they used KJV quotes....
I did not copy and quote them verbatim,
but I probably thought rather than going to biblegateway and hunting up ESV because I wasn't feeling well.....
I just copied their Bible quote.
I don't think I even noticed in was KJV ( I spent so many years with it, it still often seems 'normal').I hope you're feeling better hon. By the way, if you want to know about the names being in different colors or [smear:#e619cb]how to make something in your post different colors,[/smear:#e4e55b:1] go check out the chat thread in Christian Chat.
It's no problem about the KJV. I like to check things like that because it's important to me to know that all but two versions (both KJ which go by a different manuscript) use the words righteous one instead of "just one". It's actually kind of funny to me, but over the years I've discovered that the version with the most "errors" (if you want to call them that) is the KJV and yet it's the version so many people have joined a cult about and refuse to even look at other versions! I say "if you want to call theme errors" because they're really not errors. They're simply different ways of saying the same thing. The problem being that we don't use the same words that were used back in the 16oo's or even back in 1901, and so they don't mean the same thing to us today that they meant way back then. If we were to really sit and think about it, our language has changed tremendously in just the last 20 years! Plus, as I said the KJV insists on using the very first manuscript found, instead of making use of all the other manuscripts we have today. (some older, some newer) So they limit themselves unnecessarily and lose a lot in the process. However, all that being said, they did a great job with what they had. It's sad they refuse to continue to do a great job and use the other manuscripts. It's especially sad they don't tell people that there's nothing wrong with other versions. But they won't do that because then they might lose money when some of the King James Only users actually bought a NIV Bible or some other version. That part of the whole thing is all about money and greed.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 14, 2019 12:29:04 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 14, 2019 12:29:04 GMT -5
Hebrews 11:4
Now starts what is sometimes know as the:
[smear:#e66219]Hall of Fame of Faith or the Hall of the Faithful[/smear:#9219e6:1].
It starts with Able .....whose sacrifice was more acceptable.
One might wonder why this was so.
I think when God had to kill animals to cover Adam and Eve after they sinned....
it was pointing to the blood/ death sacrifice of Jesus for our sins....
And further tho the Bible does not say.....Perhaps God even told them what to sacrifice
In any case, a bunch of veggies does not make a convincing statement about the cost, and tragedy of sin,
Like having to kill an innocent living sheep.
But further, was the was the faith of Able
and the opposite, rebellious, sa elf-righteous character/attitude and pride of Cain....he was just doing a 'religious' ritual.
( and doing it his own way).
We know Cain did not offer his sacrifice with the right heart attitude,
because...
he killed Able in a jealous rage,
because...
God accepted Able's sacrifice but not his.
Able was the first martyr, and yet, he still 'speaks' to us about faith vs. .
It is interesting that neither Adam ( first sinner with his wife Eve), nor the murderer Cain, were the first to die, but rather, Able who was full of faith.
Able 'speaks' telling us God will vindicate His righteous one, in time.
Also tho he apparently died young, his faith, was honored in this Hall of Fame.
Also many 'dead' still 'speak' some with good some with evil.
Next we come to ( what is to me) a super interesting person...Enoch .
I would say Enoch was the first person to be 'raptured',
In one sense this is every believer alive today would love to happen to them.
But first Enoch, walked with God for 365 years, and he pleased God.
You could say, Enoch had a walk of faith with God.
this also is something every believer yearns for.
and Enoch rapture is exciting news!!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 14, 2019 12:46:52 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 14, 2019 12:46:52 GMT -5
Oh yes I really want to know how to make the different colors in words yeah!!!
Anything artsy and pretty!!! :-)
I was reading to Devon yesterday the #39 th in the
k
Kids Left Behind series ( only one more book and we will have read them all....I think we should get a medal LOLOLOL
Anyway, they quoted Psalm 23
and it was sooooo weird to me, I had memorized it years and years ago.....but the King James version
Not that the version in the book was in any way 'wrong'
For example
( I am not certain it was the ESV version
but it did in fact go like this..... I think....
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,"
But I know it might sound strange to you
but I have it seared in my brain as:
KJV
going like this:
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me".
The meaning has not changed....its just to me I memorized it an quoted it to myself for sooooooo many many years the KJV way
But I too have nothing against other versions.....
as you know, I work now only with MacArthur study Bible ( well mostly)
and that is ESV
and I have heard of those who are KJV only folks.
Soooo I had one day.....I could tell my cold was on its way out big time////
and it was
However....
I was hit by Leonard's cold
it is totally different
not so much coughing.....other than the normal I always do
Nooo this is worse.....I don't really mind coughing
But this is congestion, like I have never experienced!!!
I have had to take decongestants, in probably 'almost' dangerous amounts
Because I can't breath well at all!!
have never had the amount of congestion, I am having
but I have a mild sore throat which is not bad
but it seems to be trying to close
Sooooo I have to take some meds
It took about 4 weeks, I think, to get rid of the last cold
but this one has lots of sneezing also
Sooo bummer
I am weary
And the vertigo won't go away either arrrgghhhhhh
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Hebrews
Nov 15, 2019 12:04:38 GMT -5
Post by Cindy on Nov 15, 2019 12:04:38 GMT -5
Hebrews 11:4
Now starts what is sometimes know as the:
[smear:#e66219]Hall of Fame of Faith or the Hall of the Faithful[/smear:#9219e6:1].
It starts with Able .....whose sacrifice was more acceptable.
One might wonder why this was so.
I think when God had to kill animals to cover Adam and Eve after they sinned....
it was pointing to the blood/ death sacrifice of Jesus for our sins....
And further tho the Bible does not say.....Perhaps God even told them what to sacrifice
In any case, a bunch of veggies does not make a convincing statement about the cost, and tragedy of sin,
Like having to kill an innocent living sheep.
But further, was the was the faith of Able
and the opposite, rebellious, sa elf-righteous character/attitude and pride of Cain....he was just doing a 'religious' ritual.
( and doing it his own way).
We know Cain did not offer his sacrifice with the right heart attitude,
because...
he killed Able in a jealous rage,
because...
God accepted Able's sacrifice but not his.
Able was the first martyr, and yet, he still 'speaks' to us about faith vs. .
It is interesting that neither Adam ( first sinner with his wife Eve), nor the murderer Cain, were the first to die, but rather, Able who was full of faith.
Able 'speaks' telling us God will vindicate His righteous one, in time.
Also tho he apparently died young, his faith, was honored in this Hall of Fame.
Also many 'dead' still 'speak' some with good some with evil.
Next we come to ( what is to me) a super interesting person...Enoch .
I would say Enoch was the first person to be 'raptured',
In one sense this is every believer alive today would love to happen to them.
But first Enoch, walked with God for 365 years, and he pleased God.
You could say, Enoch had a walk of faith with God.
this also is something every believer yearns for.
and Enoch rapture is exciting news!!
You said: "Also tho he apparently died young, ..." I know you'll probably roll your eyes at what I'm going to say, lol, but I have to say it. I have to say it because I have to speak against the secular worldview and speak up for the biblical worldview. Abel didn't die. Yes, Cain killed his body, but that only made way for Abel to receive his new body that would be immortal and perfectly holy. I don't know many people who wouldn't give up the one thing which causes both emotional and physical pain for another which won't allow either of those things, and will also never allow it to die. Abel didn't suffer at all because of what Cain did, although we tend to think and act as though he did. The only ones who suffered because of what Cain did were Cain himself, and his parents, because they would no longer be able to see Able due to their sin.
Yes, to us Enoch being taken to Heaven without his body dying first is exciting. It's interesting though that God tells us nothing about Enoch really, other then that he was righteous and that God took him to Heaven. We're left to imagine what those 365 years contained...how he lived, what he did, and said, etc. You would think that if God didn't tell us anything about him in Genesis, that the Hall of Faith would be the ideal place for Him to tell us about Enoch, and yet He doesn't tell us anything more there either.
I've noticed something else about the hall of faith...God never tells us that any of these people had "a lot of faith" or "strong faith" or "extra faith" or any kind of indication that they had more then the usual amount of faith He gives people at salvation. Instead, He shows us what faith looks like, and really when we read what it looks like, we can often see ourselves. I bet that statement would cause some folks to think I must be reading a different version lol. But seriously, the main thing the hall of faith tells us about what faith looks like is that faith "obeyed God". So every time we obey God, we are doing what these folks did. Every time we refrain from using foul language because God says not to; every time we show love toward someone even though they've hurt our feelings because that's what Jesus asks of us, we've done the same as the folks in the hall of faith. And every time we forgive someone who has hurt us in some way - truly forgive them the way the Lord forgave us, we have then done the one thing that makes us more like Christ then anything else we could possibly do! For that, we too could be in the hall of faith, because we would only do that because of our faith in Jesus. So as you can see, we really are like the people God shows us in this hall of faith. What about every time we've had to wait many years for the answer to a prayer? Perhaps for the salvation of a loved one... that's the same as Abraham waiting for his answer about a baby. In fact, Abraham shows us the one thing that faith doesn't do... it doesn't take matters into it's own hands and try and make things happen. (like Abraham and Sarah did by her giving Abraham her maid and him accepting her idea, which has caused strife and bloodshed to this day!) No. Faith obeys and faith waits.
Oh yes I really want to know how to make the different colors in words yeah!!!
Anything artsy and pretty!!! :-)
I was reading to Devon yesterday the #39 th in the
k
Kids Left Behind series ( only one more book and we will have read them all....I think we should get a medal LOLOLOL
Anyway, they quoted Psalm 23
and it was sooooo weird to me, I had memorized it years and years ago.....but the King James version
Not that the version in the book was in any way 'wrong'
For example
( I am not certain it was the ESV version
but it did in fact go like this..... I think....
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,"
But I know it might sound strange to you
but I have it seared in my brain as:
KJV
going like this:
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me".
The meaning has not changed....its just to me I memorized it an quoted it to myself for sooooooo many many years the KJV way
But I too have nothing against other versions.....
as you know, I work now only with MacArthur study Bible ( well mostly)
and that is ESV
and I have heard of those who are KJV only folks.
Soooo I had one day.....I could tell my cold was on its way out big time////
and it was
However....
I was hit by Leonard's cold
it is totally different
not so much coughing.....other than the normal I always do
Nooo this is worse.....I don't really mind coughing
But this is congestion, like I have never experienced!!!
I have had to take decongestants, in probably 'almost' dangerous amounts
Because I can't breath well at all!!
have never had the amount of congestion, I am having
but I have a mild sore throat which is not bad
but it seems to be trying to close
Sooooo I have to take some meds
It took about 4 weeks, I think, to get rid of the last cold
but this one has lots of sneezing also
Sooo bummer
I am weary
And the vertigo won't go away either arrrgghhhhhh
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 15, 2019 13:25:34 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 15, 2019 13:25:34 GMT -5
I absolutely loved everything you wrote!!!
It was so beautiful.....about Able not 'dying' and about the Hall of Faith and how every believer could actually be in it
Thank you so so much that was so lovely and uplifting!!!!
Pretty soon you are going to hate you mentioned the blur thingy hahaha
But actually, I had JUST spied it.....and wondered hummmmm I wonder what that is about?
I actually poked it but then, hesitated because I thought oh I don't know the numbers of each color......maybe I will write some down after awhile and try again when I feel better
And yet, that very day you mentioned it wheeeeee!
You have got to know an artist ( me) who is mainly a 'colorist'
( impressionist) is bound to get a bit crazy with that.
Oh and thank you for explaining about the vertigo
( Leonard has it too and Aaliyah was complaining about being dizzy.....
we are all sick and have been for weeks).
I 'think' I am beating Leonard's cold
( Yes!!! I am blaming him!!!! :-)
faster
than
Hossanah/Devon's cold
( anybody but 'me' to blame for getting sick :-)
But here is the weird thing about the blur......sometimes its there and like now....its not :-( ;-(
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 15, 2019 14:32:06 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 15, 2019 14:32:06 GMT -5
Hebrews 11: 6-7
If we don't trust God for all He has done for us so far, we are ungrateful, calling God's word, lies ( instead of truth, wisdom, love etc.) , and we are without faith and cannot please Him.
We show faith in so many things every day....when we go grocery shopping we show faith that the food is not all poisoned, when we drive over a bridge ( whether we realize it or not) we are having faith the engineers knew what they were doing and the bridge will hold up, when we type on our keyboard words, we have faith the the computer will deliver our message etc etc etc. etc.
So what a slap in the face, to say God is a liar!!
And first of all we must believe God is...that He exists. Which for me goes back to how did the universe come into being anyway.....did it just make itself out of nothing.....or did God make it. In the end there are really only those two choices.
Oh I've read of many other options.....one is many our universe came into being as a result of a black whole from another universe......but all that does, is push time further back until eventually you would have to come to the 'original' universe and it would be the same question....how did it come into being out of nothing.
and so it is with all the many other options unbelievers try to come up with.....none of them 'work".
But God is eternal, infinite, self existent, all powerful, out side of time
( He created time, and mass, and energy, life etc. etc.)
It's either nothing created everything, or God did.
In any case God is a rewarder to those who believe
Do we get riches, power, health, wealth, fame, admiration etc.
Well...in the next life we are heirs with Jesus so in a way yes.....
but tho we 'get' instead may get the opposite of all those things in this life
we get the rewarder Himself.....which is far better!!!
( He forgives our sins, He gives us many promises for the future in Heaven , but also peace in this life, He will walk with us through trials and troubles etc. etc.
But many men want the worlds blessing or health, wealth, fame etc. but not really God Himself and so they don't really seek Him but it is to those who Diligently seek Him.
This is to those who diligently seek Him....
and we do that by being in His Word daily.
The writer then points to Noah, who had been warned by God of coming rain ( of which the world never had and it would not come for 100 years) so
this was something not yet seen on earth....yet Noah trusted God and built a huge boat....not the 'toy' looking one for children's books
( more like the length of 2 football fields... 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high ( taller than a 3 story building)
This was at great cost to Noah ( time, money, his reputation ....people thought he was mad no doubt)
But he believed God....even tho year after year, decade after decade....no 'rain'.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 16, 2019 12:55:11 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 16, 2019 12:55:11 GMT -5
Hebrews 11:8-11
[smear:#51a944]Next is Abraham[/smear:#d719e6:0]
He [smear:#c419e6]obeyed [/smear:#30beb9:2]God leaving family, friends, left his old way of life etc.
going to some strange place, he knew nothing about,
but his faith in God was counted as righteous.
He believed God
and that
God would keep His promises.
Abraham did not hold things of the world close ( he dwelt in tents) ,
He was looking for God's city/kingdom, for Heaven
( which is the polar opposite of the health and wealth, name and claim it false gospel).
Then we come to Sara....talk about having faith.....she was waaaaaay to old to have a child!!!
And tho she did laugh, she did believe God would keep his impossible promise
( well it 'seemed') impossible!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 17, 2019 12:39:31 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 17, 2019 12:39:31 GMT -5
Hebrews 11:12-16
We can learn many things from Abraham.....the tragic results of not being patient and waiting in trust on God's timing.
Strangely, it also shows something about the relationship between husband and wives....Eve was the first to disobey, but Adam joined her, and the same sort of happened with Sara and Abraham.....she got impatient and made the sinful suggestion and Abraham agreed.....
Well he did end up the father of many .....just look at the Arab and Jewish population today, which is in the billions.
Nevertheless, Abraham did trust God and lived his life in that trust ( except for some failures....as all humans do, including believers).
And it teaches me not to lose heart, if God does not answer on my time frame....even if I die before my prayers are answered.
Actually as verse 13 points out all the patriarchs died not having received the things promised.....
Well that might sound discouraging to some....what's the point then?
The second half of the verse tells what is the point:
"but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth."
God will keep His promises but not always in our time, but in His timing......but we can trust Him that He will keep them!!
I think it is interesting that the writer says they
all died
in faith.
Almost like death was the final act of faith,
We ( I) need to trust God for dying.....so often, I try to put dying faith before actually death....I don't think it works that way....that would be like trying to live tomorrow....today.
(as total foolishness)
but here the thing...
either there really is no pie in the sky....
or....
there is!!!
And so believers do not see this world as their home...we are seeking our true home.
Of course, they all could have gone back, they were not 'forced' to stay....but none of them did.
Nor do any true believers want to go back to their old life.
They and we have our minds set on things above.
"Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city".
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 18, 2019 12:50:14 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 18, 2019 12:50:14 GMT -5
Hebrews 11: 17-21
Now the writer points to Abraham offering up Isaac.
It does point to what God will do in offering up Jesus.
Abraham knew that God was good and that He had a plan, and would keep His promise
so Abraham did not argue, but in faith immediately obeyed.
It also seems that Abraham believed in resurrection, that God would bring Isaac back to life.
Which is kind of interesting because the Jews ought to have easily believed that of Jesus.
Also this was not some blind leap of faith, but Abraham believed in God having a plan, and in the resurrection.
This also proves God does not demand human sacrifice, but it did prove Abraham's faith.
And in another way, we are to be sacrificed......offering our bodies as 'living' sacrifices
and to be even willing to die , to sacrifice ourselves, ( if necessary), for our faith.
The writer then quotes Genesis 21:12
"Through Isaac shall your offspring be named"
(not thru Ishmael).
Next is Isaac who at the end of his life of faith ( tho not perfect but who persevered) invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
Still trusting in God ( not wishful thinking), tho facing death.
This was also true of Joseph and Jacob.
All three were nearing their death, yet passed on promised blessings, because God who promised is faithful ( tho not always in our timing)....yet knowing, the best is yet to come!!!
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Hebrews
Nov 19, 2019 11:47:16 GMT -5
Post by Cindy on Nov 19, 2019 11:47:16 GMT -5
I absolutely loved everything you wrote!!!
It was so beautiful.....about Able not 'dying' and about the Hall of Faith and how every believer could actually be in it
Thank you so so much that was so lovely and uplifting!!!!
Pretty soon you are going to hate you mentioned the blur thingy hahaha
But actually, I had JUST spied it.....and wondered hummmmm I wonder what that is about?
I actually poked it but then, hesitated because I thought oh I don't know the numbers of each color......maybe I will write some down after awhile and try again when I feel better
And yet, that very day you mentioned it wheeeeee!
You have got to know an artist ( me) who is mainly a 'colorist'
( impressionist) is bound to get a bit crazy with that.
Oh and thank you for explaining about the vertigo
( Leonard has it too and Aaliyah was complaining about being dizzy.....
we are all sick and have been for weeks).
I 'think' I am beating Leonard's cold
( Yes!!! I am blaming him!!!! :-)
faster
than
Hossanah/Devon's cold
( anybody but 'me' to blame for getting sick :-)
But here is the weird thing about the blur......sometimes its there and like now....its not :-( ;-(
Hebrews 11: 6-7
If we don't trust God for all He has done for us so far, we are ungrateful, calling God's word, lies ( instead of truth, wisdom, love etc.) , and we are without faith and cannot please Him.
We show faith in so many things every day....when we go grocery shopping we show faith that the food is not all poisoned, when we drive over a bridge ( whether we realize it or not) we are having faith the engineers knew what they were doing and the bridge will hold up, when we type on our keyboard words, we have faith the the computer will deliver our message etc etc etc. etc.
So what a slap in the face, to say God is a liar!!
And first of all we must believe God is...that He exists. Which for me goes back to how did the universe come into being anyway.....did it just make itself out of nothing.....or did God make it. In the end there are really only those two choices.
Oh I've read of many other options.....one is many our universe came into being as a result of a black whole from another universe......but all that does, is push time further back until eventually you would have to come to the 'original' universe and it would be the same question....how did it come into being out of nothing.
and so it is with all the many other options unbelievers try to come up with.....none of them 'work".
But God is eternal, infinite, self existent, all powerful, out side of time
( He created time, and mass, and energy, life etc. etc.)
It's either nothing created everything, or God did.
In any case God is a rewarder to those who believe
Do we get riches, power, health, wealth, fame, admiration etc.
Well...in the next life we are heirs with Jesus so in a way yes.....
but tho we 'get' instead may get the opposite of all those things in this life
we get the rewarder Himself.....which is far better!!!
( He forgives our sins, He gives us many promises for the future in Heaven , but also peace in this life, He will walk with us through trials and troubles etc. etc.
But many men want the worlds blessing or health, wealth, fame etc. but not really God Himself and so they don't really seek Him but it is to those who Diligently seek Him.
This is to those who diligently seek Him....
and we do that by being in His Word daily.
The writer then points to Noah, who had been warned by God of coming rain ( of which the world never had and it would not come for 100 years) so
this was something not yet seen on earth....yet Noah trusted God and built a huge boat....not the 'toy' looking one for children's books
( more like the length of 2 football fields... 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high ( taller than a 3 story building)
This was at great cost to Noah ( time, money, his reputation ....people thought he was mad no doubt)
But he believed God....even tho year after year, decade after decade....no 'rain'.
Hebrews 11:8-11
[smear:#51a944]Next is Abraham[/smear:#d719e6:0]
He [smear:#c419e6]obeyed [/smear:#30beb9:2]God leaving family, friends, left his old way of life etc.
going to some strange place, he knew nothing about,
but his faith in God was counted as righteous.
He believed God
and that
God would keep His promises.
Abraham did not hold things of the world close ( he dwelt in tents) ,
He was looking for God's city/kingdom, for Heaven
( which is the polar opposite of the health and wealth, name and claim it false gospel).
Then we come to Sara....talk about having faith.....she was waaaaaay to old to have a child!!!
And tho she did laugh, she did believe God would keep his impossible promise
( well it 'seemed') impossible!
Hebrews 11:12-16
We can learn many things from Abraham.....the tragic results of not being patient and waiting in trust on God's timing.
Strangely, it also shows something about the relationship between husband and wives....Eve was the first to disobey, but Adam joined her, and the same sort of happened with Sara and Abraham.....she got impatient and made the sinful suggestion and Abraham agreed.....
Well he did end up the father of many .....just look at the Arab and Jewish population today, which is in the billions.
Nevertheless, Abraham did trust God and lived his life in that trust ( except for some failures....as all humans do, including believers).
And it teaches me not to lose heart, if God does not answer on my time frame....even if I die before my prayers are answered.
Actually as verse 13 points out all the patriarchs died not having received the things promised.....
Well that might sound discouraging to some....what's the point then?
The second half of the verse tells what is the point:
"but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth."
God will keep His promises but not always in our time, but in His timing......but we can trust Him that He will keep them!!
I think it is interesting that the writer says they
all died
in faith.
Almost like death was the final act of faith,
We ( I) need to trust God for dying.....so often, I try to put dying faith before actually death....I don't think it works that way....that would be like trying to live tomorrow....today.
(as total foolishness)
but here the thing...
either there really is no pie in the sky....
or....
there is!!!
And so believers do not see this world as their home...we are seeking our true home.
Of course, they all could have gone back, they were not 'forced' to stay....but none of them did.
Nor do any true believers want to go back to their old life.
They and we have our minds set on things above.
"Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city".
We ( I) need to trust God for dying.....so often, I try to put dying faith before actually death....I don't think it works that way....that would be like trying to live tomorrow....today.
(as total foolishness)but here the thing...either there really is no pie in the sky.... or.... there is!!!"
Exactly!!! We live by faith, not by sight. Our "sight" tells us that people "die", but our faith tells us that they are still very much alive, either with Jesus or sadly, without Him. Faith believes God when He says that we will simply exchange these worn out bodies for new ones that will never wear out, never get sick or feel pain, etc. You need to rid your vocabulary of the word "death", because for us, there is no such thing. We HAVE eternal life, right now. It's not something we get in the future, although to hear us talk that's what most people think. But instead, our eternal life began the moment we were saved, and because it's eternal, it will never end. So my dear, if we have eternal life, right here and now, like the Lord says we do, then we can't possibly die can we? Nope, we can't. This body can die though because it's nothing more to us then old clothes are. We aren't our body; at least not this body anyway...which is why beauty is not about what this body looks like, it's about what our spirit looks like, what our characteristics are, etc.
“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20)
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”” (John 3:36)
““I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
Hebrews 11: 17-21
Now the writer points to Abraham offering up Isaac.
It does point to what God will do in offering up Jesus.
Abraham knew that God was good and that He had a plan, and would keep His promise
so Abraham did not argue, but in faith immediately obeyed.
It also seems that Abraham believed in resurrection, that God would bring Isaac back to life.
Which is kind of interesting because the Jews ought to have easily believed that of Jesus.
Also this was not some blind leap of faith, but Abraham believed in God having a plan, and in the resurrection.
This also proves God does not demand human sacrifice, but it did prove Abraham's faith.
And in another way, we are to be sacrificed......offering our bodies as 'living' sacrifices
and to be even willing to die , to sacrifice ourselves, ( if necessary), for our faith.
The writer then quotes Genesis 21:12
"Through Isaac shall your offspring be named"
(not thru Ishmael).
Next is Isaac who at the end of his life of faith ( tho not perfect but who persevered) invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
Still trusting in God ( not wishful thinking), tho facing death.
This was also true of Joseph and Jacob.
All three were nearing their death, yet passed on promised blessings, because God who promised is faithful ( tho not always in our timing)....yet knowing, the best is yet to come!!!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 19, 2019 13:39:01 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 19, 2019 13:39:01 GMT -5
Hebrews 11:23-
Now we go from 3 older men that were dying.... [smear:#f55727]to a baby[/smear:#39b60b:0] :)
Moses's parents showed [smear:#af19e6]great faith[/smear:#089a92:0] ( and thus courage) in God (despite the circumstances ) in what appeared to be an impossible and very dangerous situation from a human perspective.....
[smear:#e61937]but God[/smear:#056e13:0] intervened.
Moses to some people had it made, he could have enjoyed all the riches, and sinful pleasures etc. as a prince of Egypt ( who knows maybe he might have even become a pharaoh eventually), but instead he renounced all of that...
He really understood:
"“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)
Therefore because of his faith, he looked forward to the Messiah...
considering the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt,
for he was looking to the reward....
he chose the eternal over the temporary pleasures in this life....keeping his eyes fixed on eternity.
Like the man who sold everything he had to buy the pearl of great price (Matt. 13:45-46)
But not only did he giving up a life of ease, he chose to be mistreated as well.
You might think what foolishness, but Moses was not an uneducated man, he made a careful consideration.
He did not fear Pharaoh because he feared God more....and he left Egypt for 40 years.....
"....he endured as seeing him who is invisible"
And also by faith Moses kept the Passover.
The Egyptians must have scoffed at the the blood on the doors....because clearly they did not do it and their first born all died.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 19, 2019 13:47:39 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 19, 2019 13:47:39 GMT -5
Another uplifting masterpiece!!!
Quoting Cindy :)
"You need to rid your vocabulary of the word "death", because for us, there is no such thing. We HAVE eternal life, right now. It's not something we get in the future, although to hear us talk that's what most people think. But instead, our eternal life began the moment we were saved, and because it's eternal, it will never end. So my dear, if we have eternal life, right here and now, like the Lord says we do, then we can't possibly die can we? Nope, we can't. This body can die though because it's nothing more to us then old clothes are. We aren't our body; at least not this body anyway...which is why beauty is not about what this body looks like, it's about what our spirit looks like, what our characteristics are," etc.
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Hebrews
Nov 20, 2019 11:53:30 GMT -5
Post by Cindy on Nov 20, 2019 11:53:30 GMT -5
Hebrews 11:23-
Now we go from 3 older men that were dying.... [smear:#f55727]to a baby[/smear:#39b60b:0] :)
Moses's parents showed [smear:#af19e6]great faith[/smear:#089a92:0] ( and thus courage) in God (despite the circumstances ) in what appeared to be an impossible and very dangerous situation from a human perspective.....
[smear:#e61937]but God[/smear:#056e13:0] intervened.
Moses to some people had it made, he could have enjoyed all the riches, and sinful pleasures etc. as a prince of Egypt ( who knows maybe he might have even become a pharaoh eventually), but instead he renounced all of that...
He really understood:
"“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)
Therefore because of his faith, he looked forward to the Messiah...
considering the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt,
for he was looking to the reward....
he chose the eternal over the temporary pleasures in this life....keeping his eyes fixed on eternity.
Like the man who sold everything he had to buy the pearl of great price (Matt. 13:45-46)
But not only did he giving up a life of ease, he chose to be mistreated as well.
You might think what foolishness, but Moses was not an uneducated man, he made a careful consideration.
He did not fear Pharaoh because he feared God more....and he left Egypt for 40 years.....
"....he endured as seeing him who is invisible"
And also by faith Moses kept the Passover.
The Egyptians must have scoffed at the the blood on the doors....because clearly they did not do it and their first born all died.
Another uplifting masterpiece!!!
Quoting Cindy :)
"You need to rid your vocabulary of the word "death", because for us, there is no such thing. We HAVE eternal life, right now. It's not something we get in the future, although to hear us talk that's what most people think. But instead, our eternal life began the moment we were saved, and because it's eternal, it will never end. So my dear, if we have eternal life, right here and now, like the Lord says we do, then we can't possibly die can we? Nope, we can't. This body can die though because it's nothing more to us then old clothes are. We aren't our body; at least not this body anyway...which is why beauty is not about what this body looks like, it's about what our spirit looks like, what our characteristics are," etc.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 20, 2019 12:57:58 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 20, 2019 12:57:58 GMT -5
No I have not...I totally and completely forgot about adding notes to the notebook
I don't remember when was the last time
It must be a couple of years....or more?
I don't even have the binder thingy
I don't know about you
but both Leonard and I tend to forget things a lot more lately
Sometimes we wonder about Alezheimer's or something
could be....
but at other times
we just wonder if we just have MORE to remember than ever before
5 grandkids'
2 kids and their 'others'
all the tenants
the landlord asking this and that of both of us
Doug and all his needs
ebay and all its stuff
and so on and on
Maybe a combo of all Alzheimer's and more 'stuff'
But sometimes its a wee bit scary....can't remember words, peoples names, etc.
But at other times I seem to excel at remembering....
I always pass the doc's Alzeimer's test 100 %
But I don't think its very accurate
Because I am making a big effort
Like the one where they read you a story
and then go on to other parts of the test
and come back 5 or 10 mins later and ask questions about the story
well that is pretty 'easy' for a lifetime reader
plus, I already know they are going to ask questions...so I am prepared for the quiz LOL
That does not seem like a good testing situation for memory loss.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 20, 2019 13:40:31 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 20, 2019 13:40:31 GMT -5
Aha! I deliberately waited...watched something on youtube while leaving this window open.....
because the smear was missing but I had a thought
soooo after about 10 mins...after watching something on youtube, came back to this window and
The smear is here!!!
Sooooo maybe...it is super super slow in loading this one smear thingy?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Double aha....
so in the middle of writing Bible study, I copied what I had written so far
and posted it
Then I went to edit ( to continue bible study) and write more
and smear was gone again.... as I expected
so I went to watch another youtube video
( actually came back and it was still showing it was 'loading' the site ....so no smear)
So I watched a 2nd video
the loading finally done
and tada!!
[smear:#129013]Smear is baaack[/smear:#e6193c:0]!
Hebrews 11:29-
I always worry about lacking courage
but I feel pretty certain the Egyptian soldiers were not lacking courage, if anything,
maybe the Israelites were?
However, it was not courage or lack of it that allowed the Israelites to pass thru and not the Egyptian soldiers
it had to do with faith in God.
You might say the Egyptians courage led to presumption.....but that got them downed!!
But for the Israelites they were in a completely hopeless situation.....Red sea is front, defenseless slaves, with a will armed Egyptian Army behind.....
they were doomed....
unless...
God saved them
Which is everyone situation in life.
Now we come to another crazy situation....[smear:#508006]walking[/smear:#0f6c7a:0] around an impregnable wall,
and expecting it to fall down WHAT???
Ridiculous!!!!...
What kind of a military attack is this? LOL
unless...
it's God's plan
However, they just didn't have to do this seemingly 'foolish' thing one time, which would be embarrassing enough...noooo 7 days and a total of [smear:#b108a5]13 times[/smear:#e64219:0]!!
This is not only a test of faith, but of patiently waiting on God...for His timing not ours.
And no doubt the Canaanites were laughing, mocking, calling them all manner of names like crazies, loonies, nut cases, idiots, etc. ( in whatever Canaanites words they used haha)
That took some faith to endure!
Canaanite
However, at least one Canaanite did not join in: Rahab the prostitute.
she also had faith in God and had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
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Hebrews
Nov 21, 2019 12:48:10 GMT -5
Post by Cindy on Nov 21, 2019 12:48:10 GMT -5
No I have not...I totally and completely forgot about adding notes to the notebook
I don't remember when was the last time
It must be a couple of years....or more?
I don't even have the binder thingy
I don't know about you
but both Leonard and I tend to forget things a lot more lately
Sometimes we wonder about Alezheimer's or something
could be....
but at other times
we just wonder if we just have MORE to remember than ever before
5 grandkids'
2 kids and their 'others'
all the tenants
the landlord asking this and that of both of us
Doug and all his needs
ebay and all its stuff
and so on and on
Maybe a combo of all Alzheimer's and more 'stuff'
But sometimes its a wee bit scary....can't remember words, peoples names, etc.
But at other times I seem to excel at remembering....
I always pass the doc's Alzeimer's test 100 %
But I don't think its very accurate
Because I am making a big effort
Like the one where they read you a story
and then go on to other parts of the test
and come back 5 or 10 mins later and ask questions about the story
well that is pretty 'easy' for a lifetime reader
plus, I already know they are going to ask questions...so I am prepared for the quiz LOL
That does not seem like a good testing situation for memory loss.
Aha! I deliberately waited...what something on youtube while leaving this window open.....because no smear was there
after about 10 mins...it is here!!!
Sooooo maybe...it is super super slow in loading this one thing?
Double aha....so in the middle of writing, I copied and posted
went to edit and smear was gone again.... as I expected
went to another youtube video ( actually came back and it was still showing it was loading ....so no smear) watched a 2nd video
the loading finally done
and tada!!
[smear:#129013]Smear is baaack[/smear:#e6193c:0]!
Hebrews 11:29-
I always worry about lacking courage
but I feel pretty certain the Egyptian soldiers were not lacking courage, if anything,
maybe the Israelites were?
However, it was not courage or lack of it that allowed the Israelites to pass thru and not the Egyptian soldiers
it had to do with faith in God.
You might say the Egyptians courage led to presumption.....but that got them downed!!
But for the Israelites they were in a completely hopeless situation.....Red sea is front, defenseless slaves, with a will armed Egyptian Army behind.....
they were doomed....
unless...
God saved them
Which is everyone situation in life.
Now we come to another crazy situation....[smear:#508006]walking[/smear:#0f6c7a:0] around an impregnable wall,
and expecting it to fall down WHAT???
Ridiculous!!!!...
What kind of a military attack is this? LOL
unless...
it's God's plan
However, they just didn't have to do this seemingly 'foolish' thing one time, which would be embarrassing enough...noooo 7 days and a total of [smear:#b108a5]13 times[/smear:#e64219:0]!!
This is not only a test of faith, but of patiently waiting on God...for His timing not ours.
And no doubt the Canaanites were laughing, mocking, calling them all manner of names like crazies, loonies, nut cases, idiots, etc. ( in whatever Canaanites words they used haha)
That took some faith to endure!
Canaanite
However, at least one Canaanite did not join in: Rahab the prostitute.
she also had faith in God and had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
You know, we tend to think that none of these people or any of the others listed, were scared, but I'd be willing to bet that most, if not all of them were scared! Both the soldiers and the Israelites, and all the rest on both sides too. Courage isn't not being afraid, it's acting even though you are afraid. Trust doesn't mean that you don't necessarily feel some fear at times, it means you act anyway because you trust the Lord. I bet little Rahab's heart was pounding when everything happened to her! |
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 21, 2019 13:01:56 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 21, 2019 13:01:56 GMT -5
That's true!!!
Thanks.....I had heard that about courage before......but had 'forgotten' it.
Oh and thanks about the Alzheimer's test
but I thought it was something that slowly got worse over time?
That maybe at first, you might forget names, or places, words etc.
and then over the years
it got worse, until you no longer recognized your closest loved ones?
otherwise......
why do Leonard and I keep forgetting stuff?
I sure am blessed to have you to ask all manner of things!!!!!!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Hebrews
Nov 21, 2019 13:54:12 GMT -5
Post by fearnot on Nov 21, 2019 13:54:12 GMT -5
Hebrew 11: 32-36
[smear:#e61944]Gideon[/smear:#18128b:1] defeat a huge army with only 300 men.....an impossibility
unless.....
God intervenes
[smear:#e61950]Barak[/smear:#3e1fa8:2] ( kind of a 'coward-ish fellow needing Deborah courage to defeat a different army)
nevertheless
[smear:#e61950]
Samson's[/smear:#331eac:3] last act was an answer of prayer with faith to God...tho knowing he would die.....he defeated the Philistines
[smear:#e65519]Jephthah[/smear:#21e619:1] also defeated an enemy ( the Ammonites) with the power of God
In these case you could say the results of their faith was pretty spectacular.....but clearly this is not always so
and to be noted all these had some pretty spectacular 'flaws"!!
As did David and even Samuel....
if God did not use flawed people, then He could not use anyone.
The fact that these men and others did such things like:
"conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight."
Was not so much because they were such great men, or even in praise of them but rather showing what God can do for those who have faith in Him.
I think Daniel was in view for Stopping the mouths of Lions ( and it was God who did that), and likewise for Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego..God quenched the power of fire
and so on.... by faith, we are more than conquerors thru God..
They as are we, naturally weak, but God can make us strong and do impossible things that we otherwise could never do.
On the other hand we must know that tho faith can produce all manner of wondrous feats etc.
We must also know that it can also be that we might or will endure much suffering.... including torture and death.
But wait....
Some could accept release from such horrible torture.....
all they had or have to do is.....deny their faith....
But they did not.....
why???
They would not exchange anything this world had to offer because they were looking towards eternity....
And so much for the health and wealth false gospel!!!
The choice was: their bodies or their souls....which should suffer?
their bodies for a short time, or their souls forever?
And tho mocking surely is a lot better than torture, it still 'hurts' it hurts our soul personally and even for pity for the ones doing the mocking.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Nov 22, 2019 13:36:20 GMT -5
Hebrews 11: 37-40
And now we come to some of the more horrifying tortures and manners of death to some martyrs ( stoned and/or sawed in two)
and yet ,
I think its been documented that many many martyrs seemed to have 'unexplainable' peace, lack of fear, and seemingly lack of much pain.....
Think: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego , for example.
It was, is, and will be, God, who gives them the grace, comfort, and ability to endure such torture and die....looking forward to seeing Him.
Because, I think without God and His Word, it would be impossible to trust Him while being sawed in half!
Others were also extremely poor ( with only skins of animals to wear), [smear:#7619e6]"destitute, afflicted, mistreated"[/smear:#4ec23d:1]...
The sort of people that many of the wealthy or middle class etc. don't deem as worthy....
However, God says:
they were those [smear:#407e1f]"of whom the world was not worthy".[/smear:#771698:0]
These same saints often wandered about and lived in caves.
Again, so much for the 'prosperity' false gospel.
Which is not to say, God might not give some believers prosperity.....but to think He will do so for all, and we can expect and demand it as our right.....just is not true.....just look at Bible truth and history.
Even this very day, Christians all over the whole are being martyr for their faith.
Furthermore, these martyrs and sufferers in the Bible, did not receive the promises in their life time. They sacrificed earthly comforts for future eternal ones. They counted God as more important they even their very lives ( never mind comforts).
And so they had the approval of God ( what could be better?)
but why did they not receive what was promised?
[smear:#3fba5e]" since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.[/smear:#821c98:2]
So neither those who had great triumphs nor those who suffered greatly for the Lord.....received the promises at that time)....For one thing Jesus had not died yet...
but also, even today, this is not our home, tho once saved our lives are eternal and with God, we wait to be with Jesus face to face.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Nov 23, 2019 14:01:47 GMT -5
Hebrews 12: 1-2
[smear:#e6192b]Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
[/smear:#ae19e6:3]
One might think that there is a group of people watching us from Heaven run our earthly race on earth,
but since the writer has been speaking of all the many heroes of faith gone before us, it is more likely he is taking about them ( many who were victorious in all sorts of battles including being martyrs....
The Bible and its word are what encourages us in our race.
However to run our race, we don't want to be entangled by sin, which at the very least will weigh us down, and bring us sorrow so we do not win with joy.
It is only with Jesus ( the Author and finisher ) we can do this ( yes we will still sin, but we ought to be shedding them over time with God's help).
Not only that but this race is generally not to be expected to be a short sprint, but and long endurance race.
We are not really to lie down in a bed of rose petals, when the Lion is out and about looking for those he may devour, this is a spiritual war and battles rage.... we need to be running ( in many ways, studying scripture, praying, giving etc. etc.)
We are not to beg for our little small pet sins:
saying:
it's not THAT bad to watch this or that, or do this or that, etc.
no...
rather we should ask:
is it a sin, does it grieve my God, is it slowing me down in my race?
I don't know ,
but perhaps there is
or
was at one time ,
no rule saying a runner in a race could not carry a log, or perhaps a bag of food....
but who would do so and expect to win??
Likewise, why would we plead watching for hours on end some dubious slightly off color movies, shows, etc. or indulge our self in 'tiny, wee, little' sins?
Do they help me run the race for my Lord Jesus?
We want to win...not sin.
Another thing is we can't keep looking back and carrying the burden of past sins, they will slow us down and Jesus paid for them, so once confessed, leave them!
( I know that can be hard, when the enemy constantly reminds you (me) of them, but we have to understand what he is doing, and leave them).
What is the race that is set before us....well faith, obedience, self sacrifice often times, renewing our minds with God's Word the Bible, becoming more and more like Jesus etc.
Again this race is not to work our way to Heaven,
being saved, we are going to Heaven,
but we want to then live a life pleasing to God, and perhaps taking others with us.
And most likely, we will not find praise, by the world, but that is not our goal.
Nor can we do this, unless, we keep our eyes on Jesus....
in our own strength we will fail!
He is our supreme encouragement!
What a excellent perfect example.
We don't want to be looking at the menacing hurdles of this life ( satan, demons, worldly pleasures, sin, self
opposition, afflictions, mockings, etc.) but rather keep our eyes on Jesus.
Like blinders on a horse, we keep our eyes off of those things that will entice or scare, etc.
Keeping our eyes on Jesus: its the only 'safe' way to live....even if tortured or martyred.
we want to keep our eyes on the real prize.....Jesus.
I keep remembering the refrain to a hymn:
[smear:#1c7d73]Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.[/smear:#782072:2]
We 'look'... by continue to study to Bible for one thing.
So Jesus endure the worst that could or will ever be.....and how did He do that?
[smear:#e65d19]"for the joy that was set before him endured the cross"
[/smear:#459d28:1]
He did not fear the world's contempt and trying to shame Him....
He could have stopped it at any moment...
but instead He endured it.....the greatest love, that will ever be shown ,for the completely undeserving.
And then....
He [smear:#548e28]"is seated at the right hand of the throne of God".
[/smear:#7c2a96:3]
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anna
Trials
Posts: 1,995
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Post by anna on Nov 23, 2019 20:32:06 GMT -5
Amen Barbra, well said!
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But who knows. Maybe they'll eventually manage it and stop smoking in their own power. Plenty of others have in the past and will in the future. I'm sure glad I didn't have to do it on my own though, and in fact, didn't have to do anything at all, lol. God in His mercy did it all for me, for which I'm very grateful!
!!
