fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397 
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Post by fearnot on May 22, 2023 17:43:51 GMT -5
This next verse is so precious!
Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust
and not be afraid;
For the LORD GOD is my strength and song,
and He has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2
Behold! Look at it in, wonder and awe!
The eternal, all powerful, all knowing, infinite God
is my salvation.
Salvation is a person, not won by heroic deeds I might do,
or a plethora of rituals I might go thru....
But Jesus ( the God/man) is my salvation.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
Psalm 27:1
The next part of this verse:
I will trust
and not be afraid
Is a choice:
One could trust in self, and be afraid,
and be eternally miserable...
or
you can choose to trust God, and thus, not be afraid.
Satan wants to keep us afraid, but the cure,
is to trust, have faith in our savior
Therefore The LORD is my strength and song,
and He has become my salvation.
Then, we have another:
Therefore
Therefore
you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.
Isaiah 12:3
Why are they joyful? Because God is their salvation!
As if, salvation were like water that could be drawn out of springs.
It reminds one of what Jesus said:
Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him
shall never thirst;
but the water that I will give him
will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.
John 4:13,14
as opposed to the opposite old testament metaphor version:
For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me,
The fountain of living waters,
To hew for themselves cisterns,
Broken cisterns
That can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2:13
It also means the blessed restoration of God’s favor!
And there is this:
for the Lamb in the center of the throne
will be their shepherd,
and will guide them to springs of the water of life;
and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Revelation 7:17
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on May 23, 2023 10:15:24 GMT -5
 Remember, on our old board we had agreed as a group that the first people who got to Heaven from our board, would be the ones to arrange a Fresh-Hope family reunion. That's going to be so awesome, I can hardly wait! Forgive me if I've already said this, I can't remember if I did here or not. Speaking of our home, Isaiah 12 is a wonderful song of praise for what Israel and all of us will experience during the Millennial Kingdom. I love what you had to say about it too.
And to the words of praise by the prophet, I think we can all say
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on May 23, 2023 13:28:29 GMT -5
Speaking of that day and remembering:
And in that day you will say,
"Give thanks to the LORD,
call on His name.
Make known His deeds among the peoples;
Make them remember that His name is exalted.
Isaiah 12:4
I keep forgetting that the Hebrew 'day' begins at sundown.
So it goes from darkness to light.
We Christians of today are called to be ambassadors for Jesus.
However, the Jews were also to have been ambassadors for God, and to make the unbelievers ( the peoples) to know His deeds.
In 'that day',
they will do so,
but previously they did not do so,
or not very well.
This ought to be a reminder to us,
to make known God awesome deeds,
and to
make certain His name is exalted!
Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples
Psalm 96:3
and
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion.
Declare among the peoples His deeds
Psalm 9:11
It seems,
strangely,
that some of the people during the millennium,
will forget that the name of Jesus is to be exalted.
The first generation of those in the millennium are all believers,
but from the 2nd generation, all the way to the end,
sadly not everyone born will be a believer.
Nevertheless, and Furthermore
Praise the LORD in song,
for He has done excellent things.
Let this be known throughout the earth.
Isaiah 12:5
We can praise God in words, prayer and in singing,
giving glory and honor,
to His name because He has done excellent things!
Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
Psalm 33:2
and
All the earth will worship You,
And will sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name.”
Selah. Psalm 66:4
also
I will sing of lovingkindness and justice,
To You, O Lord, I will sing praises.
Psalm 101:1
plus
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being
Psalm 104:33
Done for Today
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Post by Cindy on May 24, 2023 11:52:59 GMT -5
That's so true. We make known His awesome deeds when we share our testimony with others. Some people, when they hear the word "testimony" think it just means what He did to bring us to salvation. While it certainly includes that, it also includes anything at all that He has done for us. It's so encouraging when we hear about how the Lord has helped another, because we know He can do the same for us.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on May 24, 2023 17:57:38 GMT -5
Speaking of parties and joyful occasions:
Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 12:6
This crying aloud is not from pain, but joy!
I am thinking this could be actual jumping, singing, and shouting...
and for a good reason, we want to bless His Holy Name!
It is because of Jesus, the Messiah, presence.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.
Psalm 32:11
This looks forward to the future, but we can praise Him now as well!
Now Isaiah takes a different turn:
The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw
Isaiah 13:1
Now we are going to look at God's prophecies against the nations that terrorized and oppressed the Jews.
Starting with Babylon.
Babylon is mentioned throughout scripture...
noted for man's pride and rebellion against God.
Still, these oracles against their enemies,
are to be a comfort to the Jews.
God is on His throne, He is all powerful, and all knowing...
therefore He is in control.
Even so the FINAL fulfillment against Babylon,
is still in the future from us today.
And in like manner,
God has Isaiah give his father's name,
so someone in the future cannot claim,
this was a 'different' Isaiah,
and therefore this new Isaiah was not prophesying,
but recording what he sees.
Done for Today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on May 25, 2023 11:51:16 GMT -5
Lift up a standard on the bare hill,
raise your voice to them,
wave the hand that they may enter the doors of the nobles.
Isaiah 13:2
The standard is on a bare hill, so it can be seen,
and can thus draw people, soldiers etc. to that point to communicate.
In this case, it is Messiah, so all are called to come to Him.
I have commanded My consecrated ones,
I have even called My mighty warriors,
My proudly exulting ones,
to execute My anger.
Isaiah 13:3
it reminds us of this
It is He who changes the times and the epochs;
He removes kings and establishes kings;...
Daniel 2:21
Babylon is about to fall, by the Persians (Medes) even though,
neither Babylonians nor the Medes,
knew God was sovereign and in control.
The Persians are to carry out God's anger towards the Babylonians.
A sound of tumult on the mountains,
like that of many people!
A sound of the uproar of kingdoms,
of nations gathered together!
The LORD of hosts is mustering the army for battle.
Isaiah 13:4
And tho this happened in the past,
it also could be pointing to the future end of Babylon.
A second angel followed and said,
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,
which made all the nations drink
the maddening wine of her adulteries."
Revelation 14:8
and
And they gathered them together
to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.
Revelation 16:16
In any case, It is God, who is marshaling the armies to war.
Even to this very day, men think themselves so shrewd and cunning,not realizing the war ( and plunder they intend to win),
is only deception, as they march to their own eventual destruction.
God is sovereign. He is not done gathering the nations.
God was and is angry at the nations that do not recognize God gave Israel their land, and we see that mind set more and more ( anti-Israel) today.
They too are on their way to destruction.
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on May 26, 2023 11:45:59 GMT -5
They are coming from a far country,
from the farthest horizons,
the LORD and His instruments of indignation,
to destroy the whole land.
Isaiah 13:5
This is m aking sure we understand God is in control!
And is an expansion from Babylon,
to one that includes the whole land.
This is both a near prophecy, and far in the future, prophecy.
It seems similar to this:
2 A day of darkness and gloom,
A day of clouds and thick darkness.
As the dawn is spread over the mountains,
So there is a great and mighty people;
There has never been anything like it,
Nor will there be again after it
To the years of many generations.
Joel 2
Babylon's 'complete and total',
fall and destruction,
is not yet fulfilled.
It has greatly declined, but not completely.
So much of this prophecy is for the future.
( most likely in the tribulation, when she will become 'great' again).
3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality,
and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth have become rich
by the wealth of her sensuality.
Revelation 18:3
and then, this
And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a dwelling place of demons
and a [prison of every unclean spirit,
and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.
Revelation 18:2
The day of the Lord again!
Wail, for the day of the LORD is near!
It will come as destruction from the Almighty.
Isaiah 13:6
When God's judgment comes,
what else is there but to Wail?
No doubt some wonder at the word 'near' ( or soon)...
But in the light of God being outside of time,
and in eternity,
a few thousand years ( give or take a few more)
is 'near' or soon!
And every day that passes,
it is closer!
Since we are not God,
and live in a short period of time,
this is often a difficult concept to grasp,
but that does not make it untrue.
The day of the Lord, the end of history.
The 'day' could be more than one day ( maybe many),
but the end, is certain.
In any case, this reminds me:
Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way,
what sort of people ought you to be
in holy conduct and godliness,
2 Peter 3:11
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Post by Cindy on May 27, 2023 9:36:39 GMT -5
No, not you. Almost 20 of our members went home before the board closed. Pastor Richard was one of them and Lorraine was another of those you might remember. You might remember Marianne too. She used to make some beautiful graphics for us. But I had spoken to each of them before they passed, about being responsible to set up our reunion.
I apologize for not being able to post these last couple of days. The first day I was in a lot of pain. It hasn't been that bad for quite awhile. Thankfully, it only lasted one day like that. The next day we had to take Chris to the doctor and then I had chores to catch up on. I won't be able to stay long today as the kids are coming over and I have to get ready. We're celebrating my daughter's birthday today.
I liked what you said about Isaiah in the posts I read. You did such a good job of explaining it too! Thanks so much for sharing what you learned from it. 
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on May 29, 2023 13:44:48 GMT -5
I am so sorry to hear about the pain you had to endure, I know a little of what that is like, so I do understand.
I imagine having to go to so many doctors appointments with Chris,
is taxing on your body...it would be for me ( for sure!!).
Awww have a fun birthday party :)
And thank you for your kind words.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on May 29, 2023 14:21:10 GMT -5
Therefore all hands will fall limp,
and every man's heart will melt
Isaiah 13:7
What is the 'there'...for?
To show examples of how horrific, horrendous, dreadful etc.
the Day of the Lord is going to be!
People will have no strength, no power, no courage,etc.
They will be completely paralyzed.
Furthermore
They will be terrified.
Pains and anguish will take hold of them.
They will writhe like a woman in labor.
They will look at one another in astonishment, their faces aflame.
Isaiah 13:8
More about their fear and dismay, and their inability to do anything to stop it.
Neither their silver nor their gold
Will be able to deliver them
On the day of the Lord’s wrath;
And all the earth will be devoured
In the fire of His jealousy,
For He will make a complete end,
Indeed a terrifying one,
Of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Zephaniah 1:18
Their pain will not have a blessing, or beautiful outcome of a baby:
They will writhe like a woman in labor
People do not want to hear about an angry God
( when for many people, God of love, is barely tolerated)..
but it would behoove us all to ponder the truth of this:
Behold, the day of the LORD is coming,
cruel, with fury and burning anger,
to make the land a desolation;
and He will exterminate its sinners from it.
Isaiah 13:9
Behold...we need to give this some serious attention!
"the day of the LORD IS coming"
The description is:
harsh, bitter, bleak, dreadful, severe, harrowing etc.
It is Divine Judgment!
Complete annihilation...the extermination of sinners!!
Most, in today's modern church, are so relieved that pastors and preachers,
have done away with the
( what they like to label 'scare' tactics of the old days)
of fire and brimstone preaching!
And yet...
God in His Word does speak of it,
and warns us of it.
Can we really 'out mercy' God,
by ignoring some of His Word.
This warning is something to: 'Behold'.
One day, the Day of the Lord, it will not be 'just' Sodom and Gomorrah,
and Babylon, etc. etc. it will be the whole world.
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on May 30, 2023 9:46:21 GMT -5
 Good one, thank you! When you said that their pain won't have a blessing, it reminded me of something I heard on one of MacArthur's sermons. Do you remember how I used to tell people on our old board that those of us who have to live with chronic pain are actually a blessing? I said that it was an honor to be chosen to bear the pain that we have and that God would use the pain to bless us now and would also reward us greatly for bearing it when we get to Heaven. When I wrote that article on our old board, I got that from God's Word. I hadn't ever heard anyone else say that, but I knew it was true. Well, now I've heard someone else say the same thing: MacArthur! I couldn't believe it when I heard him say that! That's such wonderful confirmation of what He had shown me!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on May 30, 2023 13:01:48 GMT -5
I had forgotten that, but thank you for the reminder! Do you have the sermon or link when MacArthur said that....it would probably be a good one for me to listen too! :)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on May 30, 2023 14:15:03 GMT -5
Things only go from bad to worse, for the unbelievers:
For the stars of heaven and their constellations
will not flash forth their light.
The sun will be dark when it rises
and the moon will not shed its light
Isaiah 13:10
They have chosen spiritual darkness, and now get physical darkness as well.
This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world,
and men loved the darkness rather than the Light,
for their deeds were evil.
John 3:19
( Note: I just have to shake my head at Bill Gates financing a scientific project to dim the sun:
(( albeit small at this point...
"a study to determine if geoengineering
( a small amount of material is then released
to create a "perturbed air mass"
about 100 yards wide and a half-mile long.
Instruments carried by the balloon monitor that region for changes in
aerosol density,
atmospheric chemistry
and light scattering."))
to see if dimming the sun's light will help global warming or climate change or whatever is the correct term these days)
Well the day is coming when God is going to do this, and it won't be good.
Jesus talked about it:
“But immediately after the tribulation of those days
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Matthew 24:29
Remember, God's first thing he did for earth's 'very good creation',
was to create 'light' and then the sun, and the stars...
all light bearers.
This is the message we have heard from Him
and announce to you,
that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5
And darkness is when evil preys on people the most.
The darkening won't be partial, it will involve the whole earth.
Thus I will punish the world
for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity.
I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud
and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.
Isaiah 13:11
The 'I' in the verse is God.
Yes, the God who is love, is also the God of judgment.
What kind of love would it be,
to forever turn a blind eye for all eternity, to evil?
But for believers let us remember even if, we have been badly mistreated.
it is to God that vengeance and justice, belongs.
And pride, arrogance, and haughtiness is very displeasing to the Lord.
An attitude of overbearing self importance, belief in one's superiority,
looking down on others as, less than useless eaters, etc.
are repulsive to God.
Done for Today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on May 31, 2023 13:22:30 GMT -5
I will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold
and mankind than the gold of Ophir.
Isaiah 13:12
God is not saying, it will be a total annihilation of all humans,
because He will always have a remnant.
Still, it will be pretty severe,
most likely during the tribulation,
where we read in His Word,
of huge numbers, world wide, dying.
People were offered the God of peace and love,
but they shook their fists at Him, mocked, rebelled and utterly refused!
Now, they are getting the God of justice.
God does not have just one characteristic.
He IS love, and mercy, and forgiveness,
but also, a God of justice,
and yes, angry at unrepentant sin.
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,
and the earth will be shaken from its place
at the fury of the LORD of hosts
in the day of His burning anger.
Isaiah 13:13
Can God the Creator of the universe, make it tremble,
and the earth be shaken from its place...
the answer is yes.
The Lord roars from Zion
And utters His voice from Jerusalem,
And the heavens and the earth tremble....
Joel 3:16
Because there comes a time, when God is done,
extending His mercy and instead, He is angry.
They have steadfastly rejected God,
and in their foolish pride they mock Him!
The unbelievers, absolutely, will have nothing, to do with Him...
and so the Day will come when:
And it will be that, like a hunted gazelle,
or like sheep with none to gather them,
they will each turn to his own people,
and each one flee to his own land
Isaiah 13:14
The unbelieving sheep will not have the Good Shepherd
( they refused Him),
and so now are lost sheep, that have no protection,
and no mercy...so they flee here and there.
This is a near and far prophecy, I think.
For the Babylonians,
and then during the end times.
Anyone who is found will be thrust through,
and anyone who is captured will fall by the sword.
Isaiah 13:15
Because lawlessness is increased,
most people’s love will grow cold.
Matthew 24:12
The day of grace and mercy have ended.
Hearts are cold and massacres are upon them...
more than ever before.
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 1, 2023 15:46:39 GMT -5
It would behoove sinners not to be at war with God.
Their little ones also will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
Their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished.
Isaiah 13:16
War is often savage, pitiless, brutal etc.
and often women and children are not spared.
Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them,
who will not value silver or take pleasure in gold.
Isaiah 13:17
If you continue to declare yourself an enemy against God
( after He pleaded with you,
had pity on you,
loved you, etc.
for years or decades)...
He no longer will have compassion and pity on you,
you are at war.
God is not a spectator who just watches from afar,
but actually is in charge, directing, managing etc.
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire...
Isaiah 55:11
That does not mean we are just like puppets on a string,
rather rebellion and sin is our unsaved nature,
so we do what comes naturally ( without God or salvation).
So Iran (the Medes) will be used by God,in the 'near; prophecy to
judge Babylon.
The soldiers will not be bribed by silver or Gold.
And their bows will mow down the young men.
They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb,
nor will their eye pity children.
Isaiah 13:18
They will have no concern for life....not in the near prophecy or the Day of the Lord.
But strangely, it seems to me, even today, tho we are not in an 'actual' war by definition...
that attitude is rampant in many people. ( demanding abortions, willing to mutilate children etc.)
Done for Today
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Post by Cindy on Jun 2, 2023 10:39:16 GMT -5
I had forgotten that, but thank you for the reminder! Do you have the sermon or link when MacArthur said that....it would probably be a good one for me to listen too! :)
I wish I could remember which one it was Barbara, but I'm afraid I don't. I'm sure you'll hear it sooner or later though. Oh, wait, let me see if I can get it with a search.... nope, didn't work. It seems to me that the sermon wasn't even about pain, but that he simply touched on pain as it related to his topic. Sorry hon. If I come across it again, I'll let you know though.
I appreciate all you've written. I wish I hadn't lost my post, as I don't even remember what I said at this point.  But whenever you touch on the topic of the millennial kingdom, or New Jerusalem, it makes me long for our true home.  Speaking of sin, just yesterday I was telling Jenn and Gracie that there's no doubt in my mind that God disciplines those He loves! I know He does, because I was disciplined during the years I turned away from Him. I'd sure do things differently if it was possible to rewind and do it over again! |
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 2, 2023 10:51:18 GMT -5
And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms,
the glory of the Chaldeans' pride,
will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
Isaiah 13:19
Babylon's 'beauty' is only for a time...
a short, transitory, impermanent, temporary,transient time etc.
This is also true of men's 'pride'!
This verse is also a near and far prophecy.Babylon is not yet, totally destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah.
The day is still coming in the future when this will be the case:
It will never be inhabited
or lived in from generation to generation;
Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there,
nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there
Isaiah 13:20
The day is coming when no people will dwell there,
however....
But desert creatures will lie down there,
and their houses will be full of owls;
Ostriches also will live there,
and shaggy goats will frolic there
Isaiah 13:21
No people but animals...
and other beast such as:
Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers
and jackals in their luxurious palaces.
Her fateful time also will soon come
and her days will not be prolonged
Isaiah 13:22
Done for today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 2, 2023 11:33:17 GMT -5
Awww that is so disappointing when that happens. arrgghhh!
It has happened to me more times than I would care to count!
anyway....
Yes and yes :)
I also, long for our true home!!!
This 'place' is getting harder and harder to take.
It is changing and getting worse, so rapidly now!
Each morning has new depths and levels of sin.
I know most of those sins have always been around.
But the things Devon continues to tell me,
of what is being indoctrinated, brainwashed, touted etc.
in school...:(
Was there ever a time, when millions upon millions of children and teens have been brainwashed for 8-10 hours 5 days a week, (week in and week out)?
I know horrible abuses have happened to children before,
but (?) has it ever happened, on such a grand scale,(?)
and not just the USA...
but in many, many countries in the world?
Surely, it is true, that a number of children have been greatly abused, in the past, However, it appears to me like this is on such a more massive scale!
And the craziness, just keeps getting more and more and more insane... IMO.
And yes, when I was 'willingly duped' into my very own massive sins in the 60's,
God did discipline me...thankfully!!!!
( or I might not have turned away and 'woke' up to it's evil)!
If God had not allowed painful discipline,
I might have just 'enjoyed' the sins until I died...
( If there had not been any pain at all).
But instead, He blessed me with disciplining my sins with accompanying:
pain, fears, and terrors.
Part of His discipline, was just showing me the ugly TRUTH of:
sins 'lies',
about being sin as being Freedom and you are'FREE'...
When in fact, I was a slave to sin...
and not realizing, I hated being it's slave!
Who would have ever thought I would feel 'blessed' to have suffered,
under His discipline,
but I am actually so 'grateful' for it
( of course, not so much at the time!)
I often wish I could have gone back, and NOT willingly bought into sin's lies. I wish I had lived my entire life for HIM!
Still, I know God can and has, used even those evils...
In that,
I can spot them in young teens.
Oddly, it sometimes 'seems'
that weirdly
teens are seemingly,
sometimes attracted to me?
I have always thought teens would hate being around 'old', elderly' folks!!
But they often find me 'funny'
because, on rare occasions,
without over thinking it,
I just speak the truth...
and they seem to love that?
They also find it funny?
But Vanessa and her friends seem to also...ponder the truth I blurt out?
Although Devon has a friend, that really does avoid me like the plague,
which is more in keeping with what I always expected.
But one of Vanessaes's ex-boyfriends
( at 21 she has had 3 boyfriends...this #3, might be the one she will marry)
But boyfriend #2 marveled, that I was truly interested in him as a person, listened to what he said etc.
Well yeah...
I even listen 'carefully' to what cats, dogs and birds, have to say!!
haha :)
Tho, to tell the truth, I often find the animals easier to listen to, because they have not had sin drilled into their heads by school teachers endlessly!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 3, 2023 14:20:07 GMT -5
When the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel,
and settle them in their own land,
then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob.
Isaiah 14:1
This also seems to be a 'soon', and distant prophecy...
Though after approx. 2000 years,
and Israel was not yet back in their own land,
the 'soon' part, 'seemed' like a 'failed' prophecy.
But...it was not,
they ARE back in their land!
This can be an actual encouragement to those who are beginning to wonder about the rapture.
It also has been about 2000 plus years,
and we are not yet raptured.
However, just look at Israel!
Before, they were back in their land,
some Theologians, wanted to 'spiritualize the verses
claiming they would be back in their land,
after all...
What nation or peoples
ever came back to their land after..... 2000 years?
And yet....there they are!
I am thinking this might also refer to the 'distant' time in the millennium?
Tho, maybe it is not so distant anymore?
The peoples will take them along and bring them to their place,
and the house of Israel will possess them
as an inheritance in the land of the Lord
as male servants and female servants;
and they will take their captors captive
and will rule over their oppressors.
Isaiah 14:2
A change and reversal in roles will happen.
Israel will rule over those who once were their oppressors.
In a way,
this is somewhat the case now:
"Israel is ranked 2nd
out of 14 countries in the Middle East/North Africa region,
and its overall score is above the world
and regional averages".
www.heritage.org/index/country/israel
And why do the previous oppressors come willingly?
Thus says the Lord of hosts,
‘In those days ten men from all the nations
will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying,
“Let us go with you,
for we have heard that God is with you.
Zechariah 8:23
And so...
And it will be in the day when the Lord gives you rest
from your pain and turmoil and harsh service
in which you have been enslaved
Isaiah 14:3
God is going to have mercy on Israel.
I think we know the answer to these questions:
Has His lovingkindness ceased forever?
Has His promise come to an end forever?
Psalms 77:8
Done for Today
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Post by Cindy on Jun 5, 2023 10:51:43 GMT -5
Speaking of things being worse for children in our time, I'm honestly not sure if that's true. Remember that in Noah's time, every thought every person had was evil, except Noah's family. So children had to have been terribly abused then.
Then, if we look at Rome when she was deteriorating (like the US is now) women were having abortions constantly, though many died in the process. Enough lived through it to cause many others to try it. Homosexuality was rampant and so was pedophilia (having sex with children). Plus slavery was a huge thing back then and the master could legally kill a slave for any reason he felt like it. A man was always considered head of the home and he held his wife and children's lives in his hands as well. If his wife had a baby girl, and he wanted a boy, he could take that newborn and kill it or have it killed legally. If she had twins and he only wanted one, he could kill the other one, or he could kill his wife. If his children disobeyed him, he could kill them. The man was like a king in that way. Then think of the "games" they had for entertainment: people made into living torches to light the night, people fed to the lions; gladiators, etc. And Rome was the one who invented crucifixion, which is the most horrible and torturous death ever known to man, even today. The US has always seemed to parallel Rome to me, and especially now. Using children for sex was all the rage just before Rome fell. Oh, and they also had transgenders and cross dressers. Those were both "in" things back then. It reminds me of what the Bible says: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9–10)
About teens not liking the elderly, I don't think that's true at all. Teenagers are just people, just like we were. Sure, some are disrespectful, and some aren't. For the most part though, they're very focused on themselves, so often assume the worst about themselves. So they're probably thinking you don't like them, when you're thinking they don't like you lol.
I love what you wrote about Isaiah. But I would like to point out one thing. Here's what you said, which is mostly true. But you forgot about one thing:
When the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel,
and settle them in their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. Isaiah 14:1
This also seems to be a 'soon', and distant prophecy...
Though after approx. 2000 years,
and Israel was not yet back in their own land,
the 'soon' part, 'seemed' like a 'failed' prophecy.
But...it was not,
they ARE back in their land!
The "soon" prophecy isn't what happened in 1948, but was what happened when God brought them back from Babylon. What happened in 48 wouldn't have allowed the people alive back then to determine if Isaiah was a true prophet, and God always made sure they could tell. (although the people really didn't care if what he said was true, they preferred not to believe him anyway.) So the first fulfillment would have been their return from Babylon. Then when they sinned by not accepting their Messiah, they were again dispersed from the land and will not return in full until Jesus comes back to rule the earth in His Millennial Kingdom. Israel being a nation now is an incredible sign from God, that He protected them so they wouldn't die out and cease to exist as a people, no matter how hard Satan tried to kill them off. But this prophecy won't be fulfilled until the Millennial Kingdom. Here's a couple of scriptures that speak of this too:
“The Sovereign LORD declares— he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.”” (Isaiah 56:8)
““ ‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.” (Ezekiel 34:11–13) This last one continues but I didn't want to post all of it as it continues for a while longer.
Anyway, it's so exciting to read what you've learned from Isaiah. You're doing a great job!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 5, 2023 12:32:15 GMT -5
Thank you!! That is such a good point!!! I forgot about their coming back from Babylon but yes...that was so true!! :)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 5, 2023 13:13:34 GMT -5
that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,
“How the oppressor has ceased,
And how fury has ceased!
Isaiah 14:4
The king of Babylon has died, but he even in death,
is seen as the epitome of evil and pride.
However in death, the 'king' is no better than
any other of the dead.
10 For he sees that even wise men die;
The stupid and the senseless alike perish
And leave their wealth to others.
12 But man in his pomp will not endure;
He is like the beasts that perish.
Psalms 49:10,12
The king was full of pride, ambition, arrogance, cruelty, etc.
in life,
but in death, (the great equalizer),
he has been brought low.
But everyone needs to know who is in control of,
when we die.
The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of rulers
Isaiah 14:5
The wicked and/or rulers...Monarchs and tyrants, will also die.
This was not by mankind, but by God.
God determines, who and when,
each of us will die.
Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,
Which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.
Isaiah 14:6
The Babylonian king's reign was one of unrestrained:
abuse, anger, cruelty, persecution, and terror.
No real justice or mercy.
Even so, such an evil, sinful man, cannot live forever,
and he will,
and did die...
and thus:
"The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They break forth into shouts of joy.
Isaiah 14:7
Therefore with his death,
the oppression, tyranny, persecution, and terror
ceased...
and the people had a rest.
Tyrants are not loved,
and when they die, and there is peace,
people sing for joy!
Done for Today.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 6, 2023 10:16:57 GMT -5
Even the cypress trees rejoice over you,
and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you were laid low,
no tree cutter comes up against us.
Isaiah 14:8
Even nature has a rest after the Babylonian king died.
It seems while alive his power was demonstrated in,
how much he destroyed, both of the living and nature itself.
Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come;
It arouses for you the spirits of the dead,
all the leaders of the earth;
It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones
Isaiah 14:9
Some people have the mistaken idea,
that Hell will be like a big party,
all the 'freedom' loving rebels,
get to do whatever they want for all eternity....
But that is false!
And this group, is not a party loving friendly one,
greeting the king of Babylon.
This group of former kings and leaders,
are in a dark and dismal place,
and they are not joyful or partying.
Rather than hailing him as a great powerful king,
they instead, say this:
They will all respond and say to you,
‘Even you have been made weak as we,
You have become like us.
Isaiah 14:10
All the things the Babylonian King prided himself about,
are meaningless in death.
He is now humiliated,
by the other former king's bitter scorn...
pointing out,he is no longer powerful,
but weak and rotting, like they are.
I said, “You are gods,
And all of you are sons of the Most High.
7 “Nevertheless you will die like men
And fall like any one of the princes.
Psalm 82:6,7
They mock him because he is not superior to them!
How the arrogant, proud, and mighty has fallen!
It reminds us of another proud being who fell!
And He said to them,
“I was watching Satan fall
from heaven like lightning.
Luke 10:18
The mocking continues:
Your pomp and the music of your harps
Have been brought down to Sheol;
Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you
And worms are your covering.
Isaiah 14:11
None of the Babylonian king's luxuries, prosperities, enjoyments in life, etc.
change the reality of death.
This is something for all who wish to be super rich and powerful to consider carefully.
Done for today
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Post by Cindy on Jun 7, 2023 12:31:35 GMT -5
Interesting!
I would like to point out something though. Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian King that took Daniel and many others to Babylon after attacking Jerusalem, was in fact evil and a tyrant during that time. But the longer Daniel was there, the better he got, but he still backslid at times. His final time of backsliding came when he began to think that he had conquered all the countries and hadn't had any "help". He refused to give God the praise and glory due Him. So God made him become like an animal for 7 long years. When he "came to" at the end of that time, Nebuchadnezzar was finally saved! We will see him in heaven! Basically what I'm trying to get at is that he wasn't a tyrant or evil the entire time he lived. Only during the first part of his reign. There is a Babylonian King that will be very evil and a tyrant all the time though - the Antichrist. Let me quote MacArthur for you about chapter 14:
Isaiah 14:1–3. While having some reference to the release from Babylonian captivity, the primary view in this chapter is identified in these opening verses. The prophet looked at the final Babylon at the end of the tribulation. The language is that which characterizes conditions during the millennial kingdom after the judgment of the final Babylon. The destruction of future Babylon is integrally connected with the deliverance of Israel from bondage. Babylon must perish so that the Lord may exalt His people. God’s compassion for physical Israel receives fuller development in chaps. 40–46.
Isaiah 14:4 you will take up this taunt. The prophet instructed the delivered nation to sing the song of vv. 4–21, celebrating the downfall of the king of Babylon. the king of Babylon. This could refer to the final Antichrist, who will rule Babylon, which will rule the earth (cf. Rev 17:17-18) oppressor has ceased. The nation that made life bitter for God’s people disappeared. The MacArthur study Bible
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 7, 2023 13:31:55 GMT -5
How you have fallen from heaven,
O star of the morning,
son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth,
You who have weakened the nations!
Isaiah 14:12
I've read several commentaries on this verse,
because it can seem a bit confusing.
Who fell from Heaven,
who is the star of the morning,
and the son of the dawn etc.?
Well, scripture, up to this point, has been talking about the King of Babylon.
There are some who think this is only about Satan ( Lucifer)
and others who say it is exclusively about the King of Babylon.
I think the best answer is what John MacArthur explains:
"It was Satan who was behind the king of Tyre.
It’s also Satan in Isaiah 14 who is behind the king of Babylon.
By the way, there are many commentators who believe that this diatribe, this judgment, this taunt, as it’s called,
against the king of Babylon is not the historic king of Babylon but the future king of Babylon.
When Babylon rises again in the time of the tribulation,
and I intend to see that as accurate in representing this chapter.
That Isaiah is looking ahead at the future ruler,
the great king of Babylon that will fight against Christ in the future. He’s really looking at the Antichrist.
And behind the Antichrist will be this fallen angel, this Lucifer, this star of the morning, this sun of the dawn, this anointed cherub who has been thrown out of heaven".
In any case, it is certainly a totally sad and horrible situation.
We do see this also in scripture about Satan:
And He said to them,
“I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.
Luke 10:18
In our world today we are promoting being:
proud
proud of yourself
proud of your race
proud of your sexual whatever
proud of your looks
proud of your possessions
proud of your power
etc. etc.
And yet....God says:
Everyone who is arrogant in heart
is an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:5
Be it the king, the king plus Satan, or the future anti-Christ
How did their fall happen?
The next 2 verses tells us of their
5 'I will',
damning choices and attitudes.
13 But you said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
He wants to be God,
He is demanding to be God,
and insisting He can be God.
But neither the Babylonian king, nor Satan, nor the anti-Christ will be God...
they won't even be kings in Hell.
“Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
Isaiah 14:15
And these choices,
begs the question:
For what will it profit a man
if he gains the whole world
and forfeits his soul?
Matthew 16:26
The implication of such pride was ( and is) so immense...
sin, unless paid for by Jesus,
is eternal punishment.
Done for Today
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 7, 2023 13:34:38 GMT -5
As always, thank you so much for your input!!!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 8, 2023 12:31:35 GMT -5
So we read yesterday, about the prideful boasting,
but now, this next verse, is the Lord God's reply to it...
( and really, a prediction, of the fall and end,
of every non redeemed human tyrant,
and what his (and/or their) fate will be after death:
Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
Isaiah 14:15
In life some of them, thought they were 'gods',
or that they would even replace the true God,
( and place his/their throne above the clouds),
but neither the king, who was being spoken to, in this verse,
nor, any other tyrannical despots,
will have their supposed glory in death.
This is assuming they never changed,
nor asked forgiveness,
repented etc. Some did and some may yet do so,
but many did not.
In fact, the people are even astonished,
that the king had fallen so low!
It's as if they can hardly believe it!
Those who see you will gaze at you,
They will ponder over you, saying,
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms
Isaiah 14:16
So one usually expects, a great king will have a splendid burial,
with all sorts of pomp and circumstances...
but it seems this king did not even get buried....
so people can ( or rather did) look at his dead body.
This next verse relates to the reader,
more, about how cruel he was in life.
Who made the world like a wilderness
And overthrew its cities,
Who did not allow his prisoners to go home?
Isaiah 14:17
He was a disturber of any sort of peace,
in nature, cities, or people.
He kept his captives in prison dungeons and left them there to rot,
because he did not release them.
He withheld all compassion.
And now, compassion is withheld from him.
Done for Today.
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Post by Cindy on Jun 11, 2023 10:08:05 GMT -5
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Remember, on our old board we had agreed as a group that the first people who got to Heaven from our board, would be the ones to arrange a Fresh-Hope family reunion. That's going to be so awesome, I can hardly wait! Forgive me if I've already said this, I can't remember if I did here or not. Speaking of our home, Isaiah 12 is a wonderful song of praise for what Israel and all of us will experience during the Millennial Kingdom. I love what you had to say about it too. 
Good one, thank you! When you said that their pain won't have a blessing, it reminded me of something I heard on one of MacArthur's sermons. Do you remember how I used to tell people on our old board that those of us who have to live with chronic pain are actually a blessing? I said that it was an honor to be chosen to bear the pain that we have and that God would use the pain to bless us now and would also reward us greatly for bearing it when we get to Heaven. When I wrote that article on our old board, I got that from God's Word. I hadn't ever heard anyone else say that, but I knew it was true. Well, now I've heard someone else say the same thing: MacArthur! I couldn't believe it when I heard him say that! That's such wonderful confirmation of what He had shown me! 
But whenever you touch on the topic of the millennial kingdom, or New Jerusalem, it makes me long for our true home. 
Speaking of sin, just yesterday I was telling Jenn and Gracie that there's no doubt in my mind that God disciplines those He loves! I know He does, because I was disciplined during the years I turned away from Him. I'd sure do things differently if it was possible to rewind and do it over again! 
