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To truly discern spirits as for what they really are, you need the chief Spirit, known as the Holy Spirit. You can get the Holy Spirit and the giftings of the Spirit when you embrace Christ Jesus and let Him show you the way. I used to be much involved in all kinds of spiritual activity, had it not been thanks to Jesus, I might still be deceived by all different sorts of spiritual manifestations. Do not let the spirits deceive you, because all you get from them comes with a price, and you do not want to walk with them to where they want you to go. Instead, walk with God, and be revealed the truth in Jesus. As for your question about how too stay spiritually minded, once you receive Jesus and establish a relationship with Him (notice the difference between religion), you will be given the mind of Christ. That will suffice as for being spiritually minded. It comes not by your own effort, but is given to you freely. Your job is to nurture the relationship with Him from your side. He will take care of the rest. I meditated hours every day for many years and practiced all kinds of different methods to 'perfect' myself. What I noticed later on, was that all that spiritual practice builds up spiritual pride within us. It's only through the mercy of Jesus having died for our sins, that we receive the true humility to begin to walk with God. The kind of mindset you are referring to you will receive when you get born again from the Spirit. That you will do by confessing your sins, as we all do, and asking for Jesus to come into your heart. While you probably did not expect to get an answer like this, as I once fought against the idea of letting go and letting God, let alone accept Jesus as my Lord. But once my pride gradually broke down, and the streams of the living mercy entered me, everything changed. Hopefully this answered what you wanted to know, and more over, what you need to know. be most blessed.

Hello everyone. There are really some excellent responses to this thread. Thought I'd add my comments which I will leave for your determination as to whether or not there is evidence here for a pre-trib. rapture. The 6th dispensation which is where we are presently, is actively involved and fixed upon the Jew, the Gentile and the Church of God. Each of the three has a distinctive purpose in the eternal plan of God. For the Jew exists the promises of God for a restored Israel at the 2nd coming of Christ to establish His Kingdom. For the Jew and the Gentile, exists the calling of God to enter into His eternal rest by receiving the gift of eternal life through His son Jesus Christ. The church then consists of both Jew and Gentile believers who have been born again and received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Unlike Israel, however, whose promise to be restored upon the 2nd coming of Jesus when He establishes his Kingdom, the Church, separated and distinguished apart from Israel, has as her fulfillment the promise of a new home in heaven where Jesus is actively building mansions for his bride. The Church isn't in need of restoration but is complete in God through Christ. Her primary function is to be witnesses to the work of Christ and bring the salvation message to the world. The completion of her work will end before the Tribulation, since this is the Time of Jacob's Trouble - Jacob being Israel. This is when Israel will begin her testimony of the work of Jesus Christ and they will finally fullfill the mission they were meant to do during the earthly walk of Jesus - that is to proclaim Him as King of King and Lord of Lords. The salvation message will begin with the two Jewish witnessess along with the 144,000 called out Jewish believers. This is my understanding of scripture. I see that understanding the divisions of Israel and the Church to be necessary in order to obtain a correct understanding of end time events. God bless, Judith

And they may release her into the wild despite the fact she has never once been in the wild. Stupid. http://news.yahoo.com/argentine-orangutan-unfazed-freedom-ruling-015328986.html

I only have an antenna on the tele. I pick up three PBS channels and I've noticed how many programs lately have aired about Islam. The only ones I've watched for a bit really push the peaceful side of Islam as being the "real" face of Islam. And in the same stretch treating Christianity as co-equal but non tolerant because of the inability to except another prophet. In the case of the Jews a double wamy of sorts, both Jesus and Mohammad. Not so much directly accusing wise but more documentary factual non judgmental wise. Talk about telling history in an attempt to manipulate an idealistic future. I guess you got to give some credit. The only hope the world has in their eyes is to evolve into a race of humans that we could never be. One reason I suppose many intellectuals hate Christianity is the.negative old school thought that must be done away with. Crazy times. It would seem that once the last of the great generation is gone, this nation will slide even faster. It's so odd to see all the radical mess that is so apparent and in our face every day on the news and yet "oh no you got it wrong, Islam is peaceful". The world is truly in the hands of the wicked one.

The force is of course spirit....there is no life in the flesh without the spirit. It is our spirits that are dead and they need to be reconnected to our Creator...and God has made a way through His Son for that to happen. The world we do not see is real and interacts with this world. People dabble in it all the time...but we are warned in the Bible not to do such things. Evil spirits are real and they are happy to project any reality one desires, all the time deceving those who think they have tapped into some truth not available to those who do not seek it That's a trip down the wrong road. There are many spirits but God is not one of them. He is unique. He is not a spirit; he IS Spirit. He created all. You are flesh and blood and not made to live in a spiritual reality other then the one that God allows, through accepting His Son as your Savior. All other spiritual realities are detrimental to us as created beings and they will destroy your flesh and your life. Yes I'm serious He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. I John 5:12 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. I John 4:1 only One Way to legitimately enjoy a spiritual reality: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives lifed because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because ofe his Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8

Cog - i think I know what you mean. It is very hard to articulate it for me. As humans, we see things in the temporal, but Paul tells us that the warfare is spiritual. You must have the word of God as the foundation of your soul. Everything must comply with the Word of God. The spirit of the Bible is his Spirit. He has preserved his word for eternity and therefore the bible is truth. If you are using the word of God as your foundation, you are growing. You cannot see everything spiritual all the time. It is a growth process and as we mature and grow in Christ, then we will see with spiritual eyes more and more. You need to make sure the spirit you are talking about is His word. Continue to read the word. Study and meditate on it. It is life. It is living and breathing. His words will not come back void. He will open his treasures in heaven to you. But as John said in Revelation, sweet like honey, but in the stomach are sour.

The words of Jesus in John 3:12 comes to mind. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? First, you need to know Christ and have a relationship with Him before you can understand the leading of the Holy Spirit. Only after salvation is the Holy Spirit given.

~ Ah, Spirits Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1 John 4:1-3 Or Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 1 Timothy 4:1 The Holy Spirit But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: John 15:26 And Jesus But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26 Your Choice And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshuah 24:15 Love, Joe

That really doesn't sound right. In fact, it sounds rather dangerous. If I'm understanding you correctly, you may be opening yourself up to deception.

Have a cup of sugar free gluten free fair trade sustainable hot cocoa.

More Liberal lunacy. I can't take any more.

Not entirely true. They do charge, on a sliding scale, based on the income of the family, but usually at a small fraction of what these wigs cost to make, and thats mainly only to keep people from taking advantage of them (people scam charities all the time, and with how much money goes into making these wigs its a big target). Its not excessive. and any extra wigs-that they cant give to kids for whatever reason, are sold to salons and the like full price to help off set the cost of manufacturing. The president of locks for love only makes $48,000 a year, again, not excessive, in fact its less money then I make.

Why not? Seems like a nice thing to do.

I agree, it is impossible for someone to be a Christian before what makes a Christian has ever taken place. So what is it that makes one a Christian? John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And when did Jesus first enter the scene? John 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. From the beginning, life was in Him. Your assertion that this is impossible just doesn't hold up under scrutiny. We haven't even discussed my position, we have been discussing yours. If you are referring to the link between Hosea and Revelation 12, well, I guess you glossed over the scripture from Isaiah. At no point have you shown the passages from Hosea as being a historical event, so I really have no clue what you are talking about. Before you go wasting your time trying to prove this, I suggest reading Isaiah 65 (which I posted prior) where you will find the connecting dots for the time frame. I'm sorry, I must have missed the post where you explain how a person could be both protected from Satan and unprotected from Satan during the same 3 1/2 year period of time. I really would like to see this post, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Could you post it again please? It seems to have disappeared. Unless you can do this, you have of course refuted nothing other than in your own mind. Hosea 1 The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2 The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord. Hosea 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel. All prophets of God are speaking to His children, regardless of ethnicity or what time they walked this earth. Hosea is prophesying to you and I as we read the material, understand? At any rate, start with verse 1. Hosea lived in the northern kingdom, so that is the perspective he wrote from. This argument is really solved easily by simply answering these questions. Who did God divorce? a) the northern kingdom b) the southern kingdom c) both Who came up out of Egypt? a) the northern kingdom b) the southern kingdom c) both Who will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household gods? a) the northern kingdom b) the southern kingdom c) both The additional information I included was for anyone that may read this that was unaware of it. So others could get a better idea what time this occurred and what was happening, it had nothing to do with the argument, but it is applicable to the discussion. So, what you're saying is, I am limited to chapters 1&2 while you are free to use whatever. As I recall, it was your posting of this verse that began this entire discussion (please note that it is from the same chapter I just posted from). Why don't you just show me where the discussion in Hosea was limited to the first two chapters (only limited for me of course)? I can assure you that you will not find that either, because if I had specified chapters, I would have also included chapter 3, because it is the conclusion of the first two chapters. If you wish to limit the discussion to the first three chapters, I will agree to that. Yeah, that chapter 3, where the Lord tells Hosea to take back his wife. You know, the one who according to your scenario only represents the northern kingdom. The wife that isn't part of the bride, the one who gets to be the "other" woman in your eternal picture. The fact that chapter 3 exists renders your entire argument null and void, so I can see why you would want me not to talk about it. No, I can just read. Actually this was an appeal from one christian to another. You see, when you attack my character and make wild, false, unfounded statements regarding my approach to scripture, it affects my witness, thereby affecting the body of Christ to which I belong. A house divided cannot stand, and your reply is duly noted.

Thanks for this well needed "wake up call" article Tinky. We the adults in the Church must teach the children a few " seeing is believing" evidentiary proofs from the Bible .From my limited experience teaching some Christian children, I find showing Christians -of all age groups - ancient coins and still existing structures that Jesus actually walked on/in, really work at ultra -strengthening many of their weak/average/good faith in Jesus. We can achieve perfect faith in Jesus. ( the following have been verified by even non-Christian experts and archaeologists) - I have noticed 4 structures where really Jesus strode : the pool of Bethsaida and the pool of Siloam, the Western Huldah Gate Entrance-Tunnel of the Herod's Temple(Second Temple) and the famous Southern Steps of Herod's Temple. amuseum.org has 3 or 4 people in ancient coins, with the supporting Bible verses. Check for" King Herod's grandchildren coins" or Herod Agrippa coins" on the site, though much better quality real images/ coins of theirs are shown in recently published books. Wake up Church: hundreds of Christian children are bravely enduring their crucifixions and beheadings this year, yet it is our Western Christian children who will suffer the much greater horror of not spending eternity with Jesus if we don't "show" them the evidence directly connected to the Word.

Logan, I believe I will override Santa on this entire list. You may however get new boxers and a used cassette tape of John Denver