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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/21/2012 in all areas

  1. I can see how that might make someone uncomfortable. But, hey, the people here are just as real as people you meet at the supermarket, at school, work or anywhere else. While on this topics, let me just say a personal word of thanks to you, Dani, and Mizzdy and Nebula and Morning Glory and Little Brown Church. I really have enjoyed reading your posts and chatting with you. Each of you have blessed me and contributed to my understanding of who/what God is. Thank you!!
    2 points
  2. I don't get around the boards as much as I could, and don't know everyone's political or even religious views. What I do know is that I am really sick of anyone and everyone trying to defend outright appalling behavior because someone else did "the same thing" or a "worse" thing. Who cares? ANY - let me say that again - A N Y Christian who defends the kind of behavior of Maher or Rush should be ashamed of themselves. I don't listen to either of them. I'm a conservative, but I don't like a lot of Rush's attitude. He likes to be rude and couch it in the cover of being "honest." Maher is a straight up pig who stands behind the fake shield of being a "comedian." They're both wrong. What Rush said about the girl was wrong. At least, saying it was wrong. I don't know her, don't know her habits, but even if she was looking for the government to pay for her to have all the sex she wanted, calling her names doesn't accomplish anything at all. It certainly doesn't make me respect his viewpoint. Then there's Maher, and others like him, who make a living by being jerks. And there are so-called Christians out there who defend him for it. Shame on you! I don't care which side of the political line you're standing on, if you're a Christian, or even a half-way decent human being, you should be offended by his words about women, about the fact that he can be so popular while belittling women. This country is racing downhill faster every day. Our politicians are too busy squabbling with each other to actually do anything. Our media, the supposed source of information for us, is so biased by their own political bents and hunger for ratings and headlines that "truth" has become a foreign concept to them. And it isn't just the liberal media that does it. It's rampant throughout the entire industry. The hypocrisy is beyond description across the board. Everyone is so blasted busy trying to prove themselves right that they can't find time to care about how "wrong" the process as a whole is. We've got the people who are vying for the opportunity to lead the nation taking potshots at each other in their adds instead of telling us anything about why they deserve our vote. It's absolutely pathetic. Democrats are hypocrites because they love to stand up and talk about fairness and tolerance and all the rest of it, but are wholly intolerant of anyone who disagrees with them. Just look at the popular movements these days. Homosexuals want everyone to just accept them for who and what they are, but they aren't remotely accepting of those who choose not to do so. I'm not talking about people who want to harm them or abuse them or hurt them in any way, but merely people who sincerely believe homosexuality is wrong and dare to say so. They're called every unflattering name in the book. Same goes for anyone who dares to push even the most basic Christian beliefs, like honesty, integrity, responsibility for ones own actions, etc. We're all bigots and racists and haters and idiots and the list of insults goes on and on and on. Republicans are hypocrites because they like to spout off about "family values" and "moral integrity" while they're cheating on their spouses, taking bribes, and lying through their teeth on a regular basis. They have no backbone because the reality is they're more concerned with getting elected or re-elected than with standing on their principles, assuming they have any. You've got right-wing nuts out there who leap to rabid defense of anyone or anything that even comes close to being on their "side" regardless of whether they or it is worthy of defense. The whole case in Florida with the Martin kid is a perfect example of how both sides care more about the political mileage they can get than they do about the truth of the situation. Zimmerman has been turned into the devil incarnate for all the left-wing anti guns, profiling, racism, etc. crowd. Martin has been martyred as some paragon of virtue and victim of cold-blooded murder. While on the other side, the right-wing bunch has turned Martin into some kind of gang-banger, trouble-making punk and hails Zimmerman as the poster-boy for gun rights and self-defense. The fact is that no one, other than Zimmerman himself, knows exactly what happened that night. I can guess. I say Zimmerman saw a kid he didn't know and worried that he was up to no good. I don't think Martin's skin color came into it. I just think Zimmerman saw a kid with a hoodie pulled up, maybe to try to hide his face, and he started leaping to conclusions. He did the right thing and called the cops, then did the absolute wrong thing and followed Martin despite being directly told NOT to. Then you have Martin, a kid on his way back home after a trip to the corner store when some guy he doesn't know starts following him. I don't know who initiated the final confrontation. I don't know why Martin didn't just run all the way home once he started running. I don't know why Zimmerman didn't just stay back and at least follow from far enough back that Martin wouldn't notice him. Or better yet, just let it go like he was told to do. But for whatever reason, they got in each other's faces and one thing led to another and a physical fight started. Martin might well have thought Zimmerman was some kind of mugger. In his mind, he was defending himself. Zimmerman, on the other hand, is getting his rear end kicked by the kid, his head slammed into the sidewalk, so he panics, thinks the kid's going to kill him, and pulls his gun. A shot gets fired and it's all over. It's not cold-blooded murder, no matter how much the left tries to make it so. But he doesn't deserve to walk away scott free, either. He killed a boy in a confrontation that could have been avoided if he'd just listened to the cops and not followed Martin. So, tell me, has anyone here heard ANY news outlet even hint as such a reasonable possible scenario? Nope. Because all the media cares about is ratings. And the politicians who've weighed in on it are only interested in bolstering their own agendas. The truth, or even the possibility of a mundane, reasonable cause for the tragedy is never really considered. Whatever happens with the case, someone is going to ticked off about it because the whole thing has been whipped up into a giant media storm. Zimmerman and his family and the family of the boy who died are all caught right in the middle of it and can't even share their real feelings about it because they have to make sure not to say or do anything that might somehow weaken their "side." I saw a report where Martin's mother mentioned that she thought the situation had gotten out of hand and Zimmerman had wound up shooting her son. Then she quickly released a statement retracting that and insisting that Zimmerman had killed her son in cold-blood. Why? Because her lawyers told her it would look bad if she showed even a hint of thinking that Zimmerman was anything less than pure evil. It's obscene what we've all become. I'm beyond sick of the political posturing from both sides. I don't trust any of them. And it doubly stinks because we're all forced into a situation where we're trying to defend what we see as the lesser of two evils instead of calling them all what they really are. Limbaugh, Mayer, Obama, Romney, they're all just playing a game and I'm tired of it. (Sorry for the rant. )
    2 points
  3. God's tabernacle is often discussed in relation to the Older Covenant with its types and shadows, but has anyone ever given thought to the body-temple? As the tabernacle had 3 parts (Outer Court/Inner Court/Holy of Holies), so our body has as well. The outer court is the flesh. Anyone is allowed access, it is seen by all. It is expected to be kept clean by the priest(s), but it is exposed to the elements in our world and can be stained and defiled. The inner court is the soul. The thoughts of a man appear to be centered here. It too is expected to be kept clean by the priest(s). While covered by the outer court so that not everyone or everything can reach it, it too can be defiled, mainly by the priests' lack of discipline to keep out defiling elements, but also by others who manage to get through the outer court. The Most Holy Place or Holy of Holies is the spirit. It is here that God dwells in the form of the Holy Spirit. As a believer, this portion of us is secured by Cherubim from defilement precisely because God dwells there. Access to the High Priest occurs here, as Christ is at God's right hand as High Priest, ever making intercession for us. Are unbelievers also temples? Absolutely, because this is what they were created to be. Since unbelievers are godless in terms of knowing the Living God, their Holy of Holies is empty, OR...it is defiled by the presence of a heathen god, either what the unbelievers worships and holds most dear, or by a demonic entity in rare cases.
    1 point
  4. Speaking in Tongues I am still amazed that people honestly believe that uttering nonsense is a gift from God. In what way can this dialogue benefit another person? Jesus told his disciples to preach his crucifixion and resurrection with the call to repentance, but before they started doing this they were to tarry in Jerusalem and wait for the power of God. Luke 24:46-49 KJV (46) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: (47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And ye are witnesses of these things. (49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Here the day has arrived, the power from on high is the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the appearance of flames of fire (never seen that in a Pentecostal church). Acts 2:1-4 KJV (1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Please notice here that they can speak with other tongues - this actually means they could speak in other languages. The purpose was because they were gathered there Jews from many different nations that spoke different languages. Acts 2:5-11 KJV (5) And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. (6) Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. (7) And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? (8) And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? (9) Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, (10) Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, (11) Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. Look hard at verse 8 of Acts 2. And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Tongues were not nonsense or strange sounds or some unintelligible language that others did not know. Tongues were real languages spoken by real people and understood by others that spoke that tongue or language. The whole point of the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost written in Acts, was that the people gathered there would all be able to hear the message of Jesus Christ in their own language and understand what was being spoken. We see it explained further in 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 14:4-9 KJV (4) He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. (5) I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. (6) Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? (7) And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? (8) For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? (9) So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. Here is an example: If a person walks into a Chinese speaking congregation and starts preaching in English and no one understands them, there is no benefit to another. If this person has a message to share and they have someone with them that can interpret what is being said into the language (or tongue) of the people they are with, then others will be able to understand what is being said. Look at the end of verse 5 of 1 Corinthians 14 ... except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 1 Corinthians 14:26-33 KJV (26) How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. (27) If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. (28) But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. (29) Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. (30) If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. (31) For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. (32) And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. (33) For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. What I have witnessed in churches today of speaking in tongues is confusion. People do it all together making a racket. No one interrupts and it is never a real langue or tongue of another nationality. It is my personal belief that these people are being fooled by Satan into thinking they are being lead by the Spirit of God when it is really his spirit they are following. Please forgive me for using strong words and I am sorry if I have offended some. But better to suffer offence and find the truth than to remain lost in lies. And if you are still in doubt that word "tongue" actually means language, consider the following verse. Revelation 9:11 KJV (11) And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV (33) For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
    1 point
  5. Just yesterday at a family dinner night, I had one of my in-laws ask me: "Are you some sort of internet evangelist or something?" It was awkward. Yet this in-law had seen much of my posts on facebook. My daily to weekly bible studies are posted there in a group I have called :Bible Explorers. Otherwise I have a blog on Xanga and Livejournal that I use for just the purpose of sharing God's Word with others. Guess what I am trying to ask here is: Is it normal that I would feel awkward about this? How can I address this question when and if it is asked again? I am by no means...a priest...prophet....or anything. I am just a person, an individual who sins and seeks to walk away from such by living my life for God as much as I can. Really do not know how to feel here.... Thoughts? May God Bless You Dani
    1 point
  6. Little, You basically captured my feelings in writing, or text. There are days that it is like my cup is overflowing and I just...I just want to share. There are so many of my friends or people that I know too...who are really lost right now. Others that just....do not know Him. Some who even close to mock Him. It is hard not to want to try to share and hope that maybe...just maybe...the door in their heart will open and He will be let in. Thank you. May God Bless You Dani
    1 point
  7. Katy, what group, website, author, leader, etc. do you identify with? Your views are not far off from JWs. Jn. 1:1-14 shows that Word/Logos is a title for Christ, not generic 'truth' (though Jesus is the Truth). To claim to be Son of God was a claim to equality with God (hence the Pharisees wanted to stone Him for blasphemy, mere man claiming to be God/equal with God). Your view is condemned Arianism.
    1 point
  8. Rant away, winsome, and I'm on that train with you........I can't stand any of them anymore. Fake, bellicose buffoons who make me want to scream!
    1 point
  9. Careful, ruck; she might respond like this
    1 point
  10. How do I put this in writing. But perhaps you could speak of it this way. Just as someone who has just saw a new movie or bought something new, for example a kindle or new cell phone. They are excited about it and share with everyone about something that is a joy to them. The conversation might go something like this...Hey !, I just got a kindle, it is so cool. The same could be said for meeting someone. You are doing the same, Jesus means a lot to you, just as a person or other item is important to them, and you would like others to share your joy too; by telling them how much joy there is in your life because of him. I’m sure your in laws share with you about the friends they have and the things they enjoy doing together. You and those online you are chatting with enjoy talking about Jesus. Just as your in laws enjoy chatting about friends, places, or the things they have.
    1 point
  11. Thank all of you for your insight. It is strange, but seeing as I had never been approached before....I had not thought anyone read my postings. Then that is what those posts were made for, to read, for any who wanted to seek or know a bit about God. I have sent out invites to online bible study to various friends and family to never have anyone join. So guess it just really took me for surprise that anyone would even ask. I am pretty introverted myself...and self esteem, well...it has been an off and on issue for me throughout my life. You all have given such insight on here as to responses, feelings, and thoughts. It is much appreciated. Thanks Again May God Bless You Dani
    1 point
  12. As an introvert who has struggled with insecurities . . . I have a hard time when pressed like this, too. Would something like this work - I'm just expressing what's on my heart. Partake if you would like, or pass it by if you don't.
    1 point
  13. Dani, So many miss that what we do on the net is much the same as what we could do in real time if we had the chance to do so. I am disabled I cannot go out and meet people and talk to them about God, it took me a long time to realize I was serving Him on the net. I dont think you should feel bad at all but rejoice in the fact that you can share His words with others through this vast medium. We have had several coming to our fellowship, those travelling through here as well as coming to live, because I have met them online, now cant say thats not going about His business! We should never feel upset or shame for sharing His words with others, if she asks or comments again just say you cannot contain the joy and love He has given and you just need to share! Hope that helps a bit. shalom, Mizz
    1 point
  14. Oh yes! Mom only needed 3 things to keep us kids in line. A switch, a bar of soap and "that look". That kind of look that can stop you instantly no matter what your doing. I didn't get many switchings, but boy did I get that bar of soap more times than I could count.
    1 point
  15. Saw this on FB: If you go to Columbia and hire some prostitutes and can't keep it a secret, then perhaps working for the Secret Service is not for you. Just saying.
    1 point
  16. Hay Sis, You Got A Good Recipe for Roast Nipper....
    1 point
  17. Never Give Your Hand To A Judo Man Unless You Would Like A Short Flight Without Parachute Or Wings....
    1 point
  18. Because handshakes are also cultural. For many cultures in the world.. western type handshakes were/are not the traditional way of greeting someone.. but often was a foreign concept that was introduced / embraced in many places. Another example of something cultural might be the way people eat food. In some cultures the traditional way of eating food often involves using one's fingers to eat the food....in other cultures people use chopsticks....in other cultures people use western-style utensils etc. None of these ways of eating food is wrong simply because they are different than the other cultures. They are simply different cultural ways of eating food. Greetings are also often cultural. The way people greet each other. What is considered acceptable and not acceptable. What is considered rude or polite etc. This too also often depends on the culture. Sometimes though when there are cultural differences between cultures - what means one thing in one culture..might sometimes have a very different meaning in a different culture. Sometimes something which is considered the norm or very acceptable in one culture..might be considered rude or unacceptable in another culture. Or vice versa. This is a reason why I think that it is often a good idea to consider meanings / perceptions etc not only in one's own culture but also the culture that one is interacting with or the culture of the country that one is visiting. Because sometimes the meaning of an action / inaction / words / etc.. or how it would likely be perceived ..might be very different in another culture compared to one's own. Just my personal opinion thats all. Thanks.
    1 point
  19. As a figure of speech, what you going to say when a friend goes for an operation? "I wish you bad luck, I'm going to pray for you." .............or...................... "Good luck, I'll pray for you." I say, I wish all the best for you and I will pray for you. I do not wish luck good or bad on anyone.
    1 point
  20. When you bow to someone you are not necessarily putting that person over God or Jesus, you're putting that person over yourself. I think I would agree with Shiloah that we need not bow to the European Royalty for we put them in their place back in the late 1700's. I would add that to tip your head to someone as do the Japanese, is not putting that person above you, it is simply letting them know that you acknowledge their space and you are giving them their space. It really has nothing to do with who's higher in status, and it's a whole lot safer than shaking hands health wise.
    1 point
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