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What is the Holy Spirit? The Spirit of God that moves men to do acts of righteousness that cause others to see and know their sin. Luk 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. Conviction comes from seeing others do that which is right moreso than from people saying what is right but speaking by the Holy Spirit may convict. Luk 13:15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and leadhim away to watering? Luk 13:16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? Luk 13:17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. Again he spoke but it was of the works he had done that were righteous. 1Co 14:24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or oneunlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: Prophesying about the wonderful works of God by the Holy Spirit convicts the hearers. For this cause, when I am given the opportunity to share how pitifully sinful I was before Christ and of the total heart transformation he preformed in me, I do not hesitate. Those who are as I once was are without excuse after I testify of the mighty works wroght in me by God. Therefore I spend my time amongst drunks and theives professing Christ in me and deliverance from sinful pleasures of the flesh that I was given over unto. The fear of God IS the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. Fear therefore and depart from sin or face being given by God unto a reprobate mind to do all kinds of evil. God is not mocked indeed! I tempted the Lord and found him to faithfully execute judgment against my wilful transgressions. Do not forget the words of the writer of Hebrews who taught us that the beginning is rough but gets better over time. Heb 10:32But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions Strive for oneness with God in the Spirit and grow in grace and truth. I have found that God does not make to hard of terms for those who truly seek to please him but the rod is hard when we get wilful. Peace!

Another opinion above that is spoken in a way that screams, thus saith the Lord, but... The truth is we are not told in the Bible what hinders. See I think it is Michael the arch angel, at least there is scripture that says he is the protector of Gods people. Their is no scripture that says the church hinders anything.

ok here goes, I finally have the nerve to bring this up. When I first was saved I felt a peace like Ive never felt. Then shortly after it felt like I was hurled into this terrifying shame by "I don't know what". I was almost frozen emotionally and was SURE God didn't want me . A few pretty terrifying, unexplainable things were happening in my life...my family ( who aren't Christian btw) saw also. I was threatened and had HORRIBLE things sent to me, hacks into accounts ect ect. I tried to keep praying, reading the Bible. Then I tried fighting back on my own. not a good idea at all. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin right? at the time I was so confused and had a fear Id blasphemed the Holy Spirit. I don't ever want to feel that kind of hate again. Im thinking now this was the enemy. When I feel nudged to stay away from bad things and Im drawn to God...is that the Holy Spirit? The few years before I was saved Id slowly drifted away...was around a lot of pagan things, thought I was being "open minded" the" we are all one"/ Im nature thing. ugh! Then at one point I did walk away from God and listened to "whatever" was out there. Could I have brought all this one by getting involved with that awful stuff. It was all a false lure, I felt this kind of weird freeing power...then it kept going down hill until I was in this miserable bondage. I kept praying, at one point I couldnt even form a prayer and read that God teaches us to pray by saying the Lords prayer...so that's what I did. I also read the Bible. All the bad stuff did finally go away. Sorry for rambling...I know Im all over the place trying to explain it...I guess my question is....what IS the Holy Spirit?

Blessings Worthy Family..... I was reading SavedbyOneGrace's testimony that he shared with all of us & he spoke of a man witnessing to some folks about his experience with physical death......the man was brought back to life 3 times!Then,again in a recent & brief conversation with our Brother SBOG about space & time we both stopped to give God Glory ,He is not limited to the boundaries of space,time,death or any constraints that we have in this dimension,,,,,or is it a dimension,hmmm? Anyway,SBOG once again shared the beautiful story of the man who died & was resuscitated 3 times......AMAZING ,perhaps he will join me here & give the details,,,,,,, From there we talked about Jesus taking our place on the Cross,He cried out "My God,My God,why have You forsaken Me",,,,,,,Jesus is God so how could He have not been with His Father,Who He IS for that moment in "time",,,,,,,yet,for us,He did,He experienced a space or a time that was out of Gods Presence for however long it was or wherever it was as person who dies physically would,,,,,,,WOW,I cannot even wrap my head around that but I believe every WORD of GOD as it is Written,,,,,,,,, We thought it would be an interesting Topic,,,,,,,,,this thread will not limit anyone to any specific topic that I have mentioned,if you want to talk about God being Limitless,that great,,,,,we shall Glorify our Father,,,,,,,,,,,,if you choose to talk about Jesus & His Finished work,Praise Jesus,,,,,,,or if you want to tell a story or a personal experience relative to the subject Title,Glory to God!!!!!! Let's give it a go.... I was thinking about the constraints of space & time that we live in and I cannot imagine being Eternal,,,,,,,,incredible & exciting for a finite mind,it makes me feel so small,so humble.I can only think of when I dream,when I wake up & recollect my dreams I get the feeling of timelessness,,,,,,,,,,I don't know how long I was dreaming,in the dream I never seem to be aware of "time" & also,I don't feel like I had a physical body...lol Sometimes I dream looking out from within a body but I cannot feel it & sometimes I see myself in my body ,,,,,,,,,Well,that's the closest I can get to imagine eternity ,,,,,,,Just think,our Heavenly Father is everywhere,all the time,He never sleeps or slumbers,He is All Knowing & Infinite,,,,,,,,,,,,,What can we say? HALLELUYAH,Hosannah in the Highest,,,,,,He is more than Worthy of ALL our Praise,Honor,Glory and ,,,,, our Thanksgiving With love in Christ,Kwik

I am not even sure that I understand your question(s) Marv. If you are asking if I am sure that I will make it through the tribulation to experience the rapture on the other side of it, then no, of course not. I do not know that I will live until the great tribulation - it is not imminent. None of us can know that we will wake up tomorrow, that is the eschatology we all face. Recently I lost my wife, then my father-in-law, then my mother-in-law. They did not have to wait for the Lord's return to experience their end times. Should I make it into Daniel's 70th week, I expect, that times will be hard, I could die in persecution, or I could survive it the emerge on the other side of it to see the Lord's return. Which ever way it would go, will be according to the will of God. I know He is gracious. I know that perhaps, by His grace, I could persevere and survive. I know that it is also possible, that I could suffer horribly and even die in that, and if I am allowed to die that way, persecuted for His name's sake, that is also a privilege by His grace. It doesn't matter, either way I can only win if I am in Him. By the way, this is no different than the church has always faced, all over the world, until now, and will continue face. Here in the west, we have pretty much been spared much suffering, we are not used to the idea. It is hard to imagine when you live in a society where it takes effort to starve. I know pre-tribbers love Revelation 3:10: Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Here in 21st Century America, it is hard for me to imagine that we are the Church that has endured patiently, what on Earth exactly, have we endured here, iPhones, two cars, flat screen TVs and padded pews in air conditioned churches? Oh, such patient endurance. There are letters to seven churches, are we not just as easily described in the other letters? (1) Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) - the church that had forsaken its first love (2:4). (2) Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) - the church that would suffer persecution (2:10). (3) Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17) - the church that needed to repent (2:16). (4) Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29) - the church that had a false prophetess (2:20). (5) Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) - the church that had fallen asleep (3:2). (6) Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13) - the church that had endured patiently (3:10). (7) Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) - the church with the lukewarm faith (3:16). Okay, so far, maybe Smyrna is not a good fit for us, maybe that will change. I do not see scripture through the dispensational lenses of John Nelson Darby and his modern day followers. These things sure do not match historical periods. These features probably do line up with aspects of different characteristics of perhaps individuals in each church, all churches since Revelation was written, perhaps they are just literal churches in Asia, but they certainly to not line up with specific times or dispensations, like dispensationalists like to pretend they do. I read the book of Matthew, and see things like the following, and think they are applicable: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. So, since I am not sure what you are asking, I ask: "Does that answer your question?"

We are never to stop forgiving. I think of how many times God has forgiven me and I haven't even begun to see the scope of His Forgiveness in my life. Thank you Jesus!

Yes, the resurrection, the changing, and the rapture happen at the same time.

lol Kan am i pushing "creation ex-nihilo" or does it make me an "evolutionist" if i point out it's usually called "zinc spark" or "zinc flash" in the scientific literature, in case anyone wants to look up more detailed information about what's going on here?

Hi Marilyn, Thanks for bringing up this great thread! I am passionate about Daniel, especially the "sevens" and I ask that you grant me some leeway as I can be quite opinionated and may risk sounding arrogant... But I assure you that is not the case, but rather there are certain things I can't wrap my mind around when discussing the widely accepted interpretation of sevens as weeks of years and the decree as Artaxerxes. I got into this on another post, but could you share your perspective with me on the following questions: 1. How is Artaxerxes granting permission to Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem seen as a decree to rebuild Jerusalem when most of it had already been rebuilt, as this was almost a full 100 years after the Jews returned from exile? (I understand the walls weren't built, but the decree was not to rebuild the walls it was to rebuild the city and the temple. Daniel mentions that these things would be done during the 62 sevens, but not as a reference to the decree.) 2. How can you dismiss the explicit decree of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4), as well as God telling Isaiah that Cyrus would be the one to say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt" (Isaiah 44:28)? 3. How does it make sense to combine the seven sevens and sixty two sevens when Daniel (or Gabriel) separated them for a reason? On a side note, the use of "shabua" (shavua) is in Daniel 9:27... In 24-26 when discussing the plural sevens he uses shavui'ym as a unique masculine plural use of shavua as the typical masculine plural use of shavua would be Shavuot. As a matter of fact the only time that shavui'ym is used in the Old Testament (and the entire bible I believe) is the four times it is used in Daniel 9. The literal translation of shavua is sevens (usually as in a period of sevens). Furthermore I would say that if Daniel wanted to use sevens to mean weeks of sevens, he would have likely followed the tradition of the Jubilee by saying seventy sabbath years as it was in Leviticus 25:8. Lastly, I hope people can evaluate the possibility that each chapter of Daniel should be taken and examined separately as these prophecies were sometimes decades apart and though some language may seem similar, the context is different and these prophecies are meant to stand on their own. When we combinine them with days and weeks and years from other unrelated prophecies, we confuse the message and our readers. I have a detailed post on this subject on my site, but I will tell you that my revelation into Daniel showed me that the seven "shavui'ym" were seven months with seven... The sixty-two shavui'ym were sixty-two years with sevens... And the final seven? Was a literal week. This solves virtually all the issues with the current interpretations. I will be glad to share it with you, because it leads from the decree of Cyrus in 538BC to seven days before Passover in 34BC as the start of the final seven. Be Blessed, Daniel

I have read through all these comments and there is obviously an inherent problem with the entire current Daniel translation of the "sevens" (or shavui'ym in Daniel 9:24-26 and shavua in 9:27) as "weeks of years".. It doesn't work. It doesn't work for the "seven sevens" and the "sixty two sevens"... And it doesn't work for the last seven. There is only one decree to rebuild Jerusalem in the bible and it is the decree of Cyrus. The reason that people keep trying to convince us that it had to be Artaxerxes is because that is the only way the math works. The problem with this is, even if we were to accept that Artaxerxes made a decree that was not explicit in the word of God, it would make the prophecies in Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1-13 false. So if the first 69 "sevens" aren't solved why would the last be any different. I wrote a post a few days ago explaining an entirely different interpretation of Daniel, that shows that the shavui'ym, which was a word unique to Daniel 9, was not "weeks of years", but rather periods with 7's... And these 3 separate "sevens" are each different units of times... With the last 7 being a literal week. On my post I show that this calculation leads from the decree of Cyrus to the exact day of the beginning of the last seven (Jesus' last week) on Wed. April 14th, 34AD. In the middle of that week he kicks the merchants out of the temple, causing the sacrifice and offerings to cease and tells the Pharisees to destroy the temple and he will rebuild it in three days (speaking of His body). This whole series of events is how he causes the abomination that leads to the desolation... (He knows that they are going to kill Him after that). The problem is with a lot of the arguments that I see on this subject is that they are all based on the same broken premise that the "shavui'ym" are weeks of years... If that was the true interpretation of these verses, then it would lead from Cyrus to Jesus... Since it doesn't, it cannot be true. Stay Blessed! Daniel

seajules The Holy Spirit is "The Spirit of Truth". The Spirit of Truth is found in the scriptures. The more we feed on this truth, the better "armed" we become when fighting our adversary. The truth is our weapon, and it gives us the knowledge to know the difference between good and evil, nourishing our spirit so that it can grow healthy in the wisdom of understanding our God. God is a spirit, so the words he speaks is spirit. The spirit in his words is "alive", because it's a "living word" that gives life,... not a dead empty word with no substance. Whatever comes out of God's mouth is "truth", and if we feed on his truth, he dwells in us, because his spirit we have taken in. Make sense? Man has a different spirit, the spirit of the flesh. The spirit of the flesh only wants what can satisfy the flesh. God wants us to have his spirit which can only come from him through his Word. The spirit of truth is in his Word, and this is the holy spirit, or sometimes called the holy ghost, it's that same "Spirit of Truth", which can only come from God. To blaspheme the holy spirit, we have to have the whole truth in the first place. The fallen angels are a good example of those that committed blasphemy. They knew God, were in heaven with him, and yet preached a lie. They will never be forgiven. If we purposely lead someone into error or deceive like the fallen angels did, knowing the real truth, we commit this crime. If we make simple mistakes because the flesh is weak, we are not guilty of blaspheming the holy spirit, we just have the spirit of the flesh for that time still lingering, and it is something different not leading to death, it can be repented on. Here are some scriptures on the Spirit of truth which describes the Holy Spirit. I love these scriptures, and when I understood exactly what the Holy Spirit is, I rejoiced in the Lord even more. I hope you do too. Now I know the Holy Spirit, is not just a "feeling" or something that just sweeps over us and then leaves, no the Holy Spirit is our teacher which helps us to understand all those scriptures which were once confusing, a bit at a time. John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John 15:26 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 14:26 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 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

The only solution to it all is for America to unanimously and unequivocally repent and turn back to Christ.

More good questions Spiderman. Let me add a few more for consideration. How many sections or realms of the dead are there? How many parts of man are there, and do they all go to the same place upon death? Is Sheol/Hades everlasting?

Hi Seajules, I don't think there is any one answer to your question because the presence of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives is going to be a different experience, and I don't think that if we took all of our experiences and everything written about Him in the Bible, we would still be able to understand the infinite nature of the Holy Spirit. So, I am going to give you my experience with the Holy Spirit. To me Isaiah 42:16 describes my experience "I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them, and I will not forsake them" So, I am the blind that He leads by a way that is unknown, which could be represented by the rapidly changing world we live in today. Our experience as Christians today is something that is unknown, unpredictable, dark. But somehow, darkness turns to light and rough places are made into level ground for me. This is what He does for me even when I have struggled a lot with fear and confusion. I used to go to church every week wondering if I was this close to be rejected by God, and I would get there and tell myself "there is only one way to find out," and get out of my car and go to church. I did the same thing when I was battling over whether to read my Bible when my pain made me feel that I had not been forgiven of sin. I would take a deep breath and say, "there is only one way to find out," and read my Bible like a little blind mouse. It has been many years since I have had to go about persevering in my walk with Christ this way, but I will never forget that this is who I am. This is how I got where I am today and my major weaknesses have my greatest strengths. " But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me," (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Not likely Cletus, that is not how the pre-trib camp operates. Scripture is not that important, doctrine is built on taking a wish, finding scriptures that could support the wish (if we ignore context, and define meanings to words and phrases which the scripture does not, and adding events that scripture never even mentions), and then cobbling it together into a story that seems reasonable, if you do not look too closely.

It is an electro chemical reaction...or is that too pro abortionist?

I agree with Ezra. No where in the Bible do you read where the dead have a second chance at salvation. It is eternal. Thank you Ezra for stating the truth.

Because he is the first black prez. There I said it.

I'm late to this discussion, but this isn't going to be the good news that some are wanting it to be. While I personally believe in the miracle and sanctity of life and God's sovereignty over it - this will never stand up to convince unbelievers or to uphold life at conception. What we are seeing is just a chemical "spark" of zinc that changes the membrane around the egg so that no other sperm can get in - a polyspermy block is what it is called. The millisecond that the sperm meets the egg is not when conception takes place. It takes another 12 to 24 hours for the sperm to makes its way into the interior of the egg, for its "tail" to drop off and the male genetic material to leave out of its remaining head, and for that genetic material to combine with the eggs genetic material. That's conception - and in my humble opinion - the miracle of life from God. The spark isn't showing conception at all. But here's the bad news. And as I have been reading about this, it's all supported by the in vitro clinics so they can dispose of eggs and yes, even embryos that they believe to be inferior - they are calling the low sparks or non sparks as defective eggs. It's just more "proof" for the legitimacy of genetic engineering. I'm afraid this "spark" is going to benefit the bad guys wanting to engineer life, not the Christians who hold it as a holy thing.

I don't know "when" the rapture happens, I only know what the Bible says. A real good guess would be at the first resurrection which the Bible says happens at the second coming.

Life begins at conception, science teaches 3:25 am, Jan 13, 2013 Sarah Terzo It is the central question in the abortion debate: when does life begin? Science teaches without reservation that life begins at conception. It is a scientific fact that an organism exists after conception that did not exist before conception. This new organism has its own DNA distinct from the mother and father, meaning that it is neither part of the mother nor part of father. As the embryo grows, it develops a heartbeat (22 days after conception), its own circulatory system, and its own organs. From conception it is a new organism that is alive and will continue to grow and develop as long as nutrition is provided and its life is not ended through violence or illness. It is indisputably human, as it has human DNA. The offspring of two members of a species is always the same type of creature as the parents. No two dogs will ever conceive and give birth to a cat; no fish egg will ever produce a snake. According to all the laws of nature, the unborn baby is human. Scientific textbooks proclaim this fact. Keith L. Moore’s The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology (7th edition, Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2003) states the following: A zygote [fertilized egg] is the beginning of a new human being. Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete … unites with a female gamete or oocyte … to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marks the beginning of each of us as a unique individual. The term “zygote” is a scientific term for the new life that is created when the sperm and the egg combine. “Oocyte” is another term for the egg cell, the cell released by woman’s ovary which travels down the fallopian tube and is fertilized by the male sperm. The author of this scientific textbook, Keith L. Moore, is a world-renowned embryologist. He has written a number of definitive books on embryology, and his scientific knowledge and experience are vast and beyond reproach. Few medical students can complete their careers without studying from his textbooks. Moore puts it even more plainly in Before We Are Born: Essentials of Embryology (7th edition, Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2008, p. 2): [The zygote], formed by the union of an oocyte and a sperm, is the beginning of a new human being. Here is an example from another scientific work. From Human Embryology & Teratology (Ronan R. O’Rahilly, Fabiola Muller [New York: Wiley-Liss, 1996], 5-55): Fertilization is an important landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new, genetically distinct human organism is thereby formed[.] This third embryology textbook is as clear as the first two – fertilization is the beginning of new life and the start of a new, distinct human organism. From T.W. Sadler, Langman’s Medical Embryology (10th edition, Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006, p. 11): Development begins with fertilization, the process by which the male gamete, the sperm, and the femal gamete, the oocyte, unite to give rise to a zygote. And in another source (Ronan O’Rahilly and Fabiola Miller, Human Embryology and Teratology [3rd edition, New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001, p. 8]): Although life is a continuous process, fertilization … is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new genetically distinct human organism is formed when the chromosomes of the male and female pronuclei blend in the oocyte. In yet another textbook (William J. Larsen, Essentials of Human Embryology [New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1998, pp. 1, 14]), we read the following: . Human embryos begin development following the fusion of definitive male and female gametes during fertilization[.] … This moment of zygote formation may be taken as the beginning or zero time point of embryonic development. As we can see, embryology textbooks are unanimous: life begins at fertilization. And the life that begins is not simply a continuation of the life of the sperm or egg cell. Rather, it is the life of a distinct, unique, new individual which has never existed before in history and will never exist again. Nothing will be added to the new organism except nutrition, and it will continue to grow and develop until death occurs due to injury or illness. Lennart Nilsson was a photographer who took the first pictures of unborn embryos and fetuses and made them available in his famous book A Child is Born. In the introduction to this book, which contains beautiful full-color pictures of unborn babies in different stages of development, he says: … but the whole story does not begin with delivery. The baby has existed for months before – at first signaling its presence only with small outer signs, later on as a somewhat foreign little being which has been growing and gradually affecting the lives of those close by[.] This incredible book shows gorgeous photographs of the unborn baby from conception to birth. We see the shape of the six-week-old embryo begin to resemble the profile of the baby who will be born. We see the tiny, fully formed fingers of an eight-week-old unborn baby. It is a remarkable book that many expectant mothers have seen, and its photographs have been reproduced many times. The word “embryo” is defined as such (Considine, Douglas [ed.], Van Nostrand’s Scientific Encyclopedia, 5th edition, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1976, p. 943): Embryo: The developing individual between the union of the germ cells and the completion of the organs which characterize its body when it becomes a separate organism. … At the moment the sperm cell of the human male meets the ovum of the female and the union results in a fertilized ovum (zygote), a new life has begun[.] And yet another textbook (Carlson, Bruce M. Patten’s Foundations of Embryology, 6th edition, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996, p. 3) states: Almost all higher animals start their lives from a single cell, the fertilized ovum (zygote)[.] … The time of fertilization represents the starting point in the life history, or ontogeny, of the individual. This is a mere handful of excerpts from medical textbooks. In fact, try as you might, you will never find a book on genetics or embryology that does not state that life begins at conception. National Geographic put together a television program (“In the Womb,” 2005) documenting the development of the baby throughout pregnancy. In the introduction of their program, they sum up the scientific knowledge of the beginning of life in the following way: The two cells gradually and gracefully become one. This is the moment of conception, when an individual’s unique set of DNA is created, a human signature that never existed before and will never be repeated. In 1981 (April 23-24), a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee held hearings on the question of when human life begins. Appearing to speak on behalf of the scientific community was a group of internationally known geneticists and biologists who had the same story to tell – namely, that human life begins at conception – and they told their story with a complete absence of opposing testimony (Subcommittee on Separation of Powers to Senate Judiciary Committee S-158, Report, 97th Congress, 1st Session, 1981). *** Dr. Micheline M. Mathews-Roth, Harvard Medical School, gave confirming testimony, supported by references from over 20 embryology and other medical textbooks that human life began at conception. It is incorrect to say that biological data cannot be decisive…It is scientifically correct to say that an individual human life begins at conception. *** “Father of Modern Genetics” Dr. Jerome Lejeune told the lawmakers: To accept the fact that after fertilization has taken place a new human has come into being is no longer a matter of taste or opinion … it is plain experimental evidence. Each individual has a very neat beginning, at conception. *** Dr. McCarthy de Mere, medical doctor and law professor, University of Tennessee, testified: The exact moment of the beginning of personhood and of the human body is at the moment of conception. *** Dr. Alfred Bongiovanni, professor of Pediatrics and Obstetrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, concluded: I am no more prepared to say that these early stages represent an incomplete human being than I would be to say that the child prior to the dramatic effects of puberty … is not a human being. … I have learned from my earliest medical education that human life begins at the time of conception. ***Dr. Richard V. Jaynes: To say that the beginning of human life cannot be determined scientifically is utterly ridiculous. ***Dr. Landrum Shettles, sometimes called the “Father of In Vitro Fertilization,” notes: Conception confers life and makes that life one of a kind. And on the Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade, To deny a truth [about when life begins] should not be made a basis for legalizing abortion. *** Professor Eugene Diamond stated: … either the justices were fed a backwoods biology or they were pretending ignorance about a scientific certainty. ***Gordon, Hymie, M.D., FRCP, chairman of medical genetics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester: By all criteria of modern molecular biology,life is present from the moment of conception. … Science has a very simple conception of man; as soon as he has been conceived, a man is a man. *** C. Christopher Hook, M.D. Oncologist, Mayo Clinic, Director of Ethics Education, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine: When fertilization is complete, a unique genetic human entity exists. The official Senate report reached this conclusion: Physicians, biologists, and other scientists agree that conception marks the beginning of the life of a human being – a being that is alive and is a member of the human species. There is overwhelming agreement on this point in countless medical, biological, and scientific writings. Unborn babies are among the most vulnerable and helpless members of our society. Science declares that they are human beings with inherent value. The value of human beings is not dependent on where they are, how tall they are, what race they are, what they look like, or how old they are. Each person has inherent worth because of who and what he or she is: a member of the human species. Source: http://liveactionnews.org/life-begins-at-conception-science-teaches/

I just watched this on the news. How can they get away with trying to prevent him from speaking. People like that always scream equal rights, free speech until its something they don't like. ...they looked like fools.

They think grandma knows what she is talking about. The same as a lot of people sitting in church, think the preacher knows what he is talking about. What matters is what the Bible says, and it doesn't say anything about a pre-trib rapture that can't be applied to second coming, where it belongs.

That's all fine and dandy but the Bible says nothing about multiple first resurrections, it only says there is 1 and it happens at the second coming.

Maybe it's time to just shoot them instead of arresting them the second or third time.

some of them are paid protestors and the paid ones stir up the rest..... it is the people who will be hurt the most if trump wins the November election. MG described them pretty well.

That is a pretty involved question that brings up many other questions and issues. It gets into the nature of Messiah and Elohim. I think that Esther touched upon some of this issue. Messiah is the Word. 2,000 years ago the Word became flesh. However the Word was in the beginning. This same Word has appeared throughout history in various forms and manifestations and names. In the passage from Rev 19 that Esther mentioned, he had a name that no one knows and his name is called the Word of Elohim. Jews traditionally have embraced aspects of the Word (Devar, Memra, Logos) and Christians have embraced another aspect. All have pierced the Aleph-Tav Word in different ways. It is interesting throughout scripture and particularly in Revelation that the true believers have two major components. They keep the Commandments of Elohim and have the Testimony of Y'shua. For the most part there is one group who believes in keeping the commandments and another group that claims a testimony of a Messiah/Christ. The true believers have both components. Y'shua was asked a question about taxes. He asked them whose image was on the coin. When they responded by saying Caesar, he said give to Caesar what belongs to him and Elohim what is His. Y'shua was speaking of two different currencies. One form of currency bore Caesar's image. The other currency was speaking to them, for he was the express image of Elohim and would soon be the payment to Elohim for mankind. Let us imagine that we have a piece of holographic film with a face on it. What happens if we cut the film or plate in half? Or perhaps cut into a hundred pieces? Most would assume that we would have a destroyed image and fragments of different parts of the face image. However, no matter how many times we divide it, we still have a complete image. Every small piece contains all of the information of the whole. Messiah/Word is the express image of Elohim and we are suppose to be transformed into his image. At this time we do not see the image of Messiah in his fullness or totality. For it is written, in that day we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. There is a connection between seeing him as he is and becoming more like him. Again, the Word was in the beginning and appeared to many in the so-called OT. I have listed a number of scriptures from both the old and nt that shows the Holy Spirit being in people before the Word became flesh. As I said, humans tend to see the Bible and history on a linear time line. The blood of the Messiah is not confined to merely traveling forward since year zero. It would be just as easy to go forward or backward into time.

Actually I've come to understand the spark is a chemical reaction set off that begins a protective coating around the egg so no other sperm makes it in. The process of fertilization hasn't yet happened and won't for another 17 hours or so. So in the argument "life" has not yet begun. Sorry but that's what you will hear but more technical. I'm no medical science guy.

I gave you my response,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I did not ask for your opinion of it nor do I care,,,please stop quoting everything I say,the notifications are the only reason I come back to these threads in case it is something I can be useful in discussing,,,,,,,,,,,, I do wish you well but I cannot entertain you any longer unless I see a change of heart,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,only God knows your heart,not me & I am not happy with what I see & hear,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I've read it. It is always good to hear from others and I'm sure many like to share what they like about the Bible or what it means to them.

Pentecost was also a declaration to all Jews that God had made Jesus both Lord and Christ, and that that would be the basis of salvation henceforth. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:37) And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3:23) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) The Lamb of God (also the ultimate Passover Lamb) had been slain, the veil in the Temple had been torn, and Jesus of Nazareth was now seated at the right hand of the Father, with the Father's throne as the ultimate Mercy Seat. There would be no going back to Moses.

I think it would be a good start by reading Galations,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it is the same advice I would have given my own son when he asked for my help with a writing assignment,it is YOUR assignment

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions Exodus 12:12-13 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. As our family prepared and led a Passover Seder a few years ago in South Carolina, the Lord reminded me of a truth which I had understood, but never had seen so clearly applied from the Passover story. Of course, the celebration of Passover for believers normally emphasizes the revelation of our Passover Lamb -- the Lamb of God, Yeshua, who was delivered up, a Lamb without blemish, and sacrificed in our place as an offering for our sins. As Israel celebrates deliverance from slavery, we celebrate deliverance from the bondage of sin. We celebrate knowing that death no longer has power over us since we pass from this temporal world into the eternal when we die. Furthermore, when the children of Israel were passed over, while each of the firstborn of Egypt died, Israel did not depart as penniless slaves. They left carrying with them the riches of Egypt! Likewise, we who were spiritually "penniless" when we came to the Lamb, instantaneously inherited riches beyond our imagination. These are two of the wonderful lessons from the Passover event. As I studied in preparation for our Seder another truth has struck me powerfully-- the blood needed to be applied! If the children of Israel had merely believed in the power of the lamb's blood, and the word of Moses, but never applied it to their doorposts, the angel of death would still have killed their firstborn! A passive belief in the blood would not have saved them -- action was required -- the blood needed to be applied to their doorpost. Once the blood was applied, a line was drawn across which the angel of death could not pass! Most of us have an understanding of the power of the blood. But are we actively applying the blood to our lives and circumstances as a hedge of protection around us? No, not as a magic formula, but prayerfully in the spirit, as a cleansing and protective reality over our lives, families, loved ones, homes, cities, and nations. Assume your authority as a child of God this Passover season, and apply the blood over any area of your life that needs His supernatural protection and provision. Don't take a passive approach in these last days, but be actively walking in the power of the blood, this Passover, and in the coming days....for truly, if there was ever a time we needed to be walking in His power, protection and victory, it's Today! The post The Blood Must Be Applied! appeared first on Worthy Christian Devotional - Daily Devotional. View the full article Note: While this is 'locked' for comments, commments can be made on the article page by clicking the full article link.

I kind of look at it like this: Rock and roll, the world is really good at it, the church never will be as good as the world at rock and roll, but a copy, and most of the time not very good. And we shouldn't really try actually. Political activism, the world does things their way and very good at it, as destructive as it sometimes is they are still good at it. The church, well we copy and get pretty good at it but should we? It's the way of this world, is it not? A big reason the force of liberalism has gained unreasonable, illogical control, which can be seen on a surface level as the article would wax on about as many conservative religious articles have done for many years with no real effect other than another arguing point as the liberal machine marches onward, is the temporal, physical battle in the flesh the church has engagded in with great glee and self serving reverence for at least my life time. We quote scripture about the battle belonging to the Lord and our weapons of warfare not being carnal and yet what do we see and what do we do? Instead of birth clinics being established everywhere an abortion clinic is established we see signs and banners and petitions, which by the way politicians pay no mind to, and money to politicians and lying politicians saying ya ya ya I'll work for you decade after decade and yet here we are. We have inadvertantly, with our own form of political gaming, created an opposing political force that apposes biblical standards because the religious right has scared he crap out of people. Fundamentalists Christians are not to control the law and government of Salem and neither is the druid. A basic simplistic perspective of church and state. After all what does history have for us in the way of church controling the state? The so called church has killed many believers from controls implimented by a worldly insane calvin dogma garbage right right right mental machine. The world is far better at being the world than the church. We are called out of this world, we are the "called out ones". Instead of hitting our faces, satclothe and ashes stuff when roe v wade came about and recognized our carnal comfortable leaodecian life and repenting we became political activists and things have simply progressively gotten even worse. This world, this present age, is far better at politics than the church will ever be. We have a king we serve in a kingdom that is and has and is to come. I'm actually sick of the retreaded conservative religious right humfra, we got the rights give us our rights your wrong we are right fight fight fight garbage. Doesn't work and never will. Just look at the last forty years. Men with men, women with women, and in the church, we are loosing in our arena, the spiritual, and no end in sight, temporally speaking that is. Jesus is all we have. "The nations have gone mad." What's that saying people have been passing around about Einstein and insanity?

I appreciate your insights. My posts have digressed a bit. I came here not seeking marital advice but thoughts on how to overcome my inner struggles and to see if any Christians have done infertility treatments. I realize this is a joint decision that my husband and I need to make together. I don't know if we will ever see eye to eye on this issue but I am hopeful that a professional intermediary will help us come to a decision that we can both live with. Thanks to all who have responded.

Thank you, Esther, for your kind words. I agree we need more time to discuss it (in counseling or with our Pastor ideally) and to reflect prayerfully but we may not have much time. I went through my cancer diagnosis and treatment last year at age 31. My husband and I were trying to conceive when my doctor found a malignant tumor. Treatment ended 6 months ago and I am currently cancer free (praise God!) but still healing emotionally. There is a possibility that I will go into menopause any day now and stop producing eggs. This race against time has been clouding my mind and adding to our stress. My husband is scheduled to deploy overseas next spring so now is not the best time to grow our family anyway. Has anyone here adopted an infant domestically?

Thanks for your response. My husband is also a believer so I was very surprised that he didn't take issue with surrogacy or IVF. Is there any ambiguity on this? My heart hurts. I don't wish to disobey God nor do I want to disappoint my husband. Either way, I am filled with guilt and self loathing. What if this decision results in ending our marriage? I am trying to surrender my fears to God but have not succeeded.

The pre-trib doctrine teaches not only a third coming but a third resurrection, the Bible only teaches a second coming and two resurrections. You be the judge which to believe.

Hi Kwik Sometimes when i think of this universe and its parameters,, as a Christian i know it is not by chance but by design, and when i look at pictures of spiral galaxies i imagine they are like the tightly wound coils of a clock unwinding to an inevitable conclusion,,,,i wonder if the constraints that bind us such as time and distance are simply just that, a constraint limiting our capacity to know and also a kinda prison for satan awaiting his eternal end... God Bless

The article lost me at this sentence: "The final Messiah will be a normal human being, born of human parents. It is thus possible that he is already born " This is completely in opposition to the Bible. The Jews have yet to come to Jesus.

The old saying 'where there's smoke there's fire' comes to mind. What your husband is doing is disrespectful to you. Is he a believer? You could remind him of this passage in God's word: Matthew 5:28 “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

Thank you for your response . Likewise, I thought yours to be well said

First, the ark never sailed underwater, it wasn't a submarine dude. Second, HOW do YOU know that Noah was "unskilled"? Are you implying that Noah was "primitive" are you? What, were you there to OBSERVE those times were you? All indications are that ancient man was just as smart as modern man, it is not the individuals that make us what we are today ("advanced") but the COLLECTIVE progression of knowledge over the millennia's dude. Thirdly, there have been independent trials on seaworthy tests of the ark by secular types (scaled down models in a wave generated pool) many times, of which I have even seen on a documentary here in Australia with naval engineers etc involved and guess what .. the ark PASSED the test .. you are just parroting debunked and ignorant arguments from the haters .. even honest atheists who have looked into this would be ashamed .. got a suggestion .. STOP choosing the informants that you PREFER and TRY looking for the informants with no AGENDAS except truth seeking .. there are SOME atheists out there still BRAVE enough to set you straight on this, you just have to do a HONEST search for them is all .. we all have google, so try doing a honest and unbiased search and you might just get a surprise. Fourth, the Wyonging sank AFTER 14 YEARS of reliable service .. so either you purposely omitted that part (lied) or you were ignorant of it because of who you CHOOSE to listen to. Advice, it's always best to seek out information from those with no AGENDAS, otherwise you will only embarrass yourself in the end .. bias never leads to truth, only shame. Huh? You're making this up right? Right? I suggest you go take another look at the data .. oh, and DEFINE animal's found in every layer please .. I'm sure the evolutionists would be hungry for your evidence because THEY haven't even found what you're saying and they've BEEN THERE !!!! Gee, you can become famous dude .. famous. And as for the layers being "time periods", please explain the fossilised VERTICAL STANDING TREES (minus roots that appear to have been ripped off them all as though a flood had come through) that cover/penetrate supposed millions of years of geological time layers with absolutely no rotting taking place between the epochs huh? IMPOSSIBLE by YOUR evolutionary explanations BTW .. IMPOSSIBLE .. Or, how the sediments have been WARPED as though they DRIED that way which your so called time periods can not explain but a flood explains nicely .. there's more than just one side to this dude, and evolutionists do NOT have all the answers regardless of the rantings of the militant/extremist/dishonest types. Dude, dude, dude. Don't you even know that evolutionists also have models using land bridges between the continents during the ice age to explain animal migrations too??? How the land bridges lasted for CENTURIES before being reclaimed by the oceans????? Don't you realise that the bible hints at ONE land mass just like some evolutionary models do too????? meaning, even Kangaroos could have been grazing nearby as Noah built the Ark etc etc etc????? Oh boy .. dude, don't you even realise that it is EXTREMELY RARE for fossils to FORM unless the right CONDITIONS occur, like, say, a flood as one example .. which after drowning the creature, then covers the animal's corpse under layers of sand once everything settles???? No credible/honest evolutionist uses that silly argument today, except the militant extremist radicalised types who KNOW they are telling LIES on PURPOSE for to DECEIVE their subjects because they are God haters first and foremost, truth is a distant second to those militant extremist and radicalised types . THEY are the only ones using that ignorant argument because they KNOW that there are still billions of lazy (ignorant) and biased "believers" readily accepting this tripe without ever bothering to HONESTLY look into these things because deep down .. they DON'T WANT TO know the TRUTH. Dude, you need to break those shackles of ignorance and stop listening to one side only, honestly .. wake up to both sides of the argument for a better grasp of what is true and what is nothing more than biased propaganda by godless extremists where morals are as elastic as their just so story telling with their god of the gaps "father time".

You are falsely conjoining two entirely different prophecies. Matt. 24:15's "abomination of desolation" has nothing at all to do with Daniel 9:27, in which that phrase does not exist in the Hebrew text. Jesus takes that exact phrase from the End Time prophecy of Daniel 12:11, not the first century AD fulfillment of Dan. 9:27

Either the covenant is confirmed for seven years, or it is confirmed for ~3.5 years and then broken. It can't be both. Here is what Daniel 9:27 states: And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: Daniel 9:27a How long is the covenant confirmed for? Seven years. If the covenant is broken, it ceases being confirmed doesn't it? If the covenant is broken before the full seven years is completed then it isn't confirmed for seven years. Is it? The confirming of the covenant last for a full seven years according to Daniel 9:27.

I've yet to hear a good explanation as to how a covenant can be confirmed for seven years when it's broken in the middle, or am I missing something?

Yes, from the heart. I can't judge cause I can't see everything. Some call from the flesh out of greed or for mans approval. I don't think confessions from lips that have hearts hidden in selfishness are earnestly seeking Him as Savior. i don't know the depths of His promise or mans sincerity in a cry to Him. But, I do know the depth of His love is immeasurable. I also know He watches over His word to keep it. So yes I believe romans 10:13 and I have experienced romans 5:5. You know His name is Savior (Yahshua He saves.

I take it you have done some research of Pluto. 4.67 billion miles from earth. Atmosphere so thick it would be impossible to breath. Pluto is the last of the Outer Planets, the farthest from the sun. Basically a little frozen rock. NAUSA has said that it is almost impossible to see anything on pluto because of the darkness and the atmosphere. I would love to look through a telescope that is that powerful enough to see any markings on a planet that not even NAUSA can see, and believe me if their telescopes can't see it then we sure can't But I think once we are in heaven, who knows we might just be able to see and visit that planet. Kind of fun to think about. Actually Pluto has an incredibly thin atmosphere not a thick one. The planet is too small to have a gravitational pull that is strong enough to sustain an atmosphere. The reason we couldn't breathe it is because of lack of oxygen. Plus, it's very,very cold.