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  1. Well, it is just about the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. For those not familiar with that, it is a time in church history, where people were waking up to how far the church had degraded since it's inception. A reformation was needed, because church leadership, to a great degree, had become corrupted. Church positions were basically for sale to the highest bidder. The church was allowing people to buy indulgences, basically a license to sin, and shorten one's time in Purgatory. These could be used for yourself, or to shorten the time of a deceased loved one. Purgatory was basically seen as a place where a person paid for their sins by suffering until their sins were paid for and they could attain to heaven. In other words, the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross was deemed inadequate - definitely not the gospel, nor in the Bible. Church leadership (and by that I mean the Pope, Bishops, Cardinals, all the way down to priests) was falling prey to pride, sexual sin, hunger for power, greed and the like. The Bible was not yet in the hands of common people, nor was it necessarily in a language that ordinary people could understand, Christians were totally dependent, on what their leaders told them the Bible said, and what the Bible meant. That was a very quick summary of the conditions that had developed in the first 1500 years of the church. It is not my purpose to lecture anyone on church history, nor am I qualified to do so. I just wanted to give a quick background of what lead to the Reformation. Generally it is held, that the Reformation began when a German monk (Martin Luther) nailed his 95 theses on the door of Wittenberg Castle. That can be debated, but it was certainly a pivotal event. Now, the main thing I came to do, was to open a discussion about the five "solas" of the reformation. These are 5 ideas, that sort of embody the spirit of the Reformation, the main things that were seen as needing to be addressed and focused upon in the church as it existed at the time. Luther's hope, was not to attack the church, or start a new denomination, nor anything of the sort. His hope was to start a bit of a dialogue or debate, an opportunity for the church to do a little self examination. Sola, comes from a Latin word meaning alone or sole. The solas are these: SOLA SCRIPTURA SOLA FIDE SOLA GRATIA SOLO CHRISTO SOLI DEO GLORIA Sola scriptura, is the idea, that only the scripture, is ultimately a trustworthy source of information about spiritual matters. The traditions of the church, lack any real authority. Likewise, the leadership of the church, was also not authoritative, and must be subservient to the word of God. Sola fide, is the idea that salvation comes by faith alone, not by works, God grants salvation, and believers do not earn it by doing good deeds. Sola gratia, is closely related to sola fide. It is the idea, that mankind does not earn, cannot earn, and can never deserve salvation. Salvation is a free gift that God bestows to believers, totally apart from any merit of their own. Solo Christo, addresses the subject of and object of the faith of believers who will inherit salvation. Our faith is in Christ alone. There is nothing or no one in which we place our faith apart from Christ. No faith in works, nor the church, nor Mary the mother of Jesus, not the saints, not our prayers or rituals - our faith is in Jesus alone, regarding salvation. Sola deo gloria, informs us that all glory, is due to God alone, no one else gets credit or glory for what God has done for us. Of course, this implies the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as the one true God. They could be stated, that the scriptures alone, authoritatively teach us that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. That is what I have to say, to start this topic. If anyone chooses to, they may add to the discussion, elaborate, offer scripture, etc. I just thought it fitting, at this time of the impending 500 years anniversary of the Reformation, to offer some thought and reflection on what it was/is about.
    3 points
  2. Go to any of their concerts and you'll quickly get a first hand encounter of how strange they really are. I was a big fan of their music for several years - most of my friends still are. It's good modern sounding worship music, but after attending a concert and seeing what all they did that was seriously straight up demonic I walked out and haven't listened again. Scary stuff.
    3 points
  3. An isolated "verse" can have nearly as many meanings as there are individuals to read or hear it in isolation. The Books of the Bible are better taken in as just that scrolls or books containing a full development of a message from God via His appointed and inspired human authors. The versification of the Bible, though considered an aid, is also a bane on the word of God! For it makes it easy for what I think of as bumper sticker theology. It is weak , very weak by comparison to the whole body of work recorded for each of us to read study think and pray over. It is so very often misleading to take a phrase, a verse, a sentence, or even a passage, and isolate it from it's historic setting as well as it's fullest develpopment of thought message and instruction, then plug that isolated phrase onto the back of one's own desired meaning. No matter how well meaning the goal might be, it is careless at best and perhaps even deceptive at worst and an error to do it. It is the cherry picking approach to God's guidance as it short changes the hearer of the fullest power of the word of God, often misguiding the hearer entirely. I ask and I suggest taking the time to present all that is to be presented in a fuller context for the benefit of all that read a presentation of conclusion and or guidance from God via His word the Bible.
    3 points
  4. the Purposely Drivel Lie -is very conniving. its existence can come about cos more and more folk are desperate to find meaning and purpose, not just young folk either. a decade ago i would have been one of those people. the church just doesnt meet the need of the spiritual vacuum for those in spiritual anguish is my direct experience. and so ta da we have this deception that seems to be growing.
    2 points
  5. yeah bethel church they are the folks that are into the NAR new apostolic reformation. also Hillsong are very very dodgy apparently the son of the Hillsong thingie found out that his dad was a pedophile and kept stum about it. does that make this music bad? also as i would like to assume the organisation had no knowledge about it. got similar connotations to the BBC and jimmy savile might not be on the same degree but nevertheless it was covered up by the bbc for decades. i wouldnt want to post a link to the bbc thing as it is way too sick
    2 points
  6. Not going to pile on the condemnation here, it's the Holy Spirit's job to convict of sin and not mine; however, I would be very cautious before you agree to move away from your family, job, home, and life for someone who seems to be unable to commit to you permanently. If he's asking you to give up all of that and come with him then he should not have any issue committing to you in marriage. Perhaps you're correct in assuming the Lord is using this to give you a time of separation so that both of you can evaluate things.
    2 points
  7. This thread is rather nostalgic for me. Ah, the good old days when I used to base my faith on believing all the right things, seeking out the masses of Satan's wiles infiltrating the church, and determining which men and women of God were the ones who really spoke the truth. It was so easy back then. Find the truth and hammer anyone who transgressed God's holiness and Word. Being like a noble king ("It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter." Proverbs 25:2 AV) who would look for the hidden secrets in the Bible in the numbers and patterns and symbology. It was so easy just finding what was sin in the Bible and pointing that out to people. It was so cool that God had revealed so many problems and issues in the church and other Christians to me that I could share my wisdom and knowledge with them so that they could be better Christians. It was so fortunate that I found a set of Christian authors and ministers who really understood the Truth that I could learn from. I didn't even have to do a lot of study myself. All I had to do was read their stuff, memorize a few proof texts and point out where people were wrong and what Truth really was. It was so great that I really didn't have to spend decades studying the Bible to learn Truth, I just had to read their stuff. It was so easy to point out heresies and wolves in sheep's clothing and false teachers. They were everywhere. Life as a Christian was so easy then. I really didn't have to work for anything. God handed it all to me on a silver platter and I could just run with it and be a good Christian with no repercussions for anything I did or said. All my own sins were forgiven (and God was working on the long term ones) and I was saved and sincere so that covered my shortcomings. It was great that He directed me to a church and denomination that had a much firmer grasp on truth and holiness than all the other denominations. It's a lot harder now. When it was about trying to discover all aspects of Truth and what the Bible really taught, it was so easy because I could focus on things that had little to do with growing spiritually or bearing fruit. Now God expects me to see people, situations, and everything in life through His eyes and wisely apply what He put in the Bible to real life situations in a way that produces healthy spiritual changes and growth in myself and others. Pointing out the sin in someone's life was so easy; all I had to do was point the finger, quote a scripture, and let God do the convicting. It wasn't my responsibility if they repented or not. Now God expects me to give effective godly counsel and wisdom so that they can actually achieve victory over the sin and see a real change and freedom in their life; not just learn to hide it or mitigate it a bit. When it was about memorizing a few proof texts and resting on those, it was so easy. Now God expects me (unique call here, not for everyone) to be reading the Bible in Greek (done) and Hebrew (which I started learning) and reading and studying a lot of reference materials for myself. It was so easy to just read a few books and absorb them and tell other people what was in them. Now God expects me to spend hours studying a day and become a man of God who can write classic Christian books himself. When it was about figuring out which churches God was actually in and which He was not, it was much easier to know who to avoid and who to embrace. I could just look at the label on someone and know how to react to them. Now that God has hammered me over the head with the fact that I have brothers and sisters in Christ are all over the place, I now have to look at each person individually and see what God is doing in their life and what God wants to do in their life. I can no longer pull out the cookie cutter to make them like me; God is forcing me to take the time consuming path to understand and discern who He wants them individually to be. Ah, for the good old days when I could just wade into the fray and just start letting it fly with minimal concern for anything other than "Truth". Now God expects me to do things for growth, edification, love, and unity among my brothers and sisters. There was a time I was convinced He held me responsible for making sure I corrected every mistake that I saw to defend His holiness and Truth. Now I'm convinced that I am responsible for making sure those who read my words are encouraged to continue forward in God, are given effective practical advice for moving forward spiritually, and will draw closer to God and others in the Body of Christ. It was so much easier when all I had to do was talk about Truth; now God expects me to help implement it effectively so that it changes lives. I used to love confrontation and thrived on it. But somewhere along the line, God made it a hard thing for me where I am pained by discouraging and potentially hurting someone spiritually. I used to just take the weed whacker indiscriminately into the garden to make sure I didn't miss a weed. So what if I knocked off a few good plants, I had to get rid of all of the weeds. Now my focus is on protecting and nurturing the plants. Some weeds are so tightly entwined with plants that you have to get down on your hands and knees and take a lot of time and care to separate them. If I have to leave a few weeds alone to avoid uprooting a good plant, I'll tolerate a few weeds. It used to be so easy when my sole concern was proclaiming Truth for Truth's sake; it is a lot harder when my concern is helping people grow spiritually and I have to carefully discern how much Truth God wants me to dispense to a particular person at a particular time to accomplish what He wants to accomplish at this time.
    2 points
  8. I'd rather be shot in the head and go home to glory before I re-schackled myself to the Law. What a dark, miserable, hopeless way to "live." To always wonder if I just broke an OT law (there are over 600, so the odds against me aren't good), to never have sure footing of my salvation, to forever tremble at the thought that this time I've blown it for real? Uh, no. Thank GOD for the cross, and the Blood that seals me forever!
    2 points
  9. I'll ignore the usual weak comeback, and ask you to defend Sunday observance from the scriptures....only...explaining why it should not be classified as one of the most widely accepted false doctrines in the church.
    2 points
  10. something I created based on personal experience and a sermon I heard afterwards. basically as a longtime single person it's kinda irritating to hear married people float about how great their marriage is continually in front of you. While nothings wrong with that and people should show appreciation for their marriage and spouses,sometimes they inadvertently go overboard. I've been in situations where being the only single person and have married persons start lengthy debates about marriage,loving their spouses etc. initially it wouldn't be too their sex lives much but then it'd happen repeatedly over several days. Not only are they rubbing what you don't have in your face but excluding persons in the group. I thought I was just being bitter or over sensitive til a recent visiting pastor preached about weighing our words before we say them. basically he said sometimes when people are going through things we inadvertently hurt them by talking about whats great in our lives in front of them making them wonder why can't I be blessed. Good point. again I'm not sayingmarried people can't praise their spouses or express happiness for them but everything in moderation and time and place
    1 point
  11. http://www.abc15.com/news/national/google-drones-will-drop-burritos-into-people-s-yards-in-australia
    1 point
  12. Try reading the site before you knock it......I only used it because as I said I dont have the time to get my thoughts out in as reasonable an order as I would like. Personally too, I find with bible commentaries the older the better. I use Cottage bibles that are 170 years old and bible commentaries like Charles Henry Mackintosh, a late 19th Century writer who could have been writing for today since he also talks about the Rapture (something little understood back then) and even the genesis of the prosperity gospel. It also speaks of how the Sunday worship is ordained for Christians even though the Saturday Sabbath hasnt changed
    1 point
  13. Isaiah 46:10New International Version (NIV) 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’
    1 point
  14. Hmmm....then are you calling the Bible, the Word of God a lie when it says that the Lord rose on a Sunday? And what about this..... Colossians 2:16 | Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
    1 point
  15. I don't disagree that we need to worship together. Just because we are fellowshipping, does not give others the right to be rude or harm others. Your enjoyment of something stops when it begins to invade someone else's rights or causes them harm. If you lose your hearing. How well do you think you will enjoy the service if you don't know what the sermon is about because you can no longer hear what is being spoken? It is one thing if the pastor or you don't mind losing hearing, but other people do mind and hearing is very important when it comes to communication and jobs. Like vision, one does not need to lose either. Both are equally important In 1 Corinthians 11 Paul teaches that people do not have the right to be selfish or rude at another person's expense. We are to be sensitive to others situations and needs. People that have asthma, are absolutely miserable if they have an asthmatic attack that lasts hours or days; that was set off by someone's perfume or cologne. Scents can choke someone severally, so that they have to be rushed to the er, and spend the rest of the day and night in the er because someone else demanded the right to wear a scent. It is both rude and arrogant for a church to force others into listening to their worship music at an uncomfortable volume. They do it because they want people outside of the church building to hear “their” wonderful music. More like shoving your beliefs down an unbeliever's throat. People do not like being forced to listen to something they are not interested in. And it drives them further away from the gospel. And yes, people need to hear the gospel, but it should not be presented in such a way, that it drives a person away from it instead of to it.
    1 point
  16. And it is statements like that that reveal the complete ignorance, perhaps wilful, of so many who claim wisdom on most everything else.
    1 point
  17. Oh yeah, my bad. It was the way it was worded. I will go back and amend my original quote.
    1 point
  18. After agreeing with everyone that all doctrine must be substantiated with scripture all of a sudden when asked the foundation of a central doctrine of the majority of churches: a doctrine upheld even by civil legislature, you say you don't need to defend it? Seriously?? As for the Sabbath being only for Israel, if you are not part of Israel you are not Christian. As for the SDA not being part of the kingdom of God, could you be a little more clear on that please? Do you mean the SDA church as an organisation, or are you referring to individual SDAs ....namely me? Finally, as for Sabbath observance being a litmus test for salvation, I am not sure what you are claiming here. Are you A. Saying that no-one, according to the SDA church will get to heaven except they observe the Sabbath? B. That by observing the Sabbath one earns his/her salvation? Or C. Both of the above,or something else? The reason I ask is because the average Christian while claiming great knowledge and insight on most matters are in fact woefully ignorant when it comes to what the SDA church actually teaches. Particularly so when the come charging out with such injudicious and uneducated accusations which include words such as 'cult' and 'heretic'. An example is the quote above which uses the words 'litmus test', as if no Sabbath observance, no salvation, which such dogmatic declaration my church does NOT teach. For example, even atheists may be in heaven ahead of many professing Christians. Think about that.
    1 point
  19. There is a mark we cannot attain to while still in these unredeemed bodies... but we have God Himself in Spirit within and so the press toward because Luke 12:48 (KJV) [48] But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. We've been given God within... so.... the press is pressing because of The Gift and the promise Jeremiah 29:12 (KJV) [12] Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. [13] And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. [14] And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. I think this can be understood in searching for Him in His Word as well...
    1 point
  20. Closing your ears to those in need. Proverbs 21:13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered. Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not want , but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse. Scripture tells us that Christians should consider the interest of others and help those in need. If someone asks you to pray for them, then pray. If someone begs for some water, food, or money, then give it to them. When you do these righteous things you are doing God’s will, working for God, and bringing happiness and blessings on others . Every act of kindness to others is an act of kindness to Christ. I encourage you to start today and lend a helping hand to others in need. Think about the many different ways you can help the needy today. Let’s think of different ways to bless the poor. Let’s pray that God removes any stinginess that’s lurking in our heart. Matthew 25:34-40 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me . I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then the people who have God’s approval will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’ What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” Augustine God has chosen us to help one another. What does the Bible say? • Isaiah 58:10-11 Feed the hungry , and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. •Deuteronomy 15:11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need. • Acts 20:35 By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘ It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” • Luke 12:33-34 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail , where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. These passages are not saying that we are saved by faith and works. It is saying that faith in Christ that doesn’t result in good deeds is false faith. True faith in Christ alone for salvation will change your life. • James 2:15-17 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. • Proverbs 19:17 The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed. • Psalm 37:25-26 I once was young and now I am old, but I have not seen a righteous person forsaken or his descendants begging for bread . Every day he is generous, lending freely, and his descendants are blessed Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself . There is none other commandment greater than these. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
    1 point
  21. Beautiful song, and beautiful photographic imagery of water droplets.
    1 point
  22. It all depends on what kind of dancing they are doing. Yes, if they are holding them so tight you can not see the light of day between them. If you have a committed relationship then ...no it is not necessary to dance with another partner.
    1 point
  23. The Lord gave a word for you OneLight... Proverbs 14:8New International Version (NIV) 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
    1 point
  24. That is really said. You know I like hearing your words. ❤
    1 point
  25. I'm not afraid. I hear it often here. When I look at the Protestant Churches, I see them as my brothers in Christ. One of the areas I feel they have not been preaching much on, and I think it is Very important, is the Blood of the Lamb. It is rare now to hear a sermon on this. Many sermons are all focused on the rapture, with much anticipation to leave the planet. My personal opinion is, this rapture teaching is taking away time that should be spent on teaching the words of Jesus Himself.
    1 point
  26. I guess that depends on where your happiness came from. I know that I can't turn happiness on and off like a light switch, so I have no reason to be smug about how I feel. As with all feelings, I try to understand why I am feeling this way when I first notice the change.
    1 point
  27. I agree with much you wrote, especially about making things into idols. To me, the bottom line, Love God with all you are, and your neighbor as yourself. And everything else will fall into line.
    1 point
  28. THAT ALONE, THAT ALONE shows a person KNOWS NOT JESUS PERIOID. that alone , that alone , that alone. That alone. SO many follow older teachings of men who actually had people PUT TO DEATH. that ALONE no matter how wise they seem TO MAN should let even a babe in Christ know THEY FALSE < FALSE FALSE FALSE. and no that aint judging harshly its juding RIGHTEOUSLY.
    1 point
  29. I have discovered that if I continue through the toughest of times and not give up, there is a greater blessing at the other end. May I suggest that you continue to seek God and not turn from him when the pain is great. I used to work in homeless shelters that offer much more than a bed. I hope you find one in your area or something similar.
    1 point
  30. Only God forgives our sin in we ask Him to forgive our sins in Jesus name. "Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name." Acts 10:43
    1 point
  31. I thought about staying out of this conversation as it is a circle game based in the post modern mindset - "What it true for you may not be true for me, and what is true for me may not be true for you." - lacking the basic foundation from scripture by adding other documents to be seen as equal to scripture, promoting their truths as "the truth" to them, even if you don't agree. How sad has His body become when there are no absolutes. There are some who place a higher value on science than they do scripture, believing that science is the final word of what is fact and what is not. They seem to come across in a way that science has reached a certain plateau of knowledge and they have to be taken as the final word without realizing, or at least, without admitting that science has proven itself wrong before and that knowledge keeps growing, so what is seen as a final word today can easily be proven incorrect tomorrow. One example is believing that we know everything there is to know about DNA, that all DNA has been collected, so any other DNA not classified has to be alien in some way, which is a partial truth ... it is alien to that days scientific understanding of DNA. Instead of people from the science group admitting that science is not perfect and that their modernistic mindset is also not perfect, they try to prove their findings with calculations, theories, equations, knowledge ... leaning on the understanding from man and not God. Instead of those who come here with controversial theories based on science being willing to admit that not all the facts are known, claiming that one has to discard the "other side" of the debate in order to hold to their idea of what is true, they are considering anyone who disagrees with them as harassing and attacking them and not their theories, making it a personal fight. Then there are others who believe they are so better connected with the Holy Spirit that only they can be trusted with a specific vision or level of understanding. These will come right out and admit that others are childlike in their understanding, placing themselves above everyone else. Thing is, God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He does not change and neither does His truth. I fail to see in scripture where the Holy Spirit will teach us anything outside of the truth that is already available, in other words, contradicting scripture itself with any new revelation. I do see He is here to help us understand the words given to us in scripture. So, with this in mind, what is false teaching and what is the measuring rod in determining that a teaching is false? If you look beyond the 66 books of the Bible for truth, then you are looking elsewhere for your foundation for truth. Even those who add the discarded book that once was in some Bibles must agree that the 66 book in the Bible are also in the Bibles that expand beyond the 66 books. Is it so hard to accept that the 66 books are enough to find His truth, or is there a reason why these 66 books are not enough? Do all people who come here with false teaching do so for monitory profit? Absolutely not as that is a blanket statement and blanket statements usually are proven to be wrong themselves. Some come here with their teaching because they believe they have superior understanding and want to share this understanding. There is no profit in this for them besides believing they are honoring the very God of their foundation, even though they have strayed from the truth found in the 66 books of scripture. Some come here claiming to have a vision or a prophecy and want to share their new understanding. Some others come here after they believe they are being shown something special by the Holy Spirit, thinking that they also are given this new knowledge to share, which is their duty. Then there are others who come here to make a profit, selling their ideas in books, dvd's and cd's that detail their false teaching ... those are truly false teachers, while some from the other groups can only be deceived ... the question if they are deceived is if they will accept correction. False teachers do teach false doctrine and they do need to be corrected, but when does one determine if the person is indeed a true false teacher? Is it as simple as if I don't agree with what you say you are a false teacher? I hope not as we do not hold to perfect truth either and will have to consider ourselves a false teacher when we learn from our mistakes. So, when can that title be established about another member? I would say, and this is just me, that when one comes here with a mindset that if people do not agree with them, then they are in error and have to be corrected after they are shown by others that they are themselves in error. In the past, that is known as an unteachable spirit. The minute we are so steadfast in our ways that we cannot be corrected, that in itself should be considered as false teaching, and if we refuse correction from scripture, then we have become a false teacher. Instead of people from steadfast beliefs in the denomination doctrine coming here to discuss and learn, they come here to correct and teach. If we were to look at all of their denominational doctrine, instead of one or two specific doctrines, they would find more common ground to agree on than not. Should our focus be on the false teacher or on the false teaching? I would say the teaching, as once the teaching is proven to be in error, the later follows automatically. Yet, when we focus on the person and not the teaching, we violate the Terms we agreed to when becoming a member. When this happens, even if the person is correct in their evaluation, they will be removed from the conversation. Why is that? Simple, when someone is personally attacked, a wall goes up and it becomes a personal war to fight to prove they are right and you are wrong., removing any change in showing the other their error. The TOS is not the final word in what is true; it is a guideline as to how this site is to operate from the top down. So, yes, there will be false teaching, heresies, false prophecies, etc. that come here from the world as the world becomes more wicked every day it continues. What are we to do with these? Show them the truth, learning how to defend the truth in the face of a lie or misunderstanding as we ourselves search the 66 agreed to books of the Bible for truth. You see, the bible does not contradict itself, we force a contradiction through our own understanding and theology, which is why we all need to listen twice as much as we speak. God did give us two eyes, two ears and only one mouth. It was said to me that this ministry is here to help others grow in their walk in Christ, continuously searching the scriptures to learn, using what they learn to discuss what others come here to teach to see if what they are hearing is true or not ... yup, to be like the Barean. So, I suggest that when one comes here to share their understanding, they do so with a teachable spirit, realizing that not one of us has the final say on what is truth. With this in mind, know the TOS and follow it. By doing so, discussion can lead to correction. Not following the TOS will more then likely get one removed from a discussion, loosing the chance to help another find the truth. When it becomes apparent that this will not happen, report the thread instead of taking the step into personal attacks and name calling.
    1 point
  32. OK no bible verses as I don't know any however I've survived suicide not my choice WPC got to me and done Cpr however had to go to a decompression unit as I'd taken the bends due to exhaust fumes I survived and when you look back your only here once so forget what ever is eating you and hold on to life if you need to talk im on here at Worthy Take care bro
    1 point
  33. Sometimes I get so stressed out about this place I have to leave for weeks or maybe even months. It shouldn't be that way but it is.
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  34. Yes. Sadly you are correct. Those that will not read and learn from history - generally repeat it.
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  35. John tells us who the woman is, it is up to you whether you believe him: Revelation 17 4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5The name written on her forehead was a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT HE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 18The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” Revelation 11 8Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. JERUSALEM! Let the Bible interpret the Bible.
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  36. Although I am as old as dirt, my hearing and sight are good. Last place I attended I had to wear hearing protectors. When you can 'feel' the music in your sternum, you know it is loud. Just in my normal day to day movements, I have noticed that people appear to be a little deaf: thus perhaps the music has to be loud. Sitting on an airplane for many hours and hearing quite clearly the ear-buds from six rows in front may give us a clue. I am wondering if the common penchant for being 'plugged-in' has contributed to sensory overload, thus more are hard of hearing. Having those things in your ears for hours on end at too high a level is probably not good for long term hearing.
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  37. false doctrine is any thing out side the persons personal belief................................... correct ?
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  38. An Indian was walking in downtown New York City alongside a resident friend. As they approached a busy street corner in the center of Manhattan, the Indian seized his friend's arm and whispered, "Wait. I hear a cricket." "Come on!", the city boy sneered, "This is downtown New York -- how could you possibly hear a cricket?" His friend persisted however, "No - seriously, I do!" The post Long time - no hear! appeared first on Worthy Christian Devotional - Daily Devotions. Read the entire devotional.
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  39. John 14:12 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father." The miracles of Jesus were a demonstration of how the authority of the Kingdom of Heaven has dominion over any condition on the earth. To the degree that we abide in the Kingdom by abiding in the King, we too can walk in authority over any condition on the earth. As we approach the end of this age, this will change from "can" to "must." OUR GOAL IS JESUS Jesus demonstrated this with His life, and this is what He has called us to walk in. It is a high calling, and such authority can only come from abiding in the King who is above all rule, authority, and dominion. So our primary goal should not just be power or authority, but the One who has all power and authority. Even so, at the end of this age, His Body is going to demonstrate His power, dominion, and authority to prepare the way for His coming Kingdom. Before the end of this age, there will be some who say to mountains "be plucked up and cast into the sea" (see Matthew 21:21), and the mountains will obey them. This must be done to prove that His Word is true. There will be those who see every miracle Jesus performed and even more. Some are already growing in authority and will one day walk in authority over every disease or affliction. John 17:22-23: - "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You did send Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me." When the Church matures and becomes what she is called to, it will be in such unity that the world will marvel. This authority of the Kingdom will coincide with the Gospel of the Kingdom being preached. One basic characteristic of those who walk in this authority is that they will be in unity with one another. This authority can only come from abiding in the King, and those who are rightly joined to the King will also be rightly joined to His Body. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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  40. Pilau ‘Ōpala stuff being peddled in this thread.
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  41. If you're under 30 a lot of this is normal. And you're right, talking about it should help, just make sure you talk to wise people. Writing about it is also good, that probably helps. I'm guessing you are young, you will grow out of most of this. Just don't start believing it. And if you know people who make you feel that way, try to avoid them. That can be really hard if those people are your family. I went through that. Unfortunately for me, there was no internet back then. So I had to learn what I'm telling you the hard way. Even 1 or 2 good friends who have a positive opinion of you can help. And the friend doesn't have to be the same gender as you, nor the same age. Growing up isn't easy and even after you're older, life isn't easy. Paul said something in 1 of the epistles that applies here. I can only paraphrase it. It's something like, whatever is good, noble, honorable, righteous, kind, forgiving, and loving, dwell on those things.
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  42. Revelation 22:1 - "And He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." This supernatural river with healing properties flows from the throne and needs to be released on the earth. We as believers are the gateway through which this healing river is released. We already have access to everything we need to bring healing to the nations. AFFIRMATIONS: God leads me to the river of His Spirit, the current of clear goodness that flows without ceasing. As I step into that unfailing new life, I will want nothing else. A river starts small and grows until it reaches its destination. I am called to a journey that grows continually in both life and power. Proverbs 4:18 - "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day." "Of the increase of His Government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." - Isaiah 9:7 Are you ready to be even more aggressive in the area of faith to see the impossible become possible for great and mighty things to take place? This is not a time to be fearful but be strong in the Lord in His Power and Might. Charles Spurgeon said once that he never passed a single quarter of an hour in his waking moments without a distinct consciousness of the presence of the Lord. When the Spirit fills the heart, so does His power, grace, and direction; the face of Jesus is vividly and evidently near. Choosing to set yourself firmly in the place where God has called you unlocks spiritual principles thatresults in increase. The best days of the Church are upon us and it's a time to embrace our divine destiny. God is good and He is faithful! Let us wake up and be successful in fulfilling all He has planned! This is the hour of the fulfillment of His promises of glory and light! The people of God are beginning to "arise and shine" for our light has come! Accept each day exactly as it comes to you -- not only the circumstances of your day but also the condition of your body. Your assignment is to trust Him absolutely, resting in His goodness and faithfulness. On some days, your circumstances and your physical condition feel out of balance: The demands on you seem far greater than your strength. Days like that present a choice between two alternatives—giving up or relying on Him. Even if you wrongly choose the first alternative, He will not reject you. You can turn to Him at any point, and He will help you crawl out of the mire of discouragement. He will infuse His strength into you moment by moment, giving you all that you need for this day. Trust Him, by relying on His empowering Presence. "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior." - Psalm 42:5 "For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you." - 2 Corinthians 13:4 “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” - Jeremiah 31:25 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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  43. Hello Francisca. If your depression is not clinical, i.e., due to some chemical imbalance, such as a drop in serotonin levels. If your depression has been consistent for last few months, I would definitely see my doctor about it. If the depression comes and goes then it is more likely to be the way one thinks. For example, if I start thinking about the things that have not going my way I will get depressed. Some things that have not gone my way include, broken relationships, unhappy in my job, stress, loneliness, etc. The main problem here is not accepting the fact that not all things have to go our way. Because this have not gone our way does not mean that something must be wrong with us on a personal level, What has gone wrong is that we have relied too heavily on things going our way for us to feel okay. As soon as they don't go our way (in the present) we get upset. If it seems it might not go our way (in the future), we get anxious. And if we think about the things that did not go our way (in the past) we get depressed. In this regard, we need to realize that as a Christian it really is okay if things don't go our way. Read Philippians 4:11-13. Here are some bible verses about depression
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  44. Hi brother how are you ? I think you are normal. We still live in the flesh. The flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. We need to walk in the spirit. You have to follow Jesus commandments and then you will walk in the spirit. He said love one another as I loved you. That would really help you with point number one. The commandment to love the Lord thy God with all your heart and strength. Would help with number three. You are accepted in the beloved. God the father loves you and christ loves you. Jesus said the world will hate you but be of good cheer I have overcome the world. Stay close to God he does Care about you very much.
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  45. 1 point
  46. So many ways to spell, not sure what we are discussing, lol. That title, is about Calvanism, you mention Calvism FD, but I will speak only to what is called Calvinism by many. If by Calvism, you mean Calvinism, then I have to agree, certainty of salvation is not that clear. We know that salvation is a gift of God, by grace, though faith. We "Calvinists", believe that the saved, are permanently saved, God does not take back the eternal life that He has given. He does not go back on His word, and change His promises. We also know, that we love Jesus, when we are obedient to Him, and when we love the brethren. We are painfully aware, that none of us, is perfectly obedient. We know than none of us, perfectly loves the brethren. We know, that we are known by our fruits. We are told, to work out our salvation, with fear and trembling. These true, biblical notions, are incorporated in what we believe, they are ALL true. So, I believe, am confident, that I am saved by the blood of Jesus, shed for me, but what is not absolutely 100% positive, is that I am saved. God knows, I do not. I a aware that I am imperfect, so I am a Calvinist who sweats a little. I also know, that it is not my works that save me. I cannot earn my way to heaven. If I cannot earn salvation, then neither can I un-earn it. It is a gift of God, and I cannot undo, what God has done in His love. I have to strongly disagree, in the strongest sense, that Calvinism holds that salvation is merit based. I am not going to use the word "lie" here, as you might not be erring intentionally, but it is not true that Calvinism teaches that salvation is merit based. Calvinism teaches that it is impossible for man to earn salvation, that it is totally God's sovereign act. I cannot imaging where you came up with such a notion. If that idea is floating around our there somewhere, then that is a myth about Calvinism, nor a myth of Calvinism.
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  47. The Apostle Paul said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12).
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  48. You definitely are! You are my brother(?) in Christ - you know, we have to support each other.
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