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Wow, that is quite a dilemma! I don't attend church myself, so I'm going to leave your question to the more mature believers here. I do want to give you props for being a loving and caring Christian. The fact that you don't just want to quit, and that you desire to help this church, shows God's love shining through you. May the Lord give you the answers you seek and give you His peace in the meantime.

No i am not good.. I believe Jesus when he said only God is Good.. Salvation is Not secured by being very good.. It is secured by being very forgiven.. Our sins ( except for blasphemy of the Holy Spirit ) do not disqualify us from being gifted Eternity with God in his perfect existence.. Again this works mindset about having to be a very good person is a stumbling stone on the path to eternity and many people seem to be stumbling upon it.. You are totally locked into a works salvation mindset Vlad.. If you don't escape this bondage you will never accept salvation in the way God is offering it... As a loving free gift to those who believe Jesus and trust 100% in the Atonement He secured for their salvation.. Not in their feeble and doomed to fail efforts at being good..

I disagree Vlad.. A Christian should Know they are going to be with God in eternity.. Not just hope.. If you place your confidence in the righteousness of Jesus then you can be supremely confident that you will be with Him forever and ever..

Some people base their confidence in salvation upon how worthy they feel of salvation... Of course if one believes Jesus then they believe their salvation is based on the worthiness of Jesus and His Atoning Sacrifice on the cross.. So some people need to escape that works salvation mindset which makes them think their salvation is based on how righteous they are feeling at any given moment.. Putting your confidence in your salvation upon Jesus is like putting your confidence on a Rock.. Putting your confidence in your salvation upon yourself is like putting you confidence on quicksand..

I have been to some churches where the pastors have said that there is no more gifts of prophecy given anymore because we have everything we need in the Bible. After studying some of the scriptures, (I'm sure there is more ) I believe this is just not the case. Why would Paul write so much about prophecy in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians? Again, I believe that the so-called pastors are regurgitating what they have been taught. And, that most in the church are too lazy to test the words of the pastor themselves by searching the Scriptures. We need to stop listening to the lies of pastors who knowingly or unknowingly say things that go against the Word of God and search for ourselves to find His Truth. I've also been told I can't hear the Lord speaking because everything God has to say has been said in the Bible. That just really upset me because I know I've heard the Lord speak to me very clearly. I mean, Jesus even said that His sheep know His voice. But here are some verses that pertain to the gift of prophecy. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. (I believe this is when Christ comes back that ties into Ephesians 4: 11-13) No, I don't think "that which is perfect is come " is the Bible but The Word (Jesus) at His second coming for it says in Ephesians 4:11-13 And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets;and some, evangelists;and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of god, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. I don't know about you but I don't think the church if perfect yet and it certainly needs edifying, and most certainly the churches are not unified in our faith. 1 Corinthians 14:3d But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 1 Corinthians 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 1 Corinthians 14: 31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 1 Corinthians 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. 1 Thessalonians 5:20 Despise not prophesyings Joel 2:28-29 And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and yours sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. Acts 2: 17-18 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: The lying wolves have infiltrated the churches and have even the ignorant pastors teaching and preaching there is no more gift of prophesy. Why? I believe it's to weaken the church, to steal the power given to believers that we may use to exhort, to comfort, to speak the truth of God. Isn't that just what Satan loves to do? This kind of heretical teaching has stolen the power of the saints and has rendered them weak and defenseless, and confused. Satan doesn't want believers to know that all have the gift of prophesy because then he would be trembling in fear of the believers walking in the knowledge of the power given to them through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1

Hello, I am new to this forum and am seeking some advise. I have been married for 28 yrs. I rededicated my life to the Lord about 3 1/2 yrs ago. My husband is not following the Lord and has no interest. Back when we first got married my husband cheated on me. I never suspected but found out about 10 yrs ago, it was a very difficult time in our marriage but we got through it and we have had good marriage since and have not ever suspected him of cheating ever. We do have ups and downs but for the most part it has been good other than he puts down my faith a lot because he blames God for a lot of stuff in his life, medical issues. Anyways to the problem, my husband works from and and is also an avid dirt bike rider. He rides with a lot of different groups. About 2 years ago he started riding with a few guys and from this he has met a lot more riders that these guys know. About 2 weeks ago he was put into contact with a female friend rider of one of these guys, through messenger on facebook, so basically a conversation was set up, she needed advise on her bike and my husband has worked on some of these other guys stuff in the past. My husband and I share a facebook page so I see everything they are saying to each other. I had no problem with this. She immediately sent a friend request, which I thought was weird because we (he) doesnt even know her, just because you have a conversation with someone doesn't mean you need to be friends on facebook, anyways the request sat in the notifications for a few day until I deleted it. My husband became angry with me saying that was a slap in the face to her and why I would do that, I said I didn't see any reason to accept it since we don't know her. I don't know if he was so mad because he claims she can see it was deleted or if it's because he knows most of the guys she does. So they discussed her bringing her bike over for him to work on, she asked if she could help and my husband said no because he had other jobs to do, so she ended up saying she could probably do it herself and they spent the next week corresponding basically her asking questions and him helping her through this repair. Well then after she did this she needed something else adj. she was talking to him about this but my husband said it's too hard to just walk someone through, so he gave her our number so she could arrange to bring it. She called and during the conversation it was evident she wanted to know how to do this so my husband said he would show her how to do it. It will probably take 45 min . So I became upset that he would actually work on the bike with her, I didn't understand this as shops don't show their customers how to repair their bikes. He said that he will show her and she wont have to bring the bike here again. My biggest concern is now that they "know" each other, she is going to start riding in his group when they go riding, he insists that wouldn't happen but I find that very hard to believe since every single guy he has ridden with knows her well and rides with her all the time. He says it has never happened over the last couple of years, I explained maybe either luck or that since she didn't "know" you she didn't go. Her boyfriend is someone my husband has ridden with as well. I just feel very uncomfortable about that having females in the group however I don't want to seem like a jealous person and make a big deal out nothing. Am I wrong to feel this way? Is there anything wrong with married men associated with unmarried women in groups? I just know that I would not feel comfortable doing it. He just never rarely "shows" people how to fix their bike, I'm not saying he never has but it's rare, I don't know if most people just don't want to and she does or what. Please any advise would be great

I have not read Gandalf's post yet, and usually he is very thoughtful with his answers. But while I agree with Melissa that it is commendable of you to be so patient with that church, my initial response to this question is very plain and simple: Leave. Unless you feel a very specific leading to stay for some reason, that is not somewhere where you are ever going to grow any time soon. I would just have a nice meeting or dinner with your friend and with a very heart-felt explanation inform her that you two need to find someplace you can grow, and right now that is not the place where you can do it. Don't feel so obligated to others that you sacrifice your own spiritual welfare for them. This is a habit with many believers, but it is taking self-sacrifice past the point that one should. What could happen if tragedy strikes and you truly need some strong Christian fellowship to get you through? Where will you be then?

The reality is that any ministry that is shrinking and characterized by strife is likely very unhealthy. It's going to take a serious move of God to fix what is wrong before it will become healthy and start growing again. Sadly, churches in this situation often see lack of numbers as the problem and think that the solution is to get more members. They are often unwilling to look at themselves and ask God what needs to change in themselves. Indeed, anyone who dares to point out that fighting and strife might be what keeps people away are shouted down as being part of the problem. I've seen this first hand in a few places. Over the years, I've been in many ministries and churches that have had problems of various types. One thing that is usually true is this. There are usually a couple deep rooted issues (or maybe one) that are the real source of the problems. The vast majority of what is seen are symptoms caused by a few root causes (or maybe one). There've been times I could make a difference, but some times I could not. I first learned this in a church we joined 5 years into the aftermath of a nasty split. Everyone was fighting over everything. Membership was a revolving door. We eventually gave up and left ourselves. It wasn't until years later reflecting on this that I realized most of the problems flowed from the old-timers being spiritually and emotionally hurt during the initial split. The long term members who stayed with the church after the split felt betrayed and abandoned by the pastoral staff during the split. Indeed, a few associate pastors had left and a number of people followed them. The old-timers had been deeply hurt and wounded and no one in leadership afterwards stepped up to acknowledge this or help them heal from it. The net result of this pain was that a root of bitterness took hold. They hit a point where they couldn't bring themselves to trust another pastor. The pastor when we joined was the 5th senior pastor in 5 years. There were people who'd publicly talk nicely about the pastor but behind closed doors would gossip and backbite about him between themselves and trying to convince new members not to trust the pastor. For them, it had become about protecting "their church" from outsiders. All the backbiting, fighting, bickering, complaining about the past, etc. was due to this deep-seated spiritual and emotional hurt. They simply could not bring themselves to trust a pastor or outsiders (as they thought of any new members that supported that pastor). We eventually gave up and left. Everyone was so busy fighting over things that no one ever took a deep breath, stepped back, and tried to look at the big picture. My counsel would be this. First, prayerfully consider leaving. Sometimes God puts us in a situation to make a difference; sometimes not. If you cannot make a difference there and it is affecting you negatively, consider getting out. Perhaps ask yourself, if you knew what you know now, would you have joined in the first place? I'd also ask the serious question, where did most of the old members go? Is there a spiritually healthier church where your attempts to reach out would be encouraged and responded to? The bottom line though is what God wants you to do going forward. If you feel that God wants you to stay and make a difference, I'd recommend that you prayerfully ask for God's discernment as to what the real problem is. My guess is that much of what you see are symptoms of a few root causes. It might be associated with the pastor, it might be associated with one or two board members, it might be associated with a few very influential members or families, given that there are a dozen members, maybe most of them. There may have been something that happened a decade ago that people are still hurt and angry about. The pastor might be lacking in self-confidence, scared of leaving, and being hounded by a board member or two. There might be a distrust of younger people due to some mistake that happened ages ago. Until God gives you clear discernment and insight as to the real root issue, there's not much that can be done. Once you have a clear spiritual sense of what God is revealing about the real situation, He may then give you a course of action that can make a difference. It might be that there are one or two people that you need to break the ice with and become friends, and that will start to spread. Perhaps giving a particular book (as lead by God) to the pastor as a gift might do something. Perhaps there is some type of spiritual battle that needs to be fought in prayer. I've seen God turn ministries around in miraculous ways. I've seen ministries just wither and eventually die because they didn't want to change in ways God wanted them to. I feel for you because I've been in similar situations. It can be tough at times.

You left out the granddaddy of them all—- purgatory.The very idea of it turns Christianity upside down.Sickening and heart- breaking at the same time.Those that believe it have no understanding of true Christianity.It is an insult to the Blood of Christ.

We need to remember what the Bible teaches us about eternal life, no more tears or suffering. Jesus said He goes to prepare a place for us, that where He is we may be also. He tells us to not let our hearts be troubled. He says in His Father's house are many mansions or dwelling places. (See John chapter 14:1-3). Just as we were born and came into this world....after death, we will pass into a new existence that we can't understand right now, but it will be wonderful.

Originally (in Hosea), it referred to the Israelites and their false ideas about God. They thought He was like the pagan gods who required bribing with lavish sacrifices but demanded little or nothing in the way of moral behaviour. But Yahweh is completely different: He wants our obedience more than our worship (I Samuel 15:22). Genuine repentance is expressed in actions rather than in words and rituals. This is one of the great principles of Scripture – and was one of Jesus’ favourite texts (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). His own attitude towards those on the fringes of respectable society was in stark contrast to the strict and unmerciful legalism of the Pharisees. Love and compassion can't be legislated into existence; they must grow out of a relationship with a loving and compassionate God. And they should be our highest priority.

So some maintain!

Shalom everyone, Since I've been asked, I'll post up a quick reference guide to what the different functions of ministry are. We instituted a checks and balances sort of system at Worthy, so that no one person or persons have complete authority. Worthy Steward -- That's me -- and why do I call myself a Steward. It's merely because I'm a steward of the Lord's ministry. It's not "my" ministry -- and not "my" work. It's the Lord's work! Worthy Servants -- Those are Forum Moderators, who check reported posts, send PM's to keep the peace so to speak, and try to keep this "experiment " running smoothly! Worthy Chat Moderators -- Those are Chat Moderators, who keep Worthy Chat clean, and help "steer" chat. Worthy Watchman -- These are a group of "oversight" individuals, whose role is NOT to "moderate" but a means of checks and balances to the different moderators. When things come up -- they are responsible to review Reported Posts, Moderator actions / inactions, and even comment as to "why" things were handled the way they were. So in essence, the moderation team is a group of individuals who "volunteer" their time, and often get criticized no matter what they do! Either they are moderating too heavily, not moderating too much, why is this "false" doctrine allowed to be discussed, etc. are some of the common complaints I've heard over the 15+ years we've run Worthy! It really doesn't change over the years -- just the members. Many people don't realize how much turnover there is on forum boards! I'm not sure how many different moderating teams we've gone through -- but it's significant! Past Moderation Style We've always like to keep a clean board. and in the past we removed, hid, and deleted harmful posts. However, when we do so, many people NEVER see how much moderating is being done behind the scenes! How many posts are "cleaned up"? The moderators have a few options at this point. First, we'll send a Private Message, trying to "steer" people to what is and what is not acceptable. If this doesn't work, then we will place individuals on "Moderator Review" for a certain period of time. At this point, most of those individuals placed on Moderator Review never come back. What most people do not realize is that "Moderator Review" is the last thing we really want to do as moderators -- because it increases our workload! So what is changed? Changes in Moderation We are simply not "cleaning" up the board any longer. If someone personally attacks someone, then we will simply leave the attack on the board -- EDIT the post -- leaving it intact, but commenting on the post that we as the moderating team do not feel this is appropriate, and the steps we've taken to fix the problem. We'll send a Private Message to the offender, issue a Moderation point, and ban the person from the thread -- ONLY FROM THE THREAD -- not from the forums! Just the thread itself! How I believe this will help in the long run? 1st -- People will actually begin to see how much "moderating" is being done "openly"! 2nd -- By having posts NEVER hidden -- it'll be easy to refer to "past" infractions as a means of "instructing, and correcting". 3rd -- Hopefully people will change their posting styles! People always try to "win a debate"! In doing so, they forget that sometimes you win -- by laying down the fight for ANOTHER time! Usually in the "heat of battle" a nasty thing appears -- PRIDE! Do you not know that "pride is the source of all contentions!" (Proverbs 13:10a KJV Only by pride cometh contention) If you're truly wanting to change someone's mind -- you have to be CAREFUL not to offend. Why? As Proverbs 18:19 says, "A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle." Remember the instruction that Paul gave to Timothy written in 2 Timothy 2:23-26, Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. The hardest part of this passage is being "kind to everyone" and "patiently enduring evil!" If the first reaction is to trade insult for insult -- then you're failing at being an instructor of the Word! Notice how it concludes -- that God opens their hearts to the TRUTH -- it's not us -- it's the work of God! However, we can do a pretty good job of "hindering" someone coming to the knowledge of the truth by purposely "offending" them! Forgetting by offending them -- you're actually HINDERING the means by which someone comes to the truth. If you have any thoughts, any questions, we're all about transparency -- so ask away! Your brother in the Lord with much agape love, George

Hey everyone, not sure if this is the correct section. I have a question please. “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ I’ve read this before and I read t again tonight and it just spoke to me. I really want to know what it means? The part about “I desire mercy and not sacrifice”. I found it again in Hosea 6:6. Is there someone that can give me some clarification on this please? Thank you very much.

Yes. I have read this too. Noah was also given the duty to collect and preserve. The days of Noah are referred to pre and post flood in the bible and are both connected by common factors signified. (Genesis 6:5). Verses 11 and 12 say, “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” However, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (verse 8). ....... Matthew 24:37-39 New English Translation (NET Bible) 37 For just like the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark.39 And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man.

Some think this to mean > as in 'pure' bloodline without taint, unlike the nephilim - prodgeny of fallen angels/human women.

Right on HisFirst. Firstly, you are the person that sanctifies your marriage. Secondly, do not put up with any forays on the border between men and women. The drive in both is way too strong to have any control over. Anyone that thinks they can sail close to that wind (the man and woman dichotomy) will be hit by the boom when he or she is not looking. Tell him 'NO DICE' honey. It should be understood from the get-go that all the wife's prior 'boy friends' are to be dropped and all the husband's 'girlfriends' are to be likewise dropped. No apologies required. Just dropped. It should also be understood that there will be no 'alone time' for any future opposite sex dalliance. Tread carefully as that despicable lion is seeking whom he might devour!

Several weeks ago the Monday morning study leader announced that the following week we would be starting a study on vengeance. To show that the carnal side of me still exists, I wrote this on my notepad, Coming up next week, Vengeance!, Yeah baby! I was messing around, as the first reaction I had, was to moan because every study is a fitful barrage of legalism. When that particular “study” ended, I turned to my friend and said, that wasn't all bad. The leader was giving an introduction, but he had already lost me, as I was looking up passages on vengeance. The first thing I came to was a passage in Leviticus. Leviticus 19:18 ISV "You are not to seek vengeance or hold a grudge against the descendants of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." The first thing I realized is that this is “the law,” and we, are not under the law; or, are we? If we are not under the law, then what do I do with this statement from the Apostle Paul? Romans 12:16-19 ISV Live in harmony with each other. Do not be arrogant, but associate with humble people. Do not think that you are wiser than you really are. 17) Do not pay anyone back evil for evil, but focus your thoughts on what is right in the sight of all people. 18) If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people. 19) Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord." Wait a minute, Paul, the reformed Pharisee, and one of the most prominent advocates of grace; tells his audience of Jewish converts, and us, do not put yourself back under the bondage of the law. And yet, here it is. Nahum 1:2-3 AMPC The Lord is a jealous God and avenging; the Lord avenges, and He is full of wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries and reserves wrath for His enemies. [Exodus 20:5] 3) The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will by no means clear the guilty. The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. [Exodus 34:6-7] There are many scriptural illustrations that Paul could have pulled from, but Nahum conveys the idea of vengeance well. If Paul could be comfortable drawing examples from the “law” while speaking of those same laws as a return to bondage, then your spirit should be telling you that there is something more involved in this idea of bondage than mere constraints put on us by God. The “laws,” such as, love your neighbor as yourselves, are, at the very least, a better way of living; And, they are the very thing that keeps us out of God's way, as we focus on the positive rather than our hidden agenda of supplanting God by dishing out vengeance and judgment. So then, even the New Testament conveys constraints that parallel the law. I have mentioned, many times, how we live under the perfect law of liberty. James 2:10-12 NASB For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11) For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12) So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. James is also the one who tells us that we are blessed when we walk in this law. James 1:25 NASB But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. We then, do not have the freedom to seek vengeance, nor are we entirely free from the God's law. As the morning's study progressed a brash statement was made, when we get to heaven, you will not find a Pharisee there as they will all be in hell. A quick inventory in my head put me in remembrance of Nicodemus, Simon of Arimathea, and the Apostle Paul, all of which, were prominent Pharisees who displayed a love of Jesus Christ. Several minutes passed and I raised my hand. When the leader finally acknowledged me, I said, as a recovering Pharisee who struggles with judgment I want to share a story with you. At this point, I told them about a stepson who had inappropriately taken one of my handguns into the backyard to show a friend of his. You need to understand that there had been a series of events that ended with a stolen bicycle, and this young man in my backyard had played a role in that. I that moment, with them fondling my revolver, I merely held out a hand, and my stepson placed the gun in my hand. I simply said, had you asked me I would have taken you to the range and taught you how to respect the weapon and shoot it, but since you chose to go behind my back you have lost that opportunity. I began that day to pray that God would remove bad influences from my stepson's life. Two weeks later, the other boy shot himself in the head while playing Russian roulette. The important thing was I merely asked God to intervene, but I did not try to tell Him what to do about it. I remind you of Romans 12:19 which says, 19) Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord." I don't know how I did it because I was angry in the days that preceded that young mans death. I was the one who walked my son into the police station and made him “return” this obviously stolen bicycle, and this entire process was laden with humiliation and fear for both of us, but it worked out, as they apparently realized that my actions had ingrained a serious lesson in my son. Once again look at what James has to say. James 2:12-13 NASB So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13) For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. Pay close attention to verse 13 where it says, “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy.” I my story above I feel like I did it right. I feel no blame for the young man, but I grieved with his father who explained how they had seen unusual patterns beginning to develop. I can assure you that there were multiple times that I did not get this right, and here is one. Having been raised in the church, I was severely wounded by a few sarcastic church elders. I carried their wounds most of my life. Did they always occupy my mind? No, but a string of events that I can relate to codependency, seemed to bring their brutal tongues to the forefront of my thinking. The bottom line here is that in my mind I hated them and wanted them to suffer slow, prolonged, and painful torture, for what they did. When you think about the logic in all this, you can see that this pain I believed I inflicted upon them, and the chains I held them in, was all in my head. That means I gave them too much free space in my head. And never, were they aware of this bondage I held them in. During the time involved, I had to maintain the chains, keeping the rust off those chains by oiling them. All this maintenance cost me a tremendous amount of time and energy. Sadly, I felt justified in all this. Primarily I learned I needed to forgive them. Yes, I needed to forgive; the problem is, I had no idea of what to do. Oh sure, mother had her designs, which amounted to letting people continue to slap you until you are spinning, but that was not going to work for me either (anymore.) Thankfully there was a day when a prophetic woman stopped me and said, you have to forgive those men who hurt you! I responded with, alright, but how? She said, it's simple, you merely release them from the debts you think they owe you. To be honest, it only took me a couple of days to realize that I was having no impact on them and that my efforts were simply me, judging them. After, what seemed like a lifetime I released them from the bondage that I felt they owed me. Quickly, I began doing that with ex-wives and others that had offended me. I have, over time, told these truths to others, only to have them say its hard to forgive! I responded briskly with, no, it's not. The only difficult part is you letting go of the imaginary control you think you have. You see, when we set ourselves up as judges and put people into the prison of our minds, we have set ourselves up as God. We have supplanted God and tried to take over His job. In doing this, we have set up our own fates, which James spells out. James 2:12-13 NASB So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13) For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. Since we are not under the law, and yet have an almost identical command in the New Testament, then let's try one more and see if we can find the freedom in it. Deuteronomy 32:35 CJB Vengeance and payback are mine for the time when their foot slips; for the day of their calamity is coming soon, their doom is rushing upon them.' On one hand, this tells us that all vengeance belongs to God, while on the other hand it speaks to payback, which is His also. Their day will come, whether they be religious or ungodly. I will show you Romans 12:19 once again. Romans 12:19 ISV Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord." By taking yourselves out of the judgment seat, you are putting these people back into God's hand. As the ISV translation says, leave room for God's wrath. Alright, there is time for just one more story. On a particular day, I was put in charge of the office where I was outnumbered by women who had taught us men, how to install and repair pay phones. A particular lady, who had a horrific case plantar fasciitis, whined incessantly about how she could not do the job. I suspect that I misread her that day, and thought that she was saying that she could not do the added dimension of installing the wiring. I asked her to stay in the office for a moment and proceeded to tell her, in my most Pharisaical tone, that as a Christian I was ashamed of her because, we, as believers, can do all things through Christ. The short of it, within about six months my judgment came back on me, and I found myself ashamed of my actions. I don't know what became of her, but I lost everything dear to me. So, I understand how this works, and you don't want to get into the judgment game. As an addendum: 4/16/18 Monday morning's Men's study Opened with, "Vengeance, we are not to even have the thought!" Is this possible? Paul, in his letter to Timothy, wrote (2Timothy 4:14,15) 2 Timothy 4:14-15 AMPC Alexander the coppersmith did me great wrongs. The Lord will pay him back for his actions. 15) Beware of him yourself, for he opposed and resisted our message very strongly and exceedingly. 2 Timothy 4:15 GNB Be on your guard against him yourself, because he was violently opposed to our message. 2 Timothy 4:15 MSG Fiercely opposed to our Message, he caused no end of trouble. God will give him what he's got coming.

The intercession of fellow Christians—which is what the saints in heaven are—also clearly does not interfere with Christ’s unique mediatorship because in the four verses immediately preceding 1 Timothy 2:5, Paul says that Christians should interceed: "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and pleasing to God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:1–4). Clearly, then, intercessory prayers offered by Christians on behalf of others is something "good and pleasing to God," not something infringing on Christ’s role as mediator. In any event, it is clear from Revelation 5:8 that the saints in heaven do actively intercede for us. We are explicitly told by John that the incense they offer to God are the prayers of the saints. Prayers are not physical things and cannot be physically offered to God. Thus the saints in heaven are offering our prayers to God mentally. In other words, they are interceding. Its not exactly a prayer it's asking others to pray for you.

I think some can be saved DESPITE the abundance of false teachings in the Catholic Church......it may be among God’s most amazing miracles....

Only one race is represented in the marriage of Moses and Zipporah. Moses was a descendant of Abraham, an Israelite from the tribe of Levi. Zipporah was a Midianite, a descendant from Abraham through his wife Keturah’s fourth son Midian: Hi Dan79, Ty for all that. At the end of the day we are one blood Just going back to Moses/Zipporah - Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses wife because she was a Cushite woman (maybe this one isn't Zipporah but a secondary wife) - anyway..this was a union that Moses brother and sister didnt agree with. Something happened to Miriam - she became leprous...I'll have to check the OT to see if it was a repercussion for the attitude against Moses because of his cushite wife.

The gift of prophesy is one of the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit....if the gift of prophesy no longer operates then neither should we presume the other 8 do....which raises the question why do church leaders single out only that gift as no longer a part of God's plan in how He ministers to His church? I believe that it comes from abuse and misuse of that gift by those who claim to have it but do not. People get hurt and misguided by false prophesy....but again the even the greatest intent of a fellow Christian who desires to speak a prophetic word can mess up and speak out of their carnal mind rather than under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We have a lack of training up those who are called to operate in the gifts of the Spirit so much of the misuse can be blamed by lack of training.....Even the prophet Elijah trained Elisha in the prophetic calling...."God had bidden Elijah anoint another to be prophet in his stead. "Elisha the son of Shaphat . . . shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room" (1 Kings 19:16), He had said; and in obedience to the command, Elijah went to find Elisha." Elijah mentored Elisha until he was taken. If the churches would train up those called in such areas then we would have a church that flows with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit and see signs, wonders and miracles!

Nothing you wrote refutes the concept of praying to saints. Indeed, when we ask the saints to pray for us in heaven, and pray for each other's intentions, we are actually being very Scriptural and following the commands in the Bible. In fact, in the very same reading which professes that Jesus is the one mediator, we also read St. Paul proclaiming: First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, Is this not St. Paul asking for the mediation of his companion, Timothy, (and probably all of the early Christian community) in this verse? Everything that the Body of Christ accomplishes is done only through our union through Him, with Him and in Him. So when St. Paul says that he saves some souls (yes, he, St. Paul, says that he saves souls. Not Christ: To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some.-1 Cor 9:22), we know that he means it only through his union with the One Savior. So when St. Paul says he became our spiritual father, (I became your father in Jesus Christ through the Gospel -1 Cor 4:15), even though Scripture says that there is only One Father (Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven--Matt 23:9), we know it is because of his union with the One Father. When Sts. Peter and Paul cure the sick and even raise the dead (see Acts 9 and 20), we know that it is not of their own power, but it is rooted in the power that belongs to God alone. So when we act as mediators through our prayer chains and though the intercessory prayers at Mass, or when the saints intercede for us, it is not a usurpation of the One Mediatorship of Christ. Rather, it is merely a participation in His Mediatorship.

Hi WW69, No you aren't wrong to feel uncomfortable about a woman being around married men. She is being downright disrespectful to you - unfortunately, some men will plead that its all above board and not to worry etc etc but we all know the workings and little games between female/male situations and I don't buy it when people say "don't worry" - they know as you (we) know that its not right - you don't have to be a Christian to know that. Sorry if I'm coming across harsh (I don't mean to), but I despise the little games men and women play.

The word is Jesus Christ.

Jesus was in the company of those considered unclean and sinners and in need of cleansing from their sins. They were Jewish or Israelites born under the Law of Moses. According to the Law of Moses, the way for these people to be cleaned for their sins, it was to offered sacrifices in the Temple. In their customs and as they were instructed in the Law of Moses the Jews were to keep away from them, not to mix or associate with them. But look what took place. First the Pharisees regarded Jesus at that place and that time as clean and not a sinner. They said : why you mix with them , you are not like them, and you may be perceived by those who do not know you that you are also a sinner. If you read carefully they tried to give him some good advice. Next in the prophet 's time it was fortold that the old covenant will end, and the sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins, will not continue in the New Covenant. So it was said by the prophet who spoke those words given to him by the Lord. "I desire Mercy and not sacrifice", When the New Covenant comes the Lord will not ask for sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins, you understand that we have Jesus sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. The Pharisees they study the scriptures and they understand that the Lord will show Mercy to them , forgiving their sins, without the sacrifices, but they did not understand how this will happen, and how about the priest and the Temple. They did not understand. or it was hidden from them , that their Lord had to come in the flesh and die before that happen. So Jesus knowing that not only the Pharisees but also the Tax collectors knew that , they needed the sacrifices for their sins . But see what had just happened. Jesus had wellcome one of them in his company of disciples, without asking him to offered sacrifices for the forgiveness of his sins. We see that Jesus shaw "Mercy" to him, he forgave his sins, and he did not tell anyone, he did that in secracy. We understand that Jesus forgave the sins of people while in his ministry here on earth, before the Cross and for the Jews only. Perhaps this is the fulfilment of that prophecy, when he fotgave the sins of the people before the Cross, and the tax collector was one of them. So this tax collector was clean, his sins were forgiven and he did not even know it at first. That may have happen when he call him, but eventually he must have told him. We see that Jesus spoke with authority knowing who he was and what his mission is, and That prophecy it was about him. Speaking those words through his prophet, as the Lord God of the Jews. Knowing that he will leave his place as the Lord God of the Jews , to be the Lord God for the whole word, (that's why he was saying in the prophecies that not only the Jews believers but also the Gentiles believers will be his people). The new man in Jesus Christ. He knew that he had to enter our world through his birth, and eventually die on the Cross for the forgiveness of our sins, the whole worlds sins. So he was telling the Pharisees that this scripture is fullfiled in him. Identifying him self as their Lord God and the CHRIST. As Jesus one time said that David called his Lord God "his CHRIST". " the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your foot stool", And that what happened, God raised Jesus from the dead and sitted him on the Throne in Heaven and made him Lord and Judge over all. This is the vision Steven shaw at the time of his death.

I guess you don't read your own papacy dogma... not surprising! but Yes your leadership has clearly stipulated such!

*Sigh* Catholics don't worship Mary. We love her like Christ loved her. No more, no less. We ask her to ask Christ for our intentions just like we ask our fellow Christians on earth to do the same.

that's a clever side step to the truth... no I would be going through Jesus with my prayer like all else are to do!

Well, I suppose I'd better not ask you to pray for me because you'd be interceding on my behalf to God. ;-) But, seriously, please do pray for me. I need all the help I can get.

Jesus told us trouble is sufficient for today. What is next is what has always been happening from Genesis till now and will continue to happen. Last Daze is right, the order of events prepares us unwittingly for nothing. What has and is happening and will be happening is an increase in "persecution" in the world soon coming to a location near you and "deception" gaining more and more ground. The "dragon" and the "serpent". We've all heard more believers have been martyred for their faith in the last century than in the last 2 thousand years. Also, increasingly, the wickedness of man, and humanity at some point thinking peace peace peace being oblivious to what is coming upon the earth, "Just as the days of Noah". Thirdly, the growing push towards political, economic and religious unity to solve the problems of the world. The deceived world has always been moving to rebuild the Tower of Babel. Figuratively speaking. Rick Warren and his followers view prophecy as a distraction and far to controversial so he may not realize he is preparing his followers for the coming of anti Christ not Jesus Christ. Ricks' three legged stool, "The private sector, the public sector and the faith sector coming together to feed the hungry and end aids". Tugs at our hearts but it's a deception. The serpent is subtle and tugs at the old nature to hope in this world. We are warned about deception more than anything else in the Olivet Discoarse, the apostles spoke of false teachers and false prophets and sound doctrine far more than time lines, but we pay attention to endless timelines which I'm starting to believe is a deception in and of itself.

What good does it do for God to give His Word of instruction to us and we ignore it? 1 Timothy 2:5 (KJV) [5] For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Right, but all good Catholics understand that the gifts originally come from God even if you don't spell it out in the prayer. If it helps a person you can spell out "Mary, please give me the wisdom that comes from God." Or "Mary, ask God to give me wisdom." It's just easier to say, "Mary, give me wisdom." All Catholics know wisdom comes from God. The Apostles healed people in Acts. It isn't above Mary to people as well. Just because she's in Heaven doesn't mean she can't perform miracles on God's behalf just like the Apostles did. You can go directly to God. But you can also ask people to ask God for your intentions as well. I ask you to pray for me (and I will pray for you). That isn't circumventing God. That's adding more voices to his praise. I can ask Mary to pray for me or ask her to ask God to give me wisdom. Just because you're in Heaven doesn't mean you can't ask God to help those on earth. When I get to heaven, I'm certainly going to pray for the folks on earth (some need it).

- I appreciate that Johann Arndt's writings mean so much to you. And im glad you have shown the rest of the readers here, what I already discerned about your OSNAS point of view, before you responded to me a second time and more openly revealed it. So, as your religion directly conflicts with Pauline Theology, then you have to decide which way you will continue to go. See, here is the issue.... Realist. "enduring to the end", is a means of self effort to make it into heaven, of one's own doing, and this doctrine is "another Gospel", as it does not agree with 'Grace Through Faith" because it negates the Blood Atonement and substitutes "self effort" for the Cross, and Jesus's finished work on it. Listen, read it like this, Realist, instead of just reacting with words about fight clubs and leaving the church., etc.. "IF YOU DO NOT ENDURE TO THE END < you will not go to HEAVEN". See it? THAT is NOT Salvation, through Christ. AS, where is the Blood Atonement in that religious mandate? = its substituted for "enduring to the end." And , Where is the FREE GIFT of Salvation, the "Gift of Righteousness" in that mess of a theology? = its substituted for "enduring to the end." And you cant say you are trusting in Christ and ALSO enduring to the end, to BE Saved. Its not both., and one is Galatians 1:8, when "enduring" is taught as Redemption = "The Cross + enduring"........as this is Grace + Works..........as this is teaching that Salvation is partly what Jesus did and partly what you do as a lifestyle...= which is a lie and an insult to the Blood Of Jesus. So, Brother, we are not in a fight club, but real Christians ARE in a war against anything that takes the credit for Salvation away from the Blood Atonement, away from Jesus The Christ, and redirects it and credits it ALSO to a person's deeds, works, or personal lifestyle or (enduring) as a part of God's Redemption. So, I invite you to get in the good fight, and that is the one that gives all the Credit due to Jesus on the Cross as the only means that God offers to accept anyone into His family. There is ONE WAY to heaven, John 14:6, and its not enduring, and its not holding onto your faith, and its not presenting your body a living sacrifice, and its not water baptism .....but the single means and method that God offers anyone so that HE can accept them, is for them to be given HIS very righteousness, and for this to happen, the Blood of Jesus has to remove our SIN. And once this has occurred , then Salvation (born again) has occurred. Eternal life with God, is not about enduring......its about RECEIVING....Its about God's very righteousness > becoming your new spiritual identity "in Christ"< through the Blood Atonement. - And here is one more thing for you to consider. The devil has created the idea and drives it home, often using "christians", that, if a person is trusting in Christ alone to get them to heaven, (GRACE) ..... then this is the same as teaching that you can live anyway you want, do anything you like, as its all covered by GRACE". However, this is simply the devil's way of blinding the self righteous from seeing the truth about (Grace) and eternal redemption. See, Satan's theology paints "Grace" as "license to sin", and deceives many believers with His idea and theology as a means to rob them of the truth of what the Grace of God has done for them. See, the devil does not want you to find out that the Cross and the Blood of Jesus = a permanent-eternal solution, and not a temporary one that is only active if you are "being good". "enduring", "working" "confessing sins", and all the rest of the "deeds" to (help Jesus) earn your own salvation. And right there is one of the wars that is raging within Christianity, whereby, people who understand Grace, and live Holy lives, are considered by those who are OSNAS Legalists to be instead raising hell and enjoying it all the way to heaven. So, its the DEVIL who is manipulating the self righteousness in many believers to blind them to the Grace of God, and has them bitter and has them deceived and has them doing his work of trying to harm other believers with his theology. And what IS "Self Righteousness"?........ Its more then pride....its the very act of trying to make YOUR-SELF Righteous so that God will accept you. See, Realist, its not the "enduring, or the "confessing sins", or the "holding unto your faith", or "holy living", that is the issue, ......the issue is the REASON you are doing it., as once a believer has become convinced that all those deeds are necessary to be saved, then the "Cross has become of no effect unto them", and they are "fallen from Grace" And what IS "falling from Grace"?......Falling from Grace is the mental point at which a person stops actually trusting in Jesus to save them, and they start trying to help Him with it, by their deeds. This is LEGALISM, within a Christian's HEAD, and its played out in REALITY by "enduring" and all the other works.... they BELIEVE are necessary for them to do, or they are not kept saved by the Blood Atonement. So, JESUS is GONE from that point of view...>He is GONE.....The Cross has been SUBSTITUTED by "SELF- Righteousness". Listen, ITS the GRACE OF GOD ALONE that IS the sustained sin cleansing blood of Jesus, which gives you the power to live a holy - sanctified life, and in fact has saved you. Its DONE. Being "Born Again" is not temporary and its not incomplete, and its not based on your lifestyle. And the reason so many dont REJOICE all this LIGHT im showing you, is because they are not experiencing the power of the freedom that is found "in Christ", because they are instead banging their legalistic head's against the wall of deeds and effort and enduring and works, and are getting NO WHERE except more and more and more religious, which is useless, as this can't SAVE you.

@worriedwife69 Hello, and welcome! I've been married for over 30 years and fortunately my wife and I had been Christians for years before getting married. That saved us some problems, but the reality is that keeping a marriage relationship strong and healthy over decades is something that has to be worked on. We definitely had our ups and downs in spite of being serious Christians, having solid family support, and having a good network of Christian friends around us. We had everything going for us and it still takes work. Different people view FB differently. Some reserve connections for friends and family. Others (including myself) will accept connections from acquaintances or people I've just met. With regard to the other interactions between this woman and your husband, I don't know enough to have a sense of a problem or not with regard to an inappropriate relationship. But, I do have the sense that this situation may be revealing a deeper problem of some type. What's hard sometimes in life is to step back and take a look at the bigger picture. It's easy to let our lives become all about the current situations we find ourselves in. In the big picture of your lives, a part of this is that God is working on your husband to come to know Him and for you to grow spiritually. This is one situation (of many) that God will use to work in both of your lives. Sometimes it is not the resolution of a situation that matters, but what can change inside of us due to the situation. When we run into situations that are challenging, they often reveal things about us. I've heard a nice analogy that tough situations are like when a gold smith puts gold ore into a smelter, it melts the gold, the impurities are revealed, float to the top as dross, and can be removed. I think that God does much the same thing as the various situations in life occur. One thing to consider in this situation is this, is God using it to bring something to the surface that He wants to heal inside of you? For example, a year or so ago, my wife and adult daughter living with us decided to become vegans. Christmas dinner was stir fried vegetables, some sort of buns, and chick-pea burgers (that were somewhat like stuffing). The last time I had meat was a month or two ago visiting one of our daughters. I cannot recall the last time I had an egg. Most of the time, it's a ho-hum matter for me though at times I do get annoyed over the way they ooh and ahh over the latest veggie something or another. But on occasions, I get very angry thinking about it (or maybe that's just an occasional craving for a bacon cheeseburger or a friday night fish fry ). My sense is that this is not so much about the meat, but rather some sort of dynamic in our marriage that I'm not dealing with well and occasionally gets triggered when I think about a steak, or pork chop, or bacon... I'm still not sure what it is, but being aware that there's something there, I'm not going to turn it into a fight over what is for supper. Anyway, this situation might be something serious as-is that needs to be dealt with in some way, or perhaps it is just triggering something inside you that God would like to heal and work through.

I haven't been exposed to anything I was raised as a Muslim in a country where sculptures are declared forbidden. I chose this doctrine, if its a weak justification then prove me wrong. Your arrogance is one of the most unChristian things I've ever seen in my life.

LOOK at that image and then ponder these words . FOR SHE SAYS WITHIN HERSELF I AM , I SHALL SEE NO SORROW , THEIR IS NO OTHER BESIDES ME . Oh my, goodness this is wicked to the core . I mean like a batch of figs so rotten it cannot be touched or eaten .,

OH DEAR , JESUS himself was among his own as one who served . THAT IMAGE RIGHT THEIR looks as though the man is in heart sitting in the place WHERE ONLY GOD DESERVES. THIS IS WICKED, this is WICKEDNESS. Can you even imagine paul or peter, james or jude SITTING ALL DECKED OUT LIKE THAT . LOOK AT IT . LOOK AT IT. THIS IS ABOMINATION . THIS IS WICKEDNESS . Watch out when the mean man humbles himself , its all about pretense . The cost of that throne alone could have fed many poor people. YET , how often do we hear the mouth piece say.................Give to the poor , and all the while SHE Keeps and lines her statues with its gold with its monies and enlarges her border . Her mouth is so wide open now , she is accepting all religions in , she says for world peace BUT alas heed her not , its not for world peace she does this , ITS FOR WORLD POWER and CONTROL . WORLD WORSHP and the world to honor it . And she will cause the worship of the beast . And she will sit in Jerusalem as the high priest over all religions . YEAH let that sink in a bit. SHE DOES SEE HERSELF in the place of GOD .

If you have asked Jesus to forgive all your sins, asked him to live in your heart and guide you, and committed yourself to following him, then you are SAVED, period! We all keep sinning because we are still sinners. The question is how "okay" are you about that fact? Do you care and make an effort? If so then you are not unrepentant. If you have given your heart to Jesus then you have nothing to fear!

Ella, there is nothing in the Bible about this particular aggression between certain powers. The only thing that is said about wars is what Jesus said to his disciples when they asked what would be the sign of his return. He said, "There will be wars and rumors of wars......" Many people today think that every single war, conflict, and aggression is something the Bible speaks to and is a sign that Christ is returning. That's not so. How do I know that? Because Jesus kept on talking. "....but see that you are not discouraged. These things will happen, but that doesn't mean the end." Matthew 24 It is important that Christians do their best in following God's word and commandments. That means to reject sin. Yet we are in a body of flesh and we do sin. When we do, we should repent, and turn to God. Ask God for the way of escape. He promises one in 1 Corinthians 10. God says that there is no temptation of sin that the whole world doesn't understand. In other words, Ella, the sins you commit and are tired of - well, there are millions who are tempted with the same sins. That same passage says that God will always give us a way of escape. What does that mean? Well, sins start in our hearts and minds. His word - reading it and memorizing it - will remind us of the consequences of sin and the rejection of the devil. If you don't read the Bible much because you find it hard to read, then you should get one that you CAN read. If you'd like to talk about Bibles, we can.

Was it finally a sign from God That sounds like you been wanting a sign from GOD. you said was it FINALLLY a sign from GOD. Nicht gut . not good . We no seekey signs from GOD . this is a dangerous thing . And worse you might get one , OR think you did anyway and be led in a dark , dark direction . Again we no seekey the signs FROM GOD . We simply believe .

Would Jesus Lie "Truly, truly, I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has everlasting life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 (New Heart English Bible) Or Would The Devil.... "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 (New American Standard Bible) ~ Be Blessed Beloved Of The KING The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. Numbers 6:24-27 (King James Bible) Love, Your Brother Joe ~ Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Psalms 119:160 (King James Bible) The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s charter. Here too, Heaven is opened and the gates of Hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. From The Inside Of My Gideon New Testament

Eternal life does cause a lot of people fear.. Because they are looking at it from their current condition of being a limited flesh Human Being.. Part of the process we shall go through as we enter into eternity will be a transformation of both our bodies but also our spirit.. Thus we will be changed from our current state of being into an one suited to existing for Eternity.. So short answer.. No need to worry because you will be changed to be able to handle Eternity..

Granted, Gandalf, I understand there were numerous OT scriptures stating that those who gave to the poor would be blessed, and also systems built into the law to help provide for them. I was simply addressing specifically the issue of helping them at one's own expense, such as to not even have proper clothing, and this seems to go against the very promises of God for the believer (Matthew 6:28-30, 1 Timothy 6:8). But let me know what you think. It's usually interesting.

Hmmm... you used the word "Christ-like," and my mind went immediately to "what would Christ do?" Frankly, some may not like my answer here, but I don't see our Lord as having been in places of great material need. I see Him as having such matters covered so that He could fulfill the will of His Father. In other words, He was not so selfless as to deny Himself proper clothing. Moreover, He once told those who took offense to the woman who poured expensive ointment over His head, "The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you desire you can do good to them." (Mark 14:7). Notice He didn't say you must do good to them, but whenever you desire to. In other words, the poor are always going to be around, so we help them as much as we can and whenever we desire to, but not at the expense of our own needs in serving God. Moreover, the scriptures teach that those who do not provide for their own households have disowned the faith and are worse than the unbelievers (1 Timothy 5:8). Is she a member of his household still? It would seem to me that you should come first if you are and she is not. Now that having said, the issue becomes how to deal with it, and this is another matter. If you bring it up and he doesn't listen, you would need to be prepared to walk in forgiveness, so as to maintain the commandment to walk in love and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That would mean praying for him that he eventually opens his eyes to see how he is sinning against you, but without holding any resentment. Sounds like it might not be an easy fix, sister. As Gandalf said, there are and may continue to be several factors going on there at once. But are you sinning to think you are being cheated? No. I think you are being cheated. But you will need to deal with it wisely to remain faithful to God yourself, and hopefully turn things back in your favor at the same time. God bless.

Sounds like a handful of issues being mixed together here. Temporary help to an adult child in need for unexpected situations is one thing; an on going subsidy of a negative cashflow lifestyle is another. One spouse making a monetary decision without consulting the other when it has effects on lifestyle is a problem. Being ground down from over-ministering to others can be a problem; we have our limits. Once we go beyond "my yoke is light and burden is easy", perhaps we are taking on too much. I'm not sure this will help or not, but I ran across an interesting sermon this week about having our internal life in order. He gave the example of when someone asks you to do something you really don't want to do. How often do we feel like our options are to "say yes and be mad" or "say no and feel bad"? He pointed out that often our negative feelings are often due to taking on burdens we are not meant to carry and some degree of self-deception. "If I don't do it, no one else will." "I'm a bad Christian if I do not." "It will mess up some relationships if I don't" He made the great observation that we need to have a strong sense of "This is an opportunity from God to minister" or "This is a distraction that will divert time and resources away from where God really wants me to minister." When we operate from this level, we are in a better to position to say yes or no without the attached negative feelings of guilt or frustration. We are also in a position where our ministering to people will be much more effective. So, I would not say you are being unChristlike so much as this maybe being symptomatic that God might want to do some changes inside you or have clearer priorities for ministry.

One’s quest for truth will show him independence. Independence, that is, from vestures of concepts, mentalities, and machinery around them that want to control them - a system that is in the business of control, dependency, and putting him to sleep. If you only know how to get in your car and turn the key, you are totally dependent on the car dealer, the mechanic, the manufacturer, or anyone else that knows what to do if it doesn’t start. But if you have some background of auto mechanics and how they work (or why they don’t), you have become independent from others who want $50 an hour (or more) to fix it for you. So it is with everything around us - including a knowledge of the truth. If you know how a magician does his tricks, he can no longer keep you in the dark. You can watch from the rear of the audience at his fascinating illusion, and chuckle under your breath because you are one at least who has an edge on the crowd. It’s the same with economics, politics, technology and practically every aspect of life around us. It is also the same with things we can’t see - ways we think, opinions, philosophies and beliefs. And this is where the plot thickens, because I am going to cover a lot of asburd topics, and ask a lot of provoking questions. But the end result is to make you think. I cannot tell you what the truth is on any subject. My opinion is no better than the next person’s. But I can tell you how to find it. It is about humility. It is about "teachableness". It is about "forsaking". It is about dying to self. You have to be willing to walk away from those you have been associating with. You have to count the cost of your reputation, career, friends, family, etc. A professor in college said something I never forgot. "Salvation is free, but it will cost you everything!" What is more ironic is that he may have a list of degrees on the subject. But you know as well as I do that two people - both with PHD’s on some subject, may have come to totally opposite views on an idea or belief. Someone with a lifetime of education may come to a certain position on some subject. Yet someone else with the same background of studying behind them may see it differently. Then you find differing views from people in a Biblical background of studies, with education and studies in college and seminaries. Why? How can so many people from so many denominations and groups have totally differing views on doctrines and beliefs, yet all have had training in original languages and intense study in the Bible? “Their training is prejudicial”, you say. But they look at you as no less than arrogant. So let’s look use tools to help us find the truth. I know of individuals who are involved in ministry. If they even entertained the idea of any theological persuasion different than their peers they would have to resign. So they are "stuck in the theological mud", so to speak. They have no choice, but to just "play along" and play their game, and make all the right clucking noises, like Chip and Dale trapped in a chicken barnyard! So you take a hard look at life, and your search for truth. You start applying principles to life that we find in the Bible! Matt. 19:29 "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." Matt. 10:36 "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." I have been to churches all over the country for 50 years. I have sat in Sunday School classes. I have listened to preachers on TV, internet, etc. And I cannot EVER remember anyone EVER quote those verses. They are "politically incorrect." But practice that principle, and you will find the truth..."and the truth shall make you free" John 8:32. alturl.com/68zw4

Most people just don't struggle - they're told not to believe Jesus said that, and so they don't believe Jesus said that(or they're told it is not really His commandments) - so easy for now for them, so hard later when they find out the Truth, and until then. Just trust and rely on the Father to accomplish all, believe Jesus' Word, ask the Father in Heaven for HIS understanding (which He JOYOUSLY GIVES to little children) ...

ED................................so in your mind what on earth does it mean. just say it simple and short.