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I don't think anyone should even attempt to answer that question.... first of all, to answer yes puts God in a box as to choosing for you...… but if we say no, you might get the wrong idea of church attendance not being important, which in fact it is important.... but that's a long story and may not be the same for every person. I would say that you shouldn't marry someone who is not a believer.... While it is possible for God to put him on your door step, but most likely you will pick someone that you have been interfacing with and discover that you like them. As for me, I met my wife at Dairy Queen.... was actually looking for a hot fudge Sunday, not a wife... but I did get the message that she was the one and I hadn't even met her yet... so go figure. Neither of us were going to church at the time though we were both believers. We have over many of our 49 years of marriage attended Church and enjoyed it very much and do now.... I would add though that Church is not just a place to pray, it's a place to worship, learn, make friends and enjoy company.

Give me a reason to! Ask the right question! I've been casting my pearls in front of swine for 30 years. And what Christ warns us of has happened over and over. My pearls are trampled, and then I'm trampled. I'm just not doing that anymore. So your going to have to get my attention somehow ! You made a good observation about Faith, when I said you have no idea, that was me agreeing with your post. Maybe we should just leave it there? If you can't leave it there, show me your at least a swine that doesn't want to be in the wallow anymore.

Warn every man , woman and child of this . You are right , they have been doing this . Its a doorway allright , but into the dark realm of dark spirits . And its no wonder that these churches more and more are also going right under ROMES SPELL of all inclusive unity for world peace . THIS was all well planned out many years back . Rick warren and scores of others under this spell too and flooded it right into an incredible mass number of folks world wide . This stuff is everywhere and it has dramtically and is dramtically changing the course and direction of all churches and even other religions , THEY WILL ALL join with one mindset in time , as we see some already doing so already .

So, I love to sew and I love to do crazy quilting... I'm a free spirit so I it totally fits in with my style. I love farm animals and I love making gifts for my friends.

Hi all, Are not all gifts by definition free? The expression "it is a free gift of God", seems to me to be slightly redundant and also diminishing by the modifying of the word gift to some extent. Why add free to the awesome gift of salvation? The gift was not free of price, the price though has been paid in full so that it can be offered as a gift. It was acquired at great price to our Lord, not free at all. It is a valuable gift, more valuable than any other ever obtained to be gifted to another. To add free makes salvation seem kin to a prize a trinket of some sort as in; hey it's free, really, all you have to do is buy Cracker Jacks to get your "free" gift. Free ""gifts" are never free in this world. They aren't gifts at all! They are premiums offered in addition to something else to be bought, they are offered in addition to something as enticement to buy that something else. That is not what salvation is at all. Salvation is a gift bought at great price to God. And it is not given to just anyone for a unrelated purchase, it is not a trinket added on for buying something. It is the gift of gifts to be cherished.

It was recently “explained” to me that the history detailed in the Old Testament of the Bible consists of stories handed down from one person to the next, and that no doubt the stories became corrupted as they were passed a long, so that we don’t know if the Bible’s testimony is accurate or not. Of course, using this logic, we can’t trust a single word that’s in the Bible. But we know that isn’t true. The Lord is no idiot. He made sure the testimony presented by the Bible was absolutely truthful. If you don’t have faith in that, I think you are going to have a lot of trouble finding your way.

And so will all their children . Its already at work . Its already at work , the delusion of the all inclusion . Leading all right to the beast who was and is and yet is not . Yep , we better be ready and made ready IN and By the LORD . Be feasting on the bible , be praying and follow the LORD .

Spiritual things can't be put in a box. But when we attempt to define such spiritual things such as " Faith and faithing" , because of our limited frame of reference, they do tend to fall into a box like representation. Maybe if the " ancient Jews" would have looked at what Faith and faithing looked like in more depth, they wouldn't have been told by the Father," you will never enter my rest ". Todays " christian " will ultimately be told the same thing , if they don't wake up!.

SUNDAY MARCH 3, 2019...THE WEATHER IS GREAT, AT LEAST IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS SAVANNAH GA, 75 DEGREES...TOTALLY DEFIES SHOULD NOTS AND SHOULDS MY NORTHERN PALS CAN`T WEAR THEIR SHORTS AND FROLLIC IN THEIR TEE`S THEY BUNDLE UP TO GO OUTSIDE AND STARE AT THE SNOW COVERED TREES I LOVE THE WARMTH AND WOULDN`T TRADE A 75 DEGREE SUNNY WINTER SUNDAY I `M JUST A BIG OLE KID AT HEART, WHO ALWAYS WANTS TO GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY KEEP YOUR COLD, ICE, AND SNOW, AND ENJOY WHAT YOU CAN I`M GONNA STAY WHERE THE WEATHER IS MOSTLY WARM...AT LEAST THAT`S THE PLAN ??☀️

For who our faith is in , we trust , love follow and obey . That is where our faith is . IF one truly sees Christ for who HE TRULY IS , if they truly have faith in who HE claimed to be , they would follow and obey HIM . But many have faith in men , for they trust and follow and obey contrary images of Christ which is no Christ , its the work and works of men . Who our faith is in , is clearly seen n what we do . If any be a hearer yet not a doer , then their faith is not IN CHRIST . Its in whoever teaches them whatever version suits their own carnal desires . Facts are facts .

The world follows the beast of Rev 13. He rules for 3 1/2 years. There is peace to a degree. Just the gathering and killing of new believers during this time. But all in a timely manner. One must take the Mark to buy or sell. After the A/D is set up; Total chaos in the world, especially when Satan begins his rule. Now the dumping of the S,T and B judgments on this earth and its inhabitants. In Christ Montana Marv

The ancient Jews did not think of faith as something to "apply". They did not try to box in faith with a definition, nor should they have, nor should we today. When Yahweh spoke, through the prophets, they either listened and obeyed or they rebelled .... Today, if you hear Jesus' Voice, follow Him and do not rebel like they did in the wilderness and perished. That's pretty much it , isn't it? To live, or not to live, that is the question. Oh, and as for receiving anything from the Father in heaven - as written: no man can receive anything (nor understand anything), unless it is granted from the Father in heaven. Sheer grace, unearned, unmerited, as written.

Like I said, doubt, ...as children we know there is a God, just like Paul tells us: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Rom 1:20 For example, as children many of us memorized the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer and the 23rd Psalms, we memorized them without knowing what they meant, then as we grew and matured we were taught in school the wisdom of the world and we came to the point where we no longer believed in God, we believed and followed the lust of our flesh, the lust of our eyes and the pride of life, we lived a life of sin having seared our consciences to God's morality. Then came an event into our lives, a catastrophe, that turned our lives upside down, that took away all of our secure foundations that were based on the wisdom and things of this world, at this time, in a moment, doubt entered into our lives, what caused the doubt is explained to us in Gen 1:3: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. That's right, ...God shone His LIGHT into our wasted, empty and dark world, our darkened spirit, to reveal our true state, ...lost, cut off from, outside of, the blessing and communion with God that our great, great, great grandfather Adam had experienced. At this time there are two paths before us, a broad one and a narrow one, doubt enters our mind, do we take the broad path and go with our friends, listen to their advice, or do we stand alone, contemplating that narrow path, the one we know, the other one we don't, ...doubt, which one should I chose, ...however, if we chose to take the narrow path the wheels in Heaven are set in motion, Father starts to supernaturally naturally orchestrate divine rendezvous, ...we meet, we come in contact with His children, we start "going" to church, we start reading God's Word, we instinctively go back and read what had been planted in us as children, we hear everyone talking about Jesus, who's Jesus(?), ...doubt, ...then the LIGHT shines again into our darkened spirit, ...Jesus is God(!), we believe, not from our own reasoning, we believe because we have been given faith to believe, ...and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. We've been attending church, listening to the pastor teach on many subjects, repentance, holiness, mercy, grace, Heaven, Hell, ...not really understanding what he is saying, then comes the moment when we're reading the Word or listening to a teaching, we've heard the Gospel message, ...when a certain verse literally jumps off of the page into our face, piercing our heart, it's like a mortal wound, the LIGHT is so intense, ...we see our sin, ...which path, narrow or broad, Jesus or the world, Heaven or Hell, ...doubt, OR, ...faith? If we chose in faith that Jesus Christ died in our place, took on Himself our sin, according to Scripture, was buried and rose again on the third day, according to Scripture, then we are born again, a new creation in Christ, having received the Holy Spirit to give us His life and come and live inside of us for all of Eternity. The Bible is full of illustrations where doubt causes us to grow in faith, ...Father actually uses our doubt to build our faith, the greatest example of this is the Book of Habakkuk, Habakkuk asks God a question, God answers him which causes Habakkuk to doubt God, God speaks, reveals to him, ...the just lives by his faith, ...and in the rest of the book Habakkuk reveals his faith in God. Father takes our doubt and uses it to build our faith, ...as we grow in the Grace and the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, ...putting of the old man and putting on the new. Because, ...because, ...when we come to the end of our pilgrimage on this world, when we are in front of the door between this world and Eternity, when we take our last breath, Father wants our faith to be so strong, without any doubt, that we can say, ...Father, into Your Hands I commit my spirit! I hope this helps, Lord bless

A lot of times dreams are just dreams and don't mean anything. Aside from that I personally don't buy into the idea that seeing something in a dream universally means something. People can view something in so many different ways that it's probably impossible for something to mean the same thing to everyone.

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

In this passage Jesus is telling the disciples; You can rejoice in some things as in this situation "that the spirits are subject to you", but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven. "Our names are written in Heaven", that must have the disciples wondering about a lot of things... The Jews (and that includes the Israelites- the Gallilians), believed and hoped that their names are written in the bossom of Abraham. And we see that from the things Jesus said about the Rich and Poor Lasarous... Jesus is telling them that their names are not written in the bossom of Abraham, which we can deduce by Jesus telling them that their names are written in Heaven. We can learn something from Jesus, who if he had say first that your names are not written in the bossom of Abraham.. That would have freak out the disciples for they would have seen them selfs toggether with the rich Lasarous. Jesus said the Good News first; "your names are written in Heaven". Jesus introduces them to the "New Heavenly Inheritance" for mankind... At this particular time it mentioned only the disciples and did not expanded to include both the Jews and the Gentiles and how that will happened. Jesus is telling them many things will be soon change... And we know when that took place " God raised Jesus from the dead and gave him Heaven as his inheritance", and not just for him only, but also for everyone who believes in him... Jesus talked more than once about the "Good News", about the Heavenly Inheritance. "In my "Fathers House" they are manny mansions and there is a place for you there", He said that his Father is the Heavenly Father, Jesus did not speak like the others who said " "our Father is Abraham", putting them shelfs in the Bossom of Abraham", Jesus put himself together with the "Heavenly Father". He did not denied that he was borned in Bethlehem...and that he grew up in Nazareth. Jesus foretold them that they will never discend to the bossom of Abraham and that at the time of their death that they will ascent to Heaven... That was an assurance also for him, that he will suffer alone, and he alone will die and descent to the Bossom of Abraham, and to the rest of the places of the dead preaching the Gospel of Life and the Heavenly Inheritance.

I can imagine many circumstances our nakedness might be accidentally exposed by. I think modesty is important but I can't imagine the mere sight of nakedness or being seen naked to be a sin in itself. What we do with what we see very well might be. This verse seems to imply if we see nakednesss....just give them some clothes It doesn't mention the naked one has sinned. Something has interrupted their ability to clothe themselves and we have a responsibility to help them remedy that. This verse implies compassion for the naked one, not rebuke.

Makes sense. I would add it's essential to be able to answer the opposition as well.

The vision of the empowered Son of Man, the Head of His Body, walking amid the believers, is very encouraging to me. I see that He is taking very personal attention to what we believe, how we grow, & any errors that would try to deceive us. `.....that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive.` (Eph.4: 14) From the very beginning of the Body of Christ we read that the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul, warned the believers of the difficulties ahead. `Therefore take heed to yourselves & to all the flock,.... For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you,....` (Acts 20: 29) Then Christ the Head of the Body (through Paul) warns of false teachers with impure motives & wrong doctrines. `Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.` (Acts 20: 30) Perverse, Gk. Word `diastrepho` meaning to distort, misinterpret & corrupt. Here we see that certain people from amongst the believers are not looking to the Lord as the Head, but desire to `rise up` & `lord it over ` others. They teach wrong doctrine, `perverse things.` How true that is even today.

"seminary" and "cemetary" rhyme

Thankyou everyone for your suggestions. Please pray for me.

@Debp I quoted you in the above, yet it tagged Johnthebaptist in the quote feature, which you were responding to from the same quoted area..

My wife and I years ago went to a similar church. After listening to his hubbub, I spoke with him after the service, correcting him on a verse that he suggested made God a liar. He informed me with a proud and haughty look "You have not been to seminary." We never looked back, and I've warned more than a few of that place.

The NASB, the one I use,.....and the Interlinear Greek-English New Testament does NOT say they were looking for a "man". Both say that "no one" was found, not that "no man " was found. It's all in the context of the passage. "I began to weep greatly, because no one was found worthy to open the book". You stop at "found"......you're not looking at the context. The context is........ "found worthy"! Look at some examples from Scripture. Eze 28:15 “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you. Dan 1:19 The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they [fn]entered the king's personal service. Dan 6:22 “My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as [fn]I was found innocent before Him; and also [fn]toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” Mat 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus [fn]Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been [fn]betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. Luk 9:36 And when the voice [fn]had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. Rev 14:5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless. Rev 18:24 “And in her was found the blood of prophets and of [fn]saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.” Were all of these instances where the word found is used.......... "lost"?......... Of course not! But people will USE whatever means necessary to further their agenda. Very illogical......and very deceitful This is not a careful, objective analysis. Otherwise, I would have commended you on a good exegesis. This is someone who injects his own ideas into the text, making it say whatever he wants.......eisegesis. Not good brother, not good!

We need a correct sense of proportion. "Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you..." It's wonderful to have a successful ministry - one that changes people’s lives. But it's a far more wonderful thing that we should belong to God in the first place! Success makes us proud - but we know that none of us has any right to have our names in God's book. It's possible to cast out demons and yet be excluded from the Kingdom (Matthew 7:22,23).

“Christ in us, our Hope of Glory.” God who is not only our Creator. He Himself has voluntarily chose to become our Saviour. Oh, to know this Great and Glorious God personally. Blessings, Much love in Christ, Not me

One has to make the effort to read scripture, to understand what scripture is teaching, to learn and understand the principals that teach us how to live and to memorise scripture. One is 'reprogramming ones mind' to think in the same way or similar to how God thinks instead of coping how the devil thinks. To have 'bible biased brains' takes effort to put it another way those who are heavenly minded are of the Most Earthly use.

That's right my dear sister . I did watch that one . That one was good . OH let all raise those hands and praise the Lord . Their was another one that was very accurate in how JESUS suffered . Called the passion . I wished it had shown more of his teachings , but the point was to show how much He suffered . And HE did get beaten extremely bad . even issiah speaks of it SO marred , wasn't even hardly recognizeable . On this note I am led to remind us of something . JESUS did not take all that beating so folks could holler other religions are saved too and vaild . What a mock to Christ . Allah cant save squat and muhammed is false . Course so is budda and all other false religions and mindsets. By grace this man plans on going on the way I came in , saying JESUS ONLY SAVES and no other will .

It's good to be well-versed in the Bible and obedient to the teachings of the Lord, because it's easy to be deceived and go astray.

EXCITING ! > Living the Christian Life A. The foundation for Christian living. J.B. Phillips has an outstanding and memorable translation of Romans 12:1-2: With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give Him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to Him and acceptable by Him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the Plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity. 1. (Rom 12:1) The living sacrifice. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. a. I beseech you: This reminds us that Paul appeals to our will. God calls us to make a choice about the way that we live for Him. ... ... ... ... .... .... https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Rom/Rom-12.cfm Outline of Biblical Usage a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better Concordance Results Using KJV Strong's Number G342 matches the Greek ἀνακαίνωσις (anakainōsis), which occurs 2 times in 2 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV View results using the NASB Greek concordance Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing G342 of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing G342 of the Holy Ghost; https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G342&t=KJV

.... it is included in the verse: ".... be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." Even if with men this is impossible, with God all things are possible - ongoing trusting, relying on the Father - as Jesus told the disciples: trust your heavenly Father to accomplish your salvation and everything concerning salvation in this life and in the next, and it is already done.

We seem to forget that Martha had the "Mary" experience with Jesus when Lazarus died. I don't like sometimes how we define Martha as the busy bee and Mary as the silent worshipper as if that's how they were all the time. It wasn't. When Martha heard Jesus was coming, she ran to meet him and they had an incredibly personal and spiritually necessary conversation. Jesus reveals that he, himself, is the resurrection. He asks her personally, calling her name, if she believes that. She gladly says yes and that she believe Jesus to be both the Son of God AND the Christ come into the world. In my opinion - and it's just my opinion - we need both. We need to be working and keeping the details in order and we need to be at the feet of Jesus. Communion with Christ is the better thing and yet that doesn't detract from doing the work of the LORD. Let's be about both and keeping the priority on the greater thing.

Honor them and let Jesus love them through you. But that doesn't mean to let them walk all over you. Set limits and tell them that even though you treat them with respect, they are being very disrespectful toward you and are taking advantage of you. Tell them you expected better of them than to be treated so shamefully. Then continue to serve them as you would Jesus. Jesus died for them as well. He loves them. Allow Him to live in you to love them and forgive them even though they don't ask for it. It is not easy. While we were yet sinner Christ died for us as well. He wants you to learn how great His love is. Eph 3:14 For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph 3:15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, Eph 3:16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; Eph 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, Eph 3:18 may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, Eph 3:19 and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, Eph 3:21 to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

My usual point is what does it matter? Jesus didn't come down here and die as a fire insurance policy... he came here to make a way for us to spend eternity with him.... if you come to Jesus running from the fire, I think one is missing the whole point of his trip. So to answer your question as to my view of hell. well my view is it doesn't matter. It's not part of my future so why should I care.

Shalom angels, I think this growing trend of transgender adults and children, which has suddenly flourished over the past few years, upsets us all. This confusion has always been present but once political correctness, self-righteous movements and the medical industry get behind this and fuel it - it's an open invite for all who are struggling to understand themselves. "Therefore God gave them up to uncleanness, in lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." - Romans 1:24-25 (NKJV) This butchery of the body, however delicate and elegant in the eyes of the surgeon, will always have repercussions in ways we can not possible calculate. Physically, psychologically, sociologically and spiritually. So very sad. Love & Shalom

Ephesians 2:8–10 (AV) 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Hebrews chapter 11 gives us a list of examples of faith in the Bible and a brief definition. Remember faith is not of ourselves. And those on the list had a lot less to go on than we do today (or since the Bible was written and completed). Ours is a faith founded on fact. And never doubt the human capacity to disbelieve the truth. ← That's what we are up against when even in faith we sometimes doubt or get off track. Which proves faith is not actually of us. It couldn't be. Even if we had saving faith on our own we could not maintain it. It truly is the GIFT of God.

I think the first thing is the Act of the Holy Spirit thAt takes a heart of stone and transforms it to a contrite, softened heart that opens the eyes of a person and delivers him from the Fools Paradise,where he thinks he is OK and dies not need a Savior.When the eyes are opened, when the “ soil” of the heart is made ready to receive the “ seed” of the Gospel thAt will save him if he believes it and it alone for his Salvation, and Once one sees himself as a lost, Hell - deserving sinner, the rest can pretty much take care of itself.

Let me be a little more specific with what I'm asking. At the beginning of the Salvation journey, nobody comes to Christ unless the Father draws or calls them. So the first thing that must happen is the Father calls us out to Christ. At this point where we are just being drawn or called by the Father, we do not have the Spirit of Christ yet, so Christ, His word, and the promises in His word are not ours yet either. As per Rom. 8:9. This state would be before what the church world understands as "believing and recieving". Hope that makes it a little clearer. Any disagreement with this part?

If everyone is in agreement on Rom:8:9, that if we don't have the Spirit of Christ at the very start of the Salvation journey, Christ is not ours. With that said, if We don't have the Spirit of Christ ( because we are at the very start) then Christ, His word, and the promises in His word can't be ours yet either, correct. If we can agree with this beginning state of the Salvation journey, we can then discuss what Faith is, and how the first act of " Faith " is fulfilled.

Faith is the given capacity to exchange the reliance upon 1st born realities toward the promises given by God in His Word... To actually exchange priority to written Scriptures so that you live and act upon that and not upon the overwhelming influences we have been born into! We are made able by faith to produce activity that points to God and what He has said and this is magnified by the overwhelming things that come against us even in the doing... Hebrews chapter 11