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And I liked this (below quote) from there - it is how I think Paul is looking at this, as he references the games as an analogy by saying things like how he "runs the race" and "that I might be disqualified" and also uses boxing terms. This word was taken from Isthmian games where the contestants would compete for the prize under the careful scrutiny of judges who would make sure that every rule of the contest was obeyed (cf. 2 Tim. 2:5). The victor of a given event who participated according to the rules was led by the judge to the platform called the Bema. There the laurel wreath was placed on his head as a symbol of victory (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-25). In all of these passages, “Paul was picturing the believer as a competitor in a spiritual contest. As the victorious Grecian athlete appeared before the Bema to receive his perishable award, so the Christian will appear before Christ’s Bema to receive his imperishable award. The judge at the Bema bestowed rewards to the victors. He did not whip the losers.”2 We might add, neither did he sentence them to hard labor. In other words, it is a reward seat and portrays a time of rewards or loss of rewards following examination, but it is not a time of punishment where believers are judged for their sins. Such would be inconsistent with the finished work of Christ on the Cross because He totally paid the penalty for our sins. Chafer and Walvoord have an excellent word on this view:

So . . . I agree with what you have said above, and also with others on this subject. The Bema seat is not for us to be judged for sins that we have done before we were saved, or, since we have been saved. It is a place of rewards given and rewards withheld based on Jesus' righteous judgements of our lives. HOWEVER: For us to think that the Bema seat of Christ will be just a "no big deal" event IS A Big Mistake on our part. To think that we will skip through it with a casual attitude is just plain crazy in my opinion. For us to say: "Oh well, rewards would have been nice, but, I can get along without them . . . I am saved and that is all I care about" is NOT what will be happening at the Bema Seat. Imagine appearing before Jesus for the sole purpose of having our entire lives after we were born again examined and scrutinized, and seeing our Lord's approval, or disappointment on His face . . . . (Selah) That should give us an healthy dose of the fear of God regarding how we will stand approved, or unapproved for how we have lived our lives. Me personally . . . I am glad that I made it to the Judgement Seat of Christ, but, I also know that I will tremble before His eyes of scrutiny peering through my life's works, sorting it all out etc. So . . . since it is Jesus' approval that I am seeking . . . I should live my life for Him, doing what He says I should do . . . resisting sin and keeping myself clean . . . looking for His soon coming as it it were tomorrow, but also doing good works that he wants done like His coming won't happen for another one hundred years but being a faithful steward of what He has given me. My opinion only . . . Grace and Peace to all here . . . . Ray. . . .

Daniel 7 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed

I know what to expect. This is why I say His judgment should not come as a surprise but rather, seeking His judgment every day while we remain in this world, we know because the Lord does not withhold His judgment from us. All we have to do is ask. Of course, this requires faith: faith that He will answer... faith in His promise to dwell with us, and teach us... faith that He will direct our path... faith in the Lord Himself.

Hi again @Hosanna I moved your thread from the Welcome Section to this section so as to answer your question. Find a House Church » Simple Church Global Network (simplechurchathome.com) This is a simple home church global network site that helps you find home churches registered with it in your area. Facebook or other social media sites might help also. If there is someone on this site from your area they might have an answer for you. Blessings from Michael37

2 Chronicles 7:14 14 If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

FYI, thread started......... @Hosanna I think the truth of the pilgrim remnant from Malachi is very apt also.............

@Hosanna YW. Thanks also for posting on the other threads I started (replied).

There are so many to choose from! Right now Psalm 142 deeply resonates with me; (ASV) Prayer for help in trouble. Maschil of David, when he was in the cave; a Prayer. 142 I cry with my voice unto Jehovah; With my voice unto Jehovah do I make supplication. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I show before him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walk Have they hidden a snare for me. 4 Look on my right hand, and see; For there is no man that knoweth me: Refuge hath failed me; No man careth for my soul. 5 I cried unto thee, O Jehovah; I said, Thou art my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend unto my cry; For I am brought very low: Deliver me from my persecutors; For they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul out of prison, That I may give thanks unto thy name: The righteous shall compass me about; For thou wilt deal bountifully with me.

Thanks, @Hosanna , for your comment. Those are great principles there from Romans 12, etc., about sanctification. In Leviticus the context is often seen as pagan necromancy. Also in the adjacent verse is seems to say about not trimming the corners of beards; do preachers shave? if they do, they are maybe acknowledging that they are New Testament Christians under grace engaging in witness, rather than Old Testament Jews in the land under the law.

Amen. Absolutely agree with you!

Hi @Hosanna FYI...........Psalm thread started.............

Hi @Hosanna Acts 2.41-42 is as relevant now as it ever was, in all its depth and simplicity: "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

Blessings @Hosanna Welcome to Worthy Let me know if you find the true Body of Believers meeting someplace- I'm praying for the same many years now❤️❤️❤️❤️ I'm not in the UK though so I couldn't be of much help regardless-Here,in America I've attended many a wonderful gathering but not as we HOPE for like we read about with the Apostles after Pentecost-with Holy Spirit Moving like a Mighty Rushing Wind With love in Christ,Kwik

Here is a great thought exercise I like to throw at people in the church: One boy is born in a gang infested neighborhood near Chicago. His dad was just a sperm donor and his mom was a crack head so he was raised by his grandmother who wasn't too clean herself. He joined a gang (the only real family a lot of these boys get), committed some petty crimes and became basically a "feral human being", dying before he reached the age of 25. Another boy was born to a mother and father in an affluent neighborhood. Dad had a solid job, the family went to church every Sunday, and further, his father taught him strong morals and the role of a man in the world. He also taught him about the love of Christ, and the boy saw it in his daily life in how his father interacted with other human beings. Now, the second boy became a strong Christian, a leader, and lived a very happy and productive life, with multiple children, a loving wife, and lots and lots of grandchildren. In the end, was the second boy more "deserving" of God's free gift? switch the two boys circumstances. How would boy number two have faired with the same situation as boy number one, and vice versa? i.e. God chooses us. We don't choose him. He did not, in my opinion, say, "I'm gonna have all the bad people be born in the "hood", where they shoot up, shoot each other, and treat all the girls in the neighborhood as their persona harem. And I'm gonna have all the good people be born to Ward and June Cleaver. Most Christians have a hard time dealing with this. I do to some degree, but I'm almost 70, and I've seen God work incredible miracles in the most destitute lives. In fact, in a real way, that's one of the miracles that strengthened my belief.

A question: Since these aliens are not human they are just animals so are there any pertinent hunting regulations to consider if trophy hunting them?

I think there is a lot of truth to that post. And I think what you call the "Christian life" is probably your experience with man made Christian tradition, not actual Christianity. I say that because I've experienced a LOT of it. My wife and I currently go to a "Christian" church. That is the actual denomination name. But we've moved around a lot and have gone to Baptist, Assembly of God, Foursquare, Vineyard, and several others. I also played in a southern gospel band that visited a lot of the small backwoods churches here in Kentucky when I first moved here. Let me tell you, you here a lot of really crazy and unbiblical stuff in a lot of those churches. Also, a lot of "non-believers are gonna burn to a crisp forever" messages. And a lot of them were so judgmental against anyone not actually in the building listening, it was, well, comical, if it were not so serious. The misery I saw in many of those congregations was also surprising. It caught me off guard. The important thing to remember, though, is that there is ONE difference between true Christianity and all the man made religions, even the "Christian" ones. That difference is Grace. No man made religion includes it. They are ALL about your effort to "be good" being imperative. In Christianity, we are called heirs. It's important to really think deeply about what that means. Call us spoiled little rich kids or whatever. The point is that we enjoy His blessings and the Joy of being in His family not because we make sure our room is cleaned up or take out the garbage when he tells us to. Rather, he has adopted us into his family as HIS children and loves us more than any earthly father can. And I've met some VERY loving earthly fathers. So enjoy the Bughatti your father got you for your 16th birthday, and you will please him if you drive responsibly and don't wreck it on a back road in a drunken stupor. But even then, you are still His adopted son that He loves. Look at David. A man after His own heart. Yet a murderer and adulterer. In fact, every single person* in the bible that God used had some serious flaws. *This doesn't include Jesus, since He is literally God in the flesh. The only "man" we can worship.

I think you are right about the burden of proof. After all, if someone says something exists, but offers zero proof, why would you believe them. Then again, for many people, "miracles" only count if you personally experience them. That is why, for many people, the hundreds of people who witnessed the resurrected Jesus are an irrelevance because they didn't personally see him. The events of my life scream out that there is a creator - and that he Loves us. And here's the key. The message of Christianity is simple. There are two commandments: Love God and love your fellow man. And love is a decision and an action. Oh, and a third thing: Jesus brings eternal life to those that follow him. Those that don't can still enjoy the gift of this life in whatever way they see fit. They can make it fruitful or they can squander it on drugs, women, etc. And the more they squander it (and we all do to one degree or another), the more misery they will experience. Some will live in horrible misery (think the drug addicts in the tent cities). Others will live in squalor, in places like Haiti, yet know the joy of the Lord. But for everyone, there is an end to this life. For those that accepted Jesus' free gift, they go on to abundant and eternal life, according to Jesus. Those that don't, their end is final, like the end of all the other animals. The person is resurrected at the great white throne judgement, and then ended permanently. For eternity. The bible calls it a punishment, but it's not a punishment where one is "taught a lesson" since there is no point in teaching them. Rather, they are "punished", like the machine in this sentence: "your machine can take a fair amount of punishment before falling to pieces" So, as Spock sez, "Live long and prosper." But in the end, it's not about what happens to you, it's about your attitude toward this short life that our creator gave you. Are you going to squander it in the pursuit of pleasure, or use it to enhance your relationship with your Creator and your fellow man? For me, it is ALL about those relationships. Everything else is something that either enhances or detracts from those relationships.

As I said, it's your life and you're the one that lives it. I've be where you are and found it to be a really miserable and lonely place to be, that's why I fought my way out of it and came to where I am now instead, a journey into faith that seems to have no end to the ever expanding wonders it brings to me.

I think that Christianity is based on faith, but not blind faith. Sometimes the difference is subtle, and sometimes it's stark. I'll tell you one thing: my personal belief is that if someone thinks that there is no creator, they're not really paying attention. I'll also add that I personally separate "Christianity" from "man made religion". And I believe that ALL Christian denominations are man made religions, but many have "leaven" of Christianity mixed in.

Interestingly, I believe God chooses us, rather than we choose God. And when we share the Gospel, we don't know who is going to believe and who isn't. But in my case there are plenty of reasons not to believe, the latest of which is our son was killed in a car wreck about 20 months ago, leaving our two grandchildren who were 12 and 16 alone with their crazy mom. I mean seriously. he also had started a business about 8 years ago that left her with about $7 million, which she burns up on drugs. It's a very sad situation. Yet He's also done two miraculous healings in our lives and two other miraculous answers to prayer. My joy in the Lord is no longer based on what happens in this life. It's like we're playing Call of Duty and are just characters in the game controlled by the real person that is projected into our bodies from outside. That "real person" is you. Your body is a shell it occupies for a few decades. Your consciousness is a literal miracle from God that you experience all the time. You've just gotten so used to it that you don't even think about it - much. This life is kinda like a boot camp, with your "real" life to follow. In other words, everything really DOES happen for a reason. Don't wash out. I highly recommend C. S. Lewis' book, "The problem of pain". It was inspired by the tremendous grief he suffered when his wife died of cancer. And actually, the history of his marriage is also fascinating. The book deals very much with the question, "why does God allow so much suffering?"

Lots of thoughts to unpack here. 1. It reminds me of the importance of repentance. Biblical repentance is more than remorse. It is a turning from sin to God. We are exposed to many temptations and worldly programming, often at a rate that we can't comprehend. With the Peter incident, when his eyes were turned back to the world, their influence was not overcome. In this instance when he talks about little faith, i don't think he is referring to not trusting Jesus fully. Rather it was a faith that was distracted by the world. That's why , in the Christian walk, our faith becomes strengthened as we reprogram our mind to him. Many unfortunately claim to have a faith that is not life changing. The bible says, we need faith to believe him totally. ( John 1.12) we need to be willing to believe God. Not a characteristic of God( that he can bring us to heaven) or our understanding of God( which will change as we grow in him) So a faith that he will bring unconverted to heaven i don't see in the bible 2. I wonder if Christianity has a different definition of saved than the Bible. What ive noticed is that from our perspective and action , saved is often portrayed as future. (Believe on the lord jesus and thou shalt be saved,.. he who persevere to the end will be saved) From God's action, it is completed( by grace ye are saved) I have been wondering if biblical saving is saving us from death/destruction where we have glorified bodies which is in our future. Often churches put labels on people as saved or unsaved and then even complicate it further by saying it's reversable or not reverseable We need to consider the parable of the sower, while i consede our lives are culminate experiences. Not all places where the seed is planted, even if starts to grow , will survive. That's why discipleship and love and encouragement for new believers is important.

However, the word bema is used for judicial benches as well - such as Pilate's judgement seat where Jesus was condemned.

"Are we saved if one does not have that level of love, belief, and faith?" I would say I did not have that level of faith at my spiritual birth, nor do I have it now. I can think of only one who had ever had it, and still does. It does not mean I do not strive to, and still run the race, seeking grace and mercy. If God says we all sin, then we are all missing his mark, however often, so I believe that no one can say all to any of your question, Dennis. I usually think of Paul (console myself) when it comes to being so frustrated by my weaknesses, and my wicked heart. I never saw/noticed that verse in the context you brought out. What about this one; “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Perfect in man's dictionary; complete and without defect or blemish In scripture; “complete, whole, and fully developed; totally righteous In Christ I believe I am perfect, positionaly. So, it is logical, when a babe is born, IN Christ, positionaly it seems he/she is perfect by scriptural definition of perfect. They both have life. "Are we saved if one does not have that level of love, belief, and faith?" I believe a babe in Christ is the same, positionaly, as a mature believer. Should they both suffer accidental death, they both will be with the Lord, new babe and mature believer. My understanding.

The end times explained in modern day lingo instead of in Revelation and Daniel's veiled prophetic, encoded lingo So, what all is going to go down in these end times? Do you wonder? Or do you think you know? Or is it seemingly beyond your paygrade? Or do the many, many, many different takes all start to confuse you? Either way, I will explain what is coming very soon, without all the metaphors & codes that we end time prophecy wonks have to digest, ponder, overcome. I ask for insight by God to get to the bottom of these things. I can't seem to get some guys to see in full via the codes, metaphors and symbolism, so I thought I will just write down what I know is coming, filtering out all the codes that seem to confuse so many, then maybe they will not get a brain-freeze on the 144,000 being all the Jews who repent or 3.5-5 million Jews, after all Zech. 13:8-9 says it will be 1/3 of all time Jews who repent, not 144,000. As we speak devils/demon strongholds are trying to tear America apart, they see our foundation of democracy via a Republic, based on God given rights a hinderance to their intended chaos. They also understand that in order to gain a stronghold over the E.U. and Mediterranean Sea Region the economies have to collapse, that is why the USA is borrowing money to give away to other nations like Ukraine, and protecting Europe via NATO. This is why we are welcoming in millions of illegal aliens, paying them foodstamps and checks, shipping them around the nation etc. etc. It makes no sense in the physical realm, but in the spiritual realm these demons have so seduced these blind foolish people that they are mere ignorance on wheels. We must go broke and lose influence, then because we have no money China will go broke. Those two spheres of influence will become paper tigers, their leaders will be shredded wheat by the time the calamity hits hard. Their political influence will wane. Onwards to a post USA influence, where China's teat is taken away and they fall by the wayside also. Russia now steps up its attack on Israel, who have discovered vast deposits of gas, Russia will be joined by Iran and Turkey, and a few token African nations, how do we know? Ezekiel 38 & 39 tells us that is what is going to happen. So, the E.U. leader (Anti-Christ) will have the USA out of the way, our peoples will be so mad about a "great depression" that they will never want to spend another dime outside our borders, mark my words. He will not have to worry about China either. And God it seems destroys the Russian, Iranian and Turkish Armies Himself. This creates an opening the side of a barn for the E.U. to enter. Many in Israel have wanted to be E.U. members for a long time now, especially the more liberal groups. The European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) is a vehicle the E.U. uses to try and gain allies/friends in the region and the stated goals are to hopefully cultivate ties with the nations that may one day lead to membership offers from the E.U. And with Israel discovering vast gas deposits recently, if they undermine and undercut Russia's prices, that might be why the Gog & Magog war comes to fruition (Spoils). The E.U. will see this gas as a huge plus for their needs. I see the E.U. offering Israel State Membership in the European Union about the time of the Gog & Magog war. My friends this is the Agreement (Covenant) that Israel enters into, with the leader of the E.U the prince to come in Daniel 9:26-27, the Anti-Christ. I also see the E.U. having agreements with other Mediterranean Sea Region nations, which they may or may not offer membership unto, but when the E.U. renege on their agreements with Israel, they will also conquer "the many" which simply means Israel and the whole Mediterranean sea region. This will happen at the 1260 middle of the week, when God's wrath finally falls. He is irate Israel entered into an agreement that gave His land to a collective E.U. state. This starts the 70th week of penance against Israel, and at that time the churches job is finished, thus we will be taken to heaven to marry the Lamb (Rev. 19). Israel will be a part of the E.U. for 3.5 years not realizing in full that when God's wrath strikes, which imho will set the new world on fire (1/3), the Anti-Christ will then become the beast by conquering Israel and the Mediterranean Sea Region. Thus he rises at what point? On day 1260 from the sea as Rev. 13 shows, he rules 42 months, so the beast only arises at the middle of the 70th week, and rules for 1260 days. Meanwhile, this creates close ties between Israel and the E.U to begin with, so naturally when this E.U. leader/President helps Israel and their High Priest rebuild their temple the Gov. leaders in Israel and High Priest will feel a close kinship with him. But something is going to go down before the Anti-Christ attacks them, something like this: Google/Facebook/Twitter free speech prohibition, like what they did to Trump and conservatives. I see it as this E.U. leader demanding Christians stop calling homosexual acts a sin, that they stop calling abortion a sin, etc. etc. and thus when the Two-witnesses show up 1335 days before the 2nd coming, and get 1/3 of the Jews to repent and turn to Jesus, this creates a problem for the beast, and of course the Israeli High Priest will be anti Jesus, most are vehemently anti Jesus tbh. So, these two men "conspire" with each other (think Antiochus and Jason 2200 years ago) and they forbid Jesus worship, either in the temple only or in all of Israel or maybe in all of the Europe and the Mediterranean. Then this anti Jesus High Priest (the False Prophet) will cheekily put up an image of the E.U. President in the holy of holies, to mock the Christians. This is the AoD Jesus spoke about(the 1290). When the 3.5-5 million Jews who repented(144,000 in code) see this they know they have 30 days to flee unto the Petra/Bozrah mountain wilderness before Israel/Jerusalem gets conquered by this Anti-Christ/Beast at the 1260 DOTL event. This is what we are seeing go down in Rev. 7, however most can not see this for what it is. Then God's wrath falls in Rev. 8 via the asteroid, which I think will be Apophis, which will hit in the exact middle of the week (April 13, 2029), thus I think the pre trib rapture will happen in the fall of 2025. This man will only rule over Europe, Israel and the Mediterranean Sea Region, as Dan. 11:40-43 clearly shows us. He never rules, nor tries to rule the whole world. Its not even a remote possibility, the whole new world will, imho, be ablaze, the smoke will filter out the sun & moons light. The moon will have a red hue (blood moon). This is God's judgment against evil mankind who followed Satan and this European beast man. It will get worse and worse until at the 7th Vial Jesus shows up, and the mere presence of his coming will destroy all evil as he speaks victory. Then Jesus will set up his 1000 year reign where men will live without temptation, and will not desire willful sins, they will still have sin nature, but no desire to sin since the tempter is locked up. This condemns Satan because it proves it was him and his dirty tricks that created this evil world, by tricking Adam out of his birthright of dominion over the earth. Therefore, after Satan is condemned, the second resurrection of the wicked will ensue and Satan will have won his prize, this evil world and the whole universe will be set ablaze, imho, this whole universe will be hell. Meanwhile we will live in a New Heaven and New Earth with God for eternity. Amen.

I know there will be an accounting. And some choose to see this as just either rewards or loss of rewards, but not punishment. Others think there will be punishment, and some think it may be quite severe . . . I must admit being blown around a little on this, that is, to what degree things will be handed out. One thing I think AdHoc mentioned in another thread, and that I need to look at more, is the idea that we may be judged according to how we judge others. Yes, the proverbial shoe laces - I'm pretty much at that place too!

Hi @Hosanna

Also, keeping ourselves in the love of God means showing love to others in the same way He does, being gentle at times and firm at others. 1Co 4:18-21 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. (19) But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have. (20) For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (21) Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

There are three heavens and one earth/natural realm, and Divinity manifests in each one of them in a manner suitable to the realm. But the Divine Nature itself is infinite, or, according to the Hebrew mystics, Ayin Sof/Without Limitation, and consequently is beyond the ability of created beings to comprehend. Therefore, He clothes Himself in garments/manifestations that His created beings are able to comprehend. But those manifestations are all just different expressions of the same Divinity. It's a lot like quantum physics, where the nature of the particle is determined by its interaction with the one trying to observe it!

Hi.. yeah I was just thinking this lol. Like I can hear Him saying "guys? I'm right here in the room". I remember when I was young everything was Jesus yet I started to get this thought "what about the Father". So I sure have and at times forget. Even though they are one yet 3. That still mind blowing

Ephesian 4:5-6 is interesting be cause it states "One lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all, who is over all through all and in all". Therefore there are so many different beliefs yet the word states there is ONLY one faith - True faith

I personally don't do that Snow. I do know that it seems that way listening to a lot of others. When I pray I see him in my minds eye and we are speaking person to person.

It's not aliens. It's never aliens. Until it is.

From a tremendous chapter...............

John 17:3 "This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the ONLY TRUE GOD and the one who sent, Jesus Christ

@Neighbor Father, Son and Holy Spirit - deeply present in Scripture - are One God in Three Persons most gloriously.....

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2

Yeah, hard to see that pass with the entrenched bunch we've got. And over the years I've seen different ones run on a self-imposed term limit, only to see them recant when their voluntary time was up. Usually the explanation is something like, "I thought I could get the job done in just one term, but now I see the forces against me are so strong, it'll take at least a couple more terms to get the people's work done!" Like the laws of physics, I see a couple political laws that are hard to overcome: 1) Any tax going down or going away; 2) Politicians voluntarily leaving office (and somehow I suspect the two might be related )

@SavedOnebyGrace Thank-you! keep posting.................!

Whoever said that was in error!

"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." Psalm 56:3

Thanks for sharing that one. I can see why it is one of your favorites. Here is a comforting one I remind myself of when feeling sad: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18)