JohnD

Thought you were about to sign off, Dear Sister... "Oh No!!!" I thought to myself. But then I kept reading... Whew... I personally frequent the forum less because I feel my outreach (personal ministry / input) is not needed or not wanted (I feel like I'm defending a doctoral dissertation at times being challenged or opposed by every other word). Ironically, by people whom I share 99.99% of beliefs with. So when I do come here it is more for fellowship and prayers. I guess I'll just grow a thicker skin and jump in the fight more often to help the forum. I have been on Reddit and Quora Digest and even Facebook fighting the good fight with mostly unbelievers who are not up on the theological arguments of this tradition or that but rather the questions and challenges to the faith itself (which is actually easier to address IMHO than pitting one denominational dogma against another or dispensation versus pre-mid-post everything...). {sigh} But, I'll frequent this (my home) more often, should the LORD tarry. Be blessed!

I love how safe they are and unafraid. Here in the States, I am glad most are timid because there are a lot of mean people around. God help them if I ever catch them being mean to a cat or dog!

She has two sisters PJ the tuxedo and Cindy Lou the "twin" to Gi Gi (all from the same munchkin litter)

Gi Gi our most feral kitty says "Hello" and when we respond hello she says "hi." She can also say "now." She's also a munchkin (short legs).

Multiply this by 5 and you have the number of damsels in distress with our female pets. All needing da da or mommy to help them do what they can do in spades... LOL

This is Dakota. We adopted her 5 or 6 years ago. She was a rescue from the SPCA. She was a fence climber and was kept in cages that were too small for her (note the position of her hind legs when she sits).

This is what I believe (and have verified by scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 John 4:1)... That Romans 11 defines the called / elect as an INCLUSION THEOLOGY rather than a replacement theology. That the distinction between saved and lost is as it has always been dependent upon an individual's faith rather than their nationality (Romans 2:28-29, Romans 9:6). That there is no doubt that God called the Jewish people apart to usher into this evil world his word in two forms (the written word and the Living Word). And for enduring the suffering as a people for that gestation and birth (Revelation 12) the woman Israel (Genesis 37:9) has a special election / calling in this wold / this life... There is a Physical Israel and a Spirit Israel (Romans 2:28-29, Romans 9:6, Philippians 3:3, John 4:24). Physical Israel consists of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Spirit Israel consist of the spiritual seed / heirs of Abraham through faith in Christ Jesus (Genesis 18:18, Genesis 22:18, Isaiah 14:1, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ephesians 2:11-22). Physical Jews can become Spirit Jews through faith in Yeshua Jesus. Physical Gentiles can become Spirit Jews through faith in Yeshua Jesus (John 3:16-18). Physical Jews are the chosen of this world while Spirit Jews are the chosen of heaven (Galatians 3:24-28, Galatians 4:21-31). All that truly matters is John 3:16-18.

We are the victims of our own jargon, are we not? Buzz words, watch words, all trigger predetermined doctrines resulting in endless theological rabbit trail arguments. The thing to do is stop abiding by what man thinks and man teaches and seek the tutelage of the holy Spirit who wrote the Bible through the writing prophets. Only his interpretation matters (2 Peter 1:20-21, Isaiah 28:9-13, Proverbs 25:2, Deuteronomy 29:29).

Bro, the length and format of you post makes it very hard to read. I suggest smaller posts with no extra spacing between lines.

Understood. I can't imagine [the grief] of leaving them behind...

Aside from Yeshua Jesus, Jewish people have no alternative. Daniel 9:24-27 clearly states that the Messiah Prince would come before the destruction of the second temple. So, if it was not Jesus then the awaited messiah missed an important prophetic curtain call.

Coupled with the admonition of Moses: Deuteronomy 18:15–19 (Debariym 18:15-19) 15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. Moses was the Covenant bearer. No other prophet was like him except the New Covenant bearer Yeshua Jesus. So this testimony plus the New Covenant being UNLIKE the Old (Jeremiah 31:32) means Moses was indicating that the prophet like him is the ultimate authority and the covenant he brings supersedes the old covenant (Torah / Law).

I've learned to tread lightly. Given the historic persecution of Jewish people throughout history, it comes across as quite asinine how know-it-all Christians presume to tell them about their God. Add in the fact that most Christians are more versed in a particular traditional version of Christianity rather than the biblical truth... complicates / detracts from their witness and to a Jew is less appealing than even a Mormon or Jehovah's Witness would be. Pastor / Rabbi Larry Feldman clued me in on how the most effective way to witness to Jewish people begins with genuine love and genuine concern. If all you want to do is put another notch on your spiritual holster... they can sense this and you are doing it for the wrong reasons. If you are doing it as a sense of obligation, that too is a turn off (to anyone). God chose and loves the Jewish people. Present tense. Their rejection of God's Messiah breaks God's heart, but it is their choice... in the sense that all must choose to be saved. We must choose to believe. And what Jesus called the leaven of the Pharisees (the doctrine and dogma that opposes him as Messiah) holds powerful sway over the Jewish people. So, Christians of Gentile origin should reconsider their own perception of Jewish people and not write them off as quickly as it seems most half done. God called and chose the Jewish people to usher in his word and his plan of salvation and his Messiah into this evil world. This alone cost the Jewish people a very high price (the persecution down through that I mentioned). Jesus wept over the rejection of his people. He was not indignant. Nor should we be. He was brokenhearted. And when he returns, he will come to save the Jewish people from a global threat to annihilate them (Armageddon). In fact, he will respond to their outcry "Save now!" Hosha Nah! ← Westernized to hosanna... In a sense, the prophecy of Psalm 118:25 was fulfilled in the triumphal entry of Jerusalem when they laid palm branches in the path of the foal Jesus rode shouting hosanna / hosha nah. But verse 26 has yet to be fulfilled... Psalm 118:25–26 (KJV) 25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. Which Jesus told the Jews would not be fulfilled until: Matthew 23:37–39 (KJV) 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. This will be preceded by their outcry for him to save them at Armageddon when nothing else will have worked. The influence of the 144,000 Messianic Jews and as a last resort before annihilation... they will cry out "Hosha nah, Yehoshua HaMoshiakh!" And he will come and wipe out all the armies arrayed against the Jews Zechariah 14:4). But how do we lovingly / effectively witness to Jewish people in the meantime? Know that the New Testament is nothing more than a cultic writing to the Jewish person. It can be used to cite historic reference to what the preceding Old Testament / Tanakh prophesied predictively. There are 351 such prophesies in the Tanakh that Yeshua Jesus fulfilled in his first advent. Here's a link: 351 Old Testament Tanakh prophesies fulfilled by Yeshua Jesus But even with this equipping we must tread lightly. The initial reaction / resistance would be along the lines: * what? the rabbis for 2,000 years missed all this some how? * so you know more about my Bible than I do? * why should I believe this interpretation? * your scholars twist the scriptures. * your interpreters don't know the correct context. Etc. They have been taught that Jesus (who they derogatorily refer to as Yeshu) was a demon possessed sorcerer false prophet and want-to-be messiah who was illegitimate and believed to have been fathered by a Roman soldier. So now they are to consider this individual to be the Holy One of Israel? You must persist, plowing ahead with the biblical evidence. There are as many ways to approach this subject in the Tanakh and the prophetic passages as there are individuals you are witnessing to. So not prescribed approach is the be-all / end-all way. I found that Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Yirimyahu 31:30-33) presents the most powerful passage that the Torah of Moses is not the final covenant. That there will be a New Covenant unlike the Old Covenant: Jeremiah 31:31–34 (KJV) 31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. more, later...

Bless her and all those who brought food to the pups! I can't pass a hungry animal that I'm not digging into a container of food to share with them... and water if I can. I can't imagine leaving any of them behind in an evacuation situation...

Revelation 20 speaks of the millennial kingdom as being not 1,000 years reign but "thousands of years reign" as the Greek word for millennium (chillioi) is a plural word. The chapter like much of the Bible jumps prophetically back and forth through history. This is a style familiar to Middle Easterners. When we Westerners who tends more towards linear / progressive thinking and story telling apply this to Middle Eastern texts we end up with confusing interpretations. The thousands of years reign is the current era we live in (which began at the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus) which Revelation 20 refers to as the first resurrection. Revelation 20:5–6 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him for thousands of years. Notice that we are already priests and reigning with him now: Revelation 1:6 (KJV) 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 5:10 (KJV) 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 1 Peter 2:3–9 (KJV) 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: The Hebrew mindset expressed in Greek language is actually a kingdom of priests. We ARE a kingdom of priests envoys of King Jesus. What the rebellion of Exodus 32 denied God (when only the Levitical tribe was set aside for priesthood) the desire he had in Exodus 19:6, Jesus granted on the cross: Exodus 19:6 (KJV) 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Those martyred in Revelation 20 will be martyred during the first half of the 70th Week of Daniel (which is a seven year period of TWO three and a half year tribulations: the believer's tribulation when Satan declares global war on the Church, followed by the Great Tribulation when God executes war on the devil and the world). The rapture will immediately precede the Great Tribulation and only a few believers deep in hiding will have survived to that point. Then Jesus will return with his saints raining judgment down first on those who threaten the remnant of Israel and then the dead will all be raised to either eternal life or judgment and eternal damnation.

Or... the Satan inside of Judas realized he'd played right into God's hand; that God intended Jesus to be the sacrifice for human sin... so he feigned remorse to try to stop the whole thing going back to the priests but he (the devil) had corrupted them too well and they refused to stop the execution. In anger he threw the money at the priests (who feigned religiosity and bought the potter's field with the "blood money"). Then the man Judas with the inner possession of a raging Satan within him hung himself. That's not repentance at all.

I cannot believe the matter is being discussed since none of the charges were legit and none rose to the rank of felony until it was fraudulently reclassified. The whole thing is a fraud that the spineless Supreme Court should have tossed out years ago and prosecuted the judges and prosecutors for abuse of power and misconduct.

Bear in mind John 3:16-18 / Ephesians 2:8-10. "Repent!" is not so much about cleaning up our act as it is turning from unbelief in Jesus to belief. Cleaning us up (or more precisely forgiving our sins and imputing to us the righteousness of Christ) is Christ's work. Not ours. At best all we can do AFTER we are saved is try our best not to sin. We will daily fail anyway. But in the effort bot to sin we will lessen the amount we do sin. And we will spare ourselves and others and the Lord that much more grief.

Now that the Catholic Mass of Christ's birth is past, notice what Google states: The Roman Empire regularly conducted localized censuses in certain areas, and Judea had at least three censuses around the time of Jesus' birth. The censuses were usually held from August to October, and were not conducted in the winter, late autumn, or early spring. The census that took place in Bethlehem was in the summer or early fall of 3 BC. This aligns with the probable birth date of Jesus, which is September 11, 3 BC. So many wonder why the tradition of Christ Mass is so universal (that even unbelievers celebrate it)... preachers say it's the power of God, love of Christ, greatness of the advent of his birth... nah, it's the way the traditions of man become hard boiled into the human ways of life. Make no mistake about it, most of Roman Catholicism was spread by the sword rather than the Gospel. When Muslims are challenged by their bloody beginnings they point to Roman Catholicism and and most Christians do not realize it was strictly Roman Catholicism that led the blood baths in the name of Jesus... The Bible does not call for us to celebrate the birth of Christ but to remember his death (in the Passover Seder; the true communion / last supper) defining the meaning of the third cup and afikomen and his blood and body. But even if we were to celebrate his birth we would be more accurate to do so at either Rosh Hoshanah / Yom Kippur or Sukkoth.

Jimmy Carter took a can that previous administrations knew to kick down the street and made it a mandate to return the canal zone to the Panamanians. This is did desperately trying to make a legacy for his own administration (which the globalists had ransacked with interest rates and the Iranian hostage crisis drove the death nail into). Trouble is, the Panama Canal is a world gate. And you do not give over world gates. Period. America built and dug out the canal, but because it was in Panama there was an agreement to turn the zone back over to Panama eventually. This was one of those wise as serpent innocent as doves deals (meaning not exactly honest, but necessary). It came with certain privileges (pseudo-American status, economic status, and the ability to enlist in the American military like Puerto Rico and the Philippines). There are military bases on either end of the zone. Both of which were bid awarded to the Chinese after the zone was returned to Panama. Essentially giving control of this world gate to the Chinese. Trump apparently is out to make good on his promise that the Chinese government will pay for the Covid pandemic and to reassert American dominance in the process. Considering that giving the zone back to Panama was a major screw up in the first place, it is not aggressive of Trump at all to reclaim it.

Sunday (sun day) Monday (moon day) Tuesday (Twes day) Wednesday (Oden's dag) Thursday (Thors day) Friday (Frigg's day Norse goddess) Saturday (Saturn day) January (roman god janus) February (februa, roman purification) March (roman god mars) April (aperire, roman meaning to open) May (greek goddess maia) June (juno roman goddess) July (julius caesar) August (augustus caesar) September (7th month) October (8th month) November (9th month) December (10th month)

Given the fact that all the Jewish feasts / holy days pointed to the coming Messiah Jesus in one aspect or another... should the Church not been so hasty in eliminating them from the Christian calendar? Traditions that have long been held by the Church generally have their origin in the Roman Catholic Church. As we are fast approaching one of the chiefest RCC holy days (Christ Mass / Christmas), it is unknown to most that the day that Jesus was born is of no record whatsoever. Even the most detailed account in Luke's Gospel only gives generalities which harrow it down to approximately the years 5-7 BCE. And the account mentions shepherds out in the fields at night (which is almost never done in December due to the weather). Further, John 1:14 may make a prophetic hint about the season of the year Jesus was born in the Greek stating that he "tabernacled" among us... making the feast of tabernacles a more likely time of Jesus' birth. It is a good prophetic representation of the incarnation itself how God pitched his flesh tent among us mortals. It is historic fact that the decree for Christ Mass as the day of Jesus' birth carries no more weight than a papal decree to "Christianize" the otherwise pagan winter feast Saturnalia (December 21 - 27 depending on the winter solstice that year).

Blessings to all. Setting aside the arguments for tradition in that "this is the way we've always dunnit, and that's good 'nuff for me..." That's fine, stand by your traditions. But for those who are interested in that there might be a difference between what God intended and what man interpreted... please read on.

Thank you, dear Sister. I am not out to whip up on anyone, but only to share the truth which we are to conform to (I myself included, who is the chiefest of sinners). And it does give me joy and peace and thanksgiving to the LORD when fellowshipping with a believer(s) who see and learn the truth. I did not know the truth for the longest time but have found the keys to the truth in scripture as revealed by the Holy Spirit: 1. (2 Peter 1:20-21) The Holy Spirit alone interprets the scriptures which he wrote through the writing prophets, which is what we are to know first of all. 2. (1 John 4:1 / 1 Thessalonians 5:21) We are to test even the Holy Spirit to be certain he is the one giving us the interpretation and guidance because we humans are so gullible and susceptible to false and misleading spirits and doctrines 3. (Acts 17:11 / 2 Timothy 3:16-17) We test all things by the scriptures themselves. God is not inconsistent and even God abides by the Word: Psalm 138:2 (KJV) 2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. 4. (Proverbs 25:2 / Deuteronomy 29:29) Then we will learn the meaning and intent of God's Word and anything hidden from the sight of men and demons 5. (Isaiah 28:9-13) Using this method of interpretation and instruction. I think of the Word of God as precious gems to be mined embedded in the most valuable ore. I refer to these as the keys to the Kingdom. For it places God the Holy Spirit alone in the seat of interpretation and guidance telling his version of his story. Man (under the heavy influence of the devil and his own evil nature) is so easily misled and gets things wrong with only partial understanding or a piece of this and a snatch of that. Lastly, I try my best to stay out of God's way. My opinions / understanding are not what truth is about but only Who and what the Truth is: Yeshua Jesus.

Even though I was saved at age 6, Christmas was no more about Jesus to me than it was to any secularist... a winter holiday filled with commercialism and cheer and family get togethers. We were all familiar with the Christmas story, but somehow it did not connect to Jesus actual advent. Not really. Toys and candy. Santa Claus and Rudolph and elves. Before I took my faith more seriously and study the Bible I put a lot of faith in traditions, theologians, commentaries, doctrines... but began to discover where many did not line up with scripture. John 3:16-18, John 6:29, John 16:27 only says we must believe in Jesus to be saved. In fact, Ephesians 2:8-10 says that works salvation is no salvation at all. That means what the organized Church teaches (praying the sinner's prayer, water baptism, speaking in tongues, foot washing, devotion to the Catholic Church, etc.) are all works and additions to the Gospel Message (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 2 Timothy 2:15 speaks of rightly dividing the word of truth, but most Bibles divide the Bible into the two covenants (new and old) in the wrong place: Hebrews 9:16–17 (KJV) 16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Jesus is the Testator of the New Testament / New Covenant. His death on the cross is the dividing line between the Old Covenant and the New (not between Malachi 4 and Matthew 1). This I say to show how deep the deception runs. What difference does this make? You ask... Matthew 5:27-30 speaks of going to hell for lust. That's Old Testament. Matthew 6:14-15 says that our Heavenly Father will not forgive us unless we forgive others. Old Testament. Simply placing the dividing line in the wrong spot opens the floodgate for Old Testament legalism into New Testament Grace. I did venerate Christmas and Easter for a time (before I cast out human traditions for scripture authenticity). My Beloved Bride and I chose to wed on December 25th believing at the time that it was Jesus' birthday. Our anniversary is what we celebrate on December 25th. You mention Jehovah's Witnesses, Kwik. Sadly, even a cult can see the Bible doesn't line up with the Catholic traditions. And this is often how they snag new Christians (or potential Christians) with their two or three points about how the organized Church got things wrong. This opens the door to their false doctrines being taught as something unknowledgable people would then consider plausible. The truth matters very much. Making an untrue statement about Truth Personified (Jesus) sets one up to defend untruth as truth. My wishing merry xmas was I guess snarkier than I realized. I know people sincerely believe they are right about Christmas. And I do not intend to mock anyone. It's just sincerity is not a proof that something is true. A baker once prove this to us in that they mistook salt for sugar and the pie they made was ruined. They sincerely believed the salt was sugar. It was not. We actually tasted the pie (lemon cream in graham cracker crust). It was hideous. I only point all these things out in hopes folks will look into this in their own Bibles with the teaching of the Holy Spirit (not man not even self). P.S. The only thing Christ commissioned that we celebrate / commemorate is his death in the Passover Seder (afikomen and the third cup).