JTC

Are things really this bad? I mean being targeted or followed home for saying something others don't like? I live in a small neighborhood with maybe 10 to 20 other people I see on a weekly basis and we do have occasional violence but I never hear of folks being attacked for what they said. But I am far off the beaten path. I believe America can still be a great place but it will take some effort, and probably from almost everyone of us. Those of you who have input or influence with the younger folk must speak up and tell them what America once was. Beyond that, we must tell them about how God said we are supposed to live. You can read some of this in the NT but most of God's advice for a decent life is found in the OT. Try Proverbs and Psalms, I listen to these books every morning when I get up. God is our answer and our only hope. Back before radio & TV people would gather in town to discuss the latest news. Now we do this on social media but we can still follow God's advice. One pertinent piece of advice is that we should speak about God to each other when we're gathered. We can still do this, but when we do we must not sound like we are superior because in truth we are not. I had a 21 yr old home health care aide last year for 2 weeks. She was an intelligent girl, and a nursing major at a local collage. One day I asked her about God and in a sheepish voice she said God is a topic that just doesn't come up. Honestly, God rarely came up when I was in collage too. I lost her as an aide after 2 weeks but if she had stayed I would have gradually taught her what I know. We must do this.

I remember the debates over when is the unborn baby a person and when does the actual soul enter into the unborn baby. Those debates lead to some folks thinking abortions during the early pregnancy was okay. We now know the unborn baby is alive almost as soon as the sperm fertilizes the ovum, maybe it is alive from then. Whether it is or not abortion is killing of the unborn baby. I believe the problem here is the idea that sex is a fun casual thing to do, it isn't. Sex should only happen between a married man and woman and it should be an expression of their love for one and another. If we thought about love and sex correctly we wouldn't have all these problems.

Ivan, committing no 1 sin will send you to hell, for that to happen you'd have to live a totally sinful life akin to the unsaved and then never repent of it. However, vaping may put you in a wheelchair at a young age because you can't breath well any longer. A few yrs ago the Docs thought vaping was safer than smoking but it's not. In fact it may be more harmful than smoking. Listen to this. For some people, who already smoke vaping causes extreme shortness of breath very much like an asthma attack. Look into it my friend, vaping is not safe at all. Please give it up.

I know this is a long shot but maybe someone can help. The man is in his 40's and he's currently in a Texas jail. He was arrested for possession of meth so he will soon be released. I know the man's mother online, she's a good friend. This man has many problems (which is common for drug users) but I'm convinced this man's only hope for a peaceable life if he finds God. I've asked our Lord to send this man someone who can help him find God but I also thought I'd make a post about him in case someone here is in a position to help him. I know his family 15 yrs and these are not bad people, no worse than the rest of us. I suggested to his mother that she try and get him into Teen Challenge (since that's a Godly program) but I don't think she feels he would go. If I lived near Texas I'd go visit him myself and simply bring a Bible, but I'm in NY. It took a long time to get me saved and it started with a Bible that a stranger handed me. If anyone can help this man please send me a PM and I will give you more information. Thank you and God Bless

Has anyone researched the Black Death of 500 yrs ago, I did? Back then approximately 30,000 people died possibly in Europe alone. That plague lasted several yrs and although it was caused by bacteria that was before antibiotics. You can be sure some people thought that was the end of the world as well. I thought the end was here twice in my 40 yrs as a believer so I'm slow to push the panic button. Nevertheless, eventually it will be the end, but when. Suppose that instead of looking at disasters we consider the Father's master plan. Granted we don't exactly know the Father's master plan but we have a few hints. One is the great commission that Jesus gave us before He left. Jesus thought that was super important. Another hint is how often God uses the phrase of The Nations in His word. I always considered the nations to be another way of saying the people, but maybe not. Apparently some 70 nations were scattered after the tower of Babel incident and God wants these nations redeemed. Another way of looking at this is to think Jesus won't be back until God gets His quota filled of saved souls. Since Jesus said that few of every generation actually inherits eternal life the Earth may have to go on for a lot longer. My point is instead of looking at disasters we should be looking at how many people get saved.

I sure have and I'm very concerned. I wasn't blessed with children but since I'm not a psychopath I'm worried about everyone else. There is a man, Dennis Prager, and he's in a position to try and teach our children Godly values. I have 1 friend with 3 kids aged 8 - 14 and I'm trying to get him and then his kids to watch the Prager videos. America was once a great country and it still is the best country there is. If it wasn't then why does everyone want to come here? Because it is the best country. We can't be timid about telling younger people America is great. But for the future, America will only be as great as our young people make it.

Sin is to go against God, in action, thoughts and even emotions. And here's a scary thought, the Bible says the wages of sin is death. We take that figuratively but in OT times very often those who committed certain sins were killed on the spot. Food for thought.

What God says is correct ... ALWAYS. I have a Bible that was printed in the late 1970's and I keep it in a case away from the air and people. They may change the words of online Bibles but no one can change the words of anything written on paper. So anyone who owns written Bibles should keep them safe and preserved, because the day seems to be coming when the sinful people of this world will try to change what God said to suit themselves. Remember this, if it wasn't for God man wouldn't know the difference between right and wrong. Morality comes from God.

I believe that most of us are born with the potential to be good and bad, but usually the good in us has to be cultivated and brought out somehow. There are exceptions and we call these people psychopaths. Our current understanding of psychopaths is they have a brain defect that prevents them from feeling sympathy and empathy for others. But if a person has a normal brain I think he/she can be good or bad. I've thought about this and observed this all my life and I know I'm more likely to be kind hearted than many other people I've met. But that's what I've always looked for in people, those who are kind hearted. I admit I wasn't always like this, as a small child I remember enjoying killing crabs that I thought would harm me. But by 13 I learned that I shouldn't kill them. Now as an older man I dread the thought of having to kill anything, even bugs.

I admit I'm not a sports fan but for all the sports lovers out there I was glad to see they started to play some games ... BUT ... The way TV and our society makes such a big deal about Baseball is what I believe we should do for the Lord, especially right now in this time of the Coronavirus. I believe if America was to nationally publicize one or more well known preachers, at Yankee Stadium or Citi Field, where they said we are here to acknowledge God, thank Him for all He does, and to give Him glory that would have gone a long way in getting rid of the coronovirus. But I'm just an old fashioned Christian. I'm just some man who knows that God is watching what we do and I know He cares about what we do. I'm not saying that God doesn't want us chasing a ball around a field having some fun, but I am saying that I believe if we spent even 1/2 the time, money and energy acknowledging God as we do with sports ... maybe then God would be more likely to help us out. We might suddenly find that they found a vaccine for the virus. I fear for our world.

with all due respect Satan has no power over the truly saved believer unless that believer gives him the power. If you're saved but then you say Satan is always beating me up then you are giving him the power to harm you. But the truth is all he can do is tempt you and annoy you but he can't control you. Learn who you are in Christ Jesus and simply deny the devil. Maybe you want what he's offering you, and all Satan's gifts come with strings attached. Why do you think Paul said resist the devil and he will leave you. He knows he can't control you if you make God your refuge and your shield. But you also have to live true to God. You can refute the devil all you want but if you then engage in sin (porn, lies, cheat, be selfish, etc.) then your refuting him is ineffective. We have to live what we say.

First of all, since this virus is going to bee with us for the long haul and since masks are proven to slow the virus maybe we all need to start using the N-95 masks because they are more effective. especially when singing is planned. But further, why can't the people who will be singing be put further away than everyone else. Maybe the singers can even be put in a separate room and an audio system used for the singers. With a little ingenuity I'm sure we can still have singing. We do have to develop new coping strategies to deal with this this new normal. It can be done and without too much grief. A large part of the problem is our pride and we feel we don't want to change. But life is change. Instead of getting upset that we have to alter how we worship because of the virus we have to simply do what will keep the majority of people safe. Pride is a big enemy here and what's more God calls pride sin so why is it so hard to drop our pride and do what is safest for all concerned.

I tried saying something like this 3 or 4 yrs ago, mostly everyone here disagreed with me. I said that as Christians we ought to be more open and honest with each other, but most people don't feel like me. JTC are my real initials, I'm glad you feel like me, Ervin P.

Hi Notsolost, I've been in your situation more than once in my life. I can't say I enjoyed it. Since we know something wrong was done, maybe even criminal, you have to make a hard decision. It sounds like no matter what you do some people are going to get hurt, either way. I guess I'd have to advise you to take the road where the least number of people will be hurt. Also be sure you're not getting a prideful, egotistical thrill out of blowing a whistle. What I mean is this. If you go forward and tell what you know, will you be able to then say, "there that showed them". If you're getting some kind of emotional satisfaction out of doing this then that may be a hint from God that your reasons for doing this may not be so Nobel after all.

I think you have learned several lessons from this. Are you familiar with Matthew 12:36? That's where Jesus said that man will have to give a reason for every idle, or foolish word he ever spoke. Based on what you said, even I can tell that the promise to study the 2 different disciplines were said with very little thinking, on your part. So now you can practice, if you were standing before the Lord what would you tell Him for why you swore to get 2 different academic degrees?

I bet that all of you who are hoping that Covid-19 is a Biblical related plague, you are also "pre trib" people.

I honestly don't know the answer to this. But I am wondering why this virus is called The Novel Corona Virus? I know the word novel means new and or unknown. But what is so different about this virus that we see it as completely unknown?

It depends on how you describe circumcision of the heart and I am going to define it differently. To me circumcision of the heart means to cut away every sin feeling & emotion you have, especially as you become aware of them. Which does not happen all at once. If you don't believe me go ask any Christians that have been believers at least 20 yrs. And now don't get hung up on theories of what being Born Again means vs. saved vs. circumcision of the heart, and there may be a few others. When we are young and just get saved we worry a lot and we want to make sure our conversion was genuine which is why we want definitions of these phrases that would satisfy the Supreme Court. I was like that too. But now looking back on 40 yrs of knowing God, I can pinpoint 3 occasions when I went though major spiritual changes, the kind of changes you might expect with salvation, being born again, or filled with the Holy Spirit. But I had thought all those things happened around the same time in the late 1970's, when I was saved. I thought so, but maybe I was wrong. However, Gershom_young, as I said we are defining our terms differently. I'm at the point where I no longer even see a purpose in these debates. My problem was that 40 yrs ago way too many saved, born again people used to say sin is all forgiven when we are saved, so now you don't have to worry about sin. It's all forgiven, even if you do 10 million more or you only commit a few in the rest of your life. I say the guy who has no concern for his sins, he may have said the sinners prayer, but he's not born again. A born again person may still feel the urge to sin but it's rare. The born again person keeps becoming more and more aware of his hidden sins, and sins of omission. And as time goes by so do the sins end. I'm sure you've heard the stories of the guy who gets saved and wakes up with none of the desires he had yesterday to sin. I heard that from at least 20 people. I heard it but I still haven't seen it. And yet I'm sure I'm saved and Born Again, if anyone is. Gershom_young, As you go through life, and especially your Christian life, you will find things happen, you will change, and 10 yrs later you will wonder if you were even saved in the first place. But then after 30 yrs or more of this you will realize you were saved, way back when, or you would have never reached this point at all.

Amen!!! Hey look, here in NY & NJ we've been wearing masks and doing the social distancing thing and we have flattened the curve. It works (with the Lord's help, of course) but it does work. Not wearing a mask because of pride & ego is a sin. Not only because we are supposed to obey our elected officials but also because that kind of prideful arrogance is what Jesus and the Apostles said can keep a person out of heaven. Furthermore, suppose you're one of the people with no symptoms but you can still infect others. You wear a mask to protect others, not so much yourself. But who cares about others, not you who refuse to wear the mask. I guess you think it is okay to harm others, even unknowingly? I mean what do you think Jesus would say to that?

Wow, that sounds like a big scary number. This is why I said the total number of new cases isn't anything to worry about unless those new cases went into a hospital, received treatment even as out patient, or they were admitted. The more testing we do the more cases will be found. If the new cases show any kind of symptoms they have to be closely monitored for what meds are used. If the new cases show no symptoms they still have to be followed to see what happens. Without doing this additional information gathering, all we're doing is creating fear. Fear is bad, especially since this Corona virus is probably gonna be around several years. (IMO)

If I wanted to read the prophesy forum I WOULD. I do not. Why not, because most of what you said sounds like it can be a conspiracy theory. There's no shortage on them.

Walter, I couldn't agree with you more. I think God gave ancient Israel and Judea several years of warnings before He had Babylon carry them off into isolation. Right now very few of the people think this will go on for yrs, but suppose it does. Will the world ever realize there's only 1 God who can help us, or will they just keep hating Him for making them suffer. We have to remember that the "world's" view of god is a being who gives us every little thing they want. And usually for free.

Good, I hope those are the numbers the governors are looking at. Truthfully, as we increase random testing the total number of cases will soar but that's not what's important. New cases coming into the hospitals and especially the number of cases that need to go in ICU or on a vent, that's how we'll know if we caused a spike with our foolish behaviors. This is truly going to become a new normal. Hey maybe it will be a more moral normal.

Here in NY and NJ we're having a lot less new Covid cases while many south western states are seeing an increase. I'm not sure why but I know we virtually closed down NYS, almost everyone wears masks, and we are keeping 6' between people in most places. My supermarket even put tape on the floor indicating where the 6' mark is as we wait to get our food purchases rung up. I've also noticed almost no one is using cash, just another precaution to take. It looks like that with the Lord's help our efforts have been rewarded. Our businesses are opening up and as long as we keep doing the precautions we shouldn't see a major spike in cases. Therefore I say precautions works. I'm not sure if the people in the states with the increases have been following the precautions but if you folks haven't been I think you should. When you hear your local hospitals say they are going to run out of ventilators and ICU beds unless the new cases slow down, you better listen to them. That's what happened up here in the NE.

Maybe not every word, especially of people who speak meaningless sinful words all day long. I haven't said many idle words in the last 20 yrs but I spoke too many in my first 20 yrs as a saved person. In my second 20 yrs as a saved person I finally felt I knew the Bible well enough to what God wants to see from us so I started putting it into effect, regardless of what anyone else says.