Willa

Bless Fez for being led by the Lord to text you at that moment. Many around the world think of you and pray for you NCN. I can only thank you for what you endure for our sakes--for not giving up. Thank you so much for being there for us as well. Willa

Father God is also Spirit. Jesus came from Him to reveal His character to us. So on earth He did and said nothing but what the Father told and showed Him to do. You will find this in the Gospel of John which was recommended that you read. It starts by explaining that when Jesus was with God in the beginning, He was called the Word, and the Word Jesus created everything and then was made flesh and dwelt among us. To those who receive Him He gave the right to become born again of the Holy Spirit and adopted into the Father's family. It is by the Holy Spirit that we understand the Bible. We can understand it intellecutally in a curserory way. But the Holy Spirit enables us to discern the depths of the spiritual riches and blessings in God. We can't see the Spirit, we can only see His affect on peoples' lives. Slowly we become less selfish and more loving. Sometimes changes are very dramatic but usually they come more slowly as we trust God with more problem areas of our lives and allow His Spirit in us to reach out to others. This is what being born again is all about. It is the very life of God being allowed to express Himself in us as we ask Him to direct the things we do and say. We are still uniquely ourselves, only we lose the uglyness of our sin lives. We still trip up and fall at times but we hate the sin now instead of enjoying it so much or not seeing anything wrong with it. So we again confess our sin to God and ask Him to remove it from our lives. So the Holy Spirit came to show us Jesus, and Jesus came to show us Father God. But the only way to get personally acquainted with God is to turn away from the sin of not acknowledging God, and turn to Him to receive His forgiveness that was purchased for you when Jesus died in your place on the cross. The Gospel of John also tells that God so loved you that He gave His Son, that whoever believes in Him can have everlasting life. But that unbelievers are already condemned to hell because they have not believed in and trusted in Jesus. You will find some very intellectual people on this site. But we can't understand God purely with our intellect or only people with high IQs could be saved. God tells us we have to become like little trusting children. The playing field has been leveled. Often people who are very intelligent are too proud to humble themselves and admit that they need help. They are not perfect, nor can they obey God perfectly, and our pure, holy God demands perfection. So when perfect Jesus died for our sins on the cross, He conferred His perfection on those who will receive Him. He traded places with us. This is called substitutionary atonement. We are seen by God as righteous when His Holy Spirit lives in us; this is made possible when you trust that Christ's death and resurrection was on your behalf and sincerely confess to others that He is your Lord and Savior. You are then born again of the Holy Spirit. God loves you that much and cares about you personally. He doesn't want you to go to hell either. Nor does He want you to make your life on earth a living hell. He is a loving Father Who wants what is best for you. The bible in 1 Corinthians 18-21 also tells us that the message of the cross foolishness to those that are perishing, but it is the power of God to those that are being saved. Is. 29:14 " I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message that was preached to save those who believe." v. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." NKJV These are not empty words. They have been proven in the life of every true believer. They produce an intimate relationship with the Living God and Creator of the universe in each of us. That communion with Him becomes the central most important thing in our lives. It is what keeps us going, it fills us with compassion to give and care about others, it changes our values and more's; we are filled with peace, joy, gratitude, thanksgiving and praise for God. We still have hard times, but we face them with God's help and strength.

I know that millitary brats and people in the south always say yes sir and yes ma'am, but the first time a waiter said that to me in a restraunt I felt insulted. I am definitely insulted if they call me a Ms. Mrs is OK but very stilted to me. If people have a repectful attitude toward me they can call me by my first name. Honey and sweetie are definitely not respectful when coming from a young person or a waiter. I have an aunt who insisted I address her as auntie even after I was in my sixties. So I guess we each have our own limits of decorum. But much of this is regional. In our area I never hear people being replied to as yes ma'am or yes sir in school, homes or church, and I worked for the school district and also taught Sunday School. But if that is expected in your home or school or region, It would be helpful to yourself to do so and make your life easier.. We are told in the Bible that that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Pride is at the root of rebellion, and both were the sins of satan. He rebelled in heaven and took 1/3 of the angels with him. So you need to acknowledge this as real wickedness. I frequently pray and ask God to create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. I agree that godly love does create respect and regard for those in authority over me, but I still struggle with this at times when their actions are ungodly. I somehow need to seperate those actions from them and remember that they are people for whom Christ died, whom He loves. Even when they are far from perfect, I need to respect them as human beings whom God loves, and because He loves them I can be concerned for them and respectful toward them as human beings as well. I am told to bless those who persecute me and pray for those who spitefully used me, so I will ask God to bless them with godly wisdom. I will hope that they are doing the best they know how to do, and what they believe to be right. You will note how often I am saying "I will". I am determining in my heart to do these things, even though I don't feel like it and I don't always want to. I am determining to do God's will and not my own. This is called self discipline or self control. It will come up again, and each time I will calm down and repent, determining in my heart to do God's will till His love for them superceeds my outrage over injustices. In God I have no rights. I lay them at the feet of Jesus. We are to have the same mind in us as Christ when He gave up His rights and powerful name to take on a human form of a baby, and become a bondslave to the Father, doing only His will. That is what I also choose to do--God's will. Blessings, Willa

You may simply pray, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Mark 9:24 You don't need much faith. You need to understand how great God's love is for you and how much He wants to bless you. He loves you so much that Christ died for you. You need to understand how big and powerful your God is, Eph 1:19-20 And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, accoring to the working of His might power which He worked in Christ Jesus when he raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, Then you pray in submission to His will--nevertheless not my will be done but Yours.

Dogs can be amazing. An old friend told how they had to give their Welch Corgi away when they moved across state. However, several months later the dog showed up at their door, looking the worse for wear. He had never been to the new town, but he somehow tracked them down. When people refused to leave their dogs behind during Katrina we considered them foolish. Such attachments can be mutual. Ours follow hubby around the house, stick their noses in whatever chore he is doing like weeding or cleaning the fireplace. and wait by the door when he leaves.

These laws have been present in those states for a couple of hundred years in most cases. I only wish that our state had them. Resently two people of the same party ran for office. One was a Christian. The other ran a dirty campaign against him telling half truths and twisted truth out of context. It quoted newspapers that had done the same. The lies won. I now know what kind of person he is. I can't trust him, knowing he is just another self serving lying politician who basicly thinks he won't have to answer to anyone for his actions, much less to the Living God. But this is the condition of the majority in our country. Deceived. But such laws I am sure will be struck down.

Years ago I read that there was a design to do this recorded in the satanic bible. At the time I thought it was ridiculous but as the years have progressed I have seen more of it develop. An example might be the move to make homosexuality a persecuted minority that should be accepted as good. Many politicians, salesmen and recruiters consider lying and deception to be acceptable and good, but God says people who habitually practice these things shall not be found in heaven. There seems to be strong pressure against what God has called good and evil today, and I believe it will continue. We are taught in school that there is no right or wrong--just shades of gray. What a bunch of malarky. Calling themselves wise, they have becomes fools. It is a fool that says in their heart that there is no God. So everyone is doing what is right in his own eyes, except for believers. The lines are drawn. Moral corruption certainly is a sign of the decline and fall of our nation. How it fits in the end times scenario I am not sure.

I pretty much agree with Shiloh and Sevenseas as to the definition of a heretic. Your doctrine that a person must believe in Christ's baptism to be saved is not found in Scripture. Your idea that John the Baptist was a priest who laid hands on Jesus as a scapegoat at His baptism, so that He received the sin of the world upon Himself at that time, and that during His earthly ministry that He carried upon Himself the sin of the world, is a very doubtful doctrine that I have not found in scripture. Nor is it believed by the rest of the churches. Believing these suppositions is not necessary for salvation. Therefore I suspect that your own teaching may be in error. Being dogmatic about things not stated in Scripture is not a good idea. Blessings, Willa

Without a specific situation it is hard to comment. We have two granddaughters that are drama queens. Sometimes hormones enter into the problem. Occasionally they want attention, depending on the age and the situation.. The embarassment of making a scene can be overlooked, like a 4 year old having a temper tantrum at the grocery store. Love covers a multitude of sins. Sometimes things seem more horrible than they really are. The famous one is a teenager finding zit on their nose on the day of the dance or when school photos are being taken. In the scheme of things, this is not a big problem. But to that person at that time it can seem like disaster because they want everything to be perfect. Feelings are hurt when people they think are friends turn against them. It seems like the end of the world. They go through grief that is real. So we are told to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. As long as they are not trying to manipulate you with the drama, that might be a good way to approach it. It is hurtful to just dismiss it all when it is so huge to them. We need to acknowledge that this is their reality. The old addage "this too, shall pass" might help. Then help them to put it into persepective while acknowledging how horrible it all is. Time will help. Then pray with them about it. It is the culture for some to be reserved with a great sense of decorum. Meanwhile, other cultures are known to be more expressive and dramatic. So knowing a little about the person's family helps to understand. You may have been raised with different cultural expectations than they. Some people are very private and embarassed about people "making a scene". But even this embarassment is not a tragic as it seems at the time, when put into perspective.

Only the Ethiopian church has added the writings of some church fathers according to their church tradition. The reference to the book of Laodicia was even said by Jerome that it was thought to be spurious by "everyone". A genuine one may have existed at one time but no greek manuscripts exist for it. A few books were not included as yet by some portions of the Church. The Peshitta was translated very early, perhaps around 150 AD, before the full cannon was established by all the churches. This began to occur about the same time. Most of the rest of the books in question pertain to the Old Testament. The aprocrapha was written between the writing of Daniel and the time of Christ. It contains some Jewish history, some apocaslypse that read like Revelations, and some things that might be described as poetry. They are not accepted by the Jewish Rabbinical tradition cannon. We base our Old Testament after the more orthodox Masoretic Text. There are Jewish branches that are apt to be considered cults by the Orthodox. Just as we have cults that subscribe to other books, like the Book of Mormon, the Jews and Christians alike have groups that have become isolated due to their peculiar beliefs that differ greatly from that of the Bible as to Who God is and how we may be saved. For instance, the Saducees did not believe in a resurrection, so we may today consider them a cult. The Samaritans also were banned because of their peculiar blending of paganism with Judism. That does not mean they cannot be saved. It means that they believed a false gospel and did not subscribe only to The One Living God of the Torah and that Prophets spoke by God. Most of us come to God with strange ideas hanging on that fall off with years of reading the truth of God's Word. Some think man came from another planet. Some think we become angels after we die. Many think there is no hell. Most at one time thought that they were good people till the Holy Spirit convicted them of sin, righteousness and judgement. So we all need the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit as to the truth of Scripture, as well. Those who are sensitive to the Holy Spirit can easily discern the harmony in the Canon, and the disharmony in that which is not canon. The Old Testament Apocrypha is considered good to read by most churches but we can't base doctrine on it. There are good parts such as history, there are false parts, and there is fiction. You can't base doctrine on Hollywood versions of Bible stories, either, or Jesus Christ, Superstar. If a church were to include the latter as a part of their canon, they would be considered a cult. I believe that the Masoretic text of the Rabbinical Jews is the most conservative and factual list of holy scripture, Old Testament. The early errant beliefs argued by the church fathers included all New Testament scriptures disputed today by modern translations but the Johanneum Comma; so I believe that the Majority Byzantine Text and textus Receptus to be more accurate than that considered "newest and best" manuscripts of the alexandrinus codex, which shows influence of gnosticism, and which still shows some influence in the Coptic church. In spite of this disagreement, I do not think it affects the salvation of any who trust in Christ as Lord and Savior, who love Him and follow Him. And I consider most versions accurate enough to bring people to salvation with the light of the Holy Spirit. The New World Translation of the Jehovah's witness is one that has been altered to fit the beliefs of this cult. There is always danger when unbelievers who do not have the Holy Spirit try to translate Scripture using their own biases.

I found that this was an attack from the enemy. As long as I kept freaking out when I made a huge error in my checking account and was badly overdrawn, this kept happening time and time again. Once, over the holidays (before PCs) I somehow recorded a deposit twice and became a couple of thousand overdrawn with fees galore. It took months to straighten that out. But as long as the enemy could overwhelm me and keep me beat down, I was ineffective to the Lord. So when I realized that I started praising and worshipping God, thanking Him ahead of time for His solution. It only took a couple of times before I no longer had check book errors! Then the enemy divises another way to attack. Psalms 100 NKJV Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He that has made us and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. God's word is true, Willa

I believe death occurs when there is no more brain activity. That is when there would be no hope of coming out of a coma. Until that happens people in deep comas can still hear, for instance. There is still hope of their coming to the Lord if they had never received Him. There are medical accounts of people telling about this who have awakened from comas.

During cataract eye surgery you normally remain conscious during the surgery. I did wake up during one colonoscopy in which polyps were removed and did not enjoy the experience. I was told that my blood oxygen had dropped too low. I woke up to hearing the nurse commanding me to breathe. But no nightmares. I just was reluctant to return for another procedure.

I was avoided by people at work, falsely accused of many things, set up to look bad, etc. I was accuse by a Mormon lady of child abuse which could have cost me my job. God was faithful to vindicate me. But even worse, I was also falsely accused in a couple of churches I have attended. I consoled myself in that the religious people hated Jesus, too. But it still hurt when it was done by people I thought were my friends at chrurch. They do afford us an exercise in forgiveness. And I try to treat them better than I was treated, to overcome evil with good.

The true meaning of Lordship is surrendering our will to God and learning learning to walk in the Spirit. It is all done by the grace of God changing our desires and resting in all Christ has done for us on the Cross. We cease doing things in our own strength and wholly rely on Christ to change our attitudes and give us grace to live by faith.

John 1:1 NKJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as the only begotton of the Father, full of grace and truth. So wasn't God in flesh still God?. He was not the Father, He was Father God's Son and was God prior to and after the incarnation, was He not? According to Phil. 2:5 He gave up His exalted Name or reputation to become the bondservent of the Father while here on earth. It does not say He gave up being God but that He came in the likeness or form of a man, a common person with no reputation or honor among men. It was rumored that He was illegitamate. He died with the reputation of a sinner between 2 thieves. Many false accustations were against Him, including that He did miracles by the power of satan. He gave up His honor and reputation of being God, but not that He is and always has been God. Col. 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily. All the fullness of God dwelt in the body of Jesus both on earth and in His risen and ascended body. He came to His brothers according to the flesh and redeemed over 3000 thousand of them in Jeruselem in one day. Other Jews received Him after the persecution, and have continued to do so throughout the centuries. But the offer has also gone to the highways and byways to as many as received Him and trusted in His Name. The Name of the Only Begotten of the Father has been exalted to be the Name (reputation) above any other because He obeyed His Father even to the death on the cross. Phil 2:10 that at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. John 1:10-11 NKJV He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own (the Jews) and His own did not receive Him. So I was baptized in the NAME (singular) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God. All three are my Creator. The Holy Spirit reveals the Son to me and the Son reveales His Father to me. The Lord our God is ONE--Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Can you explain how you disagree with me? Blessings, Willa

This is what bothers me the most about the current downplay of Thanksgiving. It is the perfect opportunity to train children at a young age to be grateful. Preschool children will be helped out of their selfish behavior by being taught to be grateful to others. Often we are not allowed to tell them about God or to be thankful to Him. But that shouldn't keep us from teaching them to be grateful to others, and to say "thankyou". It is humbling to do this. It helps both young children and adults to realize that they are not the center of the universe. I have encountered federally supported preschool programs that did not allow the children to be taught about Thanksgiving. This report would be a helpful arguement against such a policy. Instead we are growing a nation of people demanding entitlements, rights and pride. Of course our desire is to teach them about a loving God to Whom we are thankful for every grace and blessing. But sometimes we can only do that on a personal level outside of a school setting.

The Armenian Church celebrates Christmas on January 6. It is more important to remember His humble birth visited only by smelly shepherds. He came as the Lamb of God, to take away the sins of the world. He was dispised and rejected by men nearly all of His life. The gentile maji likely came in a large caravan from Iraq to protect their valuables. Daniel would have told the astrologers and magicians of the coming Messiah.. They came to a home, not a manger, when He was a young child but not a new born (after the Circumcision, the purification of Mary, and possibly even after His presentation in the Temple 40 days after His birth.) Herod had told the maji to look for Him in Bethlehem; they followed a star to the His home and then did not report back to Herod where they found Him, having been warned by God in a dream. But an angel told Joseph to flee with his family to Egypt for safety where they stayed till after Herod's death around April 1, 4 BC.. We have many traditions that are not scriptural surrounding Jesus birth. We know that they were responding to a census called for by Caesar Augustus in 8 BC. It may have taken a year or so for this to have been orchastrated. We also know that it was during the time that Herod ruled Israel. So it was likely between 7 and 5 BC. As to the time of year we really don't have much of a clue. So lets celebrate what we do know. Christ was born of a virgin in Bethlehem of Judea. He was annouced by angels to the outcasts of the world. He still comes to the poor, the lowly, and to all those who seek to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

Thank you to our brothers and sisters of other nations. And I also thank our Lord FOR you. My prayer is that our nation will learn once again to be thankful in general, but especially toward our Creator. The Plymoth colony was a secular group that had barely survived their first winter here; friendly natives had greatly helped them during this time. Yet even this group stopped after their first year on this continent and gave thanks to God. They recognized Him as their Source, and that it was by His grace alone that they had endured. So, together with 90 of their new friends they celebrated a feast of wild game such as venison and turkey, waterfowl like geese and ducks, pigeon, dried shellfish, smoked fish and possibly eal. They ate Indian corn, pumpkin and squashes, onion, garlic, chestnuts, walnuts and beechnuts, and possibly carrots and turnips. It was a 3 day feast. President Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holliday. So we are off to a nearby town to celebrate with our son and his family. I am thankful that it is sunny here after a week of light rain and fog. But another arctic front is headed our way tomorrow. Blessings to you all, Willa

It is easy to confuse God's compassionate love with the godly romantic love and admiration you will have for a spouse. It is safest for men to minister to men and women to women, or to be with another strong christian when talking to him. That way this kind of confusion does not occur and your relationship with him doesn't become more serious than it should. Only God can rescue him. You need to continue to pray for him but don't see him alone in person--talk or text only and keep the subject on God. Guys can be very manipulative and deceptive in their quest for sex and conquest. Don't even consider getting serious about someone who does not have a good paying job that can support you, a home and a family. Most guys aren't mature enough for marriage till they can do that. I told our sons to wait till they were 24. I was much like you when I was in high school. It can feel pretty lonely. I really admire your resolve and urge you to not waver, to keep your mind on your studies and to go to college or a trade school. Blessings, Willa

And there will be famines, pestilence and earthquakes in various places. All these are the BEGINNING OF SORROWS. Matt. 24:7b-8 NKJV These are not part of the great tribualtion. But these things are certainly happening now. However, I tend to think that this is directed to the destruction of Jeruselem after Jesus said concerning the temple that not one stone would be left upon another, and to answering the disciples' question: when will these things be? in verses 2-3. The great trib requires that another Holy Place first be built in Jeruselem so that the antichrist can sit in it and claim himself to be God. This is spoken of in v.15.

You spoke of someone needing to make a choice. Which one will help to strengthen her relationship with God? Will marrying her fiance lead her to be closer to God and a good church? Is he a man who loves God and will seek to be a godly husband? Can she see herself living without this person? Does contributing to this person's life play a part of her commitment to him? Or is her interest in him selfish, thinking only about what he can do for her?. Do the two truly enjoy each others' company as best friends? Do they pray aloud together? Will going abroad lead her closer to God? Will there be good churches there with godly friends? Fulfilling life goals can be very important if those goals are godly, caring and giving, and not selfish ambition to promote fame and fortune. Is she willing to sacrifice everything but her relationship with God to fulfill this goal, such as marriage and family, to be a career person? So my answer is that she should examine herr motives for each choice.

God sent the nation of Israel into captivity for 70 years for neglecting the sabbath (7th year) rest of the land. God allows us to reap the consequenses of our actions. He also chastens us spiritually to humble us, so that we will yield the fruit of righteousness. We are told that we know we are truly His children when He treats us like His kids and gives us a spiritual whipping. He also corrects us to guide us and train us. Hebrews 12:5-11

God's grace means the most to me. But that cannot be divorsed from His love. Our common mission is what I most often take for granted. Thank you for the reminder, GE, Willa

It would be best to avoid any church that believes theirs is the only way to heaven. But aside from that, most people feel like theirs is the best church because it is the best for them. Christians on the edge? Does that mean an uncommitted Christian, or double minded Christian? We are told that the double minded won't receive anything from God. We need to be totally commited to Him. Sometimes a different denomination emphasizes another truth that you may need at this time. Personal growth can lead us to other places. When you are pressured into too much responsibility it can cause exhaustion. Small churches especially may be tempted to overwork a few people. It would be the time to step back and ask God which ones He wants you involved in. Where are your spiritual gifts being used? Where do you recognize that God is the One who is doing the work and you are only His instrument? That is likely where He wants you. When you get exhaused it is often because YOU are doing the work and not God. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. You spoke of trying to avoid a person. If that relationship needs to be repaired, this should be done before you move on. God doesn't let us run from difficult people. He tells us to forgive and love them anyhow. But if it was an ungodly relationship, you need to separate yourself from the person. When I have changed churches I have found that God may use me in another way to fill the needs of the new body. But you also may need to learn to just say no.