Willa

You speak as if the Great Tribulation already happened, using past tense wording. Do you believe it has happened and is not the future? Sorry should be will keep and will seal.. I was recollecting verses I had read.

God kept some from going through the great trib. Luke 21:36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. Rev. 3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. God kept some safe through it all. 144,000 Jews were sealed who were to go through it. Rev. 7:4-8 Many of God's people were killed during the great trib. Rev 7:9-17

The Israelites had been instructed to wipe out all the inhabitants of the promised land because their sins had become so abominable. They burnt their children alive and sacrificed them to their gods. Their practices of fertility idolatry had become so perverted that God said that they were beyond the point of no return. They weren't supposed to make any treaties with them to begin with. When they did not completely wipe out those peoples, God left some in the land to become a thorn in their flesh.

Drunkenness is a sin. It is sin to not obey the laws of the land---drinking under the legal age in your state, drive after drinking, Alcohol lowers inhibitions, so you are more apt to do other sinful things while drinking. Most alcoholics started drinking as teens or young adults. Most alcoholics that I have known are "social drinkers". They started by wanting to fit in with the crowd. They think it is smart and sophisticated to drink. They have to have it to relax and have fun. These are not Christian values. They are the world's values. We are told to not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God to be His servants. We are to renew our minds daily by reading the Bible. Partying is called revelry in the Bible and it is forbidden. The best choice would be not to drink alcohol. Some people have a genetic weakness for alcoholism. If there are any alcoholics in your family tree, don't drink.

EZ 21:26 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthyness and all your idols. 26. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put a new spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my judgements and do them.29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourself in you own sight for your iniquities and your abominationns. This is written to Israel, but God does these things or us as well. It is speaking of taking our hardened hearts away and making them soft and sorrowful for our evil doing. This is good because when we loathe the evil that we have done we want to do the good. Our hearts are in the right place. And when we fall, we ask God to cleanse our hearts again and put a right spirit in us. So especially about a year after we are saved, we see more and more junk in our lives that God wants to get rid of and feel pretty hopeless about it all.. But God isn't through with us yet. Then He starts working on our bad attitudes that cause most of the trouble to begin with. Anger, unforgiveness and lust instead of brawling and lack of compassion and fornication. He starts helping us to see others and ourselves as God sees us, helpless to help ourselves. We see that we can't fix ourselves and how hopeless it is, and we must rely totally upon God to change us. We rest in Christ's finished work at the cross, that He gave us His righteousness when He took our sinfulness to the cross. The answer to the last of Romans 7, o wretched man that I am, Who can save me from the body of death? The evil I don't want to do, I do. The good I want to do I don't do. -----the answer is in Romans 8. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. The answer is to focus on what Jesus is asking us to do right now to serve Him. We do what we know we should and focus on Jesus. We give into the impulses to do good and ignore the impulses to do evil. It is not easy to overcome bad habits. But with God's grace it can be done. Sometimes it is one day at a time. It often helps to be held accountable to a pastor or to go to some bibical counseling. Even some men's groups are helpful. It is good to know others have gone through the same problems and how they overcame. Ususally when I was focusing on failing at one thing, God was changing a different part of my life and I didn't even realize it. He takes one thing at a time according to His priorities, which sometimes aren't ours. Blessings, Willa

People sometimes get that way because they themselves are hurting so horribly that they can't trust anyone to get near them. It is defensiveness. For this reason we can have compassion on them. They are angry at themselves as well and filled with self loathing and fear that often is expresses with bravado and bigotry. They are most of all to be pitied. The best things you can do is pray earnestly for them. Remember that there is a spiritual battle going on, and it is satan who is behind the darts being thrown at you that hurt so bad. He want's you to give up. Don't take their rejection personally. Often they are rejecting Christ in you, not you yourself. Remember that Christ in you is greater than any evil in the world. He has overcome the world. God still loves him, and God lives in you so His love lives in you. The person can't love himself, either, and it may make him even angrier if/that you could love him when he can't. But sometimes Gods love in you will melt the shell. It takes time, persistance, and a lot more rejection and hurt. It also takes determination. Tell him God loves him just the way he is and keep reminding him of it. It will make him angrier but it may someday sink in. It is like a dog that has been hit by a car will often bite the people trying to rescue it. Some, such as my father in law, never did receive Christ that we know of. Some, like my husband, did receive Christ 35 years ago. He is a new Creature--so gentle and kind.. He said that my telling him that I loved him for himself made a huge impact on him. He didn't have to earn my love--it was freely given. Blessings, Willa

I enjoy paleontology. There is a dig not many miles from our home--just a mamoth. But it is always exciting to me to discover a creature from the past or something new today. To me they are all the work of God's hands and I marvel at His design in creation. Willa

Rifkah, I got so tired of the valleys and mountain tops that I asked God to just hide me in the cleft of the Rock--Jesus. They say that the valley is where our faith is refined, where we are led beside still waters and He restores our souls. All I know is that the fall off the mountain top really is painful. 2 Tim. 1:7 NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind. That is a promise you can claim. Blessings,, Willa

This was excommunication from the church for ungodliness--sleeping with his father's wife. They had become proud of their sophistication and tollarance of this man. So Paul rebuked them and told them that the church should excommunicate him and they should not fellowship with anyone who calls himself a Christian and does these things. Verse 11. But I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolitor, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person. However, I had an individual take it upon herself to "turn me over to satan" once, many years ago, simply because I had disagreed with a statement she made. It was true that I needed God to chastise me as His child for bad attitudes, which He did. Turning a person over to satan is no small thing and is much different. Not only did God chastise me but I was under horrendous spiritual attack, and I was too early in my Christian walk to discern the difference. No individual should "turn a person over to satan" for the destruction of the flesh. That is not to be done lightly and is a function of the corporate church after the person has been counseled, warned by elders, and remains unrepentant. It is for the purpose that they might evenually repent and be restored to fellowship. Nor should anyone assume that a person with cancer or some other horrendous disease has been turned over to satan. We should always pray for the sick and infirm, and not pass judgement like Job's 3 friends. People don't get arthritis because they have held bitterness. I heard that one 40 years ago as well. Unforgiveness does cripple our walk with God, and can have an effect on the body as well. But blaming diseases on sin is casting judgement on a person. And withholding compassion from those that are suffering might very well also incur God's displeasure.

This is an interesting observation. I've never noticed this in my own experience; it's always been the women that are proud of having lots of children, and they're also the ones that want large families. I've only ever seen or heard of a few men that expressed a desire to have children, and none of them were married yet. We have a lot of mormons in our area.

Pricilla and Aquilla were a husband and wife team in Acts who hosted Paul in their home and also traveled with him. They were not apostles but they taught Apollos more accurately concerning the way of God, Acts 18:26. Any woman who ministers in any way should be under the authority of her husband. All need to be open to correction. Not even Mary the mother of Christ was an apostle. Apostles lived very hard lives, being often stoned and imprisoned. While missionaries are "sent out ones" and may correspond to apostles, none are on par with the original 12 plus Paul who were chosen by Christ to be apostles. Not even Barnabus and Apollos were called apostles. They were evangelists and teachers. Concerning Joyce Meyer, she seems to be another TV evangelist who flies in a private jet and owns several million dollar homes, expensive cars etc. I personally find more credibility in the people who live more humbly and who have fewer treasures on earth. I avoid preachers who preach and live in worldly prosperity.

Thank you for your testamony, Logan. When our son adopted I wrote to our grand daughter, explaining how God has adopted all of us who receive Him. She has been running from God and rebelling ever since. We still pray for her and love on her, even though she has made her life very tough and dangerous for herself. We also pray that her younger siblings will have their eyes opened by this and choose the narrow road, resisting sinful life styles. My hubby was also adopted. He has struggled with the rejection and abuse by parents and foster parents, and he never wanted to adopt because of his experience. It made me all the more determined not to leave him. More recently he was so impressed by the lives and homes of my cousins who have given their lives adopting and taking in foster children, as did their parents. It is now a large extended family that is down to earth and real, transparent, and having Godly love for each other that binds them in peace and acceptance. They can even complain about each other while their mutual love is overwhelmingly evident. Our other son is a big brother to a teen aged foster child. There are many ways to reach out to others who have endured emotionly cripling experiences. Just being a good friend can help immeasurably.

Ok, I read the whole link and don't know how I missed that one. Enough said. Women should not teach or have authority over men. Older women should teach younger women and children. We can counsel women from scripture. There are many ways to serve in the church beside these. We can pray, sing, praise, give, and exercise gifts when under the authority of our own husbands. We can witness, spread the Gospel, pray for the sick, visit the poor, the nursing homes, prisons and orphans. We can do hospice work and sing to the dieing. It is a matter of pouring out Christ's love. There is one verse, Romans 16:1, 2b I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servent (deacon) of the church at Cenchrea, --for indead she has been a helper of many and indead of myself also. NKJV Paul calls her a diakonos (used of a woman here only in the NT) quoting Vine's Expository Dictionary. There are many ways that a woman can serve Christ in the church as hard workers whether in the church office, by cleaning toilets or preparing communion. It does not have to be an official title or appointment. We all should use the gifts God has given us to His glory.. Whether Phoebe was an official deaconess or just serving others the way that the women served Jesus and the apostles makes little difference. They were godly women who actively served and were not bumps on a log.. If it was good enough for Jesus to humble Himself to become a human, even to suffer the humilliation of suffering death on a cross, it should be good enough for anyone to be servents. He even washed the disciples' feet as a servent. Coming under authority was modeled by Christ Himself. He did and said nothing but what Father God showed Him. He was under total authority of the Father. He askes us all to come under authority, whether it be to Christ, husbands, civil law, governments ---it is nothing that Jesus Himself didn't do.

Amen

Normally the CDC fears panic more than safety. They withheld information about AIDES for years, leaking is slowly and not acknowledging the scientific data submitted to them. We had one of the researchers speak to our nursing class very early on who was outraged by the CDC ignoring his reports. He had studied it is horses for many years and knew how the virus acted and was spread. Everything he said has been since revealed to be true. Hospital personal were the last to know because they feared people leaving the profession en mass. He even knew that the only way to stop it was to interrupt its replication. He told us what would not work and why. I looked at hospital workers in common masks and gowns saying saying on TV that they were prepared for ebola. Poppycock!

Didn't the Germans tinker with the idea in WW11?

John 10:30-33 I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took us stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "Many good works have I shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?" The Jews answered Him saying "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a man, MAKE YOURSELF GOD". 38b know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in Him." Jesus did claim to be God, and to be the Great I AM. He did not claim to be our Father God, but yet claimed to be in the Father and to have the Father living in Him. The Jews knew exactly what He was saying, and had asked Him in verse 24 "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Yet when He did they tried to stone Him for it. And they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated "God with us". Matt 1:23 NKJV

Wow!! What a negative view of family life and children. I have to respectfully disagree with your painting with a very broad brush on the topic. Most were not looking at this realisticly or from a woman's point of view. I have to disagree with the romantic fantisizing about parenting or giving birth. But I hardly consider it a negative view. 1. Some women are not healthy enough to bear children and it still can be dangerous. (I was a nurse) 2. some men or breadwinners cannot support a large family even with sacrificing the luxuries. 3. It is physicaly and emotionally exhausting to be a stay at home mom. (I used to plead with my pre school kids to take a nap so I could as well.) 4. I don't believe that a woman should be kept barefoot and pregnant. It takes a toll on the body of a woman, leaching the needs of the fetus from her bones. It should not be taken lightly by the husband -- the woman's health needs should also be considered. 5. We worked very hard at learning to be godly spouses and parents, to make a good home. The rewards have been most gratifiying. We enjoy both our sons and their families. Now we pray for them, grandkids and great grand child, and are involved in their lives to help out whenever possible when asked. We remain a very close family and love them all more than you can imagine. But it is all by God's grace that we/they are saved and serving God, or will be. Having done all, to stand---to stand and see the salvation of God. 6. The best part of family life is having God in our midst and helping us. His love binds us together. Being a godly parent is both the toughest and most rewarding job imaginable. It keeps us in prayer for wisdom and ability to do what is best for them. Sorry if my worst case scenario of a woman who should have avoided pregnancy was too graphic for you. He was may dad's boss and I went to school with several cousins--knew them well. It was a tragedy that affected the whole community and could have been avoided with birth control.

Reminds me of the notice on the church nursery's door: we shall not all sleep but we will all be changed. lol

It sounds like a powerful topic. I rarely read devotionals but my favorite is Streams in the Desert. Many of Corrie tenBoom's books can be read like devotionals as can "Let God" by Archbishop Fenelon. I hope that yours offers real meat to chew on. Blessings, Willa

I find it most interesting that most of those who want a zillion kids are male. It is a sometimes a badge of virility for men to boast of a lot of kids. Moms have to put up with the swollen bellies and pain of child bearing. We have to try to keep up with the little rascles as they take apart our homes and break the couches by jumping on them while we are preoccupied fixing meals. Then there are all the trials of broken bones and accidents involving stitches. Girls are full of drama and boys are full of pranks, especially involving water or disgusting things. Additionally is all the heartache and grief over the one that turns her back on God, and falls into sinful lifestyles. There is nothing glamourous about being a parent.. It is one of the toughest jobs on earth. And if someone has the courage to multiply this beyond a few, well maybe it is foolishness instead. That being said, every kid is worth all the blood, sweat and tears, much less the labor in prayer. They are not ours. They are on loan from the Lord. Adam and Eve were given the job of multiplying because the earth was unoccupied. The Jews knew the Messiah would be born of a woman so all women had the hope of bearing a male child. This was also important to an agricultural society to have help in working the land or in tending the sheep. That was the case here prior to industrialization and child labor laws as well. Now days it should depend on the health and wishes of the mother. I know two mothers that actually became mentally unballanced when they became pregnant. Against doctors' advice they continued to have children for religious reasons. One of them got a gun, killed her husband and all but 3 of her 8 children, then herself. It was once common for women to die giving birth. Complications are not uncommon. If the breadwinner is chronicly unemployed, they should not keep on having kids. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but if they cannot feed the children, they should not depend soley on tax dollars to do so, especially if they came illegally in the first place. " For even when we were with you we commanded you this: If anyone WILL not work, neither shall he eat." 2 Thess. 3:10. This does not include the infirm or those willing to work but can't find any. On the other hand neither should they keep on having kids while unable to work. Sometimes enough is enough

Does the devil look like these creatures ? Satan is discribed as being the "anointed cherub who covers" and very beautiful till vanity and pride drew him to exalt himself to desire to be in preeminence to God. Ezek 28:13-15 says it is speaking of the king of Tyre, but he was not in the garden of Eden--satan was; nor was the king a cherub. Perhaps like satan the king's heart was lifted up because of his beauty as in v. 17. These cherubim are man's attempt to discribe something beyond human comprehension that is full of splendor and power, full of light and possibly some kind of magnetic or electrical charge creating lightning. He calls them living creatures in Revelations 4-5. Perhaps principalities and powers in heavingly places also refers to them. They are discribed as being beautiful and awe inspiring. Too cool--- The things that await for us to see in heaven that pale beside the beauty of God and of Jesus Christ.

Matt 19:16-17 Now behold one came to Him and said to Him GOOD TEACHER, what shall I do that I may have eternal life?. So He said to them, "Why do you call Me good?. NO ONE IS GOOD BUT ONE, THAT IS GOD. The only good thing is me is Jesus Christ. My desire is for Him to be glorified in me, and that I should decrease but He should increase in me. So my goal is not for myself to be remembered but that Christ should be remembered. There is nothing wrong in a desire to be remembered except that it flatters the ego, like feeding it grow food. My constant battle is with ego, trying feed it arsenic while keeping my eyes on Jesus.

It is very corrageous for these scientists to go against the flow of darwinism. I thank them for publicly taking this stand. They may not be burned at the stake for their stand but they are probably going to be put in stocks and have rotten eggs and tomatoes thrown at them--figuratively of course.

Archeological findings prior to 1960 helped me as a new believer to believe God's word. They helped me to find substance in them somehow, like Armstrong standing where Jesus stood. It becomes real in time and space--a place that can be touched and felt.