Willa

The difference is that we are alive and praying for each other. Catholics believe that Mary is already resurrected and is reigning as queen of heaven. Protestants believe what the Bible teaches and not these traditions and old wives tales. There is nothing in the Bible that indicates Mary is resurrected, or that she was sinless, or that she is a mediator between God and man. These are fables. The Bible strictly forbids our praying to dead people, to their spirits, to angels, or to anyone but our God in trinity, Father, son and Holy Spirit.

God got my attention during a severe thunder storm. The sky was ablaze with lightning strikes. Even the street lights were out. Strong winds were bending giant maple and sycamore trees and leaves swirled 20 feet into the air. "I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed" still brings tears to my eyes causing me to remember that night. As the street lights flickered back on I had asked God, if there is a God, to make the lights go out again so I could again see His power and majesty in His creation, and instantly they were out. Being a hard headed skeptic, this had to occur nearly 20 more times before I conceded that this was beyond the laws of probability and there was indeed a God Who's aware of me, Who heard and answered my prayer. I was around 13 years old at the time.

I have read about the 30 years from both a Catholic source in Catholic hospital and a Lutheran source, since I was then Lutheran, and then a fairly neutral source or two such as Wiki. War is war and atrocities are done by all, even those claiming to be Christians by their churches but never having been born again by God!

I totally agree and that right now he doesn't seem to be open to discipling. perhaps some one else...

Hell was created for satan and his angels. People choose for themselves whom they follow, and have chosen to follow satan into hell. It is our own choice to resist and reject God's saving love. You sound very bitter and angry, like you are hurting or grieving. I am praying that God comfort you and heal your pain, and that you can receive His love for you.

The problem is that you misunderstand the situation. Joh 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Joh 3:20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. The person he proposes to is already condemned to torture and only by accepting the proposal can she escape it. This is an act of merciful love.

The key is to look unto Jesus, focus on Him and not our problems, just as Peter was able to walk on water as long as he focused on Jesus. G872 (Thayer) ἀφοράω. aphoraō Thayer Definition: 1) to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on something G872 (Word Study) ἀφοράω. aphoráō; contracted aphorṓ, fut. apópsomai, from apó (G575) an intens., and horáō (G3708), to look. To look away steadfastly or intently toward a distant object. Metaphorically, to behold in the mind, to fix the mind upon (Php 2:23; Heb 12:2).

We need to remember the spiritual battle. 2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 1Jo 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1Jo 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. The truth is that evil spirits control our world and its governments. Rev 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. Rev 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Rev 12:12 “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, Gal 5:21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal 5:24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. There is a difference between those who practice evil and those who fall and sin occasionally. It seems also that many are born again and live in the Spirit but haven't learned yet to hear God's voice and recognize His leading so as to walk in the Spirit. We all are growing and being transformed by His Spirit. It is a process. 2Co 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

God once spoke to my heart: "Willa, oh you of little faith!" That is when I realized that all I need is a tiny bit of faith, that as of a mustard seed. What we do need is to realize how big our God is. It is like what Vine Abider said, the God Who created the universe can accomplish anything that is according to His will. We discover His will in Scriptures. Sometimes we must pray "Lord I believe, help my unbelief". Occasionally God gives us a gift of faith that is so solid--we know but we know that God will fulfill His promise. I believe this kind of faith springs from HIS faith. Before Hubby was saved he started telling me all the reasons he couldn't become a Christian, listing all his sins (and I could think of many more). But as I listened to some really bad things he was doing, God suddenly reminded me that it is because he is a sinner that he CAN be saved. I could't help the smile that started growing--inside I was rejoicing! Of course, hubby didn't appreciate my smile and got angry. He was baring his soul and I was smiling! Never will I forget that at a time that I could have been reeling with grief God again gave me faith for hubby's salvation and turned my mourning into dancing. Psa 30:11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, Psa 30:12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

The problem is that as soon as I see a sin defeated in my life, God reveals other to me! We don't even see all our areas of imperfection--there are so many; some are uncharitable attitudes, occasionally it is a habit such as an ungodly thing that we say, often it is our thoughts that stray. Lastly, as soon as we think we have achieved perfection we tend to become self righteous! Php 3:12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Php 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, Php 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

JESUS said and did only what the Father gave Him to say and do, so by that fact the words os Jesus ARE the words os the Father. Jesus claimed to be the great I AM in John 8:58 Joh 8:58 ESV Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." and Exodus Exo 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" JESUS is the Word made flesh who dwelt among us. He is the Word who was with God and who is God. Joh 8:24 LITV. Therefore, I said to you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins. Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Joh 1:2 He was in the beginning with God. Joh 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. Joh 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Luk 1:1 Since [as is well known] many have undertaken to compile an orderly account of the things which have been fulfilled among us [by God], Luk 1:2 exactly as they were handed down to us by those [with personal experience] who from the beginning [of Christ's ministry] were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word [that is, of the teaching concerning salvation through faith in Christ], Luk 1:3 it seemed fitting for me as well, [and so I have decided] after having carefully searched out and investigated all the events accurately, from the very beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus; [Act 1:1] Luk 1:4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught [that is, the history and doctrine of the faith]. Some people think that the words of Paul are tainted by his personality, forgetting that the words of Jesus are recorded by John, Matthew, Mark, and by Luke as told him by others. The truth is that the Bible is God breathed or inspired by the Holy Spirit and revealed to each of us that we may understand it by the Holy Spirit. It doesn't matter whether Moses penned them. Paul penned them, Luke did or John penned them. the Bible is the work of the Holy Spirit. I agree that the New Testament is superior to the Old, i.e. that the New Covenant is superior to the Old, so perhaps everything concerning Christ and the New Covenant should be another color. Since so many people are color blind to red perhaps deep purple or another color should be used. I find red harder to read and am not color blind to red so I avoid red letter editions. (I do have difficulty discerning some shades of blue/green).

Many literal translations , including Young's, translate this differently. LIT: proclaimed in all the creation under Heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister, However, Romans 1 does indicate that God is clearly seen in His creation. Perhaps He reveals the Gospel to those who acknowledge Him in His creation. I suspect that those who deny Him as Creator will harden their hearts further upon hearing the Gospel. Whether viewing the solar system or the complexities of the living cell, all who are in awe will bow their knees to our Intelligent Creator Who is far beyond our comprehension yet is revealed in the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ.

What gives the UN the right to overrule our constitution? I realize that our own lawyers have already subverted our constitution, but no other governing body should have the right to do so.

Yes, and the worst reason for doing anything is "everybody's doing it".

I really don't care why people get tattoos or if they are beneficial. In my opinion they are ugly and I can't get around that.

1Co 11:3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 1Co 11:4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 1Co 11:5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 1 Co 11:10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 1Co 11:11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 1Co 11:12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. It is clear that women did take part in the services to pray or prophesy. We need not always be silent in Church. However, we are to always be under the authority of our husbands. We choose to adapt ourselves to him and come under his authority, guidance, protection and leadership. Our husband doesn't own us but we are united as a team with him being the leader. We are equal in worth and come under his leadership when we choose to marry him. Some churches still operate under 1 Cor 11-14 guidelines. Some still honor the Scriptures authority and don't discard them as being irrelevant. That means the head pastor teaches and has authority over the congregation. Women may serve as deaconesses or teach women and children. Head covering is about humility and our willingness to not usurp authority. We are hiding that which might cause us pride, hence rebellion.

No one explained anything so I just try to ignore them. I don't think anything helps. They are still like an ugly scar.

I am possibly less repulsed by them and more tolerant. They don't make me cringe when I see them. To me the experience is like when a 3 year old takes an indelible black marking pen and writes on your new clean white leather couch. Used to them?

MY grandson in law genetically engineers medical cannabis. He is a paraplegic with spastic paralysis who uses it to enable him to get in and out of bed. He has a college degree in his field and distributes it to those who are legally licensed to sell it. The chemicals of the plant that are used for recreational purposes have been eliminated. I support this sort of use for specific medical purposes. It has also has been shown to be effective in helping with the affects of chemotherapy. On the other hand it is not appropriate for a Christian to use or smoke anything to get high or intoxicated.

YOU DO have a lot of questions! I doubt that radiation has much influence on health. My sons both work in radioactive areas. One works with radiation and the other with chemicals in a nuclear reservation. The chemicals have far worse impact on our health and genetics than the radiation. I doubt that it affects brain activity at all except maybe that of hypochondriacs. lol Thyroid cancer is one of the slowest growing. I hope your mom's thyroid is being monitored closely. As for insects, all light seems to attract them, but they are not being irradiated. Much stronger doses are needed to do that. I am speaking to you as a nurse. who has been very concerned for her sons' heath and safety, so I keep well informed as to the hazards they face and the impact it may have on their health. After 30 years in the industry they suffer from back injuries from riding dirt bikes when they were in their 20s rather than from cancer and they and their kids don't have genetic damage or strange heath issues.

Welcome, Sheila3! As far as I know you can as long as there is no copyright infringement. Blessings.

My husband told my daughter in law that I was the glue that held our marriage together for over 50 years. He was wrong. It was purely god's grace.

Most people use them to draw attention to self, not to god. They express self. It is the ME generation. I don't see harm in drawing attention to God. I mostly see waitresses with them, rarely nurses or professional people.