Willa

We become part of God's kingdom when we surrender to Jesus as our Lord and our God, as did doubting Thomas. In doing so we also surrender every part of our lives to Him and all "our" possessions (of which we are only stewards or managers). He gave us all of Himself and we can do nothing less than give God all of ourselves to rule over.

Deu 6:8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. I always think of this when they speak of the mark of the beast, which is placed in the same places. Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for theword of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Thou shalt not kill" is one of the ten commandments. There is a time to be born and a time to die, and those times are in God's hands. People should not play God. Whether God will extend His grace to such people is something only He knows. Perhaps God will forgive this if the person is not in their right mind or if murder is not an unrepented habitual sin. Doctors and other health care workers who would do this are likely to be serial murderers like abortionists and if not repentant will be delivered over to hell. I would not want such a doctor caring for me as they are violating their oath to preserve life that they took when they became medical doctors. This is one area that should not be decided emotionally. It should be decided in obedience to God. Saying that, neither do I believe it is necessary to keep people alive artificially.

My little dog is an alpha female. The breeder sent a letter with her telling how she always ate fast and then shoved the other puppies out of their dishes so she could eat theirs as well. I was told to take her through puppy training and obedience so I could become her alpha. I learned how to be alpha by going through AKC dog training. lol.

Mar 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. Mar 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. Luk 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. Joh 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. All we know for sure is that He arose after sunset of the 7th day Sabbath and well before dawn when the women came. It would have been the first day of the week according to Jewish calandras in which the first day began after sunset the night before. So that may have been at 2 AM, we aren't told. If it was at 9 PM of the first day, it is still the first day. So if you want to celebrate after sunset on Saturday you may. I find it more convenient to celebrate on Sunday, still the first day of the week. Col 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, Col 2:17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

1Pe 1:9 NKJV receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. Jhn 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 1Jo 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Rom 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. We have eternal life now due to Christ dwelling in us. He is life. When our bodies die our souls go immediately to be with the Lord for as long as He lives--eternity. Php 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Php 1:22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. Php 1:23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 2Co 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

My thoughts as well. And Christ, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the World. Joh 1:29 NKJV The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and said, Look! There is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! [Exo 12:3; Isa 53:7 All of Isaiah 53 is such a good meditation this season. Isa 53:2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Isa 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. Isa 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isa 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. Isa 53:9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. Isa 53:11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Isa 53:12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Eph 6:4 NKJV And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. I have used such a situation for a teaching opportunity explaining the reason it is best to avoid such things. Later when they asked me if I would like to join them, I told them that I just don't feel comfortable doing that. Both our sons chose then to destroy the objects. They also learned something about how God speaks to us and guides us. Col 3:15 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].

Someone once told me that what they hear is that we are rejecting them. Only God can open their ears to the truth. But I probably would have said the same thing as you. In fact, I told a friend that her argument is not with me but with God. How's that for direct? Even when she agrees with me satan snatches the truth away from her. So I remain a friend to her and take her calls, having prayed for her for years.

Rom 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Rom 4:5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, Rom 4:6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: Rom 4:7 "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS ARE FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS ARE COVERED; Rom 4:8 BLESSED IS THE MAN TO WHOM THE LORD SHALL NOT IMPUTE SIN." God has said that their faith is placed on their accounts as righteousness and their sins are blotted out. Isa 44:22 I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Act 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, If you have confessed your sins to God He has removed them as far as the east is from the west, and He has cleansed you from all unrighteousness. He gives us a new heart that wants to do the deeds God wants for us to fulfill. Christians will be judged by our allowing Christ to fulfill those deeds through us. The Apocrypha is no more sacred than Shakespeare. It is OK to read but garbage for doctrinal teaching.

There are differences in the resurrection accounts in the Gospels. But they are not contradictions. They name different people who came to the tomb or saw Him. People should remember that all saw Him or came, but different people are remembered of the groups each time. Witness accounts usually are slightly different or police would assume they were rehearsed and conspired. So it is in these cases.

Bloodgood, Out of the Darkness concert was excellent in the 80s. One kid was saved just reading the lyrics from this album. Loved Whitecross as well because of their heart for the lost. Saw several Audio Adrenalin concerts which were fun. Another I really enjoyed was a Phil Keaggy concert. REZ put on good concerts with a message. Idle Cure was also good entertainment as was the 77s and the Newsboys.

Heb 2:14 NKJV Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, Heb 2:15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Jesus conquered death which had been in the power of satan. Therefore we are no longer intimidated by it but look forward to being eternally with Jesus. We are set free from the power of satan in every way. He has no hold over us. We have been ransomed by Christ's blood. And the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us! Rom 8:11 NKJV But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

You are living in fornication and there won't be any fornicators in heaven. That mean you should repent and stop living with him as soon as possible. The conditions of your getting back together with him are that he be saved and then legally marry you. So you will be praying for him intensely that God convert him. Don't try to do this yourself but do let him know you still love him. You just can't live with him or have sex with him because he hates your God. Also pray that God send the person to you if He wants you to marry, whether it by that your friend should he be born again, or another man, or whether God wants you to remain single and serve Him. Psa 119:132 Look upon me and be merciful to me, As Your custom is toward those who love Your name. Psa 119:133 Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me. Psa 119:134 Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I may keep Your precepts. Psa 119:135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes.

When we pray we just talk to God the way you might talk to your brother or best friend. You just tell Him all that is on your heart, especially to ask forgiveness for wandering from Him and doing your own thing. Thank Him for listening because of Jesus paying for your sin. Tell Him that you need His help. Ask Him to be your boss and show you the way because you just make a mess of your life. Ask Him to help you follow Him God will also talk to you as you grow in your Christian faith and walk. The first thing is to become very familiar with the Scriptures. God doesn't say anything to us that contradicts with Scriptures or tell us to do things that would do so. He will never tell us to violate the 10 commandments or do anything that is unloving to others. God's voice displays His character. It is strong yet gentle and loving even when He corrects us. He displays the fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, long-suffering or patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It is a voice that we know is not our own and thoughts that most probably would not have come from us. Moreover, He addresses us according to our personalities. My pastor says God slaps him along side of his head and reproves him. lol. He doesn't do that to me. He comforts and encourages us, giving us hope, yet commands our respect and awe. Most often God speaks to us through Scripture, when a verse seems to shout at us and gets out attention. He may repeat it through a pastor's sermon or a Christian song or hymn. Finally we start thinking He is trying to tell us something. God may speak to us through a rainbow, reminding us that He is faithful to His promises. There are many ways that He talks to us. Sometimes it is through a little child. Often He would show me my faults through my children's misbehavior. Didn't appreciate that. Or through my husband if I didn't listen the first time. Didn't like that either. The better you get to know Him through the life and words of Jesus, the easier it will be to recognize these things. It is always wise to check it out with a mature Christian in the first few years. That way you are less likely to be deceived. Mormons are deceived by thinking the "burning in their bosom" made a thing true. They may have confused it with heartburn because they are very deceived.

Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. You are right in that friendship with the world is enmity with God. God still loves His enemies. And it is true that Gods enemies hate us because Christ lives in us. Christ loved even Judas, knowing he would betray Him and knowing satan had entered him. They also need to know that genuine Christians are those in whom Christ lives, and if He lives in us we will love others as He does. We will show kindness to other Christians as well as to unbelievers. Jhn 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The best pastors lead by example.

They may not like it but it gives them something to think about. It helps to be mindful that we are no better than the worst of them but for God's grace. It is only Christ in us that makes us different, and He in us loves them intensely. God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

I actually found more friends among older women. They had more maturity and wisdom to offer as well as deeper friendships. Women's Bible studies was where I met most of my friends. Otherwise we met people as couples.

Rom 16:1 NOW I introduce and commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae, Rom 16:2 That you may receive her in the Lord [with a Christian welcome], as saints (God's people) ought to receive one another. And help her in whatever matter she may require assistance from you, for she has been a helper of many including myself [shielding us from suffering]. King Jimmy uses the word "servant" which is the translation of deacon. "G1249 (Strong) διάκονος diakonos dee-ak'-on-os Probably from διάκω diakō (obsolete, to run on errands; compare G1377); an attendant, that is, (generally) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specifically a Christian teacher and pastor (technically a deacon or deaconess): - deacon, minister, servant." Female pastors should serve under a male pastor and supervise women and children's programs, counsel women and teach them to be good wives and parents. Otherwise, deaconesses help with greeting, preparing communion and other chores caring for the church. All should be prepared to share the gospel should the opportunity present itself in the process of carrying out their other duties.

Asking God to take us to be with Him is different than committing suicide. The former is still leaving the time of our death in God's hands. Suicide is taking that upon ourself and is still murder. Unbelievers usually just think they will cease to exist and are not mindful of hell. They need to be told that they have the choice to go to hell by default or to be with God after they die. What an opportunity to tell them of God's love!

I see the Scriptures as the primary source of truth; and those things said by the Holy Spirit apart from the Scriptures will never contradict the Scriptures, our primary authority. The Spirit leads un into all truth in Scripture, and He helps us to interpret scripture by other scripture. He enlightens us as Phillip did with the Eunich, and as Christ did on the road to Emmaus. The Spirit helps us to righty interpret the Word. We base doctrine on Scripture alone, not on Scripture plus other sources. However, Scripture that is not enlightened and is written as doctrine can wander far from the truth and be interpreted to the destruction of many. People sometimes search the scriptures for something that supports their doctrine when in truth it must be twisted to be understood that way.

No, that is just what I told my kids. I told them to make believers their best friends. God told us not to be mismated with unbeliever, on unequally yoked with, depending on the translations. I always thought that to mean partnership as well. The comment was what fellowship has light with darkness? 2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 2Co 6:15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 2Co 6:16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 2Co 6:17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 2Co 6:18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Word-studies Cognate: 5479 xará (another feminine noun from the root xar-, "extend favor, lean towards, be favorably disposed") – properly, the awareness (of God's) grace, favor; joy ("grace recognized"). According to this we have joy when we recognize God's grace, His underserved mercy. Personally, I have joy just fellowshipping with God. There is deep contentment in it as well, and a sense of well being even when circumstance are not the best. The joy of the Lord is my strength. The beatitudes start with the word blessed, which also means happy and to be envied. I don't always associate the circumstances in the beatitudes with happiness, such as being persecuted. I think of happy as being pleased, delighted or merry. They are transient feelings the way I use them and are more superficial since they are dependent on circumstances. Perhaps the word has changed in meaning slightly. When I am going through trials I may be rejoicing in the Lord and have joy; I don't remember being happy as in gleeful.

We have been there, tried that. We are a Christian forum. We found that many of the people in the hidden sections were trying to convert us to their unbelief or errors, and new Christians and even young teens who are not established in our faith were being confused if not led astray by some of those unbelievers. Many in that group are quite hardened. Nevertheless mature, solid believers here are trying to reach out to them and even disciple those who desire to be taught the truth. In the middle east it was a custom to only eat with your friends and allies since it was to them fellowship like we share in the Lord's Supper. However, Scripture asks us what fellowship has light with darkness? It even says to come out from among them.

Since we at Worthy are of many denominations and are from many countries, we mostly disagree in minor details but agree on the central theme of the Gospel such as the points in the statement of faith of Worthy. So we major on majors and overlook minor differences that do not affect a person's salvation. In fact, most disagreement about these minor differences are over misunderstandings concerning exactly what the other person believes. We tend to pigeon hole each other, which is not good since it can be a form of bigotry. So it is good to err on the side of grace. It is good to assume the best of each other. It is true that members of cults have a distorted view of God and the atonement of Jesus Christ. Even they are loved by God, just as Jesus loved Judas to the end. We grieve over their deception. We pray that they may come to know the truth and be saved. Jesus was from Nazareth and lived among the Samaritans who were hated by the Judeans because of their false doctrines. Yet much of His ministry was to these people. He came to the lost sheep.