Willa

Our son does friendship evangelism. While keeping his family and himself firmly rooted in love and in God's word, he will offer to help friends at work with a project. He has helped people lay carpet, remodel, paint, work on transmissions and engines, brakes, or most any job. During such times he often hears their concerns and will offer to pray for these. Most people, even unbelievers, will not be offended by such an offer of genuine compassion. Eventually they have come to him for advice, and occasionally have even asked him about his faith. Some he has had to shake the dust from his feet and go on. A couple have visited our church and then gone back to the church their parents attended. Several he has led to the Lord. His witness is first with his life and then with words when an opportunity presents itself. Just hold your ground without being preachy. If you become self righteous or preachy they will dis you immediately. But as soon as you don't laugh at their dirty jokes and smoke their pot they will have you pegged and will even try to trip you up and get you to fall. So just try to be there for them when they have a crises like a death in the family or they end up in the hospital or in jail. Then visit them and offer to pray for them. Bring them a big mac or something. But that is often the best time to reach out. But I am not the best evangelist so my advice here may not be the best.

I look out our picture windows at a panorama of snow softly falling, just starting to accumulate on roofs and walks. Most of our leaves are now fallen. There is a hush, the sky is gray, and a hot cup of cocoa sounds especially good. Blessings, Willa

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief." is a very valid prayer. We can't fully understand the Bible with out intellect alone. Quite often we like to make a passage into just a beautiful poem or an allegory so that it doesn't touch us personally. This is not the way to read the Bible. God uses it to speak directly to us by His Spirit. Pray before you read the Bible and ask God to reveal the meaning to you. The work of the Holy Spirit is to enlighten you and help you to understand scripture. Ask that He open your eyes to the truth. Be sure to acknowledge Christ's lordship both over the universe and over your own life. Continue to ask Him to direct your steps and guide you. God's word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. It helps us to make godly choices . Ask Him to fill you with His own love to help you love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable. Allow Him to live in you in this way. 2 Cor 10:4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every though into captivity to obedience of Christ, Making most of the Bible an allegory, especially when it is not expressly stated as having another meaning, is not a good way to approach reading the Bible. When Exekiel spoke of dry bones coming to life it was certainly speaking of the nation of Israel but also of its spiritual state of unbelief. There are many word pictures used in prophecy. But if there is a literal interpretation, we can't ignore that and try to read something mystical into it. So do pray before you read, and do not try to understand using your own intellect and imagination.

The thing that strikes me is the humility of each and that they recognized Him as the Messiah, sent from God. The woman acknowledged that she was but an unworthy puppy with no right to ask, but she still begged for mercy. She acknowledged Him as the Son of David, called Him Lord and worshipped Him for Who He is. Not many even of the Jews did this. Only one of the 10 lepers came back and worshipped Him. One thief on the cross did so as well. The centurian was one under authority, and recognized that Jesus was totally under His Father's authority. Humility comes under authority. He also recognized Who Jesus is--the promised Messiah sent from God. When Peter made the good confession, You and the Christ, Jesus had told him that only the Father could have revealed that to him. So God had revealed this to these two gentiles as well, and had given them faith. God still reveals to each of us Who Jesus is and gives us saving faith.

Thank you, Joe, I had not made this connection but suspected that it had to do with Arian nation and white supremacy stuff instead. 2 Tim. 4:3 NKJV For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5. But you be watchful in all things----. Blessings, Willa

Jesus gave us the priviledge of praying in His name and by His authority. We can come before the throne of grace boldly because of the covering and righteousness bought by His blood. We have no right or authority to even be heard by God in our own sinful state. But Jesus has given us His righteousness and His name to allow us an audience with our Father. Furthermore, we are sealed with His Spirit, marked as one of His own, and adopted into His family. Yet Jesus said that we can use the Name of the One Who is beloved of the Father to petition Him. What a priviledge!

Anything good coming from me is of God. When self rises up it usually just messes up the work of God. So my constant battle is to allow the flesh to die each day so that Christ may work His work..

On earth Jesus said and did nothing but what the Father told Him, so I imagine it was always that way. My earthly way of expressing it is the Father is the Architect and Jesus is the engineer. The Holy Spirit also took part in creation in Genesis 1:1, as He was hovering over the face of the waters. But we are only told that He is like the wind in John, and that He has to do with the breath of life and our spiritual life. Maybe He somehow puts everything into motion. But it is in Christ that everything consists or is held together, coheres or fits together. When I meditate on this I think of a chemical level, a molecular level, a personal level as in the church, and I end up in awe again, worshipping my God. As a Gentile my mind does not wrap itself around our Father alone being God, Christ being Lord/Son and Spirit being "something else" as the mormons say. To say that Christ is not God implies in my mind that He is only a man. It makes Lord seem like a limited title, not as Lord of the universe. But my mind can begin to comprehend that they are One God in three distinct Persons, with different offices or functions, and being in total subjection, unity and agreement as they are one Personality. John 17:21 Jesus said He is in the Father and the Father is in Him. Holy Spirit also resides in both. None is independant of the other. They are one. That which is born of God is God, not a lesser being. It doesn't bother me if you want to call Father "God" and Jesus "Lord" as long as you realize that they and the Holy Spirit are One Godhead. Colossians 2:9 This works for me and my finite gentile mind.

The bibical solution would be to sell yourself into slavery for 7 years. But that is not legal here so bankruptsy is an honorable solution.

Amen!. Around here the restraunts are giving a free meal to vets--even a free steak dinner! So we do thank those who endured the horrors of warfare, and those who lost sons and daughters, husbands and wives, parents an siblings. Most came back as much changed people who are cripled by nightmares and haunted by memories. They and their families need our prayers and gratitude as much as those who gave their limbs. Thank you. Willa

OK, I probably have the worst spelling and grammer on this forum. But the grammar error that bugs me is people saying "him and me are going to lunch." They gave the award to she and I. So play with that one for a while and make me cringe. Willa

1John 5:7 and Matthew 28:19 are spurious. But don't take my word for it. Do a little research and find out for yourself. There is doubt about 1 John 5:7, but Matt 28:19 is in other texts, such as the second edition of the Greek Majority Text; it is only lacking in one that I know of, the Alexandrinus text, that manuscript being the one that had the most gnostic influence so in itself may not be the best. http://www.studytoanswer.net/bibleversions/gnostic.html Keep studying, Blessings, Willa

One church that believed "No creed but Christ" and that doctrines divide, also had its own formula that they wanted everyone to subscribe to.: baptism by immersion, the Lord's Supper every Sunday, repent, believe confess and be baptized. They wanted all denominations to unite under their formula. My liberal Disciples of Christ "Christian" church denied the trinity because the word wasn't in the Bible and took the word out of every hymn. So I sang Holy Holy Holy without any reference to the Trinity. Jesus was just the son of God so many believed he was only a good man. I don't remember them talking about the Holy Spirit at all except to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Other Disciples Christian churches are not so liberal and some teach the Trinity. Today that church has died and the building is being used by another. It is sad that it took 60 years to die.

God the Son, the Word gave up His position as well as being in the form of God, to complete, totally empty Himself into to the form of man. He took on flesh for our sakes. The fullness of the Godhead dwelt in human form. He not only become human, but he humbled himself to be a servent and to be wrongfully crucified as though he were a criminal. While He was God in human flesh Col. 1:19, 2:9 He was still limited somewhat by this human body. He could only be in one place at a time, for instance. That is why he went away and sent the Holy Spirit to us. A person's good name is his reputation and his honor. We no longer think in these terms, when a persons word was beliieved because of his good name or reputation. We no longer see many people of honor, who never lie or manipulate people but are full of unselfish integrity. Christ's name conveyed such purity and honor that it created awe and respect. His reputation was higher than any man or angel, it was so far above reproach.

I do rejoice with you dear sis. No words can discribe the blessings of God's grace.

Well said, Joe. Thank you.

Jesus wept. John 11:35 A man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Isaiah 53:3 Romans 8:31-39 Jesus is praying for you. Nothing can separate you from His love for you. He understands what you are going through Acts 8:2 And devout men carried Stephen to his buriel and made great lamantations over him. It is OK to cry and to miss your dad. You don't have to be the strong one. Let Jesus be your strength, your shield and your Comforter. My parents died in the 70s and there are times that I still miss them. Memories are fading of them but the one thing I strongly remember is their love. Remember the good times you shared with your dad. It helps. You will prepare yourself to miss him on the holidays. It is the unexpected things that remind you of him that are the hardest to endure, like the times you will reach for the phone to call him. Grief is a process that we go through, sometimes each time we remember. Shock and denial, anger, bargaining and regrets (if only I had---), depression and finally acceptance/resolution that life will somehow go on. We don't all go through each step, but just knowing that I wasn't going nuts and that it was normal helped me. Blessings and prayers, Willa

1 Cor. 5:11 does tell us not to even eat with or keep company with a person who calls himself a brother who is sexually immoral, covetous, a reviler or drunkard, or extortioner. But the purpose was to bring them to repentance so that they could be restored. That is hard to do without communication. You are the head of your household and your wife should heed your authority. While your churches decision should be respected, you need to be the judge as to whether they are behaving in a way that seeks to restore your family. 2 Cor 2:6-11 tells you to forgive, comfort, reaffirm your love to the persons lest they be swallowed up by too much sorrow; 2 Cor 5:18-21 speaks concerning the ministry of reconciliation. Listen to God. We will pray for your wife. Blessings, Willa

There have been seasons, months, when I went through chastening (involving dying to self) that I withdrew from people and groups, but never from church. There were times when I learned to depend on God and not on people such as mentors. There were other times when I changed churches, but God always led us to another church before we withdrew from one. He always prepared our hearts to make the change. But God deals with us all differently so we should not be quick to judge others. I don't think we are meant to be alone as Christians. We are not a church unto ourselves but are part of a living organism. God means for us to serve in a local church in some compacity, however modest. Sometimes we are physically unable to function as we once did so we are unable to attend regularly let alone to serve in the same ways. This is both confusing and heartbreaking. But we can pray for our pastors and for prayer requests in our local church. We can bear one anothers burdens, which are things we do here as well.

I have to agree with you, but they can make seats to accomodate large people just as they accomodate those with other handicaps. Most people who are overweight have dieted most of their lives and also have other problems that created it such as thyroid disease. Studies of twins seperated at birth show that eating habits and exercise have relatively little to do with weight. It is determined geneticly. But the ignorant bigotry goes on.

Consider the deep things of God that Paul preached--Christ and Him crucified. A stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. The basics mentioned in Hebrews 6 are: repentance from dead works and faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement. It seems to me that after we grow beyond those, the so called 'deep things of God" have more to do with obedience to what we already know, and in doing so we gain understanding. PSM 111:10 It has to do with becoming very familiar with Scripture, through which we learn the character of God and by which we learn to appraise the people and the world around us. 1 Cor. 2:13 For he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no one. That is to say, the world just can't figure us out. They don't understand us. We are as much foolishness to them as the cross is. Col. 2:2-9 NKJV That their hearts may be encouraged, being KNIT TOGETHER IN LOVE, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4. Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 6. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, SO WALK IN HIM, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with THANKSGIVING. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ, FOR IN HIM DWELLS ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD BODILY; and you are complete in Him, Who is the head of all principality and power. This passage is packed with the WOW factor. We could meditate on each phrase and be blessed to our boots. THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD ARE FOUND IN HIS PERSONS--IN WHO HE IS.

Russia is probably more concerned about Israeli gas lines through Cyprus giving competition to the Russian gas lines to Europe. This is what turned Turkey against Israel--Turkey was cut out of the deal. So Russia is trying to gain strategic land.

And I always thought that Ll'l Abner invented Sadie Hawkin's Day. So I learned something new today.

Our sons's best friend's brother also did this, but the mood changes seemed to be from withdrawal from harder drugs that the family refused to believe were involved. They chose the route of tough love, kicking him out of the house when he refused to comply and repeatedly turned back to drugs. It was many very hard years during which he dropped out of school, married, divorsed, moved to another state, and eventually returned. He is now clean and has come back to the Lord. Our son says that the biggest reason he did not go that route is that he saw the torment the guy put his family through. He said he couldn't do that to us. The family are strong godly christians. Our son's friend became a youth pastor. God is faithful. He does answer prayer. Is your husband there to support you emotionally and to join you in prayer? I weep with you, and join you in prayer for your son. Willa

This can best be answered by some of our Messianic Jewish brothers and sisters. To the best of my understanding the Kaballah is a mystical branch or cult of Judism that incorporates trates of eastern mysticism, occult and perhaps even gnostic beliefs. I started to listen to one of their programs on Jewish television and was so shocked by how totally off base it was that I googled it at that time. Occult means hidden, by the way. Such teachings were so popular in Jesus' day that Paul insisted that our gospel is not hidden.