Hidden In Him

Just now, BeyondET said:

Amen brother, and that verse is such a beautiful statement for sure. though I will admit I sometimes test to see who are and who isn't, not a good idea I know but I still need to know the hearts around me.

Then I'm glad I was ready for a pop quiz, LoL. If you had caught me in one of my "at the end of my rope" spells, I might have gotten expelled from school entirely!  

6 minutes ago, BeyondET said:

lol ok my friend lets just leave it be, but on what you mentioned in Luke 1:28 is only found in 3 or 4 bible translations.

Oh! I see. Yeah, I tend to study the original first. I don't think there's really much of anything wrong with the translations you cited, although technically the word is χαριτόω, which is the verb form of the word χαρις, which is translated "grace" in the vast majority of places in the NT.

9 minutes ago, BeyondET said:

Your a good sport about it, and I admire that indeed.

Yeah. I'm cool.  I wouldn't get upset about something like that. I'm a firm believer in abiding by James 3:18 (although every once in a while I still goof it up, LoL).

4 minutes ago, BeyondET said:

No here when you laughed.

I was referring to the expression in Luke 1:28, which mentions how Mary was endowed with grace.

12 minutes ago, BeyondET said:

its ok man the hardest thing for any of us to say, hmm your right I know been there done that.

Frankly, my head is starting to spin at this point, so how about if we call it a draw, LoL. 

You mean this?

42 minutes ago, Hidden In Him said:

And I would add that the phrase "full of grace" in reference to Mary is a bit unscriptural. Was she endowed with an amazing form of grace in being chosen to bear the Christ-child? Yes, but the expression "full of grace" more technically refers to someone upon whom the Holy Spirit has descended in great power and fullness, and that is something entirely different.

Just now, BeyondET said:

Let me get this striaght, so you think full of grace is only a reference to Mary not about Jesus?

No, I think you're confusing things. I'm saying the expression "full of grace" is clearly not used in reference to Mary, at least not in the Greek New Testament anyway. I was saying the exacting translation of Luke 1:28 would be "endowed with grace," which is a different thing, and does not carry nearly the same weight of meaning.

4 minutes ago, BeyondET said:

You think, then what's your opinion on John 1:14, that flesh was the same flesh even at 3 days in womb.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth

The verse is a reference to Jesus. What was your question exactly?

1 minute ago, BeyondET said:

You don't think Jesus descended into the womb of Mary with power and fullness?

LoL. Yes, I think He did. But the expression isn't used in reference to Jesus. It's used in reference to Mary, is it not?

On 1/12/2018 at 9:49 PM, Willa said:

Vincent's Word Studies is often relied upon by Bible translators.  This is his comment:

Thou that art highly favored (κεχαριτωμένη)

Lit., as Rev. in margin, endued with grace. Only here and Eph 1:6. The rendering full of grace, Vulgate, Wyc., and Tynd., is therefore wrong.

Many mistakes were found in the Vulgate, the original translation of the Greek Bible into Latin which became the official translation of the Roman church.  Other Catholic translators later found these mistakes but some incorrect passages had already been used for doctrine in the Roman church.  

I didn't read this post until after I had searched it out for myself, but it appears I'm in agreement with Vincent's.  He came to the same conclusion.

On 1/11/2018 at 1:49 PM, KiwiChristian said:

Nevertheless, where does the phrase "full of grace" come from regarding Mary?

And I would add that the phrase "full of grace" in reference to Mary is a bit unscriptural. Was she endowed with an amazing form of grace in being chosen to bear the Christ-child? Yes, but the expression "full of grace" more technically refers to someone upon whom the Holy Spirit has descended in great power and fullness, and that is something entirely different.  

On 1/11/2018 at 1:49 PM, KiwiChristian said:

I've searched through many different translations of the mainstream bible for 'full of grace', and nowhere is Mary called that. She is told by the angel that she is 'favoured by god', or has 'found favour in god's eyes'. So? David was favoured in god's eyes. At one time Saul was favoured in God's eyes. Samuel was favoured in God's eyes. All Christians are favoured in God's eyes. Luke 1:18 "kai eiselthōn pros autēn eipen kecharitōmenē Kyrios meta sou eulogēmenē sy en gynaixin"

The phrase, "full of grace," in Greek is "plaras karitos," and it occurs in only two places in the New Testament. Neither one is in reference to Mary.

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth," (John 1:14).
"And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people," (Acts 6:8).

The first citation refers to Jesus who is obviously full of grace. Jesus is God in flesh, the crucified and risen Lord, who cleanses us from our sins. In the second citation, it is Stephen who is full of grace.  We can certainly affirm that Jesus was conceived without sin and remained sinless, but can we conclude this about Stephen as well? Certainly not. The phrase, "full of grace," does not necessitate sinlessness by virtue of its use. In Stephen's case it signifies that he was "full of the Spirit and of wisdom" along with faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3, 5). But Stephen was a sinner. Nevertheless, where does the phrase "full of grace" come from regarding Mary?
 

Some nice work. The Greek word used in reference to Mary in Luke 1:28 is χαριτόω, "to endow with grace," the same word used by Paul in reference to the saints in Ephesians 1:6, "In love He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ unto Himself... to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He bestowed upon us in the Beloved (i.e. in Christ)." The word simply means Mary had been endowed with grace in the sense that she had been chosen to bear the Christ-child. The perfect participle middle or passive refers to a state brought about by the finished results of an action, with the "action" being that God had chosen her for this, and the angel was now coming to announce it.

About the phrase "full of grace," the actual wording in reference to Stephen is πλήρης χάριτος καὶ δυνάμεως, "full of grace and power," which makes it a reference to his being full of the Holy Spirit, bestowed upon him by God's grace.

9 hours ago, SisterActs2 said:

Just to clarify the point about the bottle:  I used the example of a milk bottle as it was easier, but it was just a bottle.  I could have gone into that detail but preferred to keep it simple, as everyone pretty much knows what a clean milk bottle looks like.

Ok, LoL. In order to know exactly what He is saying in visions and dreams, every detail like that matters. But essentially a similar message remains. You are a vessel, and vessels are used to pour out God's blessings upon others. What would no longer apply is that you are specifically called to infants in Christ.

Thanks for clarifying. 

7 minutes ago, frienduff thaylorde said:

Yeah she speaks Italian too and can write in English.      Yeah its a pic of the womans daughter.   and I see she has correct our furry friend before .

Praise the Lord Hidden in Him.     You loved and let us rejoice in the LORD . 

For the record, are you the same "Freindof ThaLord" that is/ was a friend of Solomon's Porch over at Christian Forums, or are you someone who coincidently just uses a similar site name?  

12 minutes ago, frienduff thaylorde said:

its probably a picture of the womans daughter .  

I checked, LoL. I would have been astonished to see a child be quite that eloquent.

But yeah, unless she's rich, most children don't list "traveling" as something they enjoy either, LoL. 

Greetings, Kiwi. About bible versions, the best way to look at it is that every translation will occasionally have something that others don't. Some KJV verses are not included in later versions because they are not present in the more authoritative Greek texts. But this does not necessarily mean they are not inspired. Discernment from the Holy Spirit is beneficial in such cases. It should also be pointed out that there are places where the text behind the KJV is clearly a corruption. Does that mean you throw out the KJV? Not at all. I still use it quite often, especially the KJV study Bibles, because the language is poetic and memorable, and I can find verses easier if I search for them online or in Strong's using KJV wording. The cross-referencing in my KJVs is also far superior to anything I have in any other Bibles as well. 

So try not to get caught up in one Bible or the other too much. Until you can study scripture from the original language, you will be at a bit of a disadvantage anyway, but the Lord will teach you regardless. You just have to ask Him to, and trust that the Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth if you keep seeking Him for it

God bless,

Hidden.

On 3/24/2018 at 10:15 PM, Jayne said:

I've never had a problem with science pulling me away from God or the truths of the Bible.   Legitimate, provable, and true science does not negate the Bible.  Metaphysics does.  Pseudo science does.

 I agree. When I first started believing in Christ, I still had questions about things like how evolution meshed with the Biblical account. But while I kept a fully open mind about things, it wasn't long before the Lord showed me the weaknesses in the evolutionist case. Long story short, taking a few upper level courses in paleontology and reading through a couple of well-written books by creationist authors, and I found out Christianity has no problems with real science whatsoever. Only false science presents a problem.   

On 3/25/2018 at 2:33 AM, SisterActs2 said:

I was full of guilt and sin and I want you to just imagine this.  A clean, clear milk bottle.  Inside this bottle was a balloon, shaped exactly as the bottle.  The balloon was full of murky, disgusting filthy muck.  He took the rim of the balloon and pulled it out of the bottle, leaving a clear, clean milk bottle.  This was the picture He showed me.  Later I learned about the blood of Jesus cleansing me from all sin, but at the time this is what I saw.  It wasn't really a vision, just a mental impression.

I think that actually is a type of vision, SisterActs. The milk bottle is a reference to your having been created to share the milk of the word, and the first thing He had to do was restore you to what you were created for by clearing out the filth of this world, to make you a vessel He could use.

On 3/25/2018 at 2:33 AM, SisterActs2 said:

Then in May I knelt by my bed again and asked God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  I felt I was being lifted gently in waves, and I knew I was in the presence of God.  I remember the bedroom, the colour of my bedspread, everything.  I began speaking with a new language, praising Him.  I received two visions.  The first was of a fire in what looked like a grate.  It was like a furnace.  The next one was of a hand lifted up and so positioned that it showed a gold ring on the wedding finger of the left hand.  I guess it was like God was saying to me "you will go through the furnace, but you will be part of My Bride".

Your analysis of these two visions in combination sounds accurate. It would likely mean your faith would be tried like gold in the fire, but this would produce the "gold" of a faith fully wedded to Christ.

There is a second option, in that you were the grate just as you were the bottle, with the vision thereby prophesying that you would become a vessel through which the fire of God would purify others. But this would suggest you would walk in things like prophetic gifts and works of power, which would be a different calling entirely than ministering to infants in Christ. So I'm guessing the former was indeed the correct interpretation.

So did you go on to experience trials and sufferings that purified your faith, or no?  

16 hours ago, Pillar said:

Let's talk about finances and evangelism. I think that Pastors should not take money from the collection plate to live. I think that for those who love God a collection plate is not even necessary as nothing we have belongs to us in the first place therefore must be shared generously.

You may mean well, Pillar, but I think you go too far. I also wish more ministers emulated Paul's example where finances were concerned, in that I think his example was more self-sacrificing. I think his humility and selflessness are reasons why he was entrusted with greater authority in Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:4-6). He provided for not only himself but Silas and Timothy, and because his teaching was that it is better to give than to receive (Acts 20:34-35), he abstained from giving and receiving (in most cases. See Philippians 4:15). And yes, if an apostle could support himself and others with him then surely some pastors could, especially younger ones. 

But as others have stated, to say NO man should be supported in ministry is to go beyond even the clear teachings of Paul himself. This was clearly not what he was teaching, as Yowm's post makes abundantly clear. 

Suppose a man has great spiritual gifts, such that he can heal the sick, cast out devils, prophecy, and confirm the word with great signs and wonders, yet he has become too old to support himself financially while still engaging in ministry. Should he stop ministry altogether, or receive financial support so he can continue?

9 hours ago, TechEnthusiast said:

I am single, have no car and its unlikely I will get married. Up until recently I have been incredibly socially awkward. The churches that I have been to don't seem to have anything real for singles. It seems like a place where people who are socially acceptable, have families, and have money go to congregate.  You are told that you are accepted because you have Repented and trusted in Jesus.  You are then left mostly alone and left to fend for yourself.

I should point out, too, TechEnthusiast, that the closer you get to God the more He transforms you into someone who is of great benefit to others, and this attracts others to you.

So try not to let yourself continue to focus on your loneliness. It has the opposite effect. Not that you would not be cared for by true Christians, but they will care for you even more if you focus on being a blessing to them as they are to you. There will still be times of loneliness along the way, but in time you "fill out" in Christ to such an extent that you are always needed somewhere, because you can always be a blessing to someone. 

On 3/19/2018 at 6:03 PM, tigger398 said:

See that scares me to, cause how do I know I'm ok dying.

Wow... If I didn't know I was ok dying, I'd be seeking the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer constantly to be allowed to live so I can have the chance to do everything possible to live for Him. I know many say to simply trust Jesus and pray a prayer of faith, but your conscience may be desiring to prove your love for Him is more than just words... In fact, in prayer I would tell him that I outright refuse to die until He allows me to show my true love for Him, whether it be in going back to that church, or in witnessing to people at the hospital, or in telling loved ones how much I care for them, etc. You hold on to Jesus, tigger, and refuse to let Him go until you know for certain where you are going, regardless of whatever visions you are having or not. 

4 hours ago, KiwiChristian said:

If i become an official member of church 1, then i must only attend THAT church.

The reasoning was the analogy of the church being made up of body parts, and if one body part is not there, it kinda stuffs things up.

 

I strongly agree with Wingnut. Their application of that teaching essentially implies that they alone are "the body of Christ," whereas those in other churches are not, and should not be considered as such. That may not be their intention, but that is exactly what they are saying, whether they are fully thinking it through or not. The Spirit of God needs to be free to use you and send you wherever He desires, so if I were you and had to become a member somewhere, I'd consider only church #2. Then you can visit church #1 if I want to without it being viewed as some sort of "disobedience to God."

God bless,

Hidden   

Greetings, guys.

I'm still new, and trying to figure out how the site works. I noticed I'm not allowed to post on either of the Worthy Q & A boards. Is that because there is a minimum requirement of posts made a member before they can participate in these areas or no?

Thanks in advance for the help. 

Well, the first thing I would have to say is that Christianity is definitely NOT all smiles and roses for everyone, no matter what age group. Even in marriage there can be a loneliness there you don't see, including among those whom you currently think may have it all together. Loneliness can be characteristic of even the greatest servants of God on occasion, so what you want is to let that loneliness drive you into even closer relationship with the Lord. And certainly don't view yourself as some sort of outcast from the Lord's servants, because I can promise you that's not the case. If anything, it means you are in very good company.  

Here. I found a brief article that might help. I won't cite the entire thing, but the beginning reads as follows:

"Every now and again in times like these, I think of the prophet Elijah, anxious and fretting in a cave, so depressed he could barely eat. He was fleeing from Queen Jezebel, who sought his life. As Elijah looked to his beloved Israel, he saw a rather discouraging portrait of fellow Jews who were either too confused or too fearful to resist the religion of the Baals required by Jezebel. He seems to have felt quite alone. Perhaps he was the last of those who held the true religion, or so he thought and felt. In the cave, Elijah pours out his lament:

And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” (1 Ki 19:9–10).

And But God will have none of this despair or complaining, and says to Elijah:

And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And him who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have seven thousand in Israel, that have never bent the knee to nor bowed to Baal, nor kissed him with the mouth” (1 Ki 19:15–18).