CoramDeo

"The Church limps through history, her triumphs cleverly disguised as tragedies." From Idols for Destruction by Herbert Schlossberg

It is only an infinite God, and an infinite good, that can fill and satisfy the precious and immortal soul of man. (Thomas Brooks)

"We cannot spread our sin further than He can spread His grace.” Sinclair B. Ferguson from The Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen The message of the gospel is that God's justice has been satisfied by the sacrifice of Christ. It is the realization that because of the imputed righteousness of Christ - that is his goodness credited to our account - we can come boldly before the throne with the knowledge that we will be welcomed and accepted. (Steve Brown) ___________________ Feel free to add your own favorites......

Sounds to me as if the writing is on the wall, so to speak. If he is this controlling before the marriage, then think how he will be afterwards. Also, many people use the words "God told me" as just another form of manipulation. Now, don't get me wrong - I know that God speaks to us and that we can hear His still, small voice. But, some use this to extremes rather than say what they want to say. That lets them off the hook and puts it on God. You asked for advice, so I don't mind giving it. It sounds like it's time to terminate the relationship and move on.

So, with all those ingredients, who (in their right mind) would want to put one of those things in their mouth, light it on fire, and suck on it????

1 John 1:8-10 (NIV) 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. God promises not only to forgive us, but to purify us as well. He is our Advocate, and He will more than willing to forgive you of your sin - no matter how many times you fall. Now, this is certainly not an excuse to sin because of God's graciousness. We do not take God's grace for granted. Even the Apostle Paul said, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid" (Romans 6:1-2). We learn to bring our minds and bodies under subjection of Jesus Christ through the constant correction and conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Bless you, PreciousSpouse! You are a life saver!

I am working on a Bible study, and I am stumped on one of the words. In early Asian cultures and in biblical times, persons of royalty were carried in a form of closed carriage that had poles that were lifted by slaves. The carriage was all enclosed, and the king or queen was rarely seen. What was the name of the carriage? What was it called? I am stumped on this one, and I need the answer as quickly as possible. Thanks, Cre8d

Pat is a human vessel that is on the potter's wheel just like the rest of us. It's certainly not a time to be throwing stones and making accusations. He loves the Lord and has done a great deal of good all over the world. Cre8d P.S. I live five minutes from CBN!

I have to admit that I didn't even notice another button besides the reply button. Now I know! Thanks for teaching me something new, tah. You have proved everyone wrong - you can teach an old dog new tricks!

No, it is all in the line of duty.

This one definitely will work: http://members.cox.net/christiansonline/RedHeifer.pdf

Corey: I went ahead and uploaded it to a site that I run. You can access it without having to sign on. The url is: http://members.cox.net/christiansonline/RedHeifer.pdf Blessings, Cre8d

Nope, I have Adobe Acrobat - the first click took me to a sign-in page for MSN, which I did; then I was taken to a blank page. I even tried saving the link as a file so that I could open it up with Acrobat, but there was nothing to save.

Nope - link doesn't work - or at least it's blank when I get to it.

I am not God; therefore, I have no say.

Looks like someone is really good with Adobe Photoshop.

OK, billielovesdarrin - no old people jokes allowed!

Anyone can change behavior, but only God can change a heart.

That's because you are too young to remember PollyAnna!

I have learned never to use the word "never." Absolutely, yes - mercy can mean PARDON. Isn't that what God has done with us - He has pardoned us from our sins because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. But, His mercy is also given in discipline because it draws us closer to Him as our Father and strengthens our character. Sometimes consequences cannot be avoided. If I touch a hot stove, I get burned. If I eat the wrong foods and do not exercise, eventually my body responds. Those are consequences. Then there are other times where consequences are avoided. Let's say that I steal something from a store and don't get caught - no consequences. Am I still guilty? Absolutely! Can Jesus Christ forgive me for that sin? Yes! Which parent is merciful? I would say both - one pardons, but the other one teaches through discipline. What about the parent who states that the child will be punished if they do something, but then fail to carry out that punishment? What is that parent teaching the child? Is that true discipline? Discipline is that teaching that touches the heart of the child - that is why God discipline us - He wants to reach out hearts. It's not about changing our behavior, but about changing our hearts.

Bad choice for Larry, Curly and Moe!

I always quote Proverbs 12:1 to my students: "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." The discipline that comes from the Lord (through His mercy) makes one wise.

Sometimes there is a consequence of our actions. But that, too, can be God's mercy because He wants to teach us something and wants to discipline us for our good. Hebrews 12:10-11 says, "Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." God is training us to become more like Him and perfecting our character for His glory.

It's sad that sometimes we Christians treat unbelievers as enemies - it's always "them" against "us." This, of course, is a far cry from what the apostle Paul emphatically states in the fifth chapter of Romans, that, through Christ, all mankind has been reconciled to God, giving each of us the opportunity to receive God's gift of salvation. To put that another way, God's favor and forgiveness have been extended to all people everywhere because of what Jesus did on the cross. That is the good news. He is just waiting for those who don't yet know that to accept that gift and come to the cross in humble repentance. Unbelievers are not enemies to be fought; rather, they are captives to be delivered. Have we Christians lost a sense of graciousness because we ourselves have lost our sense of grace?