*Pumpkin*

33 minutes ago, Yowm said:

How about Scriptures understanding not ours?...

Being born again, (perfect tense) not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23 KJV)

The NT (Greek) perfect  extends the abiding significance (effect) of a completed action into the present.  The implied, lingering result stresses the ongoing, forceful effect of the action ("and now still…").

IOW a past happening with ongoing results.

 

Excellent post with irrefutable exegesis!

3 hours ago, ContinuingCorletta said:

Please pray that I would overcome anxiety because it can be very limiting and oppressive.   Thank you for your prayers.

Sorry to hear about that! And as cliched as this may sound; things will indeed get better, but not in the way the "world" would see it as so. We are told by Jesus to not be anxious for "anything". As difficult as this may sound, we have to trust that the Word of God is true and faithful to its promises (Ps. 23:4; Prov. 12:25; Jn 14:27; Col. 3:15; 2 Thess. 3:16).

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:34)"

"And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:37-39)"

Brother wingnut's signature is a key verse in Scripture that should always be part of our daily walk with God. I DO understand how debilitating anxiety can be to some; and I myself have experienced my share in the past as a young man. I'm quite certain that a raging storm would cause most people to be filled with fear and anxiety. Peter, and most of the disciples were "master" fishermen; and they are skilled in fishing as they have most likely done so for most of their lives to support them and their families. Their level of fear and anxiety during the raging storm caused them to wake Jesus while He was sound asleep.

They were filled with anxiety because they had failed to put their absolute Trust in Jesus; who had authority over the raging storm (v.39). Our Creator God does not sleep nor slumber (Ps. 121:4; cf. Matt. 12:1-8). Although God had created or "completed" His work of creation in 6 days . . . He does not stop "working" in the sense of Him watching out for His creation and caring for them. An example of this is found in Matthew 12:11 where Jesus illustrates how we should ALWAYS do good to those who are "in need" regardless of what day or hour it is. Jesus (as God) is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:1-8; Mk. 2:23-28) and as the "Good Shepherd" (Jn. 10:11-18), He always watches over His sheep -- and guarantees their safety regardless of the day or hour. Jesus was both man and God, and He knew that even though He was "asleep" . . . His Father promised that He will make absolutely certain that His Will cannot fail, and that He is watchful at ALL times -- even when we have our doubts.

The fact that Jesus "rebuked" (Grk. "epitimao"; i.e., to "criticize with disapproval") the wind is telling us that the raging storm was most likely a deliberate attack from Satan; as Satan wanted to make every effort to stop God's Divine Will from coming to pass. Jesus only "rebuked" someone or something when He expressed "disapproval".

"Be careful [i.e., "anxious"] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. (Philippians 4:6-7)"

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

Amen, my dear Brother in Christ! When I am fully aware and abiding in the Spirit, the LORD gives me the green light to weep with those that weep, and to rejoice with those that rejoice. I can't accomplish God's Will in this life without my Beloved in Christ (You, her, him, they) that encourages me and give me guidance to walk according to the Spirit. And I am Greatly Thankful to all of my Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ for that. Jesus said that we will receive a hundredfold in this life, and in the world to come (Matt. 19:29;  Mk. 10:30). And I am extremely grateful for receiving many of My Brothers and Sisters in Christ now. And I am looking forward to the Eternal state when we will receive more (Brothers and Sisters in Christ) which no man can number.

"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothes with white robes, and palms in their hands. (Rev. 7:9)"

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

1 hour ago, turtletwo said:

God bless you, pumpkin. What a worthy action! You are responding to the loss of a brother by writing a topic to help. I love when I see encouragement in the body of Christ. I look forward to reading this. Which forum will you be posting it in? I don't want to miss it... 

Thank you my dear Sister in Christ,

Here's the link: The God of All Comfort

Greetings, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ!

I was encouraged to write this as a Brother in Christ had just recently suffered the loss of his brother. I had a blood relative die just recently too -- and he was only 50 years old. It was only by the Grace of God; the Hope of Glory, and the Comfort from my dear brothers and sisters in Christ was I able to cope with this. Long story short . . . I had the opportunity to witness to him and share the Gospel message the last time I was with him (on his birthday; 3/18/18). He TRULY believed the Gospel with all of his heart everything that I had told him concerning the Gospel message; and how/why Jesus shed His precious blood for us sinners on the Cross. Now he is with God and could not be more happier!

As difficult as life may seem at certain times in our lives; we can rest assured that God sympathizes with our grief and sorrows as our "Creator" who had "formed" us. He understands us better than we understand ourselves (cf. Matt. 8:17; Jn. 14:17; Rom. 8:26; Heb. 4:15; 5:8). Jesus cried with "Great Love" at the death of His dear friend, Lazarus.; but He also understood that there will come a day when all of our past sorrows and tears will be "eclipsed" by the insurmountable Joy when we enter the Eternal State. Jesus wept intensely at the fact that the people of this World bear so much agony at the loss of their loved ones; and at the same time understood that such things "must be fulfilled" in order for us to understand God for who He truly is.

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)"

"And this is life eternal, that they may know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent. (John 17:3)"

This may sound bizarre, or even "delusional" to some; but I have prayed to the LORD that I may know Him in such a way that would surpass all understanding (here and now in this world). I can CLEARLY see it already coming to pass, and it is undeniable to me; however, I have also learned that such a request will come with the whole "package" (i.e., "extreme sorrow; grief and tears beyond measure, incalculable sadness, absolute separation from the world system, severe pain, suffering in the flesh, death to sin; etc."). Eternal Life is not only the "duration" of life, but also the "quality" of life (Matt. 16:25; Jn. 6:35; 8:12; 10:10; 12:25; 14:6; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 1:21; Col. 3:3-4; 1 Tim. 6:17-19; 1 Jn. 5:20). Death is not a "cessation" of existence; rather it is a "separation of something in which it belongs (i.e., "faith without works is dead; the body without the spirit is dead" -- James 2:14-26) to. In the world to come; God will lead us unto living fountains of waters -- and it will literally take an "Eternity" to "know" God for who He truly is in the purest and highest sense of the word.

"For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains or waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:17)"

Knowing these things: we can "rejoice" and be filled with the "Joy of the Lord" no matter how much Fiery trials we have faced or will face in this short journey of life. I pray that the Lord will give Comfort to those who need it in this time of need: an "otherworldly" Kingdom Joy and Comfort; and a peace that the "world" cannot give to them (Deut. 31:8-9; Josh. 1:9-10; Ps. 23:4; 27:1; Jn. 14:26; et al). Our life is but a "vapor" in light 'of' Eternity; and NO amount of misery, grief, sorrow, and tears can take that away from this very Truth which will come to pass one day in the World to Come (Isa. 65:17; Jas. 4:14; 2 Pet. 3:12-13; Rev. 21:1).

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)"

In Closing:

We cannot full fathom why certain things occur in our lives unless we are zoned in to the Will of God for us. Nevertheless, we only need to know what we need to know in this world; and there will ALWAYS be events in our lives when we are tempted to ask God, why, or why me? Even so . . . God is Faithful to only give us that which we are able to deal with; and to not overwhelm us with hardships that we cannot bear as we put our Absolute Trust in Him.

"But let him that glorieth (Heb. "halal" i.e., "boast") glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD, (Jeremiah 9:24)"

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

3 hours ago, worshiper70 said:

Please keep my family in prayer, as my brother 52 years old has died? I covet your prayers for all those touched by his passing will turn to our Saving God, and surrender their lives to The Lord God Almighty! Thank you in advance. 

The loss of your brother has encouraged me to write a topic regarding comfort and peace in the midst of trials. I will do so now. Thanks!

I love you too my dear Brother in Christ!

Hello my Brothers and Siters in Christ!

There seems to be an influx of "professing" Christians who lack any sort of spiritual substance in their lives. This is to those who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and to understand with their hearts (cf. Isa. 6:10; Jer. 5:21; Ezek. 12:2; Matt. 13:15; Acts 28:27). Much of what I am about to say are mostly likely known by my brothers and sisters here; but I will mention this for the sake of those who may not be saved, even as I write this. Our LORD Jesus said:

"Not every one that saith unto me, LORD, LORD, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in they name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

This is a terrifying thought to anyone professing to be a child of God if they were to hear those words on that Great Day. Jesus will reply to them that He NEVER "knew" them (i.e., "they were never saved to begin with"). Most of us here already know that the word "know" (Heb. "yada" and Grk. "ginosko") is indicative of a deep and intimate relationship with someone or something (Gen. 3:5; 4:1; 8:11; Lev. 5:4; Num. 12:6; Deut. 4:35; Ps. 20:6; 31:7; Jer. 24:7; 44:15; Jn. 17:3; Matt. 7:23; Mk. 13:28; Lk. 1:34; Jn. 10:27; Rom. 3:17; 1 Cor. 1:21; 1 Jn. 5:20; Rev. 3:9; et al.). The LXX Septuagint uses "ginosko" for the word "know" in the Hebrew.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish. (John 10:27-28)"

"And this is life eternal, they they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent. (John 17:3)"

We must all do a "spiritual inventory" of ourselves to see whether we are truly born-again. The bible makes it very clear that we can KNOW with absolute certainity that we possess Eternal life (Jn. 3:36; 5:24,39; 8:31-32; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:38-39; 1 Jn. 5:13). This is not to say that genuine Christians can at times experience"doubt" as to whether they are truly saved or not (cf. 1 Jn. 3:20). But there are many reasons as to why a "believer" may have these doubts in their hearts -- and they are:

1. They are "living in sin and disobedience" more often than they should be.
2. They are not convinced that God's promise of Salvation is True in the TRUEST sense as it is laid out in Scripture.
3. They are trusting in their own "works" as being supplemental for their Salvation.
4. They may not even be saved at all; or were NEVER saved to begin with, and are under a delusion that they are.

The bible places great emphasis when it commands all professing believers to "examine themselves" to see whether they are truly regenerated; otherwise they can deceive themselves not knowing that they are in reality counterfeit Christians (2 Cor. 13:5; 2 Pet. 1:10; cf. Gal. 5:22-23).

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2 Corinthians 13:5)"

There are certain indicators in which we can examine the genuineness of our Salvation. The "fruit" of "the Spirit" characterize the traits of a child of God by their lifestyle and behavior. They possess these traits (Gal. 5:22;23; Matt. 7:16-20 -- "Love, joy, peace, self-control, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and patience"). Genuine conversion also has absolute indicators of the born-again Christian; and that personifies divine and sacrificial love (Grk. "agapao" -- Jn. 13:35; 15:13; 1 Jn. 3:14). Then we have the sanctifiction process and conformity to the image of Christ (Rom. 12:2; 2 Thess. 2:13; Gal. 2:20; Col. 2:11; 3:5; 2 Tim. 2:21; Heb. 9:14; 12:14; etc.). As we are take up our crosses "daily" (Matt. 16:24), we have an increase or hatred towards sin and "hunger and thirst" after righteousness (Matt. 5:6). We will abhor the world system and carnal desires as we mature spiritually, and our desires will be to "please" the LORD and walk in obedience to His Commandments because we love Him after He first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19). And finally, sin will not have "dominion" over our lives as we are "new creatures" in Christ Jesus (Ezek. 11:9-20; 36:25-27; Rom. 6:1-20; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17; Eph. 2:10; 4:22-24; Gal. 6:15; 2 Pet. 1:4). There are plenty much more found within Scripture which can give us the GUARANTEE that we are indeed truly saved, and have peace with God.

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

On 10/4/2018 at 10:10 AM, mynickname said:

I know Jesus, I hear His voice and i follow Him.
Do you know Jesus? Does He speak to you? Does he guide and teach you? You don´t need people and pastors to teach you and guide you.
In Luke 9:35 it says "A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." Don´t listen to people and pastors ask Jesus.

Jesus said that he will reveal Himself to you if you keep His commandments (Read John 14,21). It is a promise. You will hear His voice and He will guide you and teach you. You will meet Jesus, you will KNOW Jesus.
You also need to stop willfully sinning. If i do something He does not like, like not trusting Him, He hides His voice from me for a while. But not always. He is very kind and He is telling me politely and kindly to trust Him.
I don´t willfully sin anymore. He set me free.
If you worry something is sin ask Jesus. Jesus is telling me what is sin and what is not sin. Just don´t listen to people if you worry something is sin, ask Jesus.
In James 1:5-7 it says: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

 

Thank you for sharing this, my brother in Christ!

Christianity is so shallow in the times we're living in today. As the scripture says:"having a form of godliness, but deying its power (2 Tim. 3:5-7)"

Yowm's signature speaks volumes regarding True worship in the church, especially that which has to do with not only the music style -- but its content (i.e., "lyrics"). It is sad that much of what is deemed "worship" songs sung in contemporary Christianity has little to nothing at all to do with "doctrine". There are many CCM that sound no different than secular songs today; which can also stir up a lot of emotions in people. There is the deception that getting "emotional" while singing songs in a local brick and mortar church is somehow an indication that one is "filled" with the Spirit; and the danger in that is that humans, as emotional creatures, can be duped into believing that they are "filled" with the Spirit when it is nothing more than an external display of ones emotions -- and we can rightly discern this especially when the song being sung by the "worshipper" has no "doctrinal" content at all, and are completely devoid of any TRUTH.

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

This reminds me of a health "expert" who thought it best to eat these mushrooms growing in his backyard. He discovered a little too late that those mushrooms were "deathcaps"!

2 hours ago, turtletwo said:

 Weary of dissension. Taking a toll on me. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. Pray things lighten up...asap.

I can relate to your plight, and understand what you're speaking of.  Those of us who exercise our spiritual discernment are weary of this also. The "god" of this world already has the lost in his grip (cf. Jn. 12:31; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2) -- so he focuses on the body of Christ. One of his strategies is to go after the "weaker" members of the body who struggle with self-control, and do not engage others with the Love of Christ as they should do so as commanded by Jesus Himself.  This happens practically everywhere; and sadly . . . even in local churches.

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

I absolutely agree that it depends on the child. How old is the child? and what sort of offense has he/she done? We can find examples of proper discipline in the bible. Don't believe people like "Doctor" Phil who says that it's NEVER right to discipline your child physically. Ummm . . . that's NOT what the Word of God says! Now I'd take God's Truth over some psychologist any day! The more the men of God were aware of moral absolutes; the greater the discipline they received from God. King David was a man after "God's own heart" -- which meant that he had no "excuse" for sinning against the LORD when He knew full well that he should not have. So for him, he would face greater chastisement from the LORD (cf. 2 Sam. 11).

Our child must first be aware that the chastisement is done out of "Love and Concern" to keep him/her out of future danger and its consequences (cf. 2 Sam. 7:14; Job 5:17; Ps. 94:12; Hos. 10:10; Jer. 31:18-20; Heb. 12:5-11; et al.). Also, discipline does not always have to be physical; it can take the form of a long lecture about what the tolls disobedience can lead to. Exercising discernment on what "type" of discipline is necessary, and when it should be done would have to rely on the one doing the chastising. So if you're dealing with a rebellious child who has a habit of skipping school on occasion . . . the method of discipline would vary depending on the age of the child, and how many times he/she has been told NOT to do so. Just my two cents!

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

4 hours ago, Reformed Baptist said:

If there is no eternal hell, then for you to be consistent there is also no eternal heaven - of course even more seriously, if the wages of sin is ceasing to exist then for Jesus Christ to have paid the price for our sin he would have needed to cease to exist. 

What you wrote above is irrefutable proof of the "eternality" of hell and the Lake of Fire. Below is to those who deny the "eternality" of hell; that they may achieve clarity on this very vital subject:

"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." (Daniel 12:2)

That verse uses the same Hebrew word (Heb. "owlam" for "life" and "shame and contempt" -- so to deny the eternality of the lost is to deny the eternality of those who are raised to "life". There is no way around this one. Some may argue that the "shame and contempt" refers to the saved expressing this behavior to those who are out of existence; but this makes no sense contextually. And I know the passage where it says that we will look upon the carcasses of those who have transgressed against the LORD, and it will be an abhorring to all flesh. (Isaiah 66:24). But notice how it then says that "their" worm shall not die, nor shall their fire not be quenched. Worms (i.e., "maggots") only feed upon decaying matter; so if in fact that these bodies are annihilated and literally become NOTHING; then what are these worms feeding on? (cf. Mk. 9:44-48) Now keep in mind that "their worm" NEVER dies. When the bible speaks of spiritual death (i.e., "the second death") -- it refers to a state of "spiritual ruin (e.g., "perish, destroy"; Grk. "apollumi") -- not annihilation. If I told you that I crashed my car and now it is destroyed, does this mean that my car ceases to exist? Obviously not! It is in a state or condition of ruin.

"These will pay the penalty of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

It's quite clear that this punishment is Eternal, and there's no way around it. Even IF you were to argue that the word "destruction" (Grk. "olethros") is to be interpreted as "annihilation" -- then that still would make no sense contextually. Why? If something ceases to exist, then how can this thing be "FROM" the PRESENCE" of anything? Let alone, God? The lost are CLEARLY in a place "from" God's PRESENCE. You cannot be "from" or "away" from anything if you cease to exist -- or are annihilated. The topic of hell is rarely mentioned in churches these days, and it should be. Jesus warned His listeners about the dangers of hell and the Lake of Fire more than He mentioned Heaven; and yes, He was trying to "scare the hell" out of them; and also because He cared for the state of the lost (cf. Matt. 10:28; Lk. 19:10; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9; etc.). Hope this helps!

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

^^^ I love you too, my Brother in Christ!

On 11/4/2018 at 3:02 PM, listener24 said:

Thank @Willa, verses on spot!

Thank you @*Pumpkin*! (Such an awesome, funny name)

This is definitely part of the issue, I totally agree. This is one part of the equation

I' d like to hear your opinion also on the other aspect. The reason why it is bad to be worldly as you point out is beacause this world has been corrupted by the fall. Therefore loving it means love something that fell away from God' s will

That is also why God doesn't intervene on fixing all the issues, otherwise this creation would already be His Kingdom, the new Heaven and Earth.

When we fail to teach this and people see this reality completely as under God' s will, attributing to God all sort of disasters, then unfortunately it is natural for them to expect always the best on this earth if they are "good Christians"and to become even more attached to the world.

Instead if we talk more about how fallen is this creation, probably people would be less prone to become worldly and will think more about Heaven, starting to desire the Lord to come sooner.

What do you think?

My apologies for the late response. I would agree with everything you had said above. I also believe that one of the biggest problem is self-centeredness; and those who are still "of" this world are not pursuing goals or rewards that are lasting, and things that honor God. The prosperity "gospel" has nothing to do with Glorifying God and teaching others to do the same; and it does not teach or instruct us to spiritually grow and to be sanctified from the world and its lusts. In onther words . . . they do not see the forest for the trees; as they are so caught up in the here and now and do not take into consideration the eternal ramifications resulting from what they have done while alive on Earth. The Psalmist said: "delight thyself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalms 37:4-5)

This passage has been taken out of context by so many prosperity word of "faith" teachers. Those who follow these false teachers believe that if they are in the pursuit of holiness and pleasing the LORD, then He will give them "their" desires (e.g., "a multi-million dollar condo, a $100,000 car, or a private jet"). What they fail to realise is that if one TRULY places their delight in the LORD, then it would naturally follow that their "desires" would be in accordance with God's will and will conform to His desires (i.e., "what is BEST for us"). I delight myself in the LORD, and my desires are now God-centered. I desire for the lost to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth. As Paul put it:

"To those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life." (Romans 2:7)

As one popular bible teacher and Pastor once said regarding false teachers such as Joel Osteen and his ilk: "If you're on your way to an eternal hell, then your BEST life IS now; because it certainly isn't after you die." This is so true! This reminds me of the "parable of the rich fool" where the foolish man stored up earthly treasures only to be told by the LORD that his soul will be required of him that night. It grieves me whenever I see men and women so thrilled about their earthly possessions and boasting about it, and they have no saving relationship with God at all. And when they pass on . . . they will then see for themselves just how utterly "depraved" they were. By then it will be too late; and they will be sentenced to an eternal hell and Lake of Fire where there will be everlasting shame and regret. They need to understand where they truly stand in the eyes of an absolute Holy God who detests sin more than what most people can imagine; and just how serious sin is in the eyes of God. If they were to TRULY understand this, then there is HOPE. Salvation is offered to the "poor in spirit"; to those who have a broken and contrite heart about their sins, and the need for forgiveness and mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ. Anything short of that will ultimately end in destruction and misery regardless of how content they feel in the here and now.

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

Paul made it very clear that even if one understands all knowledge and mysteries (including scripture) -- can move mountains, has all faith . . . and does NOT have LOVE (Grk. agape; i.e., "divine and sacrificial love") . . . then he/she has NOTHING (1 Cor. 13:2). The very next verse in context of that passage sums it all up: This type of "love" is long-suffering, kind, is not envious, and puts others "before" themselves, etc.  Some of the other Christian message boards are a complete mess; and nobody wants to submit to the Truth even when it is presented in an irrefutable manner. 1 Peter 3:15 commands us to give an "answer" (Grk. apologia -- where we get "apologetics" from) to anyone who asks us why we are Christians with "meekness" and "godly" reverence. There are several reasons as to why most Christian online communities are in such a mess (Note: not this one as far as I can tell; you guys are awesome!), and they are:

• 1. Their mind is already made up; so no amount of truth can change their scriptural viewpoint.
• 2. Pride. Most people do NOT want to admit that they are in the "wrong" -- especially if they feel that they are to be held to a "higher" standard.
• 3. They have been indoctrinated by clever, deceitful false teachers who are adroit at twisting and perverting scripture as Satan had done when he was tempting Jesus -- and failed miserably!
• 4. They are completely "devoid" of any fruits of the Spirit (i.e., "love, joy, peace, gentleness") -- so the one who is to be rebuked for their false teachings will not submit to the truth regardless, because all they see is a self-professed "Christian" who is a BAD example at best.
• 5. Said person doing the debating has NOT done their "home work". They are not "workmen" approved by God who knows how to "rightly divide" the TRUTH (2 Tim. 2:15).

I make it a personal habit to "pray" every time before I open up my Bible; and before I engage in any discussion with another Christian who may be on the wayward path -- or has not matured enough spiritually to undersand such precious truth's contained in Scripture. We need to care for these younger brothers and sisters in Christ, and nurse them by first giving them the "milk" of the Word. We are to do this with meekness, love, gentleness and humility. I can honestly say that I do not always pass the test, and we are all in this same "boat" in this journey of life -- and we are just passing through. Moreover, we are to instruct others and to do it heartily for the LORD -- and not to win approval from men (Col. 3:1).

In closing:

Nobody is correct in every single truth contained in scripture. And nobody is NEVER wrong at some point or another; and such mentality of those who believe that they are never wrong is evident that this person is puffed-up, self-centered, and is deceiving himself or herself. This type of person will never increase in wisdom and knowledge according to the Bible; because they feel as if they have "arrived", and cannot be taught any thing more than what they already know (i.e., "everything" about the Word of God.). These people are ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:7). And lastly: straining at gnats that only sow discord, and not focusing on the essentials of the Christian doctrines only hinders the spiritual progress of those who are truly desiring to do so; and such is to be done with humility, patience, and love (cf. Acts 19:9; Rom. 14:1; 1 Cor. 14:26; 2 Cor. 12:20; Col. 2:1-23; 2 Tim. 2:14; 3:16; 4:2; 1 Thess. 2:13; Tit. 2:7; 3:9; Jude 1:3; et al.). Hope this helps!

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

I absolutely agree with everything you said, my brother! I can also relate to the experiences you've had in your Christian walk. The Christian walk is never easy, and as you rightly pointed out, we will experience more trials and hardships than non-believers; especially when we grow spiritually. I relate these experiences to the parable of the vine and the branches. Our Lord prunes the branches so we can bring forth more fruits and increase our spiritual growth. The pruning can be painful at times, but it is indeed necessary for us if we are to conform ourselves to the image of Christ. It's those houses that are built upon the rock which stands the test of time, and is proof that our faith is genuine; unlike the house built upon the sand, and such people will throw in the towel and give up when faced with trials, persecution, etc. I was also among those who dreaded that I had done the "unforgiveable" sin; but then I realised that only genuine believers would be concerned about this. An unbeliever could care less if they had committed the unforgiveable sin. Jesus Himself said that in "this life" we will have tribulations (John 16:33), but we can rejoice at the same time because we trust that God will see us through it, and that He is the source of our strength. We can also relate to Paul who said that he had suffered the loss of all things are mere excrement so that he may "win" Christ (Phil. 3:8). All the sorrow and tears that we will go through in our lives are nothing compare to what God has prepared for us who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9).

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

41 minutes ago, JTC said:

Very sad story here. When I was first saved in my first church was a great couple with a real burden for baby Christians. I had known the hubby from HS and his wife was the best example of a Biblical wife I ever saw. She was also quite attractive while remaining modest. These 2 really nurtured us babes. The hubby constantly berated me for going to a bar on Sat night even though I was only 30 and single. Whenever he sinned if I pointed it out he always gave me that covered by the blood excuse. Remember he had been a HS friend. The church broke up and we lost contact for 20 yrs. But then I spoke with them. I was so sad to learn my old friend spent his life cheating on his wife with no worries because he figured he's covered by the blood and he's on an express train to heaven. Back then I had not yet noticed 1 Cor ch 3. 

It's dangerous to believe there's no penalty for what we do in this life. First you can destroy those around you and second you will pay a penalty in the heavenly realms. We may fail everyday but we must always do our best to not sin.

Hello, My Brother in Christ!

I can relate to your story, and it is indeed tragic. So many churches nowadays have altar calls and "repeat after me" prayers as if that is found in the bible. This method has produced many false conversions and have led many to an eternal hell, and this breaks my heart and brings me to tears. What they need to stress is if their "belief" does not come from the "heart" and not just mere intellectual assent, then it is a "dead faith" which cannot save. You most likely know all of what I have wrote below; but for the sake of other readers who may not have heard this before, I will explain this in greater detail.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:27-29)

Jesus said that He gives His sheep Eternal Life; but His sheep are the ones who "continually" hear and follow Him; and know their Chief Shepherd (Jesus) in the most intimate manner. These are"characteristics" of His sheep, and they will never perish. My Greek may be a little rusty; but the word "never" is referred to as a double emphatic negative (similar to Verily, Verily) in the Greek grammar (e.g., "No, not, ever"). The words "hear" (akouo), "know" (ginosko) and "follow" (akoloutheo) are all in the present tense, active voice, and the mood is in the indicative. This all suggests that the characteristic's of Jesus sheep will "continue" to "hear, know, and follow" Him.

Some have argued that "as" one of Jesus' sheep, one could ("on their own free will") voluntarily remove or jump out of Jesus' hand -- and therefore "forfeit" their Salvation. The problem with that argument is that the passage says "NO MAN" shall pluck them out of my Hand; this would also include the "sheep" in the hands of BOTH the Father and the Son. The teaching that one of Jesus' sheep can voluntarily jump out of His hand would not work for several reason -- even using the "free will" argument. The reasons are:

1). Jesus said that His (possessive pronoun) sheep will not listen to the "voice of strangers" or false shepherds; but will "flee" from them. (John 10:5)

2). Jesus said that even if one of His sheep wanders off voluntarily, He will leave the 99 in His fold to seek out that sheep that wandered astray [free will and voluntarily]

3). Jesus said that He is the TRUE shepherd and not a hireling; for hirelings abandon their sheep when there's danger approaching (John 10:12 -- i.e., "wolves").

4). Jesus is the GOOD SHEPHERD, so He will keep His sheep safe at all times. If Jesus allows His sheep to wander off and does nothing about it; how then is He the Good Shepherd?

5). The subject (i.e., "Jesus' sheep") in that passage is in the "reflexive"; meaning that the "subject" (i.e., "Jesus' sheep") in the hands of both the Father and the Son will have nothing to do with himself being plucked out.

I have come across those who say that the Doctrine of Eternal Security is a "get out of hell free pass" and a license for immorality. Eternal Security does not teach a license for immorality, but to flee from a sinful lifestyle to pursue holiness and obedience to please the LORD. Titus 2:11-14 teach just the opposite; because the "Grace of God" leads to denying all ungodliness. The caveat in all of this is that we need to make absolutely certain that we are indeed His sheep, and not deceiving ourselves. The bible is explicit in 2 Corinthians 13:5) when it puts great emphasis for us to "examine ourselves" of whether we are truly in the Faith, and not reprobates i.e., "counterfeits"). An analogy would be like a counterfeit bill; and we cannot know if that bill is indeed counterfeit unless we recognize what an "authentic" bill looks like at first.

A great place to start would be an examination of the fruit of the Spirit. Such as:

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Self-control
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Gentleness
• Faithfulness
• Patience

If we are in complete opposition of these Spiritual fruits, then that is a "red flag" that we may not be saved, or were never saved to begin with. When we are born-again, we are "new" creatures in Christ, and sin will have less dominion overs us during our life (cf. Matt. 3:8; Rom. 12:2-3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Heb. 6:1; 1 Jn. 3:9; 5:4; et al.). As we progress spiritually, we will have a greater hatred towards sin, and keep the commandments because we want to please God. I should stop here because making long replies are somewhat difficult to respond to, so my apologies if I've done so. Hope this helps. Thanks!

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

On 11/2/2018 at 3:48 PM, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

After 11 years with the same company, I was fired on Halloween.  So at 69 years age, I will be looking for at least a part-time job either engineering or something completely different.  When I read about ayin jade's problems, mine seem so insignificant.

Hello my friend!

I wouldn't worry about this at all, and I'm sure that you aren't either -- and that is awesome! I was fired several times before, and one time in particular because someone had told our boss that I was discussing Christianity, and the management fired me because of that. Everything works out for the good in our lives as believers (Rom. 8:28), even when we cannot understand it at the moment; we just have to put our absolute Trust in God that He is able to make a way when there seems to be no way at all (Prov. 3:5-6; Eph. 3:20-21). If you lose a job, then God will have something better for you in the future to help supply you with your needs.

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

May I join in on this discussion? Thanks!

This issue is not complicated at all; only if we make it so. It is a biblical FACT that our "own" righteousness will never merit us entrance into the Eternal City of God. Genuine believers do not do works to be saved; but rather they do works because they are saved. True Faith is NEVER alone. We are saved by faith alone that justifies us; however, that faith which justifies is never alone. In other words: genuine faith and conversion will in do doubt produce fruits of the Spirit, and fruits of the Spirit is indicative of someone who truly has been regenerated through the precious blood of Jesus Christ (cf. Gal. 5:22-23; Rom. 6:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:17; et al.). As James said: a faith without the evidence of works is referred to as "dead" faith (cf. Heb. 6:1-8)-- and that even the demons believe that God is one. That sort of "empty" faith or belief is questioned by James when he says, "can THAT (i.e., "that type of faith") faith save? (James 2:14). This was a rhetorical question (i.e., false faith on par with the demons also believing"cannot save"). The "works" that James speak of is "evidence" (to OTHER people, and not to God only -- fruits) that we have been born of God. We can see the results of one who has truly been born-again by their deeds, and not the other way around; which is putting the cart before the horse. He says that Abraham was justified by Grace . . . meaning that his "works" and fruits of the Spirit was proof that his faith was indeed genuine. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul  says "THE" (definite article) fruit (Grk. "karpos" singular) of the Spirit; which means that "fruit" of the Spirit encompasses all the manifestations or traits of genuine conversion (e.g., "Love, joy, peace, self-control, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and patience"). In the parable of the vine and the branches (Jn. 15:1-17), Jesus said those who fail to produce NO fruits continually at all are cast into the fire to be burned (hell and the Lake of Fire). We must also keep in mind that it is the Spirit of God dwelling within us that enables us to do good works and produce a spiritual crops (cf. Isa. 26:12; Gal. 2:8; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13; 4:13; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 13:21).

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

May I join in on this discussion? Thank you my brethren!

I guess my major contention with this prosperity "Gospel" is that it is self-centered and all about what God can do for them, rather than what can I do for God? The bible warns about those who seek to prosper materially will dig their own pit and ultimately leading to destruction (Eccl. 5:10; Prov. 11:28; 15:27; 28:22; Matt. 6:24; Lk. 12:15; 1 Tim. 6:6-10, 17-19; Heb. 13:5; 1 Pet. 5:2-3; 1 Jn. 2:16). I am stunned at the number of deceived men and women who flock to some of these mega-churches like Joel Osteen's church only for their own contentment and sordid gain, rather than serving God and helping the poor and the indigent. The topic of Jesus, Hell, and the consequences of sin are almost NEVER taught in these churches. This is a sign that we are living in the end times where apostasy will be prevalent; and where the sheep will be separated from the goats -- and the true converts from the false ones.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1 John 2:15-17

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

2 hours ago, angels4u said:

 

If you hear anybody who is saved saying that sinning all we want is ok because it is covered by Jesus blood makes me wonder if that person is really born again?

A Tree and its Fruit
…21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’Matth.7 (These people are not born again, they don't Jesus, they only know His name.)

 

How can you help God to complete your Salvation? Does God needs your help or is He might enough to keep you until the end?

 8He will sustain you to the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our LordJesus Christ. 9God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.…1 Cor.1:8 ( This is written for born-again Christians.

If you did a poll and asked any passerbys if they think that they would go to Heaven of Hell when they die, 95% or more will reply by saying that they would go to Heaven, and not Hell. When asked why? Most of them would give almost the SAME response; and that is, "I'm a pretty good person, and I've never hurt anyone; I also donated to charities, etc.". What they fail to realise is that we are saved NOT by our works, but by the Grace of God through faith. In the passage you quoted (Matt. 7:21-23) these men and women will attempt to justify THEMSELVES by saying to the LORD, "haven't we done MANY wonderful WORKS?" These nominal Christians and religious people are self-righteous and have the mentality that they are "better" than others; not knowing that ALL have sinned against God and fall short of His Glory (Rom. 2:10; 3:23). Jesus will profess to these people, that He never "knew" them. Not knew them once but later didn't -- but NEVER knew them. The Greek word for "knew" (Grk. ginosko) is in the 2nd aorist tense; which means that they never had a "saving" relationship with Him, or knew Him in an intimate manner regardless of the past or the present). This is why the bible commands every professing believer to "examine" themselves to see whether they are TRULY in the faith; or whether they are nothing more than "counterfeit" Christians (2nd Cor. 13:5). True born-again Christians don't keep the commandments or walk in obedience out of a feeling of obligation; but rather they are a "new creation" in Christ, and obey the LORD to please Him.

 In Christ, *Pumpkin*

57 minutes ago, JTC said:

I was totally agreeing with this guy until minute 17. That was when he said all we have to do is to believe in Christ. But we have to do a little more than that, we have to obey God.

Very good point! There is a false teaching in Christendom which many people espouse to: which is that once we are saved, we can sin all that we want because our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ now and forever. This is a misapplication of the biblical doctrine of Salvation by Grace through Faith. And as you rightly pointed out . . . even the demons "believe" (James 2:19) -- but they even go a step further; which is they "tremble" at the very fact that there is but One God. Those who abuse the doctrine of "Sola Fide" are in fact teaching a "license" for immorality; or what the bible refers to as turning the Grace of our God into lasciviousness (Jude 1:4) -- and there is no "fear of the LORD" before their eyes (Gen. 20:11; Jer. 2:19; 5:24; 44:10; Isa. 57:11; Ps. 36:1; Prov. 1:29; Eccl. 8:13; Mal. 3:5; Lk. 23:40; Rom. 3:18).

The Bible says that once we put our TRUST and "saving faith" in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross for our sins; we are a new creature in Christ, and our old things are passed away (cf. Jn. 3:6; Ezek. 11:19; Rom. 6:6; 13:14; 2 Cor. 3:18; 4:16; 5:17; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; 1 Jn. 3:9; 5:4; et al.). Furthermore, we are "born-again"; so if we are still continually living life the same as what it was before we were "saved"; then this an indication that we may have never been saved to begin with (cf. 1 Jn. 2:19. Genuine conversion results in a new way of living; i.e., living for Christ and putting others before ourselves, and not so much as living for our own gratifications. We are being "conformed" to the image of Christ daily (Rom. 6:3-10; 8:29; Eph. 4:17; Col. 3:7-8; 1 Pet. 1:14). Jesus also said that our Love for Him is genuine if we "keep His commandments" -- and we do so in order to please Him (cf. Prov. 16:7; Jn. 14:21; Rom. 8:8; 13:14; 1 Thess. 2:4; Heb. 11:6; 1 Jn. 3:22, etc.). We don't keep the commandments of God to earn our Salvation; but rather we keep them because we are regenerated, love the LORD, and desire to please Him (cf. 1 Pet. 1:3; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:13; Tit. 3:5; Jas. 1:18).

In Christ, *Pumpkin*

1 hour ago, turtletwo said:

I just wrote this one today...It is my second poem I have posted pleading with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I ask you to please pray about this matter. Also, pray for the safety of the many Trick-or-Treaters today.

Halloween- A Poem For The Church

Today is the day that they call Halloween
When laughter at evil so often is seen.
They say it's 'just fun' and it's only pretend,
But the ways of this world will corrupt in the end.

"Come out from among them. Be separate to Me."
These words of the Lord tell us how it should be.
But selfish desires can get cloaked in a lie
when deluded by sins we soon choose to deny.

We are called to be holy and be set apart.
We are called to be different and be pure in heart.
So when Satan is honored, touch not what's unclean.
Beware of his homage they call Halloween.

A thought to ponder on:
I was thinking about the root word in Halloween being hallowed.
The dictionary lists the following synonyms for hallowed: 
blessed, consecrated, devoted, divine, holy, sacred, saintly, set apart

I realize the literal meaning of Halloween is the day prior to the Catholic All Saints Day.
But is that word hallowed even fitting of this day that has origins of lifting up Satan?
(And sadly, it still does. Very important day on the calendar for the occult.) 

Instead, this word hallowed (blessed) belongs to our holy God, who is alone worthy of our praise.
"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9-10

 

This is an AMAZING poem and full of biblical truth to say the least! Indeed, friendship with this world is enmity with God (James 4:4) -- and we are commanded by God to be "holy" (Grk. hagiazo) and "separate" before our God. Even the word "church" (Grk. ekklesia; [ek] - "out of" [kaleo] - "called out") demands as children of God, we are not to partake in, or associate with anything that has the appearance of evil (Rom. 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:33; Eph. 5:11; 1 Thess. 5:22; et al.).  And frienduffthaylorde, I respect your unwavering stance on such pagan festivities as Halloween. I think it takes a lot of spiritual maturity to come to that point; because the more we grow spiritually in truth . . . the more cognizant and spiritually discerning we become with regards to the deceptive plans of our enemy; the devil and his minions (2 Cor. 2:11; 11:14; Eph. 4:27; 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:26; 1 Pet. 5:8; 1 Jn. 4:1; cf. Rev. 12:9). 

In Christ, *Pumpkin*