PeteZahalia

Lent has always perplexed me. Giving up things in order to get closer to God? To each his own, but I have Jesus living within me. That means that I have the Father living within me. That means that I have the Holy Spirit living within me. How does the Christian get any "closer" to God than having Jesus inside of them? How is the Christian any more secure than knowing that we are saved and sealed by God Himself and we are as close to God as Jesus is? Our salvation is sealed and secure as long as Jesus lives. How long is that? How long is Jesus going to live? My depriving myself of things to appear pious and self-loathing, a stab at looking "holy" and "righteous" before the eyes of men, a time of year when we should be praising and thanking and throwing a celebration for our Savior's glorious gift of Grace, is what we should be doing, not putting ashes on our foreheads and pretending to be worms. This year, like every year prior, I am giving up Lent, for Lent.

I have noticed that there aren't many forums, or blogs, or "Christian" websites that have much positive traffic. I joined reddit a couple months back, but it is such a sewer! It isn't without an occasional true Christian, and by the way, I don't like using that phrase, because you're either a Christian or you aren't. There's no good Christians, or bad Christians, true Christians vs. false convert I guess. The internet is so corrupted, it makes me wish we had a group of Christians who would visit a website daily, and stay positive, but it's like having a 5 gallon bucket of pure, fresh water, and it only takes one molecule of sodium cyanide to ruin the whole bucket.

Very good, George. Finally, a brief about Grace. I've been looking forward to seeing one of these. Thank you.

It seems as though everyone out in the world is so obsessed with themselves and their pagan lifestyle, that they mock, laugh, and sneer at the USA supporting Israel, especially through Trump. Most of the warning that they are given is just wiped off like water off a ducks back. I've not seen a more depraved condition in the unsaved than what I've seen since about the time when the Clintons got in office. I think that may have been about the time it really went downhill. Trump moves the US Consulate from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and the Libs have a cow. The unfiltered raw hatred for Christianity is really something now-a-days. I don't mean church games or Christian being a social status or club, I mean Christians.

I would like for George to respond to inquiries on these briefs. My question to him is, is this brief intended for a Christian or is it intended for the lost? The reason I ask is because I believe this website would be Christian to a default, but I keep seeing briefs that are not worded like they are for Christians. The Christian is no longer needing to "Let's come as we are so that He can make a priceless masterpiece." We have already come just as we were, and Jesus cleanses of all sin for all time, so what is this coming to Him again wording all about. Is it George's conviction that we can leave Him, then come back? If the message is for the lost, then it makes sense, but again, I would think this website is for those who are saved. There should be a correlation to these Old Testament studies to Jesus being what everything in the scriptures foreshadow, but I have yet to see the Grace message of the New Covenant correlated here.

I'm not sure about the relevance of the original post by George, to a Christian. Maybe it was intended for the lost, but how many lost souls would be reading these posts in this forum? Suppose a person gets rid of every worldly possession, receives Christ, then what? Do we prevent ourselves from acquiring anything material? Whether a born again Christian accumulates anything or not, it has no bearing on their salvation. I still don't get the relevance. We all own possessions, but they can't take away our salvation.

I don't think George monitors this forum, maybe he's too busy with other things, but I never understood this type of commentary. I understand Phil. 4: 11, but I do not correlate his nor Chuck Swindoll's illustration with it. Take the statement in the "brief" that says, " If we really want to be free, we must let go of the things we love." My challenge to George is, name something on this earth that you love right this moment that you can give up, in order to be free. My question is free? Free from what? You don't say. And just what exactly would you be freeing yourself up from or to? What about my 70 to 100 hour per week job that I am made to do, and it isn't up to me to set the hours? Am I worshipping my job? Maybe it doesn't qualify, because I don't love it, I hate it. Maybe because I hate it, it is now a Holy thing? If I have already invited, received Jesus into my life, and He has taken over, what would I be freeing up by say, getting rid of my beloved dog? If I keep my dog, that I love, what bondage does that keep me in if I am already saved by Grace? Is keeping something I love sinful? What do you mean by love? Are you substituting love for replacing Jesus with it? Jesus will not leave the Christian, so I don't understand. Maybe it depends on the "loved" thing. What about spaghetti? Or maybe the word "love" is the deal here. Can I really "love" my dog? Is that an inaccurate thing? Can I really "love" spaghetti? My point in all of this is, if the Christian believes that they are already free because Jesus set me free from sin, then what is it that I will be freeing myself up from by dropping "things I love" off my list of possessions? If you believe you are free from the Law, because Jesus fulfilled it and paid the price in full, then I don't understand the need to lay a guilt trip on Christians for having stuff in their life that accuses them of idol worship.

I have often found this passage to be troubling, mainly because I'm a type A personality, I guess. I really don't need anyone to suggest to me that time spent with Jesus is hugely important. I know this. I look at the scriptures where Jesus, being God afoot, was right there in the flesh, and realize what a marvel that was. Yet, I find it troubling that Mary decided to be the lazy one, and escape responsibility, leaving Martha to do all the work, like most type B's are prone to do, and Martha is told that Mary is choosing wisely. Martha is explained away, in most sermons, to be too busy for Jesus, and Mary is explained away as the one who should be modeled. I even heard a Pastor who said that Martha should've just had sandwiches, instead of a 9 course meal. I'd like to go to a restaurant where that pastor eats, and bring him a package of beef jerky and soda crackers, when he ordered a t-bone steak, with bacon and chive baked potato, tossed salad, wheat buns with honey butter, and strawberry cheesecake, coffee, iced tea. Then when he says, "Waiter, this ain't what I ordered". Tell him, "Mary's in the kitchen with Jesus, and Martha decided to choose the important things", so this was the best we could do. The typical interpretation of this passage doesn't consider that gifted people are not appreciated, when their work would be missed if they didn't do it. I wonder what Jesus' response would have been if Martha had done exactly as Mary, and not concerned herself with her gift of hospitality. Just my thoughts, I don't expect them to be acknowledged.

To answer the question in the original post. NO, there will be no souls of "other faith" in Heaven.

There are times when we need to be reminded of who we are in Christ. Sometimes, when we are bogged down with what life hurls at us, we "feel" defeated. The Christian life is Faith, not "feeling". Yes, we all have feelings, and we were created with them, but they are not reliable. Remember, again, who you are in Christ. I am a child of the Living God, who paid the price for me to be able to have fellowship with Him!! Jesus died a bloody, violent death, willingly laying down His life so that He could have fellowship with you. Yes, you! The Bible tells us that God is holy and perfect, and cannot look upon sin. Jesus is the One who paid that price for YOU, so that there was no longer sin keeping you from God!!! Who did He do this for and why did He do it? He did this for YOU, and He did it because He first loved you and wants to have fellowship with you. Hallelujiah, what a Savior!!! If we don't praise Him, the Bible says the very rocks beneath our feet will shout in praise to Him. The secret of "feeling" something, is giving sincere, honest, open, unfiltered praise to Jesus for being God!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow (sing it with me) Praise Him all creatures here below Praise Him above all heavenly hosts Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Amen

There was so much more to it than that, but yes.

The 10 Commandments are "The Law of Moses" Maybe this would be an opportunity to say some things about that. There are some 613 laws in the first 5 books of the Bible, called the pentateuch or the Torah. The 10 Commandments are a part of that. This Mosaic Law was never given to the Gentiles (non Jews). I've heard the word Gentile to be insulting to some, which is new to me. I've never considered it to be insulting, bit I'm old school. Anyway, the Law is usually something where Christians immediately think of the 10 Commandments for obvious reasons in our churches, SS classes and so forth. It is my view that the churches I've been to teach a combination of Law and Grace mix in their doctrine or statements of faith, but it is not really a truth for Christianity. Jesus walked this earth during the time where the Law was still in effect, but He came to change the Priesthood. Jesus was the only candidate qualified to fulfill the demands, the obligation, and the curse of the Law. His death with blood all over Him, was what fulfilled and completed the demand of the Law. He paid the price in full, and because of that truth, and because God the Father resurrected Him, the Law was fulfilled for all who call upon the name of the Lord. Paul says many times over, that we who are in Christ are dead to the Law. Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles, and when this truth was brought to the Jew first, and also the Greek (Gentile), we who are in Christ had an old nature that is now killed off. We have been given a new heart, which is perfected to bear fruit for God. The Law is a curse, and we are no longer under that curse. We are now a new creation, never to be under condemnation, but are slaves of righteousness. We once were slaves of sin, but not now since we have Christ. The Law was increased, so that sin would increase, but where sin abounds, grace much more abounds. We are under a New Covenant, with much better promises, and that New Covenant is Grace. The Age of the Church. We are now under the "Law of Christ", which is love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind and soul, and love others as you love yourself. We love others because He first loved us.