CaptWalker

I have heard that black tea can help reduce your appetite and i feel there is some truth to this since i usually have at least one cup a day and it always seems to make me feel full afterwards, but it may not be the same with everyone. But more than anything it is proven to help with weight loss and has many other health benefits, including helping lower blood sugar. I have heard in some places like China and Japan they drink more than 5 cups a day. Also it is very inexpensive especially considering what you are getting, and one package or box can last up to a month. Also Green tea is just as healthy but i only prefer black because of the stronger flavor.

Yes, i know that feeling as i am sure many others here do as well, whether or not they choose to admit it, for which i can't blame them since it is a kind of one of those sensitive/personal topics. But my own experience is somewhat different, in that i once knew a girl MANY years ago who i am now convinced had loved me at the time, but at that time in my life i was a totally self-centered fool and ended up rejecting her. But NOW i realize she was very likely the only girl who ever truly would have loved me, and that i do in fact LOVE her now for that. So with that said, I have learned to accept that and my own mistake so many years ago, even though still not certain it was God's will for us to be together...but i at least do know now it can never be changed what has already past, period. But as far as the promises in scripture, even some jerk like me can tell you that they are always in the NOW and God is ever present, and whatever has been withheld from you is most likely for your own good, especially if you are constantly praying ONLY for God's perfect will to be done in your life.

If you are fasting, then no real need to pray for you...God will let you know when enough is enough, or "show" you what you needed to learn or know from this, but usually a 10 day fast is good enough for most people, only from what i've heard. But I once had a close friend who was born on 9/20, exactly 6 months after mine(not the same year)...so coming across this is kind of special to me.

If one is a "chosen vessel" or one of God's ELECT, then yes He can and often does "interfere" in their lives to direct them to the right path HE has established and "willed" for them to be on, and can attest to that personally! But as far as the rest of the "whosoever's" they can of course receive salvation but God will not do with them what He does with His own "chosen" ones. So the real problem with such arguments is in not clarifying that and lumping us ALL together as far as what God decides or "causes" to happen, and to assume that He is just as involved and active in the lives of non-believing,non-praying heathens as He is with us, but it's just that "they" don't recognize it...?? Just trying to get a better understanding of these type "teachings".

Thanks and that's kind of what i thought but just wanted to make sure since i've never personally been in a debate or argument with a "Calvinist", but from what i have observed and learned about some of them is that "free-will" is thought of differently depending on just how radical they are in their "Calvinistic" beliefs...

Well not sure exactly how the previously mentioned self-defense/martial arts analogy is related to learning languages, but maybe i missed something there? Either way, it's always good to have access to either a book concordance or online, in case there is a word you want to know the original meaning of, as there were many errors that even the KJV translators made, such as EASTER being used in Acts-12:4, when the Greek word is "Paschal" or Passover. And Easter was a Pagan spring festival celebrated right around the same time as Passover. There were other bad translations as well that basically causes more confusion than it does lead people into false doctrines, so if you are someone who likes to debate Bible topics or doctrines then you would probably need this knowledge at some point. But having the gift of being a "linguist" is something you either have or don't, and i have personally always been terrible even remembering the basic words in other languages such as Spanish, if it makes you feel any better.

Whosoever WILL, God "causes" to be saved...?? Seems that a whole LOT of "God causes" have been left out of many scriptures for some reason?? Kind of sounds like hyper-Calvinism, but am only guessing?

Well first of all the word "taken" in Matthew 24 and Luke 17 isn't even HARPAZO but an entirely different Greek word(Strong's #3880) which isn't even associated at all with that meaning. This is something you can look up online as far as the Greek and Hebrew translations, and i use Studylight.org, which has very good Bible study tools. Also i personally believe the 2nd half of the Tribulation will be shortened to about one year, "as in the days of Noah" when he and family were in the ark for about that same time frame. Also mentions the 5 month period in Revelation 9 which i believe is part of this time.(And also because of 150 days in Genesis 7:24) Now i do believe in Post Trib rapture/2nd coming, BUT if Christ were to come earlier than that i am 110% convinced it would happen no earlier than Mid-Trib., but again i just can't believe it will happen that way.

Thanks for pointing that out, and one thing i have heard mentioned by some scholars is that the "King of Tyre" was only a name given to Lucifer? Either way one thing i do know for certain is that no earthly king is an "anointed cherub" or one who was "perfect in thy ways...". But think someone here just insists on playing those "mind games" like the John Lennon song...??

Well according to some "believers"(hopefully not that many!), whether we do or don't is not up to us since we don't have free will to choose anyway, but God decides that for each of us, according to His own will, whether we sin or not. He condemns it of course, but still initiates that desire within us...just so He can judge us for it i suppose?? Anyway not meaning to bring a conversation from another topic into this one, but was just curious what this doctrinal belief is called, I.E.-that we don't have free will??

NO!!! At least not with what you THINK they are teaching...and i know without any doubts whatsoever that YHVH feels the same way...period. (Proverbs-26:4-5)

Ok, well at least now i know EXACTLY what you are getting at and saying, which is all i wanted to know to begin with. But if i may just ask out of curiosity, how do you praise God, such as in the way the Psalmist did throughout that book, and in such verses as Psalm 119:108..."Accept the FREEWILL offering of my mouth..."?? Or in Hebrews-13:15...offering a "SACRIFICE of praise"...why would that be so if we have no free-will, and thus anything we do would be "orchestrated" by God, and so would be no "sacrifice" on our part, right?? Just trying to get this clear, since God is not the "author of confusion" so no need for me to be confused about this or all of the other MANY verses you continue to post on this subject, as if you are trying desperately to convince us all of this...???

Well just want to make sure we are discussing the idea of "free-will" or whatever else, and not good works, since i already know God's answer to that one. And yes it does say that God "moved" David, but where does it say He did the same to Ananias...in fact Peter was questioning why he had let SATAN influence him to do what he did, and had "conceived" that idea all by himself, with no help from God. But you are saying that God "caused" Satan to deceive him and commit that sin, just so he could be judged for it and God could then kill him?? Why not just LET him do it all by himself, if he was that bad of a guy?? Is God just up there playing games or what, YOU tell me Mr. Knowitall?!? To be completely honest with you, even insinuating that we don't have free-will is akin to something someone with a mental illness would say...not to judge you but just think it needed to be said. And just because a word,phrase or concept is not specifically mentioned in the KJV doesn't mean it is invalid or not true. And so are you saying that God "caused" Satan to make Adam and Eve sin in the garden, and then act all shocked and surprised when they did??? Or perhaps we no longer had free-will after that, which is not even insinuated anywhere in the Bible that this was the case. Just trying to help you make your weak case... "But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his OWN lust, and enticed." {James-1:14}

"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, "And kept back part of the price, his wife being privy to it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the Apostles feet. "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath SATAN filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? "Whiles it remained was it not THINE own? And after it was sold was it not in THINE power? Why has thou conceived this thing in THINE heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. "And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things." {Acts-5:1-5}

Ditto...

"Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave,whither thou goest." {Ecclesiastes-9:10} "He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack; but he that hides his eyes shall have many a curse." {Proverbs-28:27} "As it is written: 'He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.'" {2nd Corinthians-9:9} "And to her is was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." {Revelation-19:8}

My bad, thought you might have been someone else...still hopelessly waiting for God to answer...But that's another story that is apparently no one else's business HERE?? But do kind of agree with the concept of coming to Christ and salvation under no power of our own, and the ideas of anything we do on our own being totally worthless to God even if done in sincerity. But not so sure that all our good works are are complete BS, and they actually do mean something to God in the long run, unless you believe it is all about GRACE and works mean nothing...then this conversation is over right NOW...

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Thank you sir, and I agree that opinions alone without scripture so often causes others to question, which can lead to only more arguments and confusion. Once someone has it in their mind to prove someone else wrong there is very little you can do to change their mind. But i will be the very first one to admit i was/am wrong for not backing up what i say with scripture...and so i again thank you for doing so in this case, even if it only makes me not look so "opinionated"?

Yes, they in a sense have the right to do whatever they want because they will be going to Hell for it. They can get away with blaming God for all there troubles, and God will not chastise them but He will His children who are disobedient.(Hebrews-12:7-8) And Christ suffered enough PAIN for all of humanity for all time to be forgiven, and so I also must believe YHVH the Father felt that same PAIN that His only begotten Son experienced, which was the greatest sacrifice for us but obviously not an exemption from our normal human sufferings, duh?? And not to mention the endless prayer requests i have come across here and elsewhere from professing Christians going through both mental/emotional and physical PAIN...but it's all a part of God's ultimate plan.

Well i once heard a Bible teacher/preacher(whom i will not name) say that if you even insinuated that God is the one bringing a burden on anyone, that He will then give YOU a major burden that you will never forget! Those were his words paraphrased, and it was taken from Jeremiah 23:33-34. Still to this day can't figure out exactly how he came up with that, and almost said it like he actually hoped God would punish us in that way, and it did even make me a little paranoid! But again, will not mention his name here and have my reasons for that.

Because you are a believer, and don't have that right, as non-believers do and will be judged for, period. God is Love, but also is Pain, and the two go hand in hand so often. Thats the short answer, and i'm thinking you are not really wanting to know what the long answer is...even if i knew it??

YES...I BELIEVE!!! Ok seriously though, i don't think it's a bad idea at all to own weapons AND ammo also...especially if you live in isolated rural areas where Law enforcement is not really available in case of some emergency. Meaning anyone could simply come and rob your house whether you are there or not, especially if all hell has broken loose and police are already preoccupied with that. One day i might go and by a gun but for now i only have me to worry about...and frankly i am not really so eager to be spending that kind of money when i need it NOW! Not everyone has the means and advantage of owning their own personal arsenal and sitting back in your easy chair with M-16 in hand waiting for "them" to come for you...just saying.

I also wanted to point out that many severe psychological problems are caused by chemical imbalances, such as depression,schizophrenia and bipolar disease. But sometimes those situations can become spiritual when evil spirits try to take advantage of people with these weaknesses, especially Christians, and begin to attack them. Not saying that is your case but it does sound a whole lot like what is happening, unless you are just imagining it all? But anyone who is that far gone would probably not even be able to express themself as you have being that descriptive and specific about your experiences. And not sure what issues you have had with the moderators here but am sure they had there reasons for deleting any of your posts, even if it seemed unfair. But keep in mind this forum section is basically for simple questions rather than the more controversial ones. Either way i wouldn't hold it against them, since this is not the place you come to be freed from such demonic attacks if that's what it is? You are way past that stage as far as i'm concerned....You need ONE ON ONE interaction, period!!