Logostician

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world. But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Mrk 2:22 And no man putteth new wine in old bottles, else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be married. But new wine must be put in new bottles. 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. Jno 15:5 I am the vine. Ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me ye can do nothing. Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Rev 21:5 And he that sat on the throne said, behold, I make all things new. The old carnal man can do nothing of value in the eternal kingdom of God in this world or the next. He can loudly proclaim his righteousness and good works, but he is deceived. There is no righteousness or righteous works without God. With God, and empowered by Jesus and the Spirit, all righteousness is possible because it comes from Him. This is the new man in Christ. Psa 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh, but in vain.

It's pretty clear we are near the end regardless of who is President. The will of God cannot be altered. And yet we should fight the good fight until we leave this present world. If Biden wins, it will only be because his chinese business partners unleashed corona virus on the world. Nothing else could have derailed Trump. China will rule the world. They will make all of the real economic and monetary decisions. And Biden will bow to them every step of the way. Biden is too weak to be the antichrist, short of a such a total indwelling by Satan, that he effectively ceases to be Joe Biden. He, and his son Hunter are more like a petty criminals, willing to sell out the entire world for a few scraps on their table. He certainly has no God given ability to lead righteously. But puppet masters from dark principalities and powers of this world and beyond will arise to pull his strings. I am still praying that God will give us four more years of Trump, but his will be done. Maybe Jesus will return before the election is finalized. This would be the answer to the prayer of all prayers. Then Biden could be president as the bowls of wrath are emptied on a USA and a world devoid of the Spirit of God that previously resided in the faithful on earth. And Trump could enjoy real victory with the rest of us in the presence of the one true ruler, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. Nothing can separate the faithful from Jesus. Even so come.

It's done. He'll be fine. Thank you Jesus.

Go to the same one who helps you with everything else...Jesus.

Don't think of yourself as a leader. Think of yourself as a follower of Jesus, a servant doing his work his way. Mat 20:25-28 But Jesus called them unto him and said, Ye know that the princes of the gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you. But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. A true leader follows Jesus and ministers to his neighbor as an act of love that Jesus calls us to. There are many leaders like this in the world. They are often not recognized as leaders, and have no earthly titles of authority. They are usually humble, and don't seek recognition, affirmation, or fame. Some seek political office for the good they can do rather than the benefits that they can bring to themselves. Think about this when you vote. Does the candidate profess his faith in Jesus. Does he/she live it? Does he/she support programs in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ, such as the sanctity of life? Do they seek to lord it over their constituents, or promote freedom within the moral framework of the law of liberty given by Jesus? I vote for whoever I feel best aligns with the teachings of Jesus. Male or female doesn't matter. Skin color doesn't matter. A heart committed to Jesus matters.

If global warming is really global why is California the only state in the USA that goes up in flames year after year. The Rockies and other areas of the USA have lots of trees too. They don't go up in smoke. Other countries in the world with every conceivable terrain and climate aren't going up in flames either. CA's governor, Gavin Newsome gave a photo op speech from one of the fire sites. I'm sure he was a safe distance away. Death and property loss in CA is not for the ruling elites. Newsome decried global warming as the cause of these fires, and went on to say that anyone who doesn't believe in global warming just isn't listening. CA has been having rolling blackouts for at least a month. They have essentially become a third world country that can't supply their own power despite having one of the highest tax rates in the USA. People are fleeing the People's Republic of California at a rate that dwarfs the continuing exit of the past few decades. You can't logically blame the failure to produce power on global warming, but I'm sure they are. No other state is experiencing rolling blackouts. They all seem to be able to produce adequate power. As with fires, there is no global power outage issue. CA also voted for and attempted to build a high speed rail system between LA and SF in 2008. It was one of the most expensive projects ever passed by voters. All they managed to do was steal people's property through eminent domain, and throw away billions of dollars. It was such an obvious boondoggle that even Newsome himself had to admit that the project would never be completed. My conclusion is that the long-standing leftist regime in CA is simply incompetent to provide basic services to their citizens. Controlled burns to remove underbrush are essential, but ignored. Thinning of forests and the creation of fire breaks which used to be done by logging companies is largely banned. If you want to prevent fires you need to remove fuel, and establish containment zones. If you want a power grid that works you have to build and repair facilities in concert with providers like PG&E, rather than driving them into bankrupty. To do this you have to use some of those exorbitant tax revenues for something other than welfare programs to buy votes for the ruling left wing elites. They have to stop blaming global warming for everything and start blaming themselves for their inability to deal with real problems that they created. The rest of the world does this. But CA is a literal state of denial. Global warming is a religion to their ruling class. It is their manufactured alibi for their own failures to deal with real world issues. The rest of the world is dealing with their issues with global common sense, rather than blaming all their failures on global warming. I am tired of breathing CA's smoke from their endless fires. And I don't even live there. Neighboring states who know how to prevent and fight fires are being inundated by the CA's smoke. Smoke has become CA's biggest export. The state that used to lead the country economically back in the 1950's and 1960's when sane values and leadership existed, is now a state of smoke and mirrors. Corona virus from the People's Republic of China and smoke from the People's Republic of California are making 2020 a really crumby year. Thank God for Jesus! He is the only reliable light in the world, for those with eyes to see the light.

I would put Jesus at the top of the list. But that doesn't mean a 9MM can't be lower down on the list. I have a concealed carry permit, and am on the security team at my church. There will be no mass murders at my church. Just make sure you're proficient in the use of any self defense weapon so you and your child don't become accidental victims of your own weapons. That only comes with real practice.

I'm an introvert and I'm hot. And besides being really good looking, I'm also an evangelist, a minister, a leader, and a follower. We all are. There is a time and a season for all things, and different approaches to bringing people to Jesus. Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheners me. The fact that you are thinking about Jesus so much demonstrates that you are hot. As a fellow introvert, here are a few things to consider. I won't even call it advice, just things to think about: Pray to Jesus to put people in your life that you can bring to him, or just help through their Christian walk, if they already know him. And pray for his strength to be given to you to bring about his will. Lead with your actions as much or more than with words. When others see your love toward others, they will wonder why you seem different. They will want to know what you have that others don't. Then you can tell them that Jesus is the reason. The seed is planted, or watered, if they were already thinking about it. Words backed by actions are always more powerful. Don't lose faith in yourself when the Spirit of God is in you. He is the biggest part of you. Quiet, sincere words can carry as much or more weight than shouts. 1 Kgs 19:11-12 And he said go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake; And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, a still small voice. A still small voice works fine, when the power of God is behind it. The same is true of the Spirit of God in you.

Are you a "scientist"? If so I guess you accept the theory of evolution because it's "science" too. I wasn't in the flesh 6000 years ago, or 150,000 years ago, or 100,000,000 years ago, and neither was any scientist currently expounding narratives to discredit God and creation. I guess I'll just keep trusting God, rather the "scientists" who say random purposeless events over very long time periods somehow created order. Chaos does not produce order. It just produces more chaos. As far as young earth vs old earth, I don't have all the answers, because I wasn't there. But I do know the following verse which is very clear: Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. I'm pretty sure all means all, as in all mankind. I take that to mean that Adam and Eve were the progenitors of the entire human race. Do you have some other explanation? Like people not from Adam and Eve, who weren't living? I generally find that God and science go very well together. God does everything, and occasionally scientists figure out a few of them. But when science abandons the scientific method of experimentation and reproducible results to verify theories, it ceases to be science at all, and simply becomes an agenda, manipulated to support what ever the desired hypothesis is.

The same children of Adam and Eve that I mentioned above, along with their descendants.

You seem to be focused on incest as the biggest problem here. It is a problem and is addressed in Lev 18:8-18. It is worth noting however that Adam and Eve obviously had children who married each other. Otherwise it would have been impossible for mankind to be fruitful and multiply, and we wouldn't have a human race. However, as mankind became more numerous, there was no reason for this to continue, and God forbid it. But there are far bigger problems in this story: In Deu 22:28 it says that if a man forces a woman, he pays a fine and must marry the woman. Tamar is within her rights to tell Amnon to seek David's approval for them to get married. In today's society we couldn't imagine a woman wanting to marry a man who forced himself on her. But Tamar knows she will never be able to get married to another man now that she has lost her virginity. In today's society there is an organized holocaust against children in the form of abortion which has resulted in tens of millions of children being slaughtered. But in Tamar's time, bearing children was rightly viewed as a gift from God, and essential to living a joyful life. Tamar's life was destroyed by Amnon. Amnon's rape of Tamar was obviously very wrong. But when he turns his back on her after destroying her life by making marriage and family impossible for her, he commits a far greater sin. Sometimes what you don't do is worse than than the evil you do. When David finds out what happened he is angry but appears to do nothing to help Tamar or punish Amnon. David's son Absalom, who shares the same mother, Maacah, with Tamar, waits for justice. But none is forthcoming from David. After two years of waiting, Absalom has Amnon killed. This begins a series of events in which Absalom will ultimately challenge David's throne. It is a terrible rift between a King and a son he loves that results in open civil war in which Absalom will be killed, despite David's orders not to kill the son he still loves. May God forgive me if I'm wrong here, but I see this as a real failure by King David. And I kind of sympathize with Absalom. If somebody raped my sister, ruined her life forever, and no justice was forthcoming, I would want to kill him too, and would be hard pressed to stop myself from doing so. There are lessons to be learned here. Justice must be applied by those entrusted with it's exercise, not ignored, or others will step in and take the law into their own hands. We need to remember this as anarchists continue to destroy our cities with little or no just punishment. Do we want a civilized society with law and order, or do we want a new wild west, and possibly civil war?

Mat 5:39 But I say unto you. That ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Sorry but it looks like Jesus is not adding a repentance criteria for forgiveness here. So if you get kicked in the right shin, better get the left one ready too. Nobody said this Christian thing was easy. Mat 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him and said, Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, unto seven times, but unto seventy times seven. Seventy times seven is 490. If you offer the other shin to be kicked each time that's 980! I think what Jesus is saying is to forgive all the time. Jesus forgives all things. He even forgave those who crucified him, as he hung on the cross. He is telling us to forgive all things all the time. He is telling us to be like him. Again, nobody said this would be easy.

Jno 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Beleivest thou this? 1 Cor 15:51- Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last Trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Jno 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled. Ye beleive in God, beleive also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. 1 Cor 2:9 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 which love him. Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus. There is no reason to fear death, nor is there reason to court it. While we live in the flesh we have God's work to do. He chooses the work, the time of it's completion, and the manner of it's completion. And then we will rest with him in an incorruptible eternity. Christians are at their best in this world as they actively do God's work in this world, with an unfailing eye on the world to come.

Christians cannot be possessed by demons because they are possessed by the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit will not share any space with demons. We do not even belong to ourselves. We belong to God. We are sealed against the enemy by the power of God. Only people who submit to Satan can be possessed. Christians can be oppressed by demons. Satan and his demons are dead men walking. They have a date for a swimming party in the lake of fire. God has already judged them. Satan/demons hate Jesus and they hate the fact that Jesus loves us and gives us eternal life. They can't change the course of anything for Christians, but they can lash out in anger, hate, and jealousy. If this ever happens to you, call out to Jesus. Do it verbally and loudly if you can. Do it mentally if that's all you can do. The urge to call out his name will likely be automatic and instantaneous, as the Spirit of God in you prompts you. Demons flee at the at the mention of his name. Yeshua means God is my deliverer. He will deliver you from any demonic firey darts. So even though Christians can be momentarily oppressed by demons, an earnest call to Jesus negates oppression in the same moment. So in a sense Christians cannot be possessed or oppressed. We have already won, because Jesus won.

Jesus didn't die on a cross to forgive some sins. He died on a cross to forgive all sins, past, present and future. 1 Jno 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Where are all these perfect sinless people? I have never met one. Only Jesus was perfect, which is precisely why his substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all mankind was efficacious. He was the only one who could take away the sins of the world, because he had no sins to die for. Don't forget what sin is. It is not just breaking the ten commandents. It is anything displeasing to God. It is every idle word and thought before it even becomes action. It is anything that falls short of the perfect will of God. In other words it is anything that falls short of the perfect man, Jesus. I am a sinner. I am forgiven. I am because of I AM. I am because Jesus was, is, and ever shall be.

We are responsible for our own efforts to live as Christlike as we can. But God is responsible for the outcomes of our efforts. This is why we pray. We pray to the one who makes things happen. We should also pray for guidance to direct our efforts toward goals that align with the will of God. Lastly we need to listen to the Spirit of God in us to accept the guidance that God gives us. Prv 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs is a great book about being sensible and doing things the right way, God's way, to the best of our ability. But as the above verses clearly state, our understanding and ability falls well short of God, even as we try to obey him. The answer is to maintain a constant state of prayer conversation with God. Let him work in you and through you to achieve his purpose for you.

Man's customs of firstborn don't always align with God's will. The firstborn to man is the eldest son. The first born to God is the most loved and favored by God.. The first man born of woman was Cain. He didn't too well. Any notions of firstborn "rights" were revoked by God. Gen 4:11 And now thou art cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength, a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. Ishmael was the older brother of Isaac. But God clearly chose Isaac. Gen 17:18-19 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. Jacob is the younger brother of Esau, but God chose Jacob to be firstborn in his sight. Rom 9:11-12 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac (For the children being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. Joseph is the youngest son of the 11 born to Jacob (Benjamin was born later) when he becomes the firstborn of Jacob through love rather than age. As you correctly pointed out, God chooses his brother Judah for the everlasting king line, while rewarding Joseph's line through Ephraim with the dominant northern kingdom of Israel (which will later be destroyed by the Assyrians). King David is just a boy, the youngest son of Jesse, when Samuel annoints him to be king. God chooses who he will. He knows the hearts and minds of those he loves before they are even born. He is not bound by the traditions of men. He chooses who he will and then builds them up to what he wants them to be, knowing that they will respond to him out of love. And then there is the true firstborn of God and all things. The love between the Father and the Son exceeds all things. We cannot even comprehend the depth of this love. Col 1:15 Who (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have preeminence.

Mat 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. This could be a reference to guardian angels. All of the angels that did not fall with Satan, are ministers of God. They serve Jesus, as we do. But my conversation is with Jesus directly. He has made himself accessible to me directly. This is highest priority in this life and the next. Rev 22:8-9 And I John saw these things and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel which showed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book. Worship God. Whether or not there are guardian angels, the key to everything is Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the love of God, and my love.

Is there anything that California does right? There are good people in California, but they are vastly outnumbered. I was born and raised in California when it was a good place to live. I observed its steady decline over multiple decades first hand. I moved out 5 years ago and will never go back.

I can't tell if you're saying the rapture is not mentioned in the Bible or not. But it is. 1 Ths 4:17 Then we which are alive shall be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The words "CAUGHT UP" appear in Jerome's Latin Vulgate Bible as "RAPTURA". This is the source of our commonly used English term rapture. I see some Christians who dispute the rapture saying it isn't in the Bible because they don't see the word "rapture" in the English translations. But it's in the Bible. It is in the Latin Vulgate Bible in unmistakeable literal language. Meanings can be argued. But the language is there. It is also a fact that all Bible translations are taken from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek original writings. There are no English words in the original writings, so we shouldn't get too excited about not seeing the word "rapture" in our English Bible translations which vary among each other. The Latin Vulgate translation says RAPTURA. Our English translations vary among themselves, but the KJV says CAUGHT UP. They both come from the Greek word HARPAZO, which means to catch up, or catch away, to pluck or pull away. They all mean the same thing in different languages. People may argue about the precise nature and timing of the rapture. But it's real part of the Bible. Lastly, there is no Bible knowledge test to enter heaven. All you have To do is love Jesus. It's good to study the Bible to strengthen your relationship with Jesus. In fact two or more people studying the Bible together is a church. Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them. But a man the feeds the poor or engages in any charitable activities in the name of Jesus is much loved by Jesus too, and showing his faith in him. Jas 2:17-18 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say Thou hast faith, and I have works, shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Worshipping God in church (or anywhere else), and studying his word, is loving God. Neither of these things is a contest or a test. They are both ways to draw closer to God and each other. Charitable works toward our neighbor is loving our neighbor. Jesus calls on us to do both.

You gave the answers. But I'll answers them anyway. Abortion is murder. It is always wrong. If any of the candidates in the second question support abortion, I would oppose them. It doesn't matter if the child would grow up to be Beethoven, Einstein, or a janitor, or afflicted with a serious disease. Even in the case of rape, I would execute the rapist, not the innocent unborn child. Murder of the innocent is never the right choice, and shouldn't be a choice at all. As far as choice of candidates for any election, at any level. I'll vote for the one who is a Christian, and lives it. Biden says he's a Christian. But he supports abortion. He would never get my vote for president or janitor. Nothing in the above statements should be taken as an insult to janitors. They are better people than the majority of politicians.

Circumcision is an operation that removes something. A physical circumcision is the removal of foreskin. A circumcision of the heart is the removal of hard heartedness that prevents us from fully committing to a loving relationship with Jesus. I believe that circumcision of the heart precedes salvation. John the Baptist called on people to repent and prepare for the Kingdom of God. Repent means change. And the most important change John was calling for was a heart change so people would accept and follow Jesus. Something leads us to to ask Jesus to be our Savior. It may take a short time or a very long time to reach the state of heart, mind and soul to realize the absolute need and desire for Jesus. Some will come to Jesus easily. Many will be driven to their knees by this life, until they cry out to Jesus. It takes a repentant heart to do this. Once we reach that point and we ask Jesus to accept us and give our life to him, he will immediately save us. He is a heart seeker and knower. He knows the heart that cries out to him. He will also instantly forgive our sins because that's what salvation is. We are saved from the death penalty that sin brings on us by Jesus and his finished work of the cross. We will also receive the Holy Spirit immediately, whether we fully realize it at the time or not. This is essential to a relationship with God. We cannot get close to God unless God is so close to us that he is actually in us. Receiving the Holy Spirit is the opposite of the removal of something (like circumcision). It is a powerful addition, that allows us to be sons of God. Salvation begins our relationship with Jesus that will last forever. We won't be perfect in this life, although we should try to be. Jesus knows that. But he loves us. He is always with us, and guides us. He will never leave us. He 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

Hosea is a beautiful book. It is essentially a love story between God and Israel. It has been called the Gospel of John of the old testament. God maintains his everlasting love of Israel despite their repeated infidelity toward him. I think he tells Hosea to marry an adulterous woman to show him how it feels to be in love with an unstable partner. This gives the prophet a personal insight into the firegiveness, patience, and intense love of God.

One of the really important takeaways here is that the high priest of the temple was still just a sinful man. On the day of atonement he first had to make atonement for himself and his own sins, known and unknown, before he could make atonement for the congregation. The people had to go through an imperfect man who like them was a sinner needing atonement. But because Jesus is God and man we can boldly approach the throne of God directly for all things. I don't mean to offend or condescend here but I urge everyone to talk to Jesus directly and regularly. Do not seek out anyone to intercede on your behalf, except to humbly pray for you. Prayer is powerful, but the authority to answer prayers rests soley with Jesus. And when you talk directly to Jesus, he will hear you and understand you better than you understand yourself. You don't need a translator or any intermediary or intercessor. Do not pray to angels or "saints" or anyone or anything else as an object of prayer or intercessor to God. Pray directly to God through his son Jesus Christ. Let nobody get between you and Jesus, ever. That includes family and friends, and even pastors. Go directly to the one who is all powerful, all forgiving, all loving, all listening, and all answering. A good pastor leads his flock. But he leads them to Jesus, not to himself. A good pastor prays for the members of his flock. But he does not do this because he has unique access to Jesus. He does it because he recognizes that Jesus is always accessible to us directly, and we need to make the most of that accessibility. That's what a relationship is. Christianity is a loving relationship with Jesus that surpasses all other relationships, including husband and wife, and parent and child. Jesus comes first. Always. Christianity is not a religion. It is a relationship with Jesus. Religions have flawed mortal priests. We have the Son of God. Praise be to God.

If you help to bring a single person into a relationship with Jesus, you have done something great. But you still need to remember that it wasn't really you, but Christ in you. This is the production of fruit that Jesus is looking for.