ginakay

Interesting question and I agree with all of you! Could it be that He, tho having no needs, yet chooses to have a need for us because He wants us to have a part in his wonderful plan? That plan seems, on its highest level, to mean close fellowship between Himself and us. And then when I try to reason it our or think about it I just come back to what you all have already said! He wants to need us! That is so amazing.

I don't know why anyone would have to figure it out. Obviously God did not (that we know of) take the OT guys to task over having more than one wife. Perhaps he even thought it included enough punishment that was simply built in But in many cases the OT folk were examples to us by their lives. For instance it does not say that God chastised Abraham or Isaac for lying about their wives being their sisters, yet I would say they did not exactly 'get by with that either'. all the cases of plural wives that are given you can easily see problems in the family. That in its-self should give us the example we need. It may not be a sin that would separate you from God for eternity but can sure make life on earth miserable and cost dearly in terms of how your children view their father etc.. Budman, your posts were very much enjoyed!

Another one who might not have been around would be Abraham Lincoln. His own mother was an illegitimate child. In this day and time an abortion might have been performed thus killing the mother of Abraham Lincoln before she could be born. As many have pointed out....how many great scientists, authors, teachers, doctors, inventors, etc have we killed in the womb?? And, of course, all these babies deserved to be born even if the circumstances of their birth is not the best.

Every nation is UNDER GOD whether they choose to acknowledge it or not. To recognize (and obey) brings blessing but to live contrary to God's law brings judgement.

Lots of great books out there. My ladies class is just starting a study on the book "How to have a Mary Heart in a Martha World".

The Left Behind series woke a lot of people up to the reality of "end times" even if the scenario was, necessarily, imaginative.

also praying for you!

I can't say that I am here enough or read enough of the posts to get the feel of "change". But I do know there are a lot of people who post here and the topics get into multiple pages really quickly. It is sometimes a bit hard to follow simply due to the large volume! I enjoy reading the discussions, even the 'heated' ones. I read a lot of the posts that I do not reply to simply because I don't have a question or don't know enough about the subject to really discuss it, or feel someone else has already written basically what I would say so if I were to add a comment it would be redundant. I would be disappointed if I could not read the posts in "controversy" forum but I can see the reason. Seems like a good idea to solve people just dropping in to start trouble. For all that there may be some problems to deal with at this site, it remains a wonderful resource to the Christian community on the web, and for others who are seeking. edited to say I note I do have over 250 posts! Or at least I think that is what the number out to the side means....

May God bless you and meet with you in your desire to come back to Him. I believe this is a good place to meet with people who can hold you up in prayer and encourage you in your quest. I will pray for you too. :hug:

We have lots of acquaintences but friends are few and far between. If you have even one you are very blessed.

Maybe you two are kindred spirits and just didn't realize it!

I read this but don't know how true it is. When the Crusades were going on, the crusaders were literally using the site of the ancient Jewish temple as the place to put their trash and waste. They were doing it deliberately to show contempt for the Jews. When the Muslims retook the area they built the Mosque there partly so that no one would desecrate the site again.

KMB, I believe that all of us have emotional highs and lows and inbetweens. Its just part of the human condition and can be from situations, or physical problems as well as mental and spiritual. I do believe we are meant to have that deep down peace and joy in our heart even when things are falling apart otherwise. The Bible says that IN HIS PRESENCE is fullness of joy. One thing I could suggest is to immerse yourself in the WORD and spend some time alone with the Lord just being in His presence. If you continue to feel down and out be sure and get a good physical to be sure you aren't "ailing" in some way. Of course, having a loved one facing a terminal condition is certainly enough to make you feel somewhat down. But I do think you can have that underlying joy and peace that the Lord gives. May God bless you and keep you during this time.

There are lots of things that people don't want to face, aging, sickness such as cancer, the threat of global terrorism....that does not make these things go away. Hell will not change because we don't want to believe in it. I can agree that there is no point in hitting people over the head with the fact of hell being real and also that the majority of people will go there (according to scripture). But it sure needs to be a part of the message or else we are not delivering the full truth of the gospel.

I believe I know your feelings about this and share them. I was a bit put off to learn that many think the sacrifices will continue in the future and the scriptures do seem to validate that in the Millenial Kingdom these remembrance sacrifices will be going on. I can only think of it in this way, if the Lord does this there is a very good reason. We know there will still be ordinary citizens living on the earth during that time. Not among the glorified as of yet. Perhaps it is something for their benefit. Also we know the last enemy to be destroyed is Death. That happens after the 1000 year reign of Yeshua. After that final rebellion and the renovation of the earth then the whole creation will be free of Death including whatever animals are in the renovated earth with us. Might be wrong about this but I don't think any among the redeemed and glorified will be offering the sacrifices.

Good point! It is so odd that I never thought this through, just thinking the second death was more a spiritual sense. These folk actually die twice physically. not a happy thought. Thanks for your responses and the scriptures, I appreciate it.

oops, sorry! Hadn't really thought of it as that sort of question but guess it is. I think I wandered around in circles before I really posed the question. That is, what scripture is there that says that those who are lost (unsaved) will be raised to a physical body?? Jedi, thanks for the scriptures, do you understand the term resurrection to mean that they will have a physical body again??

I don't know the answer either. But I do think that if we had everything about our amazing Lord figured out then we would be worshiping the wrong deity. Just looking at the world He created, including the microscopic world right up to the huge solar systems in the vast universe. You think you have something figured out and peel that layer back and find even more complexity beneath that!! So with the Lord. We will have all eternity to learn about Him and His ways and will not reach the total depth. The wonderful thing is that He chooses to reveal a lot of Himself both in His Word and in THE WORD. I believe He tells us some things we can grasp now and tells or hints of things that give us a taste of his complexity. I am sure glad His word tells us that God is love.

I had never really thought all of this through but today I was burning trash and as I stood there feeding the flames and having to get further and futher away as the heat intensified....I thought about the lake of fire. I thought I knew what I believed about this but now I 'm not so sure. I had thought that the lost also were raised before the Great White Throne Judgement. Today I realized that if they are raised and again have physical bodies (tho not glorified bodies) then they would literally die again physically in the lake of fire and their souls would remain there in torment. So I got out the STrongs concordance and looked at all the scripture references to resurrection and can not really see where the lost will be raised again to physical bodies for coming to the judgement. Have I missed something or what?? Anyone know a scripture that says the souls of the unsaved will be raised again to physical bodies?? Certainly I know this is not an issue that is necessary to know (for salvation) but since I had always been taught that there is a resurrection of the just and the unjust it just stumped me not to be able to find a scripture to back that up. Am I overlooking it?

None of the Christian radio stations I can get (3 of them) play Southern Gospel. I hadn't really thought about it, but I grew on on the Happy Goodmans, Sego Brothers and Naomi, Blackwood Brothers of course, Statesmen, etc.... I really enjoy the quartet style music. I also enjoy contemporary gospel a lot so I am blessed that way too. Good thing I like it since I don't have much choice. Its sure a blessing to have these Christian stations. When I buy a CD it is contemporary since that is really all I am familiar with now. I just bought Selah's latest and it is very good.

KMB, I agree with you. It is strange in a way, in this day and time you wouldn't think anyone would just attend church to warm a pew or for social reasons. I know I wouldn't . But oddly enough, I think many still do. And some still have the attitude 'my grandparents helped build this church and I'm here to be sure the flower arrangements are correct' or whatever.... Suzanne, so sad what happened in our church. Do you still go there?

He taught with authority and He also fargave the man's sins but I think the thing that amazed the crowd the most was the miracle. Didn't he say later on that they followed Him for the loaves and the fishes?? People are always amazed by and running after signs. And God does give signs at times so not to put that down. But those people of that day were a lot like us. We seek what He can give us above seeking Him for who He is.

Suzanne, it is not a popular subject in the church. I guess we do want to go to heaven on 'flowry beds of ease'. But this is so true. And very interesting to read about the silver being refined. thanks for sharing.

I have still had this on my mind. All your thoughts on this are very interesting and revealing. As to the two thoughts, one mininster saying we should be part of a community of believers and the other saying we will almost surely feel alone--I see something of the truth in both of them. We are told not to forsake assembling together. We are told that where two or three are gathered he will be in our midst. We do know that the scripture speaks of the community of believers at the various churches. I think the churches we attended helped us raise our sons BIG TIME. On the other hand, I also have seen, and felt it myself , that the church can sometimes seem like the lonliest place. Especially if you are really hungering for the Lord and others seem to find that odd. You know how Yeshua had crowds that he taught, then there were the 12 who he revealed more of himself to. Then there were two or three that he called aside for even closer communion and to be with him. Perhaps its like that now. The larger church body IS his children but of that group how many are willing and eager to be called apart, or even to be called intimately apart. Just some thoughts on why some feel the "lonliness" of this intimate calling apart. But it does not nullify Yeshua's love of the church 'mulitude'. Just a thought.

Thankyou for posting this. I love reading Tozers writings and this was so good. I read much of the other link. It is thought provoking.