Prodigalson123

great message, thanks for the encouragement

did any of these "gods" come back to life with over 500 witnesses at once? me thnks that satan is a good copycat, knowing what was going to happen, because he surely knew the story and the end that awaits him. Don't let him fool you 2nd eve like he did the 1st

Hi Dog, I don't believe we are called to allow anyone to hurt us or our family. When Christ spoke of turning the other cheek, I believe that He was citing that personal revenge is not something we are supposed to pursue. The commandment is thou shalt not murder, and in that context we are not to take anothers life out of anger and malice, but the OT is replete with examples where God commanded the nation of Israel through justice pertaining to the laws of the nation, and in warfare that the taking of a life is permissable. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating violence as the first solution, but I don't believe that God would require us to sacrifice our loved ones or ourselves .

great points

Magic, if it exists, is different to alchohol and things which men made. It would be an innate part of the world, not somthing created out of it like cars or buildings. So if magic was always there, why create a human being who is able to manipulate natural forces into the supernatural? God allows us to decide what we are going to do, and where we are going to spend eternity. If the docrtine was that God created us but didn't allow us to sin, then the complaint would be that He should give us free will. Is it really a stretch to say that God allows us the ability to decide whether to sin or not, regardless of the vehicle. There are those that are drawn to the occult, there are those who are drawn to reality altering substances, there are those drawn to elevating ourselves to primary status in our worlds, all are sins

I don't believe that there is no "magic" The comment earlier about not trusting God is accurate, but really the question about why would God invent this if not allowed to use it is the basis of the comments. If you take the opinion that God wouldn't invent something that He doesn't allow to be misused, then alcohol, wine, sex, food, emotions, faith are all in that category. If we as Christians believe the Bible is true, then Pharoah's magicians must be accurate when described that they did magical things, and then we must believe revalation when it says anti-christ's false prophets will do signs and wonders. Magic is the manipulation of natural forces to supernatural results. The Bible is replete with supernatural occurences, why would it be such a stretch to say that satan, his minions et al are able to imitate the supernatural occurences that God does, just like the reference to pharoah's magicians did back then?

I don't think that the Lord is wrapped up in that kind of thing

I'm sorry for the whole situation, I will be praying for you

hi dolphin, my wife was unfaithful to me, although it wasn't physical. She was unfaithful through e-mails and sharing intimate times with a man she worked with, but no sexual infidelity occured. But I can tell you that it was no differant then the feelings you are now experiencing. My first reaction was to leave her, but....that would mean that everytime that I made a mistake and did something wrong, unthinking, insensitive or worse that she should've left me. The idea of mercy, which is what as Christians we should be most concerned with, is that as an imperfect sinner I have done things worthy of condemnation, so when someone else falters, we can understand and empathise with them. This was EXCEEDINGLY hard for me to apply when I found the explicit e-mails from my wife to her friend, but when I was able to apply the fact that every time I sin, I injure Jesus, and he was not only able to forgive me, but was willing to go to the cross so that forgiveness would be afforded me, that smote me. What right do I have in accepting Christ's forgiveness, and then stand back and tell my wife I can't (or really won't) forgive her? That incident was 4 years ago, and we now have a better marriage beyond anything I could have hoped for during that dark night. I acknowledged that I wasn't a good husband, was more wrapped up in my selfish needs then in meeting hers, and asked the Lord to save my marriage. He answered my prayers, and her heart and trust has turned back to me. I'm not saying that the previous statements apply to you, I don't know if there were any contributary actions by you to his cheating, even if there wasn't, forgiveness is a decision. The hurt will go away, the trust can and will return. But only if you let them and you turn to God to help you.

It comes from a letter that Thomas jefferson sent to the danbury Baptist Church. They wrote to the president for help against another denomination, and Jefferson said he couldn't intervene, that there must be a wall between church and state. Then Judge Hugo Black expanded on this when a man sued his town for tax money not to be spent on transportation for a private catholic school. It has grown from that.

God's attributes don't allow Him to not punish the guilty. Think about the justice to the believer who spends his/her life in service to the Lord, and then another who mocked God by living their lives in direct opposition to the commandments and the mercy offered to those who accept Jesus as Lord is allowed to partake in the same reward. The parable of the laborers i the vineyard is a good example. Matt 20:1-16 The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard 1"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. 2He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. 3"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5So they went. "He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' 7" 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. "He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' 8"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' 9"The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' 13"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16"So the last will be first, and the first will be last." now if the amount of reward is the same to those who accept Chrsit early in life as those who accept Him much later, what kind of justice would God be showing if He allowed those into His paradise that rejected Him? That would also make Jesus words in John 14:6 6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. invalid, and thus the rest of scripture invalid because if God chose not to stay true to this promise, then what other promises will He arbitrarily decide to honor or not?

welcome! I am married to an unbeliever, and although the Lord has used this mightly in my life, it has been a huge heartache. She's pagan, and it has us the opposite sides of the world on many topics. My advice to you is to heed the Lord's advice, since He knows what he wants for you, and what is good for you, and not marry outside of the faith. The amount of angst that will be in your marriage can easily divide you from your wife, and that is a pain that can be avoided. If you think she is the one for you, pray upon it, give it to the Lord, and wait on Him to see what he has in store for you. I'll pray for you.

well I looked up the scriptures that you cited, and I don't see where it says singular. The reference in Matthew is: anthrōpos anth'-ro-pos From G435 and ὤψ ōps (the countenance; from G3700); manfaced, that is, a human being: - certain, man. That isn't speaking of a single man, but of mankind. I'm just trying to give an educated response here, I'm not trying to further an agenda. But the Bible is replete with concerns about adultery. But it doesn't say anywhere I can find it's one man and one woman. Marriage is men and women, but another problem we as Christians face is the same Eve faced when talking to the serpent. Don't add to the scriptures what isn't there,( Not only did God say we can't eat, but not even touch the fruit) Gen 3:3

I have a friend who just came back from Egypt, his mom got married to an Egyptian man, and this man asked my friend if he was going to be mad if he had more then one wife. He stated that he wants four. So....my friend asked me where in the Bible does God prohibit polygamy. I can't find any specifics. Is it Biblical or cultural???

Jesus said if you want to be great in the kingdom, then you must be a servant to people here. That may mean a minister, or whatever. It takes a spirit of humility and a heart of a servant. All I know is that I hope that the amount of grief I get when I post online, not here but another site, that the Lord will acknowledge that I was ministering to these people and all the aggravation will be rewarded with "Well done, my good and faithful servant"

short and sweet!

Great point. Not only did He become separated, but only His will could do that! There was and is no power in the cosmos that could separate God and Jesus but their own decision to let it happen. It humbles me when I think that I was part of the reason it had to happen, and that it was done for me. Amen

baptism is a physical public sign that you are a follower of Christ. It isn't necessary for salvation, but it is for obedience. Good works aren't possible for salvation. The whole idea of the "good works" we are supposed to do is out of gratitude to the Lord for the free gift of salvation, we are to show mercy and love to others. The parable of the unforgiving servant is a picture of that Matt 18:21-35

Acts 17:15-34 15. But they that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to him with all speed, they departed. 16. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols. 17. So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that met him. 18. And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. 19. And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee? 20. For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 21. (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.) 22. And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious. 23. For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you. 24. The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25. neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26. and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; 27. that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us: 28. for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29. Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man. 30. The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: 31. inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; wherof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 32. Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again. 33. Thus Paul went out from among them. 34. But certain men clave unto him, and believed: among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

1 Cor 3:2 1 Peter 2:2

that download is awesome

I'm afraid I must disagree...the people who do see Santa Claus as god are the one who don't know any better...it is relatively easy to teach children who the REAL God is (I say "relatively" as it is MUCH harder to teach adults this), and even simpler to teach them that Santa doesn't have all the attributes of God...which, frankly, I don't know any kid who has believed that (and once they're old enough to start thinking such things through, most of them don't really believe he exists anyway). Anyhow, as I said, he is what you make him. He sees you when you are sleeping He knows when you are awake He knows when you've been bad or good He can grant the wishes of children throughout the world in a single night He can fly through the air and can visit every home in the whole world in a single night He can squeeze his fat belly through small chimneys Sounds like all knowing, all powerful and everywhere all at the same time to me. And, then we tell our children this is the truth and they believe us and then later we tell them it is only a fairy tale and then we try to teach them about Jesus who has the same attributes and we tell them only this one is really true - do you think God would really approve of us telling lies to our children and leading them to believe the lie? Do you think he would approve of us telling our children to believe in this false god? You may see it as harmless, but I think it is preparing our young people to believe many more lies of the enemy disguised as truths. And Santa gives gifts only to children who are good. Jesus died for us even while we were yet sinners. I agree with this wholeheartedly. When I found out that Santa wasn't real, I asked my parents what else they lied to me about! And it took a long time for me to trust them again. That's why I refused to do the whole santa thing. Not because of replacing Jesus in Christmas, but I refused to lie to my son.

I liked the movie and didn't like the santa thing. As to the story and evangelism, I think LOTR was a better tool. The whole idea that the powerful can't win, that the hero isn't who you think it is, and that a greater power is working through the characters and that self sacrifice is the key to serving others. Just my opinion

I agree that we can't soften the stance on whether homosexuality is wrong, but in all reality, is it any more heinous to the Lord then idolatry? then adultery? Sin is sin in the eyes of the Lord. They are people, who are afraid, insecure, strong, confident just like anyone else. And like everyone else they need the love of our Lord and will be forgiven if they ask. One must be shown that they are lost before they can be saved. Remember the place we all were in before we saw that Jesus died for us also.