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When you ask most secular people (including nominal Christians) what faith is, you are going to usually get a "religious" answer involving some sort of belief. Even anti-christians have experiences of faith in that regard. They "believe" in what they see or think, what their opinion is. We often hear the phrase "Seeing is Believing", and that is a faith statement of the secular, under the assumption that their perception is accurate. For the Christian, another law is in effect: "Believing is Seeing". Our confession of and relation to Christ opens our eyes and hearts to a wisdom not availableto the outsiders. But my favorite expression is this one from Peter Lord: "We daily practice what we believe, the rest is jusr religious talk."

Just read The Bondage Breaker by Neil Anderson. Very insightful and helpful. I've just started to read Simple Church, which is beginning well, but no solid opinion yet. And after 30 years in ministry, you can't go wrong with anything by EM Bounds. His works on prayer are still fresh after 100 years.

I have always been opposed to universal health care. Something I believe Jay Leno said sums it up pretty well: "Let's put the Government in charge of health care. After all, they've done so well with Welfare, Social Security, education, the national debt..."

Same reason any good parent helps a child learn to walk - even though there's more falling than walking: Jer 31:3 the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. It's not about our performance or success. It's about His love.

The impossible was explained to me via 1John 4:2 a year or so later. A part of a verse in 1 John that I cannot point out, because the total ramifications are unbearable but touches on your question. A 1John 4:3 spirit threatened me 5 years or so ago and I have been under 24/7 demonic attack since then. Vile and unbearable but must be borne. He keeps "me" going.I also have received supernatural punishment more than once for disobedience. The Holy Spirit is The Teacher. I am a pupil of The/our/my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, The Son of The only True God The Father. Thought I was a believer, but learned what belief really meant--consider carefully all of Hebrews 5. Heart of Gospel to me:Christ Jesus and Him Crucified for the sins of the world/kosmos/Universe. After dying multiple billions of times on the Cross and taking the wrath of God The Father for every sin of every sinnable creature past-present-future[time till End of This Age], He descended into Hell. "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?". ... Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. ... Hbr 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ...

Php 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Php 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Php 4:9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I quick-checked a couple of commentaries. They seemed to think that the strangling involved was for the purpose of keeping the blood in the animal for consumption, which was specifically prohibited in the Mosaic law, and would have been widely known among the Gentiles of that era. The modern processers are required to drain the blood for health and sanitary reasons, so the chicken in the grocery would most likely not come under this rule.

I just read an article today at BP News about a homosexual activist who repented and made Jesus Lord of his life. For every sinner in bondage, this is indeed Good News. If your uncle is truly in Christ, he will show evidence of repentance. If not, he will reject the very idea that he should repent. You may be the most effective tool in the Lord's hand to lead your uncle to true repentance because you obviously love him, which should drive you to pray for him fervently and effectively. Jas 5:16 Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much. Jas 5:17 Elijah was a man of like passion as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for the time of three years and six months. Jas 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to sprout. Jas 5:19 Brothers, if anyone among you err from the truth, and if anyone turns him back, Jas 5:20 know that he who turns back the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

This is the Jamieson, Fausett, and Brown Commentary on this verse: I will not

I seriously doubt Josh McDowell considers that he is "changing Christian culture". He is a faithful and wise man proclaiming the Gospel and applying the priniciples of the Bible to modern life. Oh, and by the way, "dating" is not a Bible-based activity. It is a relatively modern invention, one with more to warn against than approve.

There are indeed many who do not tremble to speak and call it "God's Word" when in fact it is their own invention. We must test the prophets against the clear revelation of the Scriptures, being wise, not careless with that responsibility. Mat 7:20 Then surely from their fruits you shall know them. Mat 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but the ones who do the will of My Father in Heaven. Mat 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many works of power? Mat 7:23 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; "depart from Me, those working lawlessness!" Psa. 6:8

Brothers, truly my heart's pleasure and supplication to God on behalf of Israel is for it to be saved. For I testify to them that they have zeal to God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of Law for righteousness to everyone that believes. For Moses writes of the righteousness which is of the Law: "The man doing these things shall live by them." Lev. 18:5 Romans 10:1-5, LITV Jesus said He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. Isaiah said, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever." As Christians, we are not required or expected to live by the letter of the Torah, but we are wise to understand it, for its Author is "the same yesterday, today, and forever." There's an old saying: "The New Testament is hidden in the Old, the Old Testament is revealed in the New." I find fresh insights in studying the Old from the perspective of the New and vice-versa. If your purpose is to HONOR God by learning and following those restrictions, it should be a blessing to you, but it will not necessarily make you "more spiritual". One of the problems facing Jesus in the established religious institution of the first century was its external nature, focusing far more on appearance than substance. If discovering and implementing Hebrew customs and practices blesses your relationship with Christ, by all means pursue them. As for me, pass the bacon.

I've always liked Wuest's Word Studies, don't know if they're still in print. Keil and Delitzch are a great (expensive) set of OT commentaries, but are available on-line at e-sword.com

Missionary dating usually results in the conversion of the Christian from faithfulness to carnality. And you should NEVER date anyone you couldn't marry. That's when the Christian experiences increased pull of the temptations of the flesh. If you are drawn to someone who is not a Christian, you should pursue them with the Kingdom first. If they receive Christ, then you could date. If not, you have saved yourself much heartbreak.

When God created them, they were perfect, and there was purpose in them. When Adam and Eve fell, the perfection of all creation was marred. Just figure that the buzzing of the skeeters is a whisper of the groaning of all creation, which awaits the restoration. Romans 8:22 Also, just because we don't know the purpose doesn't mean there isn't one. Generations of people believed that the appendix had no purpose, but recent breakthroughs indicate that it does. I'm not quite ready to share my home with mosquitos, but I'll defer judgement on their purpose until knowledge catches up with revelation.

It's a dangerous world out there. We would be wise to be prepared for any eventuality. If I were counseling the US military and government, I would suggest the wisdom of the Word of God:

MKJV For you who were offended, forgive me, according to the Scripture. For you who believe that it has been God the Father who has maintained the Truth of the Word through the generations, despite the frailties of His servants, know that this type of argument will never cease. When I prepare to speak the Word, I will continue to pick up my UBS Greek New Testament and Greek Lexicon, check it against Strong's Concordance, the NKJV, the NASB, Robertson's Word Pictures, Wuest's Word Studies, even the KJV from time to time, as well as many other helps, and speak from the Word under the direction of the Living Word. Those of you who wish to continue to live in the past will not disturb me with name-calling. If the KJV floats your boat, paddle away. By the way, when I used the phrase "cult of the KJV", it was not my intent to imply that those who hold that view were in the same category as Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses, and I sincerely apologize if I gave that impression.

AMEN!

The Cult of the KJV rears its head yet again. Too bad, I suppose, for those billions of Christians without access to God's Holy Word because they DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH. I'm not bad-mouthing the KJV. It's success speaks for its usefulness in the history of the faith. But there is no room in the Trinity for an idol, no matter how glorious its past. Perhaps you remember the brass serpents used by God to bring healing to the Hebrews in the wilderness? Over time, they became a stumbling block to the nation, and even were worshipped. As good as the KJV has been, none of the translators wished it to be the "last word" for all time. They expected scholarship to continue (and it has), they expected each generation to seek after the Living Word, and when updates were required due to the evolution of language, they expected those updates would happen. They did not expect nor desire their work to become a stumbling block or divider. Yet, every time a new translation was proposed in history, these same arguments have arisen. Even the KJV was vilified in its day by those who preferred the Great Bible, Wycliffe, Tyndale, etc. It is sad to me that those who denounce modern translations try to couch their argument in terms that indicate that God Himself only speaks with verbs ending in "-th". I suppose this illustrates one of the Parables: As far as Westcott-Hort, they have already faced judgement for their sins, and I find no benefit in indulging in gossip about them. Too bad the Lord couldn't find perfect people to carry on His work, like Noah (drunk), Moses (murderer/coward), Rahab (whore), David (adulterer/murderer), Peter (coward), Paul (vindictive religionist). The work of God will continue, and debate will rage over the use of ancient texts. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord--no matter what translation we take to church tomorrow.

First: For those who know Christ as Saviour, Hell is no longer a possibility. Second: Recently, I awoke in the night with a line of thinking that would have led me to sin. I realized I had no strength to fight it on my own, so I prayed "Lord, I have no strength to fight. Please shield me and protect me now." And He did. As I committed my mind unto Him, the thoughts left and I returned to restful slumber. Satan has probably recognized a weakness he wants to exploit in you, possibly a spirit of fear. Protect yourself by knowing what the Word says and how to put it into action with His help. We are in a spiritual warzone. Don't be a careless casualty, but put on the whole armor of God, and be prepared to resist the devil and his temptations.

As far as gun control goes, I always enjoyed that great 20th century philosopher, Archie Bunker, who, in response to the normal careless left-wing thinking of his TV daughter about how many people are killed by guns every year, said "Would it make youse feel bettah, little girl, if they was throwed out of windows?" Somewhere back in the beginning of this thread, there was a question along the lines of "What should Christians do? Should we join boycotts, send letters/emails, join protests?" My answer is "Yes". We need to be involved with getting our voice heard. Otherwise, those pushing or allowing these agendas will think we either don't care or we agree with them. It doesn't mean they will change their minds or their actions, but hopefully it will keep them from running roughshod over the truth. Someone pointed out that Jesus Himself took a violent approach to the money lenders in the Temple. Those who were making the most profit from those money lenders did not appreciate it, but chose to redouble their efforts to destroy Jesus and His message. (Mark 11:18) We may not convince them, we may anger them, but that does not reduce our responsibility to be true. However, I think the Scripture speaks to the most effective way we as individual believers, regardless of our opinions, can impact the culture for its own good: If MY people who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land2 Chronicles 7:14 Too often, we leave prayer as the last resort. But if we believe that God hears us, and that He has commanded us to pray, and provided a permanent access to His presence through the Blood of Christ, then prayer should be our FIRST resort. The passionate prayer of faith is powerful when predicated on the Will of God and the Word of God. It is OUR responsibility to seek His face, to acknowledge our part in the problem, and to seek His deliverance. Then He will do the work of changing hearts that only He can do. It's been said that every great move of God began when a few believers decided to take Him at His Word and devote themselves to prayer. The great Welsh revival in the UK and the Great Awakening in the US are just 2 in recent history that can be traced to a small group who gave themselves to prayer like Americans give themselves to TV, or to Big Macs. Too often, we are guilty of taking the "Whine and Moan" approach, as if we hope that an annoying tone can accomplish our desires. Let's covenant together to forsake the natural, human response, and choose the supernatural, Godly response of devoted prayer.

Depression, whatever its cause, is common, even among those who have most cause to rejoice: those whose sins are forgiven. It sounds like the mental habits of a lifetime are working against you, stealing your joy and peace in Christ. I recommend a little Scriptural discipline to help you combat those habits: ...whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things...and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 This is not an attempt to pull yourself out of a funk in your own strength. It is a matter of changing your habitual, natural mindset to a Godly, transformed mindset (Romans 12:1-2), and it may take a while. Overnight, miraculous changes are indeed wonderful, but God has called us to be DISCIPLES: people exercising discipline day by day. Gladly, He has not left us helpless or hopeless in this struggle. This is not meant to minimalize the problems of anyone who suffers from clinical depression, but to offer help to those of us who struggle from time to time.

In the Bible, when there is a manifest presence of God or His messengers, a common response is to fall down, lose strength, pass out (see Daniel 10, Revelation 1:17). At the same time, many non-Christian religions have similar expressions during fits of religious ecstasy, including (but not limited to) voo-doo in Haiti. IMO, it could be real, but it could also be counterfeit. As I am not a big fan of Hinn, I tend to be skeptical of the "show". However, for those involved, the Lord could indeed be touching them in a special way, and I'm prepared to be persuaded by their testimony as it is lived out. Test all things; hold fast what is good. 1 Thess. 5:21 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1John 4:1

The best Bible translation is the one you read and apply to your life. There is value in many modern translations and in the many that were in existence before the KJV. Messianic Renewed Covenant Version Messianic Renewed Covenant Version Notice that "versions" are not mentioned. The God who can preserve His Word through the generations is certainly able to preserve it despite disputes about English translations, and He still makes it live for His own today.