Aleksander

churches that accepted homosexuals is not news, it was natural to expect them to allow the homosexuals so serve. these are the last days, this much is to be expected. not that it is right. nor that we should sit and look at all of it. and wait for Christ to come back. but that we should realize that the world is becoming more and more perverted and since the churches are not changing the world, the world is changing the churches. including in our language: "gey" means happy, but today it is, along with "lesbian", also a politically correct term for homosexual, and not all Christians today are avoiding these politically correct terms, afraid of calling homosexuality homosexuality, sin by its name, out of fear or man or whatnot.

hm, let me see if i can explain it(and i hope i get him right) If America continues being a nation that does not help the poor, then either we a)have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are or b) knowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition while admitting to ourselves and others that we just do not want to do what He said in other words, America needs to start to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, or continue in not serving and not obeying His commandment but not without first either a)pretending that Jesus was just as selfish as we are or b)admit that He indeed commanded us to serve but we just don't want to do it because if we continue not doing it, but continue talking about it, then the unbeliever will see this as hypocrisy that we will then have to somehow explain to them as being a)normal things, that Jesus was as selfish as we are and we are thus not being hypocrites, just following His example(and in this making Him look like a hypocrite) or b)He did say it and do it, but we are the hypocrites who say we do His will while not admitting to ourselves that we are not doing it when we are not serving simply put, be hypocrites if we want, must, but admit to it so as to detach ourselves from the message of "care for the poor" that we are preaching. because if we do not detach our hypocritical selves from it, then His name is slandered, and if we detach ourselves from Him and the message, then maybe the unbeliever who hears the message elsewhere(or even from us but knows that we are not doing it ourselves and admit that we are not doing it) he or she will be free to look at Jesus as Jesus is, not as we portray Him. we can't, by preaching it [the message], strap ourselves to the the message of serving the poor if we are not going to be going what we are preaching and in it [in doing so, in not serving], hindering and slandering the message and God and Jesus with our hypocritical way. either preach and do, or preach but say you will not do and are only preaching for the sake of preaching. eh, i think that's what it means. does that sound about right?

Osama Bin Laden or Jesus? Someone else's possible sins, or our own? Food for though, folks, food for though, no? those there are good questions to ask, no? as much as these news are possibly just another lie, one has to have faith that justice will be served, especially if he or she is a Christian; man won't do evil forever. officially, i am sceptical of this announcment, but if indeed he is dead, then this is the end of a man who claimed to serve God. weather or not Osama is guilty is not ours to decide, God is the Judge, not us. Osama might have done this or that, but we don't know what and how and why, satan could have polluted his mind as much as anyone else's. did he order the killing is not the question to raise our weapons over, the focus of those should be sifted to elswhere; we pick up the Sword of the Spirit either when evengelizing, defending fron the satan and his demons, or lovingly confronting sinners. or apply to ourselveds. screaming "Murder!" is not lovingly confronting Osama. or anyone else for that matte, no? remember what Jesus said about the log and the twig and the eyes? i think that maybe instead of "is he dear or not", "to celebrate or not"(isn't "God bless America!" a celebration cry over death of man still?), people should instead concentrate on their own faults: you don't have to order a killing of 3 000 to be a murderer, just one makes you a murderer. and remember what Jesus said about hate and murder? Matthew 5. so how many murdered even though we don't realize it? you may hate and not actually kill, and that is good, God helped you not to. but remember what Paul said about those who think they stand? and hate-murder is but one of many sins each and everyone guity of. food for though there too, many claim to serve God... this is am much a reminder to me as to anyone though and i can't help but feel uneasy, i too claim to serve God but don't always do things His way, which is really not serving Him at all, just myself. so what could my end be? and instead of making a worldwide deal from a death of one man, why not make a world wide celebration of One who conqured death? this is still Easter season, not season to celebrate Osama's death. its too easy to pick this up and carry it on, but as Christians, who are we paying time and attention to? a dead man who possibly killed people, or God who is alive and gives life to people through His death and ressurection? indeed, Osama Bin Laden or Jesus? Someone else's possible sins, or our own? Food for though, folks, food for thought.

i think my vocabulary is going to expend from just reading your post and looking up new to me words... assuming I memorize them that is. Which psychology says is best done by associating a particular thing that needs to be memorized and or remembered withing a context. I guess it means associating a picture of a man in a dark coat and no brighter hat on a bus stop or walking pass one and on his way up the street through the outpouring of the record rain levels, and some imaginary dark swirling form or shape(minus the colors) to represent chaos added to the picture... all to better remember the word "forlorn". or use the word "resemblance" to better the odd of remembering "semblance". a much need reminder... but one easily heeded. compelled i am. and actually inspired to pen down some of my own tired soul and its trying to put the ramblings of my mind into some semblance of order and or forlorn. say, if i myself understood what i just said, because i think i might be going mad myself. back off from a good solid (non penetrable material like block or brick) wall 25 to 30 feet and run as fast as you can and right before impact tuck your head down... after you regain consciousness you will find relief that you are still alive a much improved emotional state then that of insanity Love Steven sound to be an idea most appealing... minus the pain of the impact and the risk of death though, somehow i can?

You see, we all die physically, One thing I have noticed, more then one person in the Bible were raised from the dead. They all died again! Not one of them, at least to my knowledge is alive and kicking on earth to this day. So why worry about our physical death. The when and how we die is not as important as how we lived, and if we have chosen Jesus or not. So if we have chosen Christ, then our physical death is only the beginning of a new and eternal life with Christ. This then makes it clear why the word says This means we get to be with the Lord with 100% of our being. So does this mean that we should seek to die? To become self destructive, to become depressed and not to try to live? No! Lets look at what Paul says. For we can be fruitful in our life, as he says to live is Christ! We are to live for Christ and yet look forward to heaven. As C.S. Lewis put it Now there is hope when you are in Christ. How ever if you reject him, you have chosen the spiritual second death, known as hell. You chose this while on earth. Now to address the question of God killing or ordering the killing of people in the old testament. If its only the physical death, which we all face anyway then I do not see an issue. You see since we all die and go to the judgment seat of God, then as I stated before, its not as important how/when we die but how we lived. If we lived an evil life on earth, and God takes us off to prevent us from causing more harm, is that not up to him? If God killed a child molester who had molested several children and kept doing it unrepentantly, would anyone call God evil, or cruel, for taking a danger off the earth to the final judgment? You see when ever God did order or cause the death of people in the Bible, there was a good reason. He took them to the Judgment, where he judged them by there life on earth. So in a nutshell its this. If you don't know Christ, he wants to give you life, and life eternal. He made the way so you can join him! If you know Christ, then do not forget to think about heavenly things, to life for Christ not for yourself. I know to many people who professing Christ, seem to forget this. They only focus on selfish things and do not live for Christ but for themselves. They miss the whole point! And for those who are struggling remember we have Hope! Never thought of that verse that way… a whole new light on things. Thank you Hm, sound like Paul is trying to pick between staying alive for their benefit and death for his and God’s. in my case, its death to escape the pain of this life would be good, but I am not too eager to stay for the benefits of others… as bad and wrong as that is and as bad and as wrong as that sounds. Food for though there. Thank you. True, we have this hope and the people of the world do not, to them, their loved one is lost, gone. And yes, this is suppose to be comfort for those of us struggling and i am not going to argue the validity of the point, but i have trouble applying it to myself; that is hope for the future... what about now though, when there are problems now... yes i know this means my eyes are still fixed on things temporary, not thing eternal, but i don't see why this would negate the validity of my concern with the now. theoretically, i know a change of what my sight is fixed on(from still fixed on things temporary to fixed on things eternal) will bring about the change of the attitude to the correct one, but i am not eager to, it just seems like a great way to make me not care about what i am dealing with now... if the future is secure, then it is not important to me to think about, but the now is, since it is not secure as far as i am concerned; up there in His realm things may be happening, but down here seems to be nothing happening... and i am here now, have to deal with it all, alone, empty handed, without these untold riches that are supposedly in some account somewhere in His realm that i am supposedly have access to... when i need them. yeah, well, i'd rather come and take what i need now and use it for what i need now, not sit here with nothing(well, almost nothing) waiting for these riches to grow into bigger riches... that i can only have access to when i get there where You are... someday, when none of this will neither be here anyway nor matter at all... until then i am supposedly Yours but have to be subject to the what a wasted life, sitting here with nothing but Your untold riches that i can't even use(well, some i can)... so much for a princedom, should have said that right away that it only applies for when i die and get Home and here and now i'll have to suffice with being a pauper with an illusion of princedom, and will be forced to depend on pity and last minute miraculous pulling out of fire or whatever. though i should be happy that You are still in business of the last minute miraculous pulling out of fire in regards to me and i am still in health, still not completely broke and still not completely alone because if You were not still in business of the last minute miraculous pulling out of fire in regards to me then i'd be totally broke, totally alone and maybe ever totally dead, instead of in health. yeah, Your way and Your time... too bad down here that translates to me losing what You supposedly gave me... should have right away said that this is all a temporary loan that You reserve the right to take it back should You see fit... not a "gift". yeah, You never left and I am not alone... but You are not doing anything about it, just sending orders to set the wheels in motion... and while You are MIA i have to sit down here alone and deal with it all, left with nothing but hoping those wheels spin fast enough to come here on time when i need help now, not in the last minute miraculous pulling out of fire. i don't need bigger muscle, You'll be pushing the load anyway, by Your strength and power, not mine... and instead of doing what i can do, i'll just be walking by You and under the illusion that i am doing something... yeah, point taken, i never did anything by my own strength and power, it was always You and Your strength and power... too bad i was told that i was doing something... and no, they don't... but if it is not Your idea then maybe soon i'll be allowed to not do that.

Every Thread Is About Jesus Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:6-11 And About His Love Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18 And The Power As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Psalms 103:12 Of His Blood And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation 1:5 To Those Who Trust In Him If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 Dear Brother Stand Fast In His Word For It's Forever And True Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalms 119:11 ____________ _________ ______ ___ Be Blessed Beloved Of The KING Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25 Love, Your Brother Joe ____________ _________ ______ ___ I Love You LORD What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. Psalms 116:12-13 I Love You amen. and i don't use that word a lot, so... i mean, at the end of the prayer, yes, mine or other's, but aside from that, not really all that often. maybe that's the part of the problem though. and thanks FresnoJoe(Joe, right? )

a lot to do there... but thank you for the wise words, i can't deny them, so i better listen to them. and for your prayers, too, thank you. can't help but feel disgusted with myself for all the things i said... to you all and to God. i am sorry everyone for anything i said that hurt or was offensive, and for making this about me, for hijacking the topic. and i am sorry God, for all the hurtful things i said... You are here, You never left, You take care of me and did everything needed for me, even if it don't feel that way. this time of the year, i ought to celebrate Your death on the cross for me and Your resurrection and the forgives it brings me if i confess my sins and repent. instead i am celebrating myself and my problems. thank You for your mercy and for being patient with me. i was wrong in trying to test the limit of how much i can get away with before You say "Enough!" and i was wrong in provoking You to discipline me. as You know too well, i have serious trust issues, particularly, not giving it until i know someone is worth of my devotion and trust), and this is(because of my pride) the only way i accept as a way to know if someone cares or not, trustworthy or not. this of course is wrong, i am supposed to trust easily and readily, as Christians, You children, are supposed to. and to challenge Your honesty and trustworthiness is a sin, and i should be glad that i am alive and well and just being disciplined, not killed for my, hm, disrespect, distrust, blasphemy. this should be enough evidence that i am still in Your family, for if Christ's blood was not covering death penalty for sin, i'd probably be dead already. I was afraid of since then, You know that all too well, and still am... i think. i guess this was Your way of teaching me not to be afraid of You, Your punishments(or more correctly, discipline) and not to be afraid to talk to You as frank, open, and honest as i need to be... healthy fear(respect, fear of offending or disappointing) yes, but without fear of being smitten to death for my words. frankly, how You did it is not the way i'd agree with, but i can't argue with the electiveness of how You did as it seems to have worked. i say seems because frankly i still don't trust You as i am supposed to, mainly because i am not willing to. progress in the right direction is good, glad You care to get me here(too bad about the scars though), but frankly i don't want to jump that chasm just yet. i was going to say "not yet, not with nothing to hold on to" but that'd technically be not true, since i have Your Bible, You Written Contract, to hold on to. i only reluctantly honor man's contracts, because i have to or i get nothing, and i reluctantly honor Yours. man can't be trusted, they lie, so i don't trust their contracts and hope that You'll watch out for me, look out for me, and not let me into some mess. it not fair, to say the least, to project the faults of man onto You, but while man's contract claim to be true, i still know they have disclaimers, subject to change, etc. You Contract claims to be absolutely true thought, and when i see that some things are not done yet, well, as far as i am concerned they may never get done then. Abraham was promise the promised land and he did set foot on it, but his children actually got it, technically. so You may have lots of true promises in Your Contract, but if some of them won't apply to me then how do i know all will apply, especially those that are key to survival. i hope You see my problem. i realize You demand full loyalty and faith in You, but... ah, whatever, nothing i can say after that "but" that will be right, so i better shut up and instead just jump the chasm already, blindly hoping that i'll end on the other side, somehow, instead of plummeting down into that bottomless pit or whatever that is. faith is the substance of things unseen and assurance of things hoped for, faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see(as NIV 2011 puts), but i don't have, don't want to have, the faith to jump that chasm. i'd much rather stay here and have the little i had, maybe that little will be restored to me, maybe, than to jump the chasm for that something that You say i could have that You say is better for me... bird in a hand, You know... though that's not Your words but just "wisdom" of man i guess. besides, as You already said, i have those promises to keep before anything changes. so i have no one to blame myself. i'd like to think that was not You who said that, but Your Bible is clear on my obligation of keeping promises... its unfair of me to not expect You to keep Yours because i don't keep mine, but... well, again, nothing i can say after that "but" that will be right, so i better shut up and instead just do what i promised to You that i'd do... no matter how much i don't like the potential consequences of keeping that promise... You could have found a better way to teach me about promise keeping... but then who am i to question Your wisdom... i guess lesson about promise keeping is not the only goal here, though, since so much more seems to ride on this, hm, opportunity You are presenting me with... it don't feel like an opportunity though... i am scared to go on with my saying what it feels like... instead, i should concentrate of finding ways to keep my promise... promise which, as much as i hate to admit it, i only made to get You to let me go because i didn't want to be on my knees in prayer at that particular time and You'd not let me go until i did promise it... i don't agree with being manipulated like that into doing something i don't want to be doing, literally and or figuratively washing anyone's feet... again... You used fear of death to get me to pray this sinner's prayer as people call it, then You used fear or whatever it was to get me to wash their feet once, then You manipulate my emotion so i'd make this promise and now will have to VOLUNTARILY, out of love for You and them as You say it, wash their feet, again, effectively signing myself off from being any kind of normal human and instead to be Your slave, or almost slave... i see what some of Your children go through in this life, especially closes they get to the slavery status... and i am not eager to VOLUNTARILY sign up for that... i also see some of Your children showering in Your blessings and they never even reached the point i am at(though i am only here because You tanked me all the way here... not by my own efforts)... and yeah You did come here and did wash Your disciple's feet... once... and i have to do it TWICE... yes You did come here and serve Your creation for 30 years... You were here on a mission to save the world though... i am not here to save humanity, as much as i wish to think i am or think i am like as if i am going to be used in some great way, i am not, so i don't need to be super clean piece of pottery, i think being burned once was enough, i don't need to be porcelain painted with ornaments, i'll take obscurity... it don't matter that i want to be used in big ways, its too expensive as far as i am concerned if price of being used in great ways means i have to suffer all this and lose all this... You may be infinitely rich and give infinite riches(material, spiritual, etc) to everyone, but i am not infinitely rich to pay this price, i have only so much left, i barely have anything left that was not touched yet by Your burning fire or maybe it was the fire Your former employee sent, that snake that wants nothing better than to see me dead or torn away from You... guess he's been to Your place recently, badmouthing me, and You have to prove him wrong now and i have to suffer the pain of the process... his lies mixed with truth are more important than me, i guess... we both know You could have very well just told him which part of what he said was true and what was false... yes i know its a sin to compare myself to Job, i have not suffered nearly as much as he did... and i am by no means on his level... as much as i like to think i am... and since i am not, then maybe i should not be here typing up all this for all to see, You know, as if to exemplify that even today they can have the same level or unrestrained communication that You allow me, that Job's frankness with You is not just for the pages of the Bible but Your children can have that too, today... but then again, i guess it probably my idea that i am supposed to be doing this, not Yours... generally, Your ideas when they are implemented, You provide smooth implementing, and You children don't have to keep on keeping on in this watered down earthly version of hell... i thought that since the snake is in Your spiritual realm, i was hoping You'd take care of him there... instead of that war spilling over to here and now. somehow when its was for Daniel, Your Archangels warred with the snake in Your spiritual realm and then Daniel got a visit... and whoever is fighting for me, their war spills over here and i have to get hurt... but then again, i don't know what Daniel went through during those 21 days(fast, prayer, all those, as described 10:1-3)... it is all going on in Your realm and then You and him and Your and his armies are going at it to see who wins, that's great i have You to protect me. but why do i get caught in the crossfire? i already said my official allegiance is to You and there is NOTHING he can do to change that, the snake back-stabbed me, i have no intentions of going back... unless You decide to send me away... which i don't expect You to, You said You want me in Your family and i love the idea... i just didn't realize it meant all this, hm, discipline... or that i'd have to be a slave... but i was his slave... so it would only be fair... and yes i know its not fair, to say the least, to expect You to treat me the way he treated me. in any case though, i'd like to go now... i am spending more time than usual, every day now, almost, with You and Your goals, and it is by no means easy, seems when i am around, i get hurt, be it by cheap shots from the snake or the holy fire of Yours... i think i want to be somewhere where i don't have to suffer either... at least for now, until i can lick my wounds so to say, heal... i may not die from this war, but woulds are wounds, there is only so much i can take before i want to get a time off... maybe the black stripe can be over soon? some white would be nice. but then again, where is the longsuffering if i am going to be taking a brake and leaving my post. i am sorry for accusing You of my own faults and expecting You to treat me the way that snake did. and thank you for this time and the forgiveness. Grazie e ArrivederLa Pappa. i think i do need to leave the topic though, as this is about gambling and all that... not about me.

FresnoJoe. thank you. the first passage seems to be there to comfort me in some way? thank you. but second one though, i am not sure i understand the point. enoob57 when i said deophobic, i mean

i am not sure i understand that part. after the past years and the recent increased stress on conquering fear of death... i wonder if 2011 is my year... i am by no mean ready. even as i sit here and type this i am feeling uneasy, and uneasy talking about my fear of death that is supposed to be irrational fear now and my struggles of trying to conquer this fear of death. but this is way off topic... i think its time i took my own advice i posted elsewhere and redefined my own deophobic mind.

First off the op was about makeing gambling your job. I.e. A professional poker player, not if it was sinful many threads tackle that issue. Also starting your own bussness is also at times considered a gamble. So what are we talking about when you define a gamble? Also sometimes greed is a motivator but with high stakes game its not the money but the thrill. Also if you win enough to make a living then it's not really a gamble! Those who try to win big that have no clue what they are doing lose. I grew up in a casino town I have seen it enough. If you can win more then you lose every time you are either a cheat, or are playing Poker and are good at reading people. Now as Candice has pointed out there are also calculated risk such as the stock market.. Some even gamble with this some are wise. Some are foolish . I also enjoy playing poker on my iPod with computer genereated chips that have no cash value just for fun.Does this make me a gambler and greedy? Does it take me into a seedy casino? Also as the Op said please back up with scripture yeah, i did read that part, but its kind of hard (or i am just too lazy) to find scriptural support for all i said(or any of it, i guess). ok, but why this for a job then? what i mean is, wouldn't it be dancing too close to the fire, flirting with danger? if you know you can handle, then sure, why not, sure, God can provide in different ways. but its just hard for me to picture Him wanting His children to make a living on poker, a game typical of secular crowd, a form of entertainment that is promoted by the world... Christians are supposed to be not conforming to the world's standard. that and i think(because i was taught so) that the game has questionable origins. nor does it sound like a scripturally supported form of entertainment. and it uses cards(from a game that again, i was told is of questionable origins). very good answer. i notice in this thread most people are thinking of traditional gambling, like cards and dice. me, i was thinking that there are other forms of gambling.... for instance, people who make their money playing games of skill, like pool. in every pool hall across america you can find some high stakes games going on with money riding on the outcome. no cheating. and not really "work" either. but your example of investing is far better of an example than billiards or other games where gambling takes place. and i agree with your last sentence too... you do have to take risks to be a god steward. and, i'm one of those who doesn't believe that gambling, in and of itself, is a sin. kinda makes me in the minority around here. still though, i'm not sure i'd feel comfortable saying that it's not a sin to make a living with some gamble or other. i guess that's why i'm not God, i'll leave that between the individual and Him! maybe it is not, since hon-human things(like music, a gun, etc) tend to be not a sin in and of itself, and sin some of that which what humans make of those objects. but then this leaves room to debate smoking and drinking and who knows what else. yeah, i should have done that too. very good answer. i notice in this thread most people are thinking of traditional gambling, like cards and dice. me, i was thinking that there are other forms of gambling.... for instance, people who make their money playing games of skill, like pool. in every pool hall across america you can find some high stakes games going on with money riding on the outcome. no cheating. and not really "work" either. but your example of investing is far better of an example than billiards or other games where gambling takes place. and i agree with your last sentence too... you do have to take risks to be a god steward. and, i'm one of those who doesn't believe that gambling, in and of itself, is a sin. kinda makes me in the minority around here. still though, i'm not sure i'd feel comfortable saying that it's not a sin to make a living with some gamble or other. i guess that's why i'm not God, i'll leave that between the individual and Him! As there is no ordinance as such in Scripture in regard to gambling, we are left with liberty to choose and in doing so we are told not to judge others by our own conscience Cor 10:29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another [man's] conscience? Rom 14:4 Who are you that judge another man's servant? to his own master he stands or falls. Yes, he shall be held up: for God is able to make him stand. hm, that is the liberty allowed to us and i should have allowed OP to use that liberty, without making my zealous accusations that were based on my own faults. this whole thing sort of reminds me of what i was reading about today is Isaiah 6 and how it goes in accord with a verse from 2nd Corinthians 3:18. for chapter 6 of Isaia, as we look at God

how many of that 1 000 000 actually know anything about Easter though.

gambling potentially is: by logical extension, distrusting God to provide, way of making money in case He does not provide all we need is rooted in greed, no? love of money is love of money, even if cause is or may seem noble by logical extension, a form of irresponsible stewardship; we were entrusted with everything we have, but gambling, since it involves risk of losing it(sometimes all of it), irresponsible stewardship by logical extension, a discontent with what God did provide, us wanting more all in all, i think it is always better not to get involved with gambling in any way, no matter how noble or justifiable it may seem. a job that provides enough can be found. or start your own business.

hello everyone. Today I wish to share something with you all but at the same time get some feedback on whether or not this is sound interpretation of the passage which says that there is nothing that is hidden that will not be revealed: ‎"For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad." Luke 8:17 (King James Version) What I am unsure of is the interesting implications that may be seen after reading this verse as it is in the Italian Bibles. I am only taking a second semester of Italian, so if anyone here does speak it and understands it, feel free to correct and explain anything that I may misunderstand. But also, I am also hoping to, as I already said, get some feedback on whether or not this is sound interpretation of the passage in terms of how much this agrees or not agrees with the Bible. --- “Non c'è nulla di nascosto che non debba essere manifestato, nulla di segreto che non debba essere conosciuto e venire in piena luce. ” Luca 8:17 (Conferenza Episcopale Italiana) (literally, it more or less reads: Not there is nothing of hidden that not should to be expressed, nothing of (withheld) secret that not should to be known and to come to in full light) [sarà future form of essere(to be)] [debba-should- present tense subjunctive of dovere(have to, must)] (Google translated as: There is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nothing secret that will not be known and come to full light.) Interesting how it says "except to be revealed", like, I guess, except to be revealed at the end. Withheld is also an interesting word that Google translator gave, which I think add its own nuance to the verse, withheld from someone and or everyone. Also interesting, and even more so, it the use of conosciuto(known)(from conoscere-to know) as opposed to saputo(known)(from sapere-to know). The two are adjectives describing something or someone known. But the interesting part is that both are respective forms of two corresponding verbs, which, while both conveying the meaning of ‘to known’, both have different meanings in a way, different meaning of ‘to know’, and these nuances are carried to their respective adjective forms as well, from what I understand. Sapere is to know something: as in find out something(information, a fact of some kind(a state capital, that the party will start at this or that time, etc)); or know something as in know how to do something(like, to cook); and also a quick familiarization with something(I think). Example is you learned a name of a city, and that is now saputo a tu, known to you, and you know that there is a city with that name somewhere. Conoscere on the other hand is different tone of 'to know': in some cases to know something on more than a surface level; to meet somebody for the first time; to know somebody. Example is I introduce my friend to you. Or after I introduced the two of you to each other, you two talked, etc and now they are conosciuto(known) to you and you are consciouto(known) to them. To add further examples: husband and wife would conoscere each other, not sapere; you’d sapere that there is a city somewhere with a specific name, but if you visit that city some day, maybe even live there, the city would be conosciouto to you, you’d conoscere the city. The implication? Whatever is hidden, maybe even hoped that it would never even be allowed for anyone sapere about it, instead it would all be brought to light and everyone, on the Day of Judgment, will conoscere about it. I am not sure how correct it is to say "everyone", but I think it is for sure that at the very least you and God will know about it. (Both God and we knew already, of course, but sometimes we don't always admit everything to ourselves and to God, and here we will, in face of evidence and irrefutable proof.) --- “Poiché non vi è nulla di nascosto che non sarà manifestato, né di segreto che non debba essere conosciuto e portato alla luce.” Luca 8:17 (La Nuova Diodati) (literally, it more or less reads: since not there is nothing of hidden that not will be expressed, (nor)(or)(either) of hidden that not should to be known and brought to the light) [sarà future form of essere(to be)] [debba-should- present tense subjunctive of dovere(have to, must)] (Google translated as: Since there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known and come to light.) Again, interesting how conosciuto is used and not saputo. --- “Infatti non c'è niente che ora è nascosto che non sarà portato alla luce, né di segreto che non sarà rivelato.” Luca 8:17 (La Parola è Vita) (literally, it more or less reads: in fact not there is nothing that now is hidden that is not to be brought to the light, nothing of secret that not to be revealed) [sarà future form of essere(to be)] [ora-now, hour, this hour] (Google translated as: In fact there is nothing that is now hidden that will not be brought to light, or hidden that will not be revealed.) This is very interesting choice of words: in fact. Since God said so, then indeed it is in fact. It’s not that maybe no one will ever know since it was back in the day or I hid it or something. But God Himself said that it will be revealed, so in fact it will be revealed, God does not lie, and as the other two translations imply, not only it will be saputo but conosciuto. In fatti literally reads “in facts” ,which when considered in the context of life opens up another picture: in facts of life it is obvious that it will all be in fact brought to light: again and again things people do, say, think and so on are in fact later brought to light: it a fact that they are later brough to light, and are brough to light in facts, as in, facts are presented that bring these things to light. the facts of when things are brought to light, in those facts it will be brought to light. and not only on this earth, it will be in facts(facts that something did happen) will be brough to light at the Day of Judgement. --- To the common objection to this verse(from non-believers and maybe even some Christians since not all Christians life as if everything will be revealed in the end) is that some things are never revealed(like unsolved murders, etc), this verse is a clear indication that not only it will all be revealed, it will be revealed in a way these murderers never hoped and they will be brought to justice by God because He promised things will be revealed. Not only murderers who “got away with it” in this life. Our so called little things that we silence out conscience over, or things that we hide and hope no one will ever find out about much less have any kind of deeper knowledge of(how we sat at the comp screen and at what times, etc), they too will all come out, for all to conoscere(with all the details how he or she did it, no matter how intimate), not just for all to sapere(oh, he or she did it). Simply put, no wiggle room; it will come out and it will come out with all the details, no matter how intimate. Simply put, staring at the screen of your life which will reveal everything, even the most intimate details. --- Now to read Revelation 20:12 and keep all this in mind. http://bible.cc/revelation/20-12.htm "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Revelation 20:12 KJV Now, I understand that Jesus was talking about not hiding the lit lamp, which I wonder if that is the only context this verse is to be considered in, and maybe I am too quick to try and fit it here. Especially to the Revelation verse quoted. Lastly, this one thing about this passage in the context of not hiding the lit lamp. We are the light and the salt of the world. If Christians try to hide the light, the lamp(be it in fear of persecution, or embarrassment or whatever else), it just won't work; eventually, not only will everyone know about it(sapere)(oh, he or she is a Christian, we didn't know) but also all about it, to the extent of conoscere may imply(he or she is a Christian, but hid it(this would of course also expose the Christian's being ashamed of who she or he is), since I think God will not be letting His children hide who they are(except I guess where it will be deadly and not their time yet?). In itself it is a less than moral thing Christians do, hiding who they are. So then if we light the lamp but hide it, again, it will be revealed that we are, and if needed, with a conviction of sin(hiding who they are despite having been commanded to be the light and salt of the world, hiding who they are out of fear or embarrassment or whatever else). So what do you all think? Anything in here that does not belong, does not sound right, does not agree with the Bible?

as i put in on my Facebook page, blasphemy and MSG language are now official language... sigh.

thank you nebula , good post.