wingnut-

I am not one for going to the cemetery, but I understand it brings many people comfort. It doesn't for me, so I only enter when someone is being laid to rest. So, no, I did not go today. I actually had to work earlier, but at least I have the evening off. The threads do just go up as posted I think, so the last five typically show, or at least how my page is setup.

Praying God's will be done.

Hello turtle, My family is all military, so this is a special but also sad day for me as well. Praying for you and for all our military men and women, present and past, God bless.

I don't agree with his conclusions as to there being two raptures, but I do agree with the Holy Spirit not being the restrainer. I am in agreement with LastDaze as far as seeing Michael a much more likely candidate. Specifically, in regards to the argument of the Holy Spirit being removed, don't forget what Jesus said in John 14. John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. As long as there is one believer on this planet, the Holy Spirit is with that individual, and we know for certain that believers come out of the tribulation. In regards to this specific argument from Ezra, I would ask what the below scripture qualifies as? Revelation 20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

Yes. Yes indeed

I think the meaning of life can be summed up in a word, refinement.

They didn't have to do anything. Josh should have come clean, he did not tell the FRC about it. The sisters didn't need to be brought into it, juvenile records are sealed, there didn't need to be a witch hunt. If you have something official stating he was 14 or 15 then what does that change exactly? I am not saying the guy doesn't deserve grace and forgiveness, but I am not going to excuse something this serious either. I hope the money was worth it, because what has happened from not being upfront, they have to relive it again. How thoughtful is that for the victims? It just doesn't appear to me that anyone was thinking at all.

Why go on TV at all? I haven't seen anything official stating 14 or 15, can you share the link to that information?

He was 17 when he did this as far as anything I have seen officially on this. Now what I do is put myself back at 17, and the thought never even entered my mind to do that. I'm sorry, but here in Michigan if you urinate in public you are a registered sex offender. That means you can't get a job around children, no church that does a background check is going to allow you to work in the nursery or youth ministry. I am simply talking about something not all that complicated, it was a poor decision to put yourself under a microscope with that kind of history. Had this been introduced on the show from the start, then I have nothing to question. What I see in silence is guilt, shame, and I think this is probably the best thing for Josh. Why should a believer be ashamed of something forgiven them? Don't our testimonies show His strength, where He brought us from to where we are now? Isn't that what showing fruits is all about? I don't have anything against this family, the family didn't do it, he did. Putting yourself in the spotlight of national attention, you have to not think of just yourselves, but of whom you represent. Not to mention, the alleged victims are his younger siblings according to what I have seen. I haven't seen one official document regarding juvenile proceedings, so I am not sure why others believe there are. Here juvenile records are sealed, maybe it is not the same in other places, so I have to wonder how anyone could know about records. What you can find out, is if they exist, or if there is no file on the matter. The bottom line, I am praying for that family, what an awful place they all find themselves in right now. I am also praying for Josh, that regardless of anything else, he grows in his relationship with the Lord through this time. I never implied these are bad people, or that they are bad parents, in a family that large, it is not surprising that at least one of them has done something wrong.

I think the issue for me with all of this is the cover up. There was no justice served as I see it. If Josh had been held accountable then there really wouldn't be anything to complain about. I also think it is foolish to put one's self under the microscope with a skeleton like this in the closet. This family should have never been on TV in the first place, and he certainly never had any place accepting a job with the FRC. As far as judging, well, fellow believers are the only ones we are supposed to examine, so I think people have this completely backward. I suspect Josh needed to be held accountable for his actions, and all things are brought to light in good time. This may be a blessing in disguise for him personally. Sadly, what this has done is paint Christianity in a bad light, which reflects on all of us, and more importantly takes away from Jesus.

Well, first I would have to believe that the rapture takes place first, which I don't. I don't because that is not what scripture says. It also does not say there will be a cashless society. As for the temple, we are not told when it will be built, only that it will be built in time for the beast to desecrate it, which happens at the midway point of the seven years.

welcome to worthy

i am testing out unarchiving a thread in general, we will see what happens

I have always owned guns, never shot at anyone yet.

Hello cruisy, I understand where you are coming from, so I just want to share with you what is on my heart. I will try not to ramble on too much, so forgive me if I wander a bit in this response. First I would like to address the idea of religion, and my take on it. Religion is something man constructed, so it is full of errors because man is full of errors. Belief is something completely different. I don't view my beliefs as religion, they are based on faith. How does a church play into all of this? For those of us who were raised in a church setting, that setting provided a foundation of beliefs. Not all of those beliefs are necessarily biblical. The only way for an individual to get to the bottom of what is true and what is not, is to read for themselves. One major misconception that is so often used as a shield by unbelievers is that believers only believe what they believe because someone else taught them this way. That is not the case at all, for myself I can assure you of that. In fact, I have never just accepted something because someone else says it. What I believe is based on my own conclusions, and when it comes to scripture, it is based on what the Holy Spirit directs me. Unlike many people, I don't believe the bible is as complicated as it is made out to be, God did not provide something for us and make it confusing or difficult. I also have a Berean approach when it comes to scripture, so I don't agree with people who want to change things around or try and make it apply to something peripherally. The bottom line though, there is nothing I can say to prove or convince you of what I believe. This is not my area, or anyone else's, that is something the Holy Spirit can and will do for anyone earnestly seeking Him. We are each responsible for our own eternal destination, no one can determine that for us, any more than we can determine that for someone else. How God will deal with each individual person when it comes to judgement is at His discretion, but in regards to those who you feel are not born into the right conditions, I believe scripture addresses that issue. Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. I have studied other religions and beliefs, and what I have found is that they all contain contradictions or violations of logic to one degree or another. While one may wish to make the same claim in regards to Christianity, what they cannot do is find these attributes within Christ. Study the epi-center of what Christianity is supposed to be, and you will find no fault in our Savior. I am not going to pick apart other beliefs, but if you trace them back, you will find issues at their core. You may be able to find fault in followers of Christ, but that is the entire point of His sacrifice. He had to be the perfect sacrifice, or all men would suffer the consequences of eternal damnation. This is why Christianity is exclusive, because Jesus was very clear that He is the only way to eternal life. To be a Christian, one must embrace this crucial fact. It is certainly not out of malice or because we want to see others go to hell, the truth is we want the opposite. Only you can decide this for yourself, and it requires effort on your part, as any relationship does. I am certain that if you seek the truth, you will find it. In regards to the infallibility of the bible itself, the answer to me is found below. II Timothy 3:16,17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. May the Lord richly bless you in your search for the truth.

For the last couple of months I can't get this scripture from drifting across my mind... but then reality hits me and I realize that there really isn't much of any place to go... when I read that verse i think of Amish and Mennonites When I read that verse, I think of Jesus second coming.

I think if a person introduces their significant other to me as their spouse, that is a public profession. I mean, when you meet someone and they say this is my spouse, do you ask them about how that came about?

I agree with Steve, the piece of paper means nothing, especially nowadays. I did the whole ceremony thing, and I enjoyed my wedding day immensely. However, since the woman I married did not honor her vows, it really didn't matter in the end. What matters is that two people enter a covenant with each other and God, and they honor that covenant. No amount of tradition makes it more valid.

welcome to worthy

It's not a parable, you are trying to interpret things rather than accept them at face value. And no one is condemning them, those who care are the ones who speak the truth to them. Telling people they can get to heaven without accepting Jesus will lead to their destruction if they believe the ear tickling doctrine.

God is uncaused and uncreated- He simply exists.From nothing,nothing comes.God is the uncaused Being that caused everything else to exist. I agree, and because God said "let there be light", and there was light, is a pretty clear indicator that God is not physical light. He didn't create Himself, or speak Himself into existence, that is the point.

Your belief encounters problems with scripture, such as the scripture I posted and here is another issue from scripture in regards to your belief. Revelation 21:8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” You claim to love the Word of God and then simply dismiss the parts that you don't like. Your intentions may be good, but the fact is you are not doing anyone a favor by telling them that they can get to heaven without belief in Jesus. What you propose here, is a license to sin. What you propose here, is something we are warned will take place as we draw closer to His return, false teachings, false teachers, and ear tickling doctrines that lead people astray. What is it that believers are instructed to do with their lives? Spread the gospel. Why? If everyone is saved in the end, this would serve no purpose. Start with the basics, and work your way up from there. Oh, and by the way, your attempt to portray people who actually do love the Word of God as the bad guys who want people to go to hell is not a very good disguise. We tell people the truth because we care about their eternal destination, and would prefer they come to accept Jesus and avoid the reality of a place He spent a third of His time on earth talking about. God bless.

Great to see you back brother, you are in my prayers, God bless.

Your interpretation has a serious problem when it comes to these folks. Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”