The absence of youth and young adults in our churches has been going on for decades, but is more pronounced now in some congregation than in others. Having brough our children up to know the Lord and participate in church fellowship, they walked away in their high school years and have not returned. Sadly, this is a common story for so many believing parents.
I do not truly know how to remedy this in our churches, but, as you said, prayer is certainly a main factor. The draw of the world is so very strong with our children especially due to social media/internet services that are and instant "feed" for their desires. The increased busyness of being "on the go" constantly makes it difficult for children to accept a slower pace of thinking through ideas, analyzing information, and spending time in worship and reading of the Word (or reading in general!). I wish we could turn back the clock a bit and redo some of our approaches to family life now that we know how what we have done impacts our children, youth, and young adults. But we cannot. My hope is that God cares for the children and wishes to bless them despite how they have been brought up. But as an adult population, we certainly have need of repentance and seeking God's counsel in how to minister to the children, youth, and young adults in our sphere of life and influence.
Earl it's likely if you're locked out it would more likely by locking you out by your email not your name. Perhaps?
If they locked you out because someone reported you for changing your name, they would have had to report you six times.
They have moderators that unlike most of us, review every post and reply and you do stand out.
Here's one of the guidelines they enforce;
Use a consistent name and valid email for one account. Commenters are welcome to use a username instead of your real name, but it is not allowed to change this name in effort to conceal your identity or to have more than one identity. The email address entered must be a valid email address you can receive an email to. A valid email will allow you to know when you receive a reply, will allow you to manage and download your comments, and allow for easier technical support. Only one account is permitted per person.
They will allow you to use a consistent name no matter what you teach.
Given the plethora of postings I have planted here today I will attempt to cease and desist for at least the rest of today. My last posting made a few statements on blessings and covenants of God.
In light of the current economic situation today; we face the very real spectre that our food supply may be in dire jeopardy; and hence may be the best investment to make. Precious metals as of late have taken a hit and we don't find an edible gold bar as an option. Those who are able to sustain their family and perhaps church communities that can do this with arable land will benefit uniquely; and the Amish are one example of "backward" culture that has managed to avoid starvation (as far as I know) by responsible sustainability of their arable land over the centuries. There is the tendancy to view such a mindset as like the cults; no doubt such ventures in the past have been used to entice people from true worship to that of the cult leaders. This should certainly not deter us from the positive lessons sustainability of this sort brings.
Given the insane state of much of America's youth today (and spreading to other countries no doubt); again we can see many advantages to communities who keep to themselves in this manner. There are unique problems and issues; of course in any community that we must avoid. Nonetheless it is worth considering; as our homes; our stocks; our possessions are of little value if we can't feed ourselves! The state of our power grid is grim; and whether it be an EMP; a terrorist event or a Carrington (solar flare) situation the crap seems like it is going to hit the fan at some point not to far from now unless a complete overhaul is undertaken. I am reminded of Deuteronomy 28:13 where we are told to be the "head and not the tail"; lending and helping others in difficult times. This is a deviation from a purely Biblical subject; but as James 1:5 shows God gives wisdom if we ask
I your last post/reply to me you did not answer the question that I posed to you: Who would want to convince Christian's that they can continue to sin - and still walk with God?
The answer is the same entity that told Adam and Eve that they could sin - and would still be acceptable to God. Satan. That didn't end well for Adam and Eve. It will not end well for us either. So, Satan continues to this day, and he has not changed his methods of operation. He has infiltrated all of society, he is in our homes, schools, churches and in the minds of Christians. He has convinced many Christians that - we CANNOT STOP SINNING! In your last post to me you stated: "Because we still have a sinful nature and we CANNOT overcome sin." God tells us to STOP SINNING! The devil tells us we Can't STOP SINNING! When we accepted Christ and went through the process of being Born Again, we made a commitment to God that we would repent. If we continue to SIN we are not repenting.
I love you brother, and I want to share some thoughts with you to help you break the addiction to sin. First, you need to get Can't and CANNOT out of your vocabulary. Stop using this word! You can never accomplish any goal in this life - if you feel/believe that you Can't! If you believe you can't stop smoking, if you believe you can't stop drinking alcohol, if you believe you can't stop doing drugs, if you believe you can't stop abusing your wife, if you believe you can't stop overeating, if you believe you can't control your temper, this can go on and on and on, you understand this. You will never accomplish anything that you feel that you CAN'T! By using this word you have "defeated yourself" before you even get started! Throw that word away and learn to hate that word! See page 2
Replace Can't with the word CAN! God uses the word Can and loves the word CAN! He tells us throughout the bible that WE CAN! Start your day with GOD, and end your day with GOD. If we could pray/talk to God all day from the time we rise until the time
we go to sleep - we would NOT be able to sin. Constant prayer would not allow our body or mind to sin. Since most of us don't have the ability to spend the entire day in prayer as we are required to perform all the functions of living, working, eating, etc.
Work toward keeping your mind in God/Christ all day, whenever you can. When driving to work, pray, if you turn the radio on listen to spiritual songs, hymns. Share God with everyone you talk to. Spend time helping others. While you eat your meals pray and talk to God. When you are with your family talk about your goal to stop all sin. Help and encourage each other to stop sinning and encourage them to not use the word Can't. Fill your day with the word Can in all you do. Keep God 1st and foremost in everything you do everyday.
I have a lot of other ideas and suggestions for you and others here to break the stranglehold of Sin, and I will continue to present these methods in future posts.
To summarize: Replace the word Can't with Can! Fill your day with God!
Remember this: Write it down and post it somewhere that you will see it everyday: We all start out life as sinners - that doesn't mean we have to finish this life as sinners.
Proverbs 18:22 states that he who finds a wife finds a good thing; a blessing from the Lord. This; as with any other scripture should be in context; in this case it is to a covenant for a lifetime partner (see Malachi 2:14). Time and space won't be sufficient to explore the relevant passages in Deuteronomy and how they apply today to a family being blessed; but nonetheless the principles apply as in Ephesians 5 and elsewhere are relevant today. Surely Billy Graham was right in stating that the "family that prays together stays together."
God is on display when a family is worshipping together in fellowship and harmony. I have seen functionally this tends to be a strength in the Reformed churches; but with the underlying risk of "religiousity" when children especially are simply living out a role and behavior that they are used to; rather than having any real meaning to them. In any case; it seems to stand out when this is a reality; when you see a whole family truly worshipping God it is an awesome and humbling sight; in my opinion.
Psalm 37:25 states that David never saw the righteous or their children begging for bread. As a dogmatic promise; I can't say that is a promise when you evaluate how many have starved especially in our world in recent years. However the OPPOSITE is certainly true; those weighed down by idolotry; and false religion certainly are more prone to calamity. The case of the cows roaming around in India in the midst of starvation has been a stark reminder of this situation.
When Jesus was on earth; it doesn't really say whether or not the work of some contributed to His ministry; it does mention some women supporting Him. Certainly Paul worked and we are all called to do the same. Too often it seems that the "mundane" everyday tasks of work and chores are somehow "less spiritual" than time in church fellowship. His blessings are material; and spiritual and it is hard to separate them.
That's a very petty thing for anyone to do , the only people I ever report are those who give their ages as under 21 . I don't agree with everyone on here but would never try to silence anyone . Hope you are able to stay around with us :) .
I have probably stated this before; but I believe that children need a vision for their own generation. There are individuals I have met that stand out in that regard; so there is hope. I am in a unique disadvantage being an only child; in a non believing family.
I ASSUME that those who come to church that I know spend some time in prayer with their children. I am a bit mystified why locally at least there aren't any teenagers in youth groups; part of it is the demographics of my particular church. Sadly prayer for that subject seems to be lacking as well. This is why those who are saved need to have communication with older adults who are discipling them; and older adults should understand what they are going through in our suicidal; drug filled and occult type of society. There is one member who has some ideas such as bringing in interns from Bible colleges and youth ministers from the local area (as our church doesn't have one at present).
In this society of rebellion even the thought of a child or teenager engaged in spiritual warfare for their parents seems to be as foreign as a trip to Antarctica. I would guess that the work ethic as it stands now and the tidal wave of worldly entertainment and distractions is a major hinderance. The one school in Texas who eliminated cell phones magically reported that everyone is learning better; hard to believe they didn't figure that out sooner; let's hope it spreads....
if the kids press enough for prayer (at least outside school teaching hours); and studying scriptures or discussing the Word in classes where a pertinent subject matter develops I believe things can change. The powers that be love to dictate what mantra and indoctrination kids should and want to hear; and if kids passively take it it will be assumed they have no incentive to change things. Will they lock up our kids for these things? If such children can excel academically perhaps it cannot be ignored.
Trusting relationships and prayers with individuals who are our "accountability partners" certainly is helpful. As stated before things meant to be in confidence should remain that way unless the safety of someone is in jeopardy. There are times when things are pretty evident; which can be shared with a small group but still not be discussed with others; we need to be wise and discerning in those matters.
When we observe sin such as anger; we are often responsible to confront our brother; if necessary. Offering prayer in that situation is usually better in an impromptu request; even if we can't meet up with them until later. We should desire others to be real; to open up about the real issues bothering them; as well as being free to express what the Spirit is leading us to pray about. Hebrews 4:12 talks about the "thoughts and intentions of the heart." In that sense; I believe prayer should at times be uncomfortable; exposing things we need to submit to the Spirit; breaking through spiritual strongholds; etc. Sadly; it seems 9 times out of 10 people want to have casual conversation about all their issues without committing it to prayer rather than the other way around. Maybe when people plan to meet even socially in church events prayer should be the introduction and concluding remarks.
As to prayer for our nation; revival is a common theme. I question WHY this is the case; risking whatever controversy that ensues. Even in true ones in the past the enemy often wreaks havoc; hence they tend to be rather brief; and there seems to be little regard for the risk of a false one and prayer against such things. It certainly begins with the believers ( 2 Chronicles 7:14) but of course we can't neglect the part of turning from our wicked ways. Man in general apart from the Spirit's prompting has NO DESIRE to be Holy; and hates God. Many will fall away in the last days; and anyone God draws will be saved.
Given prayer is; in my estimation a key element in the function of a church it seems in most congregations it is like Elijah being fed in the wilderness. I am not really sure why; but most of the time prayers seem very sterile and brief before a church service begins; I an't remember a time when even five minutes were devoted to it even in a time of distress; grief or conviction of a Pastor even over the subject he is preaching on.
As to a set weekly prayer meeting; sadly one of my previous churches had nothing to that affect. The Pastor had concerns about "inappropriate" requests in such surroundings; although he encouraged families to pray when together. That was a thorn in my side; as I saw many that loved the Lord there seemingly being squelched; I moved to another city so the Lord removed me from that situation but it was sad to see in my opinion.
As to those who do have some weekly event; it is often in my church what seems like a machine gun voicing of long lists of names (many of whom are shut ins that I haven't yet met-Lord willing I can arrange to visit some of these individuals in the future). The participation is pretty decent (about 8 to 10 in a church of 60 or so) which I would say is better than the participation in most churches. I have been bugging people about the women's prayer which for now is a no-go after some time with monthly prayers. My past experience seems to show me that women often are more passionate and tenacious in such undertakings; men could learn much from them the way I see it.
There is nothing WRONG with telling someone who needs prayer for what; at least it is some detail. We often hear about someone having an illness (especially with many elderly in my church); what we don't seem to hear as much is prayer for family members who are unsaved; and rarely for individuals who admit struggling with sin. Gossip MUST be avoided; of course when one shares in confidence. More to come...
In my last posting; I teased the idea of those who seem to enjoy "passing the buck" of all decision making in a church to the local Pastor. The risk; of course besides overloading the pastor with extra responsibilities is that it can make either him or us prideful.
Of course; with any subject there is usually one extreme that is as bad as another. Without some guidelines we risk having a chaotic service; and introduction of doctrines not carefully considered in light of scripture to name two issues.
Church polity; as best as I can understand it; is a set methodology for a given denomination in regard to a Catechism of a certain type; order of events and time scheduling of church services; baptisms; communion; music style; etc. There are individuals who assist with budgeting and who are in charge of various ministries (prayer; community service etc) that are part of the church calendar.
I have some advantage having attended a variety of churches to see different approaches in this area. There are certainly times when I have taken issue with the way things are done; most commonly in regard to prayer and usually the lack of sufficient time and participation which occurs. I have found even where there is a strict set of boundaries there is often small group and other venues where ideas can be given. Generally Pastors don't want to have to tell everyone what to do all the time; as in my church people seem to have the wherewithal to visit the infirmed and elderly; share the Gospel with strangers and participate in weekly prayer meetings and service projects.
I have also found even in the formal worship there are times when I disagree doctrinally enough to warrant sufficient reason to bring it up with a Pastor afterwards. Most of the time it is a misunderstanding. This can occur with small groups whenever we use sources outside the Word itself error can occur. This is why we should never exalt a teacher over God.
Galatians 2:20 puts the focus on being crucified with Christ and the life now lived being that in the Spirit. Our identity should be understood as part of His Body; which is the physical representation of Christ on earth today; functioning together to act as "salt and light" until He comes ( Matt. 5:13-20). This idea of being saved to be part of a community is opposed to our "rugged individualism" mentality here in the West especially. Without this understanding we are putting all of our spiritual growth under the Pastor who is somehow supposed to be the only one who shapes and molds us into Christ's image. Thus; we only evangelize; do service projects; corporate prayers; missionary ventures; etal. under his directive; scheduling and tutelage. In such an approach we are placing an undue burden on someone called to have the role of an elder to play all the other roles such as accountability partner; and we are also liable to fall away should the leader of a church fall into error or sin himself.
Every church seems to have individuals that stand out for service (usually but not always a minority); and others that; for one reason or another make an appearance on Sundays (whether primarily to support family members; ritualistic purposes; etc.)
As adopted sons and daughters of the Kingdom we share a stronger bond than what we find in our own families. Some will not reach out in that capacity toward others. Psalm 27:10 reminds us that even if our mother and father forsake us; we have refuge in Christ. Perhaps more time fellowshipping with those in the foreign mission field whose families have shunned them for being a Christian would help many of us. Those churches involved with international college students in exchange programs; for instance have an advantage in such exposure as well as unique evangelistic opportunities.
I always say we may as well get along now; since we are going to spend eternity together.
Thank you David0921 for going through my response to your questions. And for yours as well; to which I agree that we can see the Gospel (the Way of Salvation) at work as soon as man lost his intimate connection with his Maker through sin. All that God did for Israel was to demonstrate His Love & yearning for their love & worship. And yes, this was a progressive work which should have been meaningful to the alert prayerful ones giving hope for their future & of the nation. And it was for them that Christ came & we are also the beneficiaries of their salvation, to provoke them to jealousy ( Romans 11:11). Praise God for those Jews who are turning to Jesus, being drawn to the Light, believing in the Messiah that came & gave His Life for them. GBU
Thank you Chris for that very lengthy and comprehensive response.
I would only respond by saying that the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation is first and foremost the Gospel of Salvation. And that God continued to add to our understanding of that ONE TRUE GOSPEL as He added to the Bible. So that we must read and harmonize the entirety of the Bible, as God would open our understanding, of that ONE TRUE GOSPEL in order to understand the true Nature of Salvation.
And that it is God Himself that applies His Salvation to those whom He saves throughout time in giving them a faith and trust in Him. And the Salvation of every individual that God saves is 100% the work of God Himself.
We can make no contribution to our Salvation in any way and are entirely dependent upon the Mercy of God to save us and to apply that Salvation to our life because we by nature we are in total rebellion against God as we read in Romans 3.
Hello Moha4med. The Bible doesn't teach us that there is an appointed angel for killing people. The closest Scripture I could find is in 2 Kings 19:35, where the angel of the LORD went into the camp of the Assyrians and killed 185K people. This was God's action in response to the prayer of King Hezekiah of Judah asking God to save them from the hand of the Assyrians. And God sent His angel to carry out this destruction.
So neither Jesus Christ nor any other person before or after Him (except the above reference), who faced death had any angel involvement in their deaths. For Christ, it is recorded in Luke 23:46, "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." Jesus released His spirit back to the Father & in so doing He died on the Cross. And in Ecclesiastes 12:7 we read, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." The spirit of man cannot perish, for it is spirit, as God is Spirit. Man's spirit at death returns to God, for God to direct it to its abode awaiting acceptance or final judgement. So, your other questions are not applicable because there is no angel of death that Jews or Christians are told about. I know that in Islam, Azrail is believed to be the angel of death (Surah 32:11), but none recorded in the Bible nor in the Jewish Tanakh. There maybe mention of this in other Jewish literature or the Apocryphal writings, I can't be sure.
Thanks again Bro. Dan. I can understand what you're writing should be the ideal, where the believer continues to try and get on top of his sin(s), with the help of the Spirit, & not to give up in his endeavor. And you stated, "If we believe it (i.e. that no sin is to be committed) and strive to get there, we will eventually get to that perfection where we know Him perfectly and we abide in him perfectly."
Do you really think that you will reach that perfection in this life? Here, I'm not referring to someone just giving up on dealing with sin or even taking sin lightly in his life, but that he will reach a stage in this life of no sin being found in him? And what happens in the meantime, when what he believes is possible, actually is impossible - sin ever revealing itself without abating? And even the Apostle Paul realized this in Romans 7:23-25: though he was wholly inclined to being clean before the Lord, there was a law continually working in him that kept him in captivity to sin's presence. How wretched he felt that this dichotomy should exist in one so mightily touched by the Spirit & being used of God. Did he ever gain victory? He knew his deliverance was found only in Jesus, whether by receiving His continual forgiveness or when he would be ushered into His Presence. But while in the body, he resigned himself that his mind (heart) would only serve & please the Lord, whilst his flesh would be subject to sin, with its continual appearing. You may have a different take on this, but I see that as with Paul, so also with us, the struggle with sin will never cease.
As well, we might be strong in not giving into temptation - ever - but sin appears even when not being tempted (such as I gave in those examples a couple of days ago). That was the natural outworking of the flesh - giving inward responses in situations that were generally considered normal by the world, but were sin as far as the Lord is concerned & I needed correction. GBU
Matthew 13:30 Let them grow together (the wheat and the tares) ......but gather the wheat into the barn ....
Job 39:12 Wilt thou believe him (a prophecy of the Messiah), that he (Christ) may bring home the SEED (the word of God), and gather it (the word of God)(the SEED)(the WHEAT)(all symbols of CHRIST) into the barn (a symbol of the TEMPLE)
John 12:24 ... except a corn of WHEAT (SEED)(word of God)(CHRIST) fall into the ground (the grave)and DIE, it (Christ)(the WORD)(the SEED) (the WHEAT) abideth alone, but if it (Christ, the SEED, the WORD, the WHEAT) DIE, it (CHRIST) bringeth forth much FRUIT.
Wheat makes more WHEAT, Christ makes MORE CHRIST.
Ephesians 4:4 ..... ONE body .... ONE Spirit ....
John 17:22 .... that they may be ONE as we are ONE ......
Christ ONLY was raised from the DEAD.
Luke 20:36 Neither can they DIED ANYMORE: but they are EQUAL to the ANGELS, being the children of the RESURRECTION.
Isaiah 63:9 ... and the ANGEL of HIS PRESENCE SAVED THEM ....
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I have a few questions and comments.
I am of the belief that all opposites including light and darkness can only be contrasted and not compared, for the simple reason - they have nothing in common. They are as far from each other as the east is from the west. They are separated or divided. Is not God One? By your comments you seem to be suggesting God is divided, i.e. opposes Himself: the effects of a kingdom doing such, found in Mark 3:23-26.
It appears you confirmed your belief that God creates darkness, stating that darkness represents lies, deception, misinformation, etc. Are you saying that God represents lies, deception, misinformation, etc? Would you agree that darkness is lack of light (Truth)? Yet if God is the source of darkness as He is Light, then His Self would lack Light. Would you agree that whenever Light enters darkness, the darkness is abolished? If yes, then if God is darkness as He is Light, then He must be capable of abolishing Himself. Light abolishes darkness merely by showing us the darkness is not there. If this is true and God is responsible and the Source for both Light and darkness, then He would literally abolish Himself into non existence. I realize this sounds harsh, but this is what happens to that which is the opposite of itself and is divided, as described in Mark: it has an end. But of course, we know this is impossible with God.
What we can decide between is fixed, because there are no alternatives except truth (Light) and lies (darkness). And there is no overlap between them, because they are OPPOSITES, i.e. they have nothing in common and never share a common purpose. They can not be reconciled and cannot both be true. The truth of one thing always make the falsity of its opposite perfectly clear.
If God is the Creator of Light and darkness, and I'm asked to love God, am I being asked to love both Light and darkness?
Thanks for that comment David0921. I do understand that verse differently to you. Actually, I see that the Ninevites are already under God's Judgement (except those who may actually have had repentance over their sins & coming destruction, to a real heart seeking after this God of Israel). While under judgement ( Matthew 12:41), they will condemn 'this generation' for not believing in Christ & His message, just as they had believed & repented because of Jonah's preaching to them. I don't see that the Ninevites were saved because of what happened when Jonah was with them, since there is no further word as to how they were brought into a knowledge of God & His demands upon people. All they knew was that they had repented & were saved then - how they will fare in their coming Judgement can only then be speculation, just as whether the Queen of Sheba is also saved, she who will rise in judgement against these Jews.
I think our point of difference here is on Faith: did the OT faithful (the elect) have a God-given faith so as to be accepted, or did they come in their own faith, which God accepted looking ahead to the Cross? Yet knowing, that faith could never save them - only Christ's Blood. Hebrews 11:39,40, "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." We have been made perfect (cleansed, holy) in Christ & so also those others to join us as new creatures in Christ Jesus, that which they could only hope for & never attained.
f. Born again. The entrance of the Holy Spirit into a sinner's life: the sinner who has heard & understood the Gospel in view to the wretchedness of his sins & holiness of God, repented, called upon God for salvation, & God's Gift of Salvation & of His Spirit, Who seals, secures, & ministers to every area of the person's life. The once lost, despairing & fearful under the judgement of God, now enjoys peace with God, freedom from sin's grip, victory over temptations, power & desire to live unto God & not to self, & the assurance of God's tender care to eternity, would show the redeemed one this dramatic change in life that can only be done by the Power of God. I see this, in brief, the re-birth work of the Holy Spirit & resulting effect on this 'new' person's life ( 2 Corinthians 5:17).
I trust brother that my comments have gone some way to help you understand what I believe.
d. Christ's Atoning Work applied to all mankind: for those before the Crucifixion, that Blood would avail for them looking forward in (by) faith; for those post-Crucifixion, Christ's Blood applied looking back through faith. The OT folk could never have 'accepted Christ' (they knew nothing about Him - all they had was a faith & hope looking forward); yet the Blood availed for them, for that is what the Sacrifices pointed to yet falling short. For us post-Cross, we have seen Christ crucified for us, we now receive this free Gift of salvation, & through Spirit-given faith we can truly call upon God & His Son Whom we never knew as Israel knew Him. We were as Romans 10:13,14, as those who never knew God or saw His Works as Israel did. But now we do know Him & believe on Him & His Son through His Faith given us. We were all "in bondage to sin and Satan", yet the hunger for God, understanding His Message of Love, & hope for the future can still occur while in such bondage & deception. And so we might be led to the Cross, receiving Christ, released from that bondage, Satan's grip, & hopelessness.
e. "Christ's atonement" availed for all sinners from Adam to those ahead of us; all with the fallen sin nature & spiritually dead. But the atonement & redemption finds its application to those who turn from their sin. So I agree to your statement as far as the Atonement, though available to all, was specific to those dead in sin, but whom God in His Mercy & Foreknowledge brought many to glory. And Christ, Who was "slain from the foundation of the world", shed His Blood to atone all whom God had called (OT & NT) that salvation is given by His Grace alone. To Page 4.
God bless you.
I, too, do not report people because I want people to be free to participate on here.
My first post to you was seeking to know why you post on here with so many different names. I would love it if you would go back to posting as Earl.
The absence of youth and young adults in our churches has been going on for decades, but is more pronounced now in some congregation than in others. Having brough our children up to know the Lord and participate in church fellowship, they walked away in their high school years and have not returned. Sadly, this is a common story for so many believing parents.
I do not truly know how to remedy this in our churches, but, as you said, prayer is certainly a main factor. The draw of the world is so very strong with our children especially due to social media/internet services that are and instant "feed" for their desires. The increased busyness of being "on the go" constantly makes it difficult for children to accept a slower pace of thinking through ideas, analyzing information, and spending time in worship and reading of the Word (or reading in general!). I wish we could turn back the clock a bit and redo some of our approaches to family life now that we know how what we have done impacts our children, youth, and young adults. But we cannot. My hope is that God cares for the children and wishes to bless them despite how they have been brought up. But as an adult population, we certainly have need of repentance and seeking God's counsel in how to minister to the children, youth, and young adults in our sphere of life and influence.
If they locked you out because someone reported you for changing your name, they would have had to report you six times.
They have moderators that unlike most of us, review every post and reply and you do stand out.
Here's one of the guidelines they enforce;
Use a consistent name and valid email for one account. Commenters are welcome to use a username instead of your real name, but it is not allowed to change this name in effort to conceal your identity or to have more than one identity. The email address entered must be a valid email address you can receive an email to. A valid email will allow you to know when you receive a reply, will allow you to manage and download your comments, and allow for easier technical support. Only one account is permitted per person.
They will allow you to use a consistent name no matter what you teach.
God bless.
Given the plethora of postings I have planted here today I will attempt to cease and desist for at least the rest of today. My last posting made a few statements on blessings and covenants of God.
In light of the current economic situation today; we face the very real spectre that our food supply may be in dire jeopardy; and hence may be the best investment to make. Precious metals as of late have taken a hit and we don't find an edible gold bar as an option. Those who are able to sustain their family and perhaps church communities that can do this with arable land will benefit uniquely; and the Amish are one example of "backward" culture that has managed to avoid starvation (as far as I know) by responsible sustainability of their arable land over the centuries. There is the tendancy to view such a mindset as like the cults; no doubt such ventures in the past have been used to entice people from true worship to that of the cult leaders. This should certainly not deter us from the positive lessons sustainability of this sort brings.
Given the insane state of much of America's youth today (and spreading to other countries no doubt); again we can see many advantages to communities who keep to themselves in this manner. There are unique problems and issues; of course in any community that we must avoid. Nonetheless it is worth considering; as our homes; our stocks; our possessions are of little value if we can't feed ourselves! The state of our power grid is grim; and whether it be an EMP; a terrorist event or a Carrington (solar flare) situation the crap seems like it is going to hit the fan at some point not to far from now unless a complete overhaul is undertaken. I am reminded of Deuteronomy 28:13 where we are told to be the "head and not the tail"; lending and helping others in difficult times. This is a deviation from a purely Biblical subject; but as James 1:5 shows God gives wisdom if we ask
Our Addiction to Sin.
I your last post/reply to me you did not answer the question that I posed to you: Who would want to convince Christian's that they can continue to sin - and still walk with God?
The answer is the same entity that told Adam and Eve that they could sin - and would still be acceptable to God. Satan. That didn't end well for Adam and Eve. It will not end well for us either. So, Satan continues to this day, and he has not changed his methods of operation. He has infiltrated all of society, he is in our homes, schools, churches and in the minds of Christians. He has convinced many Christians that - we CANNOT STOP SINNING! In your last post to me you stated: "Because we still have a sinful nature and we CANNOT overcome sin." God tells us to STOP SINNING! The devil tells us we Can't STOP SINNING! When we accepted Christ and went through the process of being Born Again, we made a commitment to God that we would repent. If we continue to SIN we are not repenting.
I love you brother, and I want to share some thoughts with you to help you break the addiction to sin. First, you need to get Can't and CANNOT out of your vocabulary. Stop using this word! You can never accomplish any goal in this life - if you feel/believe that you Can't! If you believe you can't stop smoking, if you believe you can't stop drinking alcohol, if you believe you can't stop doing drugs, if you believe you can't stop abusing your wife, if you believe you can't stop overeating, if you believe you can't control your temper, this can go on and on and on, you understand this. You will never accomplish anything that you feel that you CAN'T! By using this word you have "defeated yourself" before you even get started! Throw that word away and learn to hate that word! See page 2
Replace Can't with the word CAN! God uses the word Can and loves the word CAN! He tells us throughout the bible that WE CAN! Start your day with GOD, and end your day with GOD. If we could pray/talk to God all day from the time we rise until the time
we go to sleep - we would NOT be able to sin. Constant prayer would not allow our body or mind to sin. Since most of us don't have the ability to spend the entire day in prayer as we are required to perform all the functions of living, working, eating, etc.
Work toward keeping your mind in God/Christ all day, whenever you can. When driving to work, pray, if you turn the radio on listen to spiritual songs, hymns. Share God with everyone you talk to. Spend time helping others. While you eat your meals pray and talk to God. When you are with your family talk about your goal to stop all sin. Help and encourage each other to stop sinning and encourage them to not use the word Can't. Fill your day with the word Can in all you do. Keep God 1st and foremost in everything you do everyday.
I have a lot of other ideas and suggestions for you and others here to break the stranglehold of Sin, and I will continue to present these methods in future posts.
To summarize: Replace the word Can't with Can! Fill your day with God!
Remember this: Write it down and post it somewhere that you will see it everyday: We all start out life as sinners - that doesn't mean we have to finish this life as sinners.
GBU
Proverbs 18:22 states that he who finds a wife finds a good thing; a blessing from the Lord. This; as with any other scripture should be in context; in this case it is to a covenant for a lifetime partner (see Malachi 2:14). Time and space won't be sufficient to explore the relevant passages in Deuteronomy and how they apply today to a family being blessed; but nonetheless the principles apply as in Ephesians 5 and elsewhere are relevant today. Surely Billy Graham was right in stating that the "family that prays together stays together."
God is on display when a family is worshipping together in fellowship and harmony. I have seen functionally this tends to be a strength in the Reformed churches; but with the underlying risk of "religiousity" when children especially are simply living out a role and behavior that they are used to; rather than having any real meaning to them. In any case; it seems to stand out when this is a reality; when you see a whole family truly worshipping God it is an awesome and humbling sight; in my opinion.
Psalm 37:25 states that David never saw the righteous or their children begging for bread. As a dogmatic promise; I can't say that is a promise when you evaluate how many have starved especially in our world in recent years. However the OPPOSITE is certainly true; those weighed down by idolotry; and false religion certainly are more prone to calamity. The case of the cows roaming around in India in the midst of starvation has been a stark reminder of this situation.
When Jesus was on earth; it doesn't really say whether or not the work of some contributed to His ministry; it does mention some women supporting Him. Certainly Paul worked and we are all called to do the same. Too often it seems that the "mundane" everyday tasks of work and chores are somehow "less spiritual" than time in church fellowship. His blessings are material; and spiritual and it is hard to separate them.
I have probably stated this before; but I believe that children need a vision for their own generation. There are individuals I have met that stand out in that regard; so there is hope. I am in a unique disadvantage being an only child; in a non believing family.
I ASSUME that those who come to church that I know spend some time in prayer with their children. I am a bit mystified why locally at least there aren't any teenagers in youth groups; part of it is the demographics of my particular church. Sadly prayer for that subject seems to be lacking as well. This is why those who are saved need to have communication with older adults who are discipling them; and older adults should understand what they are going through in our suicidal; drug filled and occult type of society. There is one member who has some ideas such as bringing in interns from Bible colleges and youth ministers from the local area (as our church doesn't have one at present).
In this society of rebellion even the thought of a child or teenager engaged in spiritual warfare for their parents seems to be as foreign as a trip to Antarctica. I would guess that the work ethic as it stands now and the tidal wave of worldly entertainment and distractions is a major hinderance. The one school in Texas who eliminated cell phones magically reported that everyone is learning better; hard to believe they didn't figure that out sooner; let's hope it spreads....
if the kids press enough for prayer (at least outside school teaching hours); and studying scriptures or discussing the Word in classes where a pertinent subject matter develops I believe things can change. The powers that be love to dictate what mantra and indoctrination kids should and want to hear; and if kids passively take it it will be assumed they have no incentive to change things. Will they lock up our kids for these things? If such children can excel academically perhaps it cannot be ignored.
Trusting relationships and prayers with individuals who are our "accountability partners" certainly is helpful. As stated before things meant to be in confidence should remain that way unless the safety of someone is in jeopardy. There are times when things are pretty evident; which can be shared with a small group but still not be discussed with others; we need to be wise and discerning in those matters.
When we observe sin such as anger; we are often responsible to confront our brother; if necessary. Offering prayer in that situation is usually better in an impromptu request; even if we can't meet up with them until later. We should desire others to be real; to open up about the real issues bothering them; as well as being free to express what the Spirit is leading us to pray about. Hebrews 4:12 talks about the "thoughts and intentions of the heart." In that sense; I believe prayer should at times be uncomfortable; exposing things we need to submit to the Spirit; breaking through spiritual strongholds; etc. Sadly; it seems 9 times out of 10 people want to have casual conversation about all their issues without committing it to prayer rather than the other way around. Maybe when people plan to meet even socially in church events prayer should be the introduction and concluding remarks.
As to prayer for our nation; revival is a common theme. I question WHY this is the case; risking whatever controversy that ensues. Even in true ones in the past the enemy often wreaks havoc; hence they tend to be rather brief; and there seems to be little regard for the risk of a false one and prayer against such things. It certainly begins with the believers ( 2 Chronicles 7:14) but of course we can't neglect the part of turning from our wicked ways. Man in general apart from the Spirit's prompting has NO DESIRE to be Holy; and hates God. Many will fall away in the last days; and anyone God draws will be saved.
Given prayer is; in my estimation a key element in the function of a church it seems in most congregations it is like Elijah being fed in the wilderness. I am not really sure why; but most of the time prayers seem very sterile and brief before a church service begins; I an't remember a time when even five minutes were devoted to it even in a time of distress; grief or conviction of a Pastor even over the subject he is preaching on.
As to a set weekly prayer meeting; sadly one of my previous churches had nothing to that affect. The Pastor had concerns about "inappropriate" requests in such surroundings; although he encouraged families to pray when together. That was a thorn in my side; as I saw many that loved the Lord there seemingly being squelched; I moved to another city so the Lord removed me from that situation but it was sad to see in my opinion.
As to those who do have some weekly event; it is often in my church what seems like a machine gun voicing of long lists of names (many of whom are shut ins that I haven't yet met-Lord willing I can arrange to visit some of these individuals in the future). The participation is pretty decent (about 8 to 10 in a church of 60 or so) which I would say is better than the participation in most churches. I have been bugging people about the women's prayer which for now is a no-go after some time with monthly prayers. My past experience seems to show me that women often are more passionate and tenacious in such undertakings; men could learn much from them the way I see it.
There is nothing WRONG with telling someone who needs prayer for what; at least it is some detail. We often hear about someone having an illness (especially with many elderly in my church); what we don't seem to hear as much is prayer for family members who are unsaved; and rarely for individuals who admit struggling with sin. Gossip MUST be avoided; of course when one shares in confidence. More to come...
In my last posting; I teased the idea of those who seem to enjoy "passing the buck" of all decision making in a church to the local Pastor. The risk; of course besides overloading the pastor with extra responsibilities is that it can make either him or us prideful.
Of course; with any subject there is usually one extreme that is as bad as another. Without some guidelines we risk having a chaotic service; and introduction of doctrines not carefully considered in light of scripture to name two issues.
Church polity; as best as I can understand it; is a set methodology for a given denomination in regard to a Catechism of a certain type; order of events and time scheduling of church services; baptisms; communion; music style; etc. There are individuals who assist with budgeting and who are in charge of various ministries (prayer; community service etc) that are part of the church calendar.
I have some advantage having attended a variety of churches to see different approaches in this area. There are certainly times when I have taken issue with the way things are done; most commonly in regard to prayer and usually the lack of sufficient time and participation which occurs. I have found even where there is a strict set of boundaries there is often small group and other venues where ideas can be given. Generally Pastors don't want to have to tell everyone what to do all the time; as in my church people seem to have the wherewithal to visit the infirmed and elderly; share the Gospel with strangers and participate in weekly prayer meetings and service projects.
I have also found even in the formal worship there are times when I disagree doctrinally enough to warrant sufficient reason to bring it up with a Pastor afterwards. Most of the time it is a misunderstanding. This can occur with small groups whenever we use sources outside the Word itself error can occur. This is why we should never exalt a teacher over God.
Galatians 2:20 puts the focus on being crucified with Christ and the life now lived being that in the Spirit. Our identity should be understood as part of His Body; which is the physical representation of Christ on earth today; functioning together to act as "salt and light" until He comes ( Matt. 5:13-20). This idea of being saved to be part of a community is opposed to our "rugged individualism" mentality here in the West especially. Without this understanding we are putting all of our spiritual growth under the Pastor who is somehow supposed to be the only one who shapes and molds us into Christ's image. Thus; we only evangelize; do service projects; corporate prayers; missionary ventures; etal. under his directive; scheduling and tutelage. In such an approach we are placing an undue burden on someone called to have the role of an elder to play all the other roles such as accountability partner; and we are also liable to fall away should the leader of a church fall into error or sin himself.
Every church seems to have individuals that stand out for service (usually but not always a minority); and others that; for one reason or another make an appearance on Sundays (whether primarily to support family members; ritualistic purposes; etc.)
As adopted sons and daughters of the Kingdom we share a stronger bond than what we find in our own families. Some will not reach out in that capacity toward others. Psalm 27:10 reminds us that even if our mother and father forsake us; we have refuge in Christ. Perhaps more time fellowshipping with those in the foreign mission field whose families have shunned them for being a Christian would help many of us. Those churches involved with international college students in exchange programs; for instance have an advantage in such exposure as well as unique evangelistic opportunities.
I always say we may as well get along now; since we are going to spend eternity together.
I would only respond by saying that the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation is first and foremost the Gospel of Salvation. And that God continued to add to our understanding of that ONE TRUE GOSPEL as He added to the Bible. So that we must read and harmonize the entirety of the Bible, as God would open our understanding, of that ONE TRUE GOSPEL in order to understand the true Nature of Salvation.
And that it is God Himself that applies His Salvation to those whom He saves throughout time in giving them a faith and trust in Him. And the Salvation of every individual that God saves is 100% the work of God Himself.
We can make no contribution to our Salvation in any way and are entirely dependent upon the Mercy of God to save us and to apply that Salvation to our life because we by nature we are in total rebellion against God as we read in Romans 3.
So neither Jesus Christ nor any other person before or after Him (except the above reference), who faced death had any angel involvement in their deaths. For Christ, it is recorded in Luke 23:46, "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." Jesus released His spirit back to the Father & in so doing He died on the Cross. And in Ecclesiastes 12:7 we read, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." The spirit of man cannot perish, for it is spirit, as God is Spirit. Man's spirit at death returns to God, for God to direct it to its abode awaiting acceptance or final judgement. So, your other questions are not applicable because there is no angel of death that Jews or Christians are told about. I know that in Islam, Azrail is believed to be the angel of death (Surah 32:11), but none recorded in the Bible nor in the Jewish Tanakh. There maybe mention of this in other Jewish literature or the Apocryphal writings, I can't be sure.
Do you really think that you will reach that perfection in this life? Here, I'm not referring to someone just giving up on dealing with sin or even taking sin lightly in his life, but that he will reach a stage in this life of no sin being found in him? And what happens in the meantime, when what he believes is possible, actually is impossible - sin ever revealing itself without abating? And even the Apostle Paul realized this in Romans 7:23-25: though he was wholly inclined to being clean before the Lord, there was a law continually working in him that kept him in captivity to sin's presence. How wretched he felt that this dichotomy should exist in one so mightily touched by the Spirit & being used of God. Did he ever gain victory? He knew his deliverance was found only in Jesus, whether by receiving His continual forgiveness or when he would be ushered into His Presence. But while in the body, he resigned himself that his mind (heart) would only serve & please the Lord, whilst his flesh would be subject to sin, with its continual appearing. You may have a different take on this, but I see that as with Paul, so also with us, the struggle with sin will never cease.
As well, we might be strong in not giving into temptation - ever - but sin appears even when not being tempted (such as I gave in those examples a couple of days ago). That was the natural outworking of the flesh - giving inward responses in situations that were generally considered normal by the world, but were sin as far as the Lord is concerned & I needed correction. GBU
Matthew 13:30 Let them grow together (the wheat and the tares) ......but gather the wheat into the barn ....
Job 39:12 Wilt thou believe him (a prophecy of the Messiah), that he (Christ) may bring home the SEED (the word of God), and gather it (the word of God)(the SEED)(the WHEAT)(all symbols of CHRIST) into the barn (a symbol of the TEMPLE)
John 12:24 ... except a corn of WHEAT (SEED)(word of God)(CHRIST) fall into the ground (the grave)and DIE, it (Christ)(the WORD)(the SEED) (the WHEAT) abideth alone, but if it (Christ, the SEED, the WORD, the WHEAT) DIE, it (CHRIST) bringeth forth much FRUIT.
Wheat makes more WHEAT, Christ makes MORE CHRIST.
Ephesians 4:4 ..... ONE body .... ONE Spirit ....
John 17:22 .... that they may be ONE as we are ONE ......
Christ ONLY was raised from the DEAD.
Luke 20:36 Neither can they DIED ANYMORE: but they are EQUAL to the ANGELS, being the children of the RESURRECTION.
Isaiah 63:9 ... and the ANGEL of HIS PRESENCE SAVED THEM ....
God bless you.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I have a few questions and comments.
I am of the belief that all opposites including light and darkness can only be contrasted and not compared, for the simple reason - they have nothing in common. They are as far from each other as the east is from the west. They are separated or divided. Is not God One? By your comments you seem to be suggesting God is divided, i.e. opposes Himself: the effects of a kingdom doing such, found in Mark 3:23-26.
It appears you confirmed your belief that God creates darkness, stating that darkness represents lies, deception, misinformation, etc. Are you saying that God represents lies, deception, misinformation, etc? Would you agree that darkness is lack of light (Truth)? Yet if God is the source of darkness as He is Light, then His Self would lack Light. Would you agree that whenever Light enters darkness, the darkness is abolished? If yes, then if God is darkness as He is Light, then He must be capable of abolishing Himself. Light abolishes darkness merely by showing us the darkness is not there. If this is true and God is responsible and the Source for both Light and darkness, then He would literally abolish Himself into non existence. I realize this sounds harsh, but this is what happens to that which is the opposite of itself and is divided, as described in Mark: it has an end. But of course, we know this is impossible with God.
What we can decide between is fixed, because there are no alternatives except truth (Light) and lies (darkness). And there is no overlap between them, because they are OPPOSITES, i.e. they have nothing in common and never share a common purpose. They can not be reconciled and cannot both be true. The truth of one thing always make the falsity of its opposite perfectly clear.
If God is the Creator of Light and darkness, and I'm asked to love God, am I being asked to love both Light and darkness?
God Is
Peace
Someone dislikes my posting and comments and complains to administration, who in turn off the ability to sign in under that name.
You and others call me a false prophet, someone complains and has me cut off.
God bless you.
I think our point of difference here is on Faith: did the OT faithful (the elect) have a God-given faith so as to be accepted, or did they come in their own faith, which God accepted looking ahead to the Cross? Yet knowing, that faith could never save them - only Christ's Blood. Hebrews 11:39,40, "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." We have been made perfect (cleansed, holy) in Christ & so also those others to join us as new creatures in Christ Jesus, that which they could only hope for & never attained.
f. Born again. The entrance of the Holy Spirit into a sinner's life: the sinner who has heard & understood the Gospel in view to the wretchedness of his sins & holiness of God, repented, called upon God for salvation, & God's Gift of Salvation & of His Spirit, Who seals, secures, & ministers to every area of the person's life. The once lost, despairing & fearful under the judgement of God, now enjoys peace with God, freedom from sin's grip, victory over temptations, power & desire to live unto God & not to self, & the assurance of God's tender care to eternity, would show the redeemed one this dramatic change in life that can only be done by the Power of God. I see this, in brief, the re-birth work of the Holy Spirit & resulting effect on this 'new' person's life ( 2 Corinthians 5:17).
I trust brother that my comments have gone some way to help you understand what I believe.
d. Christ's Atoning Work applied to all mankind: for those before the Crucifixion, that Blood would avail for them looking forward in (by) faith; for those post-Crucifixion, Christ's Blood applied looking back through faith. The OT folk could never have 'accepted Christ' (they knew nothing about Him - all they had was a faith & hope looking forward); yet the Blood availed for them, for that is what the Sacrifices pointed to yet falling short. For us post-Cross, we have seen Christ crucified for us, we now receive this free Gift of salvation, & through Spirit-given faith we can truly call upon God & His Son Whom we never knew as Israel knew Him. We were as Romans 10:13,14, as those who never knew God or saw His Works as Israel did. But now we do know Him & believe on Him & His Son through His Faith given us. We were all "in bondage to sin and Satan", yet the hunger for God, understanding His Message of Love, & hope for the future can still occur while in such bondage & deception. And so we might be led to the Cross, receiving Christ, released from that bondage, Satan's grip, & hopelessness.
e. "Christ's atonement" availed for all sinners from Adam to those ahead of us; all with the fallen sin nature & spiritually dead. But the atonement & redemption finds its application to those who turn from their sin. So I agree to your statement as far as the Atonement, though available to all, was specific to those dead in sin, but whom God in His Mercy & Foreknowledge brought many to glory. And Christ, Who was "slain from the foundation of the world", shed His Blood to atone all whom God had called (OT & NT) that salvation is given by His Grace alone. To Page 4.