Dear Proscovia , we have all been where you are right now , please don't dispair , try to stay calm and think before you act , every thing will be ok , have patience and trust in your Saviour , the harder you lean on Him the more He will support you , don't fear any thing ,He is with you . Matth ch28 v20 , John ch16 especially v 33 and any Psalm , these are all a massive comfort to me , pray also , tell God how you feel , He already knows but it helps US when we pray , prayer is always good for us but we must be very honest when we pray , honest with ourselves and with our God . God loves our honesty , it isn't always pleasant but He wants us to trust Him and we show are faith by honest prayer . Our truth is some times unpleasant because we are all sinners but God is extremely mercyfull , the least we can do is be honest .
That is correct. In Matthew 6:25, Jesus says, "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for the body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?"
That little phrase "Take no thought" is the Greek word MERIMNAO which means to occupy the attention of the mind. So in other words, in Matthew 6:25, when Jesus says "Take no thought," He is telling the disciples not to be worried about what you're going to eat or what you're going to wear. Take no thought, do not let these things occupy the attention of your mind. (Merimnao). Just thought I would share that!
Brother Jesse. You're certainly not "rambling on". That was a spot on explanation of that verse & we all need to hear it & be reminded of it's Truth regularly - keeping our 'accounts' short with both God & man.
I personally do not know what other version uses the words trespass and trespasses. It looks like you did a search of different translations but could not find the answer? The King James uses the words debts and debtors. That would be correct, as that is how it was originally written in the Greek text. It is the word OPHEILO. In Matthew 6:12, it says, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Again, that is a proper translation.
In the book of Philemon, Paul presented to Philemon that when you sin against God's justice system, you owe God. That's a debt. It's the same word, OPHEILO. It would be like owing on your credit card. The only difference is you can pay off your credit card debt. When we sin against God, we now are in debt to Him, and it is a debt we cannot pay. When we sin against God, we owe God. How are we going to pay the debt? Jesus came and paid the debt!
The correct translation from the original language would read "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors," as it is written in the King James. And there is a principle there in verse 12. The principle is that I'm dictating to God whether He is to forgive me for the sins that I am confessing or not, based on my forgiveness of other people and their sins. If I do not forgive them, I cannot ask God for my forgiveness. It doesn't work that way.
I'm sure I'm telling you things you probably already know. I'm just rambling on and sharing information. I would be curious to find out when it ever read trespass and why someone would have translated it that way?
When or where was it written with trespass and trespasses in matthew 6:12? Instead of debt and debtors? Is this a real Mandela effect? I can't find any version of it using trespass and trespasses, but all sorts of evidence that it was written that way at one time. Do you have an explanation?
The bible says that God said "Haven't I said that ye are gods?" the key is little "g". But we do not and will not become God. Jesus said that bigger and better things than he we will do, but still does not make us God.
Your question was if some people believe that. You probably already know the answer is yes. But maybe your real question is it a requirement to be baptized to enter heaven? If that is your question I have a response.
My main question is why wouldn't you want to be baptized? What's the real reason for wanting to disobey Jesus? If someone is looking to only do the bare minimum in order to "make it to heaven", one might wonder if that person is a real Christian. God wants all of us- to love the Lord with all our heart, all our mind, all our strength. If someone is mostly interested in following the world, but wants to just cut corners and do whatever they assume is the bare minimum, I personally would not feel much assurance of salvation. Jesus clearly said to be baptized, so if someone disregards Jesus's words, it seems like slapping him in his face, as that person thinks they know better than Jesus.
Here's the verse where Jesus says to be baptized: Mark 16:16
Acts 2:38 clearly says to be baptized also. If it wasn't important, they wouldn't have said to do it, but they did say to do it. So, aside from a physical disability, if someone doesn't want to do it for whatever reason, is following Jesus very important to them? It reveals someone's priorities. Matthew 6:21 - All will be judged fairly and I think some will be surprised on judgment day: Matthew 10:33. God bless...
Brother Jesse Tacker, may CHRIST IN US grace us with HIS wisdom and HIS understanding.
Hebrews 1:3 Who (Christ) being the brightness of his (the Father's) glory, and the express image of His (the Father's) person, and upholding all things by the word of his (the Father's) power, when he (Christ) by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on High.
Revelation 3:14 ....The beginning of creation....
Christ was the FIRST MAN and he is GOD. The beginning (the first man) and the ending (the last man).
Psalms 82:6 I (God) have said, Ye are gods, the children of the most high.
John 10:34 Jesus answered them, is it not WRITTEN in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
John 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom (CHRIST IN YOU) the word of God came unto; and the scripture cannot be broken;
Christ is CREATING Sons of God; exactly like him, when he is finished we will be gods just as he is.
Romans 8:29 ....To be conformed to the IMAGE of his Son ....
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be IN YOU which was ALSO IN Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be EQUAL WITH GOD.
The saints cannot rule and judge the world without being EXACTLY like God.
Isaiah 32:1 Behold a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgement.
Man is not God. And you won't find that in the bible. The Creator entered into His creation in the form of a man. And is now at the right hand of God the Father. Man is not God. Men don't become God, nor is God in man. Nor are men God. God is only in you if you are born again. Otherwise your father is the devil. You won't find a single verse in the bible having anything to do with becoming God or man being God. We do become "like God" if you are part of Christ's body, meaning you were born again after Jesus' death but before the Great Tribulation.
Hello Mary. If you're looking for what we term as the "Lord's Prayer", then you can find it in Matthew 6:9-13.
Please note, that this was a special prayer that Jesus taught His disciples ( Luke 11:1) because at that time Jewish Rabbis often gave their followers a special prayer or recitation as a part of their instructions & disciplines. We can use the Lord's Prayer very meaningfully today also, but shouldn't restrict ourselves only to those words, as our Heavenly Father wants to hear our prayers as the expression from our hearts (filled with praise, thanksgiving, & requests), given in faith.
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt NOT be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is IN SECRET; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use NOT vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. (Sorta like 50 Hail Mary and Our Father, prayers?)
Mishael: The Lord wants us to pray from our hearts. Just as He wants us to give our offerings from our hearts; as unto God. That is often how missionaries work is funded; youth camps, etc.
We give our tithes to our Church that we attend, so they can pay the light bill, water bill, and church employees; maintenance stuff.
Trust me that God knows where every penny is and where it went.
He tells us: Do Not Judge. Why? Because He Alone is The Judge.
We commit our actions to Him, and He sorts out the details.
This is what's supposed to be in our hearts. Purity, Trust, and a knowing that our faithfulness will be rewarded, On Earth, When we most need it.
Pray in your own words, your thoughts, confess your doubts; repent of wrongs. Your conscience will always feel clean and un-clouded.
Heb. 5:7 = This verse speaks specifically of CHRIST's emotional "agony" in the Garden of Gethsemane. HE prayed to HIS FATHER immediately before HIS arrest, trials, and crucifixion (cp. Mt.26:37-38; Mk. 14:33-34; Lu. 22:42-44).
While in Matthew 6:9-15 LORD JESUS CHRIST provided instruction on the "manner" of verbal praying, and of that for which believers must pray, here ( Heb. 5:7), The LORD exemplary demonstrated the spiritual attitude when praying required for GOD The FATHER to "hear" and accept. Following CHRIST's example, the one praying must
1st, realize his extreme and total physical weakness and helpless impotence prohibiting him from controlling his personal condition and his environmental situation: "WHO in the days of HIS flesh, ".
2nd, actually realize the dreadful situation requires prayer (cp. Mt. 17:21; Mk. 9:29), prompting the petitioner to "boldly" ( Heb. 4:16) and verbally communicate the prayer: "when HE had offered up prayers and supplications unto HIM".
3rd, pray deliberately and purposefully from the heart: "with strong crying and tears".
Note, often such extreme circumstances defy putting such prayers into understandable and meaningful verbal expressions. In such cases GOD does not leave HIS beloved children to their own devices, but rather HE supernaturally accompanies the petitioner ( Rom. 8:26):
"Likewise The SPIRIT also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but The SPIRIT itself maketh Intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
4th, pray to The Only ONE that can and will "hear" and respond to the pitiful cries of the petitioner: "unto HIM (GOD The FATHER) that was able to save".
Contrast this great reality with idolators' idols ( Ps. 115:4 & 6; 135:17):
"Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have ears, but they hear not."
5th, pray with the sole and only spiritual attitude acceptable to GOD: "in that HE feared."
Please agree with me in prayer that the LORD Jesus Christ's Father--Almighty GOD--will please tell me the address of where I may go and rent to, to escape from Satan's children and their lifelong abuse of me. My parents--with all due respect to them--are into evil (Satanic/witchcraft/magic/etc)--and therefore have the power of GOD (remember how GOD gave Satan some of his power to hurt Job in Job 1:1-12)? Remember, too how GOD is all-powerful and He ONLY gave all-power to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ ( Matthew 28:18 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.")? Therefore, ALL POWER that is, is Christ's Father's (GOD's), others just have some of it either directly from GOD the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Ghost, or they get it indirectly via evil--i.e. the Devil or devils/unclean spirits/familiar spirits who got it from Satan via GOD & GOD's permission only). Remember, too, that GOD's will be done in earth as IT IS in heaven ( Matthew 6:9-10). This means, since Hell is in the belly of the earth ( Matthew 12:40) or the center of the earth, or the hottest place on earth (the earth's core--where scientists have taught is molten lava). GOD's will is done therefore in Heaven, on earth, and in the earth (aka in Hell). I beg you to ask GOD to please tell me where I may go to escape Satan's children's abuse. I've been abused all of my life and I have NEVER been allowed to escape it. I am tired. Please help by praying for me. Thanks.
I am honored that you shared that history of your life with us. Thank you very much. It means a lot.
I'm not sure what you mean by "I change my mine because you wont find any prophecies of free will, HELL or heaven; only a KINGDOM."
I think you are correct as the statement "free will" is not in the Bible directly. Though several verses that, I believe, point to this are: Joshua 24:15, John 7:17, Galatians 5:13, James 1:13-16. For a couple.
The word "hell" has taken over the Hebrew word "sheol" in the OT. Three Greek words "gehenna" "hades" and "tartarus" in the NT. All described as "bad" places simply.
For Heaven there are numerous as the one used the most in the NT, hundreds of times, is "ouranos". Strongs definition "the sky; by extension heaven (as the abode of God); by implication happiness power: eternity; specifically the Gospel (Christianity)". In John 3:13, John 3:31. Kingdom used a lot together with this word as in Matthew 6:10, Matthew 18:3.
Matthew 6:25-33. Therefore I say unto you, TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR YOUR LIFE, WHAT YE SHALL EAT, OR WHAT YE SHALL DRINK; NOR YET FOR YOUR BODY, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The Lord knows what we need before we ask, seek in prayer and ask for his will to be done,
The more I study the more I can find the love of Jesus. I pray to Jesus for him to guide me through the valley. I'm Jesus I have to put my Faith. Amen.
Verse 8 says be sober, be vigilant. It means to be sober-minded. Vigilant means be on guard. It's the same thing Jesus said to the disciples in Matthew 26:41 when He said can't you wait and watch with me? They kept falling asleep. Be sober thinking, be alert, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks around seeking whom he may devour:
That's to Christians. The Jews would know that the term lion represented the enemy. Seven times in the Psalms David used the word lion as an example of his enemies. In Ezekiel 22:25, Ezekiel used the lion to describe the false prophets.
So Satan takes on this ravaging lion that's going around seeking whom he may devour. This is where the attention of the mind comes in. He roams around and scouts. Job Chapters 1 and 2 tell us that Satan scouts God's people. The fact that he's roaming around is continuous.
Every day, we're being scouted as to what it is that Satan can use to occupy the attention of our minds. He can't take our salvation away from us, but basically, his attitude is "Oh, the Lord saves you and now He wants to renew your mind? Well, I'll just keep you busy!"
So he occupies the attention of our mind. We're too busy, too tired, and we got too much going on. When he devours, he devours mentally, not spiritually. He cannot devour me spiritually but he wants to occupy the attention of my mind.
James says to resist. In James 4:7, he says to resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We don't have to fight him. He's already been defeated.
In Ephesians 6:11, Paul says put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Stand against is the word resist. He's to be resisted.
Verse 9: Whom resist stedfast, or solid in the faith, doing this, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished, or fulfilled in your brethren that are in the world. Every single brother and sister in Christ around the world is suffering or going through the same thing!
We must stay humble before the Lord. Give our lives to Him and follow Jesus Christ as He is the only way to our Father.
I guess to end this post will be to "lukewarm" Christians. We are warned there is no middle road. It is one way or the other. Wide is the gate that leads to destruction and many go that way. Straight and narrow is the way to life and few that find it. You cannot serve two masters. You cannot drink of the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. 1 Corinthians 10:21, Matthew 6:24. As this comes to Revelation 3:15-16. People who are walking the line are going to have to make a choice. I pray they make that choice today as no one knows when the Lord shall require our life. Or when our last day shall be.
Another question I would feel to ask a believer is "are you ready"? Do you love the Lord enough to give your life for Him? As in John 15:13-14, Jesus states there is no greater love than to lay down his life for His friend. Matthew 16:24-25. Love is not perfected yet if you are still afraid as in 1 John 4:18.
I will just leave some Scriptures for others. How we should focus on things above and not of this world. Live our life for the Lord to do the Will of our Father in Heaven. As all is conditional in that the closer you draw to Him the closer He will draw to you. God Bless you my brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Although fasting is seen as a good thing, as far as I know, there is no commandment given to Christians to do so. Matthew 6:16-18 gives us the correct understanding of fasting. The Jews were required to fast only once a year at the Day of Atonement. On the Day of Atonement they fast. But the Pharisees fasted twice a week, every Monday and Thursday. That's 104 times a year! But the requirement was to only fast once a year. The Pharisees wanted to show themselves as being "Super Spiritual."
Now, you touched on something that should be the goal of every believer, which is about the next step in one's spiritual walk. After salvation, the next step is to have our minds transformed. We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and we are to submit ourselves to His humbling process. You call it "rocks and weeds," and I like that. Here is something you should know. If you have received Jesus Christ (Been born of His Spirit), there is no "hard soil" to break up. That's already been far penetrated and broken up since you've received Him. (See Parable of the Sower).
However, once we are saved, the effects of sin in our past remain stuck in the cortex of our minds. We can't get away from that. So we have to submit ourselves to the Lord so He can mend us from our past and so that He can transform us and renew our minds.
Sorry if I'm getting off-topic. If you choose to fast, that is between you and the Lord. It should be done in secret. It doesn't necessarily mean to give up food for the day, even though food can be a distraction. But if you decide to fast, just put aside a time where it's just you and the Lord, clear your mind of all worldly distractions, and just focus on Christ and His word. It should be a one on one time with Him without distraction. But just so you know, there is no commandment given to believers to fast.
That is correct. In Matthew 6:25, Jesus says, "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for the body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?"
That little phrase "Take no thought" is the Greek word MERIMNAO which means to occupy the attention of the mind. So in other words, in Matthew 6:25, when Jesus says "Take no thought," He is telling the disciples not to be worried about what you're going to eat or what you're going to wear. Take no thought, do not let these things occupy the attention of your mind. (Merimnao). Just thought I would share that!
Thank you for the kind and encouraging words!
I personally do not know what other version uses the words trespass and trespasses. It looks like you did a search of different translations but could not find the answer? The King James uses the words debts and debtors. That would be correct, as that is how it was originally written in the Greek text. It is the word OPHEILO. In Matthew 6:12, it says, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Again, that is a proper translation.
In the book of Philemon, Paul presented to Philemon that when you sin against God's justice system, you owe God. That's a debt. It's the same word, OPHEILO. It would be like owing on your credit card. The only difference is you can pay off your credit card debt. When we sin against God, we now are in debt to Him, and it is a debt we cannot pay. When we sin against God, we owe God. How are we going to pay the debt? Jesus came and paid the debt!
The correct translation from the original language would read "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors," as it is written in the King James. And there is a principle there in verse 12. The principle is that I'm dictating to God whether He is to forgive me for the sins that I am confessing or not, based on my forgiveness of other people and their sins. If I do not forgive them, I cannot ask God for my forgiveness. It doesn't work that way.
I'm sure I'm telling you things you probably already know. I'm just rambling on and sharing information. I would be curious to find out when it ever read trespass and why someone would have translated it that way?
Have you ever read Psalms 82?
1 - God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he Judgeth among the gods.
...
6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
8 Arise, O God, Judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
And Isaiah 41:v.23 says : - 23 Shew the things that ARE TO COME hereafter, THAT WE MAY KNOW that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, ...
Your question was if some people believe that. You probably already know the answer is yes. But maybe your real question is it a requirement to be baptized to enter heaven? If that is your question I have a response.
My main question is why wouldn't you want to be baptized? What's the real reason for wanting to disobey Jesus? If someone is looking to only do the bare minimum in order to "make it to heaven", one might wonder if that person is a real Christian. God wants all of us- to love the Lord with all our heart, all our mind, all our strength. If someone is mostly interested in following the world, but wants to just cut corners and do whatever they assume is the bare minimum, I personally would not feel much assurance of salvation. Jesus clearly said to be baptized, so if someone disregards Jesus's words, it seems like slapping him in his face, as that person thinks they know better than Jesus.
Here's the verse where Jesus says to be baptized: Mark 16:16
Acts 2:38 clearly says to be baptized also. If it wasn't important, they wouldn't have said to do it, but they did say to do it. So, aside from a physical disability, if someone doesn't want to do it for whatever reason, is following Jesus very important to them? It reveals someone's priorities. Matthew 6:21 - All will be judged fairly and I think some will be surprised on judgment day: Matthew 10:33. God bless...
I believe that was well put.
God bless.
Hebrews 1:3 Who (Christ) being the brightness of his (the Father's) glory, and the express image of His (the Father's) person, and upholding all things by the word of his (the Father's) power, when he (Christ) by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on High.
Revelation 3:14 ....The beginning of creation....
Christ was the FIRST MAN and he is GOD. The beginning (the first man) and the ending (the last man).
Psalms 82:6 I (God) have said, Ye are gods, the children of the most high.
John 10:34 Jesus answered them, is it not WRITTEN in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
John 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom (CHRIST IN YOU) the word of God came unto; and the scripture cannot be broken;
Christ is CREATING Sons of God; exactly like him, when he is finished we will be gods just as he is.
Romans 8:29 ....To be conformed to the IMAGE of his Son ....
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be IN YOU which was ALSO IN Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be EQUAL WITH GOD.
The saints cannot rule and judge the world without being EXACTLY like God.
Isaiah 32:1 Behold a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgement.
Please note, that this was a special prayer that Jesus taught His disciples ( Luke 11:1) because at that time Jewish Rabbis often gave their followers a special prayer or recitation as a part of their instructions & disciplines. We can use the Lord's Prayer very meaningfully today also, but shouldn't restrict ourselves only to those words, as our Heavenly Father wants to hear our prayers as the expression from our hearts (filled with praise, thanksgiving, & requests), given in faith.
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt NOT be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is IN SECRET; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use NOT vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. (Sorta like 50 Hail Mary and Our Father, prayers?)
Mishael: The Lord wants us to pray from our hearts. Just as He wants us to give our offerings from our hearts; as unto God. That is often how missionaries work is funded; youth camps, etc.
We give our tithes to our Church that we attend, so they can pay the light bill, water bill, and church employees; maintenance stuff.
Trust me that God knows where every penny is and where it went.
He tells us: Do Not Judge. Why? Because He Alone is The Judge.
We commit our actions to Him, and He sorts out the details.
This is what's supposed to be in our hearts. Purity, Trust, and a knowing that our faithfulness will be rewarded, On Earth, When we most need it.
Pray in your own words, your thoughts, confess your doubts; repent of wrongs. Your conscience will always feel clean and un-clouded.
Now that you've read exactly what Jesus said .
Do the preachers, teachers, ministers, and
Television evangelist do as Christ said? Or is that the Devil starring straight into your eyes preparing you for everlasting HELL .
While in Matthew 6:9-15 LORD JESUS CHRIST provided instruction on the "manner" of verbal praying, and of that for which believers must pray, here ( Heb. 5:7), The LORD exemplary demonstrated the spiritual attitude when praying required for GOD The FATHER to "hear" and accept. Following CHRIST's example, the one praying must
1st, realize his extreme and total physical weakness and helpless impotence prohibiting him from controlling his personal condition and his environmental situation: "WHO in the days of HIS flesh, ".
2nd, actually realize the dreadful situation requires prayer (cp. Mt. 17:21; Mk. 9:29), prompting the petitioner to "boldly" ( Heb. 4:16) and verbally communicate the prayer: "when HE had offered up prayers and supplications unto HIM".
3rd, pray deliberately and purposefully from the heart: "with strong crying and tears".
Note, often such extreme circumstances defy putting such prayers into understandable and meaningful verbal expressions. In such cases GOD does not leave HIS beloved children to their own devices, but rather HE supernaturally accompanies the petitioner ( Rom. 8:26):
"Likewise The SPIRIT also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but The SPIRIT itself maketh Intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
4th, pray to The Only ONE that can and will "hear" and respond to the pitiful cries of the petitioner: "unto HIM (GOD The FATHER) that was able to save".
Contrast this great reality with idolators' idols ( Ps. 115:4 & 6; 135:17):
"Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have ears, but they hear not."
5th, pray with the sole and only spiritual attitude acceptable to GOD: "in that HE feared."
I am honored that you shared that history of your life with us. Thank you very much. It means a lot.
I'm not sure what you mean by "I change my mine because you wont find any prophecies of free will, HELL or heaven; only a KINGDOM."
I think you are correct as the statement "free will" is not in the Bible directly. Though several verses that, I believe, point to this are: Joshua 24:15, John 7:17, Galatians 5:13, James 1:13-16. For a couple.
The word "hell" has taken over the Hebrew word "sheol" in the OT. Three Greek words "gehenna" "hades" and "tartarus" in the NT. All described as "bad" places simply.
For Heaven there are numerous as the one used the most in the NT, hundreds of times, is "ouranos". Strongs definition "the sky; by extension heaven (as the abode of God); by implication happiness power: eternity; specifically the Gospel (Christianity)". In John 3:13, John 3:31. Kingdom used a lot together with this word as in Matthew 6:10, Matthew 18:3.
Thanks for your replies Earl.
God Bless.
I Think you can add Marriage to this list.
Matthew 6:25-33. Therefore I say unto you, TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR YOUR LIFE, WHAT YE SHALL EAT, OR WHAT YE SHALL DRINK; NOR YET FOR YOUR BODY, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The Lord knows what we need before we ask, seek in prayer and ask for his will to be done,
God bless.
Verse 8 says be sober, be vigilant. It means to be sober-minded. Vigilant means be on guard. It's the same thing Jesus said to the disciples in Matthew 26:41 when He said can't you wait and watch with me? They kept falling asleep. Be sober thinking, be alert, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks around seeking whom he may devour:
That's to Christians. The Jews would know that the term lion represented the enemy. Seven times in the Psalms David used the word lion as an example of his enemies. In Ezekiel 22:25, Ezekiel used the lion to describe the false prophets.
So Satan takes on this ravaging lion that's going around seeking whom he may devour. This is where the attention of the mind comes in. He roams around and scouts. Job Chapters 1 and 2 tell us that Satan scouts God's people. The fact that he's roaming around is continuous.
Every day, we're being scouted as to what it is that Satan can use to occupy the attention of our minds. He can't take our salvation away from us, but basically, his attitude is "Oh, the Lord saves you and now He wants to renew your mind? Well, I'll just keep you busy!"
So he occupies the attention of our mind. We're too busy, too tired, and we got too much going on. When he devours, he devours mentally, not spiritually. He cannot devour me spiritually but he wants to occupy the attention of my mind.
James says to resist. In James 4:7, he says to resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We don't have to fight him. He's already been defeated.
In Ephesians 6:11, Paul says put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Stand against is the word resist. He's to be resisted.
Verse 9: Whom resist stedfast, or solid in the faith, doing this, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished, or fulfilled in your brethren that are in the world. Every single brother and sister in Christ around the world is suffering or going through the same thing!
We must stay humble before the Lord. Give our lives to Him and follow Jesus Christ as He is the only way to our Father.
I guess to end this post will be to "lukewarm" Christians. We are warned there is no middle road. It is one way or the other. Wide is the gate that leads to destruction and many go that way. Straight and narrow is the way to life and few that find it. You cannot serve two masters. You cannot drink of the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. 1 Corinthians 10:21, Matthew 6:24. As this comes to Revelation 3:15-16. People who are walking the line are going to have to make a choice. I pray they make that choice today as no one knows when the Lord shall require our life. Or when our last day shall be.
Another question I would feel to ask a believer is "are you ready"? Do you love the Lord enough to give your life for Him? As in John 15:13-14, Jesus states there is no greater love than to lay down his life for His friend. Matthew 16:24-25. Love is not perfected yet if you are still afraid as in 1 John 4:18.
I will just leave some Scriptures for others. How we should focus on things above and not of this world. Live our life for the Lord to do the Will of our Father in Heaven. As all is conditional in that the closer you draw to Him the closer He will draw to you. God Bless you my brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Colossians 3:1-6, Colossians 3:13-17,
Matthew 16:27, 1 Peter 1:17,
Malachi 3:7, James 4:6-8,
Although fasting is seen as a good thing, as far as I know, there is no commandment given to Christians to do so. Matthew 6:16-18 gives us the correct understanding of fasting. The Jews were required to fast only once a year at the Day of Atonement. On the Day of Atonement they fast. But the Pharisees fasted twice a week, every Monday and Thursday. That's 104 times a year! But the requirement was to only fast once a year. The Pharisees wanted to show themselves as being "Super Spiritual."
Now, you touched on something that should be the goal of every believer, which is about the next step in one's spiritual walk. After salvation, the next step is to have our minds transformed. We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and we are to submit ourselves to His humbling process. You call it "rocks and weeds," and I like that. Here is something you should know. If you have received Jesus Christ (Been born of His Spirit), there is no "hard soil" to break up. That's already been far penetrated and broken up since you've received Him. (See Parable of the Sower).
However, once we are saved, the effects of sin in our past remain stuck in the cortex of our minds. We can't get away from that. So we have to submit ourselves to the Lord so He can mend us from our past and so that He can transform us and renew our minds.
Sorry if I'm getting off-topic. If you choose to fast, that is between you and the Lord. It should be done in secret. It doesn't necessarily mean to give up food for the day, even though food can be a distraction. But if you decide to fast, just put aside a time where it's just you and the Lord, clear your mind of all worldly distractions, and just focus on Christ and His word. It should be a one on one time with Him without distraction. But just so you know, there is no commandment given to believers to fast.