TripDogs Spiritual Thread

[TripDog]

Psalm 18: 1-3

I'm taking this straight from my study Bible with the explanation below the selected passages. In a study Bible each verse is broken down in modern terms at the bottom of the page, making it very easy to see the direct message, without having to try and guess. Enjoy. =)

Psalm 18

1. I love you, O Lord, my strength.

(explained 18:1)-This psalm is almost a duplicate of 2 Samuel 22. It may have been written toward the end of David's life when there was peace. God is praised for his glorious works and blessings through the years.

2. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (horn here symbolizes strength)

3. I call to the Lord who is worthy of praise.
and I am saved from my enemies.

(explained 18:2,3)- God's protection of his people is limitless and can take many forms. David characterizes God's care with five military symbols. God is like (1) a rock that can't be moved by any who would harm us, (2) a fortress or place of safety where the enemy can't follow, (3) a shield that comes between us and harm, (4) a horn of salvation, a symbol of might and power, (5) a stronghold high above our enemies. If you need protection look to God.

 

[bluehealer]

25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’[h] and ‘your neighbor as yourself.
28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

 

[kvothe]

2 Timothy 2
1Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

I love this passage. It is a great summary of the Christian life, verse 2 is the great commission, verse 3 is what we can expect if we live the life of a disciple; trouble, resistance, tough times and verses 1 and 4 tell us our resource against the trouble, our relatinoship with God, and where our focus should be, on things spiritual and eternal, not the things of this world. I also love the use of the life of a soldier as a metaphor. though we are not all soldier here, I think we can all identify with the discipline and the living a different lifestyle and having different priorities due to our lifting. We are called to do the same with God, and if we will sacrifice and set ourselves apart for a temporary blessing of health and physical strength and aesthetics, how much more for eternal glory to our King?

 

[Flaw]

Love to know there are still many others out there grinding out their Christian convictions in this liberal secular progressively anti-God world.

God bless all my fellow brothers in Christ. Times are changing and remaining stern and rigid in our beliefs despite the labels and unpopularity, has become harder and harder.

Times are a changing, Followers will start to become a minority.

Matthew 5:11*“Happy are YOU when people reproach YOU and persecute YOU and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against YOU for my sake. 12*Rejoice and leap for joy, since YOUR reward is great in the heavens; for in that way they persecuted the prophets prior to YOU."

 

[Flaw]

I find myself having quite the internal struggle as of the last week, and I am not sure as to why? I am a caring person by nature, I work 80+ hours a week, school for nursing and I spend my remaining free time with my nephews whom I adore............I don't know perhaps this is a struggle I need to figure out on my own, I did reach out and have been left hanging, no email saying hey I got the email, busy...nothing.....It's rare for me to reach out to anyone as I am the one everyone goes to.......

<sigh>........

I'm just skimming through the thread right now and your life seems very out of balance. How could one work that much and still find time for God? Family? ext. Balance is what you need sis.

 

[toughchick401]

I'm just skimming through the thread right now and your life seems very out of balance. How could one work that much and still find time for God? Family? ext. Balance is what you need sis.

You are right, I am having surgery jan 14th, 3-5 weeks out of work, time to relax, school and breathe...........

TC

 

[TripDog]

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Taken from my study bible with verses explained below. As a reference in James 2:19(You believe that there is one God. Good!). The verses that follow, explain this in depth. Enjoy. =)

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

4. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

5. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.

6.These commandments that I give to you today are to be upon your hearts.

7. Impress them upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and walk along the road. When you lie down, and when you get up.

8.Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

9.Write them on the doorframes on your houses and on your gates.

(explained 6:4-9) Monotheism-belief in one God-was a distinctive feature of Hebrew religion. Many ancient religions believed in many gods. But the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob is the God of the whole earth, the only true God.

This passage provides the central theme of Deuteronomy. It sets a pattern that helps us relate the Word of God in our daily lives. We are to love God and think about his commandments teach our children and live each day by the guidelines of his Word.

 

[kvothe]

Taken from my study bible with verses explained below. As a reference in James 2:19(You believe that there is one God. Good!). The verses that follow, explain this in depth. Enjoy. =)

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

4. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

5. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.

6.These commandments that I give to you today are to be upon your hearts.

7. Impress them upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and walk along the road. When you lie down, and when you get up.

8.Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

9.Write them on the doorframes on your houses and on your gates.

(explained 6:4-9) Monotheism-belief in one God-was a distinctive feature of Hebrew religion. Many ancient religions believed in many gods. But the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob is the God of the whole earth, the only true God.

This passage provides the central theme of Deuteronomy. It sets a pattern that helps us relate the Word of God in our daily lives. We are to love God and think about his commandments teach our children and live each day by the guidelines of his Word.

amen, great verses, shows how far beyond belief we are called to go, not just to believe but to love, not to love as the world loves, but to love Biblically which is to be obedient, and the ever present message of the great commission teach your children, spread the Word.

Look at how often and how much the commands are to be looked upon, when you wake up, lie down, during the day as you go about your business, tie on foreheads so they will be in our thoughts, on hands so that our activities will be to do the commands, hang them up in our houses. Wow, shows how much dedication it takes to be a disciple. I know the Word of God is unfortunately not as big a part of my life as the passage above shows that it should be. Not to be political, but we are taking the ten commandments and anything related to Christianity out of our public spaces. And we think that God will honor us and help us to pull out of the mess we are in?

Makes me think of 2 Peter 2:4-9 In this section Peter shows that God will judge and punish, but that those that are faithful He will save. Even in these times of trouble, even if society does not turn around, we as Christians need to stay faithful, believing the Lord will take care of us and praying that by our example, others may turn to Him.

I am not a doomsayer, or condemning our Nation, just stating facts based upon what is happening today in our country and what the Bible says about unfaithfulness. But there is still hope:

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

 

[TripDog]

amen, great verses, shows how far beyond belief we are called to go, not just to believe but to love, not to love as the world loves, but to love Biblically which is to be obedient, and the ever present message of the great commission teach your children, spread the Word.

Look at how often and how much the commands are to be looked upon, when you wake up, lie down, during the day as you go about your business, tie on foreheads so they will be in our thoughts, on hands so that our activities will be to do the commands, hang them up in our houses. Wow, shows how much dedication it takes to be a disciple. I know the Word of God is unfortunately not as big a part of my life as the passage above shows that it should be. Not to be political, but we are taking the ten commandments and anything related to Christianity out of our public spaces. And we think that God will honor us and help us to pull out of the mess we are in?

Makes me think of 2 Peter 2:4-9 In this section Peter shows that God will judge and punish, but that those that are faithful He will save. Even in these times of trouble, even if society does not turn around, we as Christians need to stay faithful, believing the Lord will take care of us and praying that by our example, others may turn to Him.

I am not a doomsayer, or condemning our Nation, just stating facts based upon what is happening today in our country and what the Bible says about unfaithfulness. But there is still hope:

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

I enjoy how you took what I posted, and then proceeded to add to it. I applaude you, and thank-you.

I truly wanted this thread to be strength through scripture, and then discussed. Exactly what you and I just did, not personal issues, that is better taken directly to Christ, and those that cannot except this, will continue to walk in empty circles... That is just reality. If you have the tools and choose not to use them, it's you own fault.

Don't sit there feel sorry for yourself andwonder why life isn't fair. Start to wonder how you can change your life right now, by putting Jesus first in your life. This is a no loose situation, and I cannot stress that enough.

I know scripture can be confusing, and so glad I acquired a study bible to break down every passage, making sure I fully understand before moving on to another. I strongly advise every child of God to own one, and enjoy the written Word in relative ease.

Also breaking verses, and thoughts in paragraphs makes it much more pleasing to the eyes than to post 30 sentences in one huge post. As a thought or verse changes, the paragraph should also, this is with any post. It just makes things easier to grasp for people.

 

[bluehealer]

Sorry Trip, I do not have a good enough understanding of the scriptures to go into an open discussion as of yet. I ordered the study bible that you mentioned but it still hasn't come in.

God Bless!

 

[TripDog]

Sorry Trip, I do not have a good enough understanding of the scriptures to go into an open discussion as of yet. I ordered the study bible that you mentioned but it still hasn't come in.

God Bless!

Oh, I am sorry if I made it sound too in depth lol. If you find a passage/verse you find interesting, or meaningful by ALL means post it up. Something with a message of strength, or guidance I try to look for personally.

Most doesn't need to be explained, I just enjoy the added insight on particular sections.

 

[TripDog]

I reworked the first post, including the New International, and King James version of Romans 12: 9-21 (very powerful passage) broken down verse by verse. I'm going to backtrack, and clean up a lot of my posts for future readers in a similar fashion.

 

[Flaw]

It's good to know that God is very forgiving. More than we know. That's not to say we should take advantage of it however.

Psalm 103: 8"Jehovah is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness.
9 He will not always chide; Neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his lovingkindness toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, So Jehovah pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust" -ASV

 

[B5150]

E-Mail from a friend:

While I'm not a mathematician, I'm sure I've got these numbers right because I used a calculator. When the clock strikes midnight, ushering in the New Year, you receive a deposit of 365 days in your time bank. Or to put it differently, you start the year with 8760 hours or 535,600 minutes. And so will every other man who reads this email.

How each of us spends that time will determine our spiritual development and impact over the next 365 days. To say, "Yes," to something or someone good, we must say, "No," to something or someone not so good. Every such decision will result in an investment of time. How we spend that time will shape our character and destiny. With that in mind, I'd like you to join me in making a small, but significant investment of time every day in 2011. We've got a fresh year ahead ... a clean slate. Would you join me in renewing your commitment to spend time each day in ways that will cause you to look back in one year and smile. More importantly, this use of time will prompt God to look at how you spent the year and smile.

Will you join me in making the five daily commitments of a Mighty Man?

1) Time in God's Word.
2) Time in prayer.
3) Maintain sexual purity.
4) Daily affirm my family.
5) Help the helpless.

Ultimately, God is the one who makes us grow and uses us to influence others for him. But I'm convinced well spent time is the environment which unleashes his grace to work in and through us ... that is ... time used wisely. Hopefully, in a year we'll all feel we invested those days, hours and minutes in a way that will help win the battle for our heart, our families and friends.

I hope you have a blessed New Year in the Lord.

 

[B5150]

Colossians 2

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

 

[TripDog]

Colossians 2

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

That was a great read Brian, very deep and I enjoyed it.

 

[Whacked]

It's good to know that God is very forgiving.

God's GRACE is simply insane if you take the time to think about it.

How many times have you prayed + begged God to forgive you for the EXACT same repugnant sin time and time and time again.

YET, He still loves us, forgives us and is creating a place for us in His Kingdom????

Nuts aint it?

 

[kvothe]

God's GRACE is insane aly

How many times have you prayed God to forgive you for the EXACT same sin time and time and time again.

Nuts aint it?

I understand where you coming from, I get frustrated with myself for having to ask over and over..., thankfully He doesnt.

 

[TripDog]

Psalm 42: 1- 11

1. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

2. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

3. My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

4. When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

6. O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

7. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

8. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

9. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

10. As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

11. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

 

[bluehealer]

Just sharing an e-mail that I recieved.


1. Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout life.

2. Do you know why a car's windshield is so large and the rearview mirror is so small? Because our past is not as important as our future. Look ahead and move on.

3. Friendship is like a book. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

4. All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last forever either.

5. Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!

6. When God solves your problems, you have faith in His abilities;when God doesn't solve your problems He has faith in your abilities.

7. When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

8. Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace. . . .

 

[bluehealer]

Sunday's service at The Bayou.

My Loneliness Is Crippling.

Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

There are four things God's presence does for me:
1. God's presence gives me support.
Isaiah 41:10 (New King James Version)
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Psalm 27:10 (New King James Version)

When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the LORD will take care of me.

2. God's presence gives me peace.
Psalm 4:8 (New King James Version)

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.


Psalm 31:20 (New King James Version)

20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
From the strife of tongues.

3. God's presence gives me hope.
Psalm 16:8,9
I have set the LORD always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.

Psalm 16:11 (New King James Version)

11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.


4. God's presence ultimately gives me victory.
Isaiah 43:2 (New King James Version)
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Psalm 116:8-10 (New King James Version)

8 For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the LORD
In the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”


How do you tune into God on a moment by moment basis?
1. Desire God's presence.

2. Dedicate time to build your relationship with God.

Psalm 27:4 (New King James Version)

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.

 

[TripDog]

Sunday's service at The Bayou.

My Loneliness Is Crippling.

Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

There are four things God's presence does for me:
1. God's presence gives me support.
Isaiah 41:10 (New King James Version)
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Psalm 27:10 (New King James Version)

When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the LORD will take care of me.

2. God's presence gives me peace.
Psalm 4:8 (New King James Version)

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.


Psalm 31:20 (New King James Version)

20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
From the strife of tongues.

3. God's presence gives me hope.
Psalm 16:8,9
I have set the LORD always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.

Psalm 16:11 (New King James Version)

11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.


4. God's presence ultimately gives me victory.
Isaiah 43:2 (New King James Version)
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Psalm 116:8-10 (New King James Version)

8 For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the LORD
In the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”


How do you tune into God on a moment by moment basis?
1. Desire God's presence.

2. Dedicate time to build your relationship with God.

Psalm 27:4 (New King James Version)

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.

Best post of the year bro. Great areas you hit! Thank-you

 

[T-Bone]

I understand where you coming from, I get frustrated with myself for having to ask over and over..., thankfully He doesnt.

Repenting means turning from sin and going in the other direction. You have got to overcome that sin. You can't just keep doing the same sin over and over and asking for forgiveness over and over.

James 2:20 (King James Version)

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

I'm not saying I'm perfect- far far far far from it!. I'm a sinner also as we all are. Just reading this thread is making me feel like I have to go get on my knees and repent. Which I plan on doing. There is a lot of sin on this board and a lot of things a Christian should not be looking at. This is why I have set it up so the pictures and not displayed in either the avatars or in the threads.


Romans 3:23 (King James Version)

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 

[T-Bone]

 

[bluehealer]

Best post of the year bro. Great areas you hit! Thank-you

Thanks Trip. I can't take credit for it though, it was from my church, I take notes :study: Tomorrow I will post yesterdays service notes.

 

[bluehealer]

The Bayou, Sunday Jan. 30, 2011

My Suffering is Unbearable.

Reasons why we suffer:
1) Our world.

Genisis 3:17-19
17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”

2) Our sin.

Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.

3) Our self.

Galations 6:7
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

4) The devil.

1 Peter 5:8-9
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

5) Our salvation.

1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

How can we cope with suffering?

Romans 8:18-28
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

1) Realize it's temporary.

1 Peter 1:16
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

2) Anticipate Jesus' return.

Titus 2:13
13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

3) Contemplate the awesomeness of Heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44
42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Revelation 21:1-4
1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

4) Rest in the Holy Spirit's intercession.

Hebrews 4:15-16
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

5) Know that God will see you through.

Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 

[bluehealer]

Sunday Feb. 6, 2011 at The Bayou.

My Relationships Have Hurt Me.

What path will you take when others insult, hurt and mistreat you?
1) The Low Road: react, resent, and retaliate.

Romans 12:14
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

17-21
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore



“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”


21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

2) The High Road: Respond God's way.

Ephesians 4:15
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

Matthew 18:15-17
15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’[a] 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

3) The Highest Road: Return an insult with a blessing.

1 Peter 3:8-9
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;[a] 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.



Resolve to Remember the Opportunity:
Our goodness, especially in the face of insult, hurt, and maltreatment, shows others and our enemies what the Kingdom of God is really about.


It goes on, but relates to a four part series that will be held on Wednesday nights for the next four weeks.

 

[Flaw]

How many times have you prayed + begged God to forgive you for the EXACT same repugnant sin time and time and time again.

YET, He still loves us, forgives us and is creating a place for us in His Kingdom????

Nuts aint it?

Psalms 32:

1 "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,Whose sin is covered.2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,And in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah 5 I acknowledged my sin to You,And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah"


As you see in these scriptures that we must be open with God, even if we commit the same sins over and over again it shows God that you acknowledge you are doing what is bad and you feel bad. The way David felt showed that his concious hurt. He truly wanted to please God. He wasn't a willfull sinner. David's sins were probably most recorded in the bible but in the end because of his endless pursuit to please God , God said to him in ACTS:


"I have found David the son of Jes′se, a man agreeable to my heart, who will do all the things I desire."

 

[omni]

Romans 6:23
23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

[bluehealer]

BY A 15 yr. Old SCHOOL KID IN ARIZONA



New Pledge
of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME)!


Since the Pledge of Allegiance And The Lord's Prayer

Are not allowed in most Public schools anymore

Because the word 'God' is mentioned.....

A kid in Arizona wrote the attached


NEW School prayer:


Now I sit me down in school

Where praying is against the rule

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.


If scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow

Becomes a Federal matter now.


Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That's no offense; it's a freedom scene..

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.


For praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all..

In silence alone we must meditate,

God's name is prohibited by the state.


We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks...

They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.

It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,

We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong..


We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles..

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.


It's scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school's a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen




Jesus said, 'If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you
before my Father.'

 

[T-Bone]

 

[T-Bone]

 

[bluehealer]

I Wanna Be In The LightSunday May 8, 2011

The Lamp of the Body
33 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”


Contrasting Spiritual Darkness and His Light.
Be alert to the darkness around us.

Two Dark Dangers In America.

We have grown accustomed to the darkness.John 3:19 (New King James Version)
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

We have mistakened the darkness for light.
Isaiah 5:20 (New King James Version)
20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Ephesians 5:11 (New King James Version)
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.


Be attentive to the light around you.

Good sources of light.

God's Son- He's reigning in your heart.
John 1:4-5 (New King James Version)
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend[a] it.


God's word- it's revealed in your heart.
Psalm 119:105 (New King James Version)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.

God's children- they reflect light to others.
Ephesians 5:8-9 (New King James Version)

Walk in Light

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit[a]is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

Philippians 2:15-16 (New King James Version)
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

 

[bluehealer]

If you never felt pain, then how would you know that I am a Healer?


If you never had to pray, How would you know that I am a Deliverer?



If you never had a trial, how could you call yourself an overcomer?



If you never felt sadness, How would you know that I am a Comforter?



If you never made a mistake, How would you know that I am a forgiver?


If you knew all, How would you know that I will answer your questions?



If you never were in trouble, How would you know that I will come to your rescue



If you never were broken, Then how would you know that I can make you whole?



If you never had a problem, How would you know that I can solve them?



If you never had any suffering, Then how would you know what I went through?



If you never went through the fire, Then how would you become pure?


If I gave you all things, How would you appreciate them?



If I never corrected you, How would you know that I love you?



If you had all power, Then how would you learn to depend on me?



If your life was perfect, Then what would you need me for?


Love,
Jesus




God our Father, walk through my house and take away all my worries and illnesses and please watch over and heal my family in Jesus name, Amen.

 

[bluehealer]

What Happens When I Die?
Ever Wonder?- Part 1

Ecclesiastes 3:11
New Living Translation (NLT)
11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

What happens when I die?
We immediately suffer or enjoy the consequences of how we lived our lives on earth.

Hebrews 9:27
New Living Translation (NLT)
27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,

2 Corinthians 5:8
New Living Translation (NLT)
8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

What is the truth about hell?
There is separation in hell. Physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual suffering. If you choose yourself over God, you choose yourself for eternity.

12 of 20 Biblical references to hell are from the mouth of Jesus. It does exist.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
New Living Translation (NLT)
8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.

What is Heaven really like?
There is celebration in Heaven.

Revelation 21:3-4
Today's New International Version (TNIV)
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[a] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Psalm 16:11
Today's New International Version (TNIV)
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

What will we do in Heaven?
Serve the Lord.
Sing.
Celebrate.
Have fellowship.

How do we prepare for eternity?
Trust in Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 1:10
Today's New International Version (TNIV)
10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Realize that you cannot save yourself. Only a foolish person would not prepare for the inevitable.

IT'S YOUR CHOICE!





East Bayou Baptist Church Sunday, June 5, 2011

 

[Flaw]

What happens when I die?
We immediately suffer or enjoy the consequences of how we lived our lives on earth.

Ecclesiastes tells us a lot about death.

Eccl 3:19 "For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

Ecc 9:10 "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going."

Righteous or sinner we are all going to the same place. Sinners will recieve the punishment of eternal death. Righteous men will recieve the gift of everlasting life.

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 

[omni]

Job 17:13-16

American Standard Version (ASV)


13 If I look for Sheol as my house; If I have spread my couch in the darkness;

14 If I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; To the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister;

15 Where then is my hope? And as for my hope, who shall see it?

16 It shall go down to the bars of Sheol, When once there is rest in the dust.

 

[Flaw]

Just wanted to share some information from my recent studies on Sir Issac Newton. He's well known for being one of the founding fathers of science but his love for the bible was his greatest passion. He spent much of his time studying the bible and trying to interpret it correctly. I wanted to share some of his beliefs and quotes.

"Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done."

"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent Being. [...] This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all; and on account of his dominion he is wont to be called "Lord God" παντοκρατωρ [pantokratōr], or "Universal Ruler". [...] The Supreme God is a Being eternal, infinite, [and] absolutely perfect.[2]"

"Opposition to godliness is atheism in profession and idolatry in practice. Atheism is so senseless and odious to mankind that it never had many professors."

"In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence."


"Yet one thing secures us what ever betide, The scriptures assure us the Lord will provide."

"The other part of the true religion is our duty to man. We must love our neighbour as our selves, we must be charitable to all men for charity is the greatest of graces, greater then even faith or hope and covers a multitude of sins. We must be righteous and do to all men as we would they should do to us"

"We account the Scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatever"

Issac Newton was anti-trinitarian. Believed that God was one God and believed that Christianity went astray in the 4th century AD, when the first Council of Nicaea propounded erroneous doctrines of the nature of Christ. This includes the trinity. He kept his beliefs secret till his letters surfaced in the late 1900's. He kept them secret for the fear of being severely punished or put to death for regecting these doctrines at the time.

His obssessive study of the book of daniel and the book of revelations led him to conclude that the end of days would come in the year 2026. What's interesting about his date is that even if it's wrong, (because Only god knows the day and hour) he probably isn't far off the way prophecy is being fullfilled today. Can things really get any worse?

When I read about Issac Newton his quotes and writing are so inspired of God's word it's crazy. You can vividly see he was a very spiritual man who knew the bible very well. He spoke like a bible writer. He may not have been a prophet but maybe it's possible he was used by God to keep truth alive. Christianity surely changed by the end of the 4th century. Practices that were not done before that time appeared. Teachings that were not taught were created. He wanted to make sure true christianity did not die. Well I believe in many of his views and I Believe he may have been one of those people to keep Truth alive.

 

[madds87]

Bravo fellas. Inspirational reading.

 

[Whacked]

Killer post

Thank you

Just wanted to share some information from my recent studies on Sir Issac Newton. He's well known for being one of the founding fathers of science but his love for the bible was his greatest passion. He spent much of his time studying the bible and trying to interpret it correctly. I wanted to share some of his beliefs and quotes.

"Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done."

"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent Being. [...] This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all; and on account of his dominion he is wont to be called "Lord God" παντοκρατωρ [pantokratōr], or "Universal Ruler". [...] The Supreme God is a Being eternal, infinite, [and] absolutely perfect.[2]"

"Opposition to godliness is atheism in profession and idolatry in practice. Atheism is so senseless and odious to mankind that it never had many professors."

"In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence."


"Yet one thing secures us what ever betide, The scriptures assure us the Lord will provide."

"The other part of the true religion is our duty to man. We must love our neighbour as our selves, we must be charitable to all men for charity is the greatest of graces, greater then even faith or hope and covers a multitude of sins. We must be righteous and do to all men as we would they should do to us"

"We account the Scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatever"

Issac Newton was anti-trinitarian. Believed that God was one God and believed that Christianity went astray in the 4th century AD, when the first Council of Nicaea propounded erroneous doctrines of the nature of Christ. This includes the trinity. He kept his beliefs secret till his letters surfaced in the late 1900's. He kept them secret for the fear of being severely punished or put to death for regecting these doctrines at the time.

His obssessive study of the book of daniel and the book of revelations led him to conclude that the end of days would come in the year 2026. What's interesting about his date is that even if it's wrong, (because Only god knows the day and hour) he probably isn't far off the way prophecy is being fullfilled today. Can things really get any worse?

When I read about Issac Newton his quotes and writing are so inspired of God's word it's crazy. You can vividly see he was a very spiritual man who knew the bible very well. He spoke like a bible writer. He may not have been a prophet but maybe it's possible he was used by God to keep truth alive. Christianity surely changed by the end of the 4th century. Practices that were not done before that time appeared. Teachings that were not taught were created. He wanted to make sure true christianity did not die. Well I believe in many of his views and I Believe he may have been one of those people to keep Truth alive.

 

[Flaw]

More about Newton.

According to “A History of God” by Karen Armstrong, 1993 and “Anti-Trinitarian Biographies,” Vol. III, 1850 by A. Wallace, Newton rejected the divinity of Jesus and the doctrine of the trinity. He attributed these doctrines to the corruption of the New Testament. Newton came to the conclusion that the Fathers of the Church had imposed their doctrines on the Church in a misleading bid for pagan converts. He believed that the concept of the “three in heaven” was never once thought of. The verses of the New Testament that were used to “prove” these doctrines were erroneous. In 1690, He wrote a manuscript on the corruption of the New Testament concerning I John 5:7 and Timothy 3:16. It was entitled, “A Historical Account of Two Notable Corruptions of Scripture.”Newton became obsessed with clearing the Christian faith. He believed that Noah had founded the original religion – a Gentile faith – that had been simple and free from mysticism. Noah advocated the unity of God. Later generations had corrupted this pure religion with weird mixtures of idolatry and superstition. Thus God had sent a succession of prophets to put humanity back on course. Newton’s approach to monotheism was as close as it can be to the Islamic teachings.

Newton on I John 5:7
I John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one”Newton states that this verse appeared for the first time in the third edition of Erasmus’s New Testament.“When they got the Trinity; into his edition they threw by their manuscript, if they had one, as an almanac out of date. And can such shuffling dealings satisfy considering men?….It is rather a danger in religion than an advantage to make it now lean on a broken reed.”“In all the vehement universal and lasting controversy about the Trinity in Jerome’s time and both before and long enough after it, this text of the “three in heaven” was never once thought of. It is now in everybody’s mouth and accounted the main text for the business and would assuredly have been so too with them, had it been in their books.”“Let them make good sense of it who are able. For my part, I can make none. If it be said that we are not to determine what is Scripture what not by our private judgments, I confess it in places not controverted, but in disputed places I love to take up with what I can best understand. It is the temper of the hot and superstitious art of mankind in matters of religion ever to be fond of mysteries, and for that reason to like best what they understand least. Such men may use the Apostle John as they please, but I have that honour for him as to believe that he wrote good sense and therefore take that to be his which is the best.”


Newton on I Timothy 3:16
I Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”“In all the times of the hot and lasting Arian controversy it never came into play . . . they that read “God manifested in the flesh” think it one of the most obvious and pertinent texts for the business.” “The word Deity imports exercise of dominion over subordinate beings and the word God most frequently signifies Lord. Every lord is not God. The exercise of dominion in a spiritual being constitutes a God. If that dominion be real that being is the real God; if it be fictitious, a false God; if it be supreme, a supreme God.” Newton also wrote a discussion on two other texts that Athanasius had attempted to corrupt. This work has not been preserved. He believed that not all the books of the Scriptures have the same authority.

 

[Flaw]

When you research history you open up a can of worms on the corruption of christianity. Mainstream christianity has been completely corrupted by pagan practicies and doctrines that were originally created to control people or to attract non-christians to convert to the church. All for the purpose of gaining power. It makes me sick the more I find. I consider myself a truth addict like Newton. I also belive that true religion has certain characteristics. The ones that Christ taught as well as the example he set. He never commissioned anyone to murder over his acceptance. He also never assigned power for men to judge others for themselves.

Recent research on the cross.. some information I came upon.

"A tradition of the Church which our fathers have inherited, was the adoption of the words "cross" and "crucify." These words are nowhere to be found in the Greek of the New Testament. These words are mistranslations, a "later rendering," of the Greek words stauros and stauroo. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says, "STAUROS denotes, primarily, an upright pole or stake...Both the noun and the verb stauroo, to fasten to a stake or pole, are originally to be distinguished from the ecclesiastical form of a two-beamed cross. The shape of the latter had its origin in ancient Chaldea (Babylon), and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name)...By the middle of the 3rd century A.D. the churches had either departed from, certain doctrines of the Christian faith. In order to increase the pretige of the apostate ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith, and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, in its most frequent form, with the cross piece lowered, was adopted..."

Dr. Bullinger, The Companion Bible, appx. 162 states, "crosses were used as symbols of the Babylonian Sun-god...It should be stated that Constantine was a Sun-god worshipper...The evidence is thus complete, that the Lord was put to death upon and upright stake, and not on two pieces of timber placed at any angle."

Rev. Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, pp. 197-205, frankly calls the cross "this Pagan symbol...the Tau, the sign of the cross, the indisputable sign of Tammuz, the false Messiah...the mystic Tau of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and Egyptians--the true original form of the letter T--the initial of the name of Tammus...the Babylonian cross was the recognized emblem of Tammuz."

In the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition, vol. 14, p. 273, we read, "In the Egyptian churches the cross was a pagan symbol of life borrowed by the Christians and interpreted in the pagan manner." Jacob Grimm, in his Deutsche Mythologie, says that the Teutonic (Germanic) tribes had their idol Thor, symbolised by a hammer, while the Roman Christians had their crux (cross). It was thus somewhat easier for the Teutons to accept the Roman cross.

Greek dictionaries, lexicons and other study books also declare the primary meaning of stauros to be an upright pale, pole or stake. The secondary meaning of "cross" is admitted by them to be a "later" rendering. At least two of them do not even mention "cross," and only render the meaning as "pole or stake." In spite of this strong evidence and proof that the word stauos should have been translated "stake," and the verb stauroo to have been translated "impale," almost all the common versions of the Scriptures persist with the Latin Vulgate's crux (cross), a "later" rendering of the Greek stauros.

The Catholic Encyclopedia admits that "the sign of the cross, represented in its simplest form by a crossing of two lines at right angles, greatly antedates, in both East and the West, the introduction of Christianity. It goes back to a very remote period of human civilization." It then continues and refers to the Tau cross of the pagan Egyptians, "In later times the Egyptian Christians (Copts), attracted by its form, and perhaps by its symbolism, adopted it as the emblem of the cross."

What bothers me is if they know, why don't they change things? Why would they still wear long crosses around their necks? They don't want to break so many years of tradition I guess and start a up roar. Sadly even for truth.

 

[Beast20]

When you research history you open up a can of worms on the corruption of christianity. Mainstream christianity has been completely corrupted by pagan practicies and doctrines that were originally created to control people or to attract non-christians to convert to the church. All for the purpose of gaining power. It makes me sick the more I find. I consider myself a truth addict like Newton. I also belive that true religion has certain characteristics. The ones that Christ taught as well as the example he set. He never commissioned anyone to murder over his acceptance. He also never assigned power for men to judge others for themselves.

Recent research on the cross.. some information I came upon.

"A tradition of the Church which our fathers have inherited, was the adoption of the words "cross" and "crucify." These words are nowhere to be found in the Greek of the New Testament. These words are mistranslations, a "later rendering," of the Greek words stauros and stauroo. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says, "STAUROS denotes, primarily, an upright pole or stake...Both the noun and the verb stauroo, to fasten to a stake or pole, are originally to be distinguished from the ecclesiastical form of a two-beamed cross. The shape of the latter had its origin in ancient Chaldea (Babylon), and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name)...By the middle of the 3rd century A.D. the churches had either departed from, certain doctrines of the Christian faith. In order to increase the pretige of the apostate ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith, and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, in its most frequent form, with the cross piece lowered, was adopted..."

Dr. Bullinger, The Companion Bible, appx. 162 states, "crosses were used as symbols of the Babylonian Sun-god...It should be stated that Constantine was a Sun-god worshipper...The evidence is thus complete, that the Lord was put to death upon and upright stake, and not on two pieces of timber placed at any angle."

Rev. Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, pp. 197-205, frankly calls the cross "this Pagan symbol...the Tau, the sign of the cross, the indisputable sign of Tammuz, the false Messiah...the mystic Tau of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and Egyptians--the true original form of the letter T--the initial of the name of Tammus...the Babylonian cross was the recognized emblem of Tammuz."

In the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition, vol. 14, p. 273, we read, "In the Egyptian churches the cross was a pagan symbol of life borrowed by the Christians and interpreted in the pagan manner." Jacob Grimm, in his Deutsche Mythologie, says that the Teutonic (Germanic) tribes had their idol Thor, symbolised by a hammer, while the Roman Christians had their crux (cross). It was thus somewhat easier for the Teutons to accept the Roman cross.

Greek dictionaries, lexicons and other study books also declare the primary meaning of stauros to be an upright pale, pole or stake. The secondary meaning of "cross" is admitted by them to be a "later" rendering. At least two of them do not even mention "cross," and only render the meaning as "pole or stake." In spite of this strong evidence and proof that the word stauos should have been translated "stake," and the verb stauroo to have been translated "impale," almost all the common versions of the Scriptures persist with the Latin Vulgate's crux (cross), a "later" rendering of the Greek stauros.

The Catholic Encyclopedia admits that "the sign of the cross, represented in its simplest form by a crossing of two lines at right angles, greatly antedates, in both East and the West, the introduction of Christianity. It goes back to a very remote period of human civilization." It then continues and refers to the Tau cross of the pagan Egyptians, "In later times the Egyptian Christians (Copts), attracted by its form, and perhaps by its symbolism, adopted it as the emblem of the cross."

What bothers me is if they know, why don't they change things? Why would they still wear long crosses around their necks? They don't want to break so many years of tradition I guess and start a up roar. Sadly even for truth.

Flaw, I appreciate people like yourself dude! I always enjoy finding sincere truth seekers who don't fear exposing falsehoods in the open, and that ''truthfully'' and ''zealously'' glorify their Creator - Proverbs 2:1-5

I mean let's be completely honest here guys, Jesus' own people hated him so much that they impaled him. And for WHAT?! For BOLDLY exposing their wicked and false worship - John 7:7 , John 15:18-20

As ''true'' followers of Christ, one should only expect the same from this wicked world, nothing more, nothing less. One of the few that truly immitated the Christ was Sir Isaac Newton!

I have the deepest respect for Newton, because he did not ''follow the crowd'', nor had he ''feared to expose the popular lies'', and best of all ''He tolerated NO RIVALRY AGAINST TRUTH!!!''

Today, as was in the past, many feared to dig deep, and many still fear to seek behind the lies. But as Jesus said, there shall ALWAYS be wheat (True Christians) among the MANY weeds (False Christians) that we see blossoming forth in these last days.... but not for long! (Matthew 13:24-30)

A simple example that many in today's world has attacked violently: ''Abstinence from blood''.

The Chronology of Antient Kingdoms Amended, by Sir Isaac Newton (Dublin, 1728, p. 184) states the following: “This law [of abstaining from blood] was ancienter than the days of Moses, being given to Noah and his sons, long before the days of Abraham: and therefore when the Apostles and Elders in the Council at Jerusalem declared that the Gentiles were not obliged to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses, they excepted this law of abstaining from blood, and things strangled, as being an earlier law of God, imposed not on the sons of Abraham only, but on all nations, while they lived together in Shinar under the dominion of Noah: and of the same kind is the law of abstaining from meats offered to Idols or false Gods, and from fornication.”

Jesus never feared to light up the truth in a dark world, neighter shall his TRUE followers - Matthew 5:14-16

There is nothing like ''pure freedom from deception'' - John 8:31,32

 

[Flaw]

Flaw, I appreciate people like yourself dude! I always enjoy finding sincere truth seekers who don't fear exposing falsehoods in the open, and that ''truthfully'' and ''zealously'' glorify their Creator - Proverbs 2:1-5

I mean let's be completely honest here guys, Jesus' own people hated him so much that they impaled him. And for WHAT?! For BOLDLY exposing their wicked and false worship - John 7:7 , John 15:18-20

As ''true'' followers of Christ, one should only expect the same from this wicked world, nothing more, nothing less. One of the few that truly immitated the Christ was Sir Isaac Newton!

I have the deepest respect for Newton, because he did not ''follow the crowd'', nor had he ''feared to expose the popular lies'', and best of all ''He tolerated NO RIVALRY AGAINST TRUTH!!!''

Today, as was in the past, many feared to dig deep, and many still fear to seek behind the lies. But as Jesus said, there shall ALWAYS be wheat (True Christians) among the MANY weeds (False Christians) that we see blossoming forth in these last days.... but not for long! (Matthew 13:24-30)

A simple example that many in today's world has attacked violently: ''Abstinence from blood''.

The Chronology of Antient Kingdoms Amended, by Sir Isaac Newton (Dublin, 1728, p. 184) states the following: “This law [of abstaining from blood] was ancienter than the days of Moses, being given to Noah and his sons, long before the days of Abraham: and therefore when the Apostles and Elders in the Council at Jerusalem declared that the Gentiles were not obliged to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses, they excepted this law of abstaining from blood, and things strangled, as being an earlier law of God, imposed not on the sons of Abraham only, but on all nations, while they lived together in Shinar under the dominion of Noah: and of the same kind is the law of abstaining from meats offered to Idols or false Gods, and from fornication.”

Jesus never feared to light up the truth in a dark world, neighter shall his TRUE followers - Matthew 5:14-16

There is nothing like ''pure freedom from deception'' - John 8:31,32

Thankyou! I really appreciate that!

What's interesting about Jesus own people too was some of them were afraid to accept him as the messiah because they were afraid of being persecuted themselves. They were also so stuck on the mosiac laws that they didn't want to change. They did not move forward when God was telling them too. I think A LOT of people today do the same thing. They are stuck on traditions. If someone exposes false teaching they don't wanna hear it or don't wanna change because then THEY have to change. They also don't wanna face ridicule from their friends and family. The question comes up... Are you gonna obey god as ruler or men? - Acts 5:29

On the topic of blood it's interesting to note that more and more hospitals are using bloodless surgery. The U.S. military has invested a lot of money into it as well and they aren't just because of religious reasons. If you can perform surgery without a blood tranfusion then you don't have to take the risks associated with one. Risks like immune-related reactions, nonimmune reactions, and infections. If god holds blood very sacred and wants me to abstain from it who am I to question him? After all he is the creator of life and if he allows me to die because I don't get a blood transfusion well then my chances of entering his kingdom have greatly increased because I have obeyed and listened to his commandment and I'm ok with that!

 

[Whacked]

At the risk of getting stoned to death ( )

Will someone please briefly summarize WHAT the MAIN arguments are in this thread.

I attempted to and it became muddy and mind-boggling FAST!

 

[Beast20]

At the risk of getting stoned to death ( )

Will someone please briefly summarize WHAT the MAIN arguments are in this thread.

I attempted to and it became muddy and mind-boggling FAST!

Good question. I think you should ask Trip. I read ''Spiritual'' and began feeling 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 linked with John 18:37.

 

[lukehayd]

When you research history you open up a can of worms on the corruption of christianity. Mainstream christianity has been completely corrupted by pagan practicies and doctrines that were originally created to control people or to attract non-christians to convert to the church. All for the purpose of gaining power. It makes me sick the more I find. I consider myself a truth addict like Newton. I also belive that true religion has certain characteristics. The ones that Christ taught as well as the example he set. He never commissioned anyone to murder over his acceptance. He also never assigned power for men to judge others for themselves.

Recent research on the cross.. some information I came upon.

"A tradition of the Church which our fathers have inherited, was the adoption of the words "cross" and "crucify." These words are nowhere to be found in the Greek of the New Testament. These words are mistranslations, a "later rendering," of the Greek words stauros and stauroo. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says, "STAUROS denotes, primarily, an upright pole or stake...Both the noun and the verb stauroo, to fasten to a stake or pole, are originally to be distinguished from the ecclesiastical form of a two-beamed cross. The shape of the latter had its origin in ancient Chaldea (Babylon), and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name)...By the middle of the 3rd century A.D. the churches had either departed from, certain doctrines of the Christian faith. In order to increase the pretige of the apostate ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith, and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, in its most frequent form, with the cross piece lowered, was adopted..."

Dr. Bullinger, The Companion Bible, appx. 162 states, "crosses were used as symbols of the Babylonian Sun-god...It should be stated that Constantine was a Sun-god worshipper...The evidence is thus complete, that the Lord was put to death upon and upright stake, and not on two pieces of timber placed at any angle."

Rev. Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, pp. 197-205, frankly calls the cross "this Pagan symbol...the Tau, the sign of the cross, the indisputable sign of Tammuz, the false Messiah...the mystic Tau of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and Egyptians--the true original form of the letter T--the initial of the name of Tammus...the Babylonian cross was the recognized emblem of Tammuz."

In the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition, vol. 14, p. 273, we read, "In the Egyptian churches the cross was a pagan symbol of life borrowed by the Christians and interpreted in the pagan manner." Jacob Grimm, in his Deutsche Mythologie, says that the Teutonic (Germanic) tribes had their idol Thor, symbolised by a hammer, while the Roman Christians had their crux (cross). It was thus somewhat easier for the Teutons to accept the Roman cross.

Greek dictionaries, lexicons and other study books also declare the primary meaning of stauros to be an upright pale, pole or stake. The secondary meaning of "cross" is admitted by them to be a "later" rendering. At least two of them do not even mention "cross," and only render the meaning as "pole or stake." In spite of this strong evidence and proof that the word stauos should have been translated "stake," and the verb stauroo to have been translated "impale," almost all the common versions of the Scriptures persist with the Latin Vulgate's crux (cross), a "later" rendering of the Greek stauros.

The Catholic Encyclopedia admits that "the sign of the cross, represented in its simplest form by a crossing of two lines at right angles, greatly antedates, in both East and the West, the introduction of Christianity. It goes back to a very remote period of human civilization." It then continues and refers to the Tau cross of the pagan Egyptians, "In later times the Egyptian Christians (Copts), attracted by its form, and perhaps by its symbolism, adopted it as the emblem of the cross."

What bothers me is if they know, why don't they change things? Why would they still wear long crosses around their necks? They don't want to break so many years of tradition I guess and start a up roar. Sadly even for truth.

Flaw, while I see what you are saying, I see it a little different. The type of cross or pike or pole on which Christ was crucified is not where the focus should be. It is the torture and the life freely given to wash away our sin debt. While the manner in which some people worship is questionable concerning the cross, it has indeed become a symbol of Christ's sacrifice for us regardless of it's origins. How often has God taken something meant for evil and used it for His good? The key to all of it is to worship the Lord and NOT the cross or pole! It is a reminder and that is it. There are practices that merit change and a drastic change at that but I don't believe this is one of them.

 

[Beast20]

Flaw, while I see what you are saying, I see it a little different. The type of cross or pike or pole on which Christ was crucified is not where the focus should be. It is the torture and the life freely given to wash away our sin debt. While the manner in which some people worship is questionable concerning the cross, it has indeed become a symbol of Christ's sacrifice for us regardless of it's origins. How often has God taken something meant for evil and used it for His good? The key to all of it is to worship the Lord and NOT the cross or pole! It is a reminder and that is it. There are practices that merit change and a drastic change at that but I don't believe this is one of them.

lukehayd, I agree with what you said. Christ Jesus precious ransom sacrifice for our sins is what should indeed be the focus of anyone who ''choose'' to excercise faith in Jesus, as John 3:16 states. However John 17:3 says, if one is endeavoring to remain on the narrow road which leads to life, one ''MUST'' take in ''ACCURATE knowledge'' of both the true God and Christ Jesus whom was sent.

I firmly believe when someone really values something and cherishes it with all his soul, heart, force and mind, one ends up studying the subject carefully and as accurate as one possibly could. Isn't that the reason why we bodybuilders are all ''here to study''?

Many of the sources which Flaw quoted, was preserved for us in the 21st Century by many sincere and true Christians, men who were burned alive and impaled as martyrs because of ''appreciation of the TRUTH which our Dear Redeemer was also impaled for''. Especially in the Dark Ages, anyone who would ''dare'' defend the truth would be burned after months of cruel torture. But as Hebrews Chapter 11 gives us a list of faithful men and women who died martyr deaths, and also was a prophecy whom many true Christian would have to undergo.

Christ Jesus himself said: ''Everyone that is on the side of the TRUTH, listens to my voice.'' - John 18:37

Now remember this was the same man that warned us over and over again that ''there shall be many false prophets and many FALSE CHRISTS among you'' (Matthew 24:4,5 , 11 , 24).

The only protection TRUE Christians have today... is ''the accurate truth''. And I believe that one who ''professes to be a follower of the Greatest Man who ever walked this Earth'', should live and be led by ''the accurate teaching'' of that man.

A wise man once said: ''let the bible interpret the bible''. So Aside from all the research which Flaw did, which I myself am quite familiar with, because I have personally read some of those books, notice this simple truth which the bible gives us.

- Deuteronomy, a book written by Moses, which the Jewish considered ''One of the books of LAW''.
- The Jewish Pharisees and chief priests were the ones who ''according to their Jewish law'' executed the man Jesus.
- Notice what the law states at Deuteronomy 21:22,23. ''sentence of death'' , ''hung upon a stake (certain translations: tree)'' , ''something accursed of God''
- Now, didn't high priest Caiaphas accused Jesus: ''You have heard the BLASPHEMY'', and then condemned Jesus to the ''Jewish'' death penalty - Mark 14:63,64 ?????

So now, since the Cross itself, is pagan (Babylon, Egypt, and other gentile nations), would it make sense then that Jesus was impaled on a cross (which was not according to the Jewish death sentence)?

Again, I am just defending the precious truth that our Lord Jesus spent his entire life on earth preaching. Honest hearted ones DESERVE to know the TRUTH Jesus taught!

p.s. even if he did (although he certainly did not) die on a ''pagan symbol'', would it be nice to carry that symbol around and placing it everywhere for people to be reminded of it? If someone killed your son with a gun, for catching a bullet to safe another's life, would you carry the gun that killer YOUR SON everywhere you go??? I don't think The True God enjoys seeing people mocking his Only-Begotten Son.........

Any HUMBLE and HONEST and HUNGRY person (the triple H's) should sincerely ask himself daily: ''Am I really a disciple of Christ Jesus??...'' -John 8:31,32

if you want you can start heating up the pole, I'm ready to die a martyr death ANY day for the one who freely gave His Perfect and Sinless life for my sinful soul

 

[james122]

lukehayd, I agree with what you said. Christ Jesus precious ransom sacrifice for our sins is what should indeed be the focus of anyone who ''choose'' to excercise faith in Jesus, as John 3:16 states. However John 17:3 says, if one is endeavoring to remain on the narrow road which leads to life, one ''MUST'' take in ''ACCURATE knowledge'' of both the true God and Christ Jesus whom was sent.

I firmly believe when someone really values something and cherishes it with all his soul, heart, force and mind, one ends up studying the subject carefully and as accurate as one possibly could. Isn't that the reason why we bodybuilders are all ''here to study''?

Many of the sources which Flaw quoted, was preserved for us in the 21st Century by many sincere and true Christians, men who were burned alive and impaled as martyrs because of ''appreciation of the TRUTH which our Dear Redeemer was also impaled for''. Especially in the Dark Ages, anyone who would ''dare'' defend the truth would be burned after months of cruel torture. But as Hebrews Chapter 11 gives us a list of faithful men and women who died martyr deaths, and also was a prophecy whom many true Christian would have to undergo.

Christ Jesus himself said: ''Everyone that is on the side of the TRUTH, listens to my voice.'' - John 18:37

Now remember this was the same man that warned us over and over again that ''there shall be many false prophets and many FALSE CHRISTS among you'' (Matthew 24:4,5 , 11 , 24).

The only protection TRUE Christians have today... is ''the accurate truth''. And I believe that one who ''professes to be a follower of the Greatest Man who ever walked this Earth'', should live and be led by ''the accurate teaching'' of that man.

A wise man once said: ''let the bible interpret the bible''. So Aside from all the research which Flaw did, which I myself am quite familiar with, because I have personally read some of those books, notice this simple truth which the bible gives us.

- Deuteronomy, a book written by Moses, which the Jewish considered ''One of the books of LAW''.
- The Jewish Pharisees and chief priests were the ones who ''according to their Jewish law'' executed the man Jesus.
- Notice what the law states at Deuteronomy 21:22,23. ''sentence of death'' , ''hung upon a stake (certain translations: tree)'' , ''something accursed of God''
- Now, didn't high priest Caiaphas accused Jesus: ''You have heard the BLASPHEMY'', and then condemned Jesus to the ''Jewish'' death penalty - Mark 14:63,64 ?????

So now, since the Cross itself, is pagan (Babylon, Egypt, and other gentile nations), would it make sense then that Jesus was impaled on a cross (which was not according to the Jewish death sentence)?

Again, I am just defending the precious truth that our Lord Jesus spent his entire life on earth preaching. Honest hearted ones DESERVE to know the TRUTH Jesus taught!

p.s. even if he did (although he certainly did not) die on a ''pagan symbol'', would it be nice to carry that symbol around and placing it everywhere for people to be reminded of it? If someone killed your son with a gun, for catching a bullet to safe another's life, would you carry the gun that killer YOUR SON everywhere you go??? I don't think The True God enjoys seeing people mocking his Only-Begotten Son.........

Any HUMBLE and HONEST and HUNGRY person (the triple H's) should sincerely ask himself daily: ''Am I really a disciple of Christ Jesus??...'' -John 8:31,32

if you want you can start heating up the pole, I'm ready to die a martyr death ANY day for the one who freely gave His Perfect and Sinless life for my sinful soul

whoa beast. reps for you. My pastor just asked the men at our church " if they were arresting christians TODAY , and chopping heads off in the parking lot, WHO IS GOING WITH ME?" and I though. . . . me, thats who , right here , right now. Praise God for the grace and mercy he has had on us !

 

[Beast20]

whoa beast. reps for you. My pastor just asked the men at our church " if they were arresting christians TODAY , and chopping heads off in the parking lot, WHO IS GOING WITH ME?" and I though. . . . me, thats who , right here , right now. Praise God for the grace and mercy he has had on us !

Appreciate it James. It takes a True Follower to become ''doers of the word and not hearers only'', and doing so, one fearlessly, by means of the free gift of holy spirit, opposes ''false reasonings'' which are against the genuine TRUTH our Redeemer FEARLESSLY declared among HOSTILE Jews.

Credit to the wonderful Holy Scriptures of God and also the guidence of Holy Spirit that we aren't ignorant of these precious facts and purpose of life today!