First, let us all rejoice in knowing God and being saved and promised everlasting life through Christ. Our faith in the Lord and His word has set us free from the things that trouble those who are prideful. By following Jesus' simple commandments of living life humbly, with humility, submitting yourself to those of authority, treat one another as you would like to be treated, and believing that the things in our possession actually are of loan from God, we can live with one another in comfort and contentment.
Now, let us consider the obvious and most asked questions for those who would challenge our faith.
If God exist, why is there so much strife and petulance in the world?
Let us take a look at the lands where disease and starvation are ways of life. Those countries do have Governments. They are run by wicked men who do not live by the rules of Christ and are influenced by Satan. They accept assistance from other countries around the world yet use the help in devious ways. Immorality is a way of life in those places. If Governments would use the teachings of the word of God for guidance, wouldn't there be more peace on Earth and less misfortune to God's creatures?
Why do the innocent die? Why is there so much crime in the world?
Ask the person when the last time they had been to church or picked up a Bible. Ask them if they have no faith in God, how are they living their life. How do they handle unfortunate times in their life? Do they lust for money, sex, items in the world? Now remind them that there are those who weren't raise the same way they were. Ask them if they were raise just knowing trouble and misfortune, not having the job they have, how would they be? Everyone has free will, they live their lives the way they chose. Those who are wicked live wicked lives. The who choose harmony live harmonious lives. By following the Lord's words we choose to live in harmony.
What about those who believe in Pagan religions? They live in harmony.
Ask them about everlasting life. Do they believe in it? Once those who believe in Paganism die they believe their spirit becomes one with the universe. Won't it be a surprise when Christ returns and the day of judgment comes to pass. Because they choose to deny God they will spend their eternity in damnation. Not just their souls, but their resurrected bodies. Ask the person what their greatest torment would be, then remind them there would be no way to escape that.
I'm a good person, I believe there is a God. Why would I not go to Heaven?
In Revelations, "God's Kingdom will be established here on Earth. There will be a new Jerusalem, whose gates will be closed to the world." "No one shall come to the Father except through Christ". If they are truly good in heart and believe in God and His kingdom, Why wouldn't they give their life to Christ? Being good and knowing what is right why should they wait? There is no harm in accepting that Jesus died for their salvation, but the reward's they shall receive is comfort and contentment while they live their lives.
Be honest with them and yourself. There will be trials, times of misfortune. But having God in our lives and believing in His word, we do not fall into despair. We can view it as a blessing, knowing that our loss is another brother's gain, in that us needing help will bring someone closer to God. For all that happens is for the glory of the Lord.
God's plan, what's that all about?
Faith is God's plan. Trusting in His grace. Accepting that everything we do is to serve Him. God has given man free will, we know right from wrong. Free will allows us to practice righteousness or evil. We choose to believe or not. There are those out there who will dispute the words, they think us delusional. Our response should always be a smile and a blessing. For we know the truth.
1 Corinthians 15 (Contemporary English Version)
God's People Will Be Raised to Life
12If we preach that Christ was raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? 13If they won't be raised to life, Christ himself wasn't raised to life. 14And if Christ wasn't raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. 15If the dead won't be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying that he raised Christ to life, when he really did not.
16So if the dead won't be raised to life, Christ wasn't raised to life. 17Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. 18And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. 19If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else.
20But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. 21Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ. 22Adam brought death to all of us, and Christ will bring life to all of us. 23But we must each wait our turn. Christ was the first to be raised to life, and his people will be raised to life when he returns. 24Then after Christ has destroyed all powers and forces, the end will come, and he will give the kingdom to God the Father.
25Christ will rule until he puts all his enemies under his power, 26and the last enemy he destroys will be death. 27When the Scriptures say that he will put everything under his power, they don't include God. It was God who put everything under the power of Christ. 28After everything is under the power of God's Son, he will put himself under the power of God, who put everything under his Son's power. Then God will mean everything to everyone.
29If the dead are not going to be raised to life, what will people do who are being baptized for them? Why are they being baptized for those dead people? 30And why do we always risk our lives 31and face death every day? The pride that I have in you because of Christ Jesus our Lord is what makes me say this. 32What do you think I gained by fighting wild animals in Ephesus? If the dead are not raised to life,
"Let's eat and drink.
Tomorrow we die."
33Don't fool yourselves. Bad friends will destroy you. 34Be sensible and stop sinning. You should be embarrassed that some people still don't know about God.
What Our Bodies Will Be Like
35Some of you have asked, "How will the dead be raised to life? What kind of bodies will they have?" 36Don't be foolish. A seed must die before it can sprout from the ground. 37Wheat seeds and all other seeds look different from the sprouts that come up. 38This is because God gives everything the kind of body he wants it to have. 39People, animals, birds, and fish are each made of flesh, but none of them are alike. 40Everything in the heavens has a body, and so does everything on earth. But each one is very different from all the others. 41The sun isn't like the moon, the moon isn't like the stars, and each star is different.
42That's how it will be when our bodies are raised to life. These bodies will die, but the bodies that are raised will live forever. 43These ugly and weak bodies will become beautiful and strong. 44As surely as there are physical bodies, there are spiritual bodies. And our physical bodies will be changed into spiritual bodies.
45The first man was named Adam, and the Scriptures tell us that he was a living person. But Jesus, who may be called the last Adam, is a life-giving spirit. 46We see that the one with a spiritual body did not come first. He came after the one who had a physical body. 47The first man was made from the dust of the earth, but the second man came from heaven. 48Everyone on earth has a body like the body of the one who was made from the dust of the earth. And everyone in heaven has a body like the body of the one who came from heaven. 49Just as we are like the one who was made out of earth, we will be like the one who came from heaven.
50My friends, I want you to know that our bodies of flesh and blood will decay. This means that they cannot share in God's kingdom, which lasts forever. 51I will explain a mystery to you. Not every one of us will die, but we will all be changed. 52It will happen suddenly, quicker than the blink of an eye. At the sound of the last trumpet the dead will be raised. We will all be changed, so that we will never die again. 53Our dead and decaying bodies will be changed into bodies that won't die or decay. 54The bodies we now have are weak and can die. But they will be changed into bodies that are eternal. Then the Scriptures will come true,
"Death has lost the battle!
55Where is its victory?
Where is its sting?"
56Sin is what gives death its sting, and the Law is the power behind sin. 57But thank God for letting our Lord Jesus Christ give us the victory!
58My dear friends, stand firm and don't be shaken. Always keep busy working for the Lord. You know that everything you do for him is worthwhile.
Most of us know about the Mayan calendar, the fact that it ends 12/21/2012. That is suppose to signify a transition into a new time. Could this be the beginning of the Rapture? This is suppose to last 7 years. Scientist has been tracking a fairly large asteroid which they say may travel between Earth and the Moon in the year 2019. If it comes within Earths orbit and enters our gravitational pull, could this be the "fiery mountain" that Paul wrote about in the book of Revelations?
Copy and paste http://revelation13.net to your address bar. It's an interesting site, it uses a Bible Coding program to make certain interpretations of events from information in the scriptures. Take this site to heart. If anything, it's a good read. They have video clips for those who like narratives. For those who have friends or family skeptical of the scriptures, this site may sparks some interest with them. Funny how the world will choose stories about death and destruction over information on how to receive everlasting life.
Use your own digression, but know that with the way the world is going, the time for change is near.
25 I don't know of anything that the Lord said about people who have never been married. But I will tell you what I think. And you can trust me, because the Lord has treated me with kindness.
26 We are now going through hard times, and I think it is best for you to stay as you are.
27 If you are married, stay married. If you are not married, don't try to get married.
28 It isn't wrong to marry, even if you have never been married before. But those who marry will have a lot of trouble, and I want to protect you from that.
29 My friends, what I mean is that the Lord will soon come, and it won't matter if you are married or not.
30 It will be all the same if you are crying or , or if you are buying or are completely broke.
31 It won't make any difference how much good you are getting from this world or how much you like it. This world as we know it is now passing away.
32 I want all of you to be free from worry. An unmarried man worries about how to please the Lord.
33 But a married man has more worries. He must worry about the things of this world, because he wants to please his wife.
34 So he is pulled in two directions. Unmarried women and women who have never been married worry only about pleasing the Lord, and they keep their bodies and minds pure. But a married woman worries about the things of this world, because she wants to please her husband.
35 What I am saying is for your own good--it isn't to limit your freedom. I want to help you to live right and to love the Lord above all else.
36 But suppose you are engaged to someone old enough to be married, and you want her so much that all you can think about is getting married. Then go ahead and marry. There is nothing wrong with that.
37 But it is better to have self-control and to make up your mind not to marry.
38 It is perfectly all right to marry, but it is better not to get married at all.
39 A wife should stay married to her husband until he dies. Then she is free to marry again, but only to a man who is a follower of the Lord.
40 However, I think I am obeying God's Spirit when I say she would be happier to stay single.
All the gospels pretty much say the same thing. It is best to be single on earth because it allows you to serve the Lord solely. But God did create woman for man because "it is not good for man to be alone".
The Lord understands that we born of earth, are in need of close fellowship and have the desire for human touch. Though it doesn't work for some, being married is suppose to keep us from further sinning. That is why it is important to marry someone who is devoted to the word as much as you are. It is a sin to have lust in your heart.
The physical comfort of a companion here on earth allows us to enjoy the spiritual comfort given by God. A man devoted to God will be a woman's sword and shield, a woman devoted to the Lord will be a man's helpmate and conscience.
Christian/secular music, compilation of words set to melody. Inspired by thoughts, feelings, situations, and lifestyles. But how many so called secular songs out there have really been written because the artist was actually moved by the Holy Spirit.
I was listening to a Christian station one Sunday when I heard Elton John's "Beautiful In My Eyes".
You're my peace of mind in this crazy world.
You're everything I've tried to find, your love is a pearl.
You're my Mona Lisa, you're my rainbow skies,
and my only prayer is that you realize
you'll always be beautiful in my eyes.
The world will turn and the seasons will change,
and all the lessons we will learn will be beautiful and strange.
We'll have our fill of tears, our share of sighs.
My only prayer is that you realize
you'll always be beautiful in my eyes.
You will always be beautiful in my eyes.
And the passing years will show
that you will always grow more beautiful in my eyes.
When there are lines upon my face form a lifetime of smiles,
and when the time comes to embrace for one long last while,
we can laugh about how time really flies.
We won't say goodbye 'cause true love never dies.
You'll always be beautiful in my eyes.
You will always be beautiful in my eyes.
And the passing years will show
that you will always grow more beautiful in my eyes.
The passing years will show that you will always grow
ever more beautiful in my eyes.
So, what do you think? Isn't it wonderful how the Holy Spirit moves?
If there is one thing that pleases God the most it would be having 2 people who love him love each other. Otherwise he would have made a woman for a man.
I must confess for the longest time I felt incomplete without having a companion at my side. But my time alone here on earth has brought me closer to the Lord. I have realized that I have a lot to be thankful for, and have done a lot of repenting for pass sins. I know that he is preparing me for what hopefully is my true destiny.
I have this posted elsewhere on the forums but feel it appropriate here.
At Last Honesty
God: �What�s the matter?
Me: �I�m lonely!�
God: �I know! Don�t you think I know that?�
Me: �Yes Lord.�
God: �Then what�s the problem?�
Me: �I�m lonely.�
God: �What do you want?�
Me: (Repressing the honest answer I speak:) �I want what you want Lord.�
God: �You have it.�
Me: (dead silence)
God: �Something is still bothering you. What is it?�
Me: �I�m alone.�
God: �Why is that a problem?�
Me: �I�m not happy.�
God: �And why not?�
Me: �I don�t want to be alone.�
God: �You said you wanted what I wanted.�
Me: �Yes Lord.�
God: �You have it.�
Me: (silence)
God: �Isn�t that what you wanted?�
Me: (at last honesty) �No Lord.�
God: �Then you do not want what I want?�
Me: �I do, but I also want to be married. I also want what I want.�
God: �The problem is not your desire to be married. That is a good desire.
The problem is that you expect that I should give you
what you want when you want and how you want.
If a sparrow does not fall without my knowledge...
If I dress the lilies in such splendor...
If I cloth the grass of the field which so quickly withers...
9 I would like for women to wear modest and sensible clothes. They should not have fancy hairdos, or wear expensive clothes, or put on jewelry made of gold or pearls.
10 Women who claim to love God should do helpful things for others,
11 and they should learn by being quiet and paying attention.
12 They should be silent and not be allowed to teach or to tell men what to do.
13 After all, Adam was created before Eve,
14 and the man Adam wasn't the one who was fooled. It was the woman Eve who was completely fooled and sinned.
15 But women will be saved by having children, if they stay faithful, loving, holy, and modest.
Proverbs 31 is asking a lot for a women, but it also states that the man should be high of social character, a leader in his community.
This would be the next on the list for any man. But the man should put God before himself.
I was again doing some surfing and I found this site. This is a great place for both believers and non-believers alike. Get ready to be entertained while you increase your faith.
Welcome to the flock of CDFF. We are, have been, and will be where you are. Many here are strong with their walk with the Lord, most have had their walk renewed. You can find fellowship here. I hope you can find answers in the forums.
One passage I would like to share with you is Galatians 5:16-26;
From the Contemporary English version:
16If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires.
17The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should.
18But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you.
19People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds.
20They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are
21envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom.
22God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful,
23gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.
24And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires.
25God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit.
26But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are.
Be strong in your walk with the Lord, and as you stated, "Patience"
, or if you are buying or are completely broke.