Thank you for your question. I had the same sort of confusion as you did about John the Baptist. I knew there were 2 Johns, but did not know which one did what.
My Life Application Study Bible has profiles of all the main characters in the Bible, including both John the Disciple and John the Baptist. The profiles document each character's strengths, accomplishments, weaknesses, mistakes, lessons from their lives, vital statistics (where an when they lived, etc.), and their key verses.
John the Disciple was originally one of John the Baptist's disciples before becoming one of the 12 disciple of Jesus (the day John the Baptist baptised Jesus).
John the Disciple is the one who wrote five New Testament books: The Gospel of John, John 1, 2, and 3, and Revelation. He wrote the last while he was exhiled on the Island of Patmos.
John the Disciple had weaknesses! Like James, he had tendencies toward outbursts of selfishness and anger. Example: He asked Jesus for a special position in His Kingdom.
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John the Baptist was actually related to Jesus.
After Mary received notice from the angel Gabrielle she was pregnant with our Lord, she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was 6 months pregnant with John (Luke 1:39-56).
John's story is told in all four Gospels.
John the Baptist was God's appointed messenger of the arrival of Jesus (His ministry);
--Was a preacher whose theme was repentance;
--Was a fearless confronter (boldly confronted religious leaders and King Herod about their sins);
--Was known for his remarkable life-style (lived in the desert);
--Was uncompromising in his faith and humility.
Lessons from his life:
--God does not guarantee an easy or safe life to those who serve Him;
--Doing what God desires is the greatest possible life investment;
--Standing for the Truth is more important than life itself.
John the Baptist paid the ultimate price for his boldness. King Herod's wife Herodias (who had been previously married to Herod's brother Phillip) wanted John killed because John told the king he was wrong to take his brother's wife. It was her demand for John's head on a platter that resulted in his death. (Mark 6:14-29).
I guess the best way to tell one John from the other is: The Disciple was with Jesus and wrote about him; the Baptist introduced Jesus' and baptised Him (which started His ministry).
Thanks again, Sisygirl, for asking this question. I learned a LOT today! Hugs n God bless, sweety!
I have an NIV Life Application Study Bible, which has a chart on the 'Key Lessons From the Sermon On The Mount."
In this chart, it says the following of Matthew 5:3:
Old Testament Application: Isaiah 57:15, which reads, "For this is what the high and lofty One says--He Who lives forever, Whose Name is Holy: 'I live in a hight and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'"
Clashing Worldy Views: Pride and personal independence
God's Reward: Kingdom of Heaven
How to develop this attitude: James 4:7-10, which reads, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up."
So, based on that verse, I believe Matthew 5:3 refers to those of lowly spirits and contrite hearts. Those who are humble.
That's what I take from it, anyway. Hope that helps, sister!
How about an information trade? You tell us how you can verify an individual's stated location on their profile, and I'll tell you how to verify an individual's profile pictures (below). What do ya say?
There are 'reverse image search' applications that can be added to your browser (search for them in your browser's "Add-Ons" section) that allow you to right click on an image and search for the image on the Internet (to see where it's been posted). The application will open a new tab or window with the results of the search. Often, you can find out that the image is really just a professional stock photo of some kind of model/actor/actress/celebrity.
Scammers don't use photos of themselves in the profiles they create. They will steal a photo of an innocent person off the Internet, misrepresenting who they are.
Choose (Firefox) "Add-Ons" from the Tools menu, then go to the "Get Add-Ons" page and search for "TinEye." The results page will provide several Add-On tools you can download, including Google Image Search. Or you can go to www.TinEye.com and follow instructioins there.
If you use the IE browser, you can go to Internet Explorer's Properties menu and open the 'Manage Add-Ons' located on one of the Property box's tabs, and search from there.
I think we would all appreciate knowing how to check someone's profile location. Thank you, in advance, for providing another tool to help defend against being scammed.
God bless you, sis; I know He will bring you the desires of your heart!
The reason why they want us to communicate with them off-site is CDFF administrators are able to monitor what is said in the back and forth emails--and certain words are clues to indicate scamming.
Scammers know this, and don't wish to be detected, for their accounts will be deleted and they will be banned from the site. They want to be free to manipulate us and then provide a sob story to extort money from us.
CDFF also has rules about the use of certain language (crude sexual content and foul language) and will ban those who use such terms.
Unfortunately, not everyone who creates an account is Christian, and not all are looking for love. Hence the warnings.
I know God will bring you your one true love! Just recognize that man will never ask you for money, lie to you about who he is, nor use language that might 'offend' a Godly woman's sensibilities.
Weighing the charcter traits of a man and a women.......
Posted : 21 Oct, 2013 03:49 PM
Wykd1,
The problem with expecting one's true character to come out regarding how they speak about an ex is simply that there are often real reasons to leave a relationship that would preclude someone from speaking well of their ex.
Example: Could you expect a woman who was abused by her last husband/boyfriend to say wonderful things about him?
Or a man whose wife/girlfriend cheated on him with his best friend?
Our families are our original relationships; how we treat those we were raised with (siblings) and who raised us (parents) is probably the clearest example of our truest selves simply because these relationships have shaped our characters since birth.
Considering the fact that just about everyone has some form of access to the Internet--including some very creepy characters (use your imagination!)--and the fact that women are physically weaker than men, we are less interested in meeting a total stranger right away than men are.
This is simply because meeting just anyone from the Internet could be the very LAST thing a woman ever does. We have to be concerned about our personal safety ALL THE TIME.
The fact that you guys don't have to think about such things when you imagine meeting someone off the Internet is the likely reason why you assume making such a request in your first message is OK.
You are not thinking of how your request is received by the women you message. We mignt see your "innocent request" as a ploy to bring you a new 'victim.'
While I am not accusing you of anything, and your particular motives might not be of any danger to us; what about the NEXT guy who asks? How are we to know which one of you is safe to meet, and which is the next Ted Bundy?
(For those who do not know who Ted Bundy was, he was a sexually sadistic serial killer who tortured and murdered several dozen young women across several U.S. states during the 1970s. He was eventually caught, tried, convicted, and later executed for his crimes. His success in murdering so many women is attributed to his ability to fool women by his good looks, intelligence, and evident charm.)
Think about the 'Craigslist Killer' who made headlines after meeting, and harming, some female "Message Therapists" he arranged to meet through that website? He's called a "killer" because he murdered one of those women. The Internet that allows us all to communicate on THIS website is EXACTLY the same Internet that allowed that man to meet all those women from Craigslist.
Sorry, I am not trying to scare anyone here; it's just that, as a former cop, I know what can happen when strangers meet for the first time. Sometimes it turns out to be the last time for one of them.
Ladies, no matter how a man presents himself, how long you've been chatting/talking with him, nor what he has said to you; ALWAYS be especially careful when meeting him for the first time. Take all of the recommended precautions you read about. Don't be afraid to bring someone along with you, just in case.
The advice, "Better to be safe than sorry" exists for a reason. Please take it to heart!
Again, sorry about my over-protective nature! Not meaning any offense to any of the Christian men on CDFF. I'm sure most of you are awesome gentlemen.
You are only 18--just barely a legal adult. If you had a relationship with a 37-year-old in your past, then you were underage and she was/is a pedophile!
There is something SERIOUSLY wrong with that, don't you think? She was taking advantage of you. She should have been reported to the police and should be in jail now.
How are you not seeing this? Your perspective is WAY out of whack, kiddo. Why do you think she moved away? She was afraid of being CAUGHT!
You have a long path to being mature enough to see the truth for what it is.
I am very sorry you were used like that. She was wrong on so many levels, and certainly not Christian. I pray God helps you get over losing your innocence to someone who never truly cared about you.
Now that you are of age, take some time to be alone and learn about who you are as a person, love yourself FIRST before trying to love another. It's part of the maturity process, and is critical to forming lasting relationships.
As an 'older woman,' let me give you my perspective on this sort of relationship:
I married a man who was 9 years younger, and even that spread was too much. He apparently did not know what love was, for he cheated after only 2.5 years, and was unwilling to give up his new girlfriend. So, I had to divorce him.
My experience taught me that people should have relationships with those who are close to their own age and maturity level. This also provides that both are in the same stage of life, and more compatible.
I get a lot of attention from males who are 15-25 years younger than me, and they all claim to be 'extraordinarily mature' for their age; yet they want a family. They forget that the older women they want often have either already had their kids and they're grown, or can no longer have kids due to menopause.
The fact that women mature faster than men also has a hand in this issue. Which is probably why men in my age range on this site, and others, are OK with starting a relationship with women who are half their age. Not sure they're looking for the same thing I am (marriage, aka love), but to each their own. They often end up unhappy with their choice.
May/December romances just don't work. Please consider women who are close to your own age, for a better chance at compatibility and a long life together.
