I Love Loving God and people . . . particularly Asian people.

I thoroughly enjoy photography, gardening, technology; UFO's; extra dimensions; Stargate SG1 . . . .

I have a bias that FR is the most wonderful living room/front porch available to mankind and certainly USA citizens and visitors. The diversity of people--most--hopefully--with a strong conservative bent--and most with a great joy in teasing out, tossing around all kinds of conventional and not so conventional constructions on reality.

As my dissertation chairman--a rather extremely brilliant Mormon bishop--when I asked him how he handled the changes in the Book of Mormon (which supposedly has never changed), he replied that: LIFE IS SOOOOOOOOO COMPLEX, JUST ABOUT ANY COCKAMAMIE EXPLANATION WILL DO. While I'm rather orthodox in my Christianity--I think he has a good point.

God alone has complete knowledge about all the perspectivs, facts, pseudo facts, deceptions, disinformation, secrets, manipulations, tyrannies etc. afoot in the world. But it's fun to collect puzzle pieces and discuss them with other folk of reasonably fair mindedness.

TO ME, the evidence that we are in the Biblical "end times" is so abundantly obvious--virtually in every direction and common newspaper headlines--it's hard to understand how everyone doesn't see it.

I believe the BibleCodeDigest.com graphics and explanations about the skeptics/believers' experiment conclusively proving the validity--those graphics as well as the referenced papers are more than impressive--I think to any fair-minded person.

Just the "mark of the beast" implant/national/international ID rush thereto is evidence enough of the times we are in. Last night (1 Jun 06), on C2CAM, a Christian pastor researcher was noting how the immigration bills before Congress are BOTH--either version--are mandating a FEDERAL ID NUMBER WITH BIOMETRIC INFO etc. etc. . . . without which no one would be able to work--clearly well on the road to the Revelation described MOTBeast

I strongly agree with Jim Robinson when he wrote:

President Reagan faced down the Soviets and ended the cold war, but the Beast is still with us. It simply changes form. Whether it appears in the form of Bolshevism, Nazism, fascism, communism, Islamofascism, etc, it is the same enemy: Totalitarianism. The all powerful state.

Been watching the history channel stuff on Hitler. The Machiavellian swaying of masses is sooooooo similar to Shrillery's and the MSM's. And the slowly heating water the frog is in . . . as the State rachets up it's tyrannical smothering control factors . . . WAKE UP AMERICA!

THANKS TONS JIM, for this opportunity to stand up and be counted on the side of right, righteousness, freedom, liberty, God, Family and the Constitution!

LINKS to threads for Qx REFERENCE:

PROPHETIC SIGNS THAT WE ARE IN THE END TIMES http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1274030/posts?page=1628#1628

The following by Alamo-Girl states my own convictions better than I. I believe there is much eternal spiritual life in the following paragraphs. May the reader prayerfully ponder and be lastingly edified by them:

Indeed, it is not enough to know the Scriptures:

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. – Matt 22:29

Your point about the power of God not always being with an assembly which was previously empowered can be seen in Joshua 7.

Joshua nor the people even knew there was an accursed thing in their midst. But because of it, God was not with the men who first went to take Ai and they failed horribly. And once the people searched out the abomination and rid themselves of it, repented and sanctified the assembly before God, He again was with them in a great display of power. Indeed, the Tanach has many such examples.

The moral of the story is that assemblies of men can erroneously presume that God is with them when He is not. See also Revelation 2 and 3.

I realize that many here would say that Matt 16:18 protects the succession of a physical assembly of men from the apostles to this day:

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. – Matt 16:18

But the leaning I have in the Spirit from the whole counsel of Scripture is that the assurance is to the redeemed (Romans 8:38-39) and The Rock is a Name of God (Deut 32:1-4) In other words, we are all parts of His body (I Corinthians 12) and He is the head and savior (Ephesians 5, Colossians 1:12-18). Jesus Himself tears down the gates of hell – by His power hell is tossed into the lake of fire (Revelation 20) He reconciles everything to Himself (Colossians 1) That includes us.

In sum, an assembly of men may or may not be comprised solely of the redeemed. If there is an accursed thing in the midst of the assembly, the power of God may not be with the assembly itself even though He is with His own (Romans 8:9) who may be members of the assembly. Conversely, any particular assembly may become empowered by God, or empowered once again. This is the lesson of Joshua 7 et al.

The problem with assemblies of men is the men themselves, i.e. that they are men. It has been said that a camel is the horse a committee would have built. The Internal Revenue Code is another example – as is the rest of our huge body of civil and criminal laws and regulations. The legislatures busy themselves making things all the more complicated and huge.

And the same is true of all assemblies of men who promulgate doctrines and traditions – whether Judaic or Christian or whatever.

By contrast, Truth is elegant – so elegant it can be spoken in a parable and thereby hidden in plain view. (Matt 13)

Moreover, some of the doctrines and traditions of men can be as harmless as the color of the garment a minister or priest shall wear. Or they can be a frivolous waste of time:

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men. – Mark 7:7

But some can be spiritually lethal if they turn hapless followers away from God Himself. (Matthew 23)

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. – Jer 2:13

As you know, I personally eschew all the doctrines and traditions of men across the board. My comfort is in the Shepherd (John 10) not the pen. It doesn’t matter to me whether we have assembled in the Catholic pen or the Orthodox pen or the Baptist pen or whatever – as long as the Shepherd is there. And I know He will be if but one other sheep is a brother or sister in Christ:

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. – Matthew 18:20

Still, I thank God that pens exist. Surely the newborn Christians need the comfort of the pen because they do not yet know the Shepherd very well, i.e. enough to follow Him through the gate into the open field or another pen. Likewise, following the John 10 metaphor, a spiritually or physically injured lamb should let the Shepherd pick him up to heal him – but because he is still just a lamb, he might resist and surely, having the other, mature sheep around him in the pen to encourage him would be helpful.

But pens and sheep aside, the only truly important part is that His Name be hallowed, that His Will be done, that His Kingdom come.

To God be the glory.

[Added Quix color emphasis, of course . . . it's my . . . uhhh . . . tradition.] ######################################################################

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ADDITIONAL TRUTHS & WISDOM VIA ALAMO-GIRL:

from this thread: HERE: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1848700/posts?page=406#406

More gems of wisdom from Holy Spirit through you. Thanks tons. I love it when you articulate my convictions better than I do. More to add to the home page. Thanks enormously. LUB.

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Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. – Matt 22:29

[Qx]: And MANY a congregation and many a denomination fail horribly on that point--including, sadly, many a Pentecostal group--who 'know' better but have allowed the flame to grow dim for a variety of reasons just as human as those in the RC groups.

[A-G]: The inability of men to experience the power of God cuts across every Judeo/Christian theological fence.

[A-G]: Jesus was speaking to the Jews, after all, and they claimed to believe God did all the miracles recorded in the Torah and the prophets, that the Torah existed before the world and was given by Him. And yet they knew so little of the power of the God, they didn’t recognize Him when He was talking to them.

[A-G]: It is as if, despite all their claims to the contrary, they had treated the words of God in the Torah as mere words which needed the explication and justification of their mortal religious experts to be understood.

[A-G]: Evidently, they had no idea the Word of God is alive, is God, is Jesus Christ.

[QX]: There is a very serious warning in the above that I have observed in my life to be a rather emphatic truth. I did not need to have a magicsterical body propagate an encyclical or a series of sermons to convince me. Plain observations and knowledge of Scripture--and most emphatically Holy Spirit's persistent leading toward all truth--made such quite plain to me a long time ago.

[A-G]: Again, the power of God. There is no substitute for Jesus Christ – hearing His voice, being known by Him, knowing Him, being born anew, indwelled by the Spirit, loving God exceedingly above all else. (John 3, John 10, John 15, Romans 8, I Cor 2, I John 4, Matt 22, et al)

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and [that] no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. – I Cor 12:3

[A-G]: If knowledge of Scripture, doctrines and tradition were enough – Gamaliel would have “gotten it.” (Acts 5) If wisdom were enough, the Greeks – especially Plato – would have “gotten it.” (I Cor 1) If witnessing miracles were enough, the Jews would have “gotten it” (Exodus, Gospels) If acknowledging His existence and authority were enough, the demons would have “gotten it” (James 2) If anyone could have been good enough, Christ died for nothing (Gal 2)

[A-G]:
This is no substitute for Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. – I Cor 1:24

[A-G]: You also spoke of golden calves and how widespread the problem is. I strongly agree. The golden calf is a thing which is more important to us than God.

[A-G]:
Many times it is self: possessions, health, beauty, strength, power. Sometimes it is a child, a spouse, a lover, a celebrity, etc. It could be the church, a religious figure, a preacher. Or it could be something material – a building, an object, a thing. Or an ideology or political view or a doctrine or tradition of men. And so on.

[A-G; Qx added emphasis]:

Any thing
or
any one
we love
as much
or
more
than God
is
an idol.
[QX: INDEED!]

[A-G]: Oh, and because we mortals are so great at seeing only what we want to see, I strongly recommend now and again asking someone else what he believes, based on our words and deeds, is most important to us. The answer can be very illuminating.

To God be the glory!

[Qx]: I strongly encourage your last suggestion above. Asking such questions of those around me--including at least one or two who often disagree with me--has been a very redemptive habit in my life.

SCRIPTURES
ABOUT GOD'S COVENANT
WITH ISRAEL
REMAINING IN FULL FORCE!
via
ALAMO-GIRL

Here are Scriptures supporting the point that God remembers Israel. Or to put it another way, God keeps all of His promises:

Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest he also spare not thee.

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches], be graffed into their own olive tree?

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, [they are] beloved for the fathers' sakes. – Romans 11:18-28

But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, [and] the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts [is] his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, [then] the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.

Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD. - Jer 31:33-37

To God be the glory!

401 posted on 07/23/2007 9:54:21 PM MDT by Alamo-Girl

THANKS TONS Angel-Gal

May God preserve and extend the Peace of Jeruslame. And should 'festivities' be necessary--may He show Himself mighty in Israel's behalf ASAP. 22 Jul 2007

VIA AUTHOR ALAMO-GIRL:

To: MarkBsnr; the_conscience; blue-duncan; Dr. Eckleburg; hosepipe; Quix; kosta50

Thank you so much for your replies!

Heresy almost broke the early Church many times. Heretical beliefs were strongly dealt with both because they would divide the Church into factions, much as the Reformation did to the Protestants, but even more so because they were wrong and anti Christian.

The point is how the "powers that be" dealt with what they considered at the time to be heresy. Which is to say, by "book burning" they attacked their own credibility and authority.

Which Church authority hated it and banned it at what time?

Philastrius, circa 380 A.D. Liber de Haeresibus

How would you approach somebody that strongly believed that the world was flat and that the sun moved around the earth?

With loving kindness of course. Also, I avoid arguing bizarre theological beliefs and instead mostly proclaim the words of God. That is why my own words are spare on my replies here. If God has given someone "ears to hear" he will hear His words, and that is what matters.

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. - 2 Timothy 2:23

You continued:

me: ***I believe God. I love Him and trust Him. And He authenticates His own words to me, personally.*** you: How?

By bringing His words alive within. His words are not merely language symbols – whether written or spoken. The people Christ is addressing below were physically hearing Him but they could not Spiritually hear Him:

Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word. – John 8:43

You continued:

Do you believe in the Scripture that the Catholic Church has given to you? If so, why?

I believe God. God the Father has revealed Himself in four ways: (1) through the Person of Jesus Christ His only begotten son, (2) through the indwelling Holy Spirit, (3) through Scripture and (4) through Creation both Spiritual and Physical.

The words of God come from God, not man. It doesn't matter who He chooses to convey them or make a record of them - whether Moses, David, prophets, councils of Jews or Christians or a few goatherders in Qumran.

God's words are not constrained by the worthiness or position of mortals. Even Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:37) and Caiphas (John 11:49-52) conveyed words of God. It is a deep Spiritual error in a man to be proud that God has used him to sing His praises.

And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, [saying, It is] the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. But the word of God grew and multiplied. - Acts 12:21-24

Again, the words of God are spirit and life. They are not merely language symbols captured by sound or pressure waves or recorded on papyrus, paper or electronic media. Knowing Scriptures is not enough – one must also know the power of God, Jesus Christ to receive them.

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. - Matthew 4:4 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. - John 6:63

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. - John 12:48

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. – Matthew 22:29

You continued:

Guide is the key word here. The Spirit leads and whomsoever will, will follow. How do you know, outside of the Church, that the voices are of God?

I’ve known Jesus Christ personally for a half century. He is not a hypothesis. He lives. Recognizing Him is easy for me now.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. - I Corinthians 2:14

Nevertheless, God has given us four tests to try the spirits: (1) the doctrine of whom Christ is, (2) the Berean test, (3) Spiritual discernment and (4) the fruits of the Spirit. Following are these tests from Scripture plus my personal recommendations if anyone is interested:

Doctrine of whom Christ is

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. - 1 John 4:1-3

If the message someone is trying to peddle is that Jesus Christ was a mortal, that His life began when He was conceived in Mary’s womb or when He was physically born – it is the spirit of anti-Christ. Reject it. The Berean test

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. - Acts 17:11

When someone brings spiritual advice, quickly and as thoroughly as possible - compare the message with the Scriptures. If the Scriptures do not agree, reject the message. If the Scriptures are silent on the message, take it as merely the harmless thoughts of a mortal.

Spiritual discernment

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. - I Corinthians 2:6-16

Spiritual discernment is a gift of God. Without that gift, it is impossible to hear or understand the language of the Spirit. The words of God are spirit and life, they are not simply language symbols like written or spoken text. The natural man cannot hear Christ.

Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word. – John 8:43

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. - John 6:63

Those who have “ears to hear” are drawn to Christ, the living Word of God. The deceiver cannot fool us.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. – John 10:3-5

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand. I and [my] Father are one. – John 10:26-30

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4:7

If the Spirit Who dwells within you grates against the message in your spirit, reject it. If He draws you to the message, listen. If neither, then receive the message as merely the harmless thoughts of another man. Fruits of the Spirit

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. - Matthew 7:15-20

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

When someone seeks to advise us on Spiritual matters, we should look at the fruits of the speaker’s life. Judge the fruits, not the man.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. – Matthew 7:1-2

Without Christ we can produce no Spiritual fruit at all.

I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. – John 15:5

But if a person abides in Christ and He in him, his life will be producing all of the fruits of Spirit which are, paraphrased: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, loyalty and self-control.

We are wise to also apply the fruit test to ourselves, regularly - kind of like taking our spiritual "vitals."

For instance, when a Christian is anxious then something is spiritually amiss, something is obstructing the Spirit of Christ in him. On the other hand, when he is full of peace, there is no cause for alarm - at least on that point.

Beware the hirelings, thieves and robbers. (John 10:1-15)

To God be the glory!