Encouragement and the lack thereof within the Body of Christ
It has been said that a Prophet is never honored in his own hometown in Luke 4:24. This is in regard to faith; as opposed to unbelief. Mark 9:24 shows the proper response to those seeking more faith in "helping with my unbelief". Since we are not God and only have a slight understanding "seeing as through a mirror darkly" ( 1 Cor 13:12) we can't necessarily diagnose what is true unbelief nor have the Spirit "without measure" ( John 3:34) as Christ did. If we look at outer circumstances and misuse verses to convince people that they should be healthy and wealthy then we may bring unnecessary discouragement to those who need a "merry heart" ( Prov. 17:22) for healing purposes. We don't bring things forth as some seem to cleim through words as the "name it and claim it" or blab it and grab it crowd would like us to believe. Or; more aptly put we should seek the "worst life now" as the countercultural resistance to the opposing camp (I'll leave it at that).
Recognizing potential in the gifting and talents of others seems like a rare thing today. Since we are all called to edify one another ( Romans 12:4-5) there should be a joint effort as part of the army of Christ; salt and light of the world we are called to be. This should be the duties of elders but we all have responsibilities. The giver of the gifts; of course is more crucial than the gift itself but we shouldn't have to sacrifice gifts because there are those who don't find it expedient to believe in such things.
As with anything else; as the old song goes we need to know when to hold; fold; walk or run away with the cards on the table in our hand. If the Spirit isn't present or welcome in a place of fellowship it is no mystery; sin is in the camp (Read Joshua 7).
This eliminates the effectiveness of a ministry. There is still hope if some truth is preached and at least a few still living in true faith.
Spiritual Discernment part 5: The Holy Spirit at work
The discernment of spirits involves detection of God's presence as well as the lack thereof. It is a rare preacher or layperson who would dare to be bold enough to declare that their particular congregation is lukewarm as Christ did of the Laodiceans. Unfortunately; there is too much human praise (such as accolades to Pastors) which in and of itself isn't necessarily wrong; but if it is in the spirit of the world where "what is honorable among men is an abomination to God" ( Luke 16:15 loosely translated). Empty praise we could do without; of course false accusations and and overcritical spirit aren't helpful either. It is; nonetheless being UNloving and not edifying brothers and sisters in Christ if we don't care enough to help them when we can see that they are compromised in some way; we should desire fruit to multiply in others.
We were discussing Pilate's line today with Christ "what is truth"? ( John 18:38). With today's culture tending to have the effect of not wanting to "offend" anyone as its biproduct of downright falsehood; it seems that there is little making us uncomfortable or thinking about the fear of the Lord nowadays. The truth is as a "two edged sword" ( Heb. 4:12). We also need to remember that He comes with a sword to smite the nations and even judge the church in some ways ( Rev. 2:16; Revelation 19). Paul didn't mince words with Peter but openly rebuked him in his hypocricy ( Galatians 2:11-19). Jesus Himself of course was God and able perhaps to be more critical than any of us; but again He rebukes all those He loves ( Heb. 12:6). The words of Proverbs 27:6 discuss the benefits of a rebuke of a friend; and this could be multiplied with many other cross references.
The point here is that if we don't make truth clear and expose error then the cure is worthless at best and perhaps worse than the disease. Any strongholds the enemy has must be dealt with before deliverance.
In the area of deliverance; discernment of spirits is certainly an aid in such a process. There are certain necessary prerequisites to such procedures; firstly of course a thorough knowledge of the Word in our "tool box" to use as weapons against the Evil One. This at times requires such things as prayer AND fasting ( Matt. 17:21). Since we are not Omniscient like Christ we should be regular in such activities and plan on such when we know a deliverance is needed.
Also there is the need for an individual to repent. It doesn't appear that Christ would ask a person who is being delivered to repent first; but He did warn the paralytic who was healed to "sin no more lest something WORSE happen to you." ( John 15:144-18). Considering the decades the man was a paralytic it seems likely that this was a warning of eternal condemnation of the soul in a helpless state. We should consider these things as obstacles when people aren't delivered right away; and of course if we are aware of certain things leading to their state (such as one case I saw when someone was possessed after watching occultic videos) they need to be dealt with. It didn't seem back in Biblical times that it was so easy to have secret sins as now; what was then outward idol worship is today imagery from a virtual reality; a false god and worship nonetheless no matter how someone defines their obsession with it.
A word of caution here is for those who are gifted with spritual discernment we often lack the practical wisdom to get a good picture of the other factors in a persons life; obviously this can tie in directly to besetting sins (things such as past abuse or patterns of behaviors); as well as the interpersonal dynamics; health issues and other things to get a complete picture. For the best diagnosis sometimes we need to seek the Lord if we are discerning correctly; then allow the blanks to be filled in as to WHY this is what the Lord has shown us.
Alex1939..Samuel this reply may be too late but speaking of the strangers in Israel ... Luke 10:30..The good Samaritian was a stranger not of the ppl of Israel...But in his travels he came upon this wounded man that had fallen among thieves that had beaten him half dead but he went to him and poured in Oil and Wine and put him on his own mule and brought him to an inn and asked the keeper what so ever you spend more when i came again ( a 2 nd coming ) i will repay you...And b/c of this I believe the Stranger was Jesus that showed him love and mercy.
Way back when they came outa of Egypt God had ordered them to be kind to the Strangers that are among you seeing ye your selves were strangers in the land of Egypt at 1 time....GB
Thank you for your kind reply . For the new year , I would like to ask everyone who reads this a question . What did you learn this past year ? You don't have to posts your answers but they might be helpful to others if you do . As a young person I was a cool customer . Not very warm , friendly or emotional . As I got older I was worried that I didn't know how to love . Maybe twenty five years or so ago , I asked God , in prayer , to teach me how to love . He's still working on me but I think that I have improved , with His help . Ive learned that to really love is to love indiscriminately . To do this I had to allow God and Jesus , right into my heart . This wasn't easy for me , I know that when you love it opens you up to feeling pain and I don't like that . Also , I'm a bit judgemental and don't find it easy to even like certain types of people . I still need a lot of help from my God with this . I've learned to try not to see the flesh , go straight to the heart . Don't look at the dirty clothes or the unkept hair or the bad teeth . Just look straight at Jesus . It's much easier to love good looking , clean , well spoken , calm , friendly people . What about the others ? They are God's creation also . God loves them too . I've also learned to look straight at the vulnerability of a person and try to empathize with that vulnerability and love that part of that person . I've met some mean souls in my time . Some of them are in my own family . As mean as they are they are just flesh like me . This past year I had some mean family members become very vulnerable and they've been in need of a lot of help and support . I know my duty so I've been helping out . It's been an extra load of work for me but I've done my best to be practically helpful and to try to cheer them up . They aren't the most emotional people either . They sent me a lovely card with such a nice message of appreciation , I was moved to tears . My heart is softer for helping them . Thank God . Amen .
Dear "Sammi" You will see that you come to and do it now with the confession in your words. Fear not nothing is dangerous in Jesus Christ holy name. Hebrew 12.
Stay close in the Word of God, be always happy and thank for everything. Love u in Christ.
As promised here is my explanation. Our minds are developing through our 20s when we finally become "adults". We can thankfully be freed from ingrained sin; but there are lasting scars and weaknesses that we are vulnerable to. The enemy always falls short in his promises. There are few who gain great strides in wealth and status in this world from Satan's aid; but at best they are never totally fulfilled; and in the end there is always a price to pay. Once we begin to understand the control that Satan has over this whole world system and how we are; apart from Christ totally helpless and hellbound then we are prepared for the victory we can have through Christ when He calls and chooses us out of the world for His Name's sake. We can then give a "Word of testimony" ( Revelation 12:11). This comes to its ultimate fulfillment for the countless multitude massacred during the Great Tribulation. But it starts now; as one cannot help but share how they are set free from the bondage of sin; into the glorious kingdom of God. ( Romans 8:2).
With this background then; I will state that more specifically there are some who are able to more readily discern what is going on in the spiritual realm if they are gifted in discernment. They are called to minister in the Body as well as others with different giftings are to do the same thing. Being given this gift myself; I really don't have much of an idea HOW this can be done or where it is being practiced. The true Word of God isn't usually something people in this age want to hear; and that of course fits into any spiritual truths. There are truly those who you can see are under demonic influence or else are particularly blessed. As with anyone ministering to others we need to make sure that it is God speaking to us; and we need to repent quickly of sins so the enemy doesn't have legal grounds to affect our minds and deceive us. Our soul and spiritual entities interact together so we must view both
With this basic scriptural foundation for discernment in the spiritual realm covered in part 1; we can begin to look at things as believers that He would show us in order to increase our trust in God; our faith and worship particularly in our personal and individual lives.
There is a childlike faith in recognition of Christ ( Psalm 8:2). The enemy; constantly reaching out to younger children is of course as always appearing as an "angel of light". ( 2 Cor. 11:14). We really need to be cautious here; I cannot overemphasize this. Kids need to be protected and there is a correct way to do this. Nonetheless; I believe in this culture especially we should build the foundation for being warriors in Christ. If we insulate for the wrong reasons; the kids will find out anyway life's realities. Starting with the real battle; the unseen by teaching the true Gospel then kids can understand how to be armed with the Ephesians 6 truth. To teach a false; New Age sort of mentality is dangerous and it is concerning to me sometimes how the approach is taken with children's Bible studies. This is sadly largely due to parents allowing kids to view all sorts of entertainment with superheroes; that shall we say have even more associated "baggage" with their personas than say 20 years ago. I don't have all the answers here; but unless we can break out of this mindset; and that of the psychology of child development dictating all of our actions; then we are oftentimes putting confidence in things that are not going to stand the test of time. Parents that pretend to have lives free of stresses in order to not upset their kids aren't necessarily doing any favors either. I say all this because these things of our youth tend to affect us on the long term; such as comforts in possessions once the childhood toys are gone; and the same bad behaviors are passed on to the next generation. I will explain why I sidetracked into this part 2 subject.
...The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God..." That is part of Galatians 2:20. His Spirit also testifies with our spirit that we "are children of God" according to Romans 8:16. Scripture cannot be read alone with mental faculties and understood as God's truth unless these realities exist; namely being Born of the Spirit ( John 3:6-8) makes the Word living and active in our hearts ( Hebrews 4:12).
Scriptural truth also is what separates the God of truth and His angels from the fallen angels and demons that are the ruling principalities and powers of this world in this age ( Ephesians 6:12). Thus; we can experience God whether "in or out of the body" ( 2 Corinthians 12:2) as Paul did and by extension a demonic spiritual "trip" can occur much in the same way.
Anyone realistically wanting to understand 2 Corinthians 5:8 on being absent from the body; present with the Lord will understand that being in His presence as a believer is overwhelming to the extent that John fell at His feet as though dead ( Revelation 1:17). This is all the more telling since he was the disciple who always was closest to Jesus and even in his own testimony most loved ( John 13:23 and apparently in 4 other verses).
If we are NOT truly in Christ then there is only the terror of the Lord and of course immediate judgment and condemnation for those who are goats rather than sheep. Thus; those who promote a false gospel even if they were brain dead and came back to life God allows them to continue here for a while for His purposes. It would seem that it is possible as long as a body can be resuscitated for a few minutes that this can occur; that is a far cry from Lazarus being raised from the dead or the Lord Himself.
In any case, anyone preaching a gospel other than the truth let him be "anathema" ( Galatians 1:8); and that includes angels as well. To know we are hearing from God being saved is a minimum requirement.
Hello Elizabeth. There have been several opinions/theories proffered about the significance of this number 153. I'm unconvinced that any of them have any value at all, rather I read that verse as given.
In John 21:8, we see those disciples "dragging the net with fish(es)". These verses don't give us all the words & acts performed at that time. There could have been a discussion amongst them, why their nets didn't break with such a haul of fish, when normally they could only lift up a smaller amount of fish. Maybe, there was a discussion among them while on their boat that they should count their haul when they got to land, to see what they could actually lift in a net when Jesus gave them His Word. And they could even publicize it amongst other fisherfolk that they may marvel at this & begin to believe in the power of Christ. All this is only my guess, as none of it is given in the Bible (maybe others have other thoughts), but I feel that there is nothing more in that number '153', other than revealing a great quantity of fish caught in a net; in a net which was only capable of holding much less.
Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
What does the 153 signify? Why doesn't it say a lot or a little? Why is it this specific number? I've never found an answer for this.
Yes Texsis, I've heard of several arguments against the moon landing occurring, including the 'fluttering' of the flag, no evidence of stars, the sunlight in the wrong place, etc. Dealing with those matters will only take us to a dead end, as one is subject to what material he wants to read & what he wants to believe. In any case, the moon landing shouldn't affect our faith in Christ & what He has sacrificially done for us.
In regards to the 'firmament', the Hebrew word is 'rakia', meaning 'an extended surface or an expanse'. One could put the word 'dome' in that, and of course, that idea could then be carried through with this 'dome' sitting on a flat Earth, etc., etc. But when we continue to read in Genesis chapter 1, & see the word 'firmament' being used, we get a better picture of what this actually is.
Verse 6: waters were on the Earth (v2), & God separated those waters, having an expanse (firmament) to separate the waters below & above it (vv6,7). That 'firmament' God called heaven (v8) and then He put 'lights' in this firmament to give a separation of day & night, for signs, seasons, & years (v14). So, if this was a 'dome', then it was one that appears to be what we call the 'universe' and not something placed on the Earth. Rather, this expanse is the sky we see & the universe beyond that contains the heavenly bodies, with the separated water on the Earth & above this expanse. What happened to this water above the firmament, we're not told. And where 'firmament' appears in the other books, e.g. Psalms, Ezekiel, & Daniel), the same Hebrew word is used to suggest such an expanse as described in the Genesis account.
Click "more" tab, it should take you to "how to link", hopefully that is helpful
I've also noticed there are "how to cite" questions under red letter underline links in "contact us"
If that doesn't fully answer your question about linking Strongs Exhaustive Concordance, & the commentary you may want to ask KJBO administration by submitting question in "contact us" form.
he says the moon landing was not real or flag wouldn't have waved in no wind and in Genesis it says "firmament" which when he looked up is a dome or something, I forget but I will try
It appears by the chronological order of 1Chronicles, that it may be from the family in the verses prior. 1Chronicles 4:8-9, also 1Chronicles 2:55,
When searching & studying the Scriptures, I find it very helpful to search key words along with names, in the website search bar. Sometimes the spellings vary with names especially from New & Old Testament.
Thank you I will show my son and I pray it helps him to understand more. He tends to read things on computer as opposed to reading the actual bible so, prayers.!
Thank you I will show my son and I pray it helps him to understand more. He tends to read things on computer as opposed to reading the actual bible so, prayers.!
Yet I did say to him that it really does not matter what shape the earth is, round, square or triangle..we the main thing is we need to love God with all our being and help anyone in need.
Dear Joleen, Be assured that the Lord is always with you. He promised not to forsake you. So, He is just a breath away and we can pray to Him anytime, even if it is simply, "Thank you, Jesus, for ...."
I understand that Christmas can be very taxing of our time and energy as we attempt to prepare every thing for our loved ones so they will be blessed. When my kids were young, I tried to avoid having everything come upon me at once in a short amount of time. So, I made a plan. I would try to purchase all gifts by the end of October so that I can spend time preparing for Thanksgiving and then for Christmas with joy. I learned over the years to slowly cut out certain things as the boys grew older that they seemed to outgrow and to retain certain traditions that they still enjoyed. As they reached adulthood we talked together about not emphasizing gift giving as much as being together. We decided to put money together to give to Heifer International t provide a heifer or a goat to families in need. So, now, I do not buy many Christmas gifts. We all decorate the tree together still. We have Christmas Eve dinner together along with Christmas breakfast. Then we go to a relative's for an extended family Christmas dinner.
Letting go of Christmas things that have always given us much joy can be hard to do. But I learned that my thoughts should be more Christ centered at this time, so I pared back and released the things I loved about Christmas to the Lord for Him to transform this season to allow me to honor Him more than all of the Christmas "stuff".
I will pray for you today.
Dear Heavenly Father, we lift up to You Joleen and her mother today and ask of You today in the name of Jesus to renew both of these women in their faith and deepen their commitment to walk closely with You. We ask that You give Joleen reprieve from all of the busyness of the Christmas season and teach her to spend time in worship and learning to rest in You. renew their faith today. Amen.
Hello Hammer, I guess by your post you are inquiring of me pertaining to what I said about the unchangeable, all-knowing nature of God. Therefore, using the words "not know" does not mean that God learned something new, but that these practices are not holy or pure worship.
The Jeremiah passages reflect the truth that God cannot conceive evil in His Being. He is altogether righteous, holy, and pure. Therefore, He would not institute worship practices that are evil.
As far as the Genesis passage, I don't think the word repented in this passage reflects a change in God's thinking about creating humans. I believe that this passage shows how the rampant and pervasive evil produced by mankind was very grievous to God and that it grieved Him to bring judgment upon mankind with the flood.
alex1939...Samuel this is a very interesting topic all thru the bible...The great King Solomon when he had completed his New Temple with his hands stretched toward heaven made intersession for the Stangers the Gentiles that was not of his ppl Israel.. approx a 1000 yrs b/f Jesus...2 nd Chronicles 6:32...Hear thou from heaven and do all that the stranger asked of thee...THAT THY NAME MIGHT BE GREAT IN ALL THE EARTH...And let us not forget our father ABRAHAM a Syrian a stranger that became a father to Israel the Jews the circumcision and to the uncircumcised the Gentiles ...So much to be said about the Strangers....GB
Encouragement and the lack thereof within the Body of Christ
It has been said that a Prophet is never honored in his own hometown in Luke 4:24. This is in regard to faith; as opposed to unbelief. Mark 9:24 shows the proper response to those seeking more faith in "helping with my unbelief". Since we are not God and only have a slight understanding "seeing as through a mirror darkly" ( 1 Cor 13:12) we can't necessarily diagnose what is true unbelief nor have the Spirit "without measure" ( John 3:34) as Christ did. If we look at outer circumstances and misuse verses to convince people that they should be healthy and wealthy then we may bring unnecessary discouragement to those who need a "merry heart" ( Prov. 17:22) for healing purposes. We don't bring things forth as some seem to cleim through words as the "name it and claim it" or blab it and grab it crowd would like us to believe. Or; more aptly put we should seek the "worst life now" as the countercultural resistance to the opposing camp (I'll leave it at that).
Recognizing potential in the gifting and talents of others seems like a rare thing today. Since we are all called to edify one another ( Romans 12:4-5) there should be a joint effort as part of the army of Christ; salt and light of the world we are called to be. This should be the duties of elders but we all have responsibilities. The giver of the gifts; of course is more crucial than the gift itself but we shouldn't have to sacrifice gifts because there are those who don't find it expedient to believe in such things.
As with anything else; as the old song goes we need to know when to hold; fold; walk or run away with the cards on the table in our hand. If the Spirit isn't present or welcome in a place of fellowship it is no mystery; sin is in the camp (Read Joshua 7).
This eliminates the effectiveness of a ministry. There is still hope if some truth is preached and at least a few still living in true faith.
The discernment of spirits involves detection of God's presence as well as the lack thereof. It is a rare preacher or layperson who would dare to be bold enough to declare that their particular congregation is lukewarm as Christ did of the Laodiceans. Unfortunately; there is too much human praise (such as accolades to Pastors) which in and of itself isn't necessarily wrong; but if it is in the spirit of the world where "what is honorable among men is an abomination to God" ( Luke 16:15 loosely translated). Empty praise we could do without; of course false accusations and and overcritical spirit aren't helpful either. It is; nonetheless being UNloving and not edifying brothers and sisters in Christ if we don't care enough to help them when we can see that they are compromised in some way; we should desire fruit to multiply in others.
We were discussing Pilate's line today with Christ "what is truth"? ( John 18:38). With today's culture tending to have the effect of not wanting to "offend" anyone as its biproduct of downright falsehood; it seems that there is little making us uncomfortable or thinking about the fear of the Lord nowadays. The truth is as a "two edged sword" ( Heb. 4:12). We also need to remember that He comes with a sword to smite the nations and even judge the church in some ways ( Rev. 2:16; Revelation 19). Paul didn't mince words with Peter but openly rebuked him in his hypocricy ( Galatians 2:11-19). Jesus Himself of course was God and able perhaps to be more critical than any of us; but again He rebukes all those He loves ( Heb. 12:6). The words of Proverbs 27:6 discuss the benefits of a rebuke of a friend; and this could be multiplied with many other cross references.
The point here is that if we don't make truth clear and expose error then the cure is worthless at best and perhaps worse than the disease. Any strongholds the enemy has must be dealt with before deliverance.
In the area of deliverance; discernment of spirits is certainly an aid in such a process. There are certain necessary prerequisites to such procedures; firstly of course a thorough knowledge of the Word in our "tool box" to use as weapons against the Evil One. This at times requires such things as prayer AND fasting ( Matt. 17:21). Since we are not Omniscient like Christ we should be regular in such activities and plan on such when we know a deliverance is needed.
Also there is the need for an individual to repent. It doesn't appear that Christ would ask a person who is being delivered to repent first; but He did warn the paralytic who was healed to "sin no more lest something WORSE happen to you." ( John 15:144-18). Considering the decades the man was a paralytic it seems likely that this was a warning of eternal condemnation of the soul in a helpless state. We should consider these things as obstacles when people aren't delivered right away; and of course if we are aware of certain things leading to their state (such as one case I saw when someone was possessed after watching occultic videos) they need to be dealt with. It didn't seem back in Biblical times that it was so easy to have secret sins as now; what was then outward idol worship is today imagery from a virtual reality; a false god and worship nonetheless no matter how someone defines their obsession with it.
A word of caution here is for those who are gifted with spritual discernment we often lack the practical wisdom to get a good picture of the other factors in a persons life; obviously this can tie in directly to besetting sins (things such as past abuse or patterns of behaviors); as well as the interpersonal dynamics; health issues and other things to get a complete picture. For the best diagnosis sometimes we need to seek the Lord if we are discerning correctly; then allow the blanks to be filled in as to WHY this is what the Lord has shown us.
Bob W
Way back when they came outa of Egypt God had ordered them to be kind to the Strangers that are among you seeing ye your selves were strangers in the land of Egypt at 1 time....GB
Stay close in the Word of God, be always happy and thank for everything. Love u in Christ.
Are you asking about John Chapter 1 Verse 3, or are you asking about I, II, & III John?
As promised here is my explanation. Our minds are developing through our 20s when we finally become "adults". We can thankfully be freed from ingrained sin; but there are lasting scars and weaknesses that we are vulnerable to. The enemy always falls short in his promises. There are few who gain great strides in wealth and status in this world from Satan's aid; but at best they are never totally fulfilled; and in the end there is always a price to pay. Once we begin to understand the control that Satan has over this whole world system and how we are; apart from Christ totally helpless and hellbound then we are prepared for the victory we can have through Christ when He calls and chooses us out of the world for His Name's sake. We can then give a "Word of testimony" ( Revelation 12:11). This comes to its ultimate fulfillment for the countless multitude massacred during the Great Tribulation. But it starts now; as one cannot help but share how they are set free from the bondage of sin; into the glorious kingdom of God. ( Romans 8:2).
With this background then; I will state that more specifically there are some who are able to more readily discern what is going on in the spiritual realm if they are gifted in discernment. They are called to minister in the Body as well as others with different giftings are to do the same thing. Being given this gift myself; I really don't have much of an idea HOW this can be done or where it is being practiced. The true Word of God isn't usually something people in this age want to hear; and that of course fits into any spiritual truths. There are truly those who you can see are under demonic influence or else are particularly blessed. As with anyone ministering to others we need to make sure that it is God speaking to us; and we need to repent quickly of sins so the enemy doesn't have legal grounds to affect our minds and deceive us. Our soul and spiritual entities interact together so we must view both
With this basic scriptural foundation for discernment in the spiritual realm covered in part 1; we can begin to look at things as believers that He would show us in order to increase our trust in God; our faith and worship particularly in our personal and individual lives.
There is a childlike faith in recognition of Christ ( Psalm 8:2). The enemy; constantly reaching out to younger children is of course as always appearing as an "angel of light". ( 2 Cor. 11:14). We really need to be cautious here; I cannot overemphasize this. Kids need to be protected and there is a correct way to do this. Nonetheless; I believe in this culture especially we should build the foundation for being warriors in Christ. If we insulate for the wrong reasons; the kids will find out anyway life's realities. Starting with the real battle; the unseen by teaching the true Gospel then kids can understand how to be armed with the Ephesians 6 truth. To teach a false; New Age sort of mentality is dangerous and it is concerning to me sometimes how the approach is taken with children's Bible studies. This is sadly largely due to parents allowing kids to view all sorts of entertainment with superheroes; that shall we say have even more associated "baggage" with their personas than say 20 years ago. I don't have all the answers here; but unless we can break out of this mindset; and that of the psychology of child development dictating all of our actions; then we are oftentimes putting confidence in things that are not going to stand the test of time. Parents that pretend to have lives free of stresses in order to not upset their kids aren't necessarily doing any favors either. I say all this because these things of our youth tend to affect us on the long term; such as comforts in possessions once the childhood toys are gone; and the same bad behaviors are passed on to the next generation. I will explain why I sidetracked into this part 2 subject.
...The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God..." That is part of Galatians 2:20. His Spirit also testifies with our spirit that we "are children of God" according to Romans 8:16. Scripture cannot be read alone with mental faculties and understood as God's truth unless these realities exist; namely being Born of the Spirit ( John 3:6-8) makes the Word living and active in our hearts ( Hebrews 4:12).
Scriptural truth also is what separates the God of truth and His angels from the fallen angels and demons that are the ruling principalities and powers of this world in this age ( Ephesians 6:12). Thus; we can experience God whether "in or out of the body" ( 2 Corinthians 12:2) as Paul did and by extension a demonic spiritual "trip" can occur much in the same way.
Anyone realistically wanting to understand 2 Corinthians 5:8 on being absent from the body; present with the Lord will understand that being in His presence as a believer is overwhelming to the extent that John fell at His feet as though dead ( Revelation 1:17). This is all the more telling since he was the disciple who always was closest to Jesus and even in his own testimony most loved ( John 13:23 and apparently in 4 other verses).
If we are NOT truly in Christ then there is only the terror of the Lord and of course immediate judgment and condemnation for those who are goats rather than sheep. Thus; those who promote a false gospel even if they were brain dead and came back to life God allows them to continue here for a while for His purposes. It would seem that it is possible as long as a body can be resuscitated for a few minutes that this can occur; that is a far cry from Lazarus being raised from the dead or the Lord Himself.
In any case, anyone preaching a gospel other than the truth let him be "anathema" ( Galatians 1:8); and that includes angels as well. To know we are hearing from God being saved is a minimum requirement.
In John 21:8, we see those disciples "dragging the net with fish(es)". These verses don't give us all the words & acts performed at that time. There could have been a discussion amongst them, why their nets didn't break with such a haul of fish, when normally they could only lift up a smaller amount of fish. Maybe, there was a discussion among them while on their boat that they should count their haul when they got to land, to see what they could actually lift in a net when Jesus gave them His Word. And they could even publicize it amongst other fisherfolk that they may marvel at this & begin to believe in the power of Christ. All this is only my guess, as none of it is given in the Bible (maybe others have other thoughts), but I feel that there is nothing more in that number '153', other than revealing a great quantity of fish caught in a net; in a net which was only capable of holding much less.
Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
What does the 153 signify? Why doesn't it say a lot or a little? Why is it this specific number? I've never found an answer for this.
In regards to the 'firmament', the Hebrew word is 'rakia', meaning 'an extended surface or an expanse'. One could put the word 'dome' in that, and of course, that idea could then be carried through with this 'dome' sitting on a flat Earth, etc., etc. But when we continue to read in Genesis chapter 1, & see the word 'firmament' being used, we get a better picture of what this actually is.
Verse 6: waters were on the Earth (v2), & God separated those waters, having an expanse (firmament) to separate the waters below & above it (vv6,7). That 'firmament' God called heaven (v8) and then He put 'lights' in this firmament to give a separation of day & night, for signs, seasons, & years (v14). So, if this was a 'dome', then it was one that appears to be what we call the 'universe' and not something placed on the Earth. Rather, this expanse is the sky we see & the universe beyond that contains the heavenly bodies, with the separated water on the Earth & above this expanse. What happened to this water above the firmament, we're not told. And where 'firmament' appears in the other books, e.g. Psalms, Ezekiel, & Daniel), the same Hebrew word is used to suggest such an expanse as described in the Genesis account.
I've also noticed there are "how to cite" questions under red letter underline links in "contact us"
If that doesn't fully answer your question about linking Strongs Exhaustive Concordance, & the commentary you may want to ask KJBO administration by submitting question in "contact us" form.
Hopefully that is helpful
When searching & studying the Scriptures, I find it very helpful to search key words along with names, in the website search bar. Sometimes the spellings vary with names especially from New & Old Testament.
Hopefully these are helpful
Who are you talking about?
Don't answer that.
lol.
I understand that Christmas can be very taxing of our time and energy as we attempt to prepare every thing for our loved ones so they will be blessed. When my kids were young, I tried to avoid having everything come upon me at once in a short amount of time. So, I made a plan. I would try to purchase all gifts by the end of October so that I can spend time preparing for Thanksgiving and then for Christmas with joy. I learned over the years to slowly cut out certain things as the boys grew older that they seemed to outgrow and to retain certain traditions that they still enjoyed. As they reached adulthood we talked together about not emphasizing gift giving as much as being together. We decided to put money together to give to Heifer International t provide a heifer or a goat to families in need. So, now, I do not buy many Christmas gifts. We all decorate the tree together still. We have Christmas Eve dinner together along with Christmas breakfast. Then we go to a relative's for an extended family Christmas dinner.
Letting go of Christmas things that have always given us much joy can be hard to do. But I learned that my thoughts should be more Christ centered at this time, so I pared back and released the things I loved about Christmas to the Lord for Him to transform this season to allow me to honor Him more than all of the Christmas "stuff".
I will pray for you today.
Dear Heavenly Father, we lift up to You Joleen and her mother today and ask of You today in the name of Jesus to renew both of these women in their faith and deepen their commitment to walk closely with You. We ask that You give Joleen reprieve from all of the busyness of the Christmas season and teach her to spend time in worship and learning to rest in You. renew their faith today. Amen.
The Jeremiah passages reflect the truth that God cannot conceive evil in His Being. He is altogether righteous, holy, and pure. Therefore, He would not institute worship practices that are evil.
As far as the Genesis passage, I don't think the word repented in this passage reflects a change in God's thinking about creating humans. I believe that this passage shows how the rampant and pervasive evil produced by mankind was very grievous to God and that it grieved Him to bring judgment upon mankind with the flood.