All Discussion PAGE 654

Overcoming whatever is causing my drug addiction so that if He is pleased to do so that He may also use me and make and keep me useful for His will. Oh God bless whoever runs this website and/or organization, and please Create in me a clean heart and renew a right Spirit within me! In Jesus name, for your name's sake. Amen

An error that cannot be substantiated by scripture . And one that has led to so much mischief and great evil.

You cannot build an eternal church on a son of Adam . You can only build it on the Son of God .

God in his wisdom laid out all of Peters failures to show also he was not tThe Rock. All of scripture says God is the Rock.

Jesus Himself said " if any one hears my words and does them ,I will liken them to a wise man that dug deep and built his house upon a rock " Jesus being the Rock the Word of God made flesh .

One swallow does not make a summer . One verse does not make or prove a doctrine .

Peter was the Apostle to the Jews and was based in Jerusalem .

Paul was the Apostle to the gentiles and was found and died in Rome .

Tradition does not overrule scripture .

Dear SINR, I was praying for you and others that have spoken about being lonely, depressed, and abandoned here when I was in the room at Urgent Care waiting to be "processed" through concerning the respiratory virus I came down with a day or so ago. I hope that you will seek to meet people in a church fellowship near you. Just to be there and worship with others, even if you do not know anyone yet will benefit you greatly. How good it is for those who love God to praise Him together and enjoying His Presence in their midst!

If you are a believer, I pray that this time will bring you on your knees and into the Word to be nourished by the prayer relationship and the words of God. He promises to meet you in these actions. If you are not a believer I encourage you to turn to God in Jesus Christ. You can go and talk with a pastor about how one receives salvation in Jesus. He can help You through the Gospel and prayer.

SINR, I will continue to pray for you. Please get back to us so we can help you further with our prayers and encouragement towards you.

Sammi, kind of the same thought really. "Living", "loving" with one another. We love through living out what God has given us first.

Thanks so much Texsis.

Hi Linda, The epistles often speak of believers as the saints. You can check this out in your concordance. So, anyone who believes is a saint. I think it is fine to call any believer alive or dead a saint. But we are not to pray to them or venerate them as is done in the Catholic church.

Rick, I am sorry for what you are going through. To have the devastation of divorce and then the hope of having your marriage renewed and then have your wife break your heart again. That must be very painful.

I will pray for you and your ex-wife.

Dear Heavenly Father, today we lift up both Rick and his ex-wife before You in the name of Jesus. Bring healing and strength to both of these people so that each can make the best decisions for their life ahead. Heal the brokenness and pain in their hearts, the aspects of their character that led to the breakdown of this marriage, and the sense of loss of the dream of the future they were to have together. We ask that You help rick get past this situation and not be easily taken in by his ex-wife's moves to reunite. Help both set boundaries on their relationships that will help them interact in healthy and godly ways. Bring forgiveness to each of them for one another. And, should it be Your will, bring them back together in marriage when the time is right by Your will. If not this, then guide them in this time of singleness to be the man and woman You created them to be as individuals. Father, i know that You will work in the lives of Rick and his ex-wife in good ways that bring them closer to You and advance their faith. Amen.

Hi Linda. To remain true to the Bible, we find in numerous Scriptures, the word 'saint(s)' is used. You can type that word in the Search box & you can check out the verses.

The word 'saint' finds its root in the verb, 'to sanctify'. And this means 'to make Holy, to set apart'. So when we see it written in the Bible, we understand that it refers to the holy, separated ones to God, i.e. to Christians. You are a saint as you've placed your trust & life in Jesus. But the RC definition isn't correct, where they appoint some special persons to sainthood. This is not biblical.

Trusting God vs trusting self.

There is something to be said for wisdom that comes from above in guiding our decisions; if anything simply trusting the Word of God on certain things like guidance on money ( Proverbs 10:2 on "ill gotten gains"; Proverbs 20:21 warns of a quickly received inheritance that is spent rapidly and or unwisely reminding us of the story of the son who squandered his inheritance in Luke 15.)

Similar things can be said for other basic issues in life such as behaviors that enhance or disrupt marriages and other family relations; as well as the general counsel not to trust in themselves. Proverbs 3:5-6 warns us about not leaning on our own understanding.

The difficulty comes in the seemingly mundane actions that the saved and unsaved perform every day. At least we USED to assume a standard indicative of verses like 2 Thessalonians 3:10 which interestingly enough was apparently repeated by Lenin (an avid atheist) but for some odd reason is missing from the far left today. Go figure. When we look at work; assuming that we are not a total criminal for a living (not to be the case as much today in society); we can certainly see how those who are highly skilled; making a "name for themselves" in the world as well as very rich can be much more likely to be caught up in their own accomplishments and status. What would be considered a disaster for them (i.e. having to do manual labor because of mental decline or their company folding) would be to many a cause of rejoicing who are struggling to survive. Such perspective of individuals inevitably squews (however you spell it) our viewpoint. Our natural affections are self centered as well as many of our personal dislikes. The Spirit must be renewing the inner man daily and those who are saved have access to this sanctification. There is ALWAYS contention between the Spirit and the flesh; it may lie dormant but sin is always present as long as we are in these mortal bodies ( Romans 7:24).

Dear Patty, I, too am diabetic, not for very long (just a few years now). I remember how I felt when I was first diagnosed and my blood sugar was over 300! A terrible feeling. So, I am thankful for medication that can help stabilize blood sugar. I will pray for you.

Dear Heavenly Father, we lift up Patty before you today and ask in the name of Jesus that You will remove from her the side effects of Ozempic. We ask that You will cause Patty's glucose levels to stay stable and in the normal range. Help both Patty and I manage this diabetes well. Give us the strength to stay on a healthy diet that stabilizes our glucose levels. We ask that You improve our health so that the diabetes can go away as we continue to eat healthily and be able to exercise regularly. Amen.

Hi Lena, went to doctor to be tested for influenza and covid. All negative, so that is a relief. Still a respiratory infection but a better scenario than to have the any of these flus.



Thanks for your praying heart. I know that God is healing me already. But he brought this situation upon me so that I would humbly seek the prayers of others. How blessed I am for all who pray for me. May God bless those who pray for others as well as answer our prayers ever according to His perfect will.

Merry Christmas to You, too, Richard.

Growing up in a traditional church setting, we celebrated advent and were taught that Advent is not just about the first advent of Christ coming as a Babe in a manger, but also in expectation of his second coming, when He will come back to put an end to all sin and evil among the people saved by His gracious sacrificial death and resurrection. But He needed to live a perfect life first from conception to death to be our perfect sacrificial lamb, able to truly take away the sins of the world.

I am glad that we have the account of His birth in the Gospels. We can know that when Paul says that He was without sin, we can know that He did not have a sinful nature like we all do, and from conception on He never sinned, not even as a child or youth! He was tempted like all children and youth, so these can know that Jesus is for them and understands their weakness due to the sinful nature. We can also know that He did not sin as an adult, so these people can know that He was tempted in every way as we have been but chose always to obey the Father and not give in to the desires of being human.

So, we celebrate His coming, Emmanuel, God with us. He is now always with us through the Spirit sent by Jesus and the Father. We are never alone, though we may not have other humans around us. Jesus' promise stands firm and true throughout all time for those who believe! And on top of that, He reconciled us to the Father through His blood shed for us!

There is so much to celebrate every day, but at Christmas we can marvel at the supernatural miracle of His Incarnation. Whenever His birthday really was, we don't know, nor the actual year. Mary knew, and perhaps the apostles knew since she stayed among them after the ascension. But it was not published in the Scriptures. This does not exclude us from celebrating His nativity, nay, all the more reason to have a season for it at the turning point of the darkest part of year into increasing light

Thanks Gigi, I wish you to be well soon. God Bless You and all His children.

Thanks again for highlighting these other verses from Romans. Very inspiring and reassuring to know that God has our backs. He has overcome the enemy. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Victor. He is One Who conqueror sin, the grave and hell. And He loves us so, more than we could ever know or imagine. We can rest in His love and victory.

Amazing that He did all this by becoming human while still remaining God. Not a deified man, but God condescending to us in Mary's womb, conceived of the Holy Spirit, inhabiting the body the Father prepared for us. He did not take on the body of another human person, but was THE one and only Person in this human body. He was born in a manger to people of no repute. This Babe was our Savior and Deliver from evil since before time began. What a condescension! What a humbling! What a loving!

Done for us that in redemption God would be glorified and demonstrate the greatness of His love, power and authority in Jesus, the One who is the exact image of the Father. God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God.

!

Love these verses, Giannis. Very appropriate for us to understand and pracgice in these evil times.

Thank you, Lena

I had a better night's sleep last night with less coughing! Still pretty fatigued and sore throat. Taking it easy today. Hope to be ok for Christmas, but if not, my sons will do all the cooking if I need to stay in bed. Good to know that my guys are so capable to step right in and work together.

Romans 12:9-18

"Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

Romans 10:13-15

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?

and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

and how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach, except they be sent?

as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

Romans 7:35-39

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Hey Richard,

Love you brother, read your posts just don't reply much anymore. Just something to consider, many are looking for The antichrist, as there is just one that is coming. In Rev. 13:2-9 we see the first beast is given 42 months/3.5 years to make war and overcome the saints, if we are still living that's us. I agree he ascends from the bottomless pit, Rev. 9,13,11,17, the king of those spoken of in 2 Pet. 2:4 and Jude 1:6 and Gen. 6.

There is a second beast, he is the one who creates an image of this first beast, and he is the one who makes people worship it and take the mark, the false prophet Rev. 13:11-15. We know these two beasts are here together with Satan/the dragon Rev. 12, because the false prophet, the second beast, is the one who does the miracles and does them in sight of the first beast.

Just something to consider.

God bless,

RLW

Hello Joseph

Romans 7:2-3

"For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man". The same goes for the husband, if his wife dies he is free to marry another woman. GBU

Hello Ellix2u.

The prodigal son went back home at the end, as we know from the known parable. But if he had not go back home he would had eventually died away from his father's house, he would had been left out.

Hello Spencer

Matthew 16:18

"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.."

Lets read the above like a greek person reads it.

"You are Petros (a masculine name from the feminine noun "Petra" which means "stone, rock") and upon this rock I will build my church". So what Jesus actually says is "You are rock and upon this rock I will build my church".

So the question is, what does the Lord mean with that?

!. The Rock is Peter himself. It makes sence since there is a continuity in the text. The most possible explanation is that on Peter's preaching on the day of Pentecost the church was initiated and established.

2. The Rock is the declaration Peter did in verse 16, "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.". On that declaration the church was supported and founded.

3. The Rock is Jesus Chist Himself, since He is the cornerstone of the spiritual building which is the church, as you said.

All 3 are possible. But I don't think anything changes really if one chooses any one of those.

GBU

Christmas wishes.

According to many scholars; this was actually the time of the conception of Christ; as many ascribe His birth to the fall feasts; others I believe have said that the shepherds would have been out in the spring. In any case; our LIVING Head ( Colossians 1:18) evermore intercedes for us in heavenly places ( Heb. 7:25; etal). We need to attach the death and resurrection of Christ to the birth of course for the complete picture. In any event; we of course have a new year upcoming. Time relentlessly marches forward; like it or not.

There was already said to be the most need since World War Two a few years back as to the number of refugees; and hungry children worldwide. No doubt the problem is still at those levels today. May we wisely give as we feel led so as to be the "hands and feet" of Christ; and/or volunteer to help any way we can. May we also wisely plan seeing that there are so many catastrophes that seem to be coming to pass simultaneously in the short term; so as to have us be the "head and not the tail" when calamity strikes. ( Deut. 28:13).

No doubt there are many who are quite lonely this year as in recent years in particular. May we look for those who we can invite; or at least bless with a phone call or contact not just now but throughout the winter months in particular. I haven't been led to pray for revival; but I do ask that those who do come to church especially if backslidden will commit to regular fellowship as we are commanded to do so and more so as we see the Day of the Lord approaching ( Heb. 10:25).

There are some who have said that they sense the Lord is coming back around this time of year (of course that is hardly the only time mentioned for that event). Let us always keep the message of the Gospel forefront; whether we are out shopping for others (talking about Christ being the "reason for the season") or with family members and friends let us continue to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel.

Thank you, Lena

I had a better night's sleep last night with less coughing! Still pretty fatigued and sore throat. Taking it easy today. Hope to be ok for Christmas, but if not, my sons will do all the cooking if I need to stay in bed. Good to know that my guys are so capable to step right in and work together.

I'd suggest you look for natural remedies to help you. God created everything for our benefit & no side affects. Look up, and beings your already on medication, what can help and have yur Dr. help take you off slowly. Man made medication & all the junk they put in our food, much less what they grow it with, is killing us slowly and causing all the worlds ailments. Heavenly Father I thank you for your son Jesus & all you have done & continue to do for Patty. Lord I ask that you be with her and make her well. In Jesus name, Amen

Amen, I completely agree in fact I was telling a neighbor, I met yesterday, how I would love to be part of a revival & how churches need to stop talking about the old testament, past & speak more about what's coming, how to prepare, what to do & so on. Or heck, put me in charge of a call center, getting a hold of all the churches (like they do fire & tornado drills at schools) ahead of time to practice so If someone walked in w/weapons (as has happened she said) in every church so they'd be prepared because as of now very few would stand up for Jesus. I can say all day that I'm confident I would yet, Paul thought he was a strong believer too. Only God knows the outcome. IN fact He already knows who is going to be next president if the world even last that long. We need more missionaries right here in the U.S that aren't scared to spread the word as well. Nobody likes to go door to door anymore, or did the government put a stop to that too. Finding good bible movies these days is even hard. All we can do is pray & till electric goes out, be on here. Everything on all electronics is monitored. they know our every move. sad ha? Keep Jesus in your heart & your gun loaded. lol

I am recently divorced after 34 years, My ex-wife said she wanted to reconsider getting back together, and then said she didn't. Please pray for me to gain strength to overcome this emotional situation and to get over my ex-wife. Thank you and God Bless you.

Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Believing seals you with the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:13

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

And to address Jessie's point about the devil believing that is different from the faith we have in believing that Jesus died, was buried and rose again for the remission of our sins. Their belief is not a salvation belief.

James 2:19

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."

There are MANY clear verses that salvation is by faith aloneJesus paid it ALL even after we are saved we will still sin until we die from this flesh. And that is why we are to be as little children.it is easy to be saved even a small child can be saved.

In the commentary for James you refer to the apostle Paul as St. Paul. Do you believe the aostles can be saints, were do you find that in the bible? Is this a beief system for the church of Christ. For me it seems to be a view the catholic support.