All Discussion PAGE 691

Water Baptism is a WORK, a SIGN of the washing away of our sins when God has performed if we have become saved that was to be done during the Church Age, i.e. that period of time when the local churches and congregations were the corporate representation of the kingdom of God on this earth; just as Circumsision was to be done as a sign of the cutting away of our sins in salvation during the time that the nation of Isreal was the corporate representation of God's kingdom.

Neither water baptism nor circumsision contribute anything whatsoever to salvation. Just like no WORK of any kind that we do contributes anything toward our salvation. Unfortunatly many churches and denominations fell into the snare of looking at the SIGN of water baptism as having some efficacy toward our salvation. And as a result those churches developed a do-it-yourself works / grace gospel that cannot save. And this is one of the reasons why God's judgement has come upon the local churches and congregations in our day, I am sorry to say.

And IIIIIII will always love jesus

Very true, S. Spencer

Unbelievers are unable to come to the light of Christ without the Father drawing them and the Holy spirit shining light into their souls by regenerating them unto faith in Jesus through the light of the Gospel.

So, all of us here who believe the Gospel and put our faith in Jesus are blessed by the workings of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who together bring about our salvation.

How wonderful is the love of God that He would bestow upon us such grace and mercy!

Having been a believer all of my life, I have thus been under the effects of these precious gifts from God for as long as I can remember. It is easy to just take these for granted at times, but I try to remind myself often to be grateful to God for bringing me to Christ early on.

Though I count myself a sinner in need of salvation, I do not have a testimony of a life lived without salvation. I do not know what it is like to be in the darkness of unbelief. Why God saved me so young, I cannot explain, but I am thankful.

I love to hear the testimony of those who have lived apart from God and then have been converted. These testimonies make me so thankful that God reached these people who became brethren by the same means that I did but in life circumstances different than mine.

For me, having been brought up by believing parents and taught the faith of Christ from my early years, I know that God chose this environment for me. It has blessed me by continually strengthening my faith in Christ and in growing in knowledge of God.

This reminds how much of a blessing it is for children to be brought up in the faith. The responsibility to do this on believing parents should not be sloughed off. But even when we do this, some children will go the way of the prodigal, as my three sons have. It makes me wonder why God kept me in the faith through my childhood and beyond but allowed my sons to stray from Him. But I do know that God is mighty to save and will draw them to Him.

Please pray that God sends me a life partner according to his heart and makes a way to meet him and arranges a beautiful relationship in my life. Also, pray for God to fill all my needs and send more blessings to my life. Various blessings, financial blessings.

i want have my own bible just bring in church please

Psalm 56. In this Psalm once again we see the pleading of David to God in relation to the pursuing enemies. The story of the backdrop in Gath was complex; but basically David had a tenuous relationship with the Philistines while he made them rich fighting surrounding tribes; but acting as though he was fighting against Israel so as to obtain residence and favor while there. Obviously; there would be enemies from without and within as well as Saul always in the backdrop; even if put at bay for a time.

Matthew 10:28 comes to mind when we look at verse 11; and verse 13 also shows salvation of the soul spiritually overrides any fears of man in this world.

Verse 8 needs some explanation. The book here seems to reference something more specific than that of the Book of Life. It may be the same thing or something similar to the Book of Remembrance in Malachi 3:6-18. God surely knows all things and in fact every word we speak we are held accountable for in Judgment Day. ( Matthew 12:36). We are reminded here and with apparently another 99 verses in the Word about sorrow in the lives of believers (see Isaiah 53:3 for the life of Christ as it truly was rather than some sentimental story).

Finally, it should be noticed from verses 3 and 11 that TRUST is an important aspect to true belief in Christ. It is more than mental assent or knowing about Christ. It is trusting our lives to Him; our possessions; our relationships; our vocations; our ALL. It is helpful through this not to place trust ultimately in anything or anyone else; especially ourselves. As Psalm 23 states even through the shadow of death He shall guide us. His Word is true ( 2 Cor 1:18-20; Rev. 3:14). Let us put our trust in Him today and always.

I need prayer because in a few days i have to go into surgery for my heart. I believe in the power of prayer. Where two agree on something in My name I will do it. I've seen this over and over again.

Pray for a little boy who really wants a daddy. Lord give him and his momma a Christmas miracle? Someone who will love the Lord and lead the family in serving Him.

Pricilla...your comment is particularly significant in our day.

We are living at a most unique and propitious time in history, when the Bible's prophecies concerning the end times are coming to pass before our very eyes! Satan has been loosed to rule in the local congregations worldwide in accordance with 1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Christ gave a significant time clue in Matthew 24:32-33

32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

"these things" are happening today! Matthew 24:21-25

21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

25 Behold, I have told you before.

Satan comes as an angel of light, as the anti-Christ.

The fact that God's judgment has fallen on the churches and congregations worldwide means that the we must depart out of spiritual Babylon if we are to remain obedient to God's commandments.

Matthew 24:14-16

The environment in which God is saving today is OUTSIDE the churches; if there are God's elect within the churches, God will lead them out prior to the day of judgment.( Gen. 19 Isa. 3:7-9).

Jer 31:8-9 Eze 36:16-38

Please visit the SEARCHINGHISWORD web site to find messages and literature that teach what the Bible, the only authority, declares about our day.

Could it be the same rock in Daniel , the one that grinds the statue to pieces ? The same rock that on whomever it falls it will grind them to pieces ? That rock of offence and stumbling to the Jews ? The chief corner stone on which our faith is built ? Christ , the Son of God ? Risen from the dead and alive forever more ? If you believe that in that instance , the gates of hell is referring to death , the last enemy to be destroyed , then Christ , the rock , is going to smash those gates and free the dead .

please pray for me and my family please pray for my son in law

pray for my husband so that he may understand me and make him believe that i love him so much

pray that all my parts are good no miss lablr no miss count no miss clips n miss foam no fried me no suppenned me and i do not loss my job to have enough money to pay my bills car door open and close ok car will stare seat belt work ok heater and defoasrter work ok to have money for food gass to wash clothes house do ot fall down and house do not catch on frire mom gets feeling better soon

Where in the bible does it mention what to do about infidelity

alex1939...There are many analogies and metaphors for faith but Jesus only uses 1 saying you must be Bornagain...He uses child birth as a metaphor for faith saying unless you receive the kingdom of God as a lil Child you will in no wise enter there in...A lil Child is indicative of Child birth and Faith...a new creature etc...A new man or woman is on the horizon..As we have borne the image of the earthly we must also bear (birth) the image of the Heavenly...Indicative of the heavenly Birth, Christ in us...And Rev 12:5 uses this woman in travail a pregnancy as a picture of faith...Jesus knew this woman ...She has the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen...Her fetus...She is pregnant for Jesus the bridegroom...She has heard his words the good seed...She cannot see the Child til he is born...But she had the Evidence of things not seen...The H.G. the Child of Promise..That is gona rule all nations..She is hoping for the kingdom and Jesus said unless you receive the Kingdom as a lil Child you will in no wise enter there in...There is only 1 analogy that truly defines faith and its Child birth...Plz note that true salvation and the Kingdom comes till the woman births the Child which is the H.G. that Child of Promise... REV 12:10..Now is come salvation after the woman births the Child...and the book is opened...The words of the book are that New Covenant and the seeds of the sower...Thats when they sang that new song the new covenant...A birthing covenant...I will know them all from the least to the greatest.. Jeremiah 31:34..An intimacy that is gona initiate a birth of Christ in everybody...Thus the woman is the world in travail and Child birth...There cannot be a heavenly birth without Faith..Simply b/c we cannot be bornagain again without his seed the words of that New Covenant...As Faith comes by hearing his words..Thats y Jeremiah speaks of the woman with Child and she that travails with Child a great company...An Israel of God is coming soon.

I Am The :AMEN' Revelations: 3:14 AMEN!!!

The SEED of the Son of Man: Isaiah 53:10 JESUS'S SON aka: Anthony Arrive

good morning

what is the meaning of the 7 seals?

What if you are a Believer, but do not attend a mortal building church anymore. Does that make you a sinner who does not have any any chance of making it to heaven?

why no light before darkness

Thou Peter art a stone ,but upon this rock. "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it "

For the record : 2Samuel 22:47 clearly states what the scriptures say among many others who is " the Rock".

And upon that rock "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail agains5 it "

I used to think and was once taught if only indirectly that some how it is the church that is under siege nd on the back foot by the gates of hell which of course will not prevail against it .

But when we speak of gates here we are speaking of gates of a city the weakest point of the wall protecting the city So are the most heavily defended . I'm not sure what exactly or perfectly it does mean . But I am certain that it does not mean the gates of hell are attacking the church but won't prevail.

But rather what ever it does mean it is the gates of hell that are in deep trouble from this church and will not prevail .

Or withstand the church of God that is built on the rock of ages the everlasting rock .Jesus the Son of the Living God .

That's very interesting that the Greek shows 'martyr' & 'witness' with very similar words. It's the same in Urdu (main language of Pakistan). Using anglicized wording, 'martyr' is 'shaheed', and 'witness' is 'shahid'. Writing that in Urdu, there is a very small change made to give the phonetic difference that is often missed by a non-Urdu speaker.

A dear Pakistani brother, back in the late '80s, in ministry there, was named Shahid. Many Western Christian 'workers' unfamiliar with the differences, mistakenly called him, Shaheed. Shahid took it well & probably counted it an honor to be so regarded for Christ's sake. So, in these two words, we see the strong connection that to be a witness for Jesus is to be willing to lay down one's life for Him. Or else, we would actually be Christ-deniers if wanting to save our lives when confronted to recant the faith or face death.

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"Faith is also the evidence (elegchos) of things not being seen": True Faith also demands 'what is unseen becomes proof of its reality to us' and by extension, 'resulting in us 'being persuaded', as brother Jesse has shared elsewhere. Not that we must believe in everything (seen or unseen), but where God's Word & Spirit declares it, there cannot be an iota of doubt or else true Faith is absent. I think this aligns somewhat with your comment, "it is the observation (or, sighting) of things we do not see". For your further input brother, if you so wish.

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Thank you brother Giannis for your input, with illustrations of the thief on the cross & Jairus' daughter.

I don't doubt anything you've narrated about those accounts, including the likelihood of the other events surrounding them. The point is not whether the thief on the cross or Jairus were encouraged & received faith by Jesus to believe, since it is clear that from Jesus Words to them, His Presence & ministry, Jesus would have given them every reason to trust Him for what He was about to do for them. The main point in all this is, was their faith in Jesus to do the seemingly impossible, purely one of faith or intermixed (in whatever ratio) with the human element of a longing & hope that the end result would hopefully be better than their present distress? Maybe a definitive answer cannot be given, not knowing their hearts.

Then at your last paragraph, you touched on this very matter, by sharing that "Faith is the existence (brings into existence) of things we hope for, it is observation of things we do not see". This is where I have it presented differently. Now, as a Greek speaker, your understanding of Hebrews 11:1 certainly would over-rule any Greek Lexicon available, so I might concede to you.

But to explain my understanding briefly:

I read it as, "Faith is now the assurance (hupostasis) of things hoped for": An expression of true Faith demands a 'confidence, a firm trust, or an assurance'. What we may be hoping for or awaiting to happen is evident in all of us (believer or non-believer). But when true Faith is applied, the hope we have becomes an 'assurance' that it is now reality; hope is dispelled & a certainty in our hearts prevail. Your comment is that "Faith brings into existence our hopes" which is true, but here I see it as a minor difference, "Faith gives us assurance to our hopes making it reality (or our present possession), when ordinarily without faith, it remains only as hope".

Bible verses about morning prayers

A Christian lady in our small town has been sent home with stage IV cancer. Please pray for her healing and nutrition. She needs a miracle from God. Please pray that God will heal her so she may keep building his kingdom here. Thank you and God bless!

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, THAT ALL MEN THROUGH HIM MIGHT BELIEVE.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, WHICH LIGHTEST EVERY MAN THAT COMETH INTO THE WORLD. John 1:4-9.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

NO MAN CAN COME TO ME, EXCEPT THE FATHER WHICH HATH SENT ME DRAW HIM: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44.

(It is the spirit of God that draws man to the Lord.)

John 6:60-65.

Matthew 16:17.

1 Peter 1:10-11.

1 Corinthians 2:9-11.

1 Corinthians 2:12-16.

1 Corinthians 12:3.

God bless.

Amos 2:1,

Faith,

It's interesting what is mentioned after: Genesis 22:19, Abraham dwelt in Beersheba, Sarah died in Kirijatharba Genesis 23:2, & Abraham came to mourn for Sarah.

I totally understand where you are coming from and i respect what you've studied, for sure. I agree that we need that baptism of the holyghost, but may the reader learn and understand our conversation... The water, blood and spirit all agree in one. Peter was given the keys to the kingdom. To bind or loose. Peter was chosen for the Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles to obey the gospel of death, burial, and resurrection. He preached it at Pentecost. Philip preached it to the Samaritans, but Peter had to be there for them for the laying on of hands to receive the spirit. The Gentiles received the spirit of God first while Peter preached to them... He still commanded them to be baptized. Baptism isn't a side piece for declaration of joining the church or professing your faith so others can see. It's a commandment and must be obeyed as, again, the water, blood and spirit all agree in one. The gospel isn't just death. It isn't just burial. It isn't just resurrection. It's all. All three mentioned. You can't do one and disregard the other. Baptism doesn't discard Jesus death on the cross. We die when we repent. We receive remission of sins when we are baptized in Jesus name and being filled with God's spirit? We can't do that. It's a promise if you obey. That's God's business, but... It is a promise nonetheless. Jesus was baptized in water and still commanded it to be so. That's it. It can be argued, but why? Jesus said it, thats it that settles it. The apostles agreed and we who live now should obey it as well. Paul gave a great description of what baptism for remission of sins looks like in 1 Corinthians 10:1-2. The Red Sea crossing was a type and shadow of obedience to going down in the water. Do not disregard baptism in water. It's easily the most proven act throughout the Bible and it is a necessity. Look back at Apollos in Acts. He was fervent in spirit and instructed by God (knowing only the baptism of John) same with the five in Acts 19.

One last comment before going to bed.

The grk for "testimony, witness, confession" is "martyria" and "martys" is the one who confesses, it is where the Eng. words "martyrdom" and "martyr" come from. Strange, isn't it? How do these 2 different words actually mean the same thing? In the early times of the church history during the great persecutions in the Roman Empire, often christians confessed their faith to Juses through their death for their faith in Him. That was the ultimate witness/testimony for what Jesus did for them, freeing them from eternal distruction, and give them eternal entrance into Heaven. A few centuaries later the church started celebrating the so called days of the Saints. The day of their celebration in the calendar was the day they were executed during the persecutions. That day was considered to be a celebration, a happy day, since those believers finally made their escape from this world and entered formally into the Heaven. I don't mean these celebrations are a right thing to do, but they show how our brothers at those times were thinking of their faith in Jesus and their determination to go till the very end for Him.

Have a blessed weekend all of you.