Well, stumbled across this forum. I see many very learned posters (read some posts, eyes still spinning) so I'll take it slow.

Hope I can contribute one day.

I am not happy that there were in history, the witch hunts, that even educated people took the nonsense seriously. It was very sinful and disobedient to kill the accused. Paul capped the whole Bible message with ministry to such people, such as the Greeks.

Now people are worried about Tolkien's wizards, Harry Potter and Christians supposedly wanting dominion... It is falsehood leading to unnecessary division. It is fake news all around. Medieval witches never really existed. Alleged NAR preachers when asked say they are not NAR and they may say it does not exist.

We need a wake up call.

I know this post is long, was trying to be as thorough as possible, but there seems to be layers to this and it's probably better to allow others to add to the discussion.

My theory is God (being omniscient), knew before he created everything, what was going to happen with some of his created beings, and so his masterplan was to display his glory (his ultimate power and authority) through his creation? It seems this way to me after delving into the scriptures. What say you?

Let's start with the fact that God is all-knowing:

What does it mean that God is omniscient?

"Omniscience is defined as “the state of having total knowledge, the quality of knowing everything.” For God to be sovereign over His creation of all things, whether visible or invisible, He has to be all-knowing."

Hebrews 4:13

13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Jeremiah 23:24

24 Can anyone hide from me in a secret place?
Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?”
says the Lord.

Isaiah 46:9-10

9 Remember the things I have done in the past.
For I alone am God!
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 Only I can tell you the future
before it even happens.
Everything I plan will come to pass,
for I do whatever I wish.

Before God created everything (and us) he already had a plan on how he would ultimately display his glory:

1 Peter 1:19-20

19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

Revelation 13:8

8 And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.[a]

God (the Father) created the world through the Son (the lamb/the word/Jesus Christ):

Colossians 1:16-17

16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.


Note: the "authorities" in the unseen world (See video below)

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God created human beings in his image to reign over creation on the Earth:

Genesis 1:26-28

26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings[a] in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

27 So God created human beings[c] in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Then the temptation and fall: (my theory is that because satan was an arch angel, and part of the divine council, perhaps this temptation was agreed upon?) But only God knew what the outcome would be. I also never thought of this before, but the serpent knows about good and evil. (Or, knows of it?)

Genesis 3:1-5
The Man and Woman Sin

3 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

An example here that anyone hiding from God, and him not "knowing" what happened is impossible, as he is omniscient:

Genesis 3:8-11

8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[a] and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”

11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?

In certain parts of scripture, God seems to give satan a certain amount of leeway, but he seems to have lost his position in how God curses him:

Genesis 3:14-15

14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this, you are cursed
more than all animals, domestic and wild.
You will crawl on your belly,
groveling in the dust as long as you live.
15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike[a] your head,
and you will strike his heel.”

He hasn't been cast to earth after the fall of humanity as he's still able to interact with God, and even suggest more temptation, so he must still be part of the divine council, but in a lowly position:

Job 1:6-12
Job’s First Test

6 One day the members of the heavenly court[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. 7 “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.

Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

8 Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

9 Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10 You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11 But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

12 “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.


Zechariah 3:1-2
Cleansing for the High Priest

3 Then the angel showed me Jeshua[a] the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”

So, when was the adversary cast to earth?

How, why, and when did Satan fall from heaven?

I'm thinking by the time he knew about Jesus:

Revelation 12:13

13 When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.

So where do we fit in as the fallen creation?

Ephesians 3:10-11

10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

The key word that we find throughout scripture, is glory.

John 17:1-5
The Prayer of Jesus

17 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.

What is God's "glory"?

"In Exodus 16:7 we read "and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD" (RSV). What is the "glory" of YHWH? First we must recognize that the "glory" is something that will be seen. Secondly, the word "glory" is an abstract word. If we look at how this word is paralleled with other words in poetical passages of the Bible, we can discover the original concrete meaning of this word. In Psalm 3:3 the kavod of Elohiym (God) is paralleled with his "shield" and in Job 29:20, Job's kavod is paralleled with his "bow." In Psalm 24:8 we read "who is this king of the kavod, YHWH is strong and mighty, YHWH is mighty in battle." The original concrete meaning of kavod is battle armaments. The meaning "armament" fits with the literal meaning of the root of kavod, which is "heavy," and armaments are the heavy weapons and defenses of battle. In the Exodus 16:7, Israel will "see" the "armament" of YHWH, the one who has done battle for them with the Egyptians." SOURCE

So essentially, we're part of a spiritual battle:

Ephesians 6:12

12 For we[a] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

2 Corinthians 3:18

18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

I'm unable to enjoy video games and tv. It's not even like "i'm over it" is more like when i play video games i feel oppressed spiritually, any games from the most innocent to shooter games to chess i can't do it. i feel dark and oppressed spiritually. The voices i normally deal with and the hallucinations i normally see are more intense and life feels more hopeless when i do those games. The problem is i'm running out of things to do when inside after work when it's night and i am very depressed. It's either live and feel ok but be bored all the time or play games and risk panic attacks and the ever ominous fear of who knows what.

Sorry if that is a lot but i just want to tell someone because this is getting not fun for me.

Was using Win 10 but had no luck with voice-typing so tried W-11----but still no go. Anyone else done this in 11\?

Hello,

My scripture reference is Col 3:1-17.

I’d like to hear from people their experience as a Christian in crucifying their flesh daily. Practically… I can knock my flesh on the ground for a bit, but by and large I’m the one giving into sin and obeying it instead.

Just wanted to hear your life experience, what has worked, what has not, how you win the daily battle, and what the Christian experience looks like.

Thank you,

He took some classified documents from his time as VP under Obama to his private office somewhere blah blah blah.

I remember pointing out that at these levels of the federal government, this stuff happens all the time. It's the exact same crime Trump is accused of in the Mar A Lago raid. How did they know where to look? Hmmm.

"The classified materials included some top-secret files with the "sensitive compartmented information" designation, also known as SCI, which is used for highly sensitive information obtained from intelligence sources."

Fun stuff. I recall people saying Trump should be jailed for life. What should happen to Biden?

Thoughts?

In a sign of what could be to come for the new Congress, the Biden administration says it strongly opposes the first new economic legislation proposed by House Republicans — which would roll back funding for the Internal Revenue Service provided in the Inflation Reduction Act — and vowed that if it passes, President Joe Biden will veto it.

OMB called the bill “reckless,” alleged it would increase the deficit, and wrote it would enable “wealthy tax cheats to engage in additional tax fraud and avoidance.”

“Far from protecting middle-class families or small businesses, H.R. 23 protects wealthy tax cheats at the expense of honest, middle-class taxpayers,” the statement said. “With their first economic legislation of the new Congress, House Republicans are making clear that their top economic priority is to allow the rich and multi-billion dollar corporations to skip out on their taxes, while making life harder for ordinary, middle-class families that pay the taxes they owe.



Mixed feelings about this one. While on one hand, the accusation is true that this is aimed at making the IRS less effective in tracking down the "wealthy tax cheats" (many of whom are political donors)...on the other hand, I've had serious doubts (based on other proposed provisions) about whether or not the original provision to increase the number of IRS funding/agents was purely tailored to go after wealthy people, or if that's just how it was sold to the American people.

Don't mess with Texas.

"Many generous, fun, semi-stupid, legendary moments have happened during Astros Championship Parades," the man's lawyers said in his defense.​

"Fans throw cans to people in championship parades all the time. That is a widely known thing. To get them to chug." The statement also apologized to Cruz and ultimately asked for "grace" and to have the charges dropped.

Houston Astros fan Joseph Halm Arcidiacono has another victory to celebrate this week, as he was no-billed by a grand jury that decided not to indict him for throwing cans of alcohol at Sen. Ted Cruz during the team's World Series parade in early November.

While being detained, Arcidiacono allegedly told officers, "I know, I'm an idiot. I'm sorry."

HI everyone, I just ran across something on YouTube- there is a very talented artist out there named Darcie Miner, I actually went to school with her, she was with my class through 5th grade and then she got discovered and moved to Hollywood! I just found her again, her music is amazing, I don't believe she is a Christian but there is an anointing on her anyway! If you want to listen the link to her YouTube channel is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nYsv6yT-caELhar992Tbpi-WrQw9j0GS4

Gandalf is tall and wise, is a wizard and benevolent, he overcomes a demon and is then Gandalf the White. How does Gandalf stand compared with a Pharisee, proud, hammered the Greeks, added two olive trees to the Menorah, spoke with Jesus, in Nicodemus. And Christ Jesus, having overcome on the cross and by rising, to new life and to glory most intense. And John who was reputable, close to Jesus, and who wanted to call down fire, then rebuked by Jesus accords, and later becomes an apostle under the rushing Spirit of God. And John survives being boiled in oil, to grow old in good health and write Revelation.

Which of these or another is Gandalf like?

Victory is but a word if we do not push through. But what do we push through? Our fears mainly, but also our flesh. Our flesh wants one thing the Spirit wants another. The flesh sees it one way, but the Spirit sees it another. The flesh stands on one thing, but the Spirit is nowhere to be found. They will always be at enmity with the other. Therefore, obedience is imperative if we are to go on. The Lord is looking for an overcoming church in this hour. He is looking for those who will go on.

What are you standing on dear believer? Are you standing on doctrine, your beliefs, your church affiliation, your ideas of right and wrong? Christianity is not your arguments. Christianity is not your ideas. Christianity is not your likes and dislikes. Christianity is not your fears. Christianity is Christ. And until we are standing on that we will always be standing on the wrong thing. Until we are standing in the Spirit of Life. We will remain in the spirit of death.

If anyone wants to be my disciple, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24). For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). The door of the cross always leads to the law of Spirit and life, but anything that falls short of that door and fails to enter in, remains in the law of sin and death. This is not about the atoning work of the cross. It is about the life giving work of the cross. If we love Him enough for the blood. Let us then love Him enough for the rest!

He wants you to go on dear believer. He wants you to love Him enough for the rest. Will you bring Him all that you fear, all that you are afraid to let go? Will you bring Him all of your head knowledge about Him, all of your arguments, all of your ideas. Bring Him in fact everything you stand on, everything you are afraid of, put it all in a bundle, and give Him the whole thing. Then have no reservations about what He takes out of that bundle. Let it be His right to choose. Let Him put to death whatever is needed, and then step through in obedience coming into what is Spirit and Life on the other side.

You may just find everything looks different here than that which you left behind. Many things you thought were important are now nowhere to be seen. Not that all of your former circumstances are changed, many may very well have remained the same, yet nothing is really the same. You have stepped into a new land now. There is light and life. Suddenly everything is hushed. Everything is quieted. You need no more. That is not to mean there are not mountains you see. Faith to be worked out. Battles to be won. But you knew it would be true when you took that step. You knew it would be true to come through. But You have found what you are looking for, You have found what is needed. Let Him then take everything, until only that which is really needed remains. This is the victory that has overcome the world. This is the church of the cross. This is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that has set us free from the law of sin and death. That is the church that is needed in this day. That is the church that rules and reigns. That is victory.

James 1:2-4,12 ESV


I have been sick for over a week now. It started out as flu symptoms and then it switched to a sinus infection with persistent cough. I have been sleeping on and off for a week, and I have had no appetite. I am able to drink so I am drinking lots of water. But my body just doesn’t like food right now. I feel miserable, but I am trusting the Lord through it all.

So, as I lay in bed, in pain and suffering, the Lord Jesus put this song in my mind, “Come, Ye Disconsolate.”

Come, Ye Disconsolate

Lyrics by Thomas Moore, 1816
Arr. by Thomas Hastings, 1831
Music by Samuel Webbe, Sr, 1792

Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish,
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal.

Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
“Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot cure.”

Here see the bread of life, see waters flowing
Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing
Earth has no sorrow but heav’n can remove.

And that has been encouraging to me for I do know that God cares about my suffering. And he is my great physician and healer, and he alone has the power to heal me of this sickness and to make me well again. But sometimes he allows us to go through trials to test our faith and to humble us and to draw us closer to him, and so I trust in his timing.

So, we are to count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds, for the testing of our faith produces steadfastness of faith which needs to have its full effect that we may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. So these things are for our ultimate good, not to make our lives miserable, even if we feel miserable physically as we are going through them.

And we need to remain steadfast in faith when we are going through these trials, for when we have stood the test we will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him – to those who obey him. For to love God is to obey him. If we do not obey him we do not love him, and if we do not love him we do not have eternal life in him.

So, whatever you are going through, trust the Lord through it no matter how hard the test may be. Don’t let your circumstances get the best of you, but pray through it all, trusting the Lord completely through every trial, and every pain, and every sorrow. He knows what is best, and he has a plan and a purpose for it all.

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I am new here. I am a Christian. I live out in the country and don't get much fellowship with people where I live so I have been looking around online for like-minded people.

There are several ways of taking this phrase. Some have taken it that by speaking "the Word" this name, there is the power to answer wishes. I looked in scripture for this "phrase," and it can not be found. Comments welcome.

Greetings everyone! In 1975 I met a man of no religion, who had a very unique perspective of the Bible. So intrigued, I spend 19 years taking in the teachings of a 14-year-long revelation (1960-1974), followed by a 7-year-long revelation (1998-2005), which further spiritualized the former teachings. What I have to bring to the table is an understanding of biblical symbolism and psychology.

Please pray the following for me, my family, and for all of you.

1. Please send us plenty of workers for the harvest that Jesus talked about, that is, his angels to eliminate those among us who deceive and causes sin and knock us down and let what Jesus seek to gather be gathered.

"The harvesters are angels.”
Matthew 13:39 NIV

“He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Luke 10:2 NIV

“I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ””
Matthew 13:30 NIV


2. Help all of us keep the commandments according to the will of Jesus Christ and let God’s promised kingdom come.


3. Pray for Jesus Christ to reveal to each of us the work of Father God and for that will to be done perfectly and holy.


4. Let all of us worship Father God in the Spirit and in truth but let us worship not according to a person’s will but solely by the will intended by Jesus.

I have been going to a big Southern Baptist church on Sunday mornings with a large following as it is close by. I then go the hour drive to a Pentecostal Church of God by night. Both seem to have great senior pastors so I don't mind.

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I come from a rough background, with a rough childhood and lots of traumas. I dealt with anxiety for a large portion of my life. Until I met my husband, became a Christian, left atheism. I felt healed in so many areas and was very secure in faith and in my marriage. Now my husband has come to believe having multiple wives (polygyny) is biblically permissible and he has said several things that make me scared of him trying to take a 2nd wife in the future. He's been looking at a site called biblical families, where believers are in polygamous relationships and the various revelations they have on marriage. He told me today he looks at other women with lust, and that all men do and it's natural, even when married - polygamy being the natural thing for a man. I feel so heartbroken. I lost control today and hit him twice and I feel so ashamed and like my world is spiraling out of control. I've never imagined hitting him or about divorcing him, but these thoughts are creeping in my mind now. I just don't understand why I alone am not good enough for him. That's just how this feels.

I want to be a good wife, have always tried my best to be one and to live biblically. But he makes it seem as if I don't want to be in a polygamous marriage, that I'm not subjected to him enough - that I'm not a biblical wife. He uses a lot of scripture, so I see why he's come to the conclusions he has, which hurts me even more and is making me question my faith.

I'm also 3 months postpartum, after being pregnant for practically 2 years in a row. My son is 14 months, my daughter 3 months. I'm just scared right now and feel so far from God. Please pray for me.

We haven't been to church in 2 years, so I feel I have no one to talk to or confide in - no Christian community to help me.

Why Aaron was not punished?

Exodus 32: 2 And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”
3 So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.
4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!”
5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.”
6 Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
35 So the Lord plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.

I watched and listened to this video of Glenn Beck talking about one of his visits to Vatican back in 2011. The video was inspired by the recent events with the death of Pope Benedict. Glenn who I think might be Mormon spoke of life incredible life changing events with his 2 visits to the Vatican. But in 2011 while visiting the Vatican , he was in a massive room that was full of cardinals and his host who Glenn described as one of these people who just exudes the spirit spoke and said “Do you know why they are all here?” ”It’s because it is a battle of good and evil”

He also spoke of a Cardinal that arrived with an entourage of political types like the mayor and other Powerful types. Glenn said that he felt a coldness in the air and that his host said “you should meet him”. With the intent that he wanted Glenn to see for himself that the evil in the Vatican is real.



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So some members of my church are experiencing conflict/tension/friction with a couple leaders.
Apparently one of the leaders had done something that was upsetting to a member (nothing criminal,
but more so along the lines of permitting and not permitting). They are harboring it in their hearts
and it is clearly eating away at them making them more negative and more distant from the group.

As a result, they are praying and deciding if they should stay or leave this church.
I tried to encourage them by saying if they haven't talk to this leader directly about the thing that he
did that hurt you, please speak to him and bring it up to him for an opportunity that will either:
a) lead to reconciliation and forgiveness --> leads to healing and rebuilding and then family
or
b) lead to more feuding and lack of openness/understanding --> easy decision to leave the church

Instead, they prefer not to bring it up in person to this leader (but they were willing and open enough
to share it with our small group). I told them, if they don't bring this up to the leader and try to address
this and settle the matter, you'll just be harboring the pain inside and it will continue to get worse and
make you more bitter and resentful. I don't see how by simply ignoring and pretending they are moving
on from it that they can continue to grow in this church. They already stepped down from serving and
stepped out of every church function.

It seems to me then, why do they need to keep praying about it. They are already choosing to put a foot
outside the door and it seems that the best thing for them would be to leave this church but I don't want
them to go because I care about them and they are core leaders. The leader who wronged them may not
really even know what he did. That's why I told them they should at least tell him what they told us and
try to mend the relationship.

Never perfectly. Never fully. But when we take the commandments of God and apply them to our lives, we know that we are in the family of God.



Those who do not keep the commandments of God are liars and the truth are not in them. Amen, John.

Do you as a married man, look at other women lustfully?