The Christian message I've been hearing is that not everybody can be saved and there is predetermination.
But now I'm hearing that is not the case and there are quote from the NT that indicate all can repent and be saved.

Are these Calvinists spreading a bad message? Why are they allowed in here? They are spinning my head with their false doctrine.
I don't need this, I need the truth.

This is not meant to be an anti-Patriotic question, though it will come across as such. For that let me apologize previous.

Last Sunday I attended a new church where during the service, they had everyone stand up and say the pledge of Allegiance to the US Flag.

Should Christians pledge allegiance to anything other than Jesus?

This morning it was explained to us (not offered even as one interpretation) that Jesus was the seed in this parable.
So there are 4 fates of Jesus in the world and in the church - He can grow or be stifled or be overwhelmed or stay inactive, depending on the circumstances of His embedding in the world. And in each case, there are only degrees of failure or success. So a church may fail and be shut and the witness of Christ be removed from a location, but this is all in its own season. Christ will arise and blossom elsewhere.
Although not made clear, I suppose the soil or rocks etc is the world or us and I presume the sower is God. No mention of the gospel or the Message.
I noted that the preacher had his cassock and surplice and used the raised pulpit, which is rather unusual on our circuit. I thought at the time that maybe if you are part of the hierarchy, going to conference, have status etc etc, then it must be encumbent on you to have novel conceits and be 'original'. Can't have the predictable, especially when a movement seems to be dying.

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Prayers For Our Persecuted Family.
Sometimes it can be difficult to know what to pray for our persecuted family so we produce a daily prayer shield which gives a specific need that you can pray for each day. You can see today’s prayer, plus those for the last 6 days, below. You can also sign up using the form above to receive our Email Prayer Alert which we send out whenever we become aware of a specific and immediate situation which requires urgent prayer.

Children’s Prayer Sheet
It’s not only adults who can pray for our persecuted family. Every month we produce a prayer sheet aimed specifically for children. Each sheet has specific activities and prayers which will help children learn more about how persecution affects children in other countries. You can visit our Children’s Prayer Sheet page here.

India​

Continue to pray for the review or repeal of anti-conversion laws which have now been passed in 12 Indian states. They are often misused to persecute Christians.

India​

At a recent Supreme Court hearing, the Government denied Christians are persecuted in India, dismissing their troubles as ‘personal disputes’. Pray that it will do more to ensure the security of all citizens.


India
The Evangelical Fellowship of India has called for an agency to be set up to monitor attacks against Christians. Pray for concerted action to stop anti-Christian violence.

India​

Pray for Christians in Manipur, north-east India, where 60 people were killed and 50 churches were burnt or destroyed during widespread violence in early India
Ask God to minister deeply to Christians coming to terms with violence they experience or see in India. Pastor Shankar’s daughter-in-law witnessed his brutal murder by extremists.

India​

Thank God for the overcoming faith of Kamla who still trusts God despite the murder of her husband, Pastor Shankar – and prays for the churches he planted in central India.

Nigeria​

In 2022, Nigeria ranked highest in the world for the number of Christians killed for their faith. Pray that this shocking statistic will compel the authorities to intervene to stop the bloodshed.

This post is a swipe at the idea that God preselected a group of people for salvation before creation, and also at that time choose others for damnation, what is known as Calvinism. It is a fatalistic idea that man does not choose to follow God of free will, but rather God elects some to salvation, and elects others to damnation, and the people have no choice in the matter.

Country to this idea, the Bible is clear God gave Himself as a ransom for all men.


The above verse shows us that a) God’s desire is to save as many as receive Him, note b) He gave himself as a ransom for all. This shows that the “all men” being talked about is a reference to their salvation. Not some general form of “other salvation”.

The following scriptures show us that “all men” includes both “saved” and unsaved, and for “us” and the “whole world”.


Not only this when Jesus speaks of His willingness to save, he states that it was “man not him”, that was unwilling.


A Calvinist will say that God chooses some for damnation and others for salvation. Meaning God was unwilling to save the damned that He desired their destruction. That He only had a willingness to save the elect.

But Luke 12:38 above clearly shows that God “desired to save the children of Israel”, but they were in many cases “unwilling”. The following scripture also shows us that God has a willingness to save those who are straying, that contrary to Calvinism, God does not delight in the death of the wicked, that that is not his will.


In light of this, we need to be careful in interpreting scripture in a fatalistic way. For Jesus clearly said “I wanted to gather your children together”, that is God’s will. He wanted salvation for people. But the people “were not willing”.

The same applies today, God wants salvation for all. But often people are not willing to follow Him.

29MOROCCO​

In North Africa if Christians talk to others about their faith, they risk arrest and prosecution. With this legal background, Moroccan converts from Islam to Christianity face intensive pressures both privately and publicly to renounce their faith.
Converts are punished with the loss of inheritance rights and custody of their children. In some circumstances, Christians are arrested and fined for nothing more than having a Bible in their possession, or for discussing Christian faith with a Muslim.
With Islamic extremists operative in the region, Christians face the threat of violent for their faith. In the public sphere, Christians become the targets for government interrogation, beatings or imprisonment. In work, they may be harassed by colleagues, or even made unemployed because of their faith. If their faith is known, many Christians are discriminated against in their job searches, and finding employment becomes almost impossible.
Distribution of Christian resources is restricted and Christians may suffer harassment, or even beatings and imprisonment if they are found with a Bible. Even online, Christians risk cyber harassment for their faith. The pressure from families and society can force Christians into isolation or relocation.

Please pray​

• For tolerance of all faiths in North Africa and for Christians to have the freedom to gather together.
• For those converts whose faith is known. Pray for jobs and support from family and friends.
• For deepening of faith for Christians in North Africa, even when it is difficult to access resources.

Question: I have been reading St. Faustina’s diary and have been saying the novena of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for some years now. When saying these prayers, I always wonder why we need to pray for meek and humble souls, the souls of little children, the souls who especially venerate and glorify God’s mercy, all devout and faithful souls, etc. Isn’t God naturally extra merciful to such souls, as well as the souls of priests and religious who have devoted their lives to him? For example, my parents lost their first two children: my brother at age three and, years later, my sister at age five. Is God not automatically merciful to them, who hadn’t even reached the age of reason? These groups comprise almost half of those we pray for.

— Mary Ellen Handelman, via email

Answer: The categories of human beings described in the novena and in your question are still living in this world as members of the Church Militant. Hence they are needful of prayer precisely because of their innocence and holiness. Satan and his fallen angels seek above all to attack and bring ruin upon those who serve God here and the demons often increase their attacks by the very fact that such holy souls are young, or meek or faithful.

Continued below.

Hnndreds literally danced themselves to death.

Forknowledge and Predestination:

Starting with Romans 8:29 KJV, "For whom he did forknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

God's predestination of the elect is based on his foreknowledge of them(all those who would believe on Christ) before they are born. Therefore to make the election (elect) sure, the life of those who are to be conformed to the image of His Son was/is predestinated based on God's forknowledge of who they are, what they will do, and how they will believe.

God's election is sure, and nothing can change it. This is what is meant in Romans 8:38-39 KJV, 38 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come," 39 "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."

God's election is based on grace, that it might not be of works, that is of the flesh. Through grace the gentiles can be saved. Those who are of Abraham's seed are not all Israel because there are those who continue to chose works over grace. God made a separation between the law, which is of the flesh, and grace, which is by promise, and Has determined that those who remain under the law are not His children because they are the children of the flesh. Yet in Isaac, the children of the promise are counted for the seed (and are His children), Romans 9:7-8 KJV.

Through Abraham God set the new Covenant up, salvation by "Grace," through Abraham's children and grandchildren to assure the promise seed (Christ), and to establish that salvation by grace would "stand" before and after the law (Mosiac law), which would be established over 400 years later, and which would not be able to disannul "the Covenant God made with Abraham," Galatians 3:17 KJV. The Mosiac Law ended in Christ (the promise seed), at HIs death.

So to solidify the new covenant, God made a distinction between the law, which is of the flesh, and Grace, which is of the promise, through Abraham and his two sons Ishmael and Isaac, and Isaac's children Jacob and Esau:

1) The first distinction between the law and grace, was Ishmael who was "the child of the flesh" who represented the law, and was not counted for the promised seed (Christ). But Isaac's birth was the result of the child of the promise, which represented the new covenant, where the promised seed would come through (Christ). Because the law is of the flesh, Christ could not have come through Ishmael. Christ (the promise seed) had to come through the child God promised Abraham, Isaac (the promise seed). So through the promise seed (Isaac), the promise seed (Christ) would come - this is the avenue which God established salvation through grace to bring in the Gentiles as children of the seed (the seed of Abraham). To believe on the Son of God we become the Children of God, where we are counted as the seed of Abraham through Jesus, by the Holy Spirit.

2) The establishment of predestination to where election would "stand" came by way of Jacob and Esau, Romans 9:11 KJV. God forknew the type of people Esau and Jacob would be, so, to establish God's purpose according to "election" that it might "stand", as God's love was toward Jacob and not Esau, Romans 9:11-13 KJV, therefore God set the election up through Rebecca, letting her know before the children were born (not having done good or evil to remove works that it might be by grace) that it was His determination that the older shall serve the younger, and that Jacob was to received the blessing and not Esau. So at the time Isaac was to bless Esau, Rebecca remembered what God said to her and instructed Jacob what to do, Genesis 27:5-17 KJV.

God's predestinion is based on his forknowledge of those who would believe on Jesus, which is the same forknowledge God exercised regarding the two children, Jacob and Esau - he loved Jacob (Grace) and hated Esau (of the flesh). And based on God's forknowledge He Has predestinate us, and Has called and elected us (established in Jacob that "election" might stand - cannot be disannul) to be conformed to the image of His Son, Romans 8:29 KJV, to be His Children. God has established this already and nothing can change it.


We are to always be conscience of our calling, and we are admonished to make our election and calling sure, 2 Peter 1:10-11 KJV. This is done by understanding that the "gospel" is the Power of God unto salvation. Read, study, pray for understanding, listen to the Holy Spirit, go outside the camp - that's the only way we can be strengthened with might in the inner man and continue to walk by the Spirit.

We cannot give ourselves what we don't have. We only receive by the Holy Spirit - so we must wait on God, who will not fail us if we continue in the faith, Colossians 1:23 KJV

Hi Everyone!

I have been going through a nightmare the past couple of months. My wife (recently married this past October) who I have known 6 years decided to separate due to multiple issues going on. I have been praying and praying, but the hurt and anguish seems to just keep piling up. Not just on me, but also my family. I found out yesterday that my wife is pregnant - it is mine. I am excited! But I am also confused and hurt so badly. If anyone could just say a prayer for guidance for me or even comfort, it would be much appreciated.

There is this popular saying that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
I'm sure you've all heard of this. I don't believe this to be true at all.

In fact, I believe what the Joker says about it. "Whatever doesn't kill you, simply
makes you stranger".

Applying this to a Christian mindset. It seems the common agreement is that hard times
are made to test us, to purify, refine, and hone us into something better. That's what
everyone always says. Trials and tribulations, storms in life, make you stronger, build your
character, makes you into a man!

Maybe that is God's good intentions, to put you through trials and fire so that you can become
the best version of yourself He meant you to be. But I don't believe this is true. I do believe
SOME people can come out of hardships a better person and a more complete, wholesome, tried
tested and true person. But a lot of people don't. They only come out of it more jaded, broken,
scarred, twisted, and perhaps even more vengeful, resentful, angry, and frustrated.

In my life experiences, I have found that most of these "tests/trials" only made me a worse person.
My mental and physical health has deteriorated and I can feel I am losing myself. I have less hope,
less strength, and less toughness because of it. I'm probably only a couple more hardships away
from ending it all. So it confuses me to think why it is believed that these awful things that happen
in life to you are supposed to be for my good.

If that is the case and if that is what God is saying, then does that mean that the reason why instead
of becoming stronger and building character from these experiences, I become weaker and more dark
is that I somehow failed the test? I'm supposed to pass these tests of trials and hardships as a "command"
from God? Is it a MUST to always succeed and pass these tests with flying colors so that I can reap the
rewards of building my characters and wholeness as a person and in my faith?

Isn't it possible that and true that not all hardships/tests/trials make people better by going through it but
it actually does just make things worse and drives a person to a point of no return? I feel like what I need
more is love, tenderness, compassion, loyalty, etc to heal me and build me back up again.....not horrors after
horrors as if it's supposed to somehow make my mind stronger and make me develop a stronger tolerance
and resiliency to life's hardships. I found it has only broken me down to the point I don't know who or what I am
anymore and I have no strength and hope in me to want to even find out.

Berean Standard Bible, Numbers 5:

14 if a feeling of jealousy comes over her husband and he suspects his wife who has defiled herself—or if a feeling of jealousy comes over him and he suspects her even though she has not defiled herself— 15then he is to bring his wife to the priest.

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The husband was suspicious and jealous. He wanted to ask God about it. That's the husband's perspective.

Now, let's look at the wife's perspective:

16 The priest is to bring the wife forward and have her stand before the LORD.

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That's serious.

17 Then he is to take some holy water in a clay jar and put some of the dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.

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That's intimidating whether or not you were guilty.

18 After the priest has the woman stand before the LORD, he is to let down her hair and place in her hands the grain offering of memorial, which is the grain offering for jealousy. The priest is to hold the bitter water that brings a curse.

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The test was an ordeal.

19 And he is to put the woman under oath and say to her, ‘If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be immune to this bitter water that brings a curse.

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If you were innocent, that's somewhat comforting. Still, you had to drink the bitter water that brings a curse.

20 But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority and have defiled yourself and lain carnally with a man other than your husband’— 21and the priest shall have the woman swear under the oath of the curse—‘then may the LORD make you an attested curse among your people by making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell. 22May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’

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That's scary if you take the name of the LORD seriously.

Then the woman is to say, ‘Amen, Amen.’

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You had to agree with the curse.

I think the ordeal of jealousy was meant to deter guilty women from finishing the test. At any point, she could chicken out and confess. If a guilty woman was brazen enough to follow through with it, basically daring God, it was up to God how he would punish her or not. The bitter water wasn't meant to be some kind of magical formula.

I’ve been battling OCD / intrusive thoughts for the past year. In my desperation I’ve just tried hard to shut off my emotions because of these weird intrusive feelings. Because of my thoughts I began to fear what if I had feelings that agreed with my emotions and today when I saw a picture of Jesus on the cross I felt a weird sensation in my face to laugh and it threw me into a panic. I’m so scared. I don’t want to do that. People only talk about intrusive thoughts but what about emotions or feelings? I’m just so hurt by this please help me I don’t want to lose Jesus or Jesus to turn from me

I just spent 35 days in the Orange County Florida Jail. The jail refused to accommodate my food allergies and I lost 30 pounds. I am interested in any thoughts on what jail food should be especially from 7th day Adventist. They offered me the opportunity to see a chaplain so I could have been given a religious based diet. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal or grits or special K with a pastry. Lunch was 2 slices of lunch meat 2 slices of fake cheese and 4 slices of bread and 2 cookies. Dinner was pasta or rice with fake meat cooked carrots or green beans and cabbage. A nurse said in the past if you had a wheat allergy they would send it down to the kitchen and an alternative would be provided. But too many people complained about food they didn't like so now the jail does not accommodate any allergies. The food industry hydrogenates oil because bacteria can't eat it. It coats the food and the food stays fresher on the shelf. Humans also have trouble digesting the stuff so the body just stores it. This is why we have record obesity. At the age of 46 my body rebeled and I can no longer digest the stuff. This is not natural food and it needs to go. Fake meat and cheese is hydrogenated oil. I told them stop giving me fake meat and give me real beans. I would go down the list of the top 10 allergies and force the jails to provide alternatives. A technical distinction needs to be made here. An intolerance is not an allergy. With an allergy you can eat the food and it harms you. With an intolerance the food will not stay in the stomach. The best known intolerance is syrup of ipecac. I was literally in the belly of the beast. This will not be an easy fight.

William Miller, who started the Millerite movement, preached that Jesus' second coming would occur around 1843.

Jesus did not return in 1843. Then the Millerites revised it to 1844. Jesus did not return in 1844. Eventually the Millerite movement settled on the date of Oct. 22, 1844. Jesus did not return Oct. 22, 1844.

Miller should have never thought to preach this message because of the words of Scripture:


Yet, Ellen White, years after the failure of Jesus to return in 1843, indicated that the proclamation of Miller's message that Jesus was coming in 1843 was of God. Ellen White indicated Miller's message was a heavenly message.

Below I quote from a number of places where Ellen White endorses Miller's message, from "Early Writings".

Anyone wanting to review the whole context may read "Early Writings" by Ellen White at the following link.



Notice that in the quotes above she condemns those who did not receive Miller's message that Jesus was coming in 1843, and later 1844. She indicates Miller's message of Jesus coming in 1843 was a heaven-sent message. And she says God designed to test people. She condemns those who rejected it--even though it goes completely against what the Scriptures say about date setting, and despite the event not coming to pass.

Hello, I'm looking to break into the genre. If there's any good fantasy books you could recommend I'd appreciate it. Thanks

Jesus said in Matthew 5:

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.

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That's shocking and graphic language. Jesus meant it seriously but not literally. Even if you literally gouge out your eye, there is no guarantee that you won't sin.

It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

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Losing an eye is better than losing your eternal life. That's certainly and literally true. Still, there is no need to gouge out your eye.

Jesus used powerful hyperbole to point out the seriousness of sin. We need to deal with sin drastically. We need to cut sins out of our lives.

Yes, a thread about St Francis. I think he is that significant. Unfortunately he is commonly only thought of as a dreamy, poetic nature lover. The truth is that he was rather rugged. His commitment to social change, poverty, justice, penance and preaching was extreme and difficult. And yet, as difficult as it was, he inspired others to join him. His spirituality was as Christ centered as possible. He still inspires me even though my life and time is very different than his.

"How much interior patience and humility a servant of God may have cannot be known so long as he is contented. But when the time comes that those who ought to please him go against him, as much patience and humility as he then shows, so much has he and no more."

#13

It is possible for Jesus to be married. Theologically, I don't think it would have great consequences.

Is it likely that Jesus was married?

I would doubt that. The NT seems to assume that Jesus didn't have a wife. If Jesus had had a wife, I'd think that it would have been mentioned in the gospels, Matthew 13:

55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?

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There is no mention of Jesus' wife at this most natural point to do so.

Jesus mentioned 3 types of eunuchs, Matthew 19:

12 For [1] there are eunuchs who were born that way, and [2] there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and [3] there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

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Jesus seems to belong to the 3rd type.

Paul followed this sentiment in 1 Corinthians 7:

1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” ...
32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife.

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There is also the joke about the Pope would not claim infallibility if he were married

Ideally, an unmarried man can focus his whole life on God. I think Jesus practiced this ideal.

Which do you think it is? Incompetency or are they trying to hide something?

In the Olivet Discourse Jesus indicated armies would come in, surround Jerusalem, and destroy both it and the temple. We get this consistently in all 3 versions, Matt 24, Mark 13, and Luke 17 and 21. Matthew and Mark do not go into detail about what the Abomination of Desolation is, but they refer the reader to Dan 9.26-27 where an Abomination of Desolation is named in conjunction with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by "the people of the ruler to come," which seems to refer to a Roman army. Rome was the "ruler to come."

For whatever reason Matthew and Mark did not spell this out in as much detail as Luke did. However, they did describe this "Abomination" as "standing in the holy place," or "where it does not belong." Rome was obviously an "abomination," being that they were a pagan people assuming control over the holy place of the Temple.

My assertion here is that "holy place" can refer to a room in the Temple called "the Holy Place," or it may refer to the entire Temple complex, the whole building and the courtyard, or it may apply to all of Jerusalem, including its environs. The "holy place" is where God has devoted something as His resting spot.

And so, in the Olivet Discourse I see no problem identifying the "holy place" to be Jerusalem, where this abominable pagan army would come and be set, or "stand." It was a siege against a place devoted to be holy. The spiritual condition of the people there was poor, but did not cause the place to be any less dedicated to God or devoted by God to be holy.

Profaning such a holy area was forbidden by God, but something God allowed to happen. God allowed Israel to sin and so profane this holy area. And He allowed pagan Romans to draw near, also profaning the Temple area, to show Israel a graphic example of what they were themselves doing.

It was precisely because Israel was profaning the holy area that God determined to "devote it to destruction," both the city and the Temple. And so, the Scriptures say that God Himself caused His own city and Temple to be "desecrated."

But this was not a new pathway for God. He had demonstrated the same during the Babylonian invasion, and was now repeating things. In fact just as Ezekiel donned the name "Son of Man," indicating God's word to Mankind, so Jesus donned the same name, to indicate that history was repeating itself.

Jesus condemned Israel for their sins, and promised that in one generation, the same one that rejected him, the city and the Temple would fall. So consider the following language where God described this in the past, in particular with respect to the Babylonian invasion...

Isa 47.5 “Sit in silence, go into darkness, queen city of the Babylonians; no more will you be called queen of kingdoms. 6 I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance.

Eze 7.22 I will turn my face away from the people, and robbers will desecrate the place I treasure. They will enter it and will defile it.

Eze 23.39 On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house.

Eze 24.21 21 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.

Eze 25.1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them. 3 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile.

Eze 28.By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching.

Dan 11.31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.

I believe this last reference, to Dan 11.31, to refer to Antiochus 4, who also was termed an "abomination of desolation." But his act of desolation took place well before Rome violated Jerusalem, the "holy place," And Antiochus did not actually destroy the temple as the Romans did. But both of these "AoDs" are indicative of God's willingness to have his "holy place" violated and desecrated, to make a point to Israel about their own uncleanness.

What is being taught today as who the first Homo sapiens were that settled in the Americas?

If one were to set the parable of the prodigal to music, it would be in a minor key. I am always saddened by the principle of the prodigal. It is true that there is great gladness and merriment in it, but the setting is sadness.

Think of this loving and generous father, with two prodigal sons. The younger a harlot-monger, and the elder a “me-monger.” The younger unrighteous and lawless, and the elder self-righteous and legal; both far, far from the loving father, with the latter set in his law-bound implacability. Does that not make your heart sad?

If you are already sad because you are a poor prodigal, or the parent of a prodigal or two, you can be sure that the Father of prodigals understands and cares. Yes, and in God the Son we have a High Priest who can “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” our burdens, our trials and heartaches (Heb 4:15).

Actually, we can all relate to, and are related to the prodigals. The principle of prodigality is there for us all. When we were unsaved, by the grace of God we came to realize that we were in a far country, “having no hope, and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12). When no man gave unto us, we finally came to ourselves, and rose, and went to the Father. It was then that He came to meet us in fullness of love and acceptance. There was great joy in heaven, in our heart and in the Father’s heart, over that one sinner that repented (Lu 15:7).

Yet, long after we are saved, the principle of the prodigal reasserts itself in our lives (but it’s just the devil working through the old man’s attempts, from which God always delivers us—NC). Assured of your eternal security and acceptance in the Savior (yet saved but only instability results here until security is established—NC), we slowly drift into self-righteousness and independence (Jas 1:24—NC). We may be in some type of service for the Lord, but sooner or later we find ourselves in the far country; out of fellowship with our Father, and struggling to keep up appearances in our Christian life and service (Romans Seven).

We may slave on in this far country for years, slowly learning that the husks of the world and the old man are not even fit for swine. Finally, finally, we can struggle no longer and we give up—at least for the time being (still saved but in need of deliverance again—NC). Then it is that we whimper, “Oh wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death” (e.g. from the old man, which is the sin nature and has its members like a body - Col 3:5—NC)?

It is then, by the Father’s mercy that we come to ourselves once again. “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Ro 7:25). He is the answer, and back to the Father we go (always keep everything, good and bad into His trust, for He uses it no matter what to bring about our “good” - Ro 8:28). In His eternal love, He meets us again, this time not with the truth of justification, but with the truths of identification (He always sees the believer in Christ—NC).

Having subsisted on a far-country starvation diet for years, we hungrily feed upon the succulent identification truths. In due time we are fattened up on the liberating facts that we died unto sin, and that our life is now “hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3).

As a result, Galatians 2:20 becomes our “life verse”: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Christ lives His own Life in the believer, like a hand in a glove, He being the Hand—NC). We begin to reckon, reckon, and reckon: “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Ro 6:11).

We study, study, study, all of the wonderful “deeper life” books. We share, share, share, the deeper truths—whether the recipient (victim?) is ready or not! We are learning about our position in Christ above, and we are improving in our condition. Our heart-hungers are being satisfied by more and more freedom from the old man, and more and more freedom in the new Man—Christ, “who is our Life” (Col 3:4). Liberation at last (of course the “new man” is the new nature which was “created,” not Christ, for He wasn’t created—NC).

No, it is not quite that pat. It is freedom at first! In this way our Lord gives us a taste of His ultimate triumph in our lives, and assures us that we are on the right path to that maturity in the Lord Jesus—“dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:11).

Hence, we reckon as we may, our wonderful victorious life and testimony begin to fade (everything seems less meaningful at repeated times—NC); and there is our principle of the prodigal, strong as ever. Once again, it is the far country—maybe not quite as far as before (because we know it’s just temporarily the old man again—NC), but too far for fellowship with the Lord Jesus and the Father (the purpose of this type of repetitious trial is to increasingly reaffirm our continuous dependence on God, the Lord Jesus and Their Holy Spirit—NC).

Could that be where you are right now? Well, yes, kind of. But I would like to know why. You will be encouraged to know that there are a number of reasons, and all of them are good (regardless of the reason; Ro 8:28, esp. 29). First, your loving Father has you right where He wants you at this time (He always knows what we are going to do and preplans all for the good of increasing our faith, which can always grow stronger - Luk 17:5; Eph 6:10—NC). He is not allowing you to grab the identification truths, run off with them and attempt to reckon upon them. He rather intends for you to become established, clearly and solidly, in those two basic growth truths—that you “died unto sin” (no more desire for sin and permanently forgiven—NC), and are now alive unto Him in Christ Jesus. A little farther on in this material we will see whether or not you are established enough in these truths to enable you to receive their practical benefits consistently and increasingly.

Second, while reckoning will result in definite gain in your Christian life, that is not God’s primary purpose for it. That is prodigal thinking. The young prodigal reckoned upon his father’s faithfulness (God always delivers and provides—NC), and was willing to settle for bread and servanthood. At least that would free him from the pig sty, and give him some of the comforts and benefits of family life.

But the father would never settle for that. He fitted him for fellowship (best robe, which is the Lord Jesus—NC), and took him into his presence in complete acceptance (permanent forgiveness—NC). That is the Father’s purpose for you. He has freed you from the old and positioned you in the new, that He may enjoy fellowship with you. If there is to be service, it will be as a son, not as a servant or hired hand. “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Gal 4:7).

Third, your Father does not want you to be like the elder prodigal. He served his father faithfully and kept his commandments, all to establish his own self-righteousness. His father humbled himself and went out into his presence, while he refused to go into his father’s loving presence. If your Father were to give you freedom and make you fruitful through your present state of reckoning, you would be just another elder prodigal. You would expect Him to come to you and bless you and use you, and you would see no reason for responding to His pleas for you to come inside and abide in His glorious presence.

Fourth, while you reckoned by faith for your new birth, you do not reckon for your growth. Reckoning is the basis for growth, but it is not the means of growth. Reckoning yourself dead unto sin does not free you from the reign of sin and the sinful old man—the Cross has already accomplished that (Ro 6:6-8 - reckoning doesn’t produce effect but assumes truth with what has been already done—NC); and reckoning yourself alive unto God in Christ Jesus does not establish you in your position in the Lord Jesus above—the Holy Spirit has already done that, too (Jhn 3:6, 8—NC).

It is true that the Father has made you the object of His eternal love. He has saved you, and thereby freed you from the old sinful Adam-life, and placed you in the Life of His perfect Son at His own right hand. Now it is for you to count upon these truths (which are mostly contained within the Pauline Epistles—NC) so that He can be your Object.

Hence it is by the Spirit that you grow (all power comes from the Father and the Son and flows through the Spirit to the believer—NC). He centers your attention and affections upon the Lord Jesus in glory, and you are thereby “changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (Col 3:1-4). Your reckoning upon your freedom from the old man (Ro 6:12, 14), and your position in the Lord Jesus, comprises the basis for your access for face-to-face fellowship with Him in glory, and that by the ministry of the Holy Spirit (the Word of God, which is through the Spirit is like a mirror to see what you’re supposed to look like - 1Co 13:12—NC).

That is how you make the Father your Object, and thereby glorify Him—in the Son, and by the Spirit. The Father has you in His presence that you might partake of His glory, and by that means grow in His image. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2Co 4:6).

Surely you cannot reckon yourself to be unworthy (Eph 4:1; Col 1:10; 1Th 2:12; 2Th 1:5; 2Th 1:11; Rev 3:4—NC) as the younger prodigal, nor too worthy as the older prodigal. Rather, reckon yourself in glory for the Father’s glory (as the Son glorifies the Father we glorify the Father—NC). “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (Col 1:9).


—Miles J Stanford





MJS devotional for Aug 2

The joy of sowing is exceeded only by the joy of harvesting; and yet both sowing and reaping are a matter of death.

“If we follow and note the history and ways of any true servant of the Lord, we shall see, that on the one side they, like Moses on the Mount, or Paul in Arabia, are entranced with the brightness and most marvelous display of divine glory; yet on man’s side, those who know most of the divine ways, suffer most because of the indifference of those who have professed to be the Lord’s people.

“It is nowhere admitted in Scripture that a servant can be merely the herald of the light of God’s grace; that is, that he should only have the joyful side of service. For every real servant, be he evangelist, teacher, or anything else, there must be the side of suffering, burden, and humiliation.”

“We must bear in mind that, while it is the Father’s purpose, in His dealings with Job, to vindicate His own estimate of His servant; it is, at the same time, shown us how He educates or disciplines that servant so as to render him worthy of that estimate.”

“In every trial, however gloomy, there are gleams of light and relief; but full deliverance is often delayed by our anxiety to obtain it. God Himself, and not the deliverance, is to be the satisfaction of His servant; consequently the deliverance is often postponed until we are without prospect or expectation of it; and then it may be accorded in a manner so transcendently beyond our conception, that we must see and understand the love and interest which surrounded us during the whole period of our trial.”

—Mile J Stanford

Prosecutors say court documents showed that Goltz threatened several people [and their children and family members] — including a lawyer with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and a Maricopa County elections official — on far-right social media platforms.

I’m struggling with addition to my smartphone. When I come from work I tend to like to relax in my comfy chair and just shoot the breeze by texting friends. I take up lots of time by doing this and sometimes like to go to bed much earlier than my bedtime and text friends to give me some relaxation before I go to sleep.

I think I’m addicted to texting and more productive activities like playing the guitar or memorizing Bible verses are falling by the wayside.

I am thinking that I may want to come home from work and either turn my phone completely off or put it in the desk drawer and not touch it, and work on memorizing Bible verses or playing the guitar, and after some time of enjoyment, write a to do list with tasks I want to accomplish and try to work on those tasks. But after a long day at work I tend to just want to relax and not work on anything. I just tend to be glued to my phone not wanting to do much else.

Some tasks on my to do list are to post certain discussions in discussion forums or write certain emails to people on my phone with the bluetooth wireless keyboard I use, so I may want to use my phone some in the evening at some point.

When I am sitting there texting friends I could be more productive on my phone by watching Christian messages on YouTube or listening to Christian podcasts, but it seems like texting reigns supreme.

What are your thoughts on what I should do about this struggle and have any of you struggled with spending too much time with technology?