John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus declares that the only way to God is through Him.

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=5fd0...cmVsaWdpb25zX2xlYWRfdG9fb25lX2dvZC5odG0&ntb=1

 In Hebrews it says: 

1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, ^2 [a]in these last days has spoken to us ^[b]in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the ^[c]world.    NASB.  

But there is more to Jesus. 

through whom He also made the ^[c]world.    NASB.  

So the bible clearly says Jesus created the world. There is no doubt about it. Jesus is the creator God. 

Now lets look at something else. 

Luke 15 Now all the tax collectors and ^[a]sinners were coming near ^[b]Jesus to listen to Him. ² And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

³ And so He told them this parable, saying, ⁴ “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the ^[c]open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.  NASB

Who does not need repentance? Everyone on this planet. So Jesus is referring to 99 other planets HE created. 

In the Hebrews text above, some translations say worlds, plural. Some say ages.  Some say the universe.        All of them fit.  Jesus created our planet and all the others. 

The Jesus that we reference in the New Testament, is only a portion of Jesus.             When we understand the bigger picture of Jesus,   it is difficult to comprehend. 

The very great in size, extent, and complexity of Jesus, is beyond our human understanding. 

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We can better appreciate, the sacrifice he made for us.   The humility of Jesus, the compassion that is beyond any human compassion. 

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We can better understand the great slander that the evil ones perpetrate. 

The whole picture becomes clearer.  Much clearer. 

The world is filled with some unpleasant people. Many in power are selfish, cruel people.  If there were no USA, communism in its many forms would rule the world. 

The only thing stopping it is God. 

War is terrible. But according to the Bible, war has been with us for thousands of years.  The Bible shows us that God constrains evil people through war. 

Since world war two, the world has been a place where many can live in peace and safety.  Oh, sure there have been smaller regional wars, but overall, the world population has lived in relative peace and many cases prosperity.   That appears to be changing. The new weapons of war, allow even small players to have an active role.  

        I suspect many people of power have been carefully studying the war in Ukraine and Russia. And now the Iran /Israel/USA war. There are many lessons to be learned there. Missiles, Drones and Electronics and Propaganda have emerged as primary weapons. I expect to see countries experiment and expand these weapons. 

     This is a time when we need wisdom. Where we need to draw closer to God.  Things are really changing. In order to understand these changes, and to protect our families, we need the Holy Spirit more than ever. 

This lobbing group has received a lot of attention recently. They claim to have 5 million members and are reported to be one of the most powerful lobbing groups. 

Thomas Massie, from Kentucky has created a large controversy about this group. Even accusing them of trying to unseat him.  On the internet there are a large number of Anti-Jewish people. Now with this war, the Anti Jew, Anti AIPAC is growing to a fever pitch. 

I am concerned where this is going. 

I have an (Old) Adventist friend who was put in a concentration camp in Europe. His whole family was imprisoned because they keep the Sabbath. They considered them as Jews. 

As this Anti-Jewish sentiment grows, I am concerned about backlash against Seventh-day Adventists, because they keep the Sabbath. 

Web site with weekly quizzes on the OT and Jewish customs

“It is not earthly rank, nor birth, nor nationality, nor religious privilege, which proves that we are members of the family of God; it is love, a love that embraces all humanity. ” EGW

So is she saying we do not have to answer 28 questions?

But what I see now is very powerful. I am using very powerful Ai tools. Earlier I asked Ai for a recommendation for some software I could use. It gave me a table full of software with reviews and classifications. Beginner, advanced etc.  It saved me hours or possible days of searching and trying these out. 

These tools are allowing an explosion of user generated content. Some good and some bad.  But the centralized control of knowledge is being destroyed. For centuries, a group or groups of people have been controlling the flow of information to the masses, thereby controlling them. 

But we are living in a time, where a guy siting at the kitchen table with a laptop, can inform a large audience including other content creators. 

Look at what is happening with the Epstein files. A huge data dump in the past would overwhelm the media and only small amounts of information would come out over time, as their systems worked through it.  But in this time, hundreds of small time content creators, are publishing a large amount of info from those files. And the impact is very big. 

People are resigning, retiring, hiding, some in EU being prosecuted.  Reputations are being effected. Public trust is eroding in many areas. All because of this proliferation of content. 

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This is very revolutionary. Possibly on a scale of the Gutenberg press and the bible. 

Is there a growing spirit of evil in America? 

We always talk about a shaking time in the church, but could there be a shaking time in the general population? 

It's very shocking. 

He states that many members and leaders have this same view but keep it hidden much like he did till he was caught questioning what she said as not from scripture. 

So did Ellen White do her writings out of 'self' or from her own human thoughts and ideas, and we can lay it aside. What is the true origin of what has been spread across many books and how did she come to that understanding. If it wasn't from herself, by what authority was EGW writing/saying these things from and who gave it to her?

James 5:3-4 King James Version (KJV)
3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their poison will be a witness against you, and will eat your flesh as fire. You heaped treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 

The Seven Last Plagues are sent by God from heaven, angels pour out vials of His wraith upon the face of the earth, and they are laid out..
Grievous sores
Fresh water sources become like blood
Oceans also become like blood
The sun scorching men with great heat
A great darkness
The Euphrates River drying up and unclean spirits
And a destructive earthquake and hail.

The Bible doesn’t give us a specific date for these plagues, but it does say that just before the second coming of Jesus, they will befall on the earth. They are similar to the plagues that fell on Egypt and will happen in the last days. They came just before the Jews were freed from slavery much like the saints are going to be freed from the bondage of sin at the second coming. So lets look at the Seven Last Plagues...

Daniel 12:1-2 King James Version (KJV)
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

The plagues appear to fall after the close of probation as the saints are sealed during this time such as never was. 

Revelation 16:1-15 King James Version (KJV)
1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty

We see where SOP also says the Great Time of Trouble begins after the close of probation, "When Christ shall cease His work as mediator in man's behalf, then this time of trouble will begin. Then the case of every soul will have been decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin. When Jesus leaves His position as man's intercessor before God the solemn announcement is made, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still" (Rev. 22:11). Then the restraining Spirit of God is withdrawn from the earth."--PP 201 (1890)

Then we see the last climatic event which will be heard as well as felt across the nations and peoples...

Revelation 16:15-21 King James Version (KJV)
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Ellen White's writings give that the plagues will fall like the ones in Egypt, one right after the other, and then a final cataclysmic event as the saints look for deliverance..

Satan's host and wicked men will surround them and exult over them because there will seem to be no way of escape for them. But in the midst of their revelry and triumph there is heard peal upon peal of the loudest thunder. The heavens have gathered blackness, and are only illuminated by the blazing light and terrible glory from heaven, as God utters His voice from His holy habitation.

The foundations of the earth shake, buildings totter and fall with a terrible crash. The sea boils like a pot and the whole earth is in terrible commotion. The captivity of the righteous is turned, and with sweet and solemn whisperings they say to one another: "We are delivered. It is the voice of God."--1T 353, 354 (1862).

It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of His people. . . . In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying, "It is done" (Rev. 16:17). That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. . . .  

The proudest cities of the earth are laid low. The lordly palaces, upon which the world's great men have lavished their wealth in order to glorify themselves, are crumbling to ruin before their eyes. Prison walls are rent asunder, and God's people, who have been held in bondage for their faith, are set free.--GC 635-637 (1911).

Beast of the Field = Man/Woman

Genesis 4:15 - And the Lord set a Mark upon Cain

Genesis 4:24 - "If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold"

Revelation 13:18 - And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

To Understand where the understanding of the "Mark of the beast" begins one must start by seeking the understanding the of first and second marks to gain wisdom.

Proverbs 9:10 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

So, in order for wisdom to begin unfolding to anyone who seeks to know the mysteries of God must first learn how to apply the method/technique of fearing the Lord God.  Begin......

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the Lord.  

I came here after Compuserve. 

There have been many software updates since then. This version works well. 

CA was the place to be back then.  

CA is a safe place. I suspect that many who used to post here have died or lost interest due to old age.  That is the problem with getting old. Your friends all die. 

Keep up the good work, Stan. 

I don't know if they will appoint a new leader, or perhaps communism will fall like the Soviet Union.  Something will happen. The pressure is great. 

What if ? 

The CCP were to fall, and a new government came in that allowed Christianity?   Open baptisms and organized church growth.  There is a deep spiritual hunger in China. 

Over a billion people. It might be possible to see Christianity take over that whole region.  I think it would shock many people.

First, I will digress a bit:  In my construct of dreams, they are the product of an uninhibited brain that is unbridled by elements of rational thought.  I have heard of people who seemingly have received a dream from God.  I have never considered myself to have received such.  I do not believe that my dream came from God.

But, I am a reflective person.  In the 80 years of my life journey, there have been times when I have gone through some struggles, which have included struggles of faith.  At times those struggles have included consequences of my own stupidity, and inappropriate decisions.  Those consequences did not come because God caused them.  I was the cause.  I was responsible.  But, in reflecting on those times, I have seen that God was with me.  God did not desert me   Rather God walked along the path that I had chosen and sustained me in my spiritual journey back to faith.

It is from that perspective that I approach the dream that I had last night.  It is not that my dream came from God.  Rather it is that in my irrational dream is a message of hope and of peace.

In my dream, it was a stormy night. The wind and the rain were great.  Floods and mud slides were expected.  Roads were expected to be washed out.  But, it was a moment of quiet.  The winds and rain had stopped.   I felt a need to go out and about, for some unknown call to do ministry.  I do not know what that was about.  My wife objected as she considered it to be dangerous.  But, I went to our car and began to drive along the mountain roads.  Where I was going, and why, was not an element of my dream. 

Well, a massive storm arose.  The winds and rains came. A flood of water washed out the road on which I was driving and carried me off, down the mountain side, to where I do not know.  Finally I was deposited safe and sound in a place that I recognized.  I drove home to rejoin my wife.

I say again, I consider my dream to be the product of my unbridled mind that was not bound by rational standards of thought.  But, I am reflective.  The message of that dream to me is that God will accompany me through the life journey that I must take, regardless of whether or not my choices were appropriate.

The message that I have to give to you is:  Regardless of where your walk in life takes you, regardless of the spiritual journey that you take, God accompanies you and will sustain you.  Do not give up the faith.

please consider Wisdom of Passion of the Christ
 

Story time.  I started coming to the Philippines in 2001.  At that time there was division president who did an Evangelistic meeting in a Catholic town called Malinao. There were zero baptisms. Lots of money spent but zero results. The priests and nuns mobilized to block anyone who wanted to be baptized.  15 years ago, I did a smaller meeting, and we decided to be in a smaller village, next to the town, to avoid the wrath of the big church. Friday eve we had 50 people signed up. But the next day only about 13 were baptized. Again because of the pressure. 

Last week, a group from Texas came and held a meeting in the town. 84 people were baptized. That is a very large number, and in that Catholic town. 

Our church, is almost filled to capacity. Most of the Adventist churches here are very full.  The Spirit is moving people. 

It is my prediction, based on the trends here, that Asia will grow at a rate never seen before. For years, we have talked about a "Revolving door". I THINK IT IS HERE. 

Happy Sabbath to all!

I have been confronted with what might be a small issue to some, but to me it is bothering me. I have turned to the Lord in prayer and decided to create an account on this website to be able to discuss this issue with other likeminded SDAs.

My daughter, who is 20 and living at home with me and my wife, recently went on a trip with her aunt to the city. They stopped at a small vegan grocery store and brought some goodies back to us. I was happy until my daughter came home and set the bag on the kitchen table. It was one of those reuse-able cloth bags and it had the name of the market with a symbol on it. It was a pentagram which is associated with the devil and Satan worshippers. I asked her to please throw away the bag because I do not want to invite any unholy beings into my house. She said I was making a big deal of it and got upset, claiming she wanted a keepsake of the fun day with her aunt. 

I did a little digging and found that this grocery store has skull images and other witch-related symbols on their social media pages. 
 

My daughter is asleep now and the bag is in her room. I am having trouble sleeping because of these worries. As Deuteronomy 18:10-11 says, Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritistor who consults the dead.

My heart is heavy and I need guidance. Should I take the bag away when she is sleeping? Should I let her keep it? I do not feel comfortable with such symbols in the house.

Thank you all for your wisdom and God bless you.