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My prostate cancer got worse cuz I was in denial for about 9 months after my first warning. I eventually returned to me senses and aggressivle (and successfully) treated it. Been cancer-free for 7 years now.

It's a great point: the various media, social and otherwise, are so overwhelming that we need filters to manage them, but at the same time our filters can tend to spiral in on themselves so that our consumption gets narrower and narrower. I tend to avoid the 'if you like this music you might also like this' type filters for just that reason: they narrow rather than broaden my interests. In research, one of the important but often-neglected activities is the search for disconfirming evidence and 'discrepant' cases. Perhaps that's a good model for media consumption too: actively seeking out difference.

The Presbyterian church has moved a long ways away from traditional Protestantism. I don't know the percentages, but I would not be shocked at a percentage over 10%. That denomination has moved a long way away from following the Bible, and when that happens it isn't unthinkable at all that faith, even in the existance of God, is fading away. Once someone who calls themselves a Christian starts rejecting portions of the Bible it's not a large jump to losing faith in God.

A child asked his father, "How were people born?" So his father said, "Adam and Eve made babies, then their babies became adults and made babies, and so on." The child then went to his mother, asked her the same question and she told him, "We were monkeys then we evolved to become like we are now." The child ran back to his father and said, "You lied to me!" His father replied, "No, your mom was talking about her side of the family."

Beauties of the New Earth. "For behold, I create a new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind... And the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying... And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them... And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. The glorious City of God has twelve gates, set with pearls most glorious. It also has twelve foundations of various colors. The streets of the City are of pure gold. In this city is the throne of God, and a pure, beautiful river proceeding out of it, as clear as crystal. Its sparkling purity and beauty makes glad the City of God. The saints will drink freely of the healing waters of the river of life. (YI, October 1, 1852) On either side of this beautiful river is the tree of life. And the redeemed saints, who have loved God and kept his commandments here, will enter in through the gates of the City, and have right to the tree of life. They will eat freely of it, as our first parents did before their fall. The leaves of that immortal wide-spread tree will be for the healing of the nations. All their woes will then be gone. Sickness, sorrow and death they will never again feel, for the leaves of the tree of life have healed them. Jesus will then see of the travail of his soul [isa. liii, 11] and be satisfied, when the redeemed, who have been subject to sorrow, toil and afflictions, who have groaned beneath the curse, are gathered up around that tree of life to eat of its immortal fruit, that our first parents forfeited all right to, by breaking God's commands. There will be no danger of their ever losing right to the tree of life again, for he that tempted our first parents to sin, will be destroyed by the second death. (YI, October 1, 1852) All faces will reflect the image of their Redeemer. There will then be no anxious, troubled countenances, but all will be bright, and smiling in spotless purity. The angels will be there, also the resurrected saints with the martyrs, and the best of all, and what will cause us the most joy, our lovely Saviour who suffered and died that we might enjoy that happiness and freedom, will be there.--His glorious face will shine brighter than the sun, and light up the beautiful City, and reflect glory all around. (YI, October 1, 1852) Children will be there. They will never be engaged in strife or discord. Their love will be fervent and holy. They will also have a crown of gold upon their heads, and a harp in their hands. And their little countenances, that we here see so often troubled and perplexed, will beam with holy joy, expressive of their perfect freedom and happiness. They will express in child-like purity their wonder and delight, as they behold every thing around them so new and lovely. They will look to the blessed Saviour who has given himself for them, and, with admiration and love for him who is smiling upon them, raise their voices and sing to his praise and glory, while they feel and realized the matchless depths of a Saviour's love. (YI, October 1, 1852) This earth, dear children, is to be purified with fire; then it will be much more beautiful. The grass will be living green, and will never wither. There will be roses and lilies, and all kinds of flowers there. They will never blight or fade, or lose their beauty and fragrance. (YI, October 1, 1852) The lion, we should much dread and fear here, will then lie down with the lamb, and everything in the New Earth will be peace and harmony.--The trees of the New Earth will be straight and lofty, without deformity. (YI, October 1, 1852) The saints will have crowns of glory upon their heads, and harps of gold in their hands. They will play upon the golden harp, and sing redeeming love, and make melody unto God. Their former trials and suffering in this world will be forgotten and lost amid the glories of the New Earth. And they will ever have the approving smiles of Jesus upon them, and their happiness will be complete. There will be glory, glory all around. (YI, October 1, 1852)

Joe, I like the expression of the verse. This stanza you shared made me pause to meditate on those of the past who saw themselves as the sinner for whom Jesus substituted himself for on the cross. There must be thousands and thousands over the 2K years who came to realize the enormous sacrifice involved. Each of us bound for eternity must have that special moment of seeing the Christ dying for oneself personally. Otherwise, we may be counted as ones admiring Jesus but not being committed with a circumcized heart to the Son of God.

The 2nd verse of an old hymn "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" personalizes how I feel about what Jesus has done for me : What Thou my Lord has suffered was for the sinner's gain. Mine, mine was the transgression; but Thine the deadly pain! Lo, here I fall my Savior; 'tis I deserve Thy place. Look on me with Thy favor; vouchsafe me with Thy grace.

I HAVE that "down" Robert. Jesus Christ fulfilled the TERMS of the Covenant with Abraham, and the Covenant of Sinai. Because HE fulfilled the TERMS (perfect obedience) - He will receive "the land". He will be given "dominion" of this earth, and dominion will be taken from Satan (Daniel 7). At the conclusion of the Daniel 7 judgment, Christ will receive the "dominion". With the "dominion" comes every human being who has ever lived WITHIN that dominion. That is WHY all judgment is committed to the Son. It comes WITH the dominion. Christ will decide which human beings will share in HIS KINGDOM. He wanted them all. But not everyone would respond to His invitation. I believe that one’s name is written into the Lamb’s Book of Life, the moment that one is “in Christ”. That status change takes place when one genuinely believes in his heart. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (Jn 10:27). The implication being that there are sheep who do not follow Him, and are therefore not His. Romans 16:7 [Paul writing] “Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.” If every human being starts life in the Book of Life, then how could anyone still living NOT be “in Christ” - at least until he commits an unforgivable act, or fails to believe before he dies. But here Paul says that Andronicus and Junia were “in Christ” before he was. Sounds like an EVENT which happens in time. John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” By implication, those who do not believe in His name (or who do not yet believe) - who have not “received Him” - are not (or not yet) children of God. Galatians 3:26-27 and 4:6 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” It would seem that only those who have demonstrated their faith thru baptism, are considered Sons of God, and “in Christ”. In his letter Paul is addressing believers. He is not saying that all men are sons of God. The death of Christ is appropriated or applied to each individual when he/she believes and enters into the death of Christ thru baptism.

Rabbit Joke Q: What do you call a million rabbits walking backwards? A: A receding hareline!