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Hmmmmm.......not sure how to answer this.....the phrase "die well" is vague enough to avoid any sort of criminality [is that a word???]....Some see this as a way to express how they want to die...with family....some want to die without family, due to those same family dynamics.....Some want to be surrounded by friends.....others want to be left alone....some want to die for something, like maybe in a fight for some revolution or principle.....Some prefer something less controversial.... Some people die without any choice ....they just die....alone ...without friend or family....some die with doctors and nurses around them....some die with a "no code" status and a nurse administering pain medicines.....some people die in an alley, or some stinky place......alone...friendless..... I suspect that there are more people who die of a broken heart more than sickness....they have created broken dynamic relationships in family and in friendships and die regretting a 2nd chance to make something of this....people die from regrets......and/or shame..... You may be wondering how I will die.....I am not going to tell you......today....maybe even not at all......:-)

Revelation 20:7-9 describe Satan's release and his gathering of "the nations", and their attempted attack upon "the camp of the saints". CJB Revelation 20:11 Next I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened; and another book was opened, the Book of Life; and the dead were judged from what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 The sea gave up the dead in it; and Death and Sh'ol gave up the dead in them; and they were judged, each according to what he had done. 14 Then Death and Sh'ol were hurled into the lake of fire. This is the second death - the lake of fire. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was hurled into the lake of fire. (CJB) Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the untrustworthy, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those involved with the occult and with drugs, idol-worshippers, and all liars - their destiny is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, the second death." (CJB) Brimstone (#2303) is from the Greek word “theion.” Yes - the first four letters “thei” tell us that this refers in some way to the divine. Strong’s tells us, “brimstone was regarded as having power to purify.” It was called “divine incense.” When you smell exploding firecrackers, you are smelling sulfur in the gunpowder. So brimstone smelled like burning sulfur. John the prophet, in vision was shown the “lake of fire.” He was searching for words to describe this awesome, brilliant, glorious “fire.” It is a purifying fire. It may NOT literally be fire in our sense of the word today. It may not have smelled like sulfur, but John is using imagery which his readers could understand. It is “divine fire” and it will consume the last trace of evil from the universe of God. There are THREE "fire" events, described in Scripture. 1. The "fire" which will consume the earth. "The earth and the works therein will be burned up" (Peter). This happens @ the SC, after Jesus has removed "those who are Christ's". Mountains and islands sink. In some places, the "elements melt with fervent heat". 'Brimstone" is melted rock. According to Rev. 19:20, "the beast" and "the false prophet" are "thrown alive" into (a or the) "lake of fire". They could simply be consumed in "fire" along with most of the earth. This "fire" will leave an ash residue, which the redeemed will later "walk on" when they return to rebuilt on the earth. 2. The "fire of God" which will come down upon the Army of Gog/Magog. This happens during the 8th millennium, AFTER the "rest of the dead" have been resurrected, educated in the things of God, governed by the "priests of God and of Christ", and most of them STILL choose to rebel. If you read the account in Ezekiel, a CLEAN UP follows that battle. Special teams are assigned to gather up the "bones" and bring them to a "city" designated for that purpose. So the "fire" at Gog/Magog does NOT consume humans to ashes. It is more like the "fire" that "consumed" Nadab and Abihu. The text later says, "They carried them out by their coats." 3. The "lake of fire" which is "the second death". The Devil and his angels will be cast into THIS "lake", as the Battle of Gog/Magog concludes. The "Great White Throne Judgment" FOLLOWS after the Gog/Magog battle, at least from the way Revelation 20 reads. At the conclusion of this final judgment and review of the "books", (with the consent of all the redeemed) all of "the dead" whose names are NOT found written in "the Book of Life of the Lamb", are thrown into "the lake of fire". My question is, IF they are DEAD, in what sense are they "standing before God" ? In what sense are they "thrown into" fire ? I believe it is the RECORD of their lives, that stands before God. And I believe that God (in the case of these individuals) will destroy that part of a human which He retains in order to later resurrect that individual. It is NOT the physical body. God does not need that in order to resurrect. You could call it the "spirit". It is the essence of that individual. I call it God's "memory" of him. The point is that this individual can NEVER be resurrected again.

So who suggessted someone should be willing to go to hell for it? It obviously annoyed you in some way so it is to bad you had to take the time to read it

Well brotherly love, I'm just glad to know that someone read what I posted. Thanks

Well, many people do not think much about the 10Ks. But, this has been marketed both as an international event and as a family event. Many families and groups, to include local groups, run it in. As a point of interest, my Sabbath School class yesterday had a woman who had flown in from the East to run in the race tomorrow. She was an older runner.

Powerful statements there. Speaking of true reality. I have wondered often how things are going with you.

I've been thinking of Romans 3:21-29 (especially vss 25, 26) as bringing out that the same thing which justifies man justifies God, or, one could put it the other way around, that same thing that justifies God justifies man. "Justifies" when applied to God would mean "vindicates His character" or something similar (e.g. "declares His righteousness") and "justifies man" would mean "sets man right". The whole purpose of the mission of Christ was to set and keep man right by the revelation of God (ST 1/20/90). The revelation of God also wins the Great Controversy (I should really put this the other way around, starting with the Great Controversy first). This is a wonderful theme.

#354 Understand The Sources Of Anger Have compassion on people who become angry easily. The person may have negative feelings about himself. By understanding the source of his anger, you will be able to deal with him more effectively. As regards yourself, if you have chronic feelings of guilt or inadequacy, you are apt to lose your temper easily. For this reason many perfectionists have bad tempers. Since they make almost impossible demands of themselves, they feel tense and strained, which often leads to anger. While always trying to improve, accept yourself. This will lead to the most healthy growth. (Rabbi Pliskin's Gateway to Happiness, p.196)

To Have Generous Hearts Jim & Kaye Johns Father, I pray for (name one or more) and others in my circle of family and friends to be generous people... May their generosity begin with You as they give You their tithes and offerings, believing Your promise that as they do, You will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that they'll not have room enough for it. (Malachi 3:8–10) Help them grow in the grace of giving, giving to others as much as they are able, willing to give even beyond their ability because they trust in You and have given themselves to You according to Your will. May they be generous, always willing to hear the cry of the poor and willing to share. (2 Corinthians 8:7b; Romans 12:6, 8b; 2 Corinthians 8:2–5; Proverbs 21:13; 22:9; 1 Timothy 6:18) May they sow generously and reap generously—pressed down, shaken together, and running over! Help them be cheerful givers to those in Christian service, and then supply all their needs from Your riches in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 9:6; Luke 6:38; Philippians 4:15–19) Help them to give beyond their means. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Saddam killed hundreds or thousands of his people, the invasion killed hundreds of thousands. Please do not rescue me, America.

i chuckle every time

She doesn't believe in a morality based on Judeo Christianity. She also is challenging the concept of altruism. She thinks self sacrifice is wrong "because it makes man a sacrificial animal." She holds man should have self esteem and that this implies not being altruistic. Her viewpoint seems antithetical to Christianity, as Mike Wallace brings out. She sees human intellect as the standard for morality. That will not get us where we need to be as people or for eternity.

​Yes we have to bring in the grandkids and see the nutritionist every few months. And they ask about what they eat, etc. Than as I've mentioned on a few other posts they fill out a report and let us know what food we can buy and its loaded on the card or on the checks when we lived in Massachusetts. I believe they do a great job.

FOREVER AND EVER NIV Revelation 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. For human beings, the “lake of fire” is “the second death.” But Satan, and his angels are spirit beings. They have never “died.” So the lake of fire would not be a “second death” - for them. The Greek phrase translated as “forever and ever” (eis tous aionas ton anionon) literally means: “unto the ages of the ages.” It is an idiomatic phrase and is difficult to translate directly into English. It all depends on the context. When “age” is used in connection with physical human beings, then it can mean a human lifetime. If the human has been given “immortality” then that lifetime would be without end. It can mean a period of time, as in Matthew 13:39,40 & 49 (from creation, or from Christ to the Second Coming). When the subject is God or Jesus, it means eternity without end (Matt. 13:39). In the Old Testament, we have many examples where “forever” means only the life-time of an individual. The meaning of the Hebrew ‘olam (translated “forever” - #05769) changes with the subject. Here are a few verses where “ ‘olam” clearly does NOT convey an unlimited past, or an unlimited future: Genesis 6:4: “of old” - meaning of the far distant human past Exodus 21:6: “for ever” - meaning for the rest of his life Deuteronomy 32:7: “the days of old” - meaning distant human history past Deuteronomy 33:15: “the everlasting hills” Joshua 8:28: “forever” - meaning it has not changed since the day it was destroyed 1 Samuel 27:8: “from of old” - meaning distant human past Proverbs 22:28: “the ancient” - speaking of a landmark set up in the distant past Isaiah 42:14: “a long time” - meaning for a long period of time So how can we understand “unto the ages of the ages?” Quite simply - we cannot! I understand that the “spirits” of rebellious unrepentant human beings will be instantly consumed in the lake of fire, and from that point they can never be resurrected to continue life. I understand that only God has immortality (I Tim. 6:16). He sustains life, and can therefore give life without end, to those whom He chooses. I cannot believe that our Divine Father would sustain the life of any created being simply for torture. There would be no purpose to such. Perhaps the “ages” come to an end, when Satan is finally consumed. Beyond that is simply eternity. Rachel Cory, prophecyviewpoint.com

I have heard it suggested that God will resorb into Himself, that which first came forth from Him. Sort of a matter/energy thing, where matter does not cease to exist. It is conserved as it changes form. A novel thought. Unprovable of course.

Matthew 28:2-4 A Legion of Roman soldiers “fell as dead men,” overcome by the glory of just the one angel, who came to call Christ from the tomb. Acts 9:3-4 On the Damascus road, Saul the persecutor was blinded by this glory. 2 Thessalonians. 2:8-9 When Jesus returns, the wicked will be slain “with brightness of His coming.” Daniel 7:9-10 A “fiery stream” comes forth from the Ancient of Days. Hebrews 12:29 “For our God is a consuming fire.” Deuteronomy 4:24 “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire.” Deuteronomy 9:3 “Therefore understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you . . .” WHO WILL “DWELL WITH THE DEVOURING FIRE?” Exodus 33:20 “But He said, You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” Isaiah 33:14-17 “The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: ‘Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?’ He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,’” Isaiah 43:2 “. . . when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned.” Revelation 22:4 “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.” NOTE: We will “see His face” and will not be consumed. The saved will receive immortal spiritual bodies, and will live “in His presence.” This is why “flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God”(1 Cor. 15:50). The angels are spirit beings - beings of high energy. This is why evil angels must be destroyed in “the lake of fire.” It was “prepared for the Devil and his angels” because they could not be destroyed by physical means.

Stan, all the countries you listed, including France, have nuclear weapons, which of course are the first thing one thinks of when discussing WMD.

If everything that we do is preordained, then it's not free will. And if God knows what choices we will make, and the outcomes.... I don't know... that doesn't seem right to me. Wouldn't it be something akin to God watching a boring movie? Much more reasonable to think that He knows that we will have choices to make, and that He has contingency plans available for whatever choices are made.

#353 Asking For Forgiveness For some people, the most difficult thing in the world is to ask for forgiveness. If you find it difficult to ask for forgiveness, visualize yourself asking for forgiveness. Mentally see yourself approaching someone and saying, "I am sorry that I caused you pain. Please forgive me." Rerun this picture in your mind over and over again. Feel a sense of strength and release at being able to do this. Each time you ask for forgiveness and find it difficult, you are building up your inner resource of courage. (From Rabbi Pliskin's book, "Courage")

#352 Courage Creates Greatness Courage is the quality of great people. More accurately it is a quality that creates greatness. It is the quality of Abraham who recognized the Creator and was willing to give his life for this awareness. It is the quality of Moses who approached Pharaoh and told him, "Let my people go." It is the quality of Mordechai who refused to bow to the wicked Haman; and of Esther who approached King Achashverosh on behalf of her people even though she was risking her life. Courage is the quality of people throughout the ages who were willing to sacrifice everything to live a Torah life. It is the quality that will elevate and empower you throughout your life. (from Rabbi Pliskin's book, "Courage")

Cow Joke Q: What has four legs and says OOM? A: A cow walking backwards

Since when did saying a curse word against a mother become a matter of faith? Respect for your elders and defending that respect is one thing....fighting for one's faith because it is insulted is totally another...... Saying something veiled in satire gives one the option of saying, "I didn't say that"....and it gives another person time to be amused and thought provoking also....but if it doesn't suceed in it's goal of producing thought, then it does nothing more than insult an ideal....

There are times when I can laugh at myself. But when I laugh at others, am I bullying?

We can add that to this thread.

Bring on the revolution/persecution. I don't want to die for nothing. I want to die for something. CH Short of that I do not want to die around family. Yuck. If I feel I'm gonna die I'll try crawl in a hole somewhere and hopefully they'll not find me. That's how to "die well" as I see it. Good topic btw.

February Ministry Magazine ... Has a good article by this title. Good Reading. Practical Suggestions. If you are interesting in bringing back people to the church ... this one is a must. Author is James Cress