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If it's merely alleged, it cannot accurately be touted as an example...merely becoming speculation and gossip... imho

that would be subjective, and only you would know the honest answer... imho

however she was not Jesus here, she was the Pharisees.

that's cool... I'd be an "Elder" in Korea.. I knew there *had* to be an upside to this age thing!

Hello, I thought it would be fun to share my imagination of what the Great Controversy is like from the point of view of the angels. I have been blessed while writing down my ideas in story format so hopefully someone else will be blessed by reading them. The ideas are derived from several sources including the Bible, Ellen White and other authors, but there are no direct quotes, so hopefully this isn't breaking the forum's rule of no quoting. Here goes the beginning of the story... At an unfathomable point in history, the beginning of time, God, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were already in existence. Ever since our creation, we have been actively studying the Godhead’s character and government through the close observation of Their personalities and Their work. We are free to spend as much time as we like exploring Their universe both physically and conceptually. An enigma that has become of special interest to us is how the Godhead came into existence. We have devoted many hours, possibly even years, to trying to figure out this mystery, but as much as we have tried, we have yet to succeed. One angel in particular has been more intensely involved in solving this puzzle than the rest of us. This angel was graciously granted many special talents and a very bright mind by God, so he could fill the coveted position of 2nd in command under Him. The high responsibility of demonstrating the Godhead’s character and method of governance to the entire living universe comes with this prestigious position; therefore we all call him Lucifer, which means to be a light-bearer. As the King’s general, Lucifer’s close connection with the Godhead gives him the distinct advantage of knowing inside information before the rest of us. We love to pick his brain for new ideas and suggestions of subsequent adventures, as well as frequently consult with him about our various discoveries throughout the universe. He always converses politely with us as we express our thoughts about recent explorations and lay out plans for future trips. Understandably, our cognizance of the strange yet increasingly significant phenomenon which was beginning to unfold before our very eyes was minimal. It all began hidden deep in the heart of our commanding general, whom we have grown to love and respect. Not only do we trust him as our confidante, but we sing in the choir, of which he is a masterful director. His beautiful voice and unique ability to harmonize with himself repeatedly captures our attention. But as time goes on the once imperceptible changes in Lucifer’s demeanor progressively become more apparent. As Lucifer’s destructive mentality slips into our awareness through his telltale body language and behavior we slowly begin realizing the seriousness of his contrary thought patterns toward God and His government. Our contemplations on the origins of God are eventually forgotten and replaced with uncertainty, unfamiliarity, and crazy emotions which all send shivers through up and down our spines. In an attempt to grasp this elusive mystery that is stirring our thoughts, we head to throne room of heaven to see what pertinent information we can gather. As we enter the heavenly throne room we are compelled to stand in reverent awe. We are standing in a room that looks more like a well-tended garden than the fanciest space inside the four walls of the most exquisite earthly palace. Its boundaries are invisible in the sense that it does not appear to have what earthlings would call walls or a ceiling. Everything around us is alive and sparkling with color, from the glassy floor beneath our feet and the emerald rainbow surrounding God’s throne to the crystal clear water seamlessly flowing under the trunks of the Tree of Life standing on either side of the river, and to the Tree of Life itself with its gorgeous fruit and vibrant green leaves. This indescribably beautiful scenery combined with the perfectly holy atmosphere always brings peace to our searching hearts and satisfaction to our hungry eyes. While all of our sensory channels are busily processing the aura of supreme majesty created by the soothing flood of light emanating from the throne of God, we find ourselves slowly walking toward the four living creatures who are continually glorifying God through their perfect obedience, trust, and reverence. The four living creatures, who are covered with eyes on their front and back sides and each having six wings, are undoubtedly aware of our growing concern for Lucifer, yet they are fully relying on God to take care of them in spite of their feelings. We have always felt completely natural trusting God implicitly with our entire beings, but for some unknown reason to us, we find ourselves amazed at the feeling of peace coming from the four living creatures and even from God Himself. The 24 beings, known as the elders, are here as representatives from other places in our grand universe, as we had already surmised based on their occupancy of the thrones closely surrounding God’s throne. Their faces lit with love and joy shine through the peaceful atmosphere around them while their complete serenity becomes almost as tangible as their presence. Everything and everyone seem to be saying through their mere existence that God is holy, pure, and righteous. While we are in the presence of God and all those who are worshiping Him at His throne, the bubbling confusion and agitation in our hearts temporarily leaves us alone. But when Lucifer walks in and everything changes instantaneously. His usual grand entrance distracts our thoughts so the uncomfortable feelings we were harboring before coming to God’s throne room quickly rush back to our conscious awareness. We perceive, by the way he holds himself while he tries to catch our eye contact upon entrance, that he is jealous of Jesus and wants more from the Godhead than just to be second in command. Our awe for him and respect for his authority used to make us want to bow down at his feet and fulfill his every wish, but recently his apparent effort to keep our attention focused on himself through the use of his remarkable God-given gifts of singing and directing the heavenly choir have been annoying us. Aggravatingly, we find our thoughts effortlessly switching from their negative trend into amazement for his talents when he uses that irritating ability of hitting just the right note at just the right moment. A tingling sensation moves down our spines and we become speechless as we are immediately carried off in the moment, almost to the point of forgetting where we are standing, until an impressive event interrupts our reverie. There is more to the story, but since it is still a work in progress I will post a little bit of it at a time. Enjoy!

It comes down to two points... and yes that is all. If Yes Female Clergy will be able to organize new Churches (companies) and If the majority of delegates at conference session, believe that if a specific women is gifted and talented and called, to lead out in a Conference/Union they may vote that. That is really the summary.

Within the past how many years?

I was somewhat distraught about some comments about her past of marriages and unwed children even though she has been converted in Christ -- I see here a modern woman at the well or even the woman caught in sin and the way Jesus handled that in a righteous way. Anyone that would publish an opinion that promotes judgment and lack of compassion and even condemnation should spend some time on their knees. This lady has held Scripture high in our country that has abandoned even the simplest of moral aptitude -- God bless her and may she have a legion of angels surrounding her.

Considering the sheer number of things that Islam bans (pork, alcohol, movies, music, chess, kites, etc…) a Muslim driver who refuses to drive a truck containing them is mostly useless. When Muslim taxi drivers refused to drive passengers with seeing eye dogs or who carried bottles of alcohol, there was an uproar. But now Obama Inc. is using it to claim that Muslim discrimination is a civil right that employers must accommodate. Star Transport, Inc., a trucking company based in Morton, Ill., violated federal law by failing to accommodate two employees because of their religion, Islam, and discharging them, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.The lawsuit alleged that Star Transport refused to provide two employees with an accommodation of their religious beliefs when it terminated their employment because they refused to deliver alcohol. A trucking company may be obligated to accommodate religious observance by providing time off for holidays or prayers. It is not obligated to excuse employees from doing their actual job. And delivering alcohol is part of what being a truck driver means. If it’s against your religion, find a job that doesn’t involve delivering large quantities of foods and beverages. In fact there is no actual prohibition that bars Muslims from driving a truck full of alcohol. There are prohibitions on drinking alcohol. Every Muslim corner store I have ever seen sells alcohol, alongside smuggled cigarettes and lottery tickets. Many Muslim countries allow the sale of alcohol. These objections have little to do with the Koran and a great deal to do with Muslims imposing Islamic law on non-Muslims in Western countries. And Obama has chosen to collaborate in that assault on civil rights. Again. This scenario already came up with Reedy v. Schneider National in whichVasant Reddy blackmailed a trucking company into a settlement. But now this latest assault is being spearheaded by Obama Inc.The case is going in front of Judge James E. Shadid, an Obama nominee who has been hailed as the only Arab Federal judge in Illinois. That’s quite a coincidence, in the sense of not being a coincidence at all.

Stan, it is sought out on purpose!!

i am trying to hunt down some suitable cards- nothing in my area- so i went on ebay and ordered some blank business cards from China. Coz i am 4 hours from Sydney, there are not a lot of business/record cards up here. i will be going to Sydney next week and can look at them then. A few big Stationery stores near where i want to go.

what you do or don't do on the Sabbath, what you eat or don't eat, is simply a personal preference... it hardly constitutes a judgment on someone else. If someone uses vulgar language in your home or in a private place where you are the controlling party, of course you have a right to dictate what you will or will not tolerate. Explanations (not exclamations) of one's preferences are not judgments on anyone else. Pointing out facts and/or logical flaws in someone's behavior or words is not being judgmental. Being judgmental is applying one's own personal standards against someone else's (racially, spiritually, economically, and/or politically), and attempting to portray one's own as the superior standard. One can be judgmental about mores within a culture. Those mores may not be acceptable in other cultures. They may not be acceptable as a universal more, such as ISIS terrorism. Very few will deny a personal judgmentalism against ISIS. Other mores are less definable. Religious mores are slippery, and while they are a part and parcel of most cultures, in the US and most other European nations, they aren't to be meshed with civil laws. If they are, then something like Sharia law develops, where a few dictate what everyone should believe. I don't think that's such a grand idea, though some might disagree.

Over the years I have been asked many questions concerning my refusal to do something or be part of something. At times it has been necessary to explain as a SDA I do not believe it appropriate for me. I have been asked to do things on the Sabbath I won't do. Am I being judgmental to explain why I go to church on Sabbath,Am I condemning and judging those that worship on Sun? I have refused pork products. Judgmental? I have refused alcohol.Judgmental? A couple of times I have had to insist that people clean up their language or they will have to leave? Judgmental? I have been asked my view on gay marriage. I explain? Judgmental Never have I informed anyone they are on their way to hell. When asked if I felt God would actually punish homosexual behavior I point them to what the bible says.Judgmental? I have done the same with all the above questions.

It is not judging to say the clerk is wrong in her actions...it is a fact.

Is it logical or even christian to condemn as a pharisee as has been done and a hypocrite once the past life is put behind a person?Is every decision concerning your religious conviction to be viewed thru the lens of the past life and then have ridicule heap on you? Is it being a self righteous hypocrite to simply say I believe this is wrong to be a part of? Is that person being judgmental? This woman has not condemned,has not wished for harm to come to any gay,has not prayed for hell fire and brimstone down on anyone? Her biggest sin as far as I can see is having a past life that was far less than it should have been and many seem bent on making sure God does not forget that as they certainly have no intention of doing. Many real christians don't seem to have any difficulty judging and ridiculing

**off topic** However, I was making an observation on a statement that was made ... if someone doesn't want folks to comment on something he or she has written, then perhaps it shouldn't be written. That is as polite as I can state the matter. This isn't supposed to be another thread on the Kentucky County Clerk and her refusal to follow the laws of the land. It was to be a topic on the difference between being judgmental vs pointing out logical flaws in behavior and/or words...

Yes.....and........

After my second child was born I went through a period of hardship which caused my weight to drop below 100 lbs. I wrote to Dr. Thrash regarding help for anorexia nervosa. She graciously replied with a personal letter which gave me hope during that dark time. I did attend one seminar of hers years ago when she came up here to Canada. I remember her telling us that we can excuse a new bride for burning the food but that burnt food is not counted as activated charcoal. Fondly remembered by many. I know a few people who went to school at Uchee Pines.

Gotta love those who cheer more biblical morals like marriage. She clearly needs our support as she believe in Marriage, and to prove that she has been married 4 times. She also believes in children, she even had them when she was not married.

Robert, it is your right to disagree with me. Thank you for making it publicly clear that you and I disagree. I am relieved that now no one will likely misunderstand and think that I agree with you.

i also missed this post- my heart also aches, but i also take comfort in that Jesus will be the first thing she sees!!! You absolutely did the right thing. Rest easy , and know that she was supportive of you, and that your family here on CA will hold you in their hearts, and prayers. *hugs from across the miles in Australia*

crazy thing is i can say the hebrew alphabet- sometimes all the way through, sometimes not- but i cant recognise the letters themselves. frustrating....

Thank you my friends for all the kind words and prayers!

What I called the law of inheritance is everything concerned with the Hebrew Biblical concept of ga'al and the year of Jubilee is a part of that. (I call it that because that is how Ellen White referred to it in her writings, and because it allowed all families to maintain their inherited capital.) It is part of the safety net set up by God so that financial disaster to one generation of a family did not impoverish the family from then on. While God gave the law the working of it took place between individuals. When someone had to sell himself, his family, his land, etc... to pay his bills the amount of time until the next year of Jubilee was taken into account on the amount of the financial transaction negotiated between the individuals. Thus it was fair to both the borrower and the lender, the rich man and the poor man.

We know from Scripture that it doesn't separate us from God's love. More importantly is what sin does in our own hearts to separate us from Him.

One never knows when an offthecuff comment may be destroying the last vestige of peace a person is promised from the Lord of their hope. You have held your heartache admirably Gerry. May the God of peace return you to your loved one when He at last sees this world has had enough pain and anguish. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.....John 17 11 ....Our friend.... sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake her out of sleep.....John 11 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:....1 Thessalonians 4 God bless you, my friend, and your family. God is Love! Jesus saves!

((( Gerry ))) she is suffering no longer. She was blessed to have you You did well. That is the hardest thing I can think of that life can dish out. And your friends here in sympathy are all sharing your sadness.

This is needed at the right time, yet the misuse scares me Quebec doctors to get standard euthanasia kits as province prepares to legalize ‘medical aid in dying’ Republish Reprint Sharon Kirkey | August 28, 2015 | Last Updated: Aug 31 8:53 PM ETMore from Sharon Kirkey | @sharon_kirkey Phil Carpenter / MONTREAL GAZETTEDr. Yves Robert, right, secretary for Quebec's College of Physicians, speaks during a press conference with Dr. Charles Bernard, president-director general of the College, in Montreal, Tuesday February 3, 2015. Twitter Google+ Reddit Email Typo? More Quebec doctors will soon be given standardized kits with which to end the lives of patients seeking euthanasia — including drugs to calm the nerves and stop the breathing — along with detailed instructions as the province prepares to usher in legalized aid in dying. The Collège des médecins du Québec has developed a new guideline for doctors unlike any in the history of Canadian medicine: a step-by-step guide to follow before, during and after administering euthanasia to an eligible patient, including the type of drugs to be used, the dose, the injection site and what to do in the event of complications. What will be inside Quebec's euthanasia kits? A sedative to calm the patient A drug to induce a deep coma A drug to induce cardiorespiratory arrest (two sets of each drug to provide a backup in case of complications) Syringes Needles in different calibre sizes IV tubing IV solutions The guideline, which was developed in collaboration with the Order of Pharmacists of Quebec and the Order of Nurses of Quebec, will be available to doctors, nurses and other health professionals on a secure area of the college’s website. “We don’t want these recipes made too easily available to everyone,” college secretary Dr. Yves Robert told the Post. In December, Quebec will become the first jurisdiction in the country to allow competent adults experiencing intolerable suffering at the end of life to request “medical aid in dying.” Bill 52 allows doctors to administer lethal injections to mentally fit patients suffering an incurable illness and in constant and unbearable physical or psychological pain. He or she must also be in an advanced state of irreversible decline and be at the end of life. “It is clearly not euthanasia on demand,” Robert said. “It is clearly not that.”While the Supreme Court of Canada did not define “physician-assisted death” when it threw out the century-old Criminal Code prohibitions against the practice in February, legal experts say the court opened the door to both euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide — where the doctor writes a prescription for a life-ending overdose the patient then takes himself. The Quebec guideline could become a model for all of Canada once the Supreme Court ruling comes into effect in February. Modelled on a formula used in the Netherlands, the Quebec protocol calls for a three-phase approach to assisted death via lethal injection. First, a benzodiazepine, a type of sedative, would be injected to help control anxiety and “help calm the patient,” Robert said. Next, a barbiturate drug would be injected to induce a coma. The third step would be a neuromuscular block, a derivative of curare that acts on the respiratory muscles to cause “cardiorespiratory arrest.” The whole process, from beginning to death, “would probably take something around 15 minutes,” Robert said. Some of the drugs are “thick,” he said, meaning they cannot be given by a “bolus” or “high-speed injection” and each require about five minutes to administer. The guideline instructs doctors to watch for reactions, such as any allergic reactions or vomiting, and to be careful not to lose access to the vein. “If the vein is clotting, probably they have to remove the needle and find another route of entry,” Robert explained.The standardized euthanasia packages, specially prepared by pharmacists, will contain two complete treatments, in case a backup should be needed. Unused drugs must be returned to the pharmacy. Robert said the cost of the medications “is something surely less than $100.” The guideline will be posted on the college’s website in French on Sept. 10, followed by an English version one month later. It will also be made available to every provincial doctors’ college in the country. A special Quebec commission on end-of-life care will ensure doctors in that province comply with the guidelines, Robert said. He said the Quebec college of physicians looked abroad for guidance, including speaking with the first doctor in Oregon to prescribe a legal dose of life-ending drugs to a patient under the state’s Death with Dignity Act, which took effect nearly 20 years ago. “He told us there were some bad side effects,” Robert said. Under the Oregon law, the life-ending medication has to be taken orally, and not injected. Patients have regurgitated the lethal drugs, or, in some early cases, “reawakened” hours, sometimes days, after swallowing them. In some cases, the time to death has taken far longer than anticipated. In Quebec, “We are talking about IV administration of drugs, so the effect is almost immediate,” Robert said. “In an oral route, it can take hours to have the effect.” “We think there should be as minimum time as possible between when the act is begun and the effect occurs, to limit the effect on the patient, and on the family and friends.” People requesting euthanasia can stop the processes at any time, up until the last moment before the loss of consciousness, Robert said. “This is why it’s so important before beginning the three steps that the physician checks, or validates a last time, the will of the patient.” Under the guideline, euthanasia could be performed in a hospital, a palliative care hospice or the person’s home. “Nobody feels prepared,” Robert said. “We are exploring a new continent.” “But we have to learn how to do this as best as possible,” he said. “There is a beginning for everything.” National Post

Whatever a person feels called by God to do. The thought was spurred by a couple of people talking about being employed in a job they thought they may have been called to do. One person refusing to do something because of an "ick" factor; another person continually doing the same thing day in and day out, but no longer feeling as if it was what God wanted them to do. My thought is that sometimes people "screen" the "call". You know, looking to see Who it's from; deciding whether or not to pick up; listening to see if there's a message...but sometimes I think: accepting the "call" starts with answering the "phone". Anyway...back to the regularly scheduled programming.

Yes, there are other similar stories of his genuineness and down to earth qualities and generosity with his time. Not an ordinary celebrity. a significant part of his film Toys was filmed on the wheat farm of my brother's in-laws. My brother said that during down time while other actors would retreat to their trailers, Robin would often be hanging out with the crew and my brother's family, joking and telling stories. He seemed to just love people.

When I was at the Memorial for Linda Mccartney, Paul's first wife, I was standing beside Steven Segal, he can well take care of himself, and he had 5 bodyguards with him, as too many nuts want to prove they are tougher then him. When I met with Mohammad Ali in San Diego 30 years ago or so, he had 4 armed bodyguards, interesting that they were all Adventist. Why should Elder ted have to defend himself for the loose canons?

I have long believed we should be tolerant of homosexuals, just as we extend tolerance to people who use tobacco or alcohol and adulterers (all these can be forgiven--even the polygamy of Biblical patriarchs). We must still, of course, point homosexuals to the Scriptures which plainly show their behavior to be judged by God as sinful, and urge them to receive therapy for what is in fact an aberrant behavior. But what God cannot be tolerant of is a direct challenge to His authority, when people presume to redefine what marriage is, defying God's definition. If same-sex unions were called unions, or partnerships, or anything other than marriage, there would be no problem. But daring to defy God's authority in one of the two divine institutions God established in Eden, before the Fall of Mankind, can only lead to the significant removal of divine protection from our nation and from our world. Today's Supreme Court 5-4 split decision is the real and true beginning of the end for America. The troubles that will now come on America in the form of natural disasters and man-made disasters, will eventually lead people to be willing to enforce a Sunday Law, where everyone is required to go to church for "moral instruction" on Sunday. If you have ever wondered what would lead to America accepting a national Sunday Law, this is it. The End of Time has begun.

I'm really glad that they were not both "funny and cute" or "cute and funny" at the same time.

We are learning that he is rightly fitted for his position as the heavenly choir leader as streams of other beings just like us file into the room in perfect order and assemble themselves into the ranks he has set up just for this purpose. Once again our spirits are lifted to the highest of the heights as he directs the harpist to set the tone and the choir, under his direction, sings the most elegant and harmonious piece of music we have ever set ears to. We could stand here and listen to the choir’s music for hours, but there seems to be an increasingly distracting undertone that is sweeping through the beautiful and solemn notes of praise to God. Exactly what that distracting undertone is evades our understanding, but we are positive we are not mistaking its presence. As the days go by (could be years or even centuries in earth time) the situations that have been developing behind the scenes are now becoming more open. The discussions in the throne room seem to be increasing in frequency. We are invited to be a part of some of them, but not others. Up until now it had never even occurred to us to question the Godhead’s reasons for not including us in only some of their conversations and meetings. In fact, we have never felt left out or ignored because the Godhead has demonstrated over time that they would never do anything without first taking the best interest of the entire universe, including us, into account. But for some reason, which we are not sure we will ever understand, Lucifer that grand choir leader is trying to tempt us into second-guessing God’s true motives. He slyly asks insinuating questions such as: “Are we really the loved and valued members of the heavenly government as God says we are? Should God and Jesus have all of the say of what goes on in our kingdom just because they existed before us?” In our innocence we assume Lucifer’s questions to be so reasonable that we do not stop to consider that something deeper could be behind them, but after a while we begin to see how destructive his questions are becoming to the well-being of our beloved God and His government. Since no one has ever questioned God and his government before our understanding of where these questions are eventually going to lead our universe is very vague. In spite of the fact that we have never witnessed anything that reminisces of pain, sorrow, or selfishness, our suspicions lead us to believe that the consequences of Lucifer’s discordant attitude will be seriously unpleasant and even dangerous. As time continues, we notice there is a division forming between us. Some in our group are wont to believe what Lucifer is suggesting about God, while others are reminding us that God has never done anything that was not for our good. We are now beginning to find out just how much God and His Son Jesus are involved in this chain of events that is turning out to be an all-out war between Lucifer and his believers and the rest of us. For the very first time we are experiencing emotions which have unmasked themselves in ways we never imagined could exist. All sorts of actions and reactions ranging from lying to distrust are becoming a new part of our reality. We expect something powerful and extraordinary is about to happen because the Godhead now enters the throne room with new looks on Their faces which we cannot describe but the earthlings would well recognize as pain and distress. As they exit the throne room this time the mightiest one among us, Gabriel by name, leads the way and stands squarely in front of Lucifer as if ready for a full-on attack. As Gabriel hears the command from God, he obeys by placing his strong arm straight out in front of him and giving Lucifer, along with his followers, an unsuspecting shove that launches them into the emptiness beyond.