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We can take our complaints to God. That is O.K. God knew of them before we took them to him.

When Church leaders are willing to have a Church split over the trivial differences of what a Commission Minister and an Ordained Minister can or can not do, we either need new leaders or a new Church.

If this were true, then there was no need for missionaries or Apostles to teach the Gospel, or the ways of the LORD, because every human already knew could be known - of God. The idea that every human being "knows" what "may be known of God" is absurd. Almost everyone at this forum agrees that we will be learning more and more and more of God for all eternity. I think what you're saying is that all humans "knew" enough to avoid "wrong", and do "right". I would argue that point. It was "right" within many Indian tribes of the Americas, to attack white people, (or other Indians) to take scalps, to torture enemies (to extract power from them), or to shrink their heads. Within many pagan cultures, human sacrifice was acceptable and "right". Worship of ancestors was regarded as "right" within certain cultures. "Right" was defined by their culture - NOT by the God of the Bible. Paul said to the Ephesian believers : " As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient (Eph 2:1-2 NIV). So they WERE (past tense) DEAD. But THEN: NIV Ephesians 1:13 "And you also were included in Christ WHEN you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. WHEN you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, The Ephesians were "in Christ" WHEN they heard the message, and believed it. BEFORE THAT, they were: Ephesians 2:12 " separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. (NIV)

Complaining to God- Biblically-speaking these complaints are known as lamentations Is the practise of complaining at all a good thing or a bad thing?

A summery of the book of numbers are people complaining to each other and things getting worst. Moses and Aaron complaining to God instead and things get better. You can almost name the book "Falling on your face"

I think the more we are going to God the better. Whether that be complaining because you lost your keys, to safe travels and the death of a loved one.

Your right, I just reread the post and I agree JoeMo. I took it wrong!!

Exactly. We have to know our enemy--if we want to call them that. In military science, officers are trained to understand and to know what the enemy was going to do. If you are going to use a JW Bible or Mormon Scripture, one must know what they teach and not misrepresent them. All to often people have little understanding of what Islam teaches and that little knowledge is based solely upon what others have said.

Prayer for Rescue, Recovery, Rebuilding - Barbara Crafton, Episcopal priest O gracious God, we will never understand the sorrows of the world, but by your grace we will not turn away from them. Renew and sustain in us the spirit of love that crosses miles. Cheer and encourage those who labor to help the injured, the homeless, the hungry and those in despair. Bless and soften the hearts of those who would take advantage of tragedy for their own profit, that they may come to know where true joy is to be found. Unite us in prayer with all those who look for help, and use us to come speedily to them with the things that they need. We ask these things in your own most holy Name. Amen.

So you have started yet another thread with the SAME topic of universally saved mankind - even before Adam sinned. Every name of every person who would ever exist, already written in the Book of Life. Persons must overcome evil during their lifetimes on earth (unless they died as infants or young children) in order to STAY SAVED (their names to stay in the Book). I thought we had exhausted every possible argument concerning your version of the Gospel - several threads ago. I would like to start a thread with the question "Is God just?" Is it JUST, to leave ignorant pagans behind (like animals) - unsaved forever - simply because they were ignorant of God? My answer: No. Is it JUST, to transport infants and young children straight into His eternal kingdom, simply because they died as infants without understanding? My answer: No. Samie's Gospel has God saving ignorant pagans - all of them - BECAUSE - they never knowingly sinned against Him. But they never CHOSE to serve God either. If God requires that all informed human beings must CHOOSE, then is it not UNJUST to exempt the greater part of mankind? My answer: Yes. I can understand how Samie came up with his Gospel. I just don't agree with his Gospel. I believe there is a better way for God to be just - with every human being. Everyone MUST CHOOSE - to serve God, or to reject Him. But they cannot CHOOSE unless they are alive. And they cannot CHOOSE unless they HEAR who God is, and how much He loves mankind (the message of the cross). The simple solution is to resurrect those persons who died in ignorance of God, including all infants and young children. And the only time frame I see in Scripture, for that resurrection is at the 8th millennium. That is when "the rest of the dead" come back to life. I don't believe "the rest" are all of the wicked. I believe they will be "nations" of people who died in ignorance, and thus never had a CHOICE. You cannot CHOOSE if you don't know you have a CHOICE. And you won't CHOOSE is you don't know you have to.

I have a hard time understanding how an animal sacrifice could be explained outside of some sort of a religious context that had some type of a higher power or essence regardless of whether or not that was conceptualized as a god.

I'm not sure animal sacrifice *can* be explained by a non-religious person, as an animal sacrifice *always* involves God or a god(s).

i think lament or mourning is different then complaining. When we bring our sorrows to God and surrender them to God He is able to return them to us and brings good out of the bad. Job lamented his losses, grieving is not ungodly. Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. but the complaining that springs from unbelief and doubt and distrust in God is of another source and multiplies sin. what is not of faith is sin.

Samie, if you want to discuss again the nature of man, I would be glad to respond in another thread.

Believe in Him....J3:16 Yes, eternal life is really that simple. Why are we trying to make anything but simple?

People have to believe that you care about them and what they have to say before you can expect them to care about what you say. The depth of your relationship will determine the best approach to bring them to Christ. Sometimes, it is simply the example we set without even telling them about Jesus that will whet their spiritual appetite. As far as what it takes to be saved: 1. See Mark 16:16, Acts 15:11,and Acts 16:31 2. Repeat daily ( or hourly) as needed. Galatians 3 and 5 give us 2 choices - to believe that we are saved by the sacrifice and grace of Jesus Christ; or to live in 100% with the ENTIRE law - all 662 precepts.

For any large organization to function, rules and procedures have to be in place, but it seems to me that the SdA denomination has created its own convoluted corpus of canon law. As a lay member, about as far removed from church politics as I can be (I did once sit on a conference committee, once on a church board and twice on nominating committees) I have trouble seeing the hand of God in things like the GC sessions. It seems to me that the session was little more than good old fashioned politicking and vote hustling, the kind one sees at political party conventions.

The Unions need to ask for forgiveness or repent? "According to reliable sources, should the unions choose not to repent or ask forgiveness for their actions, the item will be brought back to Annual Council in 2017." This is TRAGIC.

When persons of Spiritual integrity confronted Church leaders about errors in teaching, in the 1500s and after, we hail them as Reformation heroes. How is it, that in the Third Millenium, we are urged to abandon our conscience in favor of "church unity"? The counsel of Acts 4 is that we should obey God, rather than man. I have been a baptized member of the Adventist Church for 53 years. I was an ordained minister of the Church in three different conferences. I love the Adventist Church. I believe in the message of the Church, but, I will not sacrifice my conscience because of a majority vote. History has repeatedly shown that the majority is very often wrong! If the General Conference takes punitive actions against Unions who follow their consciences, it is time to "stand for the right though the heavens fall." My faith is in Jesus Christ and the Bible, not in humans, even if they are elected officials.

Genesis 9:13 tells us that “My rainbow I have placed in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Myself and the earth.”

Yehoshua Halevi’s photo of worshippers at the Western Wall. Thousands of people come to pray in Jerusalem during Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) just like in ancient times.

A rare glimpse into the work of IDF paratroopers as they land in their new training field in the Negev desert of southern Israel.

This magnificent photo taken from the roof of Aish HaTorah show tens of thousands of Jews on Sukkot at the Western Wall.

Imagine this! Third Temple Model on the roof of the Aish World Center and the Dome of the Rock in the background.

Two Wolves One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. it is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, forgiveness, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."