Leaderboard

No,, while I believe in a 2nd Advent, I am not talking about that. Rather, I am addressing what it says in Ecclesiastes 3:2 that for all of us there is ". . .a time to be born and a time to die,. . ." Whether we like it or not, every one of us can expect to die at some moment in time. For the past several days, my wife and I have been addressing this issue. We decided that as normal expectations would leave us to believe that my wife would live on beyond my death. So we have generated a set of documents, and taken other actions: * We set a process in place with our banking institution whereby she can immediately access accounts and start a process rolling, with a single telephone call that will make some needed changes. * We developed a document that specifies the sources of income, to include amounts, that will come to her upon my death. * We developed a document that lists mandatory expenses that she will have to live with. * We developed a document that relates her income to her expenses and gives her a budget upon which she can live. NOTE: We already had a will and some other informational documents that I have not listed above. This is not occuring becaue we belive that my death is near. I consider myself to be in good health. * With 20 years in the Army, I kept physically active. * At about 40, I decided to run a 5 K, one day and did so, and without training for it. I was ready for such. * AT 73, I ran a 10K, in the mountains of Colorado, but that was after a year of training for it. * With the exception of some issues with my visiion, ARMD, I am in good health, considering my age. However, a few minor things have come up as to my health. Nothing of any major consequence. But, it is clear that my internal body is showing the signs of my age. So, we are giving continued study as to whether any of these should be addressed and if so, in what manner. I participate in a health care system that given me full access my health records. I can read my health file three days after something is entered into the records. I can print those records off if I chose. After working for 20 years in a teaching hospital, I consider myself to be an informed patient, who understands, with advice from physician experts, as to the state of my health. I see the handwriting on the wall. My age is showing. My body is wearing down. The day, not in the immediate future, will come when my life on Earth will end. My wife and I agree that the time for us to prepare for that day, and he continued life, is now, while we have time. I invite all of you reading this note, to also give consideration to whatever preparation you may need to make for a time when either you or a loved one will have reached the end of their life.

Is salvation based upon loyalty? https://atoday.org/are-we-saved-by-loyalty-alone/

Yes Gregory. It is good to prepare for things. I have a friend who's husband was retired military. When he died, she went through a lot of chaos and frustration trying to straighten things out just to get a living monthly income. Have joint accounts - assuming you trust your spouse. Update your wills. My hubby and i need to do that - again. Kids have grown and finished school, so no need for college money. Ministries have changed. Etc. Etc.

I see why you believe that it was not possible for Jesus to sin - because He is God. And you define "God" as one being without beginning, who exists (and has always existed) as "three persons". One doctrine impacts all the others. I personally do NOT believe the Son of God "was a creature" - If that means a living and created entity. I do NOT believe that He was "from things that are not". He was begotten from His Father. His Father obviously "was", therefore the Son "came from" something that was/is - His Father. There is a vast difference between "created from nothing" and "begotten of God". I do NOT believe "the Son" was a lesser God. He was exactly like His Father - an exact copy - the "express image". But the Son was the copy. He was not the original. The Son was "the image" BEFORE He incarnated. He upheld all things by the word of His Father BEFORE He incarnated. And He was a separate divine being BEFORE He incarnated. He acted according to the will of His Father BEFORE He was incarnated. The Father acted and communicated THROUGH His Son, before that Son was incarnated. Hebrews 1:1-3 "God . . . has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He (God the Father) made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory (the Father's glory) and the express image of His person (the Father's person), and upholding all things by the word of His power (the Father's authority), when He (the Son) had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the (Father) Majesty on high, (NKJ) The question: Can God beget? Can "God" beget another divine being exactly like Himself? I believe He can, and did. I looked at all the ways the word 5287 "hupostasis" #5287 - was translated in different versions. It is translated as "person" in the King James, which would mean that "God" is a "person". Other translations have it as: "the exact representation of His nature" (NAS) "the very expression of God's essence" (CJB) "the representation of his essence" (NET) "the exact representation of his being" (NIV) The Greek BYZ has: χαρακτὴρ (an impress, exact likeness, exact representation) τῆς (of) ὑποστάσεως (substance) So "the Son" - prior to His incarnation - was the exact representation of God's substance. Question: Who needed such a representation? Would it not be created sentient beings, who would need to relate to/with a personal being with a form of some sort? Which says to me, that "the Son" was "begotten" for that very purpose - communication. We know "the Son" represented God (His "Father") to mankind. Did "the Son" need to facilitate communication for any other created beings PRIOR to the creation of mankind on a planet (with surrounding universe) called "earth" ? Job 38:4-7 does suggest there were other beings already existing prior to the creation of our earth.

Anyone who's been reading my posts for awhile, knows that I do not automatically accept the SDA official or consensus view either. Does that mean Rachel does not completely trust authority figures? Probably. I do not automatically trust any "majority" view when it comes to the interpretation of Scripture. I think that anyone who has discovered a serious flaw in the teaching of the church to which she belongs, develops an independent attitude that doesn't go away.

Thank you Gustave. You make some good arguments. The Council of Nicaea was called by the Emperor (yet unbaptized) for the purpose of achieving consensus within the Christian Church (over which he declared himself head) - to standardize Christian doctrine and teaching, and thus end division. It came about because disagreement has arisen among teachers and leaders of the various churches. The Bishops claimed to represent the "Tradition of the Apostles". You assume they actually did. Just because there were a large number of them, does not automatically mean they had it right. One would think the bishops understood that Constantine would silence the minority opinion by force. Why would Christian leaders appeal to "Caesar" (a civil authority) to silence opposition? Seems rather like the Temple authorities appealing to Pilot, to silence Jesus. I've never been one to simply accept the majority opinion. The majority is not always right - even in the Church. Jesus said, "Few there be that find it." The Council of Nicaea took place 300 years after the death of Christ. Compare the time period to that of The US Constitution, which was written less than 300 years ago. How voluminous are the arguments over just what the founders meant. What were there intentions. There is no perfect agreement - no consensus. Yes - we have a court of final appeal, but even that court changes with time as "liberal" judges are replaced with "conservative" judges. If the LORD wanted us to understand more clearly or exactly how "the Son" came to be, or whether He had in fact come to be, I think the Father would have inspired the writers of His word to spell it out. You know. Put in something like "God the Son has always existed. He never came to be." Something to that effect. But that's not there. We have to infer the meaning from what we do find.

No; I'm suggesting that the way you and I interpret and explain Bible prophecies is speculation. I agree. It then ceases to become speculation and becomes fact. I believe when our interpretation of prophecy moves from speculation about the meaning to actual fulfillment, we will say "o yeah! God said this would happen!"; and it gives us additional confidence and faith in His word. Satan Himself didn't even understand the prophecies about the Messiah's first coming: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (1 Cor. 2: 7-8) When Jesus said that people would be saying "Peace and safety"; right before the end; does this mean all their speculations were wrong? Our best bet for salvation is to be ready for Jesus to come at all times.

Lou: As you were talking about perfection, I heard an emphasis on the generous gift of God, His eagerness to heal us and to make us well. It makes one wonder, who would want to be imperfect or continue to be ill when all this healing is available? Why do you think there has been […] The post Questions and Answers (14:7) appeared first on Jon Paulien's Blog. View the full article

Call upon Me ? Psalm 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

"And without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness: GOD was manifest in the flesh...…..1 Timothy 3, 16 You sould watch the video I posted again. Constantine believed the difference between the Orthodox view and Arius' was "foolish and triffeling" and couldn't understand WHY there was such a big fuss. Despite Constantine's view the Bishops representing the Tradition of the Apostles held firm and didn't budge. I can't recall where I read this but the historical account was that many of the Bishops who attended the Council showed the signs of their tortures, prior to Christianity being "legalized". This group (the Bishops) were very loyal to the Traditions of the Apostles. This should add significant weight to someone who weighs each side's argument. Additionally, the Synodal letter attached to the Creed is very clear. Look at the Synodal Letter attached to the documents of the Creed. investigation was made of matters concerning the impiety and transgression of Arius and his adherents; and it was unanimously decreed that he and his impious opinion should be anathematized, together with the blasphemous words and speculations in which he indulged, blaspheming the Son of God, and saying that he is from things that are not, and that before he was begotten he was not, and that there was a time when he was not, AND that the Son of God is by his free will capable of VICE and virtue; saying also that he is a creature. All these things the holy Synod has anathematized, not even enduring to hear his impious doctrine and madness and blasphemous words. And of the charges against him and of the results they had, you have either already heard or will hear As I've already explained, ANY hypothetical situation culminating in Christ "rotting in the tomb" is a reflection of Arianism. Look at these hypotheticals 8thdaypriest: Charles S Longacre IF it were impossible for the Son of God to make a mistake or commit a sin, then His coming into this world and subjecting Himself to temptations were all a farce AND mere mockery. IF it were possible for Him to yield to temptation and fall into sin, then He MUST have risked heaven and His very existence, and EVEN all eternity. That is exactly what the Scriptures AND the Spirit of Prophecy say Christ, the Son of God did do when He came to work out for us a plan of salvation from the curse of sin. IF Christ "risked all," EVEN His ETERNAL EXISTENCE in heaven, then there was a possibility of His being overcome by sin, and IF overcome by sin, He would have gone into Joseph's tomb and neither THAT tomb nor any other tomb would EVER have been opened. All would have been lost and HE would have suffered "eternal loss," the loss of ALL He ever possessed &; His DIVINITY AND His humanity and heaven itself would have been "lost & eternally lost It was possible for one of the God-head to be lost, and eternally lost - and IF that had happened, and it WAS possible to happen, "God, the Father", would still have remained as the One and only absolute and living God, reigning supreme over all the unfallen worlds, but with all the human race blotted out of existence on this earth. The Deity of Christ’, paper presented to the Bible Research Fellowship Angwin, California January 1947, page 13 & 14) When Christ was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert He could have been attacked by a King Cobra, envenomated and DIED, if Christ couldn't have been killed by a King Cobra than His trek into the desert "was all a farce and mere mockery. " If it were impossible for the Son of God to sink and drown when He walked on water than His walking on water "was all farce and mere mockery." When Christ was growing up as a young boy he could have been abducted, molested and dismembered by a pedophile. If it were impossible for Christ to have been abducted, molested and dismembered as He was growing up than "His childhood was all a farce and mere mockery." Like I said previously, Scripture is ABSOLUTE that if ANYTHING would have happened to Jesus to prevent His providing salvation THE ONLY THING it would have meant / proven would have been he wouldn't have been the Christ in the first place. Remember, when John the Baptist's disciples came up to Jesus and asks Him if He was the one they have been waiting / looking for? Do you remember Jesus' answer? Jesus quoted Isaiah 35,4: "Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." Matthew 11, 4 "Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes." Jesus, in Matthew 11, 4 bluntly states HE WAS GOD to John's Disciples. How long has "God" beeen around?

Gustave, you contribute to this forum. We are glad to have you.

hch, All speculation of prophecy in the future is just that - speculation. It is not possible to prove "speculation" as right or wrong. Actual events end all speculation. As far as your clever scenarios go about past "fulfillments" of prophecy, I can't deny your scholarship. That being said, it is too convoluted and complex for an average guy like me to really absorb. If it's too complicated for me, do you think other average students will be able to follow it? You keep posting your interpretations of prophecy; Marri, Rachel, and others will post theirs, and I will post mine. Time will ultimately reveal the facts. I'm sure an educated and smart guy like you is familiar with Ocham's Razor: "Suppose there exist two explanations for an occurrence. In this case the one that requires the least speculation is usually correct. Another way of saying it is that the more assumptions you have to make, the more unlikely an explanation." If you accept this philosophical statement, I ask you - which interpretations of scripture require more speculation - your very complex ones or those of others (not necessarily me) that read the scriptures literally and plainly?

5 Fun Facts You Didn't Know About Disneyland_2 On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California. It's estimated that just under 45,000 people make their way to Disney's land of enchantment every single day! That's not the only fun fact we know about Disneyland—here are five more interesting tidbits you probably didn't know... Human Skeletons Were Used for One Attraction Disneyland borrowed human remains from UCLA to display in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride when it first opened in 1967 a few months after Disney himself died. Because the Imagineers in charge of the ride thought the fake bones originally used weren’t real looking, they borrowed some real props. Eventually the replacement props were replaced with fakes that looked more realistic, and the borrowed bones were returned to their native countries and buried properly. Lots of Cats Wander the Park at Night While Disneyland is the home of Mickey Mouse, his real counterparts are not encouraged to scamper around the amusement park, so more than 200 feral cats roam around the park after closing. Occasionally, the company has the cats neutered and spayed. Kittens are taken to no-kill shelters, which helps keep the population of felines under control. A Light Is Always Left on in the Window Above the Fire Station Up on the second floor at the Fire Department on Main Street is a secret apartment that was built for Walt Disney himself. It isn’t large but has a small patio, bath with shower and even a kitchen where Disney and his wife, Lillian, could enjoy watching the crowd. A light is left turned on in the apartment’s front window, which is in tribute to the founder of America’s favorite amusement playground. Sleeping Beauty’s Castle Has a Time Capsule In 1995, as part of the celebration of Disneyland’s 40th Anniversary, a time capsule was buried that contains newspapers, photos, messages, memorabilia and an Indiana Jones decoder card. The time capsule was buried near the castle and will be opened on July 17, 2035, which will be the 80th anniversary of Disneyland. Several other time capsules were buried in 2012 at California Adventure Park and another under Buena Vista Plaza. The Haunted Mansion Has a Real Bullet Hole in the Wall Many people don’t know there is a real bullet hole in the wall of the ballroom at the Haunted Mansion, as if it needed anything else to be scary. According to accounts, a guest brought in a concealed gun in 1974 and fired off several shots as though he was in the O.K. Corral, but no one was injured. One bullet went through the wall in the bathroom, another hit a snowflake on the Adventure Thru Inner Space ride and another bullet hole was found at the diorama for Primeval World.

5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About JFK Jr._2 On July 16, 1999, John F. Kennedy, Jr.; his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy; and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when the single-engine plane that Kennedy was piloting plunged into the Atlantic Ocean near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Here are five things you didn't know about JFK Jr. JFK Jr. Had Not Qualified to Fly With Instruments Only. The conditions in which JFK Jr. had to fly that night would have required having to navigate by instrument only and no visual help. However, he had not been qualified -- meaning he hadn't taken the qualification test -- to fly with instruments only. This could have contributed to his plane crash. He Was Flying a Relatively Unfamiliar Plane on Little Sleep With a Potentially Compromised Ankle The disappearance of a plane can seem mysterious and nearly mythical, but in JFK Jr.'s case, his plane may have disappeared because of very mundane causes. First, he wasn't used to flying the type of plane he was in. He'd had some practice, but not a lot, so the plane was still somewhat unfamiliar. There were also indications that he got very little sleep the night before. His ankle was also recovering from an injury and had just been released from a cast. All of those put together make for a questionable flight in hazy darkness. He Had a Chance to Become an Actor in College While JFK Jr. was known for his publishing and legal work, he was also known for his acting skill, which he honed in college. It turns out that he was very interested in becoming an actor and may have had the opportunity to be in a film. However, his mother, Jackie Kennedy, did not approve of the choice and persuaded him to go to law school instead. He Once Wanted to Rappel Down Mt. Rushmore In 1999, JFK Jr. was under a lot of stress, partly from his magazine's financial troubles. His way of coping with this type of stress tended toward physical risk-taking that sometimes bordered on the ridiculous. Case in point, his reaction to the magazine's potential problems was to ask park rangers if he could rappel down Mount Rushmore. The rangers declined his request. He Was Also Known for Playing "Chicken" in a Kayak Against the Staten Island Ferry One hopes this is just an exaggeration by a friend, but one of JFK Jr.'s biographers did make a statement to ABC News that JFK Jr. had some rather alarming yet amazing risk-taking habits. The biographer mentioned that JFK Jr. would take a kayak out and somehow play chicken against the Staten Island Ferry. He was also prone to swimming so far out at the beach that his friends would lose sight of him and get ready to call emergency services. Luckily he would always show up, unharmed.