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So, I have read thru some of the different blog posts regarding what happened at annual counsel and was very saddened at what I read. What I saw was that the NAD wishes to reduce the tithe contribution to the General Conference over time to where it will be no more a per cent of tithe than even the poorest of divisions contribute to the General conference. The NAD with it's riches to give equal to poor Divisions like the African divisions? Perhaps the leadership of the NAD should read that part about Laodicea again. This really sounds bad coming on the heels of the rebellion in the NAD, TED, and SPU divisions. It comes across to me as revenge for the rest of the world not going along with their agenda to weaken the church. It seems that part of what the NAD will be doing, according to some non-print sources is that the NAD will be partly funding the salaries of female pastors that these conferences in rebellion hire as pastors. Men graduating from their ministerial studies may find it hard to even find a job in the NAD. One of the effects of the reduction in tithe being sent to the General Conference by the NAD is the budget of Adventist World Radio is being cut by 25%. It seems that the General Conference will be doing other downsizing also. And what will the NAD do with all their savings? Probably continue their anti-male agendas in many different areas, at a time when young men are leaving the church in droves and many men do not find church a welcoming place to be. When men leave the church, families often follow. So, the NAD will be contributing to the eternal loss of men and women. I am personally finding it unacceptable to give my tithe money any longer in the NAD. I would never keep back even one thin dime of tithe money, but there are many other more worthy places to send tithe to. I would possibly say where, but after the stunt the Oregon Conference pulled recently, I will keep it to myself where it goes. I never imagined I would be of this position.

"carbon based units" is an old "Saturday Night Live" reference to humans! Certainly prophecy has its place and should be studied. But sometimes I wonder if people aren't just using prophecy to figure out when the last train is leaving the station to be saved. But one prophecy that is foreboding is that those who delay "getting ready" will be passed by the Holy Spirt during the Latter Rain. I tend to think much of prophecy is for rear view observation and not so much for predicting. What I learned of end times events decades ago is nothing like what the events of today look like. I suspicion that many more amazing things will be happening before we really even get into the thick of last day events of prophecy.

B/W, I don't agree with everything you post, but I DO compliment you for the non-hostile way that you present stuff. I truly respect that. I agree that we get tangled in the weeds frequently here. Some of us find certain subjects "important" that others do not find important. I have personally found my "sons-of god = fallen angels" theme important. It has helped my understand other passages like Matt. 24:36-38, 1 Peter 3:18-20, and Jude 5 - 7. I understand that it may not be important to others in their understanding, but it helps me get my head around some otherwise puzzling scriptures. That being said, I truly appreciate how you put things, whether or not I accept them. I must say that they way you present things gives me pause to seriously consider your points. You have helped me in realizing that - although I don't accept everything EGW says, - I appreciate much more of what she says than I previously realized. Thanks!

It seems that many discussions here get very torturous over minor issues such as who the sons of God are, did angels create new creatures with humans, and any number of other things that we cannot possible even know the answer to in this lifetime. EGW referred to it as "caviling over themes of little importance." I could say more about the angels creating new creatures with humans, but it is not important. I know many do not really accept EGW as having any truth beyond what the Bible says, but she was given visions which many believe came from God and which some feel very blessed to have the understanding of things as illuminated thru the messages she was given to pass on to the rest of God's people. However, as one internet saying goes right now, many have not seriously studied their Bibles, EGW, and other writers in the SDA faith, and it shows! One of the concerns I have is that knowing prophecy will save no one. It is worthy of consideration that probably no one understands prophecy and all those other issues as well as Satan and look where he is destined to end up! (I often wonder what demons, who may be looking over my shoulder as I write think, when they are reminded of their destiny.*) I hear people all the time saying as they give their latest prophecy interpretation, "Gotta get ready, the Lord is coming." Problem is, little time is spent in explaining what you need to do to get ready! I suspicion those so encouraging others to "get ready" have no clear idea how to do that themselves! Just sayin' *Remember when the demons asked Jesus, just before He sent them into the pigs, "Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?"

December 11, 2019 Ministry of the Holy Spirit “God . . . hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 4:8) Every believer has some awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, if there is no such awareness, then there is absolutely no relationship with God (Romans 8:9). Just what, then, is the ministry of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives? All who have come to God by faith have felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit prior to salvation. From the world’s perspective, that constitutes His ministry. The Holy Spirit is commissioned by Jesus Christ to “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). Acting as God the Father’s operative Agent, the Holy Spirit draws us into a personal consciousness of our sin, Christ’s righteousness, and the absolute certainty of judgment to come. This reproof has but one goal: to bring about regeneration (Titus 3:5) and give us witness that we are the children of God (Romans 8:16). What is born from above (John 3:3) is nothing less than a “new creature” by the triune Godhead (2 Corinthians 5:17), created like God in “righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). The Holy Spirit energizes our “dead” spirit and causes us to “live” (1 Peter 4:6). And that is just the beginning! Once regenerated, the Holy Spirit sees to it, as the “Spirit of truth” (John 16:13), that we are led (Romans 8:14) into truth—because the Holy Spirit will not invent information but will take truth directly from the mind and heart of God. With that leading, we are sanctified (both positionally and progressively), having been chosen to salvation (2 Thessalonians 2:13). With the Holy Spirit’s power (Acts 1:8), we can exhibit His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) and come under His filling (Ephesians 5:18). May the glorious ministry of the Holy Spirit be yours both as promised and in practice. HMM III

Believers who talk very much about demons or their attacks are looked upon as weird or scary. But in Scripture that IS the main enemy. To deny (or ignore) their existence does not help - it gives them an advantage.

Thank you BlessedMan. 1. Jesus came as a human being. 2. Jesus returns in glory. [First resurrection] Those "in Christ" are resurrected to eternal life, and multitudes are "raised to shame and everlasting condemnation". (Daniel 12:2-3). Beast and False Prophet (whole systems of people used by Satan) are thrown into the Lake of Fire. "The rest" remain dead for 1000 years (including all young children). 3. Jesus - with His saints will "return" to the earth AFTER the 1000 years of the 7th millennium. (Even Mrs White agrees with this scenario.) Because Jesus returns to the earth WITH His redeemed, doesn't make it not a return. Of course it's a return. "The rest" are resurrected. [Second resurrection]. I wrestled with this for some years, always questioning and asking the Lord for more "proof". I was NOT taught this by anyone else. [NOTE: Following the Feast of Tabernacles there is another Feast - the Feast of the 8th Day. I did not discover this until about 2011-12. It was an eye-opener.] One of the important things I noticed during my OT reading, is how people of "the nations" (also called "strangers" or "Gentiles" or "aliens") were described as living right along with Israelites in the land after it is restored, after Israel has been "returned", and while Messiah is reigning. Most write that off as describing the land after the "return" from Babylon. But there were some passages that I just could not write off with that explanation. Isaiah 35:1-10 Notice the context. The healing and return of the “ransomed”(v. 10) follows the general destruction of the earth and the nations. THEN “strangers” will be joined with them. Additional references: Isaiah 14:1-2; Isaiah 27:6; Isaiah 27:12-13; Isaiah 31:35; Isaiah 37:31-32; Isaiah 43:1-7; Isaiah 49:20-22; Isaiah 54:1-10; Isaiah 56:1-8 Isaiah 14:1 “For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob.” Folks told me this was just describing the Gentiles "joined with" believing Hebrews. Jeremiah Chapter 33:7-18 “And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first.” They will be “a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble.” A descendant of David will reign, and “execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.” NOTE: The picture presented of Israel and Judah, together again, their dead resurrected, healed and restored, a Son of David reigning over "the earth", while “all the nations of the earth” witness this and “tremble” tells me this scene takes place after the last great resurrection (the resurrection of “the nations”) which takes place 1000 years after the Second Coming (Rev. 20:5). Ezekiel 36:33-36 “. . . On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities I will also enable you to dwell in the cities and the ruins shall be rebuilt” (v.33). “Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate” (v.36). Ezekiel 28:25-26 “When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am hallowed in them in the site of the Gentiles, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob.” Ezekiel 37:15-27 The LORD will gather the children of Israel. Judah and Israel will be joined into one kingdom - never to be separated again, with one King - from the line of David (v.24). The Lord will then make an everlasting covenant of peace with those He has gathered (v.26). “My Tabernacle also shall be with them; . . . The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, WHEN My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” Isaiah 2:1-4 “And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains [above all kingdoms], and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say, ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths:’ for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. Isaiah 61:4-9 “And they [the returned] shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations. Strangers [non-Israelites] shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the foreigner shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. (See Isa. 14:1-2.) But you shall be named the priests of the LORD. They shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, And in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, [the inheritance of the firstborn] And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs. For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant [The New Covenant]. Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, [the nations] And their offspring among the peoples. All who see them shall acknowledge them, That they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed.” NOTE: These CANNOT be Levite priests, because the Levites were to have “no inheritance in the land” much less a “double” portion. There are more - lots more. When Israel came out of Egypt, there was a "mixed multitude". When Israel returned after the Babylonian captivity - a mixed multitude came with them to the land of Judea. In the passages I found, a "mixed multitude" will also live in the land restored when Messiah reigns. My belief is not far fetched or "out there". It is the result of study for many years. Because EGW did not "see" this, does not mean it will not be. Could be - it was just not "time" to "see" it.

[Peter] "With the LORD a thousand years is as a day, and a day as a thousand years." [Symbolic prophecy] 7th day - rest (for man and beasts), 7th year - rest for land, (7th millennium - rest) God will have 1/7th of earth's "time" - whether by man's voluntary submission or by judgment. [The LORD to Jeremiah] Desolation IS "rest". The 70 years of captivity were "rest" for "the land", after 420 years of apostasy and broken covenant during which the LORD's "sabbaths" were neglected by the Southern Kingdom of Judea. There would be a "sabbath" of 70 years. 420 years + 70 years = 490 total years. Since the LORD declared the 7th Day "holy" at creation, 6000 years have passed during which mankind has not recognized the "holiness" of His day. His "Sabbath" has not been acknowledged or celebrated, and mankind has not "rested" (except pockets of isolated believers). Mainline churches today (the world over) relegate "the sabbath" to OT and something for Jews. Schools teach evolution which denies the existence of a Creator entirely. Our culture makes "sabbath keeping" very difficult.

Joe: I never gave you that view at all! I gave you the Bible, clear and simple. And you yourself help showing that Adam was first call the son of THE MOST HIGH and then all of those who were faithful. I don't need John Chrysostom, John Calvin or anyone, read it from the Bible. It said this: And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For ELOHIYM, said she, hath appointed ME another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon THE NAME of YAHWEH. Gen 4:25, 26 I understand that Cain children were the daughter of men and Seth children continued under the Adams, were the son of ELOHIYM. That is what I read and not from anyone else! Thanks for your help as well! Blessings!

you are quite right about this. I am reminded of the name changes imposed on Daniel and his 3 associates and what that was intended to mean.

They are moving the NAD to the same level as the rest of the world. NAD had been paying significantly more than the rest of the world and, you can argue the point, but perhaps it is possible that the NAD was blessed with the resources more than the rest of the world much like the USA has been blessed more than much of the world. But let's just keep it all to ourselves and forget the rest of the world. Some of the poorer divisions will now be required to increase their giving. Considering the amount of cuts, 0.85% is a minor amount. And the reason for the 0.85 per cent was because of LLU & AU, which is said to be funded partly GC. Since both those institutions are in the NAD, essentially, NAD gets the money back! Unfortunately, the "correct" facts are a bit hard to come by, so I still stand by my general point. One does their best, but being off by 0.85% is nothing beside noting the drastic cuts the NAD is making in their contribution to the GC. Good you brought that up about the NAD not forcing its will on the rest of the world. It is exactly what they are attempting to do with WO and alleged by some to be part of the reason they are cutting contributions to the GC .... fund their feminist agenda in the NAD! When a mother comes to Christ, her family will join her at church only 17% of the time; but when a father comes to Christ, his family joins him 93% of the time. Also As many as 90% of the boys who are being raised in church will abandon it by their 20th birthday. Again, bringing men into the church should be a priority, simply because it also brings in wives and children! So, give the tithe money back to the GC, plan evangelism around finding men to come to church, and you may be surprised at the success. Keep running the feminist agenda and you will run the church right into the ground, if Divine intervention doesn't occur first (which it will).

I can certainly relate to that. I am still waiting to hear exactly what would equal "being ready." IMO the "sons of God" thing is only important because it shows more insight to God's dealings with us, as human beings. Its not important to know exactly who they are; the context is whats important, and thats really the only reason I can think of to realize that they are not "supernatural." on average, we have enough carbon is us to make 6 pencils. (if my memory serves me correctly on that point) IMO there are some ways this might not be true; and I don't necessarily mean as in specific dilineation of a given prophecy - once again; I would refer to over-all context. As we know, 1 Pet 1;19 I think it is, prophecy is called "a light that shines in a dark place," and the only context I know of for this kind of "Light" would be Jesus. Jesus IS that very Light, He is the Light of the world," and this is where so much of prophecy can be found in error. They don't lead to or speak of Jesus as the central point of said prophecy. EGW wrote one simple paragraph that explains this well: "there is one great central truth in the searching of the scriptures, Christ and Him crucified. All other truths are invested with power & influence according to their relation to this theme." And this is the very point where much of what we call "prophecy" fails the test of scripture. Many prophecies, in effect, don't point people to Christ; rather, they are mired in an "us and them" attitude that mocks what Christ came to earth for in the first place. Many of the prophecies floating around out there really have nothing to do with "Christ and Him crucified, never-mind having that as the CENTRAL building block. (Gal 6:14, etc). The only light that would meet the specs given in 1 Pet 1 is mentioned by Isaiah: Its not really "prophecy" without that kind of Light. JESUS alone is THAT Light "that is come into the world."

Well, thank you, JoeMo! I don't really enjoy fighting. If I did, more fun would be had going to some antifa rally! I have read quite a bit of EGW. In the last 3-4 years I have gone all the way thru Conflict of the Ages, currently up to vol 5 of the Testimonies (which are more chilling than I imagined ), and several other single books. However, I frequently look up quotes only to find them in the periodicals. I am wondering if I am going to have to read the green books next! What does concern me is that the reading of EGW is getting to very low levels among church members today. I have been informed by one pastor after a ministerial meeting that readership of EGW in the church has dropped to only about 2% of church members even read the writings. All that said, EGW herself said if people seriously studied their Bibles, her writings wouldn't have been needed. I don't believe that means all of her writings, I suspect that much of her writings such as the Testimonies is what she was referring to. I do have some serious doubts about the angel human offspring issue. I just do not see how in a biological sense it is even possible. Angels are not "carbon based" units. They are spirits which capabilities beyond anything we humans are capable, even when they have gone bad for a long time. The only evil angel-human creature out there is a demon possessed human. Further more, to produce an amalgamation, if you will, of angels and humans would have to be a whole new life form. I personally do not believe it is even possible as technically God is our Creator and gives us every breath we take. I do not really think He would permit such an occurrance. The moral consequences of that are mind boggling. Technically, if such as creature did occur, they would have to be eligible for salvation. But evil angels are not. How do you save half of a creature? As i noted before, many of these scenarios would be great scripts for scifi movies, but I do not see them happening in God's universe.

? The good fight ? 1Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

you are welcome my friend. I have to concede that I am not the first in the class with this stuff, but I did a lot of study on this particular thing re Gen and "sons of God" due to some contact I had a few years back with Mormons. They have a bit of this stuff in their "scriptures." I was mainly happy to learn this stuff because it cleaed up a lot of mystery to me, before I dug into this; I was starting to wonder if the Bible was "confused" on the subject. While its true we can usually find a rebuttal for almost anything these days, its important to know this stuff re "sons of God" because it means God is talking to/about US rather than "aliens" or whatever theory of "Nephalin" we are going with. Additionally, there is one questionable part of the translation here that most versions render "sons" when, in fact; it should, or maybe could say "and daughters," and thats why I enclosed the above NT quotes above somewhere.

What does this say about those unfortunate nominal believers; and those who always wonder if their obedience and works are "enough"? Many Christians (including myself, probably) don't realize that we are at war - whether we choose to fight back or not. Even though it is mostly invisible to many of us now, it is the most mortal and merciless war of all history. Evil forces have been hard at work for 6,000 years to eliminate God's elect. The shorter time becomes, the more intense the spiritual warfare will become. I find it interesting that there is no armor provided to protect our backs. Does that imply how much we are exposed to evil forces if we turn and run?

6 Things You Didn't Know About The Nobel Prize On December 10, 1901, the first Nobel Prizes were awarded in Stockholm, Sweden in the fields of physics, medicine, chemistry, literature, and peace. Here are 6 things you didn't know about this prestigious award... A Mistaken Obituary Led Alfred Nobel to Establish the Prize An obituary was published in France in 1888 noting the death of inventor Alfred Nobel, but it was Nobel’s brother, Ludwig, who had passed away. The obituary was insulting, saying that Nobel made himself wealthy by inventing ways to kill people faster. Because he was concerned about how people would remember him, Nobel came up with the idea of the Nobel Prize, which was funded by proceedings of a trust from his estate. Nominations Are Kept Secret for a Long Time Nominations for the Nobel Prize begin every year in September, and individuals are not allowed to nominate themselves. Once the nominations have been received, they are sent to the four nominating committees. No one knows if they have even been nominated until they have been notified that they have won, and the record of those who were nominated is kept under seal for half a century. One Woman Was Nominated 48 Times But Never Won Lise Meitner was a physicist who worked on projects involving nuclear physics and radioactivity. Although she was nominated numerous times by leading scientists in the field for the Nobel Prize in physics and chemistry, she never won. She, along with Otto Robert Frisch, not only explained how nuclear fission worked but gave it its name. Some Really Nice Prizes Come With the Award, Including Money Prize winners are called laureates, after the Greek laurel wreath given to champions in ancient times.Nobel laureates receive gold medals as well as diplomas decorated with the work of renowned artists and calligraphers.The prize money comes out of income from investments made with the late Nobel's estate. The purse is currently 8 million kronor ($1.3 million) for the full award. Posthumous Nominations Are Not Allowed for Those Who Die Nobel Prize rules stipulate that the award cannot be given posthumously. The only exception was made in 2011 when Canadian immunologist Ralph Steinman received the Nobel for Physiology or Medicine. The Nobel committee made its announcement on October 3, unaware that Steinman had died a few days earlier. After some deliberation, the committee decided to let Steinman keep it. According to Steinman's daughter, her father had joked about the Nobel shortly before he died. "They don't give it to you if you have passed away," he said. "I got to hold out for that." Several People Have Turned Down The Nobel It’s rare, but it has happened. Two Nobel laureates declined their prizes. It’s rare, but it has happened. French philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Satre was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1964, but declined the honor. In 1973, Communist Vietnamese leader Le Duc Tho was jointly awarded the peace prize with U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger for their work negotiating the Paris Peace Accords during the Vietnam War. Kissinger accepted his award, but Tho refused, stating that a true peace had not actually been achieved. Adolf Hitler also forbade Richard Kuhn, Adolf Butenandt and Gerhard Domagk from accepting their prizes in 1938 and 1939, while the Soviet Union forced Boris Pasternak to turn down his 1958 literature award.

Yes, I do have concerns about this case. the following quote informs as to the basis for my concern: I have Bolded and underlined the point of my concern.

NOTE: If I remember the details of this case, I have some reservations as to whether it is beneficial to "Sabbath-keepers" to have the Supreme Court hear this case.

Here’s my response to Randy Nim’s comments on Rev 10:7. Sorry for the length, but it seemed best to have it all in one document. I distinguish mine from his by the use of bold text. It was helpful to think the Greek through with his contrary reading in mind, I think you will enjoy […] The post Response to Randy Nim’s on Rev 10:7 appeared first on Jon Paulien's Blog. View the full article

BLESSED MAN this is cute and funny dgrimm60

Photodude: Your statement that the NAD will reduce its tithe to the exact same per-cent as the poorest Division is incorrect on two counts: First: The entire rest of the world is on the exact same per-cent of giving. So you could have stated that the reduction was to that of the richest Division of the world. Second: You neglected to understand a second part of the vote in which the NAD agreed that the NAD would be locked in to paying an additional 0.85 % above that of the rest of the world. In brief: The NAD will continue to pay more to the GC than any other portion of the world. This is due to the fact that the NADF has effectively become a mission field that needs more financial support. You may disagree with the amount that the NAD is to pay the GC. But, please do not incorrectly state the facts due to your misunderstanding of the actual vote. In addition this vote was that of people from the entire world. The NAD does not have the votes to force its will on the rest of the world. So, in essence you are being critical of the entire world.