Search Members

[ALivingStone]

It is a matter of world view obviously. From one stand point christmas keeping looks a certian way and from another stand point it looks different it obviously isn't easy to change your position since it takes a life time to get where you are!
I have two points to make 1. origins are important
2.We who are born again are
not of this world.
The origins of this celebration are not Godly, they are not pure and therefore the holy spirit doesn't permit my involvement with them.
When we are born again I dont believe it is to return again to the same 'dogs vomit' feasts that the unbelievers cling to to inject meaning into their short and pain filled lives.
We have been given a new life. Everlasting life. so our focus should not be on celebrating our own life having aready recieved, but on those that have not recieved and are perishing. Forget feasting let us fast for those in our families, neighbourhoods and countries that know not the way to eternal life. Then we can celebrate when they find it now thats what I call a reason for celebration!

[ALivingStone]

Quote (kenrch @ Oct. 12 2007,11:25)

There is something very wrong with one calling himself Reverend. Psa 111:9  He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. Who calls himself GOD?!!!

Yeah I know. No argument here.

I guess this guy is a hippocryte just like the the rest of us Accusing the RCC of idolatry then in his title proving that he has made an idol of himself. Jesus did resist every attempt by man to give him an exualted title.
thanks

[ALivingStone]

I dont want to debate this either but I will say I'm coming out of Trinitarianism. I have trouble with a few scriptures like

..no other God …I know not one….

I am troubled since I do believe that Jesus Yeshua or whatever you want to call Him is a God and creator of all the heavens and earth (that we know of, why can't unlimited God have many other universes in his Hand) and worthy of worship since He is our savior. Its not Idolity to worship Jesus since he is of the same substance as God just as I and my own son are.

But jesus is a son, he is not the Father and they are one in the sense of perfect unity , no shadow of turning, no darkness kinda one. They share they same Holy spirit.
But He is reveled as the Son, not the brother of God and always behaves as one in total subjection to His Father altough any equal being as my own son will be when fully grown. Jesus directs our worship to the father not himself.

I can reconcile the fact that our worship belongs to the one whom jesus directs us to worship the father. whom He prayed to whose law He forfilled. The is no problem with worship jesus as God because he is our God, He made us, loves us, was sacrificed for us etc. but he did all at the direction of his father whom He worshiped. Any worship He recieves he Passes on to His father. He is faithful. No rebellion in Him bless his name forever.

God being eternal will never die and hand over what is his to his son, He already has his inheiritance, the known universe and the kingdom of heaven he is the ruler of all we know of all are His. But how many others may the Father have ? No person can answer this question.

But here another how is it that we are promised to inheirt 'eternal life' but how can this be since we have been created through our parents. what don't we understand about eternity? Hmmm everything are everlasting and eternal life the same thing?

I know these have probably been addressed esle where but I can't sit at a computer all my life im running out of time!

[ALivingStone]

Quote (Laurel @ Sep. 30 2007,04:15)

Everybody loves a smooth talker. A smooth talkes makes us feel good and that there is nothing we must do to be saved. True prophets see a need for repentance, they see where folk slip off the path that leads to the kingdom. True prophets make us uncomfortable, they tell us it isn't over yet, and there is still work to be done.  They say REPENT, REPENT, REPENT!!!…… Mic 5:15  And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. May the knowledge of the truth of the Set-apart Spirit come to all who read this and believe and guard the commands of YHWH. Laurel

Sister Laurel,

I have read a book called “The Two Babylons” by Rev A. Hislop. It draws all the comparisons you are making with the roman based church and the ancient idolitry of babylon.Did you come to you current understanding through the scripture alone or did you have another teacher?

Are you a true prophet of God?

If you are then you will be like Yeshua who spoke with authority expressed in love.The heart of prophecy is Love. Not Judgement.

Quote

Mic 5:15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

When Gods anger does pour out on those who reject Him it will be by his own hand not a prophet's mouth. The prohpet warns with the hope that the hearers will repent and be saved from the wrath of the almighty.

If you are in the truth and others outside then show us your heart of love and humility that we might believe the word you speak is of the spirit of truth. Let the same mind be in you as was in Christ jesus and moses of whom God said;
(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)
Your words are wounding.

Hbr 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
Hbr 1:2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son

The law and the prophets did not produce the Godly nation God was seeking so he sent His Son who left his throne (or judgment seat) and became one of us, our servant. If God humbled Himself to become a servant who is any one of us to rise in judgement?
peace sister.

[ALivingStone]

Pro 5:15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

[ALivingStone]

I thought I would add my exprience to this thread. masterbation is something I struggled with to but now I am happy to have overcome.
I would do it often when I was single and allways feel unclean. even after I was married. I wanted to stop. After our 'honeymoon' my wife exeprienced a decreased desire for me this is quite natral I know but I doesn't help a man to overcome these strong desires.
I would be tempted and often gave in but I had long ago given up pornogaghy so I tried to be faithful in my mind and only imagine making love to my one safe outlet.
But its like God said, its not good for man to be alone. I don't buy into any saying that m is ok. It essentially having sex with yourself! Its a selfish act and God so obviously does't want us to look after ourselves but others.
That is why he gave Adam a wife to 'help meet' his needs and vice versa. Over time I gained (or was given)the strength to overcome these urges. I also started to tell my wife about every time I fell into it. She was always disapointed but that was good because it gave me more incentive to press on for victory.
It is okto be stuggling with this God sees your heart, And doesn't not condem you because you are weak. But don't stop the struggle, persevere and you will have the victory.
I am still struggling in other areas but I have faith that in christ will win every battle.
If you are not married and struggle with m then you should seek to be married to a believer the only way to be clean in an unclean world is to have a safe outlet or become a monk/nun.

[ALivingStone]

Quote (kejonn @ Oct. 03 2007,03:25)

I think that there is a major disconnect with most Christians. The fail to realize that faith in Yeshua is what leads us to obey God, not mere obedience in and of itself. If we obey the Ten Commandments but don’t know the Savior, we have missed the mark. This can be extended to anything we find written in scripture. The Church of Ephesus found in Revelation is our prime example. They were doing well in works, but they had forgotten why they were doing them. The same can be said of the Jews. They thought they were righteous by keeping all of God’s commandments, but they didn’t really know why they were doing them. Thus there has to be a proper balance. We do the things we do because we love God and His Son, not because we will receive rewards or to avoid punishment. Serving God should be a joy in and of itself. LG & LP, Kevin

I agree. Christians in general see the law as the enermy.That is why they have invented the term legalist to ostrasize any one who loves the law. Only love and grace are 'allowed' to be emphasized.

But the law is only the enermy of those who are condemed under it.

Rom 8:1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Jhn 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Sinners need to know they are under condemnation or how can they repent of their sins. And we who are being saved need it to or we lose the fear of the Lord and return to every man doing what is right in his own eyes.

i.e no absolute truth

These are of course the days in which we live. If every christian has his own truth then how can we be united into one body of Christ. This is why christianity is a laughing stock because even the heathen know instictively that a house divided against itself will not prosper. or enen stand.

[ALivingStone]

Hi Malcom,
so you go fishing to pay you taxes do you?

[ALivingStone]

Quote (t8 @ Sep. 27 2007,13:49)

Quote (ALivingStone @ Sep. 22 2007,13:11) Still I would pray that the Lord delivers me from dependence on having to have them this would mean having land to cultivate and grow food then I would trade these goods for other things that we might need, But how would you pay the rates?

Do a couple of cash jobs on the black market of course. or Alternatively decare a princapality and abolish rates.
But seriously there always has to be a thorn to burst every bubble. I have a long way to go before I need to cross that bridge I might have to wait till the kingdom of God is full established?

[ALivingStone]

Mankind without the spirit of God indwelling is naught but a beast. And we have plenty of evidence of this, just listen to any newscast.

Psa 73:22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you

Dan 4:25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven.

We are made in the image of God but when we harden our hearts to our creator we take on another image the image of a beast. Well no one can argue that we are not similar in the physical sense to the other creatures God has made. yet they are not said to be made in his image. so it is in the mind and spirit that we are like our God.
And certianly activities we particapate in do mark us or speak of what we believe in, who we worship.
I agree laurel that xmas and est-r are not christian.
I laugh when I hear christians pleding with the unbelievers on signs and parade floats to bring the christ back to christmas:laugh:
I do believe in a sabbath rest but I'm not to ridgid with it and doubt very much weither it is the mark of the beast to not keep it.

External or visible marks dont neccesarily shown that we belong to any Lord as the is no mark of christ we are called to put on. But the fact that many accept the marks of beast kingdoms are a sign of who a person has given their heart to.

[ALivingStone]

Quote (IM4Truth @ Sep. 23 2007,12:59)

Aliving Stone You really going to buy some land and grow your own food? That would be nice, I like that idea, but not all are able to do so. Land cost money, then how are you going to pay for it, if you get a Loan? It is not that easy as you think, unless you have a nice Savings account, which most people I think do not have. But i do think that is how it will be in the millenium. Will we go back to Horse and Buggy. Seems nice to me. Whatever God has in mind for me, is what I will like because He has promised us that:” Eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, prepared for them that Love Him.” Peace and Love Mrs.:D

Here in nz there is an group called liberty trust who are a chirstian finance co-operitive when you join up you have to pay in to it for 10 yrs. At the end of that you can borrow up to ten times the amount you've payed in interest free. They do keep half of the amount already paid to help others but that isnt a patch on what the world charges. This is the only option for me but I think its a good one. I want to live like the early church where it says they had everthing in common. so much money is tied up by every one having their own washing machine, car and lawn mower church building etc. even though these things arent used all the time.

[ALivingStone]

Quote (IM4Truth @ Sep. 22 2007,04:24)

Aliving Stone  What you are saying is rather strange. Just because we have to be a registered Citizen of these United States does not make that the mark of the Beast. That I do not believe. By making that statement who ever reads it, you might have put fear to. Fear is not of God, and we should not participate in it. Just like all the other tap's that use scar tactics. That is just the way I beliebe. And what do you mean you have all the numbers and you do not rest with them? My Husband has a Post on the mark of the beast. Peace and Love Mrs.

I have read the other posting's including your husband's and I don't disagree with them. I am interested in your reaction. Its not to scare people that I write but rather to awaken them. I admit that I my have a different point of veiw but I don't think theres any thing wrong with that.

these numbers are a mark that is attached to your name you will have to admit that. then on your driver licence their is a your number and an image of you. this is getting closer to a mark or a number on your body. will you accept this if it happens . even if you won't when enough children of devil do accept it then we may not be able to stop its wide spread introduction.

I have the numbers because I you can't buy and sell with out them. even the freedom we think we have in the west is only an illusion. Still I would pray that the Lord delivers me from dependence on having to have them this would mean having land to cultivate and grow food then I would trade these goods for other things that we might need, still this off the grid life, isn't easy to achieve but that is where I feel the Lord is leading me and I feel it would be wise for true believers to prepare for the times ahead in similar ways unless of corse they believe that they will be zapped out of here before they suffer the least puff of a wind of persecution.
thankyou for responding.
Love in Christ.

[ALivingStone]

hi, marks of beasts and such I want to just add a side line about 'marks' I understand that it may not be 'the' mark that I am talking about but it gives insight I believe. I believe the great majority of people suffer greatly because they don't live the same agrirean life that the writers of the bible lived , simply because they live in cities far removed from places of food production. well I don't suffer this disadvantage so let me share about beasts and the marking of them.
In New Zealand a very agricultral place we export a lot of meat so its important to maintain a diesese free image. Consquently animals are I.D marked and tracked for their entire life time. As soon as they are born they recieve a bar coded ear tag, new tags now have micro chips in them and other animals such as dangerous dogs have micro chips. So what ? is this just the straw man, cliquae mark of the beast. I think not.

consider that God is the rightful owner of all things and that would include the cattle on a thousand hills of course, all of us that 'own' animals are really only stewards weither we know it or not. what ever the reason do we really have the right to for a start accumulate so many animals that we find it hard to keep track of them with out numbers and seconldly mark as our own or enter into a data tracking system animals that we rightful aren't the owners of? No.But we do it any way cause the system/industry demands it. Its straight out robbery especial since most deny the rightful owners existance anyhow!
Are animals alone in this.No. every man is marked right from birth and data tracked and the powers are itching to take it all the way to a mark on the flesh or microchip or whatever, As they have done in times past with slaves , prisoners and immoral women etc. thankful this is being reisted as at least subconsicely most people know what it means to actualy bear the mark of someonelse on you body. It means THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER FREE AND YOUR LIFE IS NO LONGER YOUR OWN YOU ARE THE PROPERTY OF YOUR OWNER.

The *system* is not living. It is a machine and and instrument of death. So this is why I said to my wife wouldn't it be nice just to have a baby in some cabin in the bush and never register them no numbers no brith certifate no drivers licence no pasport no tax number phone number no street number just no nothing just freedom.
If you think this is nuts please dont give me reasons why we need all these numbers because there are allways 'good' reasons given why bad things need to happen. when we born free to live free all these things are the result of sins curse. the moment you are keyed into a system you become part of it a member of that body. Its not Gods system and it worketh toward death only the Lord of life and his spirit worketh life all other works are dead. Mankind is being farmed and the master of the place is not the good shepard. all we like sheep are being fatterned for slaugther unless in the roar of the factory we can hear the soft call of him who loves us and calls us by name. my sheep know my voice. He gave each man and animal a unique face that he remembers. HE DOESNT NEED A NUMBER HE REMEBERS US AND HE LOVES US BLESS HIS NAME FOREVER.

BTW I still have all these numbers myself and so do our childern but I do not rest with this

[ALivingStone]

Hi kj,
I don't have the realms of scripture to quote to you but I believe it has a lot to do with our conscience. Which is of course is totally laid bare before God who look's on the heart and whose eyes never close.
If every one of us have not broken the big two commandments every day I'll be surprised. We might intend to ,but the flesh is always raising up and seizing control thefore our righteousness is not according to any set of commandments but For God to be God none of his words or commandments my return to him void. he cant repent or change his mind . the must all must still be valid or God would have to eat his words right? did God make a mistake with the ten commandments?
34I tell you the truth, this generation[a] will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
The ark has been taken a way the tablets are no longer with us. He has written his law on our hearts.
The heart = our conscience.
If we sin against what we are fully conviced in our own minds as wrong then we are lawbreakers and will be of those told to depart as evil doers.
When we are born again and given the spirit which is the light(conscience) in our previously darkened hearts.

[ALivingStone]

Quote (david @ Sep. 18 2007,14:56)

But my question is: Does the prohibition against making carved images mean that it is wrong to make representations of objects for artistic purposes?

david ,
Perhaps this will settle this if you allow me to paraphase,

'DONT make graven images of any earthly thing LEST you be driven to worship them.'

There is alot of worship and praise and idolization of both artistic creations and the artist's who created them.

However its not about prohabition its about conforming to the image of the son. the law makes a mockery of all our attempts to follow the letter. we always fall short. funny that!

i reckon that what ever this needful we should pursue but any thing else is just access baggage cluttering up your life but as far as graven images go they are more sinster because they're very existance in my opinion defy's the will of God.

[ALivingStone]

Quote (david @ Sep. 17 2007,13:53)

Are you guys saying that if I'm a painter or an artist, I'm not allowed to make paintings or sculptures or representations of anything?

It sounds as if micheals has gone whole hog and chucked out he pictures as well. I dont have a problem as long as long as the fruit of it is good god will bless it . But I still have a lot of pictures because my wife is partial to them and as far as I can tell they are in a flat plane not graven. I dont go to movies hardly at all and don't have a tv most of the art and sculture I have seen does not glorify God so I don't mind if artists go broke and have to change career.

[ALivingStone]

Quote (IM4Truth @ Sep. 17 2007,14:35)

Aliving Stone You are lucky that you can afford to teach your own children, but not all people can do that and have to rely on the Public Schools. Since we were in the Catholic Church  our children were taught in the Catholic Church. God called us when my Husband was 45 years old and I was 44. So our children were grown when we started not to keep X-mas etc. it tore our Family apart, but my Husband and I have always followed Gods calling, and He still is teaching us. We have to us Love when it comes to our children. Use common sense do not over do it with being to legalistic like the Scribes and Pharisee's were. After all we are under that COMMANDMENT THAT JESUS GAVE US. '” LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. Question to consider HOW DO YOU LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR IF YOU ISOLATE YOURSELF FROM THEM We have been around have had some really nice trials were we say the Hand Of God leading us. We see how He has lead us from the very beginning. We were blessed and nothing material matters anymore. We will always be sinners, but Christ has told us to overcome. That is what I am STILL trying to do, it is not always easy, is it? Peace and Love Mrs.

IM4,
It sounds like a tough time and trial to go through however I am sure you will be richly rewarded for walking in faith and the light you have been given. You sound as though you are united with your husband which is good, bless you for that.

Are we called to do as the romans do when in rome?
we can't shut ourselves away from the world, neither can we conform to it, we must not be afraid to live the life of christ.
We will be rejected if we follow the truth because He was rejected. Even by members of our own household as you have found out.
why is there so little persecution in this western world? because so few christians are prepared to “love not their lives unto death”. just the persence of the holy spirit is enough the set some off who have hardened their hearts.
we must be set apart in our to call other sinners out. If we join them in their sin is that loving them.
Only the living can save the dying

[ALivingStone]

Hi david,
Mar 14:58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

The temple is no more and even in its day the most sacred ark with its cherub's of gold was hidden from view except when it was being moved only the high priest was able to view it and then only once a year. Why was this? because your right these things which weren't created to be worshiped in themselves have a tendency to become a snare and thats what I am driving at.

I have been “snared” by many things in my life none of them were graven images as such, more like drugs tobacco ,cars and bikes, images of women etc I have been through phases when theses thing were the focus of my life
thank God he has freed me of these bondages. do you have children david?
the movies they put out with all the mechanise , cars the movie turning cars into people, bob the builder, thomas the tank engine , Would you allow this tripe in your home.

I went to herbie the love bug when I was young and yeah it was just a nice story right, saw it a few times. but then I started to read car magazines and dream about them and so on. til I finally got one to do up after a long wait, I wasn't good with money, and spent a ton of money on it and about two years of work then just as I had it finally painted and on the road I pranged it twice. I took this as a sign. And I praise God for it.
My point is the enermy has a strategy a very effective one he starts when we are young leading our focus away from the lover of our souls and onto empty nothings. He lays the ground work then builds upon it here a little there a little.

We believers must combat this with the truth but what is the truth about graven images. What value have they that you would argue their cause?

[ALivingStone]

Quote (IM4Truth @ Sep. 16 2007,18:32)

Aliving Stone  I disagree that you can make an idol of your possessions, one has to be careful not to over doing it. But I find nothing wrong with what your children have given to you as gifts or pictures of your children. We can overdo it with everything and that is then wrong. But what is wrong for a child to have a Doll? Do you have children? Would your child not feel left out if and when she will have friends that have dolls. Would that be good for a child. How would you tell a child she is not getting any toys to play with? We do not have any more small children, so I do not have to worry about that. But there is a Mother who has children on this website. Some toys are also educational so that to would not make sense to do away with them. And we do not worship those things. The only image that christian use that I find is wrong when they kneel in front of a cross and worship it. Peace and Love Mrs.

I do have children three. they are just like other children, they need to be trained. They grow by themselves but if I as a parent don't direct that growth how should I expect them to turn out righteous. I tell them what God has taught me and they believe me,after all my wife and i are their only full time teachers, I wouldn't dream of handing them over to the state school system. I liken that to tossing your child into the mainstream and then coming back 5-10 years later to fish them out only to find they have been swept out ot sea!

I dont want my children to stumble around in the darkness like I had to. My parents were christian and we went to church but these were not much help in finding the path to truth.
The amount of deception out there is staggering, the powers of darkness grossly under estimated. I will that more people would over do it as you say. then we might have a kingdom of overcomers. Instead we are overcome by the fear of man. Do you think the Devil doesn't know this. This fear of living differently is his greatest weapon.
I thing I have learned is that just because alot of people are doing something(or not doing something) it doesn't make it right. The spirit of christ is a lonely spirit. He was despised and rejected many times we want support but just can't find it and must go it alone. As our lord did. No one stood by him every one deserted him. he carried His cross alone.

About the bowing. Is it the bowing down that constitues worship. If we are to obey the great commandment and love the Lord our God with all our heart all our soul and all our strength then how much of our love can we give to any other thing/person? Zero.
If there is only one God and we are to love him with our all then it must be whole hearted. If only half of our heart is with  Him where is the other half is with a valueless idol. We have forsaken the king of life to cling to dead things.

God wants all our heart but we so easily love the things of the world which will be destroyed. As the saying goes man was made to love people and use things but instead he loves things and use's people.
Any attempt I might make to make my life and family idol free is not a dead work to earn my salvation but a disipline to train myself and my family to love God completely and wholehearted. satan will not make a whore out of me.
I know my beloved.

[ALivingStone]

well we dont even have to make anything physical to “make” an image as i tryed to explain with my daugthers doll, she didn't make it, but she makes up the personality so she can relate to the lifeless thing.
As michaels says if they are not made they can't be bowed to or worshiped.
The few people I have shared this revealtion to have reacted an such a defensive manner and one even told me the I was making an idol of “getting rid of idols”. She could have a point.
believe it or not I was making an idol out of my lawn. When it's mowed it looks so good and pleasing to my eye that i felt perverse. Then God struck my lawn mower and that was the end of that:laugh:
People “make” idols of everything probally other people more than anything they put faith in a pastor then he falls into sin and they lose their faith.
We serve an invisible God yet our flesh hungers for something we can see. A sensual feast.
Gen 3:6  And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

We make or buy something just to pretty up our house and we look at it this way and it gives us pleasure we look at it from another way and it gives us more pleasure we find a better place where it can be seen more oftern and a guest gives a complement on it and our heart swells with pride then a wicked child throws a ball in the house and smashes it. Heartbroken.
Where ever your treasure is there will your heart be also.

[Author]

Posts