Bible Questions & Discussion PAGE 417

Dear Stephanie, I will pray for you today.

Dear Lord Jesus, we come to You today to ask that You bless Stephanie in her employment along with her employer and the company she works for so that she can earn what is needed for her needs and for her to be able to bless others with gifts.

We ask that You continue to bless her with strength for the day, vigor in her health, and energy to accomplish what is demanded of her in her job and home life. Thank You for bringing Stephanie to this site and for her diligence in requesting for us to pray for her. Lord, grant Stephanie the peace of mind to know that You are always with her and that her prayer requests are brought up to You. Amen.

Dear Van, I will pray for you, your husband and your son.

Heavenly Father, we come to You in need today and in the name of Jesus. We lift up Van and the requests she has given to us. We ask that You relieve both her husband and son of the pain and oppression of mental illness that presses upon them daily We pray that they will be delivered from these illnesses by You, for You can do all things. We ask that You place Van's son in a job most appropriate for his skills and mental health. Father, we pray for Your protection around this family from physical hardships and adverse circumstances. We ask that You graciously bless them and bring them wisdom, solace, understanding, peace, and strength to face what is happening in their lives right now. And we ask that You will draw each one to You and guide them by Your Word of truth. Amen.

Hello Madhatter57 and welcome to this site if you are new.

The word "alms" means money, goods, etc. that are given to care for the needs of the poor and needy. These are different than tithe which is given to God and distributed to the priests. So, alms were an offering above and beyond the tithe in the O.T. systems and was voluntary but honorable to do. In the N.T. there is a good example. Paul was planning to return to Jerusalem and had asked the churches of Asia Minor and Macedonia to put together money for the church at Jerusalem because Jerusalem and the people around this city were having a famine and many believers were in need of food. Paul then collected these gifts of money and brought it with him to Jerusalem t give to James to distribute to those in need.

That phrase is often used and I think misused. In this case consider what God said was a day in the recreation of the earth .

Then consider what God said " in the day you eat of it"

Then consider what the devil said " ye shall not surely die "

If it was as you said then that would make God not straight speaking and the devil a speaker of the truth !

It was in fact a very subtle lie . For while on the same day they did eat if it and by Gods Word died .

They did not physically die till over 800 odd years .

A part truth is as good as a lie .

We must take Gods Word for it .

In truth everything up to the creation of Man was good and in the end very good .

Wrapped upon that great truth that a man was created in the Image of God is another great truth .

" Man shall not LIVE by bread alone (or by every tree that was good to eat ) but by that knowledge of God as to what wascgoid to eat and what was in effect evil to eat and by that word that proceeded from Gods mouth they lived .

It was the rejection of Gods Word and believing the lie of the devil that they became not only blind to the truth but perceived and reasoned wrongly .

For she " saw that the tree was good to eat " and she reasoned thus ," it wouid make her wise"

Adams sin was greater for he not only loved Eve more than God but in effect obeyed eve rather than God .

Sin "separates us from God" so they died on the very day and the very moment they disobeyed God and did that which was right or good in their own eyes .

It was a permanent effect for in choosing to cover their nakedness with fig leaves in their eyes it did indeed do so.

But when God called them from their hiding place ( darkness) into His presence ( light) with eyes from which nothing is hid saw that it did not . And gave them a covering of Hos own choosing ".For love covers a multitude of sin " and which foreshadowed the animal,sacrifices that were ordained to come .

But God also gave a promise by which God provided a redemption.

what does the word alms mean

No problem ,I await your post with interest .

GB

Is it possible to have a verse or chosen for me everyday?

" If we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him "

Clearly then if we don't we won't .

" and the government shall be upon His shoulders"

The church which is His body not only has limbs ,hands and feet but shoulders .

The government of the Kingdom of zGod shall be on His shoulders .

This is not a ' government' like those of the "Nicolaitans which I hate " who seperate themselves and Lord it over the Laity they have made .

Hirelings who not only " make merchandise of Gods people" but when they see the wolves coming flee and the sheep are scattered " John 12 . But take note the hirelings are caught not the sheep .

In Ezekiel there are dire warnings for pastors who love not the sheep as THE shepherd of man's souls loves them .

But all the offices of the church as listed from Apostles to evangelists have but one purpose . The perfection of the church ." Till we all come to a unity of the faith unto the fullness and stature of Christ unto the perfect man Ephesians .

If we are faithful in little we we will be given much to rule over .

Note it is not if we are ' successful' as the world counts success . Calvary on the face of it was disaster and victory by the enemy .

But faithful . The Philadelphian church in its own eyes was poor ,but in Gods "was rich "

The Laodocian church in its own eyes was rich but in Gods eyes was poor wretched and blind .

Churchill prior to WW2 was vilified and rejected by all parties in particular but come 1940 was the only one qualified to become Prime Minister .

The Lord Jesus Christ proved Himself worthy to be King of Kings , All the kingdoms of this world past and present are on a foundation of treachery, murder and war . Including Great Britain and if the UK turned out different it's only because of the grace of zGod and the zBible that was once honoured by this nation .

In as much asit does not it will if it does not repent become as any other Godless nation . Perhaps worse for we have known far better .

II Kings 16 vs 4 King Ahaz burnt incense on the high places in the hills and under every green tree, Does not mention caves on the bible trivia question 1. please explain

Scripture alone : continued

But what says the scriptures?" The letter killeth but the Spirit gives life "

We have by the grace of God the body of truth ; the scriptures .

We have also by the grace of God the " Spirit of truth ".

This self same Spirit ,is not an influence , or some other abstract ' thing' emanating from God . "He" is a person who can be resisted ,grieved, quenched and blasphemed against .

Was the same Spirit that inspired men to so write the scriptures . If He was so needed to inspire men to write them . He is in equal measure so needed to understand what is written. "For what knoweth the things of man save thecspirit thatbis in man? So like wise what knoweth the things of zGod save the Spurit of God" who knows the mind of God and the deep things of zGod ".

Therefore we need both the scriptures or body of truth as well as the Spirit of truth to lead us into all truth .

There is a lot of confusion today in many places because many hold to scriptures alone doctrine but see no need for the Spirit . Leaning more upon their understanding of Greek or Hebrew than upon the Lord .

While others " by their traditions have made the Word of God of none effect "

The last day church of Laodocia in its own eyes is "rich increased with goods ( prosperous) and in need of nothing ,when in spiritual reality is poor wretched and blind and in need of eye salve "

Yet what says the Spirit to the churches?" Behold I stand at the door and knock " a call to the whole church to repent then .

If any man has ears to hear and opens the door " to them is the promise given .

Consider that after the resurrection No door was an obstical to the Lord ,

Why then is the door of His church one?

Who thinks He is inside ?

But clearly is outside knocking for entrance .

A contradiction not to be seriously considered .

Scriptures alone :

We should not take this great statement of fact first spoken of at the Reformation out of context .

For that statement was in response to the vain assertion by some religionists that their traditions were to be held in higher authority than the scriptures .

This is where man falls into error . " For all scripture is given by God and is good for correction ,reproof and instruction in righteousness " 1Timothy".

Man any man is not infallible only God is . Even if you spoke the truth that does not make you infallible you simply bare bare witness to the truth that God is .

For a man may hear the truth , he may see the truth , he can speak the truth . He can meditate on the truth he can know the truth . The truth can be in him . He can walk in the truth and even do the truth . But even with all that no man save the Lord Jesus Christ say ," I am the truth ".

Man has no light of his own , he is though like the moon a witness for the truth . For the moon when it still shines even in the darkest night ,bares witness to the truth that the sun still shines and there is coming a perfect day .

Even the Lord said "the words that I speak are not my words ." The difference with Him though is that He was born sinless and the only begotten Son ,we are not .

He proved to be " The truth " by being born in the time frame the scriptures foretold he would be born . In the place he would be born ,where he would grow up . How he would live ,by what power and authority , the miracles , how he would've rejected ,betrayed ,suffer and be crucified . How he would be buried and would rise again on the third day .all foreseen and recorded for our sakes so that we might know the truth and recognise Him.

The scriptures alone then are the only sure and certain foundation for any real faith in God . For faith in God comes by hearing and by that understanding the word of God " and as it is written good for correction ,reproof and instruction in righteousness .

Matthew 24, Mark 13,

If that's true, that is very disappointing. Mark 9, & Matthew 17:21, Matthew 17, helps us understand how to deliver & heal the worst cases of torment upon a person by prayer & fasting. We cannot understand why anyone does bad, the spirit of a man knows the man, 1Corinthians 2:11,

We're told not to add or take away Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:18,19,

Genesis 1:25-31, Numbers 13:22,28,33, Joshua 15:13,14,

Hopefully this is helpful

The Book of Proverbs hits hard, it shows us where we fall short. It's always good to return there for guidance & wisdom as we walk closer to the upward calling of CHRIST. Philippians 3:14, Proverbs 1:1,

It may be best to encourage yourself by reading Psalms 139, Romans 8, John 17, Jude 1:24-25, while you reading Proverbs.

Hopefully this is encouraging & helpful

Could you prophesy about my life? =]

Here are scriptures you can study, 1st asking for wisdom: James 1:5, Exodus 25, Exodus 26, Exodus 27, Exodus 29, Exodus 30, Exodus 35, Exodus 36, Exodus 38, Exodus 37:25,26, Exodus 38:2, - Exodus 40, Leviticus 1, Leviticus 3, Leviticus 4, - Leviticus 12, - Leviticus 16:33, - Leviticus 26, Numbers 1:53, Numbers 3, - Numbers 4:23, ( Luke 3:23 ) Luke 4:30, Numbers 4, Leviticus 16:18, = Hebrews 8, Hebrews 9, Hebrews 10,

1Kings 6, 1Kings 7, 2Kings 11, 2Chronicles 3, 2Chronicles 4, Ezra 3, Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 41, Zechariah 6:12,13, Revelation 11, Mark 15, Matthew 27:51, Matthew 27, Psalms 118:27,

Mark 11, Luke 1,

Revelation 21:22,

Hopefully these are all helpful in your study & search for answers

alex1939...David you are right when Jesus shed his blood on the cross it was a new Covenant in his blood..Impling an internal cleasing of the Heart...which was the baptism of Promise H.G. baptism...The only gift of God...Water baptism was an external cleasing the old covenant..requiring only the blood of an animal...But this New Covenant is by the blood of Gods only son Christ Jesus a washing of the hearts...3 Times its recorded in the N.T. John baptised you with water but i will baptise you with the H.G.and fire...Which is that baptism of Promise ( only 1 baptism of Promise ) which is baptism of the H.G...When Jesus said behold i send the promise of my father upon you it was baptism of the H.G. A washing of the heart...That New Covenant an internal baptism of the hearts...I will give you a new hearts and a new spirit via his seed the words of that NEW COVENANT...Thats y the lord was so upset with Peter commanding water baptism for the remission of sins...Telling Peter what i have made clean ( by the blood of his son that New Covenant on Calvary)...do not call common or unclean.. ACTS 10:12..All the unclean animals in that sheet was the Church that was made clean by the blood of Jesus via that New Covenant...perfectly clean not needing water baptism as peter was commanding....After that Peter understood the vision he said then remembered the words of our lord John baptised you with water,..but i will baptise you with the H.G...An internal washing of the hearts and minds as judgement must begin at the house of God as our bodies are the house of God...John the bap. gave us water baptism and John said behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world...Even in the O.T. without the shedding of blood there was no remission of sins...Once you understand the enormity of Calvary that New Covenant in his blood you will not mention any other cleanser..There is no fuller on earth that can whiten us like his blood...When Jesus said its finished nothin else we can do.

In the day that thou eatest thou shalt surely die , and you mentioned that Adam and Eve lived another 800 years , is this not because one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day to God ?

Romans 12:12, Acts 6:4, Hebrews 13:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:17,

John 17, James 1, James 2,

Matthew 5:23,24,44, Matthew 6:5-34, Mark 11:24, Luke 18:1-14, Matthew 17:15-21, Mark 9:17-29,

Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21:36,

Hope these are helpful

I see you have written something Gerald, and I will look into it and answer, but due to other obligations it might take a week or two.

Predestination : A thorny subject for some .primarily because the approach to the subject and attempts of explanation are but on an intellectual level and unbiblical . For others they reject the truth of it because they can see the faults in such methods and jump to the conclusion that the whole concept is therefore false .

People who jump to conclusions rarely if ever arrive at the truth .

It cannot be denied however for clearly the scriptures speak of it and use the word ( Ephesians) predestination

For the record I don't pretend or think I can explain it all or cover the subject fully here but we can lay a foundation for our thinking .

Every " sound doctrine " of God has its first mention in the book of Genesis and the best place then is to start there .

In almost the very beginning it is written of the law of God that states " every seed brings forth fruit after its own kind"

A tomato seed is then predetermined by God to only bring forth tomatoes .nothing else .

Every seed no matter what it is will and can only bring forth fruit after its own kind .

Every seed is predetermined pre ordained predestined to do so .

This law then applies to a " corruptible seed " which if corrupted can on,y bring forth corruption unto death .

The same law applies to the " incorruptible seed which is the Word of God " which therefore will bring forth righteousness unto life "

Did not Jesus speaking of Himself say " unless a seed or corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone "? But if it does " it brings forth much fruit " What sort of fruit ? After its own kind .

Thus a corrupted seed is predestined to bring forth corruption unto death .

An incorruptible seed is predestined to bring righteousness unto life .

You MUST be born again ,not of corruptible seed but of the incorruptible seed which is the Word of God .

For if we are born again then we are not only translated from the kingdom of darkness to thecKingdom of Gods dear Son.

But from one t.

When the Psalmist foresaw the sufferings of the Lord on Calvary opening with the words " My God ,my God why hast thou foresaken me" Those prophetic words were fulfilled to the letter .

For prophecy is but history written in advance .

It is thought that when the Lord gave voice to those awful and agonising words that somehow the Father simply turned His back on Him .

It was far worse than that . For did not the Lord say that " The Father was IN Him?"

If you see me you see the father also ?

The awful reality was that the Son who had always been in the bosom of the Father who had proceedeth from the Father who had sent him to do His will and not the Son to do his . So loved the world that He sent His only beloved Son to die for the sin of the world . In that " He who knew no sin became sin .."

The Father did not just turn His back on him. But left him ,forsook him for God cannot look on sin nor abide where sin is .

When Jesus was baptised the voice from heaven said " This is my beloved Son in whom I'm pleased to dwell "

The Lord Jesus Christ was willing to endure being separated from the Father so that we or any who belueved the Father and put their faith in the Son might not only never be separated from God ever again but might be with Him forever .

Glory to God forever .

How did Paul put it?"I am fully persuaded that No thing can ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus .."

Jesus said " The words that I speak are not my own words ,but the Father who is in me He doeth the works ."

Did He not also say " greater works shall ye do after that the Holy Spirit has come and not only be with you but in you and shall abide with you forever .?

Is it not also written " As the Father sent me so send I you"?

Then even as the Father was in Him " who doeth the work" is it not now the Son the Spirit of Christ that now dwellers in us who " doeth the work?"

For is it not written " It is God that worketh within us both to will and to do of Hos good pleasure"?Did not the Lord Himself say " what I see the Father doing that do I"?

Where did He see it? In the scriptures but also by the Holy Spirit in accordance of them.

The Holy Spirit is not an ' influence' of God He is a Person.

Know you not " that he who sanctifieth and he who is sanctified are one"?

That we are " coworkers with God"?

So even as the Lord came " not to do His own will but the Fathers" so likewise we are called to the same high calling .

For even as He said " know you not that the Father is in me and I am in the Father ,so he that sees me seeeth also the Father .

Does that not also apply to every true born child of God ?

In that it is Christ in us and we in Him and we are to be His witnesses even as the Lord was of the Father .

We are to be far more than influencers or influenced by the Holy Spirit .

But rather as light shining in the darkness even as the moon though having no light of its own bares witness even in the darkest night ,that the sun is still shining and there is coming a perfect day .

GB

Let us look at Peter that great Apostle to the Jews .

Almighty God in His great wisdom allowed that Peters many failures were recorded for " admonishing and learning" for whom the ends of the world has come .

He was indeed a man often at the forefront but a man often too quick or hasty for his own good .

It was Peter who was given the understanding of who Jesus is . Tho are the Christ the Son of the living God". But with one breath he was the mouthpiece of God with the next a mouthpiece of the devil.

There are not many people who would still stand or walk with the Lord after that open rebuke ." Get behind me Satan"

He cut off the servants ear at the garden of gethsemene. For even at this late stage ( as with all the others) he was fighting for an earthly kingdom .

He having professed his willingness to die for or with the Lord ,denied Him thrice before the cook crowed foreseen by the Lord and foretold for his sake . Bot the Lord foreseeing things prayed for him so that Satan would not " sift him as wheat"

He got it wrong when he instigated the casting of lots for th3 replace me the of Judas . That was to be of Gods choosing and it would be Paul made an Apostle "out of time " who would be the Apostle to the gentiles .

Who would be martyred in Rome . Not Peter .

Who had to rebuke Peter openly when he having eaten with Gentile converts then separated himself when the circumcision party came around .

Who openly confessed Paul's understanding was greater than his for some " were hard to understand"

We should be careful not to denigrate the man for his zeal was without question even if at first it was with out knowledge . He walked on water albeit he had " little faith ".

Took the first open air meeting on the day of Pentecost .

Was with John near the gate beautiful and gave the lame man what he had .etc etc

But he was still but a stone . The Rock was the Lord the Son of the living God upon which the eternal church of God wouod be built .

He did

Hi David0920. I've been following this thread & your thoughts. I know that your emphasis on the requirement of water baptism, is not to deny its relevance & importance, but that the act of water baptism can never add anything more to the salvation granted to us by faith. If it (or anything else) could, then it's no longer a salvation by faith. But if I might also add:

Why does this matter of baptism become a point of argument (not here only but in the Church), when the Word is clear? My belief is that the Church today, at least since the departure of the apostolic age, have gone away from the understanding & practise of water baptism. Here, I'm not referring to any of the Jewish baptisms or even John's baptism, but those of the Jew or Gentile who respond in faith & confession to the claims of Christ. When we study the Scriptures, we find certain practises of water baptism:

a. Jesus' command to the disciples ( Matthew 28:19,20) were to them & those after them who preach or lead people to Christ. The command to baptize is given to the preacher/evangelist & NOT to the 'baptizee' (the 'new-born in Christ').

b. Water baptism went hand-in-hand with repentance & confession. It was not an optional extra (as we see in the accounts such as Peter's preaching that added 3000 souls; Saul's conversion; Cornelius; etc.). Converts weren't given an option to get baptized or not - if you turned to Christ from Judaism or idolatry, you were baptized, or else your conversion was spurious.

But what we see today, is that Church leaders/evangelists in the greater part, don't baptize straightaway after a soul's conversion, preferring a length of time to see stability & growth in the convert. Some even fail to bring up baptism at all. A pastor once announced, "we'll be having a baptism service four Sundays from now, those who feel led to be baptized, please come & see me". I was horrified; is this scriptural? The onus to be baptized is not on the convert - always the evangelist.

Exactly. This is the will of God that man multiplies. So how is it that man can change the course of nature and ignore what God has purposed when one is formed in the womb and say that they were born in another body and not the body that God has formed them to be? The scripture states "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works. and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth", King James Bible, Psalms 139; 13-15. As a result of sin: "Wherefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen. King James Bible Romans 1: 24-25.

Dear Nikki, I will pray for you.

Dear heavenly Father, we come to You in the name of Jesus and pray for You to make Nikki well and cancer free. We ask that all tests show no trace of cancer. We ask that You calm her fears and bring her peace of mind in this situation. Thank You for the care and wellness You will bring to Nikki. Amen.

Typo

Read "Exe 36:25" as Eze 36:25

The Bible use the word Baptism in two ways and the context determines the meaning, as one of the commenters indicated.

There is 1) the effectual baptism of the Holy Spirit which occurs when God applies salvation to one of His Elect by giving them their Resurrected Soul. That is becoming Born Again.

And there is 2) water baptism which is a ceremonial sign to be observed by the New Testament local churches and congregations during the church age pointing to the nature of salvation, like the physical circumsision of the Old Testament.

Mark 16:16 is speaking of the Baptism of God the Holy Spirit, i.e. Salvation ( Exe 36:25 ) which continues throughout time as God saves His Elect right up until Christ returns on the clouds of glory at the Last Day.

I believe the church age ended with the beginning of the Great Tribulation which is the day in which we are now living during which God has abandoned the local churches and congregations and has commanded true believers to flee the local churches. Read Matt 24. And God continues to save His Elect OUTSIDE the local churches during the Latter Rain.

Therefore, like physical circumsision of the Old Testament time, we are no longer to observe the New Testament sign of water baptism.