If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. ( Proverbs 25:21-22). 2 Kings 6:21-23 reads:
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? 22And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. 23And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
The back story here is that God used Elisha to blind these men who had gone after them in the first place because Elisha had foreknowledge of where their formations would be ahead of time. There are a lot of other things going on in this passage but for this study I wanted to point out that although the law was pretty much focused on Israel and often the enemies were set out for total destruction due to their sins (often of child sacrifice) God still showed some of these principles in the Old Testament.
The main thrust of this focus is in such characters as Daniel as well as Jeremiah where those taking Israel captive showed them mercy and they were actually promoted in status there. Daniel and his companions only drew the line with serving other gods and edicts of that type such as the golden idol image Nebuchadnezzar set up that they couldn't worship. Often scripture shows the enemies were aware of God allowing Jerusalem to be destroyed because of their sins better than the Jews themselves seemed to understand. This shows the principal of whoever is on God's side ( Joshua 5:14). Often the enemy is within and God uses other nations for chastisement. Food for thought..
Hello "Richard H Priday" that's what's good and nice about God's Word, it's really Standing and Striking. That's probably what we all do. In sincerity without a thought of a bank. That's when everything becomes as it should. Both in a human way and spiritually. So even if someone else sees it this way, someone else doesn't have to see it that way. That's how it is. And there we can stretch ourselves, in understanding and patience.
If God wants it to be the way we think and plan. We see things differently than He does. And if we are to understand the Lord's will, we must step back and not be impulsive. Sometimes He gives us the right input and He uses the one He wants. Thank you for your patience and continue your work both for the Lord and us. God bless you from now on and forever in Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15
Hello, that gave me a little thought. It says that we should love our enemies, and the contrast this gives in what you write is fantastic. Imagine if everyone in the whole world could see this! If we give bread and water to our enemies, will they leave us in peace? Then I think earthly but also what we fight with daily against the powers and authorities. It can be difficult and offer itself in a warlike situation. But it can turn an entire "nation". It seems to.
I would say that my point is that scripture often shows different reactions by God at different times. In this case the prophet was someone that was targeted after frustration that God revealed to him where the enemy was. There were other times when; for instance the prophet cast down fire from heaven to destroy those mocking him. There was also some differentiation from different factions attacking as opposed to the entire army; and still other differences as to whether they were nations God determined were to be destroyed on their initial conquest and those such as Egypt who were their brothers in a sense and they were to act differently.
I appreciate the commentary; I hear regularly from Gigi and occasionally from others. I really am looking for an impartial analysis of my writings which I have had an inordinate amount of time up until now to place here. I am not sure how much longer that opportunity will be if I get extra work or move back work full time at my former job in Pittsburgh. That involves issues with home ownership and concerns about my Dad now placed in Memory Care which I won't burden you with any further.
Many times I don't put as much time on a subject preparing as I should and I spent a couple years doing rapid fire posts since I had a lot of things I wanted to share with an audience related to Predestination and prophecy in particular; and then bolstered my own knowledge of the Gospels by doing daily posts. I am looking for input as I could go into further detail or not; I try not to be redundant if I have posted something about the same (but I suppose it is rather egotistical thinking something a couple years back will be recognized as such).
Reading scriptures is what I am trying to emphasize here; without undo embellishments. Some like to emphasize rather mystical approaches it seems to connecting verses; gematria and other such things. That confuses me. There are always a few with better detailed commentaries.
Hi "Richard H Priday" Thanks for the nice writings and we can see that you write from the scriptures. It is the truth that is in God's Word. We may not see the meaning there and then. But He will show us eventually if we are resistant. It is certain that we will get nothing if we do not get it from the Lord. Not even if we try we will get nothing. So God has blessed you with knowledge and wisdom.
It would be too bad if you no longer have time to post the Words. But you have to live in this time that we are in. And that is important too, when it comes from the Lord, that's how I see it. May the Lord Jesus bless you and yours, your steps and decisions in this life. And someday we will see each other if not here in this mortal life then in the next. Be afraid of your heart that is in the light of truth, and that way we know the Lord's will for our lives. Just to mention it, impartiality is the most important thing we can be. For those who know the scripture, the most important thing is not to just throw out the words. You don't do that, nor do I. But I get very inspired by certain things and then the Words come in a row. Since I came to the Lord, my daily care with Him has also given me words for the day. I use them and stick to them without it needing and worse tied to a topic. This is because I want to be faithful to Him and my understanding of our co-existence. For me, the word must go out because we know Heb 4:12.13 Think about it! So when someone, as I see it, reads the word of God and takes it to themselves, by God's will. And of course it is His will. Will that person be able to cope and resist for any length of time? Before then, the Word does a complete work in that person's heart. Now I am open now :D All glory to God who has saved me through Jesus. So continue as far as you can with what you are doing. It is valuable and appreciated. Love you in Christ and when you sleep we sit here in the cold north and praise the Lord for all that He has done in our lives.
I am getting encouraged from multiple people here. Thanks. I will write as long as I can; perhaps always the Lord will give me time. Looking forward to meeting you in heaven.
You write,"Some like to emphasize rather mystical approaches it seems to connecting verses; gematria and other such things."
I think a comment may be appropriate here. The Spirit sets the signs, "and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years." God does not mention weeks in this context. Yet more than a millennia after reading the first chapter seven days are assumed for a week. In order to guide the reader from drawing wrong conclusions the Spirit uses numbers as tags. What makes the believer read it 144,000 it as actual number standing on mount Sion? God sets 120 years as man's life (Gen.6.3) Gospel of God calls man and God blesses him with heavenly blessings; the Son and Father work as one. He that has the Son has the Father as well. Indicative of this is 12x12= 144. The number10 simply tells that law is present. Whether decalogue or Law of the Spirit man's life is set in multiples of 10. I see no room for mysticism in the scripture but spirit of man having to with God a Spirit. Heresies come when man tries to read it according to his reason. Carnal wisdom is what troubles churches. They love their Cessationalism v. Continuation but they are nitpicking when the very first chapter of the Bible gives at the end of each day this formula: 'And the evening and the morning were....' Many are called but few are chosen'
I have been graciously helped by your writings. I truly hope you will be able to continue writing. I am honored to be a part of this site. I count it a blessing to be exposed to all the thoughts and opinions all of you share.
The way you bring your opinion is scripturally based and explained in a way that is it is easier for me to follow.
I am glad that you posted the commentaries I have read since I have been on this site.So if they are a repeat, I appreciate them now.
I want to say that Your care and concern for your parents is wonderful.
You are a blessing.
Your Mother gave to this generation a spirit filled believer in God Almighty.
And I am persuaded that your walk with Christ is a life style and not merely kind and appropriate words on paper.
A good son who saw that her needs
were met.
Now, you are providing the same concern for your Dad.
I am praying that God continue to keep your mind sound, your soul safe and your body strong.
I am very much appreciative of the response; as I don't want to become egocentric but want to know there is some audience even if just a few or a dozen or so to these writings.
I keep noticing for those on YouTube that many young people are coming out of the occult in particular on fire for the Lord but often aren't properly discipled or in a church environment. There seems to be in my own local congregation due to several reasons a lack of those in the teenage demographic; although I noticed this in my last church as well; there were young couples with kids maybe up to 8 or 9 years old but few if any in the teenager range. From my experience the reformed churches are better in that demographic but often there is a problem with kids brought up in Christian circles which is good in one way but doesn't allow them often to realize just how great a deliverance that others have when they know they are delivered from darkness to light; i.e. the danger of being "born as a Christian" is a misnomer. If one is raised in Christianity they still need some sort of personal experience even if they have spent most of their time in church. Otherwise it becomes a legalistic experience with memorizing catechisms; or following routines without understanding a personal relationship with the Lord.
The contrast today between believing kids and worldly ones is certainly stark. Part of the issue is a lack of work ethic today that has infested youth and all part of the hedonistic society. Another issue I suppose is the lack of committment to faithfully attending church of those who actually do know the Lord that are parents today. The kids have to get a vision for themselves and not wait for their parents to wake up. This has gone several generations; this progressive rebellion.
Anyway just some rantings for today. Let me know if there is any subject I should delve into next.
I wish that every child of believing parents would never stray from Christ. But our three sons have, and some of my siblings have done so. In the churches I have attended, I have noticed the same thing as you, either the congregation as a whole was very elderly and so, there were very few children, teens, and young adults who regularly attended and were involved in the life of the congregation or there were many parents with young children (in churches with more contemporary worship) and larger teen groups, but young adults were fairly awol. I think this trend has been happening for decades, but it is more evident now for several reasons:
1) There are fewer and fewer Christian believers in our generation than in past generations. the U.S. is becoming less Christian with each generation.
2) Many long-standing traditional congregations have become mostly elderly-even though these believers raised their children up in the church.
3) A good percentage of children of believing parents do not attend church once they reach adulthood and move away from home. Many do return when to church when they are married with children.
4) Compared to generations of Baby Boomer and older, there are far fewer children being born in our country. The "pool" of young children to be reached for Christ is becoming smaller and smaller.
5) Back when I was growing up, most people I encountered were Christian and attended church. This was a cultural thing in the U.S. in the 50's and 60's. But the 60's counterculture changed the culture to a more and more secular culture with each new generation. So fewer and fewer children are being raised by Christian parents.
How sad this is in our country which was first settled mostly by Christians seeking to begin a new life in a wide open continent that afforded religious freedom, land to acquire, and unlimited opportunities for one to make a living. May God let His light shine forth in the darkness in the U.S. more than ever.
I was one who was brought up in the church by believing parents with many siblings. There were families on every block for a mile radius that attended our church. So, my childhood experience was one where I did not know much of what was believed by those outside of my denomination. I began to learn a bit more through high school and college about what some other believers believed. However, for so many years of my life I thought that most believers believed what has been considered "orthodox" beliefs-those doctrines that have historically been considered correct. In the last 20 years I have had more exposure to the various doctrines taught by many denominations and this has opened my eyes to many ideas that i had never heard of before. Now I do not take it for granted that most believers adhere to the same doctrines. I have had to study the differences between many concepts where there are several approaches at odds with one another and to decide which aligns with Scripture the best.
As you said, many can be brought up in the church and not develop a strong personal relationship with Jesus. I did from a very early age, so there was not a time where I can remember not believing in Jesus and the gospel. I never had anything like a personal "experience" of conversion because I was not without Christ and then came to Him. I always remember being in Him.
And also, you said that many brought up in the church and, like me, always believing, may not have as keen of a mindset of how depraved we are and how much we need to be saved from our own sin. I can say that, because I do not remember being lost, the Holy Spirit did help me as an adult to come to understand the depth of my sinfulness which led me to a deeper appreciation of how Jesus saved me and how hopeless i, or anyone is, without the working of the Holy Spirit to regenerate us to faith in Jesus.
my childhood and teenage years were spent in the church.
I remember it like it was yesterday,
walking there with my grandparents.
We would go on foot, singing as we went and coming back happy. Every day. I remeber how the church was always full, even though it was small.
There were dance presentations and worship, and everyone had an opportunity.
Ever since I was little, I did everything in church - I just didn't preach. I took part in all of them - from the children's group to the elderly. There ere only evening services, but over time the church began to empty out. Sometimes we would stop by the homes of some members to help them not get discouraged. they were always members who lived close to the church - sometimes right next door. Later my grandfather started alternating with another church her himself built. I remeber the construction well, and i remember taking my childhood friend there.
a second that church didn't fill up much either, but he used to say that if he didn't go, he would lose the day. That's why I love remembering the church the way he did. It was the path God chose for my grandparents. These days, I prefer smaller cell churches. But wherever there are peopler, there will be different opinions on how God's work should be done. I think maybe He didn't want it to be crowded - out of mercy for out family.
"but want to know there is some audience even if just a few or a dozen or so to these writings." Be encouraged nothing done for the glory of the Lord is ever lost. It is is my credo. We are not in a vacuum. David speaks of preaching righteousness to a great congregation. Cloud of witnesses are our audience. What is whispered shall be shouted from the rooftops.
A church environment is good for the flesh and what spiritual comfort one can have when the elders rabbi and the Pharisees were smug and would not come to the truth. They understood Jesus was the truth. They loved the praise of men so they dared not show thmeselves in the company of the true Light,
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. ( Proverbs 25:21-22). 2 Kings 6:21-23 reads:
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? 22And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. 23And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
The back story here is that God used Elisha to blind these men who had gone after them in the first place because Elisha had foreknowledge of where their formations would be ahead of time. There are a lot of other things going on in this passage but for this study I wanted to point out that although the law was pretty much focused on Israel and often the enemies were set out for total destruction due to their sins (often of child sacrifice) God still showed some of these principles in the Old Testament.
The main thrust of this focus is in such characters as Daniel as well as Jeremiah where those taking Israel captive showed them mercy and they were actually promoted in status there. Daniel and his companions only drew the line with serving other gods and edicts of that type such as the golden idol image Nebuchadnezzar set up that they couldn't worship. Often scripture shows the enemies were aware of God allowing Jerusalem to be destroyed because of their sins better than the Jews themselves seemed to understand. This shows the principal of whoever is on God's side ( Joshua 5:14). Often the enemy is within and God uses other nations for chastisement. Food for thought..
If God wants it to be the way we think and plan. We see things differently than He does. And if we are to understand the Lord's will, we must step back and not be impulsive. Sometimes He gives us the right input and He uses the one He wants. Thank you for your patience and continue your work both for the Lord and us. God bless you from now on and forever in Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15
God bless you in the name of Jesus Christ.
I appreciate the commentary; I hear regularly from Gigi and occasionally from others. I really am looking for an impartial analysis of my writings which I have had an inordinate amount of time up until now to place here. I am not sure how much longer that opportunity will be if I get extra work or move back work full time at my former job in Pittsburgh. That involves issues with home ownership and concerns about my Dad now placed in Memory Care which I won't burden you with any further.
Many times I don't put as much time on a subject preparing as I should and I spent a couple years doing rapid fire posts since I had a lot of things I wanted to share with an audience related to Predestination and prophecy in particular; and then bolstered my own knowledge of the Gospels by doing daily posts. I am looking for input as I could go into further detail or not; I try not to be redundant if I have posted something about the same (but I suppose it is rather egotistical thinking something a couple years back will be recognized as such).
Reading scriptures is what I am trying to emphasize here; without undo embellishments. Some like to emphasize rather mystical approaches it seems to connecting verses; gematria and other such things. That confuses me. There are always a few with better detailed commentaries.
AGAPE
It would be too bad if you no longer have time to post the Words. But you have to live in this time that we are in. And that is important too, when it comes from the Lord, that's how I see it. May the Lord Jesus bless you and yours, your steps and decisions in this life. And someday we will see each other if not here in this mortal life then in the next. Be afraid of your heart that is in the light of truth, and that way we know the Lord's will for our lives. Just to mention it, impartiality is the most important thing we can be. For those who know the scripture, the most important thing is not to just throw out the words. You don't do that, nor do I. But I get very inspired by certain things and then the Words come in a row. Since I came to the Lord, my daily care with Him has also given me words for the day. I use them and stick to them without it needing and worse tied to a topic. This is because I want to be faithful to Him and my understanding of our co-existence. For me, the word must go out because we know Heb 4:12.13 Think about it! So when someone, as I see it, reads the word of God and takes it to themselves, by God's will. And of course it is His will. Will that person be able to cope and resist for any length of time? Before then, the Word does a complete work in that person's heart. Now I am open now :D All glory to God who has saved me through Jesus. So continue as far as you can with what you are doing. It is valuable and appreciated. Love you in Christ and when you sleep we sit here in the cold north and praise the Lord for all that He has done in our lives.
Rich P
You write,"Some like to emphasize rather mystical approaches it seems to connecting verses; gematria and other such things."
I think a comment may be appropriate here. The Spirit sets the signs, "and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years." God does not mention weeks in this context. Yet more than a millennia after reading the first chapter seven days are assumed for a week. In order to guide the reader from drawing wrong conclusions the Spirit uses numbers as tags. What makes the believer read it 144,000 it as actual number standing on mount Sion? God sets 120 years as man's life (Gen.6.3) Gospel of God calls man and God blesses him with heavenly blessings; the Son and Father work as one. He that has the Son has the Father as well. Indicative of this is 12x12= 144. The number10 simply tells that law is present. Whether decalogue or Law of the Spirit man's life is set in multiples of 10. I see no room for mysticism in the scripture but spirit of man having to with God a Spirit. Heresies come when man tries to read it according to his reason. Carnal wisdom is what troubles churches. They love their Cessationalism v. Continuation but they are nitpicking when the very first chapter of the Bible gives at the end of each day this formula: 'And the evening and the morning were....' Many are called but few are chosen'
I have been graciously helped by your writings. I truly hope you will be able to continue writing. I am honored to be a part of this site. I count it a blessing to be exposed to all the thoughts and opinions all of you share.
The way you bring your opinion is scripturally based and explained in a way that is it is easier for me to follow.
I am glad that you posted the commentaries I have read since I have been on this site.So if they are a repeat, I appreciate them now.
I want to say that Your care and concern for your parents is wonderful.
You are a blessing.
Your Mother gave to this generation a spirit filled believer in God Almighty.
And I am persuaded that your walk with Christ is a life style and not merely kind and appropriate words on paper.
A good son who saw that her needs
were met.
Now, you are providing the same concern for your Dad.
I am praying that God continue to keep your mind sound, your soul safe and your body strong.
Love and Peace Always. Amen!
I keep noticing for those on YouTube that many young people are coming out of the occult in particular on fire for the Lord but often aren't properly discipled or in a church environment. There seems to be in my own local congregation due to several reasons a lack of those in the teenage demographic; although I noticed this in my last church as well; there were young couples with kids maybe up to 8 or 9 years old but few if any in the teenager range. From my experience the reformed churches are better in that demographic but often there is a problem with kids brought up in Christian circles which is good in one way but doesn't allow them often to realize just how great a deliverance that others have when they know they are delivered from darkness to light; i.e. the danger of being "born as a Christian" is a misnomer. If one is raised in Christianity they still need some sort of personal experience even if they have spent most of their time in church. Otherwise it becomes a legalistic experience with memorizing catechisms; or following routines without understanding a personal relationship with the Lord.
The contrast today between believing kids and worldly ones is certainly stark. Part of the issue is a lack of work ethic today that has infested youth and all part of the hedonistic society. Another issue I suppose is the lack of committment to faithfully attending church of those who actually do know the Lord that are parents today. The kids have to get a vision for themselves and not wait for their parents to wake up. This has gone several generations; this progressive rebellion.
Anyway just some rantings for today. Let me know if there is any subject I should delve into next.
Agape; and thanks again.
Rich P
Pt. 2
I wish that every child of believing parents would never stray from Christ. But our three sons have, and some of my siblings have done so. In the churches I have attended, I have noticed the same thing as you, either the congregation as a whole was very elderly and so, there were very few children, teens, and young adults who regularly attended and were involved in the life of the congregation or there were many parents with young children (in churches with more contemporary worship) and larger teen groups, but young adults were fairly awol. I think this trend has been happening for decades, but it is more evident now for several reasons:
1) There are fewer and fewer Christian believers in our generation than in past generations. the U.S. is becoming less Christian with each generation.
2) Many long-standing traditional congregations have become mostly elderly-even though these believers raised their children up in the church.
3) A good percentage of children of believing parents do not attend church once they reach adulthood and move away from home. Many do return when to church when they are married with children.
4) Compared to generations of Baby Boomer and older, there are far fewer children being born in our country. The "pool" of young children to be reached for Christ is becoming smaller and smaller.
5) Back when I was growing up, most people I encountered were Christian and attended church. This was a cultural thing in the U.S. in the 50's and 60's. But the 60's counterculture changed the culture to a more and more secular culture with each new generation. So fewer and fewer children are being raised by Christian parents.
How sad this is in our country which was first settled mostly by Christians seeking to begin a new life in a wide open continent that afforded religious freedom, land to acquire, and unlimited opportunities for one to make a living. May God let His light shine forth in the darkness in the U.S. more than ever.
4)
I pray you are doing well today.
I was one who was brought up in the church by believing parents with many siblings. There were families on every block for a mile radius that attended our church. So, my childhood experience was one where I did not know much of what was believed by those outside of my denomination. I began to learn a bit more through high school and college about what some other believers believed. However, for so many years of my life I thought that most believers believed what has been considered "orthodox" beliefs-those doctrines that have historically been considered correct. In the last 20 years I have had more exposure to the various doctrines taught by many denominations and this has opened my eyes to many ideas that i had never heard of before. Now I do not take it for granted that most believers adhere to the same doctrines. I have had to study the differences between many concepts where there are several approaches at odds with one another and to decide which aligns with Scripture the best.
As you said, many can be brought up in the church and not develop a strong personal relationship with Jesus. I did from a very early age, so there was not a time where I can remember not believing in Jesus and the gospel. I never had anything like a personal "experience" of conversion because I was not without Christ and then came to Him. I always remember being in Him.
And also, you said that many brought up in the church and, like me, always believing, may not have as keen of a mindset of how depraved we are and how much we need to be saved from our own sin. I can say that, because I do not remember being lost, the Holy Spirit did help me as an adult to come to understand the depth of my sinfulness which led me to a deeper appreciation of how Jesus saved me and how hopeless i, or anyone is, without the working of the Holy Spirit to regenerate us to faith in Jesus.
See Pt. 2
my childhood and teenage years were spent in the church.
I remember it like it was yesterday,
walking there with my grandparents.
We would go on foot, singing as we went and coming back happy. Every day. I remeber how the church was always full, even though it was small.
There were dance presentations and worship, and everyone had an opportunity.
Ever since I was little, I did everything in church - I just didn't preach. I took part in all of them - from the children's group to the elderly. There ere only evening services, but over time the church began to empty out. Sometimes we would stop by the homes of some members to help them not get discouraged. they were always members who lived close to the church - sometimes right next door. Later my grandfather started alternating with another church her himself built. I remeber the construction well, and i remember taking my childhood friend there.
a second that church didn't fill up much either, but he used to say that if he didn't go, he would lose the day. That's why I love remembering the church the way he did. It was the path God chose for my grandparents. These days, I prefer smaller cell churches. But wherever there are peopler, there will be different opinions on how God's work should be done. I think maybe He didn't want it to be crowded - out of mercy for out family.
There are som many fun and loving memories.
"but want to know there is some audience even if just a few or a dozen or so to these writings." Be encouraged nothing done for the glory of the Lord is ever lost. It is is my credo. We are not in a vacuum. David speaks of preaching righteousness to a great congregation. Cloud of witnesses are our audience. What is whispered shall be shouted from the rooftops.
A church environment is good for the flesh and what spiritual comfort one can have when the elders rabbi and the Pharisees were smug and would not come to the truth. They understood Jesus was the truth. They loved the praise of men so they dared not show thmeselves in the company of the true Light,
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