"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"

3/31/2017 8:53:53 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008	Polar bear photographed 'praying' next to cross THE CANADIAN PRESS First posted: Thursday, March 30, 2017 09:04 AM EDT WESLEYVILLE, N.L. — Jessica Andrews was scanning through dozens of photos she took of a polar bear roaming around her backyard when she came across one that stopped her in her tracks. The large animal was squatting beneath a white cross, its paws together and raised skyward as it looked up in a seemingly reverential pose. “I didn’t notice it when I was taking them, but when I started to go through to edit them, oh my God, I was like, ’Holy crap, he’s praying!”’ the 22-year-old said from her home in Wesleyville, a shoreline community on Newfoundland’s central coast. “I was amazed, I mean, beyond amazed.” The slightly grainy photo shows the bear sitting on its haunches on a barren, snow-covered patch of rock as it looks up to the top of the white cross. Andrews said she heard there was a polar bear on the small island behind her house soon after she arrived home from work at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. She grabbed her camera and spotted the bear wandering around some old fishing boxes on the island before it slipped into the water and ventured over to a neighbouring island. She kept shooting photos and watching the bear with binoculars, insisting that the curious animal was staring back at her. She said the bear then approached the cross, sniffed around the base and then put his paw on it as if to climb up the main beam. “He stood up and put his paw on the cross and that’s the picture I took,” she said. “It was almost like he was staring right at me.” Andrews, who had never seen a polar bear before, said it’s not uncommon for the animals to visit the area. She said the animal meandered around the islands and rolled in the snow before disappearing from view Wednesday evening. “It looked like he was having so much fun and it made me happy!” she said, adding that she took about 200 photos of the bear. Police have issued a warning to people in the area to stay away from the bear. The most basic definition of prayer is “talking to God.” Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection; it is direct address to God. It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul. Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate his emotions and desires with God and to fellowship with God. Prayer can be audible or silent, private or public, formal or informal. All prayer must be offered in faith (James 1:6), in the name of the Lord Jesus (John 16:23), and in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26). As the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia puts it, “Christian prayer in its full New Testament meaning is prayer addressed to God as Father, in the name of Christ as Mediator, and through the enabling grace of the indwelling Spirit” (“Prayer” by J. C. Lambert). The wicked have no desire to pray (Psalm 10:4), but the children of God have a natural desire to pray (Luke 11:1). Prayer is described in the Bible as seeking God’s favor (Exodus 32:11), pouring out one’s soul to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:15), crying out to heaven (2 Chronicles 32:20), drawing near to God (Psalm 73:28, KJV), and kneeling before the Father (Ephesians 3:14). As we go through the day, prayer should be our first response to every fearful situation, every anxious thought, and every undesired task that God commands. A lack of prayer will cause us to depend on ourselves instead of depending on God's grace. Unceasing prayer is, in essence, continual dependence upon and communion with the Father. For Christians, prayer should be like breathing. You do not have to think to breathe because the atmosphere exerts pressure on your lungs and essentially forces you to breathe. That is why it is more difficult to hold your breath than it is to breathe. Similarly, when we are born into the family of God, we enter into a spiritual atmosphere where God's presence and grace exert pressure, or influence, on our lives. Prayer is the normal response to that pressure. As believers, we have all entered the divine atmosphere to breathe the air of prayer. Unfortunately, many believers hold their “spiritual breath” for long periods, thinking brief moments with God are sufficient to allow them to survive. But such restricting of their spiritual intake is caused by sinful desires. The fact is that every believer must be continually in the presence of God, constantly breathing in His truths, to be fully functional. It is easier for Christians to feel secure by presuming on—instead of depending on—God's grace. Too many believers become satisfied with physical blessings and have little desire for spiritual ones. When programs, methods, and money produce impressive results, there is an inclination to confuse human success with divine blessing. When that happens, passionate longing for God and yearning for His help will be missing. Continual, persistent, incessant prayer is an essential part of Christian living and flows out of humility and dependence on God. Recommended Resource: Prayer, The Great Adventure by David Jeremiah Meet singles at DateHookup.dating, we're 100% free! Join now!
3/31/2017 9:02:08 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008	"What does it mean to use vain repetitions in prayer?" Answer: Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7, KJV). The word vain means “empty” or “useless”; so Jesus is warning us that repeating worthless phrases in our prayers will not help them be heard by God. Our Heavenly Father is not concerned with word count, flowery expressions, or mantras; He desires “truth in the inward being” (Psalm 51:6, ESV). “Use not vain repetitions” is the King James translation of Matthew 6:7. Other translations say, “Do not use meaningless repetition” (NASB), “Do not heap up empty phrases” (ESV), or “Do not keep on babbling” (NIV). As Jesus points out, the use of repetitious words or formulaic phrases is a “heathen” or “pagan” practice and should not be part of Christian prayer. Our prayers should be more like the short, simple prayer of Elijah on Mt. Carmel and less like the prolonged, repetitious prayers of the prophets of Baal (see 1 Kings 18:25–39). When we are praying, we are talking with God and worshipping Him. It is like a conversation, from the heart. Many religions—including some branches of Christianity—have rote prayers that they advise repeating over and over again. Some churches even go so far as to require their members to recite a certain prayer a specific number of times in order to be absolved of sin. This is a throwback to paganism and superstition; such formulaic prayers are “vain repetitions” that have no place in the church. Jesus has already atoned for our sins once and for all (Hebrews 10:10), and we can approach the throne of grace boldly on the merit of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 4:15–16), not because of our “many words” (Matthew 6:7). It’s easy to be caught up in vain repetitions, repeating the same words in our prayers instead of thinking about our words or letting them come from the heart. We should be focused on God in prayer and honor Him in our hearts. In Isaiah 29:13, God says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Jesus’ warning against vain repetitions means we should avoid vain or meaningless words and repetition in our prayers. Repeating things fills up time, but it does not prove our devotion or better our chances of God’s hearing us. We should teach our children at an early age to pray in a natural, conversational manner, with reverence for the One they are addressing. Being persistent in prayer is not the same as using vain repetitions. There is nothing wrong with praying for the same thing more than once (see 2 Corinthians 12:8). After all, Jesus taught us that we should “always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1). But it’s understood that our prayers are from the heart, spontaneous, and honoring to God, not the repeating of words written by someone else. The Bible teaches us to pray in faith (James 1:6), in direct address to God (Matthew 6:9), and in Jesus’ name (John 14:13). We should offer our prayers with reverence and humility (Luke 18:13), with perseverance (Luke 18:1), and in submission to God’s will (Matthew 6:10). The Bible teaches us to avoid prayers that are hypocritical, designed to be heard only by men (Matthew 6:5), or rely on vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7). Quite simply, for followers of Jesus Christ prayer is the best way to communicate with God. Prayer is the vehicle for daily dialog with the One who created us. The importance of daily communication through prayer cannot be overestimated. It is so important that it is mentioned over 250 times in Scripture. So why is daily prayer so important? First, daily prayer gives us an opportunity to share all aspects of our lives with God. Second, daily prayer gives us the chance to express our gratitude for the things He provides. Third, daily prayer provides the platform for confessing our sin and asking for help in overcoming that sin. Fourth, daily prayer is an act of worship and obedience. And finally, daily prayer is a way to acknowledge who is really in control of our lives. Let’s take a look at each of these important reasons in a little more detail. Daily prayer gives us an opportunity to share all aspects of one’s life with God. Life’s circumstances change on a daily basis. In fact, things can go from good to bad to worse in a very short time. God calls us to bring our concerns to Him for disposition and potential blessing. He also calls us to share our joys and triumphs with Him. In fact, Jeremiah 33:3 states, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” God wants us to call on Him so that He can answer our prayers. He also wants to share with us incredible blessings that we might otherwise have missed had we not reached out to Him through prayer. And finally, James 4:8 tells us to “draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” God wants us to be close to Him at all times. Daily prayer gives us the chance to express gratitude for the things in life that He provides. It is no secret that we must give thanks to the Lord for all the things that He provides and all of the things He does on our behalf. His goodness and lovingkindness to us should be recognized on a daily basis. In 1 Chronicles 16:34, we are commanded to “give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” The psalmist tells us in Psalm 9:1, “I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.” We pray on a daily basis to acknowledge His faithfulness and His abundant provision in our daily lives. Daily prayer provides the platform for confessing our sin and asking for help repenting of that sin. Let’s face it, we all sin daily whether we know it or not. So as followers of Jesus Christ, what must we do? Scripture makes it very clear: “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’— and you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psalm 32:5). Tell God what He already knows and do it on a daily basis. Daily prayer time is a great place to unburden one’s self from the debilitating effects of sin. So often Christians walk around with unconfessed sin that hinders our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, when we should humbly submit ourselves and ask for forgiveness in prayer. Another important element of daily prayer is asking God for the strength to repent of our sins. Only God can help us turn from our sins, and, for this to be so, He needs to hear our plea to repent. Daily prayer is an act of worship and obedience. Perhaps no other verse better summarizes why we should pray on a daily basis than 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” It’s God’s will for His children to rejoice in Him, to pray to Him and give thanks to Him. To pray without ceasing simply means that we should make prayer a regular habit and never stop doing so. Prayer also is an act of worship because by praying to Him we are showing Him how much we adore Him. Daily prayer is also an act of obedience that brings joy to the Lord to see His children following His commands. Recommended Resource: Prayer, The Great Adventure by David Jeremiah
3/31/2017 9:59:35 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	Well said, Clarity.
3/31/2017 10:13:30 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008	thx lud.... since i was a child, i recall, i always felt that i was in constant silent communication with GOD until i rested my head on my pillow and i would thank GOD for the day, pray for a new day, and pray 'AMEN'....... and so it is to this day. The most basic definition of prayer is “talking to God.” Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection; it is direct address to God. It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul. Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate his emotions and desires with God and to fellowship with God. Prayer can be audible or silent, private or public, formal or informal. All prayer must be offered in faith (James 1:6), in the name of the Lord Jesus (John 16:23), and in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26). As the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia puts it, “Christian prayer in its full New Testament meaning is prayer addressed to God as Father, in the name of Christ as Mediator, and through the enabling grace of the indwelling Spirit” (“Prayer” by J. C. Lambert). The wicked have no desire to pray (Psalm 10:4), but the children of God have a natural desire to pray (Luke 11:1). Prayer is described in the Bible as seeking God’s favor (Exodus 32:11), pouring out one’s soul to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:15), crying out to heaven (2 Chronicles 32:20), drawing near to God (Psalm 73:28, KJV), and kneeling before the Father (Ephesians 3:14). As we go through the day, prayer should be our first response to every fearful situation, every anxious thought, and every undesired task that God commands. A lack of prayer will cause us to depend on ourselves instead of depending on God's grace. Unceasing prayer is, in essence, continual dependence upon and communion with the Father. For Christians, prayer should be like breathing. You do not have to think to breathe because the atmosphere exerts pressure on your lungs and essentially forces you to breathe. That is why it is more difficult to hold your breath than it is to breathe. Similarly, when we are born into the family of God, we enter into a spiritual atmosphere where God's presence and grace exert pressure, or influence, on our lives. Prayer is the normal response to that pressure. As believers, we have all entered the divine atmosphere to breathe the air of prayer. Unfortunately, many believers hold their “spiritual breath” for long periods, thinking brief moments with God are sufficient to allow them to survive. But such restricting of their spiritual intake is caused by sinful desires. The fact is that every believer must be continually in the presence of God, constantly breathing in His truths, to be fully functional. It is easier for Christians to feel secure by presuming on—instead of depending on—God's grace. Too many believers become satisfied with physical blessings and have little desire for spiritual ones. When programs, methods, and money produce impressive results, there is an inclination to confuse human success with divine blessing. When that happens, passionate longing for God and yearning for His help will be missing. Continual, persistent, incessant prayer is an essential part of Christian living and flows out of humility and dependence on God. Recommended Resource: Prayer, The Great Adventure by David Jeremiah
3/31/2017 10:20:27 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
bigd9832 Chicago, IL 64, joined Oct. 2007	Thought is prayer. KJV Pr 23:7 For as a man thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart [is] not with thee. CLV Mt 6:7 Now, in praying, you should not use useless repetitions even as those of the nations. For they are supposing that they will be hearkened to in their loquacity. These instructions regarding prayer come very close to us, for our abhorrence of hypocrisy should be much more pronounced than theirs. Perhaps a succinct way of putting it is, Never say your prayers; always pray them. Real prayer is possible only under the urge of the holy Spirit, and shuns the possible approbation of men, for it is meant for God alone [(cf page 332, 15).] A. E. Knoch Jesus is telling us to pray in the Holy Spirit only. Cool Polar bear pic. We had a cat that was thrown from a moving car into a window well. His back leg has a big gash and the vet said he wouldn't be able to walk. We believe that God healed him. I have seen him put up his paws to praise the Lord.
3/31/2017 3:30:30 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	Talking to God---prayer---absolutely essential for a genuine Christian spiritual life. In fact having a personal relationship with Jesus means having a prayer life and talking to Him. But actually "communicating with God" is a better definition for prayer than "talking with God", because work and suffering are nonverbal communication with God, and if offered up to God, they are a form of prayer. Also, seeing God in nature, in the beauty of it, can be called prayer. There is a form of prayer called contemplation, wherein we don't say anything at all to God, we just adore and listen. Many of the canonized saints did this for hours, but I can only do it for a few minutes at a time. Vain repetition, like eastern mantra sayers and Pentecostal tongue speakers do, is not really prayer at all. The first is a kind of mind training only, not having its object God, and the second is what you might call spiritual indulgence, or spiritual materialism.
4/2/2017 4:36:32 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
bigd9832 Chicago, IL 64, joined Oct. 2007	Quote from brashdoc: Praise the Lord for his boldness in being a witness for Christ and the truth of the Scriptures and how following Christ and continuing in obeying what He taught does indeed set us free! CLV Mt 6:1 "Yet take heed not to be doing your righteousness in front of men, in order toward be gazed at by them, otherwise surely you have not wages with your Father Who is in the heavens. 2 "Whenever, then, you may be doing alms, you should not be trumpeting in front of you, even as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they should be glorified by men. Verily, I am saying to you, They are collecting their wages! 3 Yet you, doing alms, let not your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 so that your alms may be in hiding, and your Father, Who is observing in hiding, will be paying you. 5 "And whenever you may be praying, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they are fond of standing in the synagogues and at the corners of the squares to be praying, so that they may appear to men. Verily, I am saying to you, They are collecting their wages! 6 "Now you, whenever you may be praying, enter into your storeroom, and, locking your door, pray to your Father Who is in hiding, and your Father, Who is observing in hiding, will be paying you.
4/8/2017 10:42:13 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?" Ludlow does. Over and over and over again. To Mary. "...devotion to Mary is necessary for salvation." -Ludlow "...devotion to Mary is mandatory..." -Ludlow "The hearts of Jesus and Mary reign together." -Ludlow "Do me a favor, KB, say one Hail Mary every day for a week, and if you do it with an open mind, I guarantee you will grow closer to Jesus." -Ludlow "Mary is the Queen of Heaven. The Catholic Church, the Church founded by Christ, says so." -Ludlow "I can prove that Mary is the Queen of Heaven. The Catholic Church says so, and the Church is infallible about things like this." -Ludlow "...everything we have we got through Mary." -Ludlow "Mary is queen of Heaven and sovereign mistress of the angels for one reason and one reason only: God appointed her to that office." -Ludlow [There's that word "sovereign" again.] "I would recommend that people pray sometimes to Mary or one of the saints... Let the prayer life have some variety." -Ludlow/Satan You've really got bigger fish to fry, Clarity, than my alleged "cultish beliefs."
4/8/2017 11:33:23 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	You have MUCH bigger fish to fry than my alleged "cultish beliefs," Clarity. You should be declaring all out war on this abomination of a mainstream cult, the Catholic church. * "Hail holy queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry,poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we lift up our mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, o gracious mother, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and, after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, o loving, o sweet Virgin Mary." -Ludlow "Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing. You reign now in splendor with Jesus our King." -Ludlow "Every blessing we have, spiritual and material, comes from Mary." -Ludlow "The Bible came from the Church. The Church came from Jesus. Jesus came from Mary. So ultimately the Bible did come from Mary." -Ludlow "Then why do I always find my keys? Yesterday St. Anthony helped me find my checkbook. A couple of weeks ago he helped me find a missing flip-flop." -Ludlow "Mary is queen of the universe." -Ludlow "Why get so worked up over prayers to Mary? Why not just let people who like that do it? What do you care?" -Ludlow "Jesus called His diciples to believe in the Catholic Church. It's the truth... I've studied this stuff for years." -Ludlow
4/9/2017 10:02:56 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008	An atheist was walking through the woods. 'What majestic trees!' 'What powerful rivers!' 'What beautiful animals!' He said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & saw that the bear was closing in on him. He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strike him. At that instant moment, the Atheist cried out: 'Oh my God!' Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. 'You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident.' 'Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament?' 'Am I to count you as a believer?' The atheist looked directly into the light, and said: 'It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian?' 'Very well', said the voice. The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke: 'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from Thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.'
4/9/2017 10:06:48 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008	When seeking what we can learn from the thief on the cross, it should be remembered that at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, two thieves were crucified beside Him (Luke 23:33–43), and both began their time on the cross by mocking and blaspheming Him, as did many of the spectators. One of the thieves responded in faith to the message of salvation and was taken to paradise that very day. He is the one usually referred to as the thief on the cross, while the other man did not respond in faith and is now suffering from a deadly and eternal mistake. It is remarkable that, while in the excruciating and mind-numbing torment of the cross, the Son of Man had the heart, mind, and will to pray for others. Yet it is a miracle that one thief, while in agony himself, heard the Spirit of God call him to repentance and acceptance of the forgiveness God was just about to provide through the death of Christ. While the disciples were abandoning the Lord, this man answered the call, and his sins were forgiven, including his blasphemy against the Son of God (Luke 5:31-32, 12:8–10). That the other thief rejected Jesus is remarkable in its own right. While being tortured on the cross he literally joined his torturers in insulting the Savior of the world, and he most likely did so because he wanted his torturers to think he was just like them, joined to the world and with no love for God (Matthew 27:44). Not only was this man next to the Savior, he heard Him pray, he witnessed the salvation of the other thief, he saw the world go dark, and he heard the testimony of the Son. But his pride kept him from submitting to the only One who could save him, and when he one day bows to the Name he mocked, he will be doing so reluctantly and while in torment (Philippians 2:10). What we learn from the saved thief on the cross is that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, and no matter the number of our sins and no matter if we, or the world, think our sins are minor or extreme, it is never too late to repent and accept the free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9; Revelation 22:17). Moreover, as long as someone still has a mind and the will to choose life over death (Hebrews 9:27), it is not too late to proclaim the gospel, which hopefully will open a heart to a miracle by the Holy Spirit. Recommended Resource: Jesus: The Greatest Life of All by Charles Swindoll
4/9/2017 10:14:52 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	(this post has been flagged as inappropriate, sorry.)
4/9/2017 11:19:00 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008
4/9/2017 11:33:18 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	Clarity101, is this just your evasive way of dismissing what I said an a expression of your intent to continue on with your blasphemous murderous beliefs and teachings about God/Jesus?
4/9/2017 11:41:09 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008
4/9/2017 12:15:59 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	Quote from kb2222: Clarity101, I suggest you repent and pray for forgiveness for believing/teaching God/Jesus would order man to stone and burn people to death at the stake and then torment them in a fiery Hell for eternity for all these absurd reasons... Kill People Who Don't Listen to Priests (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT) Kill Witches (Exodus 22:17 NAB) Kill Homosexuals (Leviticus 20:13 NAB) Kill Fortunetellers (Leviticus 20:27 NAB) Death for Hitting Dad (Exodus 21:15 NAB) Death for Cursing Parents (Proverbs 20:20 NAB, Leviticus 20:9 NLT) Death for Adultery (Leviticus 20:10 NLT) Death for Fornication (Leviticus 21:9 NAB) Death to Followers of Other Religions (Exodus 22:19 NAB) Kill Nonbelievers (2 Chronicles 15:12-13 NAB) Kill False Prophets (Zechariah 13:3 NAB) Kill the Entire Town if One Person Worships Another God (Deuteronomy 13:13-18 NLT) Kill Women Who Are Not Virgins On Their Wedding Night (Deuteronomy 22:20-21 NAB) Kill Followers of Other Religions. (Deuteronomy 13:7-12 NAB, Deuteronomy 17:2-5 NLT) Death for Blasphemy (Leviticus 24:10-16 NLT) Kill False Prophets (Deuteronomy 13:1-5 NLT, Deuteronomy 18:20-22 NLT) Infidels and Gays Should Die (Romans 1:24-32 NLT) Kill Anyone who Approaches the Tabernacle (Numbers 1:48-51 NLT) Kill People for Working on the Sabbath (Exodus 31:12-15 NLT) Kill Sons of Sinners (Isaiah 14:21 NAB)
4/9/2017 1:00:07 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008	The New Covenant (or New Testament) is the promise that God makes with humanity that He will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward Him. Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant, and His death on the cross is the basis of the promise (Luke 22:20). The New Covenant was predicted while the Old Covenant was still in effect—the prophets Moses, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all allude to the New Covenant. The Old Covenant that God had established with His people required strict obedience to the Mosaic Law. Because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), the Law required that Israel perform daily sacrifices in order to atone for sin. But Moses, through whom God established the Old Covenant, also anticipated the New Covenant. In one of his final addresses to the nation of Israel, Moses looks forward to a time when Israel would be given “a heart to understand” (Deuteronomy 29:4, ESV). Moses predicts that Israel would fail in keeping the Old Covenant (verses 22–28), but he then sees a time of restoration (30:1–5). At that time, Moses says, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live” (verse 6). The New Covenant involves a total change of heart so that God’s people are naturally pleasing to Him. The prophet Jeremiah also predicted the New Covenant. “‘The day will come,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. . . . But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,’ says the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (Jeremiah 31:31, 33). Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17) and to establish the New Covenant between God and His people. The Old Covenant was written in stone, but the New Covenant is written on our hearts. Entering the New Covenant is made possible only by faith in Christ, who shed His blood to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Luke 22:20 relates how Jesus, at the Last Supper, takes the cup and says, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (ESV). The New Covenant is also mentioned in Ezekiel 36:26–27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel lists several aspects of the New Covenant here: a new heart, a new spirit, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and true holiness. The Mosaic Law could provide none of these things (see Romans 3:20). The New Covenant was originally given to Israel and includes a promise of fruitfulness, blessing, and a peaceful existence in the Promised Land. In Ezekiel 36:28–30 God says, “Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. . . . I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.” Deuteronomy 30:1–5 contains similar promises related to Israel under the New Covenant. After the resurrection of Christ, Gentiles were brought into the blessing of the New Covenant, too (Acts 10; Ephesians 2:13–14). The fulfillment of the New Covenant will be seen in two places: on earth, during the Millennial Kingdom; and in heaven, for all eternity. We are no longer under the Law but under grace (Romans 6:14–15). The Old Covenant has served its purpose, and it has been replaced by “a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22). “In fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). Under the New Covenant, we are given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8–9). Our responsibility is to exercise faith in Christ, the One who fulfilled the Law on our behalf and brought an end to the Law’s sacrifices through His own sacrificial death. Through the life-giving Holy Spirit who lives in all believers (Romans 8:9–11), we share in the inheritance of Christ and enjoy a permanent, unbroken relationship with God (Hebrews 9:15). Recommended Resource: The Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul Enns
4/9/2017 4:17:04 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	Clarity101, do you actually believe God/Jesus would order man to stone and burn people to death at the stake and then torment them in a fiery Hell for eternity for all these absurd reasons? Kill People Who Don't Listen to Priests (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT) Kill Witches (Exodus 22:17 NAB) Kill Homosexuals (Leviticus 20:13 NAB) Kill Fortunetellers (Leviticus 20:27 NAB) Death for Hitting Dad (Exodus 21:15 NAB) Death for Cursing Parents (Proverbs 20:20 NAB, Leviticus 20:9 NLT) Death for Adultery (Leviticus 20:10 NLT) Death for Fornication (Leviticus 21:9 NAB) Death to Followers of Other Religions (Exodus 22:19 NAB) Kill Nonbelievers (2 Chronicles 15:12-13 NAB) Kill False Prophets (Zechariah 13:3 NAB) Kill the Entire Town if One Person Worships Another God (Deuteronomy 13:13-18 NLT) Kill Women Who Are Not Virgins On Their Wedding Night (Deuteronomy 22:20-21 NAB) Kill Followers of Other Religions. (Deuteronomy 13:7-12 NAB, Deuteronomy 17:2-5 NLT) Death for Blasphemy (Leviticus 24:10-16 NLT) Kill False Prophets (Deuteronomy 13:1-5 NLT, Deuteronomy 18:20-22 NLT) Infidels and Gays Should Die (Romans 1:24-32 NLT) Kill Anyone who Approaches the Tabernacle (Numbers 1:48-51 NLT) Kill People for Working on the Sabbath (Exodus 31:12-15 NLT) Kill Sons of Sinners (Isaiah 14:21 NAB) Why don't you answer, clarity101?
4/9/2017 7:04:29 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	Most everything on your list=mortal sin. Mortal sin=Hell forever, a much worse punishment that stoning or being burned at the stake. But relax, KB. You have put all your sins behind you, remember? You haven't committed a sin in years. You haven't even looked at a woman in lust. You won't burn in Hell.
4/9/2017 8:31:01 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	You are no more righteous in your heart than Satan who you serve with your depraved teachings about God our Holy Father and you are going to have your reward, Ludlow.
4/9/2017 10:28:16 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	If there is no Hell, what is my terrible reward, KB? Cessation of being? What kind of punishment is that?
4/10/2017 2:25:25 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	Ludlow says: "If there is no Hell, what is my terrible reward, KB? Cessation of being? What kind of punishment is that?" ================================================================================ That's just pure stupid, Lud. Even in human society, the greatest punishment is the death penalty, the electric chair, the hanging, the firing squad, the burning at the stake which your Church knows all about. It's the ultimate result of wrongdoing and you bring it about yourself. And it rids the universe of those who refuse to obey God. As you do.
4/10/2017 2:31:31 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	And in God's case, it's not a punishment at all. That's another Satanic lie you push. Cessation of existence is a result of refusing God's reality. You cause it.
4/10/2017 10:01:24 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	Ludlow, no wonder you are so deviously corrupt, wicked-minded and blasphemous, from what you say you appear to not even value the continuation of your own existence. What a doomed personality you have made of yourself, Ludlow.
4/10/2017 12:45:13 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	On the contrary, KB, I certainly do value my eternal existence, and if I persevere in the state of grace and avoid mortal sin, I am assured of eternal life in Heaven with God, the saints, and the angels.
4/10/2017 1:17:53 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	You are no more righteous in your heart than Satan who you serve with your depraved murderous teachings about God our Holy Father and you are going to have your reward, Ludlow. Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. [Edited 4/10/2017 1:19:11 PM ]
4/10/2017 2:08:42 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	Quote from ludlowlowell: On the contrary, KB, I certainly do value my eternal existence, and if I persevere in the state of grace and avoid mortal sin, I am assured of eternal life in Heaven with God, the saints, and the angels.
4/10/2017 2:18:57 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Are you calling Jesus a liar, Ludlow?
4/10/2017 3:35:23 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	Quote from kb2222: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Are you calling Jesus a liar, Ludlow? No. Jesus taught that Hell exists, so I believe Hell exists. Jesus taught that only repentant sinners can enter the Kingdom of God, so I have repented of my sins. Jesus taught that the way to Hellbis broad and the way to Heaven is narrow, so I try to stay on the narrow path. Jesus said we had to come out of the world, at least in spirit, if we want to be saved, so I try to avoid thinking like the world thinks.
4/10/2017 4:04:07 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	Quote from kb2222: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Are you calling Jesus a liar, Ludlow? Quote from ludlowlowell: No. Then how do you see your righteousness exceeding the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees if you believe like the scribes and Pharisees, Ludlow? Jesus taught that Hell exists, so I believe Hell exists. Jesus taught that only repentant sinners can enter the Kingdom of God, so I have repented of my sins. Jesus taught that the way to Hellbis broad and the way to Heaven is narrow, so I try to stay on the narrow path. Jesus said we had to come out of the world, at least in spirit, if we want to be saved, so I try to avoid thinking like the world thinks. Those reasons for killing people offer no opportunity for repentance and if you believe it is righteous and just to kill people for these reasons and believe that is what Jesus ordered man to do then you are clearly as morally confused/depraved and spiritually insane/lost as the scribes and Pharisees, Ludlow, and in this day and time that is INEXCUSABLE.
4/10/2017 4:45:28 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	There is always opportunity for repentance and forgiveness, up until the time of our passing this life.
4/10/2017 5:10:52 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	Why didn't you answer my question and you are lying. Those reasons say the offender shall be put to death and you are INSANE to believe people should be stoned and burnt to death at the stake for those reasons. The way you think and believe is more like Hitler than a follower of Jesus. For you to believe people should be stoned and burnt to death at the stake for those reasons shows how absolutely evil minded you truly are, Ludlow.
4/10/2017 7:43:10 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	I never said that people should be stoned or burned for their mortal sins. God did. Keep in mind that Jesus abrogated the Levitical law, and these stoning/burning laws have not been in effect for the last two millenia.
4/10/2017 8:08:07 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	Quote from ludlowlowell: I never said that people should be stoned or burned for their mortal sins. God did. You are LYING again. You lie so much you can't remember what you have previously said. You have said before you thought all those reasons for killing people were "reasonable." Are you now retracting that, Ludlow? Keep in mind that Jesus abrogated the Levitical law, and these stoning/burning laws have not been in effect for the last two millenia. Were all those murderous laws truly from God/Jesus and righteous and just there would have been no reason for Jesus to abrogate them as you claim, Ludlow. You are truly a corrupt sicko, Ludlow, and no more a Christian than were The self-righteous Pharisees who killed Jesus.
4/10/2017 8:23:08 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	Ludlow says: "I never said that people should be stoned or burned for their mortal sins. God did." ============================================================================ That's exactly what Satan would say to defame God. God never said any such thing. You don't even love God according to Jesus, so it's no wonder you defame Him, defy Him, disobey Him, and contradict Him. "If a man love me, he will keep my words."(John 14:23) "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." (John 14:24)
4/10/2017 8:52:36 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	There was plenty of reason---in the Old Covenant, God wanted to emphasize His justice, and in the New Covenant God wanted to emphasize His mercy. This does not mean that God in the old days wasn't merciful or that God now isn't just---it's just a matter of emphasis.
4/10/2017 9:19:32 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
kb2222 Jacksonville, FL 76, joined Apr. 2011	Quote from ludlowlowell: There was plenty of reason---in the Old Covenant, God wanted to emphasize His justice, and in the New Covenant God wanted to emphasize His mercy. This does not mean that God in the old days wasn't merciful or that God now isn't just---it's just a matter of emphasis. What fricken justice do you see in stoning and burning people to death at the stake for all those absurd reasons? God/Jesus are not murderous idiots. God/Jesus doesn't teach ethical conduct by murdering people. You are truly a corrupt sicko, Ludlow, and no more a Christian than were The self-righteous Pharisees who killed Jesus.
4/10/2017 9:26:15 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	Ludlow says: "There was plenty of reason---in the Old Covenant, God wanted to emphasize His justice, and in the New Covenant God wanted to emphasize His mercy. This does not mean that God in the old days wasn't merciful or that God now isn't just---it's just a matter of emphasis." ====================================================================== You are a sick Catholic man who Jesus says does not even love God. You blaspheme God. God's attitude toward us never changes. God is perfect. God does not punish people. Get out of your sick church. Psa_145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
5/4/2017 8:32:53 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008	Franklin Graham Last night I was at the White House for dinner with other pastors and Christian leaders from across the country. I thank God that we have a president who seeks the counsel of men and women of God. He is set to sign an executive order today that helps protect churches and Christian organizations. Today is the National Day of Prayer. I hope you will pray for our country today—pray for President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and all in leadership, that God would give them wisdom. As a nation we need to ask for God’s forgiveness, direction, and blessing. “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God…” (Daniel 9:19).
5/4/2017 2:46:18 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	Quote from clarity101: Franklin Graham Last night I was at the White House for dinner with other pastors and Christian leaders from across the country. I thank God that we have a president who seeks the counsel of men and women of God. He is set to sign an executive order today that helps protect churches and Christian organizations. Today is the National Day of Prayer. I hope you will pray for our country today—pray for President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and all in leadership, that God would give them wisdom. God will not, or was not, going to "give them wisdom" unless we cajoled Him to do so? ...for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. (Mat_6:8) As a nation we need to ask for God’s forgiveness, Forgiveness for what? For brutally killing over 2 million Vietnamese who never attacked the United States? We went over there, 10,000 miles from our "homeland" and warred on them, little poverty stricken, starving, yellow skinned Buddhist people. I hope God forgives us for that. We showed them how Christians and a Christian nation really is. At Mai Lai our brave Christian soldiers machine gunned women and children hiding in ditches. Why doesn't Franklin ask God to forgive us for that? Why is he so vague about what God should forgive us for? If Franklin spoke the truth he'd be run out of Washington. He's a panderer. What exactly do we need to ask His forgiveness for, as a nation? List all of the nation's sins that need forgiving. direction, and blessing. What does that mean, direction and blessing? God won't bless us unless we badger Him to do so? Does God know what we need before we ask, or doesn't He? And if God gives us direction to not start another war, are we going to do whatever the hell we want to do anyway? Isn't that what we usually do? ...for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. (Mat_6:8) “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God…” (Daniel 9:19). So Franklin is exhorting God to "listen and act" and not delay, for His own sake? Seriously?
5/6/2017 11:27:08 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008	Quote from followjesusonly: So Franklin is exhorting God to "listen and act" and not delay, for His own sake? Seriously? Matthew 6:8 is the eighth verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse continues the discussion on the proper procedure for praying. In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads: Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. The World English Bible translates the passage as: Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him. Jesus has just condemned the lengthy prayers of the Gentiles, and in this verse states that such prayers are unnecessary as God is aware of a person's desire even before they ask. A similar statement is made at Isaiah 65:24. This raises the question of why prayer is even necessary at all, and this issue has been much discussed by theologians. The most common view is that while God does not need prayer, humans do. Hendriksen states that while God clearly does not need the actual act of prayer, each person does need such an outlet to bare their soul.[1] Fowler believes this use of the term "your Father" is meant to enhance this fatherly aspect of God.[2] According to Schweizer prayer is a gift from God for the comfort of humans, not an action performed to seek a reward.[3] Fowler presents an alternate thesis that what Jesus is saying here is that, unlike in pagan prayers, there is no need to persuade or cajole God in prayer, God already knows all one's needs and a simple and sincere prayer would be the most effective. Quote from followjesusonly: “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God…” (Daniel 9:19). So Franklin is exhorting God to "listen and act" and not delay, for His own sake? Seriously? Daniel 9:19King James Version (KJV) 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. The lesson from the life of Daniel is that he exercised great integrity and, in doing so, received the respect and affection of the powerful rulers he served. However, his honesty and loyalty to his masters never led him to compromise his faith in the one true God. Rather than it being an obstacle to his success, Daniel’s continual devotion to God brought him the admiration of the unbelievers in his circle. When delivering his interpretations, he was quick to give God the credit for his ability to do so (Daniel 2:28). Daniel’s integrity as a man of God gained him favor with the secular world, yet he refused to compromise his faith in God. Even under the intimidation of kings and rulers, Daniel remained steadfast in his commitment to God. Daniel also teaches us that, no matter who we are dealing with, no matter what their status is, we are to treat them with compassion. See how concerned he is when delivering the interpretation to Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream (Daniel 4:19). As Christians, we are called to obey the rulers and authorities that God has put in place, treating them with respect and compassion; however, as we see from Daniel’s example, obeying God’s law must always take precedence over obeying men. As a result of his devotion, Daniel not only found favor with those around him, but above all he found favor with God and was held in high esteem by Him (Daniel 9:20-23). Notice also in those verses what the angel Gabriel told Daniel about how swiftly the answer to his prayer was dispatched. This shows us how ready the Lord is to hear the prayers of His people. Daniel’s strength lay in his devotion to prayer and is a lesson for us all. It is not just in the bad times but on a daily basis that we must come to God in prayer. Recommended Resource: The Great Lives from God's Word Series by Chuck Swindoll are you a professing christian? honestly, i dont know. it seems however that you often take scripture out of context. that is the mistake alot of folks do to make it fit their 'profession of faith' or 'agenda'....with all do respect.
5/6/2017 3:05:49 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	Quote from clarity101: are you a professing christian? honestly, i dont know. it seems however that you often take scripture out of context. that is the mistake alot of folks do to make it fit their 'profession of faith' or 'agenda'....with all do respect. I am a professing follower of Jesus. Is that good enough for you? Does that make me a Christian, or not? Maybe not in your eyes, I don't know. Maybe I should properly be called a "Jesusonian." I do not profess to be a follower of "the scriptures," nor of Chuck Swindoll, nor of Franklin Graham or Benjamin Franklin nor of Jimmy Swaggart nor of Paul, John, or Ringo, and so on. You should carefully consider thinking about what Jesus actually said and stop getting your opinions on what He meant from Swindoll and others. Just hear His words and go to the Spirit of Truth with your questions. Have you ever heard of the Spirit of Truth? Bypass Swindoll and all the other religious talking head intermediaries and their mostly mixed and mixed-up opinions (mixed-up as shown by the fact that there are literally thousands of Christian sects). You seem to filter everything Jesus said through someone else's agenda laden explanations in order to get your opinions. What's the difference between what you do, getting your opinions from Chuck Swindler and Ludlow getting his opinions from the Catholic church? No difference, just the opinions are different. Jesus sent the Spirit of truth to guide you into all truth. "...The Spirit of truth, ...will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13) Wow! Do you understand that? And yet you turn to Chuck Swindler and Franklin Graham for the truth. It's an addiction, turning to men for their doctrines, instead of actually doing what Jesus said, letting the Spirit of Truth guide you. In fact, the Spirit of Truth CANNOT guide you when you go to men for your answers. The Spirit of Truth cannot reach you when you are always listening to the religious yammerings of mere men who make their living doing what they do. The Spirit of Truth has no ulterior motives. Chuck Swindall and Franklin Graham, etc., do. It's their job to have religious opinions. It's how they pay their bills. Ludlow (and many others) is in the same boat. He blocks out the Spirit of Truth and gets all his opinions and beliefs from the pope and his church. You go to Swindall, etc., for your answers. The Spirit of Truth cannot operate in one's mind under those conditions.
5/6/2017 9:20:46 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	Quote from clarity101: Recommended Resource: The Great Lives from God's Word Series by Chuck Swindoll Did Jesus say: "...Chuck Swindoll...will guide you into all truth." (Paraphrasing John 16:13) No, He did not.
5/9/2017 1:14:23 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
clarity101 Aurora, CO 66, joined Oct. 2008	Quote from followjesusonly: Did Jesus say: "...Chuck Swindoll...will guide you into all truth." (Paraphrasing John 16:13) No, He did not. neither did HE say...." 'followjesusonly'...will guide you into all truth." John 16:13King James Version (KJV) 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [Edited 5/9/2017 1:15:48 PM ]
5/9/2017 3:34:01 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	Quote from clarity101: neither did HE say...." 'followjesusonly'...will guide you into all truth." You just implied I said something that I never said. You employed a lame strawman. It's dishonest. I have never claimed to be able to lead anyone into "all truth." He said the Spirit of Truth will guide you into all truth, not Chuck Swindle or Franklin Graham or Paul (who Jesus never heard of and who is not mentioned in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, in fact, not mentioned at all until Paul shows up talking about Paul).
5/26/2017 1:50:54 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	* Derek Penwell, Contributor Author, Editor, Speaker, Activist Franklin Graham Continues To Be The Worst Thing To Happen To God In A While I don’t find his twisted version of Christianity when I read the Gospels. 05/23/2017 05:13 pm ET \| Updated 2 days ago http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/franklin-graham-continues-to-be-the-worst-thing-to_us_59247900e4b07617ae4cc00c Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons 380 Franklin Graham appears intent on making Christianity more unappealing than a Pauly Shore comeback. I’m not saying Franklin Graham isn’t a Christian, but I don’t find his twisted version of Christianity when I read the Gospels. “What’s he done this time?” you might be wondering. He gave an interview to The Atlantic in which he sang from his now tired set list of self-indulgent grievances, blissfully unburdened by any debt to the truth: Muslims believe in forced conversions; the Boy Scouts are soon to be responsible for easily avoided cases of pedophilia because they let in the gays; Christians are the target of nefarious anti-baking cabals bent on stamping out the faith; liberal hearts are filled with hate; and U.S. Muslims engage in honor killings and female genital mutilation. Franklin starts in on the first few chords, and you get the sense that many conservative Christians are knocking each other over trying to pull out their lighters for an evangelical encore performance of “Free Bird.” But let’s be honest, we’ve come to expect this sort of petulant rhetoric from Franklin Graham. He winds it up every so often, and let’s it fly. In The Atlantic story, however, I found a line that seemed to strain the bonds of credulity—even for a rube like me. He reportedly said to “World” magazine in the author’s presence “that the persecution Christians face in the U.S. is ‘maybe not having your head cut off,’ but ‘there’s not too big of a difference here.’” You read that correctly. The intense persecution faced by Christians in America may not quite be “having your head cut off” by ISIS, but it’s almost, like, you know, the same thing. Let that sink in for a moment. Franklin Graham, an evangelical religious leader has just told the Atlantic reporter earlier in the article that he doesn’t like going to Washington, in part, apparently, because he just doesn’t like to “‘hang around looking for opportunities to go to the White House or to go to some senator’s office . . . I don’t have time for that’” (which, interestingly, is what all those Christians in an ISIS video say before somebody starts sawing off their heads with a tactical knife). Of grave concern to me, I should note at this point, is the realization that fundamentalism has highjacked a UFO, gotten hold of advanced alien technology, brought that ship to earth, broken into Franklin Graham’s house, and sucked his sense of irony right out of him. How can you, as the article says, “come to Washington to host the first-ever World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians,” which features “a who’s who of evangelical heavy-hitters and D.C. elites from the Texas megachurch pastor Jack Graham to Vice President Mike Pence,” and then, with a straight face, talk about how you and your white evangelical pals are just one step away from getting whacked by a terrorist (who, presumably, hates you because you love Jesus too much)? The vice president. That’s right. I’m no political expert, but if you whistle and the vice president comes, tail wagging like a 6-month-old Labrador Retriever, I’m guessing the scheme to frogmarch you to concentration camps is still in the planning stages; which is to say, you’re probably safe for now. If you go to an American town where a fawning crowd of thousands of fundamentalists anxiously await your every tortured word of biblical interpretation, and nobody sends a roving band of Uruk-hai to round you up and throw you in a dank cell in Isengard, maybe persecution isn’t the most pressing problem you face. When your darkest nightmare has to do with some militant LGBTQ couple forcing someone you don’t know in another part of the country to bake a wedding cake, I’d like to suggest that your threat detection system is dialed up a little too high. Because, here’s the thing, being a Christian is still legal in this country. But even if it weren’t, when have Christians ever needed governmental permission to act like Christians? You act faithfully regardless of whether or not your firmly held convictions are popular with the government, because if you don’t (fun fact), they’re not actually firmly held convictions—they’re merely propaganda, useful for whipping the theologically unsophisticated into a frenzy. That is to say, if you’re not at risk of having your literal head cut off for your faith, then whining about the danger faced by your figurative head (as if the two were pretty much the same thing) not only isn’t especially interesting, it’s offensive to all those people who’ve faced actual persecution in the real world, and not just in the grim landscape of Franklin’s twisted imagination. It’s odd—Graham’s insistence on the tenuous nature of American Christianity—because he goes on to say of the current president: He did everything wrong, politically . . . he offended gays. He offended women. He offended the military. He offended black people. He offended the Hispanic people. He offended everybody! And he became president of the United States. Only God could do that. It’s not clear from this, of course, what Graham is saying. Is he suggesting that only God could offend that many people and still be president—which would lead one to conclude that because Donald Trump offended all those people and still became president that Donald Trump must be God? Or, perhaps more likely, is he trying to say that God found the president’s offensiveness insufficient grounds for refusing to make him the most powerful man in the world—and even knowing what a heavy lift it would be because of the P.R. hit God was likely to suffer, God made Trump president anyway?” Regardless of which meaning Graham intended, it’s clear that about the only people not offended by Donald Trump are white evangelicals—enabled and incited by religious charlatans like Franklin Graham. Which is why Franklin Graham continues to be the worst thing to happen to God in a while.
5/26/2017 3:12:53 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
share_n_love Fort Wayne, IN 61, joined Dec. 2012	Follow: Forgiveness for what? For brutally killing over 2 million Vietnamese who never attacked the United States? We went over there, 10,000 miles from our "homeland" and warred on them, little poverty stricken, starving, yellow skinned Buddhist people. I hope God forgives us for that. We showed them how Christians and a Christian nation really is. At Mai Lai our brave Christian soldiers machine gunned women and children hiding in ditches. Why doesn't Franklin ask God to forgive us for that? Why is he so vague about what God should forgive us for? If Franklin spoke the truth he'd be run out of Washington. He's a panderer. You don't have a clue what you are talking about. My husband served 3 tours in NAM, and he and I were married 30 yrs before he died from exposure to Agent Orange. You have no idea what the North did to the South Vietnamese, along with what they do to each other's tribes. And there are many religions of the Vietnamese people...not just Buddhists. There has always been everything from VN Folklore to Taoism except the Montagnards who are Muslim. Vietnam has always been declared an atheist state by their Gov'ments.
5/26/2017 4:27:31 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
ludlowlowell Panama City, FL 64, joined Feb. 2008	I agree with Share on this one. The Communists are horrible and they commit all kinds of atrocities and they hate all religions. For a good book about what went on in Vietnam I recommend "Deliver Us from Evil" by Thomas Dooley.
5/27/2017 9:53:13 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
followjesusonly Kingman, AZ 74, joined May. 2012	Quote from share_n_love: Follow: Forgiveness for what? For brutally killing over 2 million Vietnamese who never attacked the United States? We went over there, 10,000 miles from our "homeland" and warred on them, little poverty stricken, starving, yellow skinned Buddhist people. I hope God forgives us for that. We showed them how Christians and a Christian nation really is. At Mai Lai our brave Christian soldiers machine gunned women and children hiding in ditches. Why doesn't Franklin ask God to forgive us for that? Why is he so vague about what God should forgive us for? If Franklin spoke the truth he'd be run out of Washington. He's a panderer. You don't have a clue what you are talking about. My husband served 3 tours in NAM, and he and I were married 30 yrs before he died from exposure to Agent Orange. You have no idea what the North did to the South Vietnamese, along with what they do to each other's tribes. And there are many religions of the Vietnamese people...not just Buddhists. There has always been everything from VN Folklore to Taoism except the Montagnards who are Muslim. Vietnam has always been declared an atheist state by their Gov'ments. Vietnam is the business of the Vietnamese, not ours. If they want to declare themselves as atheists, it's their business and their right. And God loves atheists. What does your husband dying of Agent Orange have to do with this? Blame whoever sent him over there to fight that unjust war. It's no wonder so many in the world hate the US. We just can't seem to stay out of their business.
5/30/2017 4:18:21 AM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
share_n_love Fort Wayne, IN 61, joined Dec. 2012	Quote from followjesusonly: Vietnam is the business of the Vietnamese, not ours. If they want to declare themselves as atheists, it's their business and their right. And God loves atheists. What does your husband dying of Agent Orange have to do with this? Blame whoever sent him over there to fight that unjust war. It's no wonder so many in the world hate the US. We just can't seem to stay out of their business. They went to help the South Vietnamese! They were ASKED to come there to stop the atrocities the north was doing to the South. My husband JOINED he was not drafted. God DOESN'T love atheists. He says he doesn't even hear the prayers of unrepentant sinners. You must have been a coward and not have gone into the military. [Edited 5/30/2017 4:18:41 AM ]
7/15/2017 1:06:48 PM	"What is prayer? Do we pray without ceasing?"
brashdoc Chehalis, WA 64, joined Aug. 2008	bump

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