Posted on 01/23/2010 4:09:32 PM PST by NYer
And thank you for your testimony, dear brother in Christ!
Kosta has gotten this right and AG has in part as well. The Prodigal is welcomed back. He is not permanently shunned. He is a member of the household, but not a full heir like his brother. This parable carries a bigger message, no?
Might there not be degrees of rewards on God's part? Are some more valiant and committed than others?
Any demand that I "prove" Him is absurd. Thus, I dismiss your questions out-of-hand.
The rest of your post consists of your judgments against God and Christ.
As I said before, God will not justify Himself to you and neither will I.
Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes. - Job 42:1-6
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, [saying], Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Psalms 2:1-5
Testing your faith is tempting God? LOL. Of course, I should have known, since obviously no one has sufficient faith to walk on water, then we must have a good excuse.
__________
As for the rest of your reply, I don't see any relevance to what I wrote in #1380.
ABSOLUTELY INDEED.
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.
BLESSED BE THE WORD OF THE LORD.
BLESSED BE THE WAYS OF THE LORD.
BLESSED BE THE PLANS OF THE LORD.
BLESSED BE THE DOINGS OF THE LORD.
BLESSED BE THE LORD WHO IS RIGHTEOUS IN ALL HIS WAYS.
Occasionally, in my life,
I’ve come across folks who’ve made it a hobby if not a vocation to try and stick their fingers in God’s eyes.
Usually, while ranting about His nonexistence.
Somewhat more rarely, I’ve had the impression that such folks were skating on extremely thin ice . . . not just that on judgment day would they find things hotter than they wished . . . but a lot sooner than they might imagine in their worst nightmares.
It’s always shocked me a bit how utterly ignorant of such hazards some such folks were.
Truly the Scripture is accurate . . . avoid bothering or being concerned about the wicked . . . for essentially, they are less substantial than a rare Phoenix fox and less durable as well.
Was it Johnathan Edwards who preached so movingly about how frightful it was to fall into the hands of an angry God Almighty . . . for spurning His Son’s Salvation.
It would appear that some folks NEVER learned the least bit of sanity about any kind of authority.
Sometimes, that seems to come from abusive parents from an early age. Sometimes it seems to come from parents who were laisez faire to the max and/or also hostile to the notion of God themselves.
Such offspring seem to chronically have troubled relationships with people in addition to being estranged from God.
And !!!!CONTROL!!!! issues are rampant points of friction.
Fascinating phenomenon that seems to be manifesting in more and more lives.
As Scripture predicted for this era . . . lawlessness and affrontery to God Almighty is building toward a maxed-out crescendo.
God have mercy.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. - Revelation 21:1-8
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. - Revelation 21:22-27
God's Name is I AM.
So I guess I see this story somewhat differntly than some others may. It gives me hope and encouragement and in no way, I think, excuses or looks lightly on sin. It is a story of grace.
I see spiritual rebellion as a "sign of the times."
You might want to read the whole chapter. It is both prophetic of the end-time to come (the tribulation) and of the overthrow by the Medes and Persians after the Babylonian rule.
Then why bring up "risks" of doubting afterlife?
Thankfully, you and your posts are FAR from the highest priority in my life . . . as disappointing as that may be to you
I knew the best way to get you out of my hair was to start replying to your unceasing and unsolicited verbose fluff. Which is why I started replying to you.
I hope to get to them by Friday evening . . . assuming other priorities dont intervene.
Oh, sure, I ask you a simple question and you are coming up with every kind of excuse, when otherwise not even polite requests can stop you from posting and avalanche of your nonsense to me!
Well, you wanted to talk, you baited and baited, and insinuated and provoked...with you silly posts, and now you are too "busy" to answer a simple question? Pathetic.
The Bible speaks of the "testing" of our faith but it is speaking of refining it like gold is refined to remove impurities. What I think you may be implying is that we can test God. This is what satan tried to do with Jesus after he was in the wilderness fasting for forty days. Not the same thing at all. Pretty sure though, after Peter got dunked for taking his eyes off the Lord that time on the water - although he did walk on the water some, if Jesus had given the chance again, I guarantee, he'd stay dry!
Quite so.
Quite soberingly so.
Thanks for your kind replies.
Sounds like some assumption modules
were aborted
or
mangled
or
the afterbirth was installed instead of the module proper.
Actually, I think it’s a blessing to work part time . . .
not pathetic.
I do see quite a lot of pathetic on this thread, however.
What about the parable of the workers who were told they would get paid a certain amount for working a day in the field. Then, close to the end of the workday, another one shows up and he gets paid the same amount as others who worked there the entire day!
And what about king Solomon? Or his father David? Or the man who out of gratitude of God offers God the first thing he sees when he gets home and it turns out to be his beloved daughter. And God kills this man's daughter! Or Job? Job's reward is a new family and new cattle, like you can replace your loved ones...But he had mercy on Abraham for his faith...give me a break. It makes my skin itch.
Might there not be degrees of rewards on God's part?
Where? On earth or in the "afterlife?" Well, for sure it's not here on earth, for god rewards the righteous and the unrighteous, an his sun shines on both. But the Bible tells you not to worry if you get the shaft in this life, you will be like that beggar Lazarus, in "Abraham's bosom," while all the fat cats who did you wrong will be burning...unless they repent, of course at the last moment. Then it's just tough luck for you.
I am pretty sure there is no more important thing to humans than forgiveness.. whether you are christian or not..
The lack of forgiveness has made more people miserable and miserable to be around than anything I know..
The lack of forgiveness can plunge you into a "lake of fire" as surely as falling overboard.. for it is indeed a "fire".. a consuming fire..
If you can only teach your children ONE THING.. it should be to forgive freely and wisely.. You can remember as you wish without forgiveness at your own peril.. Forgiveness will heal your own mind.. A forgiving heart is not like a medicine, it is a medicine.. A medicine that casts out many demons..
The ONLY way to teach forgiveness is by doing it.. I don't know how anybody makes it without faith..
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