How do decide tell right and wrong?

Originally posted by dbrandt

Originally posted by queenannie38


dbrandt--speak for yourself--I am not 'tainted' with sin--I was 'washed clean' at the age of 8.

Now, I'm not saying I'm not a 'sinner' since I am obviously a human being the same as everyone else. But I also believe that I was purchased in full--I serve God, not sin.

I placed my faith in Christ when I was 7 or 8 and so my sins past, present, and future were also forgiven.

And exactly as you have said, I still am capable of sin, but am forgiven when I do.

Someone who hasn't received Christ is still in his/her sin.

Well, then, why do you say 'tainted with sin?' Are you? Or not? What color do you wear? That's the question--we are ALL sinners in this world. And 'holier-than-thou' isn't a color, so don't pick that one. Just kidding.

BUT guess what?

The whole world already REJECTED Christ--every single one--except those who stood at the foot of the cross--even his own disciples--even Cephas--and you would have, too--if you had been there, so don't talk about 'receiving' something unless you're sure about every single thing you say--the world hated Him without a cause. Romans and Jews--no one is exempt.

It's not up to us to 'receive' Him--we have already executed Him! It is up to us to receive His words--and the words of those He sends--and know they are the truth--hear them and do them. For the most part--everyone (who claims His title) still reject those words...

And why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things I say?

He is talking about Receving him as his personal Lord and Savior. Inviting the Holy Spirit to live within his heart. Yet i already know your OPINION on the trinity so of course you cant except him to live inside you your body his temple.
There is a difference between that and the Jews/Gentiles rejected him at the time of his death.:bnghd:

Originally posted by Scyman
He is talking about Receving him as his personal Lord and Savior. Inviting the Holy Spirit to live within his heart. Yet i already know your OPINION on the trinity so of course you cant except him to live inside you your body his temple.

He already does, that is why I know the trinity as it is defined is ERROR. I didn't choose God--God chose me. Why, I don't know--surely he has his reasons and I don't question his wisdom. I am nothing of any importance--but maybe that's the key. Most likely it was to show just how miraculous His power is, over the human soul. Just like Paul was the 'poster child' for forgiveness and mercy, so am I. I know what God can do. Amazing things.

The Spirit breathes where He desires, and you hear His voice, but you do not know from where He comes, and where He goes; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

No man determines what God will do--or why or when. Many question why, though--and questions are never wrong with God, but it is not obedient or trusting to question His choice of vessel. The Pharisees questioned God's choice--and the christians today will question God's choice again....nothing new under the sun.

There is a difference between that and the Jews/Gentiles rejected him at the time of his death.:bnghd:

What is the difference? Places and names changed, no doubt--but if the prophecy was true for that day, it would hold true even to this day....God is true and men are liars.

He came into his own and his own received him not. The world knew him not. The world do not hear his voice. The world is looking for a dead man, instead of a living man. And when the Savior returns, living larger than life--the christians will call him the antichrist.

I guarantee it.

What is right and wrong? The greatest philosophers have confronted that same question.

Plato (through the Socratic dialogues) pondered this very thing. If you have never read the Meno or Laches, it might fascinate you. Socrates constantly seeks the true meaning of piety, righteousness, virtue, etc. He kept seeking these answers and no one was ever able to provide them. He kept seeking and questioning until the day he was put to death for it (that story is in the Apology.)

Aristotle wrote (in the Nichomachean Ethics, I believe) that the right thing to do was to hit the middle ground between two extremes. For example, he said that there is wrecklessness on one end, and cowardice on the other. The average between the two is courage. Aristotle said that often we can determine what is right by aiming for the middle. This is what makes doing the right thing difficult. For every middle there are two ends, or for every right there are (at least) two corresponding wrongs. As Aristotle said, it is hard to hit the bulls eye on a target, but it is easy to miss it.

It was through studying these philosophers that I was first able to truly pinpoint the critera that I personally use to determine what is right and what isn't. Even though I had a strong spiritual basis to begin with, I still gained from reading the thoughts of the philosophers. I didn't always agree with them, but even attempting to voice an objection to their work helped me to determine my own guidelines.

There is no right or wrong. Right makes ones ego huge and wrong makes one lose self esteem. Either one is contrary to God.

The serpent made it very clear what the lie is. It wasn't about eating the forbidden fruit or becoming like God. Jesus spoke about foods and that what goes into the body doesn't make one unclean and it is also said that we are called to become like God.

Neither of these spoken from the serpent is the lie. It has nothing to do with forbidden fruit or being God. The lie is this; we will be like God if we know right from wrong.

God is not divided and does not choose sides. If he judged right from wrong, there would be no way to save anyone, because we would all perish.

The only right thing to do is to have faith that all sins have been forgiven. This is the key to the Kingdom of Heaven and all else will follow, including the golden rules of love God and love thy neighbor.

Originally posted by queenannie38
Well, then, why do you say 'tainted with sin?' Are you? Or not?

I probably should have said tainted by sin.

I thought I already explained this. Yes when someone places their faith in Jesus Christ all of their sins past, present and future are forgiven. Yet when we do sin(future) we are to agree with God that it was sin, and consciously acknowledge our new sins so that we can grow stonger spiritually.

What I mean by tainted with sin is I(or anyone) still has the capability to sin. Why, because we are still in the world, in our flesh which hasn't been changed yet to be uncorruptible, and satan still has access to us to tempt us to sin.

If we don't stay strongly connected to God we will be susceptible to sinning.

That's where the verses about the vine and branches come in:
John 15:[1] I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
[2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
[3] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
[4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
[5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
[6] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
[7] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
[8] Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
[9] As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
[10] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.


Lets say you are looking at a tomato plant in your garden, a nice one lots of good looking healthy tomatoes starting to form, about the size of golf balls. Not ready to eat cause they can get bigger and sweeter and tastier and turn red and be better fruit.

Now lets say I go out and pull off a branch that has 2 nice looking tomatoes on it. I bring it into the house to show someone how nice the tomatoes are on it. What have I just done? I've broken the connection with the main body of the plant. That branch and 2 nice looking tomatoes are now "dead" and are going to get no bigger and produce better fruit, maybe even more fruit. They are still tomatoes and that still is a tomato branch but they are no longer capable of producing.

Now transfer that over to the above verses. If a christian who has truly been saved(branch) becomes unconnected(stops reading the Bible, stops praying, stops church attendance, lets some sin come between him/her and and God, etc.) to the vine(Jesus Christ) he/she is "dead" and no longer producing fruit. Just like the "dead" tomato was still a tomato, that person is still a christian but they are no longer producing fruit. A christian has to remain connected to Christ to be fruitful.

This is also where the verses about dead faith come into play. You know "faith without works is dead". That doesn't mean works save, it means works show externally someone's faith. These works also change us and teach us what is important to God and make us what He wants us to be. Works are not done to be saved but are evidence of salvation.

[edit on 9-7-2006 by dbrandt]

Originally posted by queenannie38

Originally posted by Scyman
He is talking about Receving him as his personal Lord and Savior. Inviting the Holy Spirit to live within his heart. Yet i already know your OPINION on the trinity so of course you cant except him to live inside you your body his temple.

He already does,

This is where we disagree. You say God already does live in a person, but that is where the fine line is drawn. When Adam and Eve by their free will made a decsion to disobey God and eat of the forbidden fruit, the deep deep connection to God was broken by their choice.

Since then when people are born they are born with this "disconnection" to God. When it says in the Bible that Adam was made in God's image it is talking about the spiritual connection, that was broken at the fall.

Then when it talks about Adam's sons and when they were born, you have to prick up your ears, because a very important wording comes to us.

It says Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

Since then people have been born with Adam's likeness after Adam's image, which is this disconnection to God that is deadly to us.

So just like Adam and Eve made a conscious choice to disobey and break this connection we have to make a decision to let the connection be reestablished. Doesn't mean we had
anything to do with the fixing of the problem. It just means we agree with God that Jesus fixed the problem.

Go to Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

If somone is standing outside of your house and knocking on the door wanting to come in, are they inside your house,? NO, they are not they are outside of your house. You can go and let them in or you can let them remain standing outside.

That is what Jesus is saying, He is "knocking" on the door of each person's heart. How is He knocking? By somone telling you about Christ, by cancer invading your body, by the premature death of a loved one, by giving you above average intelligence so that you can be a Dr. and make $1,000,000.00 a year, by bringing rough financial times etc.. There are probably thousands of ways He does it.

The knock on your door lets you know someone is outside wanting to see you and come in. These "knocks" that are coming from Jesus are letting you know He is outside and wants to come into, literally YOU, and save you and live with you and help you through everything good and bad.

Just like you have to go to the door and let someone who is knocking into your house, you have to Let Jesus in also. He will not completely override your free will and force Himself in. It's your choice to believe what He said John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Right and Wrong go far further than religion. Religion helps you define a "shade of truth" on how you percieve the question. For instance to "thou shall not harm", have you ever tried this? Its almost impossible. Lets say i tried to live by this rule by never coming out of my house and being completely anti social. Well I now am hurting myself by not increasing my socail skills, by not getting any sun for vitamin D, by causing a state of depression on my self. So in the end, i still have harmed. Plus this would also harm family members by cutting off ties to them.

The problem with that question is there are quiet a few things that lead up to what is right or wrong. Upbringing, experiences, fears, intelligence, empathy (or lack of), mental state etc. None of these will allow a blanket right or wrong, but will allow for an individual answer on each subject by the person who poses the question for each instance.

I have decided to throw out most of what is "right or wrong" initially in my daily life and think more in the lines of logic first. Once you figure out what the possible outcomes are and their long term effects you can make decisions. Here is an example.

The other night my (now) 4 year old daughter got up after she had been put to bed. She went to the rest room and on the way there told me not to look in her room. I then asked why, which she responded with "cause i don't want you to see me coloring". I said OK. When she finished up and went back to her room i went in there to discuss the situation with her. What would most parents do in this situation? Most i have encountered think the correct thing to do is make sure they go to sleep. What i did is informed her of she had to get early and let her make the decision on how late she wanted to stay up....but made sure she understood teh consequences. This is what i wanted her to learn,, responisbilty for her actions. While some people may say this the "wrong" approach.... is it really? Either way next morning she got up before we did (7 am).

Another common sitaution is kids drinking. Is it wrong? If you think along the lines of Europe you will see that most children (age 5) have a glass of wine with dinner. There is also a lower alcohalism rate over there. Thinking logically you would allow them to do the same thing since studies have proven it lowers one risk. However morally you may say its wrong cause it causes bad things to happen to the human body. Well your choice now becomes a comprise. Goign to the middle as stated above is the correct answer... too much alcohal at a young age can lead to development problems. None, and you can have an alcohalic on your hands. Shoot for the middle ground and you will mostly get a better outcome in the long run. Main rule is anything in excess is bad. Thing of an ego... too much = arrogance. Too little = no self confidence. Use logic to process the information then choose what is right or wrong.

Then you run into the problem of priorities. I will save that for another dicsussion however.

I will leave you with the reminder that life is complicated and far from easy, and most questions do not have a yes or no answer....

Originally posted by dbrandt

Originally posted by queenannie38
Well, then, why do you say 'tainted with sin?' Are you? Or not?

I probably should have said tainted by sin.

That is what you said--tainted with sin. Did you make a typo or did you forget what you said?

I thought I already explained this.

Yes, a million times, dbrandt. Please don't subject me to this over and over. I know differently. I'm not going to see some amazing thing in your words that's going to convert me to your line of thinking. You follow men. I follow God.

What I mean by tainted with sin is I(or anyone) still has the capability to sin.

What does 'tainted' mean to you? To me, it means 'stained.' Either you are washed or you are stained. There's no in-between. The way you describe it is just like serving two masters.

If we don't stay strongly connected to God we will be susceptible to sinning.

First of all, God draws us to Him. If that is the case, then nothing can pluck us out of His hand. You don't really believe God can do what He says, do you?

They are still tomatoes and that still is a tomato branch but they are no longer capable of producing.

Good analogy, only you left it unfinished. Romans chapter 11 addresses broken branches and such.

Now transfer that over to the above verses. If a christian who has truly been saved(branch) becomes unconnected(stops reading the Bible, stops praying, stops church attendance, lets some sin come between him/her and and God, etc.) to the vine(Jesus Christ) he/she is "dead" and no longer producing fruit.

Church attendance?!? I'd rather eat rotten figs.

I haven't gone to church since I was 19 years old--I have not been perfect and I never tried to be. I just lived, and loved others and my priority was basically having personal integrity, never seeking vengeance on anyone for anything (sometimes very hard but I resisted, thank God), and not judging others.

And God did what He was going to do with me, all the same.

All the 19 years I went to church--the adults and even the preacher--no one changed, no one grew in their knowledge or works--everything was the same at the start as the day I left. Many of those people are now dead, those that aren't, are still just the same. I've heard them in the living room, talking to my mom, when she first quit going to church--they would bring her 'communion.' And they would drone on about God this and God that,
dryly delivering meaningless bible verses and it was so obvious to me! I never saw the contrast when I was younger, for there was nothing to compare it to. Later on, the difference was undeniable. I wouldn't step foot in a church to hear a sermon if my life depended on it. Because my life depends on it. Not only that, I know I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut and I'd have to excuse myself in order not to get angry with what was being said in the name of God...I have a hard enough time as it is--why torture myself. When church makes a person mad or sad, then it is time to hit the road. It is a start, for some, but it shouldn't not be the expected end. If you never see through the illusion then you're not looking at God like you think you are.

Just like the "dead" tomato was still a tomato, that person is still a christian but they are no longer producing fruit. A christian has to remain connected to Christ to be fruitful.

Being a 'christian' is not like being a tomato. Being a human is like being a tomato. If you're not following Christ, then you are doing something else. If you aren't for Christ, you are against Him. And therefore you become an antichristian not a 'dead christian.' How can anything that is dead be yoked with what is alive? And how many times can a person live, die, live, die...?

If the Holy Spirit comes into a person--they are supported fully by God--there is no straying because such would be unthinkable--literally as if they were committing suicide. There is no danger of getting bored with seeking out to know God--it becomes the burning desire before all other things. It must be tempered, to a degree, in order to fulfill one's mundane responsibilites, if anything. But it is more like 'how do I subdue these flames just a bit' rather than blowing and puffing just the keep the tiny flame burning.

This is also where the verses about dead faith come into play. You know "faith without works is dead". That doesn't mean works save, it means works show externally someone's faith.

Exactly. And the ones doing the most toward God's purpose are the ones that you never hear about--they will never boast about their little victories in God's name or about the good that they do--they do it quietly and discreetly, because they are not seeking their own Glory, but God's. But to some people, it is obvious who burns with God's fire within and who is just paying the whole theoretical nonsense lip service. The latter are perceived as being 'lukewarm' or 'bland.' It is not convincing when such a one talks about God--in much the same tone that they talk about what's on sale at the grocery store.

That's where the fruit comes in.

Works are not done to be saved but are evidence of salvation.

Works are testimony toward God's character--they are living witness--proof that there is something else besides the same old grind that the ways of the world are servitude but with God there is peace and true liberation.

Originally posted by ben91069
There is no right or wrong. Right makes ones ego huge and wrong makes one lose self esteem. Either one is contrary to God.

My wise friend Ben! That is so true--wow.

Neither of these spoken from the serpent is the lie. It has nothing to do with forbidden fruit or being God. The lie is this; we will be like God if we know right from wrong.

RIGHT! You are on a roll today! That is so profound--I never thought of it in exactly those terms but I see that it makes perfect sense.

It is wisdom that we acquire after experiencing misery, heartache, joy, and happiness in life--but without humility our wisdom is fool's gold. Even Solomon--give wisdom directly from God--messed up in the end and lost the kingdom! Because nothing can grant godliness except God's grace. He makes Kings and He breaks Kings. And He is planning on exalting the lowly.

Originally posted by dbrandt

Yet i already know your OPINION on the trinity so of course you cant except him to live inside you your body his temple.

He already does,

This is where we disagree. You say God already does live in a person, but that is where the fine line is drawn.

We were talking about me, dbrandt, not just 'a person.' See how he phrased that, above?

'we already know your opinion...so of course you can't expect...live inside you, your body his temple.'

The whole sentence is directly right at me, and I answered in the same mode.

He already does.

As far as Christ being the truth--the truth is LOVE. And DEATH happens--that's another truth. Death is not permanent--but unless you die, you'll never live.

scoobdude said:

"thou shall not harm"

This would likely be condemned without consideration, by you, dbrandt, since it is something that comes from what you would call 'pagan' (Wiccan, right sccobdude?)
but that just shows the difference between arbitrary judgment and the ability to discern truth from falsehoold.

Did not Christ teach that very same thing? Yet if someone who doesn't call themselves a 'christian' says it, you are going to hastily condemn it. That's not knowing anything--especially right and wrong.

I think, overall, the only thing that we are really equipped to do (although it requires diligence and dedication to be able to apply it without hesitation) is to know what is TRUTH and what is not. I truly think it is better to sin/err/do wrong and admit it--face up to it--take responsibilty--apologize but refrain from adding an excuse or placing blame--than it is to outright lie.

Look at the Garden of Eden scenario--no one ever mentions this, so I wonder how many people ever noticed it. God asks them about the fruit--did they eat it. Yes, the admitted it, no question about that--the didn't lie. But then what? Adam passed the buck to Eve and she blamed the snake. Adam should have been watching his wife--God set it up that way and even though Eve knew better--the responsibility fell on Adam's head because Adam was the HEAD of the family.

The snake didn't make a single excuse, and I don't see that he lied, either. He was doing exactly what he was put there to do--and gave something up for his obedience--he was cursed for obeying orders. That says to me that all things work for a purpose much higher than our minds can currently climb to understand.

[edit on 7/9/2006 by queenannie38]

Originally posted by queenannie38

Originally posted by dbrandt

...................................................

Look at the Garden of Eden scenario--no one ever mentions this, so I wonder how many people ever noticed it. God asks them about the fruit--did they eat it. Yes, the admitted it, no question about that--the didn't lie. But then what? Adam passed the buck to Eve and she blamed the snake. Adam should have been watching his wife--God set it up that way and even though Eve knew better--the responsibility fell on Adam's head because Adam was the HEAD of the family.

The snake didn't make a single excuse, and I don't see that he lied, either. He was doing exactly what he was put there to do--and gave something up for his obedience--he was cursed for obeying orders. That says to me that all things work for a purpose much higher than our minds can currently climb to understand.

[edit on 7/9/2006 by queenannie38]

But it wasn't 'the snake' it was the eagle who gave the fruit to them to eat...
it was Sophia.. Not Satan, not Yalta, not Baoth... not evil, not bad..

And our sister Sophia (is) she who came down in innocence in order to rectify her deficiency. Therefore she was called Life, which is the mother of the living, by the foreknowledge of the sovereignty of heaven. And through her they have tasted the perfect Knowledge. I appeared in the form of an eagle on the tree of knowledge, which is the Epinoia from the foreknowledge of the pure light, that I might teach them and awaken them out of the depth of sleep. For they were both in a fallen state, and they recognized their nakedness. The Epinoia appeared to them as a light; she awakened their thinking.

[edit on 9/7/06 by dnero6911]

I would like to start off with something to make this clearer..

Jesus, if he were to teach everyone the same thing, he would have to contradict himself each time he spoke to a new person.

also. Death... is bad when its your child, but good when its your childs killer.
Death.... is bad when your healthy, or young, but bad when you're old or ill...

in the same way good and bad are dispersed... given to those who take them.

I've used this analogy before but I think it's a good one and fits this situation...

Suppose your time and life is composed of a path... we'll say a dirt path.
Now, your body is stationary, being a point on the path. Sitting if that makes it easier to understand.
Next, we'll say there are only two directions to go in.. we'll call these directions left, the past, and the right, the future....... You being stationary are in the now....
Sitting there you are in a reposedt state, until you intereact with your surroundings, looking to your left/past and your right/future.... picking things up and either holding them or consuming them bringing them into the now...

Now regarding the whole bad and good... we take things, like handfuls of sand... which can never be put back into its old place, also meaning you can never go back to the point where you never interacted with it... You must now either consume or hold these things (there is only so much room in your hands).... if you do not consume these things you either throw them to the left/past or the right/future.. they become part of your left/past that was never consumed, never accepted... or part of your right/future which you see as not ready for, or unable to consume 'now'

Everything you choose to pickup leaves a residue on you, also it enters either the past or future, or both.. To consume something is to let it become you, or building blocks to create your actions 'what comes out of you'
Be careful of what you pickup, because you MUST consume it, or leave it in your past... but what is in your past makes up your now as well as your future and vise-versa... like putting things in your future changes your now as well......
the best state is empty handed and full. with nothing in your past nor future, everything must be consumed and utilized.

This analogy isn't flawless I understand, but I'm just trying to paint a picture so you can understand my view on good and bad.... what I'm saying is.. we make up good and bad... according to our minds position, because most of us are stuck in the past or the future. Depending on what we have already consumed, we look at things as good and bad, and toss them in the two directions mentioned.. past and future... for later consumption.......

Originally posted by dnero6911
But it wasn't 'the snake' it was the eagle who gave the fruit to them to eat...
it was Sophia.. Not Satan, not Yalta, not Baoth... not evil, not bad..

The eagle and the snake are the same one...sometimes appearing as an eagle, sometimes a snake--sometimes as an owl or even a dove!!

This is because we don't see the whole picture--we won't see it until our minds can bear to understand.

The whole picture reveals just one creature: the Phoenix (which is the fiery winged serpent, the cockatrice, archaeopteryx, seraph, etc.)

The tribe of Dan. Venus/Haliel. The tree of the knowledge of Good AND Evil.

Duality is an illusion--unity is the only truth.

Originally posted by queenannie38


Church attendance?!? I'd rather eat rotten figs.

All the 19 years I went to church--the adults and even the preacher--no one changed, no one grew in their knowledge or works--everything was the same at the start as the day I left.

You've written alot to reply to but I'll start here. About the church you attended, either you didn't want to hear what they were saying or they weren't saying the truth. If they didn't tell the truth then you needed to find another church that did.

Do you want to know why a person should attend church. It's not because church is required to be saved. But because God has people there who need YOU and you are going to need them.

Life is hard, and sometimes people need help. There is going to be things come into your life that are going to blindside you and God has people who know Christ prepared and ready to help you get through the problems. There are also people who are going to be blindsided by things, and God wants to use you to help them get through.

Yes, God himself will help people through their problems, but He still chooses to use people as His arms and legs and hands and mouth to help others.

Also christians are being prepared for eternity. A Bible believeing Church is a great place to get involved in reaching out to others and learn responsibility. Because Heaven, the universe and eternity is not going to be a place where we lay around and strum a harp sitting on a cloud. God has a whole eternity planned for us to work. Work is considered a dirty word but in eternity it will mean God is going to share the universe with us and we will have responsibilities over aspects of creation.

Matthew 25:[14] For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
[15] And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
[16] Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
[17] And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
[18] But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
[19] After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
[20] And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
[21] His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
[22] He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
[23] His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
[24] Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
[25] And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
[26] His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
[27] Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
[28] Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
[29] For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
[30] And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


What if God has planned for you to oversee 4 galaxies for Him. Now the mind couldn't begin to imagine all that that will involve. But just think God is going to intrust you with a part of His creation to help run. Traveling at the speed of thought to maybe hundreds of thousands of planets and preparing them for what God has planned for them, and He wants you to be a part of it. That is AMAZING

[edit on 9-7-2006 by dbrandt]

Originally posted by dbrandt
You've written alot to reply to but I'll start here. About the church you attended, either you didn't want to hear what they were saying or they weren't saying the truth. If they didn't tell the truth then you needed to find another church that did.

Why? That's what everyone said. I didn't see the logic in that--there isn't any. The bible doesn't say that, men say that; men that are enslaved by their Sunday church attendance--I trust God, not men.

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:17)

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:26-27)

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (1 John 2:27)

Do you want to know why a person should attend church.

Not really. I already know differently--and it worked and I trust God.

It's not because church is required to be saved. But because God has people there who need YOU and you are going to need them.

All I really need is GOD. God has taken care of me--through the people I needed. They were there when I needed them, always perfectly timed. And anyone that has needed me, so far, has found me. In very odd ways that most would be puzzled by.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Life is hard, and sometimes people need help.

Again, GOD. I need help from God. I trust Him and He delivers.

There is going to be things come into your life that are going to blindside you and God has people who know Christ prepared and ready to help you get through the problems.

You have no idea about what things I've already been through. Things I could tell you would probably leave you slack-jawed. But all throughout--one thing has been certain, the whole way. The LORD is my shepherd...
No one I've met in a church ever knew Christ as well as I did--their 'Jesus' was not the one I knew--always there, from the start.

There are also people who are going to be blindsided by things, and God wants to use you to help them get through.

Well, then, He will provide a place and time and all the particulars. I'm not going to try to pre-arrange my life according to what I think He will do--because it will be a cardhouse anyway. He does a much better job than I could ever even hope to do.

Yes, God himself will help people through their problems, but He still chooses to use people as His arms and legs and hands and mouth to help others.

No doubt. But they aren't found in a building. They are a living body--not a human decreed organization. God gathers those to us that He wishes to gather.

Also christians are being prepared for eternity.

Eternity already is. We exist within a time capsule within it's vast unending plane--but eternity is now.

What if God has planned for you to oversee 4 galaxies for Him.

You're getting the horse ahead of the cart, dbrandt. Trust me--one planet would be overwhelming at this point--for anyone.

Now the mind couldn't begin to imagine all that that will involve.

Trusting God first and foremost is the first thing. Like I said, you're getting the horse ahead of the cart.

But just think God is going to intrust you with a part of His creation to help run.

I know this, dbrandt. He has showed me. But it's not like you think and it's not about christians. Christians are not the 'elect.' God elects, men don't decide. Going to church and being around a bunch of people taking on more than they've been given in the present--well, let's just say I've climbed that ladder and I've been pushed off. I'm back on the ladder, and I can't afford to take another dive into chaos and pride--self-delusion is the 7th demon that came out of me. I don't want them moving back in.

Traveling at the speed of thought to maybe hundreds of thousands of planets and preparing them for what God has planned for them, and He wants you to be a part of it. That is AMAZING

It truly is. But it's not like that--thoughts are immediate and travel isn't necessary.

All souls will be a part of it, no doubt. But you don't get the estate when you're still getting nourishment at the breast.

Originally posted by queenannie38

Originally posted by ben91069
There is no right or wrong. Right makes ones ego huge and wrong makes one lose self esteem. Either one is contrary to God.

My wise friend Ben! That is so true--wow.

Ah, the all is WELL IN HELL Annie. Can the KEEPER OF THE PIT Annie come out and play.

I've got a pretty good 'moral compass'. My decisions are made based upon whether they will hurt/help My spirit/soul. I believe strongly in karma, in this life and the next, so, I try to put Myself into whoevers shoes are involved. Besides, I've got a lot of negative karma to work off. I'd say I'm up to atleast a troglodite.

Peace. K*

Okay, now that we all know who does and doesn't believe in mainstream religion..... (no offense please)Can we agree that One doesn't have to be of any particular religion/belief system to make moral, honest decissions? Because one is involved in a religion, it doesn't make them moral. What is good? What is evil? It's all in the state of Your mind.

1st-Harm no other.

Originally posted by Sun Matrix

Originally posted by queenannie38

Originally posted by ben91069
There is no right or wrong. Right makes ones ego huge and wrong makes one lose self esteem. Either one is contrary to God.

My wise friend Ben! That is so true--wow.

Ah, the all is WELL IN HELL Annie. Can the KEEPER OF THE PIT Annie come out and play.

Sun, which one do you live by - right or wrong?