September 30, 2008 4:50 AM
Sam wrote:
To Rich....staying 'out of trouble' and 'remaining strong'. My faith in God, along with the movie "Fireproof" aids me in those areas. This movie will also help each of you, I am CERTAIN of that. Go see it NOW!
Joel 3.....prophesy, for sure, but for when? Is this some prophesy for the final days of this earth? (According to some, when Jesus comes (came) back, he will (did) make this place a NEW Earth. I don't personally think that has happened, as this earth (as 'heavenly as it is') is far from my interpretation of the real Heavens and Earth. Yogi Berra once quipped: "It's tough to predict things, especially when it's in the future." This entire book of Joel is about predictions of some future. It is equally tough to 'believe' things, especially when they haven't happened yet. You can quote me on that! That is where our belief comes in. We believe in Heaven and Hell...that gives us hope. We believe that Jesus will return once again and call the righteous to Him...that gives us motivation. We believe that we, as Christians, will be judged for our sins and our way of life...that gives us fear. Joel writes about the events that are yet to come (I believe), so with our hope, our motivation, and our fear, we can better prepare our way, and the way of of families, for this future event. How are these three emotions helping you today? What do you do differently because of the predictions in this book, coupled with your hope, your motivation, your fear? Reply to this
September 30, 2008 8:13 AM
rik wrote:
I read these scriptures and I do not seem to get any revelations out of them. I am not sure why. I might be in one of my hardheaded times, when I read and nothing gets in, or I just don't get the prophecy thing. Other books with prophecy bewilder me also, like revelations.
We are going back to the start next month correct? I started a thing with my children for this month. they are going to read proverbs also, then after they read they are to pick one scripture that stood out to them and write on an index card. At the end of October they should have 31 proverbs of there own, ones that mean something to them personally. we will see how it works out. Reply to this
September 30, 2008 6:56 PM
Rich wrote:
I too am confused about this passage and it is difficult to get real excited about this. I know that the scriptures should excite me. I know that God communicates through scriptures and that he can use anything to speak to me. But I struggle with prophesy scriptures. I always have. I do not like to read them because they seem confusing. Also, Jesus said that no one knows the hour that the earth will end except the father. He also says (I think) that basically we should not waste our time trying to read signs and trying to figure out when he will return. If that if true, then reading these type of passages to try to get some meaning out of them is worthless.
However, one thing that I do get from these passages is that God will avenge whatever anyone does to his chosen ones. Belonging to God means that anyone who persecutes us or anyone who does us wrong BECAUSE we are Christians will be repaid in full by God. I would not want to be punished for my deeds by God. Thinking of this makes me actually feel sorry for those who do not know or understand God, for those who make fun of Christians or who mock God. God will repay them in full!!! That is scary. If for no other reason we should tell others the Good News of Jesus so that they will not have to face the full army of God, God's wrath, his justice. Because I am sure from reading stuff like Joel 3 that God will one day judge man for all of his deeds and every single deed with be punished.
Mac - thanks for your advice. I told my wife about the movie and we are planning to see it as a date movie the next time she feels well enough to go out. From what you say, I am most definitely looking forward to seeing the movie. Reply to this
September 30, 2008 7:12 PM
Sam wrote:
Rich...'beware'! This movie is MOSTLY for the husband (at least most of the minutes in the movie) about how one individual did not put his wife on a pedestal. BUT, he finally gets it....like us men...it takes a while to 'get it'. However, as the movie continues, it is most definitely for the wife as well. Super movie...let me know how you like it. Reply to this
September 30, 2008 7:13 PM
tony wrote:
I had a great talk with God this morning, no He did not talk back. I wish I could remember half of what we talked about but here is some. We as people are like rats in a cage. We know the cage is safe and secure. We get food and water in the cage and all the necessities of life (for a rat). We know the cat outside,the one that comes to the cage quite often, will kill us in a heartbeat if we get out and he is given the chance. One day the door is left open, we know the cat is there even though we don't see him, yet we go out anyway. We get around the corner from the safety of our cage and who do you think we run into? The cat. As a rat we have just committed suicide. We knowingly left the safety of the cage knowing the cat was out there somewhere. How often do we commit spiritual suicide? Satan is always on the prowl, always looking for a way top entice us, always showing us what we want and not what we need. Jesus is our cage,metaphorically speaking, yet we continuously go out and allow satin do devour us. We must cling to the safety of Jesus as we do not know when He will return. I would hate to be out of on a stroll when He does return. We are like rats in a cage, we know better yet we still go. We are God's children, how does that relationship work? How does it work with our own children? If God is a million times more compassionate than we can ever be, could He possible stop loving us? The bible says yes but I say no. God will never stop loving us just like we would never stop loving our children. Sometimes we would like to disown them but we never stop loving them. We withhold extras from our children when they are bad but we still love them. I think it pains God greatly to send people to hell. He is punishing His children for not obeying the rules, but I bet He still loves them. My thoughts where varied and strang this morning but it was a great conversation, one sided as it may have verbally been. Reply to this
To Rich....staying 'out of trouble' and 'remaining strong'. My faith in God, along with the movie "Fireproof" aids me in those areas. This movie will also help each of you, I am CERTAIN of that. Go see it NOW!
Joel 3.....prophesy, for sure, but for when? Is this some prophesy for the final days of this earth? (According to some, when Jesus comes (came) back, he will (did) make this place a NEW Earth. I don't personally think that has happened, as this earth (as 'heavenly as it is') is far from my interpretation of the real Heavens and Earth.
Yogi Berra once quipped: "It's tough to predict things, especially when it's in the future." This entire book of Joel is about predictions of some future. It is equally tough to 'believe' things, especially when they haven't happened yet. You can quote me on that! That is where our belief comes in. We believe in Heaven and Hell...that gives us hope. We believe that Jesus will return once again and call the righteous to Him...that gives us motivation. We believe that we, as Christians, will be judged for our sins and our way of life...that gives us fear. Joel writes about the events that are yet to come (I believe), so with our hope, our motivation, and our fear, we can better prepare our way, and the way of of families, for this future event. How are these three emotions helping you today? What do you do differently because of the predictions in this book, coupled with your hope, your motivation, your fear?
Reply to this
I read these scriptures and I do not seem to get any revelations out of them. I am not sure why. I might be in one of my hardheaded times, when I read and nothing gets in, or I just don't get the prophecy thing. Other books with prophecy bewilder me also, like revelations.
We are going back to the start next month correct? I started a thing with my children for this month. they are going to read proverbs also, then after they read they are to pick one scripture that stood out to them and write on an index card. At the end of October they should have 31 proverbs of there own, ones that mean something to them personally. we will see how it works out.
Reply to this
Yes.
Sounds like a plan.
Did you read mine above? Any input?
Reply to this
I too am confused about this passage and it is difficult to get real excited about this. I know that the scriptures should excite me. I know that God communicates through scriptures and that he can use anything to speak to me. But I struggle with prophesy scriptures. I always have. I do not like to read them because they seem confusing. Also, Jesus said that no one knows the hour that the earth will end except the father. He also says (I think) that basically we should not waste our time trying to read signs and trying to figure out when he will return. If that if true, then reading these type of passages to try to get some meaning out of them is worthless.
However, one thing that I do get from these passages is that God will avenge whatever anyone does to his chosen ones. Belonging to God means that anyone who persecutes us or anyone who does us wrong BECAUSE we are Christians will be repaid in full by God. I would not want to be punished for my deeds by God. Thinking of this makes me actually feel sorry for those who do not know or understand God, for those who make fun of Christians or who mock God. God will repay them in full!!! That is scary. If for no other reason we should tell others the Good News of Jesus so that they will not have to face the full army of God, God's wrath, his justice. Because I am sure from reading stuff like Joel 3 that God will one day judge man for all of his deeds and every single deed with be punished.
Mac - thanks for your advice. I told my wife about the movie and we are planning to see it as a date movie the next time she feels well enough to go out. From what you say, I am most definitely looking forward to seeing the movie.
Reply to this
Rich...'beware'!
This movie is MOSTLY for the husband (at least most of the minutes in the movie) about how one individual did not put his wife on a pedestal. BUT, he finally gets it....like us men...it takes a while to 'get it'. However, as the movie continues, it is most definitely for the wife as well. Super movie...let me know how you like it.
Reply to this
I had a great talk with God this morning, no He did not talk back. I wish I could remember half of what we talked about but here is some. We as people are like rats in a cage. We know the cage is safe and secure. We get food and water in the cage and all the necessities of life (for a rat). We know the cat outside,the one that comes to the cage quite often, will kill us in a heartbeat if we get out and he is given the chance. One day the door is left open, we know the cat is there even though we don't see him, yet we go out anyway. We get around the corner from the safety of our cage and who do you think we run into? The cat. As a rat we have just committed suicide. We knowingly left the safety of the cage knowing the cat was out there somewhere. How often do we commit spiritual suicide? Satan is always on the prowl, always looking for a way top entice us, always showing us what we want and not what we need. Jesus is our cage,metaphorically speaking, yet we continuously go out and allow satin do devour us. We must cling to the safety of Jesus as we do not know when He will return. I would hate to be out of on a stroll when He does return. We are like rats in a cage, we know better yet we still go. We are God's children, how does that relationship work? How does it work with our own children? If God is a million times more compassionate than we can ever be, could He possible stop loving us? The bible says yes but I say no. God will never stop loving us just like we would never stop loving our children. Sometimes we would like to disown them but we never stop loving them. We withhold extras from our children when they are bad but we still love them. I think it pains God greatly to send people to hell. He is punishing His children for not obeying the rules, but I bet He still loves them. My thoughts where varied and strang this morning but it was a great conversation, one sided as it may have verbally been.
Reply to this