Lurker wrote:
I appreciate your thoughts,

Although the genre is an unveiling through imagery, I think the first Christians had things a bit simpler. The imagery was common to them.

So I'll go back to some of my fundamentals here, that Christians should be good bereans and study the Word and should have the influence of a learned teacher that has done the backgrounds (a weakness for those who shun backgrounds, Greek learning).

There are many giftings in the Body and some are not called to the intense study, to street preaching for instance, but we need a plurality of giftings hearing each other out, and when we don't there are holes.

In this case, Revelations has been lost in some ways, in the popular sense.

I was reading from Triumph of the Lamb by Dennis Johnson and struck by the backgrounds of the churches, where they were and what they were up against. Helped me to understand the text better.

a self imposed conundrum.

could it not be that we have wisdom from on high that is desperately needed in society, as they are so blind?

could it not be that the Christian that would not be corrupted or bought off with bribes might be of use by God to hold off destruction of the innocent?

could it not be that we have the Pentateuch that gives us insight into just law (ie not stoning rape victims??)

could it not be that we have knowledge that the 10 Commandments are in alignment with the human conscience which is given to all men?

have Christians become anarchists who believe not in any rule of law, or do laws against murder only apply to them personally but not to the unborn, their neighbor, etc?

B. McCausland wrote:
but it is key to grace and edification, because believing Christ is on the throne now affects all the ongoing 'happenings'/issues vital to Christian experience underlined in Rev.

"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."
Revelations 1:18

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." Revelation 3:5

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." Revelation 3:11

http://mtmultipleuse.org/wilderness/wildlands_map.htm

We recently turned on the tv to see what was there (didn't have reception for a long time) -- saw the Dove Awards. lots of raunchy stuff on there posing as Christianity. the same old thing, men look dumb, women look like 20 yr old singles going to a bar, flashing lights everywhere -- this will cause many who may come into the industry to think that faith is this collective pronouncement of "love" instead of a real and simple encounter with Christ through the Holy Spirit (through His atoning work on the cross and Ressurection). Anyone with talent I would encourage to flee, work with an elder who teaches the scriptures and lead singing with other believers, not on stages with flashing lights, but together with the incense of praise coming from sincere hearts.

there was a video going around from Hilsng, a raunchy version of a traditional hymn, looked like it was sung Marilyn Monroe style with a transvestite.

Even pop Christian music devolves into breathy boys singing meaningless words with obsession of self and one's feelings.

it must grieve them to think of a nation that doesn't want to be led to destruction as they are so apt to do, the false events, the media storytelling, what a pack it is that they sell on the tv screen for the desperate to believe.

these are dark days indeed when truth is so hidden, when crisis actors are the heroes, yet there is a segment of the church population who still is lured to believe these false realities and just can't quite get the gumption to wake up from their slumber.

I'm reminded of brian Willums and the stories he told, how many stories are told, are untrue and the proof is right there, yet we repeat the lies for them? quite beneath the Christian, we've been given a higher calling than to be the footman for the devil.

Title: Why is Pope Francis Insisting Once Again That the Cross of Christ is God’s Failure?

moslm are getting preferential treatment in hiring in some situations as well, so no, this is not a case of American laziness..... this is why you have whole hiring plants that are moslm.

besides, what americans want is a decentralized system where they can pack their meat on their own properties and sell locally with humane and healthy processes.

you know how many of us on here have come out of false religions or false teachings or lukewarm teachings to follow Christ and have gone to the scriptures as our primary source? and how many of us have had the "my Lord and my God" moment where we realize where we've come from?

he had something different. no "conversion" but a gradual bringing in to the faith of his fathers.

problem is that if you consider this verse his conclusion conflicts with the plain teaching of the verse.

this is what happens when presumptions of eschatology (faith of fathers) guide the boat, instead of a knowledge of Christ.

Carol wrote:
Check the footnotes in your 'modern' versions.
NASB: maiden
Will leave doubt, no?

Coming soon 2 u wrote:
We"need to be concerned, though, said ACLU Senior Policy Analyst Jay Stanley. “China appears to be leveraging all the tools of the information age —

and maybe can come here?

documents have shown for years you might be an extremist if you are:

for traditional marriage
prolife
CHristian
veteran
know the constitution or refer to it

wonder of Mr Sekulow who can't seem to "figure out" what is occurring in Syria knows this when he calls for dealing with extremists.

conservatives have been so good at catching themselves in their own net, why stop now?

Mike wrote:
A small point of disagreement, penned. It is the predestinarian 5 pointers who are most trapped in the fatalist inevitability drizzle.

how far the stars fall from the sky following the Great Deceiver.

Find restoration in Christ, forgiveness in the Lord.

no doubt the kabbalist hollywierds wooed him, how many others will they woo? how many sodomites were abused by sodomites as children?

God uses His church to bring the gospel and to live the gospel and He sure has a purpose for it. Beware of those with false doctrines that would say "give up", "its inevitable" and all that dispensational drizzle. God has a purpose in this, in tribulation, and we must pray for one another to be faithful to proclaim Christ's name and to pray for safety and God's direction. the steps of a righteous man availeth much.

it is the carnal mind that sees the imprisonment of brothers like Kent Hovind as "futility". was Paul's imprisonment and martyrdom "futility" or the witness to the pagan world of the power of Christ?

the 501c3 state church is being shaken. many are leaving. China's last century can be a great teacher to us as we follow in similar footsteps.