The Prodigal

Well, Calvin, I see it clearly now, He just needed to send you. I’m sorry you took my story as my “offering salvation” to anyone. I suppose I could have worded it as “warn” “alarm” or “help”. May God Bless you and I wish He had spoken to you first.

Yanno, I kept getting told you were blocking messages but I kept thinking I was getting it wrong. Voila, after my post before last when I asked you to open the thread – pins and locks appeared which shocked me. Now I get the idea that you are blocking any posts to the thread but surely I must be wrong. What do people of God have to fear from someone He sent here. I’d like to say my skin is thicker, but alas….
 
Huh???????? This thread is on page 5 now, and I have been blocking messages???????
Please keep your replies civil and free of false witness, lest the sleeping behemoth should awaken and devour us all:eek:.

So.....what part of my post so riles you? was it my praising Father God for sending His Son to save us from our sins?
Was it my pointing out the obviousness of 'your' father's recklessness in not acting responsibly by sending in effective help?
Now then, your 'post before last' that would be post#65 I think, was addressed to 'Covered by Grace' was it not?
What'd I do? what'd I do? Should I feel flattered? Should she feel insulted? should we both be mutually amused, or confused?
Silk, whilst I do not consider that I have posted anything that should require an apology, I do regret that you have obviously taken more than your fair share of umbrage.
 
Sorry Calvin.. the 2nd paragraph was not addressed to you, rather to the "rhetorical" you or board as a whole. And if that means that posts are not being blocked, I welcome the news. IS THAT what you are saying?

As for what "riles" me about your post? That implies anger, maybe umbrage and that I don't have. I explained as best I could how you misinterpetted me but so be it. And I meant what I said about thicker skin.

Make sure you don't bear your own false witness but then, you wouldn't wouldya
 
I praise God for this forum and the opportunity He has given us through this venue to sharpen our irons against one another's because now more than ever we are called to declare within ourselves what that real Truth is. There will be many that want to spread lies and falsehoods and the ones that have been called according to His purpose will prevail. John 14:6 He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Apart from Him (JESUS!) there is NO eternal life. PERIOD! No other thing, person, belief, hope, thought, theory, vision, angel, voice or ANY other way!!! Now, let's get back to loving one another. :)
 
calvin said:
Huh???????? This thread is on page 5 now, and I have been blocking messages???????
Please keep your replies civil and free of false witness, lest the sleeping behemoth should awaken and devour us all:eek:.

.
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The "krakens" and the "behemoths" never sleep. Devouring people gives them a tummyache, so they try to eat in moderation. :D
 
Major said:
Nothing you stated should have caused any pain whatsoever.

I have read Calvins comment several times and I do not see any problems with it either. In fact I think it was appropiate and correct.
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I agree with you completely! Personally, I didn't find any fault in either of our specific comments. My motive behind my apology (which was sincere, btw, lest anyone think otherwise - as I do not revel in anyone experiencing pain, sometimes even to a fault) was to attempt to persuade her from holding any un-forgiveness in her heart.

However, I will say, I am learning the importance of standing firm in your convictions and beliefs despite the possibility of hurting another's feelings, especially in Apologetics. I tend to lean more toward Grace (obviously!) and forget that Truth is equal in importance! He will work on this in me, I am sure! ;)

God's blessings to you and yours, Major!!
 
covered_by_grace said:
I agree with you completely! Personally, I didn't find any fault in either of our specific comments. My motive behind my apology (which was sincere, btw, lest anyone think otherwise - as I do not revel in anyone experiencing pain, sometimes even to a fault) was to attempt to persuade her from holding any un-forgiveness in her heart.

However, I will say, I am learning the importance of standing firm in your convictions and beliefs despite the possibility of hurting another's feelings, especially in Apologetics. I tend to lean more toward Grace (obviously!) and forget that Truth is equal in importance! He will work on this in me, I am sure! ;)

God's blessings to you and yours, Major!!
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I understand completly what you are saying my dear. My only thought is that "truth" is in fact the only basis for understanding.

Remember the words of Jesus when He said that He was the way the "truth" and the life.
He also said as I know you know that "the truth will set you free".

IMO, Grace is the basis for "mercy" which is of course un-meritted favor. To me, when you extended an apology where one was not called for, you offered your grace through forgivness so that you did not offend anyone. That is a wonderful thing to be able to do I and I commend you for it.

Truth is the thing in which we can not debate.
Something is either true or it is not true BUT Grace is always rooted in love.

Thank you for the blessing and I ask the same thing of God for you and your family!!!!
 
Major said:
I understand completly what you are saying my dear. My only thought is that "truth" is in fact the only basis for understanding.

Remember the words of Jesus when He said that He was the way the "truth" and the life.
He also said as I know you know that "the truth will set you free".

IMO, Grace is the basis for "mercy" which is of course un-meritted favor. To me, when you extended an apology where one was not called for, you offered your grace through forgivness so that you did not offend anyone. That is a wonderful thing to be able to do I and I commend you for it.

Truth is the thing in which we can not debate.
Something is either true or it is not true BUT Grace is always rooted in love.

Thank you for the blessing and I ask the same thing of God for you and your family!!!!
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All very true. And thank you for the blessings in return!

I also had this thought (in that same vein): the "sick" don't know they need healing until they first come to the realization of it and admit they are "sick." Then comes the realization for the need of the Healer to administer the healing. Without the admittance of the sickness, how can one have the realization of the need for healing? I'm speaking metaphorically, here, but perhaps, this is another visual image of the "pearls before swine" parable? (which is found in Matt. 7:6)

Thank the Lord for His Healing Spirit who comforts those who realize their absolute depravity without Him!
 
I've been thinking a lot, lately, about original sin. What was mankind's first sin? If you had asked me much
earlier in life, I might have gone with what I was raised on (omg they were naked - sex - grin) or maybe later with disobedience to God. But I don't think that either defines nor clarifies it and worse it's continuing consequences to the world we now live in.
The Bible tells us that God made the world in 6 days. There's a gazillion scientists who will say, "No way! The
universe is almost 14 billion years old." There is one scientist, who was interviewed by Simpka (the Naked Archeologist), (don't ask me his name because I don't remember - I have trouble remembering what I was looking for between two rooms) who stated that if who/whatever started the Big Bang was located in that specific start area, the math he did showed, guess what, that it would have taken around 6 days. A gazillion to say impossible, and only one who actually looked to see if it was possible. This may seem a total aside to original sin unless you think that the real original sin was knowledge of good AND evil. Think about it - this wouldn't be just first sin - it would be the mommy and daddy of ALL sin. And everything we all "know" today is tainted with it.
In that timeless dimension of Eden, we lived in the presence of the Almighty, knowing only the good that God had chosen for us. We were clothed in our spiritual lights and truth and basked in the love of God. If it sounds boring and static - you'd be wrong - because there was so much about good to learn and marvel at. There was no right and wrong then, only right. And God taught us not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil because the consequences were dire. To be fair to Adam & Eve, at that point they were incapable of understanding death - nothing died in Eden. I'm not sure we can understand, today, what their capacities and understanding was without knowing evil. You might ask why God chose to have that tree in the garden, I certainly have, but I suspect that free will thing might have been involved. It could be as simple as the creator of the multiverse used evil or polarities to make the universe work because he could handle bad to make good. And to leave it out of Eden was not an option. We are told that Satan, in serpent guise (did I mention we could
talk to all living things then?) tempted Eve to eat the fruit with the argument that got him ousted from heaven. I bet he is still stymied that we didn't draw his fate. I think the difference is that we wanted to be more like God to get closer to him whereas Satan wanted to be God. When Adam & Eve ate the fruit they lost their spiritual lights garb and that was more naked then any of us will ever know and doomed us all to know evil (hand me that AR-15, will ya? Eek what an evil thought). But God didn't throw out the baby with the bathwater. We broke the heart of our creator - can there be anything more evil? And yet He changed the world, his world, to save us.
You (rhetorical - so don't get your panties in a bunch) say, "I can't believe in a God that allowed the holocaust to
happen." But it was not He who invited the damned vampire in the door - that's the legacy of original sin. To live in a world of good AND evil. He does not allow evil to flourish - that's on us - our bad, free will and all. He kicked us from Eden for our own good not as punishment. There was another tree in the garden that made the physical body healthy, free from disease and immortal. God knew that the longer we lived, the more risk in losing our immortal souls. Even so, it took 20 generations (from Adam to Noah) to wear off. All 19 patriarchs were still alive when Noah reached age 50. We are told that evil had become so overwhelming that God decided to flood and start over.
Sigh, I've gone on for awhile again. Last time someone sent me a virus and destroyed my hard drive so I better
say what I have to while I can. We live in a world where lies are more common than truth. Where picking the lesser of two evils is considered saintly, little children starve, and we stand transfixed while people hurl dirt at each other. (and bullets).
I say let's act like the monkeys we did not evolve from (ask any statistician) - it would have taken more than 14 billion years for that evolution) and hear, speak, and see no evil. It sounded better in my head but I mean do not allow evil any more nourishment.
 
There is an ancient apochryphal story (midrash?) that one day God was showing Adam some of his descendants when Adam beheld the most beautiful soul that was doomed to be born and die on the same day. Adam told God that he would give 70 of his years to this bright light. Thus Adam lived to the age of 930 and King David lived for 70 years. (Wonders if David started this tale. Fess up - who really killed Goliath?) (Joking).
There is also an apochryphal story about Noah. In this tale, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was actually a vine (Vineyard?) and that Noah carried a cutting of this on the Ark. He landed, planted, fermented and drank (perhaps thinking he was holy enough to triumph over the grape). Instead, he got drunk and blew Humanity's second shot (all puns intended) at Paradise. It is still not clear to me how Ham got punished for this but let's face it, the Jews have never much liked pork (JOKE). I suppose that Ham could have seen his Father, not just naked but without his spiritual lights (ala Adam & Eve) but still.
Okay. (self admininsters thwack for irreverent stream of consciousness - but still, I so love laughter.) I'll shut up now.
 
My younger brother had a conversation with God. At that point, I had none of my own. My older brother thought he was lying and trying to bait me. I thought that it was impossible for any child my mother raised to lie about that. I wanted to know what God had said. My brother told me "polarization!" I didn't know then how hard it is to explain but I surely didn't understand that. He told me that you had to surrender your self to God. Again, I didn't understand. I thought, at the time, that he meant that it was necessary to become nothing and I could not give up myself. It wasn't so much that I couldn't give up all that was wrong with me, I had trouble giving up was right. And then I saw - the poles switching - the weather going bad - and where good and evil had landed us. There are many who will tell you that you cannot know the light without the dark - but that is bs - baloney that has gone bad ( and think about how long that takes, Oscar.)
You do not need to know evil to know good. My younger brother built his house on a vortex and he told me that he first heard God's voice telling (angrily) the many souls there that he had created the dark and the light, and he had chosen light. He told me that he never wanted to hear God use such an angry voice with him. Sigh - little did we know.
My brother is dead now (I miss him more than I can say.) But I did learn about polarization. It's attached to original sin. It's what keeps us from agreeing because we all see both sides and we fail to understand that only one side is right.
 
Hello Silence my old friend, I've come to talk to you, again.

My Mother, too, heard the voice of God. He said to her, when she was quite young, "That (He) would be with her again when she was naked and alone." Which I am sure He did, but it sounds so like the end of the conversation, yanno? I can't believe I never asked her more about it - being the epitomy of curious. Maybe it's that thing about seeing your parents naked (Ewwww, you know?) So up to a point, it was - my mother and brother could hear him and I could only see him - the audio was blank. When I finally "heard" God, it was irritating beyond words that he used my voice. The only clue I had it might be him is that I could see a toned down version of his lights flashing. My younger brother joked with me before he died that if a therapist ever asked if I heard voices, I could truthfully say no. (Which I admit still causes me to smile). Where the heck am I going with this? No idea, at the moment.
 
Silk said:
Hello Silence my old friend, I've come to talk to you, again.

My Mother, too, heard the voice of God. He said to her, when she was quite young, "That (He) would be with her again when she was naked and alone." Which I am sure He did, but it sounds so like the end of the conversation, yanno? I can't believe I never asked her more about it - being the epitomy of curious. Maybe it's that thing about seeing your parents naked (Ewwww, you know?) So up to a point, it was - my mother and brother could hear him and I could only see him - the audio was blank. When I finally "heard" God, it was irritating beyond words that he used my voice. The only clue I had it might be him is that I could see a toned down version of his lights flashing. My younger brother joked with me before he died that if a therapist ever asked if I heard voices, I could truthfully say no. (Which I admit still causes me to smile). Where the heck am I going with this? No idea, at the moment.
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Of course the next question must be............How did she know it was God' voice speaking to her?

Then How do you know it was God that you saw.????

The Bible says no one has seen God and lived. Why does that not apply to you?
 
When I first "saw" God (about age 20) - he told me that was who he was. The sensations of bliss, joy, and total love never made me question the reality. Altho, for years I thought it had been just a dream from which I'd had an OBE (out of body experience) for which I had a real live witness. There are people throughout the Bible who "saw" some aspect of God and lived, not that I'm comparing them to me. God has not shared with me the complete why of it but at a minimum, I'd guess he has some specific work for me. My only desire at this point in my life is to do his will as well as I possibly can. I would like to think I have always gone out of my way to help others, throughout most of my life.

As for my Mother? Guess you would have had to know her. She always carried God's light with her and her life was dedicated to his service. If my brother and I had any chosen-ness about us - it came from being children of hers. She was worthy- me not at all.
 
Funny thing - your post came as I was arguing (with my self) about my next post on this thread. That other self was insisting I share with you all my terrible dream, age 15, of the end of the world. The realistic me says that I only mark myself as crazy to those God would have me reach. The words, pearls before... my words are for those who would hear. I don't seek self aggrandizement and if I did - this would not be the way I would go about getting it.

Another funny thing - we all used to be able to hear God. The Jewish people, as a whole, during the exodus could hear God but it frightened them. They chose to not hear him any more but to get their news of God from Moses.
 
My History of Dreaming by Silk

I remember some dreams that I had from age two and onwards. Most are gone by the time I wake up. Back in the day, when most TV's and programming was in Black and White, most people said they dreamed in black and white. I never did. But most of my dreams were like everyone else's - finding yourself with little or no clothes on in a public place, flying, going to class only to find out there is a final and you can't remember ever attending class. Like that.

At around age 13, I began having a series of dreams of what would happen the next day or week. They were vivid and specific and included people's conversations (neighbors, classmates, friends) where they thought no one else was listening. Just before Christmas, I confided in my BFF (no such acronym then of course) that she was going to get ski's for Christmas. Now we could go skiing together, I thought. We both knew her folks drank too much and didn't have the money, so I'm guessing now, she didn't believe me. Christmas day came and I ran down to her house. She came outside to talk and I was so excited, I might have failed to notice her expression. Turns out the girl who lived across the street died a few months prior and her folks had given her ski equipment to my friend's parents - who in turn - gave it to her for Christmas. She called me a witch. I think we remained friends but I don't remember ever skiing with her. I stopped dreaming like that. I had scared her and she in turn had scared me.

So I guess I am stalling a bit to relate the end of days dream now.
 
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