true... but sometime he control my financial out put for my good also

About Finances,
God wants this to be implemented into your heart.

Luke 16:10-12 NIV

10 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

can you elaborate? to apply on finances. thank u!

The Grace of God Vs The Law of 10 Commandments




Here God is making a clear distinct separation between the Law (10 Commandments) and Grace + Truth. Why is that? God is telling us,
in this passage, He is for Grace more than for the Law because He sent His Son on the side of Grace & Truth. Do you know that Grace = Jesus Christ. Grace is a Person, not a subject, refer to John 1:17. And Grace is on the same side of the Truth. It stand with the Truth. The Law is NOT on the side of Truth. Remember this as you read below.

The Law was given from a distant, on Mount Sinai, God says Do not come near this mountain less you die. Remove your shoes, for you are standing on Holy Ground. (Exodus 3:5). It seems under the Law, God distance Himself from his people. There is no closeness.

But Grace came to us up close through Jesus Christ. Under grace, God says put shoes on his feet and they celebrated with a Party ( Luke 15:22). Do you see the huge difference here? Why is that? Study back in the OT and you will understand.

When Israel presume on it's own self righteousness, All that God command, we will do ( Exodus 19:8), God turn his Back and let us try. This is exactly how all the religion in this world works. Self Effort. You name any religion, it's on this principal. Do good get good, do bad, get beat.
For thousands of year, the best of the Old Testament, had, Even David, a Man after God's own Heart could not fulfilled that. The word of God is so clear, you break one Law, you break all. Where is the Hope in the Law then? It's far fetch and hopeless to pursue. You can never come to God via your own self righteousness. You will fail in your obedience one way or another. And yet we have Churches today pursuing that with it's congregation, Obey God, search your heart for any sins, As IF the cross of Jesus has never happened.

The New Covenant is all about Grace. You can receive good which you don't deserve. The world's religion is exactly the opposite of Christianity. This is what makes us unique, Grace.

Do you know the Israelites complained and murmured after being delivered out of Egypt all the way to Mount Sinai BUT NOT ONE PERSON DIED? If complaining is sin, how come no one died? It is only after the Law of the 10 commandments was given, AFTER THAT! When they complained, they died being bitten by fiery serpents (poisonous snakes). Why is that? Why is it before the Law, nobody died but after the law was given, they died? It was the same sin which is complaining and murmuring before and after. What's the difference?

The answer is, before the Law, The Israelites was under the Abrahamic covenant of Grace. When they complain about the red sea, God open up the red sea, when they complain on the bitter water of Marra, God gave the sweet water via the tree (a picture of the cross), they complain there was no food, God gave them Manna from heaven, they complained there was no water, God gave them water out of the rock. It seems like every fresh complain, brought forth fresh manifestation of God's Grace. Stop here and think for moment. Seriously. Did God gave them what they want based on how righteous they were? Their obedience to the Law? The Law was not even Given yet! The Truth is, God bless them not because of anything the Israelites have done but because of God's own goodness. This is the unearned and unmerited Grace that we hear Today.

But After the Law, the died from complaining and murmuring. How many understand, that the Law of the 10 commandments is not in the heart of God? Think about it. Under Law, there was all kind of death. In the Old testament, how many people have died because of the Law? God call the 10 commandments the ministry of death! (2 Corinthians 3:7 ). But under grace, God impart his Righteousness on us and we didn't even earn it. If I won a trophy, I would prefer that I've earned it on my own merit. That's the idea. But not before God. Why? So that no man may boast. (1 Corinthians 1:29). Grace keeps us humble. God wants us to be indebted to Him all under Grace not under the Law!

Study these few examples. Peter who rejected Jesus 3 times. Just before that Jesus said If anyone disown Him before Man, He will disowned us. But yet Jesus did not pursue and judge Peter for that but in fact restored Peter with grace and love. Study about the Prostitute who is about to be stoned by the Pharisee. And yet Jesus defended her from his own Law by saying He who is without Sin, cast the first stone. Study about Abraham who lied twice and in that sense has sinned against God but God defended Him and rebuked the Pharaoh and King Abimelech instead. Is God for the Law or for Grace? The scripture has proven God is for Grace.

The whole problem with the Church today is that they try to balance up Grace with some teaching of the Law. That is why there are Christians who are confused. God has given us his free Gift of Salvation and Righteousness and yet we have Churches who admonished us that we must pay him back through obedience otherwise we fall from grace as IF our obedience merits righteousness before God. If that is indeed the truth, Salvation and Righteousness should not be called a free Gift, unearned and unmerited but should be rightly called a Reward where we are blessed depending very much on how far we obey God.

Think about it where we have gone wrong.


God Bless.

This post has been edited by unknown warrior: Feb 16 2013, 12:41 AM

God just vaporised me last week. I was in deep shit. Then he picked up my practical body and rebuild me again.

A deeper study reveals that a historical Jesus did not exist at all. Sure there were like 20 Jesus' alive in Israel and surrounding areas at that time...it was a common name. However, we now know that Nazareth was not a real town in the times claimed in the Bible. The really obvious thing is that there is not a shred of historical evidence for Jesus. None.

There is no contemporaneous attestation from any historians and particularly Philo of Alexandria. Philo impeccably documented all the history in that era and place and does not even mention Jesus once. The Romans records of Pilate and Herod do not mention Jesus either. When one understands symbolism and understands archetypes and how the same god-man myths keep repeating themselves as they are assimilated by other cultures. This is called syncretism. Mithra also was a "god" and preceded Christianity.

Mithra, like Jesus was born of a virgin on Dec 25th. Mithra died and was resurrected also. There are some 12-15 other "gods" and "god-men" who have similar life stories to the Jesus in the gospels, same details, same sayings, same everything. It becomes obvious that Jesus is a myth and Christianity is a syncretism of Jewish religion, Greek thought, and the Pagan mystery religions of the Middle East and Egypt. The story of the flight of the hero's family into a desert is also a repeat line from an earlier myth.

The important thing to understand is that to interpret the bible literally is psycho-spiritually dangerous as the bible advocates the killing of first born babies, the slaughter of Isaac's son, and many other instances where bible "g-d" orders killings or brutality.. That is not Real God. The bible is also corrupted with lies by the Catholic Church, who built the Vatican over the old Mythric temples.

I. THE MEANING OF BEING A TESTIMONY—SPEAKING FORTH GOD, DECLARING GOD, AND EXPRESSING GOD

According to the Bible, being God’s testimony involves speaking forth God, declaring God, and expressing God. Even if no humans were serving in this manner, there would be some things or some words that would testify of Him. Whether there are certain words, certain matters, or certain individuals or groups of individuals, whoever or whatever speaks forth God, declares God, and expresses God is a testimony of God. This is the meaning of testimony in the Bible.

II. ADAM, THE PATRIARCHS, THE TABERNACLE, THE TEMPLE, THE PROPHETS, AND ALL THE MEN OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT BEING TESTIMONIES OF GOD

Adam, the patriarchs, the tabernacle and the temple among the children of Israel, the prophets, and all the men of God in the Old Testament were expressions of God. Since they were expressions of God, they were also testimonies of God. Adam was a testimony of God, as was Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the positive persons and things among the children of Israel. Since these people and things expressed God to a lesser or greater degree, they were part of the testimony of God.

III. THE LAW BEING THE TESTIMONY OF GOD

A. The Law Being Called “the Testimony”

In Exodus 25:16, 21, and 40:20, God told Moses to put the law into the Ark, but the Hebrew word used in these verses is actually the word for testimony. This shows that in God’s eyes the law was His testimony. Therefore, He called the law “the testimony.”

According to the context of Psalms 19:7, 78:5, and 119:2 testimony and testimonies also denote the law. In these verses the law is also called “the testimony” or “testimonies.”

B. The Tablets of the Law Being Called “the Tablets of the Testimony”

The law—the Ten Commandments—was written on two tablets. In Exodus 31:18 the Hebrew text actually refers to “the two tablets of the testimony.” Since the law is the testimony, the two tablets on which the law was written were called “the tablets of the testimony.”

C. The Ark Being Called “the Ark of the Testimony”

The Ark in Exodus 40:21 is actually called “the Ark of the Testimony” according to the Hebrew text. This is because the law of God was in the Ark. Since the law was the testimony, the Ark was called “the Ark of the Testimony.”

D. The Law Being a Testimony of God in That It Reveals the Attributes of God and Explains the Kind of God He Is

The law is a testimony of God because the law reveals the attributes of God and explains the kind of God He is. When we read the law, the Ten Commandments, we see that the God who enacted the law is so holy, full of light, loving, and righteous. The Ten Commandments show us the attributes of God, enabling us to know God’s nature. Since the law explains God and reveals His attributes, it is a testimony of God.

If a person is wasteful and unruly, he will surely make laws that are lax and wild. If a person is serious and righteous, he will make laws that are strict and just. When we look at a law, we can know the kind of person who enacted it, because a law always shows the character of the law-giver. In the same way, the laws of the Old Testament are holy, full of light, compassionate, and righteous because this is the character of the God who enacted them. Since the law testifies of God, the law is the testimony of God.

E. Every Requirement on Man, according to What God Is, Being a Law to Man

Although the law is the testimony of God, it is still a law to man. The law consists of all the requirements that God places upon man according to what He is. On one hand, these requirements are a testimony of God, revealing what God is, and on the other hand, they are a law to man, requiring man to do certain things. For example, God is a jealous God; thus, He commands man to not make idols and to not worship idols (20:3-5). Because God is also absolutely loving and pure, He commands man to not kill and to not commit adultery (vv. 13-14). Furthermore, God is absolutely true and honest; for this reason, He commands man to not testify with false testimony, that is, to not lie (v. 16). Therefore, on one hand, these laws declare what kind of God He is, and on the other hand, they require man to conduct himself according to what God is. Since these laws are the explanation of God, they are a testimony of God; since they place requirements on man, they are the law to man.

F. Only God Himself Being Able to Satisfy the Requirements of the Law, Which Are for Man to Have the Divine Attributes and Be Like God

The law requires man to have the divine attributes and be like God. Therefore, the Scriptures say, “I am Jehovah your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44). God requires man to be like Him. This is the law. In this respect, however, there is no way for man to fulfill the requirements of the law. Indeed, man has absolutely no power to keep the law of God; only God Himself can keep the law and fulfill the law. This is because the law of God requires man to have the divine attributes and be like God.

G. Man Being Able to Spontaneously Fulfill the Requirements of the Law, If He Touches God and What God Is, but Attempting to Keep the Law
Because of the Requirements of the Law Being in Vain

Some may ask why God would give such requirements if it is impossible for man to meet the requirements of the law. God gave these requirements for three reasons. First, they show us the kind of God He is. Second, we will see that we have absolutely no power and no way to fulfill the requirements. We are unable to fulfill the requirements of God, and there is no way we can fulfill them by ourselves; only He can fulfill them, and only He has a way to fulfill them. With man this is impossible, but with God it is possible. Only He can meet His requirements. This points to the third reason. He wants to be received into us, and by contacting and touching Him, we allow Him to fulfill His requirements within us and through us.

The requirements of the law of God compel man to receive God. If man could fulfill the requirements of God, man would have no need to trust in God and no need to receive the Lord as Savior. Since man cannot meet the requirements of the law, however, he needs to seek refuge in God and receive God. When God comes into man and becomes the power of life within man and which passes through man, He meets the requirements of His law. Romans 8:4 speaks of the Spirit of life fulfilling the righteous requirement of the law in those who walk according to the spirit.

Therefore, the reality, the substance, of the law is God Himself. If a person touches God Himself, if he touches God’s being, then he is able to spontaneously fulfill the requirements of the law of God. However, if a man wants to keep the ordinances of the law merely because of the requirements of the law, his efforts will be in vain.

The Old Testament saints who wrote the Psalms were godly men who lived in God’s presence. As such, they touched God and God’s being and, therefore, spontaneously lived according to the law. It was easy for them to keep the law because they touched the reality, the substance, of the law, which is God Himself. Others, however, did not live in God’s presence, and, in New Testament terminology, they were not in fellowship with God. They tried instead to keep the law by their own effort. Since God gave them commandments and requirements, they felt that they could fulfill them. They accepted God’s requirements and tried to keep them as laws, but they could not. On the contrary, they broke every law. If anyone tries to keep the law as a set of regulations apart from God, his efforts will be to no avail. If a person has seen that the law is a testimony of God and that the reality of the law is God Himself and if he contacts God often, touching God Himself and living before God, it will result in an ability to fulfill the requirements of the law. This applies especially to those who are in the New Testament age. Although we are not under the law, if we live in God, we will spontaneously fulfill the requirements of the law, because the law is a testimony of God, and the reality, the substance, of the law is God Himself.

Hi highlowyat,

I used to frequest RWI, was an active BvsNB in the early days. I've seen this rebuttal before.
Can say there's nothing much that's new. Whatever that's thrown to against Christianity are pretty much answered.

As for the 20 Similar names, Greek Myth, Indian gods history and psycho interpretation of the Bible?

Funny things is, you should know all the attacking points and the answers can be found in various websites.

The same goes for Buddhist rebuttal on Jesus in India and Islam rebuttal on error of scripture, Barth Erman, etc etc.

Most of them hold no merits because they are argued from sources that has nothing to do with Christianity. It's like Doctors arguing to Engineers how Engines should works.

BTW

Go to,

http://www.nazarethinfo.org/show_item.asp?levelId=63437

There's a valid address for Nazareth in Israel. There's even a market, bazaar, the pilgrim walk, all in Nazareth. Thank you. If this is easily debunked, the rest falls into scrutiny of baseless same notion cycle of repeat arguments.


If you really want to know whether Christianity is real or fake, it's not found in who has better or wittier arguments. The real test is to take a walk with Jesus in your life. It starts by Faith. Then you will see the reality.

1 Corinthians 4:20 (NIV)
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

This post has been edited by unknown warrior: Feb 18 2013, 10:53 AM

Luke 16:10-12





Hi Jedi,

Luke 16:10-12 is actually a principal in life God wants us to implement as natural as breathing.

It's not just about finances but about almost anything.

To be trusted with little means to be responsible and honest in little things that most of us don't think twice about.

For example when your purchase something and the cashier returned more than the change given by mistake. Your responsibility is to return that extra change to the cashier and vice versa if the cashier charged you less for good purchased, you can alert the cashier.
I've always believe small matters like this, are like tests from God.

Even though the amount may be little but what matter is the principal. That you're God's Children and even though if you're tight on finances, be honest when dealing with money.

Another example is, IF you may have challenge in your finance, learn to give. For example, if you see a homeless person, give what you can to help but do it with wisdom, don't go overboard. If you're not comfortable with giving cash, then buy food and water for them.

God is faithful to return this act of kindness in this life. Some Christians lacks the Faith that God do reward in this life, they think all this reward will only happen when we get to Heaven.

One more example is tithing. This can be tough for some Christians. But I can testify, it works every time.

No matter what happens, whether you have very very little or abundance, Learn to tithe faithfully. This one is really an ordained test from God. I believe when you tithe faithfully, God honours his word and bless you back via so many ways as in the book of Malachi.

When you're faithful in all these little things, God will promote you with bigger things.

I believe in this last days, God is careful in bringing up people with integrity to handle the mega financial matters in His Kingdom in this life. Many have fallen and succumb to corruption because they lack the character during the testing period. It's kind of sad to see this in Church circle sometimes.

God Bless.

This post has been edited by unknown warrior: Feb 18 2013, 10:37 AM

I was in deep shit last week. 2 high ranking police officers and 1 immigration officer pray for me in the police station. God crushed me and he picked me up again. I am a new person now.

wat happened lah?

wat vapourised?

wat police station?


??????

I am impressed. You are studying very well.

Relationship with Jesus is based on our term, our mean christian term: faith.

In simple English, faith means:
1. Trust.
2. don't use common sense.
3. ignore historical data.

just trust laaaaa... that's probabaly how we gonna say anyway... :-) cuz honestly. What you saying are true.... The really obvious thing is that there is not a shred of historical evidence for Jesus. None.

But, why still i follow Jesus ? but i already know not much evidence of Jesus... Faith.... Just believe lahhh... no need pening2x knowledge whasoever historical reason bla..bla..bla... cuz, historical is based on "best data available" therefore i consider it bla..bla..bla... why, cuz in the past technology is not as advanced as know... no google, no electricity, no internet, no digital camera and everything is hand written either on paper or papyrus. compared to todays, those means to preserve information are very fragile. And i am expected to trust those old fairy tales including christianity ? NO !

I just study history:
1. to know history
2. to pass my exam
3. to make my teacher happy.

more than that... nothing.

My brain never believe bible cuz it just an old book, written by so many people...

But my faith always believe... regardless how old is the bible...

so my advise, don't rely on historical data to have faith. you will not get faith from historical data. never.

That's not true.

There are evidences on historical of Jesus Christ. It's not blind Faith.
He's a historical figure.

read

http://www.evidenceandanswers.org/articles...n%20Sources.pdf

BTW our faith is not based on these 3 criteria.

1. Trust. 2. don't use common sense. 3. ignore historical data.

It's only 1 and it falls on the word of God.

God Bless.

nvm warrior... forgive my language... i tend to write short cuz if it's too long some people will not have time to read anyway...

extend my faith in my writings above meaning: i will pray with our Lord Jesus Christ to ask him so i can give more next year.
If Jesus told me to give double, but i don't have budget (money always have hahahah)... then i am trying to give anyway even tough i don't have budget for it. Because i believe if Jesus told me, The provision will come.
If Jesus told me not to give double, but something else (perhaps fix budget 10RM per person same like this year / less), and even if i have budget to give more than RM10, i will only whatevery pleases HIS heart.
99% of my problem... I don't know what really is He wants... trying to get the Rhema is like conceiving and conceiving requires time / energy. This is what other perspective of my writing: extend my faith :-)

This post has been edited by de1929: Feb 18 2013, 02:33 PM

One by one lah warrior ... if the process is not finish, how can you comment true or not ? i am replying highlowyat topics and i sensed (unless i sense holy spirit leadings wrong) that he's confused because historical / common historical are not tallying... so the message is not to trust historical but to focus on faith in Christ. Based on Word of God.... different people different dose lahh

I know you're trying to lead him via Faith, step by step.

But it should also be based on truth as well.

To agree on something that is not true can lead to more confusion.


Barth Erman, a strong Critic Against Jesus Christ even agreed by citing

Bart Ehrman (who is a secular agnostic) wrote: "He certainly existed, as virtually every competent scholar of antiquity, Christian or non-Christian, agrees" in his 2011 book.

If somebody who is vehemently against Jesus Christ can agree to his existence, together with Pagan historians, what more can anyone say?

Shalom.

about Mithra God, Pagan roots, Buddhism Atheism Blabla vs Christianity borrowing from them, this is what I have to say.

Consider it a sermon a mini-one, since I am not a Pastor, but only a learner. Some are very good materials over the course I read and collected too.

Those people are funny.

Christian tradition from Pagan origin:
Crosses, Cross, The Bible Days, Months, Seasons
Fish symbol, Christian Fish symbol,l Hymns & Carols
St. Valentine's Day
Candles, Prayer, Holy Days
Wreaths, Amen, Easter
Crown of Thorns, Holiness, Christmas
Icons, Forgiveness, Sunday
Church Buildings, Healing, Wedding Day
Processions, Blessing Wedding Rings,
Clerical Vestments, Glory, Wedding Veil

THE CROSS - THIS WAS THE WAY ROMANS EXECUTED NON ROMANS ..

The cross has been used world-wide in a varity of cultures as a religious symbol. The Cult of Tammuz is merely one of hundreds of examples.

Months. Again, used long before the Bible and, like the days of the week, are based in pagan names.

Fish? Look up Dagon.

Hymns and carols? You're not serious. People have been singing since we fell out of the trees by which we'd been hanging by our tails. And many of the tunes to which we sing hymns are pagan-based and, often, rooted in tavern ditties.

St. Valentine's Day. Originally a pagan holiday. Look it up.

Candles, prayers, holy days were all part of paganism long before Xianity or Judaism.

Vestments? All pagan religions had vestments and the ones we use now (chasubles, etc.) are all based in common dress in the late Roman Empire.

Baptism was an Egyptian practice - those who just gave birth were immersed in the NILE water....but God made this precious element "water" not a pagan god who does not exist.



Many of today's customs came into Christianity through Constantine who, in 325 AD, began the process of converting the official Pagan religion of the Roman Empire to Christianity.

Note the word 'converting'. As any organizer of a new venture knows, it's a lot easier, quicker and cheaper to change the sign on the door than to change the whole building. Christianity was modeled on many customs that were familiar and acceptable to Jews and Pagans at that time, when religion and belief were intertwined with superstition. This contrasts with today's norm – at least in economically advanced countries, with greater access to education and science, people base their religious belief on reasoning rather than superstition.

But there is little doubt that early Christians adopted well-known customs to develop their religion and doctrine. To suggest otherwise is to say that the seeds sown by God for earlier faiths was a mistake.

By definition, God does not make mistakes. God would sow these seeds among the earlier faith as a precursor to what was to come?

It goes back to what I was saying about God (and the church) taking something that was intended for harm and 'converting' it into something that glorifies Him.

Circumcision was a pagan practice- they will split an animal apart to make an agreement - whoever violates the agreement - what happened to the animal will happen to the one who violates the agreement... so God ordered Abraham to split his penile foreskin to let Abraham know of his covenant with Abraham , this was the language Abraham knew ... he came from a pagan family.

God speaks to us in a language we understand .....



It all comes from God so to suggest that Christmas or any other Christian tradition is Paganism IS giving importance to them!





In that case, who invented traditional Christianity if not Christ?
A lie, like a truth, must originate somewhere. Peter? The twelve? The next generation?
What was the motive of whoever first invented the myth (euphemism for lie)? What did they get out of this elaborate, blasphemous hoax?
For it must have been a deliberate lie, not a sincere confusion.
No Jew confuses Creator with creature, God with man. And no man confuses a dead body with a resurrected, living one.

So all we Christians celebrate, really, is a living truth. the Coming of Saviour to liberate us from the lies of the world. and yes, it is the best present coming from God.

Be it Christmas, Valentine's Day, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost

On Mithra, His Birthday vs Jesus' Birth (The Word made Flesh)

Celebrating the winter solstice was forbidden by the early church, but customs survived anyway and it didn't take much to tempt Christians to join in the solstice feast in honour of the Pagan god Mithra. So the church provided an alternative with a festival in honour of the birth of Christ and celebrations were definitely in order.

In the 2nd century, the winter solstice was 6th January and Christians celebrated both the birth and the appearance of God's Son on that day, Epiphany Day.

By the 4th century, the date for the winter solstice was moved to 25th December and Pope Julius I declared that Jesus' birthday celebrations would also be on that day. (The appearance of Jesus to the Magi continued to be celebrated on 6th January.) This effectively transformed the Pagan occasion into a Christian holy day (holiday).

This was not, however, merely a convenient way to 'Christianize' a Pagan celebration. The important thing for Christians is to celebrate the birth of Jesus because that showed God's love for us. It doesn't really matter a hoot when the birth is celebrated; the important thing is to celebrate it. So since the 'why' is much more important than the 'when', 25th December has been good enough for Christians ever since.

If you have a problem with celebrating Jesus's birth on December 25th~~don't.


Christianising Pagan Holidays?
How cool is it that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the church was able to take something that was intended for harm and turn it into something that glorified the Risen Christ?

On the Birth of Jesus

Josephus calculation, along with the whole multitude outside tells us that Zechariah was on the Temple on Yom Kippur. Yom Kippor in 3 BC was, as I recall, September 25. 6 months to the annunciation- March 25, 9 months to the birth- December 25, 2 BC

Plus, we now know that the Bethlehem star was the planet Jupiter. It fulfilled all of the Biblical criteria of the Bethlehem star and stopped over Bethlehem on December 25th, 2 BC

In addition, we also know factually, from Josephus accounts that the eclipse heralding Herod's death occured January 10, 1 BC. Not 4 BC as previously thought

The Bible tells us that Jesus was about 30 in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar. According to ascension dating, that would have started 1 Nisan 30 AD. Jesus born on 25 December, 2 BC, he would have been 30 years old on 1 Nisan 30 AD. Do the math.

This also agrees with the Pharisses assertion that the temple was under construction 46 years.

December 25th, 2 BC is the ONLY possible date. All other suggested dates are demonstrably false.

On Jupiter as the Star that leads the Magi?
Pagans questions: what makes you think the star from the East was Jupiter..??? this was no ordinary 'star'.. as the astrologers (magi) first saw it in the east and then "followed" to Herod...!!!

Ans: Clearly the bible says the star was used to direct the magi to The Christ Child. That's a GOOD THING

Your heavenly Father set the stars in motion at their creation... His universal time clock.. for His appointed times... When Jesus was born revelation gave a picture of the virgin in labor clothed in the sun on her back and the moon under her feet with the serpent just under her waiting to devour the child soon as he was born...it dont take imagination to get the picture


CONCLUSION:



What does it mean Image and Likeness of God?

God is Goodness, Beauty and Truth - Aristotle, St Thomas Aquinas

If our Brain is inclined to the Truth, our heart to Goodness, and God is Truth, then we also can deduce that, we are created in HIS image.

And the fact that Egyptians and Paleolithics Neolithics worship other things as God is because God has not yet Revealed to men after the Fall. Yet we are inclined to Truth.

Christians believe that God created all things, including rituals and designs. Some of these we find aesthetically pleasing, such as hymn singing, wedding rings, icons, etc. Their introduction through ancient religious practices are all part of God's plan to prefigure; to prepare humanity for the great sacrifice of Jesus. That's the important thing to emphasize!

Perhaps NOT relevant to the point, is that there may actually be clues in scripture as to the time of year certain things took place. We also are forgetting that these things were no doubt passed along from generation to generation. For instance, can we assume that the crucifixion took place in the winter in Jerusalem? Perhaps---since Peter warmed himself around the FIRE because it was a very cold day---after he rejected Christ.

The point is that we do celebrate and give glory to the life, death and resurrection of Christ. The 'when' is of little significance.

Edifying Support:

The children belongs to God,David knew that he would see his child in heaven one day. we can assume that babies and young children were, by God's grace, covered for salvation by Christ’s death.
It can also be argued that people with mental disabilities with a mental age of adolescents are covered in saving grace as well because they are like 'children', they may hurt people but they do not know what is right from wrong.

2 Samuel 12:23
23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, qbut he will not return to me.”

THE ENTIRE BIBLE BEING THE TESTIMONY OF GOD

Just as the law is the word of God, the entire Bible is the word of God.

A. As the Testimony of Christ, the Bible also Being the Testimony of God

In John 5:39 the Lord said that the Scriptures testify concerning Him. Since the Scriptures are a testimony of Christ, they are also a testimony of God. If we really touch the spiritual meaning in the Bible when we read it, we cannot help but see Christ. Furthermore, once we see Christ, we cannot help but see God, because the entire Bible is a testimony of God.

B. As the Word of God, the Bible Revealing What God Is and Therefore Being the Testimony of God

All Scripture is a testimony of God because all Scripture is the word of God, revealing the kind of God He is. Just as the law reveals God, the Scriptures fully reveal God. Therefore, the Scriptures are the real and full testimony of God. The reality, the substance, of the Scriptures is God Himself, just as it is with the law.

C. One Needing to Touch God to Be Able to Touch the Reality of the Scriptures; Otherwise, the Scriptures Being Dead Letters or Vain Doctrines

When a person comes to read the Bible, he needs to contact God to be able to touch the reality and the substance of the Bible. If he reads the Bible apart from God, the Bible will be either dead letters or vain doctrines to him. This is really true. If we do not read the Bible while touching God and being in God, the Bible will be merely dead letters or vain doctrines.

When we read the Bible, we need to touch God, meet God, and live in God; only then can we touch the reality and the substance of the Bible. Otherwise, we will feel that the Bible is tasteless, having only dead letters or vain doctrines. We have often said that some read the Bible and find only dead teachings, such as being humble, patient, meek, and peaceful. But can we really be humble? Can we be patient? Is it possible for us to be meek or peaceful? The more we try to be humble, the prouder we become; the more we try to be patient, the quicker we are provoked; the more we try to be peaceful, the more contentious we become; the more we try to be meek, the hotter is our temper. As a result, we see that such teachings are simply dead letters and vain doctrines which are completely useless. But when we contact God in the Scriptures, the reality of humility will be worked into us and the power of being meek will operate in us. We do not need to decide to be humble, nor do we need to determine to be meek. The reality of humility which causes us to be spontaneously humble is within us; the power which enables us to be spontaneously meek is within us. The Scriptures are living and real because God Himself is the reality of the Scriptures; the Scriptures testify of God. Those who have not touched God can touch only the letter in the Scriptures. At the most they can touch only the doctrines in the Scriptures, but they cannot meet the God of reality, concerning whom the Scriptures testify. We must see that the Bible does not consist of doctrines. Rather, the Bible is a testimony; it is the testimony of God, and God Himself is the reality of the Bible.

(short one) ....

I prayed to God last month to purify me as silver. He granted it and burned me to the fire and now i am a pure silver. I shall rest now before i ask him to burn me again so that i can become 100% pure silver.

Psalms 66:10