We have bible discussion about this Parable of Sower last week in our Friday bible talk. Nice one. Promises is another fruit. The two 'fruits' I tot of are
- bearing fruit (helping / lead another to be a Christian)
- the character growth 'fruit' as mentioned in Galatians 5: 22-23

So it all starts from the heart. We can be very careful and stringent with our partners but if we don't have a loving and compassion heart like Jesus, we are no where near prepared for a marriage.

Yes I believe nowadays christians are too emphasize on looking at other people's faults when finding life partners and not looking at ourselves inwardly. We should check our heart to see if we have lost that glimmer of love that we first had when we accepted christ. Sometimes its easy to forget when we are too busy in ministry work until we grieve other brothers with our own words and actions.

wat happened to your maniackam123 a/c bro? kena ban arrrr?!! 

Women needs security. Sometimes a stable man simply can win because he demonstrates stability.

I am not surprise at all.

I not to say I judge my fellow brothers la but I know a good and reliable brother when i see one. You know how? When i see him care about his brothers and sisters like the way a sheperd would take care of his flock. And not just leaders, in fact all of us are called to be sheperds, we should sheperd each other.

I know I know.

I think couples who really want to seek God's will always have one thing in mind, perseverance in a relationship. For this reason, I always see christians get together wanting to test a new relationship but there just isn't enough chemistry to like each other, thats why the relationship failed because the partner was just seeing if this works out. So the perseverance weren't there because they were telling themselves, i am settling down for the next best thing because i can't find a person who i can fall in love with. So the relationship becomes a big test for the poor dude. Sometimes I have even seen a christian guy barrage his newly converted girlfriend with full of tests. That takes away the intimacy and romance out of the relationship.

So before one commits to a relationship, make sure you see a future in the guy or girl or else, forget about it. I've seen christian girls even desperately try on a relationship with a non christian guy hoping that he will convert and change his worldly ways. But they know from the start it won't work, and they still get into this deal. And yeah, they are being very careful about it but if they were so careful, why commit into this in the first place and hurt the guy badly? I've seen this christian girl at church started a rship with an unbeliever guy, brought him into the church and try to accomodate him. To him, it became a test. And when things didn't work out because she thought he wasn't holy enough she ended it, the guy tried to barge in to see her, and then the whole cell group had to intervene to stop him. It was a mess, i saw the guy barge into the cell group's gates demanding to see her. I just didn't get involve because for me, its the girl's fault, she hurt him, she has to answer for it. Why pull my cg members into this fiasco?

So once both of them really like each other and fullfill the minimal requirements like trust and believing in christ. Next thing is let the relationship flow, don't make it become a trial examination. Its a torture, it takes away intimacy and romance.

who is this watchman nee?

Left Behind the movie is coming to our cinema soon anyone watching it?

this healing topic could be sensitive to you but maybe we hear more from the rest about this. because what I learned is this is first century Christian only because those day no 'bible' yet. that's why Jesus and the apostles were given this gift to heal people.

Pardon my grammar. Just now type from phone

Here you go:

What I learned is special gift to heal people (on the spot) is applicable to first century Christian only because those days no 'bible' yet. and this special gift is only given from Jesus to the apostles and at most one more level (from apostle to another). After that, no more this special gift liao to heal people (on the spot).

1 Co 13:8 - Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

More explanation - http://www.gotquestions.org/gift-of-healing.html

I share more next time from my resourece. Now at outside.

Think you may have mistaken John MacArthur on his take on healing

I hope you do not think shouting O Jesus multiple times is normal.

There are just too many errors in Watchman Nee.

To me it's pretty obvious.

Again. If he was so confident of his theology, why is he avoiding me?

And then replying to me again at an opportunistic time. Do we play those kind of tricks as Christians?

maybe we all use the bible verse about this topic. I will share more soon coz I can't type much with my phone here

i believe thats not what he is saying.

Have you read?
Let me ask you of your position to be clear.

Do you believe that God will heal all His children who has faith?  Think about sovereignty of God.

How do you follow Jesus?  By what you feel or by what He wrote in His word?
Surely we follow Jesus through His word.

And how do you interpret His word?  Sometimes we need theologians and teachers.  We cannot interpret everything ourselves and we dont know everything about God's will.

UW n Prophetzul

When i read about your point of view about healing, none of you attribute the word spiritual warfare in the picture.

before i continue, then i look about John F. MacArthur. I read in the wiki as below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._MacArthur

I assume i talked about the same guy. or else sorry lahh...

The wiki say this about John MacArthur
Spiritual gifts[edit]
MacArthur is a cessationist. He calls modern "visions, revelations, voices from heaven, messages from the spirit world, dreams, speaking in tongues, trips to heaven, anointings, miracles" "all lies, all false, all deception."[21] MacArthur believes that the Apostolic gifts ended at the end of the Apostolic Age, around 100 A.D.

in my conclusion about John MacArthur, he never intend to socialize, bring awareness, educate about the reality of spiritual warfare to his audience.

so what the difference between cessationist and and not cessationist prayer ? it's the mindset. In short, i can put the prayer of people with these mindset below:

cessationist:
Lord Jesus, i don't believe in visions, revelations, voices from heaven, messages from spirit world, dreams and all the wiki things above cuz i am a cessationist. I am sorry LORD that's what i know. Therefore i surrender to you. If healed thank GOD, if not healed oso Thank GOD. Amen

When GOD's reply through visions, revelations, voices from heaven, messages from the spirit world, dreams, speaking in tongues, trips to heaven, anointings, miracles it's simply not applicable.

not cessationist:
Lord Jesus, according to grace given upon me, i rebuke all disease in the name of Jesus. Anything that my Heavenly Father did not plan in my body i speak out... out.. .out.. I believe i receive my healing. My body may not change but my faith is following my declaration, and i will brag about your goodness all the time.

when GOD's reply to visions, revelations, voices from heaven, messages from the spirit world, dreams, speaking in tongues, trips to heaven, anointings, miracles... we test the spirit back like this:
Dear Lord Jesus, i got something (visions, revelations, voices from heaven, messages from the spirit world, dreams, speaking in tongues, trips to heaven, anointings, miracles) ... but i do not know how whether this things come from YOU or not. Therefore first i would like to give thanks to YOU, then next i will let HOLY SPIRIT test for me. My faith is in YOU. I trust in YOU. Even i study hermeneutics, bible study, get degree in theology i believe still there is sky above the sky, tomorrow revelation can come and i have to update my recent knowledge... therefore i just simply run to my creator who created all kind of sky, and humble request you to help me test the spirit, help me to test all reply that i received.
---

it's a long discussion about spiritual warfare but it start with your mouth to declare. Declare GOD's will. How do you know GOD's will ? Read bible, get rhema, and for non cessationist, there are a lot of venue that GOD can reply to you.

wahahaha gate to heaven sounds like ... == thanks btw for the names !

Seems that is very similar to what John MacA wrote.

So methinks you have misunderstood him.   
Thats good.

God has given us theologians and teachers. We should appreciate those who have dedicated their lives to enrich ours with understanding of God's word.

However, i do agree with you that there are those who just theologians as academics, who are not even believers. Those, we have to beware of.
But John MacA is not one of them.

Next, totally agree that we ourselves have to be armed with the word of God. Else we will be swallowed up by the stalking lion, the devil.

On division. It will happen.
Let's not worship division for unity sake.
Because thats not what Jesus teaches.
The Truth will divide people. We have to understand that.

In Matthew's gospel Jesus said "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). it as a reference to the fact that the word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword"; it "penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). God's truth is a sword which divides truth from falsity, right from wrong, good from evil, and much else. It confronts us and requires us to make decisions. The way we make those decisions can divide us.

u guys are funny

Matthew 6:7
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

1 Corinthians 5
6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.[c] 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Matthew 7:22
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

I will let you think through those verses.

My concern is not on whether pehkey replies to me or not. It is when he only replies when it is "convenient". Again I repeat. If he was confident, he will not need to resort to those tactics.

Back to miraculous gift - ie healing (lay hands), speak in tongue, cast demon-possessed people.

1. Only apostles. Reference: Acts 2:43; 3: 1-10; 5:12.
2. The people whom the apostles laid hands on. Example Philip (Acts 6:1-6).

But today these groups of people are gone.

About spiritual gift in relation to speaking in tongue, I share next time la ya. Gotta go liao.
About God's will, i learned that there are 3 ways to identify
1. From God's word. Although there are some verses which are more deep to understand or interpret but we can focus on those which are direct and simple.
2. From the spiritually mature Christians. Meaning to seek advice from them (not just one). The might not be necessarily in the church leadership but spiritually mature (ie those whom you respected because of the consistent life example shown by every area)
3. By prayer. Sometimes God has a unique way to show it maybe thru people, situation.

For whether or not God will answer our prayer, the answer will be these 3 options:
1. Yes.
2. No.
3. Yes but not now.

God has the reason for option 2 and 3. When God says "No", this does not mean that he does not love us. It could be a trial and testing to build our character. Just like Paul prayed for his thorn to be removed but God didn't.

2 Co 12: 7 - I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Another one is Job's story from the book of Job.

what if i dun want to??
what if i hate god and i think he is nothing but a lie..

will you hate me??
would u tell me to STFU and go die?

what if i murder ur son and i ask for God for forgiveness
will he forgive me?? will he treat me like his son if i insaf??
will u forgive me if i murder ur son?

Hey ngaisteve1 ...

Assuming we are only talking about genuine outward miracles of the Spirit.

I won't put too much on 1) and 2). There are some records from the church fathers who do mentioned of saints practising these gifts. Also, if you are in Los Angeles of the United States (1909) where, a number of black believers on Azusa Street experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you might beg to differ. It recovered the Pentecostal experience and ushered in modern Pentacostalism, Charismatic movements. There are also many testimonies.

But, something for you to consider: XD

1) When you read the book of Acts, consider the beginning, through the end .... what was the difference?

2) Paul's experience in Philippines, 2 Cor (of which one verse you quoted) and his advice with Timothy.

Happy pursuing!

People like you are just not worth my time.

haha. Wonder what "christian" views you even have.

My guess is even. None.

already got my tuition center name ... call A+ Tuition center (Aplus). thanks for the help anyway and please pray for me >.< hope funds are enough to cover all expenses

btw anyone following International Christian Embassy Jerusalem? they are having live Feast of Tablenacles celebration live coverage in En Gedi, Israel right now .

Let join them in prayer for another successful celebration this year

http://feast.icej.org/live

Hi all, hope ya'll had a great day.
I consider myself an atheist because although my official papers state that I have a religion, but deep inside I know I don't believe in any.

Anyway, that's not the point. I'm actually curious about why and how Christians believe in God (I am seriously not trying to insult/condemn/make fun). Like, for me I need proof to believe in something. If God created the universe, where's the proof? Why hasn't God gave us the answer and if God loves us so much, why did He give us AIDS and Ebola and natural disasters?

I'm not looking for solid proof but I'm here just to find enlightenment.
Hope you all can help. Thanks, and oh please quote and reply because I dont lurk here a lot a notification and I'll be here.

Thanks!