Leaderboard

President Trump, Adventists and evangelicals, see: https://spectrummagazine.org/views/2019/evangelicals-president-trump-and-Adventists/ and https://spectrummagazine.org/views/2019/evangelicals-president-trump-and-adventists

There is much that is not known related to the issue of transgender. Regardless, I will say that being transgender is not a happy situation for anyone who is transgender. In my personal opinion, I do not even believe that we have a good understanding as to what a transgender person is. I am reminded of the debate that exists in the U.S. today related to homosexuality. Some define homosexuality on the basis of conduct, while others define it on the basis of gender preference. There is a world of difference between these two. Under the definition related to conduct, one may change from homosexual to heterosexual. Under the definition of gender preference, one may change their conduct, but their gender preference is unlikely to be changed. I will suggest that a similar situation may exist related to a transgender person. I will suggest that there are problematic issues related to school children claiming to be transgender, which is often simply a fad. One of the issues is probably that of genetics. In the area of homosexuality, we have limited information available as to a genetic influence. We are still in the learning stage on this issue. I will suggest that in the area of transgender, we understand even less as to the genetic influence. We have probably been taught that there are genetically two types of humans. [NOTE: We do know that this is NOT true for some other types of animal life.] We believe that persons born with a XX genetic configuration are female and persons born with a XY configuration are male. As it pertains to humans, all are either XX or XY. In actual fact this is not true. We now know some people have some organs that are genetically XX and other organs that are genetically XY. [NOTE: I am not referring to the external genitals.] To illustrate with an example: In some people it would be possible for a persons skin to be of one type, while that person's liver to be of another type. I do not think, that we know how this may effect a person being transgender. In short, I believe that our knowledge as to what it means to be a transgender and therefore we should be cautious as to what we say about such people.

To respond to your last post would take more time than I am prepared to give right now. I consider the problem to be very complex and I do not want to over simplify a solution. But, I will make a few brief responses which may suggest areas for more in-depth discussion: * This issue can not be resolved by people who do not understand the root cause of the problem well enough to propose a solution. * This issue needs more than money thrown at a solution that makes for a good "sound bite," But actually does little to resolve the issue. * International and domestic laws must govern and be complied with. Litigation that forces us to comply simply wastes financial resources that could be better spent and wastes time. * Any solution must have the approval to society. We are a nation that is divided as to political issues. This solution must be bi-partisan, which may mean that no side gets everything, but everyone gets something. In the U.S. today, it may take bi-partisan compromise in order to govern. * This issue has reached the point where a root cause as to why people are fleeing their home countries must be addressed in those nations. People who want to continue to live in their home countries are not going to seek refugee/asylum status.

No one would suggest Christ experienced the 2nd death as that is the term used for the ultimate and final status of the reprobate sinner, the Beast & False Prophet who's names are absent from the Book of Life. After the General Judgment when the lost are thrown into the lake of fire (no coming back from that) THAT's what's referred to as the 2nd death.

Rachel: Yes, I have begun several discussions on the Trinity. I have done so because I believe it to be an important topic. I have not confined the present discussions on the Trinity to the reserved section of this forum, as was once done, because I do not believe that the present discussions need to be so confined. You, as well as the others who participate in this discussion are welcome to continue to do so.

We should never speculate! The Bible does not make that statement and we shouldn't either! Happy Sabbath!

Overall Question - Why is discernment the safeguard of revival? Memory Text: Matthew 25:40 Easy-to-Read Version Then the king will answer, “The truth is, anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me.” Sunday – Introducing the Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:2-16 Contemporary English Version 2 and he taught them: 3 God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven! 4 God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort! 5 God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them! 6 God blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink. They will be given what they want! 7 God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy! 8 God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see him! 9 God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children! 10 God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven. 11 God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12 Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago. 13 You are like salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt, how can it make food salty? All it is good for is to be thrown out and walked on. 14 You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, 15 and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. 16 Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven. Monday – Overcoming Evil With Good Matthew 5:38-49 Common English Bible 38 “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I say to you that you must not oppose those who want to hurt you. If people slap you on your right cheek, you must turn the left cheek to them as well. 40 When they wish to haul you to court and take your shirt, let them have your coat too. 41 When they force you to go one mile, go with them two. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t refuse those who wish to borrow from you. 43 “You have heard that it was said, You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who harass you 45 so that you will be acting as children of your Father who is in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both the evil and the good and sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be complete. Romans 12:20-21 New Century Version 20 But you should do this: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his head.” [Proverbs 25:21–22] 21 Do not let evil defeat you, but defeat evil by doing good. Tuesday – The Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-27 Good News Translation 25 A teacher of the Law came up and tried to trap Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?” 26 Jesus answered him, “What do the Scriptures say? How do you interpret them?” 27 The man answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’” Luke 10:30-37 New Living Translation 30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. 31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. 33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ 36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” Luke 10:30 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE This was the most public road in all Judea, as it was the grand thoroughfare between these two cities for the courses of priests, twelve thousand of whom are said to have resided at Jericho. Luke 10:33 COMMENTARY THE FOURFOLD GOSPEL A certain Samaritan. The hereditary enemy of the Jews; despised and hated by the latter. "The Jews and Samaritans have no dealings" (Joh 4:9). If any man had excuse for passing the wounded Jew by it was the Samaritan. But he, unlike the priest and Levite, had compassion. His compassion leads to action, to self-denial, and inconvenience. He dresses the man's wounds, sets him on his own beast, carries him to the inn, and when he left, left money for his care. Wednesday – The Rich Man and Lazarus Luke 16:19-31 New English Translation 19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores, 21 who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And in hell, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. 24 So he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27 So the rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus to my father’s house 28 (for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’ 30 Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:19 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY It may then properly be asked, “Why would Jesus introduce into a parable figurative illustrations that do not accurately represent truth as clearly set forth elsewhere in the Scriptures, and particularly in His own literal statements?” The answer is that He was meeting people on their own ground. Many in the audience—without the least OT Scriptural reason for doing so—had come to believe in the doctrine of a conscious state of existence between death and the resurrection. This erroneous belief, which does not appear in the OT, pervades post-exilic Jewish literature in general, and like many other traditional beliefs, had become a part of Judaism by the time of Jesus. Luke 12:13-21 Modern English Version 13 Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or an arbitrator between you?” 15 Then He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness. For a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And He told a parable to them, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This I will do: I will pull down my barns and build greater ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take rest. Eat, drink, and be merry.’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This night your soul will be required of you. Then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So is he who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:15 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY God calls upon all who would love and serve Him to view the material things of life in their true perspective, and to subordinate these to things of eternal. Contrary to the opinion held by most people, more “things” do not necessarily mean more happiness. Happiness depends, not on “things,” but on the state of one’s mind and heart. Thursday – “The Least of These” Matthew 25:31-46 God’s Word Translation 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left. 34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. 36 I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 37 “Then the people who have God’s approval will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’ 41 “Then the king will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me into your homes. I needed clothes, and you didn’t give me anything to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t take care of me.’ 44 “They, too, will ask, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or in need of clothes or sick or in prison and didn’t help you?’ 45 “He will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you failed to do for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do for me.’ 46 “These people will go away into eternal punishment, but those with God’s approval will go into eternal life.” Matthew 25:41 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The word aiōnios, translated “everlasting,” or “eternal,” once, “for ever,” means literally, “lasting for an age,” in the sense of being continuous and not subject to capricious change. The ancient Greek papyri contain numerous examples of Roman emperors being described as aiōnios. The reference is to the continuous nature of their tenure—they held office for life.….The duration signified by aiōnios must, in each case, be determined by the nature of the person or thing it describes. In the case of Tiberius Caesar, for instance, aiōnios describes a period of 23 years, that is, the time from his ascent to the throne until his death… In the NT aiōnios is used to describe both the fate of the wicked and the future state of the righteous. Following the principle stated above, that the durative quality of aiōnios is to be determined by the person or thing of which it is used, we find that the reward of the righteous is life to which there is no end; the reward of the wicked is death to which there is no end.

Amen! Well said! I myself have posted my opinions on plausible end-time scenarios; and hopefully I have made it clear that they are just my thoughts/opinions rather than a "thus sayeth the Lord". I really get frustrated when I see how one particular poster expresses things down to the smallest detail with great certainty, even though he has been consistently wrong on this forum as far as I remember. That being said, I do believe we are in the time of the end. I have no idea when it will happen, but most of us will likely be around when it does unless we die an untimely death. I agree. The gospels say the deceptions will be so believable as to deceive the very elect - if it were possible. With the prophesied apparent defeat of JudeoChristianity, I believe one of the main deceptions will be that the God of the Bible ain't as powerful and loving as the Bible says He is. Many people already believe that. The love of many [believers towards God - my insert] will wax cold.

Another issue that concerns me regarding interpreting prophecy is time setting. While we have had warnings regarding setting times for the Second coming, I tend to believe that all prophecies with a time component have been fulfilled and there are none to be watched for in a timing sense. I found this section from Testimonies, p 307-308: Many who have called themselves Adventists have been time setters. Time after time has been set for Christ to come, but repeated failures have been the result. The definite time of our Lord's coming is declared to be beyond the ken of mortals. ... Because the times repeatedly set have passed, the world is in a more decided state of unbelief than before in regard to the near advent of Christ. They look upon the failures of the time setters with disgust; and because men have been so deceived, they turn from the truth substantiated by the word of God that the end of all things is at hand . Those who so presumptuously preach definite time, in so doing gratify the adversary of souls; for they are advancing infidelity rather than Christianity. They produce Scripture and by false interpretation show a chain of argument which apparently proves their position. But their failures show that they are false prophets, that they do not rightly interpret the language of inspiration. The word of God is truth and verity, but men have perverted its meaning. These errors have brought the truth of God for these last days into disrepute. ... Those who think they must preach definite time in order to make an impression upon the people do not work from the right standpoint. The feelings of the people may be stirred and their fears aroused, but they do not move from principle. An excitement is created; but when the time passes, as it has done repeatedly, those who moved out upon time fall back into coldness, darkness, and sin, and it is almost impossible to arouse their consciences without some great excitement. I would be careful of predicting a time for anything going into the future. Of course, I tend to see understanding prophecy more of a map to where we have been rather than where we are going.

oh one more thing, my friend also adds quick oats to her morning smoothie.... great fiber addition!!

I know it is hard to change but when you see the results right before your very eyes, it is encouraging. My Spanish friend is only in her mid 40s. The machine she used to make smoothie breakfast is called a bullit I think. I don't see her snack at all and she has tons of energy and is losing some added weight too. Forks over Knives is good, and Dr. Michael Greger is excellent too.

Been a busy summer. Had my grandchildren (4 & 7) again for two months. Kids can be huge time suckers! I have gotten behind in studying and reading and work around my house. They go home in 5 more days. My wife works so I end up with all the daycare for them. Also had a medical event which had me in the hospital for the first time in over 55 years! But all is good and turned out well.

In honor of World Elephant Day, August 12, and if you have three minutes to watch, you may enjoy the following video:

The RCC condoning same sex marriage, reversing an Official Church Teaching, things like that would cause me to question my affiliation. Several years ago I saw a Christian Church that had been buried under sand and dirt since around 330 A.D. It looked JUST like an Orthodox Church. I've known some very saintly Orthodox Christians. If something happened that caused me to leave the Catholic Church I would become Eastern Orthodox in a microsecond.

The letter was "generated in Jerusalem" and exported from there back to the origin (Antioch) of the question. "Certain people came down from Judea TO ANTIOCH" Acts 15, 1 - and proceeded to make some teachings that contradicted Paul and Barnabas' understanding. This dispute was brought to Jerusalem, a Council was held, a decision was reached with the unity of the Holy Spirit and the determination was put into a letter and promulgated back to Antioch, Syria & Cilicia. So, it was Judaizers, who came from Judea without any authority to teach that attempted to "get a doctrine" into the Church at Antioch. It's likely that this "unauthorized teaching" originated from Pharisee Christians from Judea. In fact the first attack on the Christian Church came from Judaizers, the 2nd attack came from the Gnostics.

Yes, that story is in Exodus 4:24-25. Moses had not circumcised his younger son. He was about to go into the confrontation with Pharaoh and his sorcerer priests. ANY loophole that Satan could site, to claim an advantage over Moses he would exploit. The LORD was showing Moses that his life, and that of his family was on the line in this confrontation. Dark forces were involved, NOT just simple (maybe not important) rules. Apparently Zipporah (who was Midianite) had not wanted to see her baby "hurt". But when she saw the danger they were in, she took the knife herself and circumcised her little boy. Moses lost that honor, just as he lost the honor of leading Israel across the Jordan. (Small insights into Moses heart.) Circumcision of the male foreskin, was a "blood sacrifice" - rather than sacrificing the firstborn son (as was done in some Canaanite rituals of worship). Such "blood sacrifice" was "changed" with "the priesthood". It foreshadowed the "circumcision of the heart" by Christ Himself - our High Priest. It also foreshadowed the "circumcision of the flesh" by which believers will be "changed in a moment" to receive the new "spiritual body" (not flesh). Ezekiel 44:9 “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel.’” I used to wonder what this verse meant. Are we going back to physical circumcision? But then I realized that Christ will circumcise BOTH flesh and heart, and we will serve Him as “priests of God and of Christ”. Zechariah said it a different way. “There will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 14:21). Paul wrote a great deal about circumcision. Galatians 5:2 “Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.” Galatians 5:3 “And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.” In the days of Paul, circumcision was only one step in the conversion of a Gentile to Judaism. Circumcision was performed after the man had received at least two years of instruction, and finally had taken an oath to keep ALL of the written Law as well as the Oral Law (traditions) added by the Pharisees. Galatians 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” He never wrote such things about the Sabbath of the 7th Day.

Just read through Isa 22 again. Trying to figure out what point you are making. The LORD God said he would "throw you away violently" to the chief steward Shebna, because he used royal funds to build himself a luxurious sepulcher monument. Then Eliakim was called to that job. He is given "the keys to the "house of David". Then he also would "be cut down and fall" v.25. The "keys" to the storehouses of the king involved his job/position. It's not talking about executing people, or sparing their lives. I've always read the verse about binding and loosing, as being about binding demons and loosing human beings from the control or harassment of demons. When I command demons to depart in the name of Jesus Christ, the angels in the heavenly realm force the evil ones to depart. Peter was not the only Apostle to command demons. And believers today have been given the same authority over the enemy.

Overall Question: How did Jesus treat those in need? Memory Text: Luke 4:18-19 New Century Version 18 “The Lord has put his Spirit in me, because he appointed me to tell the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to tell the captives they are free and to tell the blind that they can see again. [Isaiah 61:1] God sent me to free those who have been treated unfairly [Isaiah 58:6] 19 and to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness.” [Isaiah 61:2] Sunday – Mary’s Song Luke 1:46-55 Good News Translation 46 Mary said, “My heart praises the Lord; 47 my soul is glad because of God my Savior, 48 for he has remembered me, his lowly servant! From now on all people will call me happy, 49 because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me. His name is holy; 50 from one generation to another he shows mercy to those who honor him. 51 He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans. 52 He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors, and has come to the help of his servant Israel. 55 He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham and to all his descendants forever!” Luke 1:48 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Pronounce me highly favoured or happy in being the mother of the Messiah. It is therefore right to consider her as highly favoured or happy; but this certainly does not warrant us to worship her or to pray to her. Abraham was blessed in being the father of the faithful; Paul in being the apostle to the Gentiles; Peter in first preaching the gospel to them; but who would think of worshipping or praying to Abraham, Paul, or Peter? Monday – Jesus’ Mission Statement Luke 4:16-21 Contemporary English Version 16 Jesus went back to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and as usual he went to the meeting place on the Sabbath. When he stood up to read from the Scriptures, 17 he was given the book of Isaiah the prophet. He opened it and read, 18 “The Lord’s Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers, 19 and to say, ‘This is the year the Lord has chosen.’” 20 Jesus closed the book, then handed it back to the man in charge and sat down. Everyone in the meeting place looked straight at Jesus. 21 Then Jesus said to them, “What you have just heard me read has come true today.” Luke 4:20 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Custom required a standing posture for the public reading of the Law and the Prophets. But for the sermon, which followed the reading, the speaker was seated in a special seat sometimes called “the chair of Moses.” This chair stood on a raised platform near the lectern. Often, perhaps usually, Christ sat while preaching and teaching, a custom also followed, at least occasionally, by His disciples. Luke 7:18-23 Easy-to-Read Version 18 John’s followers told him about all these things. John called for two of his followers. 19 He sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one we heard was coming, or should we wait for someone else?” 20 So the men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptizer sent us to you with this question: ‘Are you the one who is coming, or should we wait for someone else?’” 21 Right then Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses and diseases. He healed those who had evil spirits and made many who were blind able to see again. 22 Then he said to John’s followers, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind can see. The crippled can walk. People with leprosy are healed. The deaf can hear. The dead are brought back to life. And the Good News is being told to the poor. 23 Great blessings belong to those who don’t have a problem accepting me.” Luke 7:22 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Christ did not mention the “day of vengeance,” either at Nazareth or upon this occasion (see Isa. 61:2; Luke 4:19). In His message to John, Jesus also said nothing of “liberty” for the “captives” (Isa. 61:1). Such a reference could easily be misunderstood and might stir a false hope in John’s heart for release from prison. Implied in Christ’s answer was the unspoken explanation that He had not come to destroy sinners, but to restore them, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He had “come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Jesus’ answer to John’s question, “Art thou he that should come?” was, so to speak, “Yes, but I am not the kind of Messiah you expected.” Tuesday – Jesus Heals Matthew 12:15-21 Common English Bible 15 Jesus knew what they intended to do, so he went away from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all. 16 But he ordered them not to spread the word about him, 17 so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 18 Look, my Servant whom I chose, the one I love, in whom I find great pleasure. I’ll put my Spirit upon him, and he’ll announce judgment to the Gentiles. 19 He won’t argue or shout, and nobody will hear his voice in the streets. 20 He won’t break a bent stalk, and he won’t snuff out a smoldering wick, until he makes justice win. 21 And the Gentiles will put their hope in his name. Matthew 12:15 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE It is the part of prudence and Christian charity not to provoke, if possible, the blind and the hardened; and to take from them the occasion of sin. A man of God is not afraid of persecution; but, as his aim is only to do good, by proclaiming everywhere the grace of the Lord Jesus, he departs from any place when he finds the obstacles to the accomplishment of his end are, humanly speaking, invincible, and that he cannot do good without being the means of much evil. Yield to the stream when you cannot stem it. Wednesday – Clearing the Temple Matthew 21:12-16 New Living Translation 12 Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” 14 The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.” But the leaders were indignant. 16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise. Matthew 21:13 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES The first part of this verse only is quoted from Isaiah. The rest, "but ye have made it a den of thieves," was added by Jesus, denoting their abuse of the temple. Thieves and robbers live in dens and caves. Judea was then much infested with them. In their dens, thieves devise and practise iniquity. These buyers and sellers imitated them. They made the temple a place of gain; they cheated and defrauded; they took advantage of the poor, and by their being under a necessity of purchasing these articles for sacrifice, they robbed them, by selling what they had at an enormous price. Mark 11:15-19 The Living Bible 15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, he went to the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers, and knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves, 16 and stopped everyone from bringing in loads of merchandise. 17 He told them, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My Temple is to be a place of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of robbers.” 18 When the chief priests and other Jewish leaders heard what he had done, they began planning how best to get rid of him. Their problem was their fear of riots because the people were so enthusiastic about Jesus’ teaching. 19 That evening as usual they left the city. Luke 19:45-48 God’s Word Translation 45 Jesus went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were selling things there. 46 He said to them, “Scripture says, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.” 47 Jesus taught in the temple courtyard every day. The chief priests, the experts in Moses’ Teachings, and the leaders of the people looked for a way to kill him. 48 But they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were eager to hear him. Luke 19:45 COMMENTARY BY WILLIAM BURKITT In the court of the Gentiles, the outward court of the temple, there was a public mart or market kept, where were sold oxen, sheep, and doves, for sacrifice, which otherwise the people must have brought up along with them from their houses: as a pretended ease therefore to the people, the priests ordered these things to be sold hard by the altar; but our blessed Saviour being justly offended at this profanation of his Father's house, cast the buyers and sellers out of the temple: teaching us, that there is a special reverence due to God's house, both for the Owner's sake, and for the service sake: nothing but holiness can become the place where God is worshipped in the beauty of holiness. John 2:13-17 English Standard Version 13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:15 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES This whip was made as an emblem of authority, and also for the purpose of driving from the temple the cattle which had been brought there for sale. There is no evidence that he used any violence to the men engaged in that unhallowed traffic. The original word implies that these cords were made of twisted rushes or reeds-- probably the ancient material for making ropes. Thursday – The Cross of Christ Isaiah 53:4-6 New Living Translation 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. Isaiah 53:4 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Our griefs. Verses 4–6 emphasize the vicarious nature of Christ’s sufferings and death. The fact that it was for us, and not for Himself, that He suffered and died is reiterated nine times in these verses, and again in vs. 8, 11. He suffered in our stead. The pain, humiliation, and abuse that we deserve, He took upon Himself. Isaiah 53:6 COMMENTARY JOHN WESLEY NOTES That which was due for all the sins of all mankind, which must needs be so heavy a load, that if he had not been God as well as man, he must have sunk under the burden.

According to Catholic tradition there was a pope. If there was a Pope, it would have been Pope James - Jesus' brother as he appeared to make many of the decisions. and He was in Jerusalem - not Rome. There is no biblical record of Peter ever being in Rome. If he were, why didn't Paul tell Peter "hello" in his epistle to the Romans? He extends greetings to about 20 people in Romans 16; and Pope Peter I is not among them. Seems pretty rude for an apostle not to extend a greeting to his boss.

I disagree with that. I don't ever see a record of God punishing a group of people just because they weren't circumcised. I see plenty of examples of Him punishing people who didn't keep the Sabbath. As far as circumcision goes: "Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." (Gal. 5:2-4) I think that the Bible gives us a choice - to be under the Law (striving to earn our salvation through total compliance to the terms and conditions spelled out in the Bible), or to be under grace - living under the cover of Christ's righteousness, forgiveness and grace. "For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. "(Romans 6:14) I am not saying the law of grace is a license to sin; rather grace is not only the forgiveness of sin, it is the power to be free from the slavery of sin.

We had a guest at our home about a year ago. In the course of conversation my husband mentioned something about my 38. What in the world does Rachel need with a 38! - she asked loudly. I told her how I came out to the living room one morning, to find a old, chewed up, intact pit-bull on my back porch. Both my dogs were cowering in the corner. (Normally they are very friendly.) We have a problem here in the country with dog fighting rings just dumping "worn out" dogs. There IS no animal control out here. Last time I called the sheriff about a dog pack, they asked if I had a gun, then told me to "shoot the leader". "The rest will scatter." Anyway, I got my 38, put the bead on him and shot him. He ran about 30 feet before he fell over dead. "Oh," said my guest. "I hadn't thought of that possibility."

Jesus said He would not speak of Himself. However, even without an explicit text stating He is God, you can see from the many activities that He is a sentient Being and not a mindless force. Continuing to invade what we have not been given specific information is an invitation to being led away by our own understandings which may have nothing to do with truth. However, as the following quotes note, we are of such limited capabilities that we cannot really define Him: It is not essential for us to be able to define just what the Holy Spirit is. Christ tells us that the Spirit is the Comforter, “the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father.” It is plainly declared regarding the Holy Spirit that, in His work of guiding men into all truth, “He shall not speak of Himself.” John 15:26; 16:13. – {AA 51.3} The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden. – {AA 52.1}

And, most would say that the ceremonial law involved the entire Jewish sacrificial system that pointed forward to the coming life and death of Christ with the salvation that was accomplished at the cross. The discussion generally involves the role and function of the so-called 10-commandments. I will suggest that there is general agreement that the 10 commandments list elements that will continue on through today and into eternity. In eternity, we will worship one God, as described by the Trinity, we will not rob banks, we will not fornicate, we will not take the name of God lightly and we will not make images of God to worship. I will suggest that we can agree that in this life those are principles that guide us into a better life. From this perspective, I will suggest that we can say that the ten commandments constitute a part of the moral law exists beyond the time of Israel. This does not have to suggest that nothing changed in relation to the 10 commandments with the death of Christ. It simply tells us that there is an aspect of the 10 that continues on into eternity. From this perspective, the only question that remains is related to what the Protestants call the 4th commandment. {Catholics call it the 3rd commandment.) That question is this: Does the moral aspect of the Sabbath commandment require a 7th day Sabbath, or does it allow for a Sabbath on another day chosen by people who want to follow Christ? The different responses to this question are represented by people writing in this forum.

Gustave, You and I have different views concerning the Scripture's "definition" of God. You believe the Scripture's "define" God as a Trinity. I do not.

Gustave: I will understand what Ellen White believed on this subject. I do not have a problem with people saying that Ellen whit was wrong in a specific doctrinal position as she was not intended to fill the role in the developing SDA denomination of a final arbitrator of doctrine. Some may attempt to fit her into that role. But, that was not how she saw herself. That was not what she claimed to be. You have stimulated me to expand my thinking on this subject. for that I commend you. As JoMo essentially stated: regardless of whether or not we (I) agree with you, you are welcome here in this forum. Open communication, as it taking place here is healthy.

I'm doing well since surgery on my foot last week. But have to wear this clunky post op shoe for a month. I did buy a zippered rain boot to wear over it, so I can walk outside. Can't neglect my flowers.

Speaking about President Trump, HCH made the comment I quote below: Well that about covers it. I predict that you are correct; * You do not know. * President Trump will die sometime after he leaves office. * You have finally predicted something that is likely to happen.

Preach it sister! You and I may not agree politically, but you are a sister in Christ. To paraphrase Gal. 3:28-29: "There is neither Black nor White, neither rich nor poor, nor is there Democrat or Republican, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Overall Question: Why do we worship the Creator God? Memory Text: Isaiah 58:6-7 New Century Version 6 “I will tell you the kind of fast I want: Free the people you have put in prison unfairly and undo their chains. Free those to whom you are unfair and stop their hard labor. 7 Share your food with the hungry and bring poor, homeless people into your own homes. When you see someone who has no clothes, give him yours, and don’t refuse to help your own relatives. Sunday – Idolatry and Oppression Psalm 115:1-8 Common English Bible Not to us, Lord, not to us—no, but to your own name give glory because of your loyal love and faithfulness! 2 Why do the nations say, “Where’s their God now?” 3 Our God is in heaven—he can do whatever he wants! 4 Their idols are just silver and gold—things made by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but they can’t speak. They have eyes, but they can’t see. 6 They have ears, but they can’t hear. They have noses, but they can’t smell. 7 They have hands, but they can’t feel. They have feet, but they can’t walk. They can’t even make a noise in their throats! 8 Let the people who made these idols and all who trust in them become just like them! Psalm 115:8 COMMENTARY FAMILY BIBLE NOTES The stupidity and folly of idolatry are exceeding great, and its universality among nations unenlightened by God's word, is a terrible evidence of the desperate blindness and perverseness of the natural heart. Monday – A Reason to Worship Deuteronomy 10:17-22 God’s Word Translation 17 The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, powerful, and awe-inspiring God. He never plays favorites and never takes a bribe. 18 He makes sure orphans and widows receive justice. He loves foreigners and gives them food and clothes. 19 So you should love foreigners, because you were foreigners living in Egypt. 20 Fear the Lord your God, worship him, be loyal to him, and take your oaths in his name. 21 He is your glory. He is your God, who did for you these spectacular and awe-inspiring deeds you saw with your own eyes. 22 When your ancestors went to Egypt, there were 70 of them. Now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky. Psalm 101:1 Christian Standard Bible I will sing of faithful love and justice; I will sing praise to you, Lord. Psalm 146:5-10 Holman Christian Standard Bible 5 Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them. He remains faithful forever, 7 executing justice for the exploited and giving food to the hungry. The Lord frees prisoners. 8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord raises up those who are oppressed. The Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord protects foreigners and helps the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked. 10 The Lord reigns forever; Zion, your God reigns for all generations. Hallelujah! Isaiah 5:16 Contemporary English Version But the holy Lord God All-Powerful is praised, because he has shown who he is by bringing justice. Isaiah 5:16 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY God’s righteous dealings with men prove Him to be holy in character. God’s people are to become like Him in character. Israel had lost sight of the fact that God is holy, and accordingly failed to understand either the importance or the meaning of righteousness. Conscious himself of God’s exalted character, Isaiah had the constant burden that Israel might also become holy and righteous. This ideal he keeps ever before them. Isaiah 61:11 Good News Translation As surely as seeds sprout and grow, The Sovereign Lord will save his people, And all the nations will praise him. Tuesday – Religious Oppressors Isaiah 1:10-17 Easy-to-Read Version 10 You officers of Sodom, listen to the Lord’s message. You people of Gomorrah, listen to God’s teaching. 11 The Lord says, “Why do you continue giving me all these sacrifices? I have had enough of your sacrifices of rams and the fat from well-fed animals. I don’t want the blood of those bulls, sheep, and goats. 12 When you people come to meet with me, you trample everything in my yard. Who told you to do this? 13 “Don’t keep bringing me those worthless sacrifices. I hate the incense you give me. I cannot stand your festivals for the New Moon, the Sabbath, and other special meeting days. I hate the evil you do during those holy times together. 14 I hate your monthly meetings and councils. They have become like heavy weights to me, and I am tired of carrying them. 15 “When you raise your arms to pray to me, I will refuse to look at you. You will say more and more prayers, but I will refuse to listen because your hands are covered with blood. 16 “Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean. Stop doing the evil things I see you do. Stop doing wrong. 17 Learn to do good. Treat people fairly. Punish those who hurt others. Speak up for the widows and orphans. Argue their cases for them in court. Amos 5:21-24 New Living Translation 21 “I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. 22 I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. 23 Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. 24 Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. Amos 5:21 COMMENTARY BY JAMIESON, FAUSSET, AND BROWN Amos condemns Israel not only on the ground of their thinking to satisfy God by sacrifices without obedience (the charge brought by Isaiah against the Jews), but also because even their external ritual was a mere corruption, and unsanctioned by God. Micah 6:6-8 Modern English Version 6 “With what should I come before the Lord, and bow down before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O man, what is good—and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Wednesday – A Way to Worship Isaiah 58 New English Translation “Shout loudly! Don’t be quiet! Yell as loud as a trumpet! Confront my people with their rebellious deeds; confront Jacob’s family with their sin! 2 They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God. 3 They lament, ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’ Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers. 4 Look, your fasting is accompanied by arguments, brawls, and fistfights. Do not fast as you do today, trying to make your voice heard in heaven. 5 Is this really the kind of fasting I want? Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, bowing their heads like a reed and stretching out on sackcloth and ashes? Is this really what you call a fast, a day that is pleasing to the Lord? 6 No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke. 7 I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood! 8 Then your light will shine like the sunrise; your restoration will quickly arrive; your godly behavior will go before you, and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond; you will cry out, and he will reply, ‘Here I am.’ You must remove the burdensome yoke from among you and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully. 10 You must actively help the hungry and feed the oppressed. Then your light will dispel the darkness, and your darkness will be transformed into noonday. 11 The Lord will continually lead you; he will feed you even in parched regions. He will give you renewed strength, and you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring that continually produces water. 12 Your perpetual ruins will be rebuilt; you will reestablish the ancient foundations. You will be called, ‘The one who repairs broken walls, the one who makes the streets inhabitable gain.’ 13 You must observe the Sabbath rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. You must look forward to the Sabbath and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect. You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities, and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. 14 Then you will find joy in your relationship to the Lord, and I will give you great prosperity, and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.” Know for certain that the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 58:6 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY True fasting was designed to purify the motives and reform the life. But with the Jews the practices of religion had become a cloak for oppression of the weak, robbery of widows and orphans, and all forms of bribery, deceit, and injustice. The true purpose of religion is to release men from their burdens of sin, to eliminate intolerance and oppression, and to promote justice, liberty, and peace. God intended His people to be free, but the leaders of Israel were making slaves and paupers of them. Isaiah 58:13 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The essence of sin is selfishness—doing what one pleases, irrespective of God or man. The Sabbath day presents man with an opportunity to subdue selfishness and cultivate the habit of doing things that are pleasing to God (1 John 3:22) and that contribute to the well-being of others. Rightly understood and observed, the Sabbath is the key to man’s happiness both here and in the hereafter. True Sabbath observance will lead to the work of reformation pictured in Isa. 58:5–12. Those who do not enter into the spirit of the Sabbath as God ordained it, little realize what they are missing. The Sabbath is one of the greatest blessings bestowed upon men by a loving Creator. Thursday – Mercy and Faithfulness Mark 12:38-40 English Standard Version 38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” Mark 12:40 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Which devour the families of widows, or the means of supporting their families. This they did under pretence of counselling them in the knowledge of the law, and in the management of their estates. They took advantage of their ignorance and unprotected state, and either extorted large sums for their counsel, or perverted the property to their own use. No wonder that our Saviour denounced them! If there is any sin of peculiar enormity, it is thus taking advantage of the circumstances of the poor, the needy, and the helpless, and wronging them out of the pittance on which they depend to support their families. And as God is the Friend of the widow and the fatherless, it may be expected that such will be visited with heavy condemnation.

Overall Question: What worried the Jewish prophets the most about Israel? Memory Text: Micah 6:8 Good News Translation No, the Lord has told us what is good. What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God. Sunday – The Recurring Call to Justice 1 Samuel 8:10-18 New Living Translation 10 So Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 “This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. 12 Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. 13 The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. 14 He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. 16 He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. 17 He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you.” 1 Samuel 8:18 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY They had by their own choice sowed the seeds of obstinacy, and in so doing had placed the Lord in a position where it was necessary for Him to let this seed produce its own harvest. He would not interfere with the universal law that seed sown produces a harvest after its kind. They had by their own choice sowed the seeds of obstinacy, and in so doing had placed the Lord in a position where it was necessary for Him to let this seed produce its own harvest. Monday – Amos Amos 3:9-11 New Century Version 9 Announce this to the strong buildings of Ashdod and to the strong buildings of Egypt: “Come to the mountains of Samaria, where you will see great confusion and people hurting others.” 10 “The people don’t know how to do what is right,” says the Lord. “Their strong buildings are filled with treasures they took by force from others.” 11 So this is what the Lord God says: “An enemy will take over the land and pull down your strongholds; he will take the treasures out of your strong buildings.” Amos 4:1-2 English Standard Version “Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!’ 2 The Lord God has sworn by his holiness that, behold, the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks Amos 5:10-15 Easy-to-Read Version 10 You hate those prophets, who go to public places and speak against evil, even though they teach good, simple truths. 11 You take unfair taxes from the poor. You take loads of wheat from them. You build fancy houses with cut stone, but you will not live in them. You plant beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink the wine from them. 12 This is because I know about your many sins. You have done some very bad things: You hurt people who do right, you accept money to do wrong, and you keep the poor from receiving justice in court. 13 At that time wise teachers will be quiet, because it is a bad time. 14 You say that God is with you, so you should do good things, not evil. Then you will live, and the Lord God All-Powerful will be with you. 15 Hate evil and love goodness. Bring justice back into the courts. Maybe then the Lord God All-Powerful will be kind to the survivors from Joseph’s family. Amos 8:4-6 Common English Bible 4 Hear this, you who trample on the needy and destroy the poor of the land, 5 saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath so that we may offer wheat for sale, make the ephah smaller, enlarge the shekel, and deceive with false balances, 6 in order to buy the needy for silver and the helpless for sandals, and sell garbage as grain?” Amos 8:6 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The refuse. In times of scarcity this “refuse,” ordinarily fed to animals, could be sold for human consumption. Tuesday – Micah Micah 6:8 Contemporary English Version The Lord God has told us what is right and what he demands: “See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.” Micah 6:8 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The objective of true religion is character development. Outward ceremony is of value only as it contributes to such development. But because it is often easier to render outward service than to change the evil propensities of the heart, men have ever been more ready to render external worship than to cultivate the graces of the soul. Thus it was with the scribes and Pharisees whom Jesus rebuked. Micah 2:8-11 Holman Christian Standard Bible 8 But recently My people have risen up like an enemy: You strip off the splendid robe from those who are passing through confidently, like those returning from war. 9 You force the women of My people out of their comfortable homes, and you take My blessing from their children forever.10 Get up and leave, for this is not your place of rest, because defilement brings destruction— a grievous destruction! 11 If a man of wind comes and invents lies: “I will preach to you about wine and beer,” he would be just the preacher for this people! Micah 3:8-12 God’s Word Translation 8 But I am filled with the power of the Lord’s Spirit, with justice, and with strength. So I will tell the descendants of Jacob about their crimes and the nation of Israel about its sins. 9 Listen to this, you leaders of the descendants of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You despise justice and pervert everything that is right. 10 You build Zion on bloodshed and Jerusalem on wickedness. 11 Your leaders exchange justice for bribes. Your priests teach for a price. Your prophets tell the future for money. But they rely on the Lord when they say, “After all, the Lord is with us. Nothing bad will happen to us.” 12 Because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble, and the temple mountain will become a worship site covered with trees. Wednesday – Ezekiel Ezekiel 34:2-4 Modern English Version 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? 3 You eat the fat and clothe yourself with the wool; you kill those who are fed without feeding the flock. 4 The diseased you have not strengthened, nor have you healed that which was sick, nor have you bound up that which was broken, nor have you brought back that which was driven away, nor have you sought that which was lost. But with force and with cruelty you have subjugated them. Ezekiel 34:7-16 New English Translation 7 “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, my sheep have become prey and have become food for all the wild beasts. There was no shepherd, and my shepherds did not search for my flock, but fed themselves and did not feed my sheep, 9 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand my sheep from their hand. I will no longer let them be shepherds; the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore. I will rescue my sheep from their mouth, so that they will no longer be food for them. 11 “‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy, dark day. 13 I will bring them out from among the peoples and gather them from foreign countries; I will bring them to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams and all the inhabited places of the land. 14 In a good pasture I will feed them; the mountain heights of Israel will be their pasture. There they will lie down in a lush pasture, and they will feed on rich grass on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will feed my sheep and I myself will make them lie down, declares the sovereign Lord. 16 I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them—with judgment! Ezekiel 34:14 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY If the conditions of repentance and spiritual revival had been met, the Lord would have restored Palestine to its original productiveness as a “land flowing with milk and honey”. He would have sent the rain in due season and blessed His people in “basket and … store” as He had promised to do formerly. At the time of the original entry into Canaan the fulfillment had been prevented by a failure of the people to comply with the necessary conditions. Here, now, was a second opportunity to inherit the same rich promises. Israel was offered a fresh start. Would the nation now prove willing? Thursday – Isaiah Isaiah 1:15-23 New International Reader’s Version 15 You might spread out your hands toward me when you pray. But I do not look at you. You might even offer many prayers. But I am not listening to them. Your hands are covered with the blood of the people you have murdered. 16 So wash and make yourselves clean. Get your evil actions out of my sight! Stop doing what is wrong! 17 Learn to do what is right! Treat people fairly. Help those who are treated badly. Stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. And do the same thing for widows. 18 “Come. Let us settle this matter,” says the Lord. “Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are deep red, they will be white like wool. 19 But you have to be willing to change and obey me. If you are, you will eat the good things that grow on the land. 20 But if you are not willing to obey me, you will be killed by swords.” The Lord has spoken. 21 See how the faithful city of Jerusalem has become like a prostitute! Once it was full of people who treated others fairly. Those who did what was right used to live in it. But now murderers live there! 22 Jerusalem, your silver isn’t pure anymore. Your best wine has been made weak with water. 23 Your rulers refuse to obey the Lord. They join forces with robbers. All of them love to accept money from those who want special favors. They are always looking for gifts from other people. They don’t stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. They don’t do it for widows either. Isaiah 3:13-15 The Living Bible 13 The Lord stands up! He is the great Prosecuting Attorney presenting his case against his people! 14 First to feel his wrath will be the elders and the princes, for they have defrauded the poor. They have filled their barns with grain extorted from the helpless peasants. 15 “How dare you grind my people in the dust like that?” the Lord Almighty will demand of them. Isaiah 5:7-8 New American Standard Bible 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel And the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress. 8 Woe to those who add house to house and join field to field, Until there is no more room, So that you have to live alone in the midst of the land! Isaiah 5:8 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY God originally intended Israel to be a nation of small landowners. To guard against the formation of large estates he had provided the year of jubilee and the law of inheritance for heiresses. But these provisions had been disregarded, with the result that instead of a large number of small landholders there had grown up a class of wealthy proprietors, and another, of poverty-stricken, landless laborers.

August 2019 Signs of the Times Email Newsletter The Signs of the Times newsletter is a collection of stories and quotes from past issues of Signs and These Times. *************************** Some years ago a boy quarreled with his father and left home. He said, “You’ll never see me again!” Three tough years passed. He wanted to go home, but he was afraid. Would his father let him come back? He wrote his mother, told her that he would be on a certain train as it passed the house. He asked her to hang something white in the yard if it was all right with his dad to come home. He was nervous on the train. A minister noticed, and asked what was wrong. He told him. They rode along together as the boy looked out the window. Suddenly he started up excitedly. “Look, sir, my house is just around the bend, beyond the hill. Will you please look for me to see if there is something white? I can’t stand to look!” The train lurched a bit as it made a slow curve, and the minister kept his eyes on the round of the hill. Then he forgot his dignity as he fairly shouted, “Look, son, look!” There was the little farmhouse under the trees. But you could hardly see the house for white. It seemed that those lonely parents had taken every white sheet in the house, even every handkerchief—everything they could find that was white—and hung it out on the clothesline and on the trees! That’s what God has done. He’s hung out all the stars He had—in dazzling white—all over the sky! Don’t lose a moment in telling Him you want to come home!—By George E. Vandeman, These Times, November 1981. Quote: “The Christian church is the world’s only organization which people join by admitting that they are not worthy to become members of the group.”—By Howard Butt,These Times, February 1961. *************************** Don't miss the September issue of Signs of the Times: To order Signs, call: 1-800-765-6955 or online. *************************** The coronation of King George VI of Britain was the first to be broadcast to the world by radio. In it was a magnificent testimony to the Bible. Those of us who were listening in were thrilled as the crystal-clear voice of the archbishop of Canterbury rang out through Westminster Abbey, and over the world, in these words: “Our gracious king, we present you with this Book, the most valuable thing this world affords. Here is wisdom; this is the royal law; these are the living oracles of God.” So were the Holy Scriptures presented to the king of a mighty empire.—By H. M. S. Richards, Signs of the Times, November 11, 1952. Quote: “After all, the lives that do the most for the world are the steady, quiet lives. They are like stars; they just stay in their appointed place and shine with the light God has given them. Meteors shoot brilliantly across the sky, and we exclaim and wonder, but long after they have vanished the stars shine on to guide us.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, January 27, 1942. *************************** NEW from Pacific Press—A Living Sacrifice: Unsung Heroes of Adventist Missions, by Dr. David Trim. Many of our early missionaries made the ultimate sacrifice. They were committed to sharing the love of Christ. Dr. Trim tells stories of individuals you may have never known, but their service continues to inspire! CLICK HERE to read the first chapter of this book online. Order online or from your local Adventist Book Center--1-800-765-6955. *************************** Many years ago, a poor, dirty, ragged, dissipated tramp found his way into the Bowery Mission in New York. On that particular morning, the pianist was absent and the singing done by that motley crowd was anything but good. After several failures, Mrs. Bird, the leader, asked for a volunteer to play the piano. The young “hobo” in the back seat heard the request and volunteered. Amid the jeers of those assembled, he rose, slouched along the aisle, ascended the platform with bleary eyes and tousled hair, and seated himself at the piano. Every breath was held, every eye strained. Then a new light suddenly came into his eyes, the hopeless look passed away. As the dirty fingers fell upon the keys his entire being was changed, his whole frame quivered with emotion. The piano itself seemed to undergo a subtle transformation. When it was all over, Mother Bird spoke such kind words to the poor tramp, that they broke his heart. He became a Christian and was presently appointed organist of the mission. His fame spread far and wide. Many churches offered him splendid positions, but he remained true to his Bowery friends. Some of the most beautiful gospel songs of recent years are from his pen. He was one of the mission’s most successful speakers. He died a martyr to his incessant toil for his suffering fellow men. A beautiful tablet erected in the mission to his memory reads, “Victor H. Benke, died July 15, 1904. The men of the Bowery loved him.” “A word spoken in due season, how good is it!” Out of Mrs. Bird’s heart, which was warmed by the love of God, came the words that rescued this poor, hopeless man, and gave the world one of the most beautiful characters of these last days. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, June 13, 1906. Quote: “Nothing can fool people like money.”—By Charles G. Bellah, Signs of the Times, October 8, 1929. *************************** Place this in your church bulletin or newsletter: Why not share Signs of the Times® with a neighbor or relative? Sending a subscription is simple, inexpensive, and effective. Make a difference TODAY! Call: 1-800-765-6955 or go online at: http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/signs-of-the-times-magazine-yearly-us-subscription.html *************************** She was a little, old woman, very plainly dressed in black bombazine that had seen much wear. Her bonnet was very old-fashioned, and people stared at her tottering up the aisle of the church, evidently bent on securing one of the best seats, for a great man preached that day. The house was filled with splendidly dressed people who had heard of the fame of the preacher, of his learning, his intellect, and his goodness; and they wondered at the presumption of the poor old woman. She must have been in her dotage, for she picked out the pew of the richest and proudest member of the church and took a seat. The three ladies seated there beckoned to the sexton, who bent over the intruder and whispered something; but she was hard of hearing, and smiled as she said gently, “Oh, I’m quite comfortable here, quite comfortable.” “But you are not wanted here,” said the sexton pompously; “there is not room. Come with me, my good woman; I will see that you have a seat.” “Not room?” said the old woman. “Why, I’m not crowded a bit. I rode ten miles to hear the sermon today, because. . . “ But here the sexton seized her arm, shook it in an underhanded way, and then she took the hint. Turning quietly to the ladies, who were spreading their rich dresses over the space she left vacant, she said gently, “I hope, my dears, there’ll be room in heaven for us all.” Then she followed the pompous sexton to the rear of the church, where in the last pew she was seated between a girl in threadbare garments and a shabby old man. “She must be crazy,” said one of the ladies. “What can an ignorant old woman like her want to hear Dr. ____ preach for? Those people are so persistent! The idea of forcing herself into our pew! There’s Dr. ____. Is he not grand? What a stately man! You know he has promised to dine with us while he is here.” He was a commanding looking man; and as he looked over the vast crowd of worshipers gathered in the vast church, he seemed to scan every face. His hand was on the Bible when he beckoned to the sexton, who mounted the steps, to receive a mysterious message. And then the three ladies in the pew were electrified to see him take his way the whole length of the church, to return with the old woman, whom he placed in the front pew. The great preacher looked at her with a smile of recognition, and then the services proceeded. “Who was she?” asked the ladies as they passed the sexton at the door. “The preacher’s mother,” was the reply.—By James Clarence Harvey, Signs of the Times, August 8, 1911. Quote: “I would not give much for your religion unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk, but they do shine. A lighthouse sounds no drum, it beats no gong, and yet, far over the waters, its friendly spark is seen by the mariner. So let your actions shine out your religion. Let the main sermon of your life be illustrated by your conduct, and it shall not fail to be illustrious.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, November 25, 1913 *************************** Everything you need to give a Bible study—visit www.ToolsForEvangelism.com *************************** Standing on top of the Cheviot Hills, a little son’s hand clasped in his, a father taught the message of the measureless love of God. Pointing northward over Scotland, southward over England, eastward over the German Ocean, westward over hill and dale, and then, sweeping his hand and eye around the whole circling horizon, he said: “Johnny, my boy, God’s love is as big as all that.” “Why, father,” the boy cheerily replied, with sparkling eyes, “then we must be in the middle of it!”—By George W. Wells, Signs of the Times, October 18, 1921. Quote: “Fear is a faith killer, but faith is a fear killer.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, September 2, 1919. *************************** Looking for great Adventist eBooks? Visit www.AdventisteBooks.com *************************** It came to pass that a man went to market, having on his shoulder a string of seven large copper coins. Seeing a beggar crying for alms, he gave the poor man six of his seven coins. Then the beggar, instead of being grateful, crept up behind the kind man and stole the seventh coin also. What an abominable wretch! Yes; but in saying this, you may condemn yourselves. We receive from the hand of the gracious God six days, yet many are not content. The seventh they also steal.—By T. E. Bowen, Signs of the Times, November 25, 1908. Quote: “The great question of a man’s life is just his attitude toward God, whether he has his face or his back toward God.”—By William Watson, Signs of the Times, November 14, 1911. *************************** NEW from Signs of the Times—Too Loud to Ignore—a perfect sharing piece about the Three Angels’ Messages! CLICK HERE to order! *************************** It is often given as a wonderful proof of confidence in a friend, that once when the great Grecian emperor, Alexander, was ill, it was told to him in a letter that his physician intended to give him poison under the form of medicine. The emperor put the note under his pillow. The physician came, poured out the potion, and gave it to him. The emperor looked his friend full in the face, drank the contents of the goblet, then handed him the letter. It was a beautiful trust. Like confidence, we are to have in the will of Christ for us. We are never to doubt His love nor His wisdom.—By J. R. Miller, Signs of the Times, September 30, 1913. Quote: “He who waits to do a great deal of good at once will never do anything.”—By Samuel Johnson, Signs of the Times, January 3, 1911. *************************** Tracts are one of the easiest and most effective ways to share your faith. Keep a supply with you to share. Signs of the Times has a large selection. CLICK HERE to see them! *************************** Button Up Your Lip If you heard a bit of gossip Whether false or whether true, Be it of a friend or stranger, Let me tell you what to do: Button up your lip securely Lest the tale you should repeat Bring sorrow unto someone Whose life is not so sweet. If you know of one who yielded To temptation long ago; But whose life has since been blameless, Let me tell you what to do: Button up your lip securely, His the secret, God alone Has the right to sit in judgment, Treat it as to you unknown. Sometimes life is filled with troubles. Oft its burdens are severe. Do not make it any harder By a careless word of sneer. Button up your lip securely ‘Gainst the words that bring a tear, But be swift of words of comfort, Words of praise and words of cheer.—Unknown, These Times, August 1962. *************************** Compiled by Dale Galusha. Please pass this newsletter on to others.

Here are a few more things from the HAIS: 1-When the World Food Program made significant cuts in food aid for Darfuri refugees living in two refugee camps in Eastern Chad, many of the people who lived there suddenly found themselves with barely enough food to survive. At HIAS, our goal is to help refugees realize their potential and contribute to society. Without food, refugees can’t even begin the process of realizing their rights to live and work in safety and peace. So when HIAS staff in Chad introduced a program that helps refugees grow their own nutritious food, Amkala Safi Djouma, an 83-year-old woman from Sudan, who has lived in the Djabal camp since she fled almost 20 years ago, was eager to learn new farming methods and have the chance to provide for her family. We provided Amkala and hundreds of others with a seed startup kit and taught innovative farming methods designed to grow fruits and vegetables year-round in the desert. Amkala has already had three successful planting cycles and proudly shares her harvest with her family and community “just like the old times in Sudan.” 2-When asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?,” Luis’s answer since he was 11 years old was always, “an attorney.” Now, Luis Gonzalez is one of three HIAS Border Fellows, attorneys assisting asylum seekers near the U.S.-Mexico border. He has been working at Jewish Family Service of San Diego since the fall of 2018. HIAS recently followed Luis as he went about his daily tasks: meeting with clients in the office; visiting a detention center; and going to a temporary migrant shelter. He is an immigrant himself and appreciates the opportunity to work with newcomers to America: “I know that the work that I do makes a big impact on their lives.” Watch “A Day in the Life of HIAS Border Fellow Luis Gonzalez” to see what making a difference looks like firsthand. With more people in need of safety and freedom than ever, and asylum under attack right here in the U.S., this work has never been more urgent. We hope you’ll watch and share our new video. 3-This week the American Jewish community affirmed its commitment to standing up for the rights and dignity of those seeking safety in our country. More than 1,400 Jewish clergy from across the country signed a letter expressing their concern over our country’s horrific treatment of asylum seekers, and calling for urgent moral leadership from our government. Click here to learn about the National Jewish Clergy Letter in Support of Asylum Seekers. Last week, a delegation of rabbis and HIAS asylum experts from Southern border states traveled to Washington D.C. to deliver the letter on Capitol Hill. In August, HIAS volunteers representing 65-plus congressional districts will deliver the letter to their Congressional members’ local offices. These 1,400-plus signatures represent far more than the rabbis and cantors who signed. They represent thousands of Jewish community members across the country, and are a powerful expression of our values. They represent the communities running migrant shelters near the border, rallying outside of detention facilities, and volunteering time and resources. They represent the widespread support for HIAS’ expanding work to provide legal assistance to asylum seekers across the United States, at the border, and around the world. These signatures represent the full force of the Jewish community in standing up for asylum seekers.

Joe: They are wrong because you have a right to your political views. Politic and racism are not the same thing. Many Blacks are Conservative Republicans they do not go along with what's happening today also many White Conservative as well! I respect their ideology even though I made not completely agree! Cumming like me stood up for his friend against the young Congress lady from Senegal. No one should combine the two and I will stand along with you and tell them they are wrong. There are some Black myths that I do not accept at all. I have friends who thing that all Black were Hebrew, that is not true at all. Were Hebrews intimate with Afrikan, yes! I don't agree that all White people are evil or devils. If it wasn't for White people, I wouldn't be free and I thank them. You cannot hate even the ones who committed slavery! But we must realize that people do hate. Do Black people hate yes of course. Some hate for what happened to them by Whites when they were growing up. I have one here in my church, you know I lived in the south! I told him the other day, brother E you have to let that go and forgive them. The Bible said to love your enemies. It is hard but with prayer and faith things change, I did! What you need to do if you don't mind is to pray for them. Tell them you love them in spite of what they say! There are some you just have to move on! But you keep praying and YAHWEH will show you the way. Blessings!

There is a video titled "Evidence for the Exodus". It is available on amazon. One part of that video shows an archeological dig of a Hebrew "city" (in Goshen), from aprox that time period. The bones showed poor nutrition and early death. The bones showed stress marks of very heavy work. I believe the family of Joseph did eat well for a time, but then finally sold themselves to Pharaoh for food and became enslaved. Concerning slaves owned by the Israelites: The LORD said to Moses: "As for your male and female slaves whom you may have--from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. Moreover you may buy the children of the strangers who sojourn among you, and their families who are with you which they beget in your land; and they shall become your property. And you may take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them as a possession; they shall be your permanent slaves. But regarding your brethren, the children of Israel, you shall not rule over one another with rigor." Leviticus 25:44-46 This is the LORD telling Moses that Israelites could buy slaves, and those slaves would not be set free at 7 years, or at the Jubilee year. They could be "inherited" as a "possession". Only fellow Hebrews were to be set free at 7 years, or at the Jubilee. NOT slaves who were non-Hebrew. Interesting I think. Here is Yahweh allowing for slavery.

As I said: The earth has been full of greed, lust, violence and "slavery" of one kind or or another - down through history. Slavery is not the sin of only one race. True, it was the "original sin" of the American colonies. And we have paid dearly for that sin. Then there's the slavery to sin, with Satan as master.

Rachel: This is not correct. This is what has been taught but the true history has been out since the nineties! At first this trafficking only supplemented a trade in human beings that already existed within Europe, in which Europeans had enslaved each other. Some enslaved Africans had also reached Europe, the Middle East and other parts of the world before the mid-15th century, as a result of a trade in human beings that had also long existed in Africa. Many of these African captives crossed the Sahara and reached Europe and other destinations from North Africa, or were transported across the Indian Ocean. The transatlantic slave trade began during the 15th century when Portugal, and subsequently other European kingdoms, were finally able to expand overseas and reach Africa. The Portuguese first began to kidnap people from the west coast of Africa and to take those they enslaved back to Europe. BBC Ethics - Slavery War, slave raiding, kidnapping, and politico-religious struggle accounted for the vast majority of Africans deported to the Americas. Several important wars resulted in massive enslavement, including the export of prisoners across the Atlantic, the ransoming of others, and the use of enslavement within Africa itself. The Akan wars of the late seventeenth century and the first half of the eighteenth century were a struggle for power among states in the Gold Coast hinterland. Akwamu, Akyem, Denkyira, Fanta, and Asante groups battled for more than half a century for control of the region. By the mid-eighteenth century, Asante emerged as the dominant force. By 1650, Oyo had become a consolidated imperial power in the interior of the Bight of Benin by defeating the Bariba and Nupe in the north and other Yoruba states to the south. The wars between various Gbe groups resulted in the rise of Dahomey and its victory over Allada in 1724. The winners occupied the port of Whydah three years later but were then forced to pay tribute to the more powerful Oyo. These wars accounted for the deportation of over a million Africans along the Bight of Benin coast. The sixty-year period of the Kongo civil wars, ending in 1740, was responsible for the capture and enslavement of many. Among them were the followers of the Catholic martyr Beatrice of Kongo, who tried to end the wars through pacifist protest. The spread of militant Islam across West Africa began in Senegambia during the late seventeenth century. The jihad led to two major political transformations: the emergence in the late eighteenth century of the Muslim states of Futa Jallon in the Guinea highlands and Futa Toro on the Senegal River. The jihad movement continued into the nineteenth century, especially with the outbreak of war in 1804 in the Hausa states (northern Nigeria) under the leadership of Sheikh Usman dan Fodio. These wars in turn exacerbated political tensions in Oyo, which resulted in a Muslim uprising and the collapse of the Oyo state between 1817 and 1833. New strongholds were created at Ibadan, Abeokuta, and Ijebu, and the conflict intensified over attempts to replace or resurrect the Oyo state. After 1700, the importation of firearms heightened the intensity of many of the wars and resulted in a great increase in the numbers of enslaved peoples. European forces intervened in some of the localized fighting and in warfare all along the Atlantic coast. They sought to obtain captives directly in battle or as political rewards for having backed the winning side. Working from their permanent colonies at Luanda, Benguela, and other coastal points, the Portuguese conducted joint military ventures into the hinterlands with their African allies. Africans also became enslaved through non-military means. Judicial and religious sanctions and punishments removed alleged criminals, people accused of witchcraft, and social misfits through enslavement and banishment. Rebellious family members might be expelled from their homes through enslavement. Human pawns, especially children, held as collateral for debt were almost always protected from enslavement by relatives and customary practices. However, debts and the collateral for those debts were sometimes subjected to illegal demands, and pawned individuals, especially children, were sometimes "sold" or otherwise removed from the watchful eyes of the relatives and communities that had tried to safeguard their rights. The Transatlantic Slave Trade People have war with other people since after the flood all over the world. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome Arabs (were actually Persian as we know today as Iran) and then the Middle Ages it became worst. If you knew the history of the Persia and Parthians who are related and yes they are Aryans. These are Japheth children who like the Bible said would take over Shem's land and they did. However Elam was from Shem but was intimidate with Kush; Ham's eldest son. That's is why the Iranians are White, Brownish and dark Black. The Persian, Turks, Parthians all swiftly took over Arabia during the time of the Roman decline! Rome also moved the Arabs into Egypt and Palestine by that time Persia had already integrated and took over Arabia! History will provide the facts. Assyria and Persia sold more slaves in ancient history then even the Romans. The Aryans tribe moved into northern India and made a caste system out of the southern people who were called the Dravidians who came from Kush. The Kushites travel east even into Australia and New Zealand. So it was common for Afrikan people as well. But the problem that arrive was it was horrific and they took millions of slaves. They even would kidnap some of the Afrikan traders. Yes, the Afrikans did not realize that they not only were selling out their rivialing neighboring people but themselves and their land. Europe slice Afrika up like a piece of cake. Why because of the resources, these Afrikan Kings were rich with gold and precious stones of all kind plus other resources like the Rubber Plants and more. Afrika became colonized by the Europeans! So how do you think that happen? Do you think that they just gave them their land and wanted be control by the Europeans? The Dutch took South Afrika as a resort plus enslaved the people! It is a lot more than just this my friend! The English had major problems with the Indians, first they wanted their land. Keep in mind the Indians sold them land, but they wanted all the land. They brought blankets that had smallpox and liquor that the Indians system was quickly affected! This wiped out the Indian population and they had a problem trying to enslaved them. They knew the land! There is more but time will not allow me. Chattel slavery was the worst type of slavery ever committed to one continent! Hitler wanted to annihilate the Jews not to enslaved them! That is horrific as well! Blessings!

The differences are that there were thousands of Jews who wanted in to our country; and they mostly integrated with U.S. Society. There are hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of aliens from all countries entering the U.S illegally. I looked at the HAIS website; and I could not determine whether or not HAIS aided people to enter the country legally or illegally. I assume it was legally. I assume that your family probably got in here legally; and integrated into U.S society. Many of those helping aliens into the country now are helping them get here illegally. How fair is that to those who spent many years and much money to get here legally? I know many Latinos who spent years legally getting their citizenship and voting rights who resent that. My ancestors came to this country in the early 1900's from Italy. Italians were not very welcome at the time either. But with diligence and patience, they became naturalized citizens legally. Why can't current refugees do the same? After looking at your links and researching some other sites (including Fox News, believe it or not), I retract my statements about another president starting up the separation of families. That's probably what I get for restricting my news watching to conservative outlets. My apologies.

What is interesting with this quote is that, this is one of the things Jesus will say to us as He comes the 2nd time. "My Grace is sufficient for thee" Oh how I want to hear that from Him in person!!

JoMo: The restrictions could be enforced and at the same time, government officials could benefit. Let me illustrate: * A U.S. grant to another country may require the employment of people. The U.S. does not determine who is employed. That country decides who to hire. * A U.S. grant my be for construction (restoration of an electrical grid, for example). The company chosen by that nation may be a company that results in the enrichment of government officials.

Interesting thought. But had not Satan witnessed the Father's anointing of His Son, at the baptism? Would that not have told Satan who this man was. The Father said, "This is my beloved Son." Satan has spies everywhere. He would have focused attention on Nazareth, and on Mary because of the miracle for Elizabeth and the prophecy concerning her child John. Satan knew the prophecies. He saw the heavenly celebration at Christ's birth. He stirred up Herod to kill all the male infants in Bethlehem. I think Satan knew who Christ was. He was desperate to break Him. You believe "the princes of this world" to be Satan and his fellow angel rebels. Jesus did call Satan "the prince of this world" (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11). So that does fit. The verse says that God "ordained" the plan "before the world", but it was hidden. None of the princes of this world understood (in Heaven - before their rebellion) what the cost of their rebellion would be, or what God would do to preserve some part of His creation.

NOTE: There is no time, in this human life, prior to the 2nd Advent when any human can stand on their own merit outside of the salvation provided by Christ. Period. End of discussion.

There's a great woman here; her name is Rahab; A sweet Christian woman; don't wear no hijab. Such a faithful member of this forum; When I look at the Leaderboard, she's in the quorum! Pretty sorry, huh? What do you expect from an old man?

See: https://atoday.org/medical-news-platform-sums-up-pros-and-cons-of-eating-adventist-style/

Lou: We’ve explored talking to God as with a friend. Yet I can still remember the shock I felt when in a public prayer, a seminary student spoke to God with a familiar “You.” I wondered at the time if this young man had lost his way. But really, when we come to church, we […] The post Questions and Answers (15:7) appeared first on Jon Paulien's Blog. View the full article

Mark 13:11 "But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit." Matthew 10:19 "But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 "for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God the Father.

Joe: You see we have not been talking about global! We have been talking about immigrants and USA. I was referring to our country and the attacks that are happening here! White Nationalist terrorist is here, they marched in Carterville against Jews! The Bomber wanted to bomb Jews, Two Synagogues killing was against Jews, the shooting in California were against all people of color! El Paso was against Mexicans or Hispanic immigrants who were already US citizens. He wrote what he wanted to targeted. Dayton Ohio shooter's sister rode with him and she and both Black and White were killed-why? My focus is here and White Nationalist Terrorists here have become more violent in the last two year. Racism is here, hatred is here, love have waxed cold is here. People are being killed here who are innocent. I want to hear the same man who said he could walk down 5th avenue and kill anyone and his followers will back him. Who says something like that? This mean he can talk freely about murder! Then today says the Nation condemn racism and white nationalist but he never said I CONDEMN WHITE NATIONALIST AND RACISM! Instead blame it on the Media? So the Media did not cite the crowd and we all heard, "shoot them," and he says "only in Panhandler," this is unreal! These people ARE NOT MENTAL OR CRAZY, they are listen to someone who incites them. I am very sick right now over this! People can't even go anywhere anymore! Not even to church! We need Prayer, all of us!

As Ive said before, if it was imposiible for Christ to sin, satan would have a legitimate gripe that Jesus did not overcome as a human. If He is indeed the second Adam, then Hw would have to have the capacity to sin. All that being said, I understand why you believe like you do. I believed the same way when I was a Catholic.

(The discussion after this one is pretty long. Some interesting Loma Linda personalities and people's personal experiences mentioned.) From the description: The book Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique is reviewed. In chapter 27 Wayne Grudem argues that theistic evolutionists commonly hold 12 beliefs that conflict with the teachings of the Bible. We will cover beliefs 5-12 this week. 1. Moreland, J. P., S. C. Meyer, C. Shaw, A. K. Gauger, and W. Grudem eds. 2017. Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. At https://www.allbookstores.com/book/compare/1433552868

Yes, Mexicans have been coming for years, but not the last 2 years!! They have been coming because there countries are in turmoil and now the money has been stopped, so its even worse.

They have been coming for years. There are just many more of them now than ever before. The economy here is so much better than in Mexico. Their own countries are rife with increasing violence. There is great incentive for them to come here. Underneath that, I can't help but think that there is a clandestine effort going on to organize and sponsor these "caravans" to the U.S. in an effort to "globalize" our country and increase the vote in this country for those politicians who support globalism. Not to mention cartels that are willing to take exorbitant fees to get them here.