Is it me or....

[nChrist]

Hello Russ44k,

Brother, we should all know there has been a serious erosion of many things in this part of the world. What various churches do or don't do is an example of great moral decay. We've even seen large churches vote about whether JESUS CHRIST is GOD or not.

However, we still have large numbers of strong Christians who still believe just as strongly as ever. Our numbers in this part of the world are not as high as they were 50 years ago, but we are still here.

It is possible that we are looking at the end days of this Age of Grace. If so, Bible Prophecy foretells of many things that are already happening today. If not, maybe this is a preview of the end days of this Age of Grace. Regardless, it appears that the devil is very busy in trying to get Christians confused and busy on anything except standing up for CHRIST and sharing the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD. People are still accepting JESUS CHRIST as LORD and Saviour, so it should be obvious that there is much important work left to do.

At this point and time, all Christians should pray and ask GOD to use us in whatever way that HE Will. We need to pray for guidance and strength to do HIS Will until JESUS comes to take us home. We can stand up in the face of evil, rebuke it, and keep doing GOD'S Work until the last moment. I'm positive that GOD has work for all of us to do. It's simply a matter of praying, yielding, and going forth to do HIS Will. It really doesn't matter how many of us are left and willing.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Colossians 1:29 NASB  For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

[russ44k]

Tom if it sounded like I was saying just give up then please forgive me ,that is not what I was meaning to say.The ? the way I under stood it was Is America Like sodom?
If the Christian Church doesn't get back to basics ,and continues on the course that its going in making Christianity warm And fuzzy  in a way taking Christ out of the picture then this country is doomed to the wrath of God .
B= basic
I=Instructions
B=before
L=leaving
E= earth
Without these instructions being taught and used then we will be lost.

[Debp]

Before I never liked to have a woman pastor....but about 5 years ago, I had to leave a Presbyterian church (after 20 years) because it got too liberal under the leadership of the last pastor (he even condoned the gay lifestyle!!).  I started to attend a Congregational church...the pastors are very good, as is the worship service.

Once in awhile, they had two lady pastors preach...and also give a message at the women's luncheon.  These lady pastors are extremely good in their sermons, and have a good walk with the Lord.  Also, in the past year or so, a lady became our associate pastor....she also is extremely good in her sermons and walks with the Lord (the Senior pastor, a male, mainly gives the sermons).

After hearing these women's sermons, I now can say I like a lady pastor (although I still prefer a male pastor.)    It is so wonderful to hear ministers that stay with the Word of God and walk with Him, too.

[nChrist]

Hello Russ44k,

It's always nice to hear from other Christians who aren't ready to give up. For me, I simply pray that I never give up, and I pray that GOD gives me the strength and guidance to do HIS Work until the last minute.

YES, America and many other countries are much like Sodom. It really isn't any comfort to know that other countries are just as bad or worse. In terms of what we deserve, we certainly don't deserve the blessings of GOD. I also want everyone to know that I bear part of the blame. I'm thinking back to hundreds of things that I should have paid more attention to and acted differently than what I did. So, I'm not just pointing my finger at other people. All Christians should give thanks that we aren't getting what we really deserve.

I really don't understand why GOD keeps richly blessing us. I'm speaking more of spiritual blessings, but even our poor homes here are rich in necessities compared to many portions of the world. I sometimes think that GOD lets us keep some of our freedoms so we can continue being a beacon to the world for the distribution of Godly materials. What part of the world is left that can do what we can still freely do? We also provide basic necessities of life for many people of the world, so maybe this is one reason why God lets us keep some of our wealth. I'm not suggesting that the good things overshadow the bad. In this part of the world, we have a lot of shame and much to ask GOD to forgive us for.

I think that the point I wanted to make is that every SINGLE Christian, rich or poor, can make a big difference. In fact, I firmly believe that many Christians who are poor in the wealth of the world may make more of an impact than the rich Christians. I would be talking about impacting our portion of the world also - not just foreign countries where hosts of people are in desperate need of JESUS. We have hosts of people in our own countries who are in desperate need of JESUS. We need more soldiers for our CHRISTIAN ARMY to work in all capacities.

Maybe GOD still has plans for us in this part of the world. If not, it's a wonder why HE hasn't already struck us down or dealt harshly with us. GOD has really given us every benefit and blessing, so it becomes a matter of how we used those benefits and blessings. Did we selfishly use and squander what GOD has given us, or have we even come close to using what GOD has given us for the purpose HE intended? I think that all of us can answer this question, and the answer should result in prayer for forgiveness. If not for you, it does for me.

I was just thinking about something that brings a smile to my face. I'm aware of some Christians in foreign countries who study the posts on this forum and also use it to learn English. China is one such country. This is a reminder of GOD'S Promises that HIS WORD will always be used and never return void. We don't know how GOD uses everything, but HIS Promise is all we need.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 139:4 NASB  Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all.

[islandboy]

One of the worst things happening to the Church, is reinterpretation of the scriptures. As time goes by new Bibles are having the meaning of verses changed so as not to offend anyone. The teaching books and manuals  are filled with Eastern culture religions mixed in with the Word of God, to make it seem like it is all the same.  Children from a young age are in some cities practicing yoga and breath prayers in their classrooms. ( Saw this pictured on the news). Things that are not normal are being promoted as normal. Our world is changing and if we don't stand up and defend the Word of God, all will be lost.
One thing I like about this forum is being able to state your opinion on any subject, but in doing so we must also allow the opinion of others.  I tend to follow the Bible and feel that men are to be pastors of the church. 
However, in saying that I give Kathy, the right to her opinion.  End of subject.
And in saying that, it is God, that will hold us each accountable in the end.

[Shammu]

Our world is changing and if we don't stand up and defend the Word of God, all will be lost.

I'll disagree with you on this...........

Jesus tells us, His Word shall never be lost.  Isaiah 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall be dissolved and vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner [like gnats]. But My salvation shall be forever, and My rightness and justice [and faithfully fulfilled promise] shall not be abolished.

[islandboy]

Maybe I should have worded that better. Yes, as long as Christian families teach their children, and their children's children, the gospel of our Lord, His words will not fade away. But more and more books and some Bibles, are being reprinted in a softened  frame of thought so as not to offend anyone. Even if the content is there if the interpation is different, then it is possible for people to be led astray.

[Brother Jerry]

I understood what you where talking about islandboy.  And you are correct.  There are many different interpretations of the Bible out there now and even some that remove the masculine aspect of God as well as remove Him as Father and substitute words meaning "parental unit". 
I do not see any need to have 18 different translations of the same Bible in the same language.  And I truly do not believe that God would want or desires that either.  Look at the mainstream english nowdays.  You have NIV, NLT, NASB, and several others that are big sellers.  And each is different in some ways of their interpretations.  I do not believe that God is supportive of such a vast array of interpretations.  If there is confusion in one person over what is said in one Bible over that which is said in another Bible then I do not believe it is from God. 

Many of these differences come in when people are interpreting the Bible on a thought for thought basis.  Meaning that they interpret based on what the verses intentions are.  And these are the areas which I do not agree with because they are purely subjective and every one knows that when you read the Bible you may get something completely different out of a verse than what you did the previous time.  That is the dymanic nature of the Bible and of God.  I prefer a more word for word sort of translation and then use prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead me to the meaning. 

[Okie]

America is the Land of the Free. Freedom to do what we should is not the same as freedom to do what we want. Too many don't think that way.
I look at our American coins. They all say In God We Trust. I think is a shame how many people worship the coin and not the God We Trust.

[nChrist]

I understood what you where talking about islandboy.  And you are correct.  There are many different interpretations of the Bible out there now and even some that remove the masculine aspect of God as well as remove Him as Father and substitute words meaning "parental unit". 
I do not see any need to have 18 different translations of the same Bible in the same language.  And I truly do not believe that God would want or desires that either.  Look at the mainstream english nowdays.  You have NIV, NLT, NASB, and several others that are big sellers.  And each is different in some ways of their interpretations.  I do not believe that God is supportive of such a vast array of interpretations.  If there is confusion in one person over what is said in one Bible over that which is said in another Bible then I do not believe it is from God. 

Many of these differences come in when people are interpreting the Bible on a thought for thought basis.  Meaning that they interpret based on what the verses intentions are.  And these are the areas which I do not agree with because they are purely subjective and every one knows that when you read the Bible you may get something completely different out of a verse than what you did the previous time.  That is the dymanic nature of the Bible and of God.  I prefer a more word for word sort of translation and then use prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead me to the meaning. 

Hello Brother Jerry,

This would really be a matter of opinion. There are quite a few outstanding translations of the Holy Bible, and they each have strong and weak points. If you prefer a more word for word sort of translation, that would be one of the newer translations. If you're looking for a poetic quality, that would be one of the older translations. There are a group of translations that might be considered middle ground with very few differences except updates in spelling and use of modern language with the same meaning.

One of the best known translations that I won't mention had so many versions at one time that they formed a committee to standardize it. The point I would want to make is that different translations of the Holy Bible should not be a matter of contention for Christians. I wouldn't include some of the latest translations that intentionally butcher the Bible into something that bears no resemblance to the Hebrew and Greek. As an example, some groups have written their own Bibles to take out portions that offend those with alternative lifestyles or problems with gender. Most real Christians don't call these butcher jobs Bibles.

There's really a fairly substantial list of outstanding Bible translations. Prayer for understanding should be the start of any Bible study, regardless of the translation being used. If someone wants to do an in depth Bible study, the use of Hebrew and Greek is still required. There are numerous sites on the Internet that rate Bibles for various qualities in a non-biased way. Examples of ratings usually involves things like:  1) Accuracy, 2) Ease in reading, 3) Poetic quality, 4) Modern language (including spelling, word usage, grammar, etc.). On the opposite side of the coin, there are some sites on the Internet that are horribly biased about various Bible translations. In fact, a few sites bash every Bible translation except one. The bias extends so far for some that truth and scholarship is of no concern. These folks are known as Bible bashers by most Christians, and they do more damage than good. We really end up with the fact that there are many excellent translations of the Holy Bible, and all of them have strong points and weak points. SO, I would repeat that various translations of the Holy Bible should not be a matter of contention for Christians unless the translation being talked about is one of the weird and recent butcher jobs or a Bible written to match cult doctrine.

Brother Jerry, the above should give you a good idea about why we stopped Bible bashing on Christians Unite. It served no purpose except confusion and contention. There are some groups that are so rabid about Bible bashing that they elevate themselves to cult status. This is one reason why I stopped using a particular translation that I'd been using for over 50 years. I'll add that I'm very happy with the change for numerous reasons. I'm also happy that we don't argue about things like this here.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Romans 11:33 NASB  Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

[David_james]

I have read a few translations and haven't seen anything wrong with them, except one but haven't seen good non bias evidence that it is indeed wrong. Problem? It has extra stuff, but the only thing someone could say was, "The writers of ( Bible version ) can't find authenticy of the extra stuff." Big time bias.

[nChrist]

Good Morning Brother David,

I use e-Sword on my computer for nearly all of my Bible study, so it's easy to use multiple translations. I can even do side by side comparisons between various translations. I have about 6 translations that I use on a regular basis, not including Hebrew and Greek.

Brother, I've really been spoiled with being able to make the fonts larger and click between dictionaries, commentaries, language helps, and more. I have cataracts in both eyes, but they aren't bad enough yet for the doctor to fix them. I also have what's called floaters in my eyes that blur my vision on smaller texts. As a result, I don't use regular books very often. Books usually make my eyes tired and hurt pretty quickly.

I chose "Georgia" as a font, and you can make this font as big as you could possibly want. You can configure nearly everything in e-Sword, including colors. I use black fonts, but I use a light beige for the background. In short, I really like e-Sword, and I know that I'd have a hard time without it.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Galatians 2:20 NASB  "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

[islandboy]

Thank you Brother Jerry, for understanding and agreeing that there is a problem with some of the newer venison's of the Bible. That said, I think the new spins in interpretation of the Bible is a bigger concern. I am thankful  for this website and its forum in being here and for those who share the Word of God, many times verse by verse to get the true meanings across. While the changes to the Bible should be mentioned from time to time, I agree that spreading the word and truth of our Lord, is more important.

[Shammu]

My only problem with some of these newer Bibles coming out is, they remove Him as the Father.

I agree that spreading the word and truth of our Lord, is more important.

AMEN brother AMEN

[nChrist]

My only problem with some of these newer Bibles coming out is, they remove Him as the Father.

AMEN brother AMEN

Hello Dreamweaver,

Brother, I hope that I didn't give the wrong impression. There are a list of so-called Bibles that I don't consider Bibles at all - NOT EVEN CLOSE. Some of them are used by cults and have been with us for many years. Some of the new ones being written are specifically to accommodate sin and make folks feel good. I wasn't hinting about the protection or respect of these NON-BIBLES. I think that everyone knows I was talking about respect for Bibles that are excellent translations of the original Greek and Hebrew.

Some outstanding translators set out with a goal to make a Bible translation with what's called dynamic equivalent for meaning and is easy to read and understand. The NIV fits in this category.

Some outstanding translators set out with a goal to make a Bible translation the most accurate word for word translation from the Hebrew and Greek. The NASB fits in this category.

Older groups of outstanding translators set out with a goal to update and modernize the Geneva Bible and the Bishop's Bible. These two Bibles are the backbone of English translations, along with several lesser known translations that eventually became the King James Version. Many of the first Pilgrims and Puritans in this part of the world used the Geneva Translation. The history and development of various English Translations of the Holy Bible are fascinating. With the exception of cult and butchered Bibles, the vast majority of English Translations of the Holy Bible are the best in the world. As a result, they are usually the standard for Translation into other languages.

As a final comment, I'll say that there was good intentions and good reasons for all of the best translations of the Holy Bible. The results were excellent to outstanding, and GOD is obviously using them. GOD is also still using the original Hebrew and Greek. In this part of the world, we simply need to give thanks that we have the freedom to possess and use all of the Bible materials we want to. Our challenge is to use them for the Glory of GOD.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 2:19-22 NASB  So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.