Bible Topics and Questions

[kreagle]

What kind of 'hand' do you have?
(....."is 'it' good enough to go 'ALL IN?')

In the grand scheme of things there are 'many' who feel that they have unjustly been 'dealt' a horrible hand in life. Truth be known,.....we've 'all' been dealt a 'potential' winning hand,.....it's all according to 'how' you play the hand you have been dealt! You can 'win' with the hand you have been dealt,....or.....you can 'lose' with it,.....the 'choice' is entirely up to you, with the actions you take.


In reality, the hand we are dealt looks like 'this',......all 'face down', and to our much dismay we don't have a 'clue' as to what we really have, do we?

All along, God's Word tells us 'exactly' what kind of hand He has dealt to 'every single one of us',....if we will only take the time to look within It's Sacred Pages and see it for ourselves.

Romans 12:3 (KJV)

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Yes,....regardless to how 'bleak' we may, individually, feel our own personal hand stacks up with the rest of this world, our own God-given hand contains the adequate ingredients of 'faith'! Here it normally lies dormant for many years before it's owner wakes up and finally recognizes what God has divinely placed in their hands and just how powerful it can be when properly activated within their own lives. Once one finally becomes awakened to just how powerful their 'God-dealt' hand of faith actually is,....there's only 'one thing left to do!'

It's time to go,.....'ALL IN'!

Quite frankly, the Word of God is replete with examples of various individuals who were required, ( one way or the other), to take what extreme 'little...or...abundance' that they had in their possession and to then be 'willing' to go 'ALL IN' with God in order for them to divinely arrive where God was beckoning them to.


#1)-In the Biblical account of the 'poor widow' we find where there are 'those' who don't have much to begin with, but nevertheless sense the spiritual need to go 'ALL IN' with God, as she certainly did,......

Mark 12:41-44 (KJV)

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

#2)-In the Biblical account of 'Job', we find the polar opposite of earthly wealth. When 'all' of his abundant worldly possessions were stripped away from him, he still didn't hesitate to go 'ALL IN' with God, as fully indicated by his unswerving dedication to Him through this fiery trial, and especially by these words uttered from his lips.

Job 13:15 (KJV)

15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

#3)-In the Biblical account of 'Abraham', we find another man of 'great abundance' who was being asked to give up his 'prized possession',.....his 'only' son, Isaac. Here, the 'Father of Israel', ( Abraham), and his 'original seed' , ( Isaac), were specifically 'put to the test' by God to see whether they were 'ALL IN' with Him, or not. It was very obvious that God had a specific plan in store for this 'nation of Israel', ( His people), and though they would encounter moments of doubts, and failures, down their long illustrious history, they would walk through places, situations, that no other nation has ever had to endure since the dawning of mankind. For 'this', it was going to require a 'people' that were 'ALL IN' with Him, going all the way back to their very inception with Abraham and Isaac that we read about, here.

Genesis 22:1-14 (KJV)

22 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

In verse 10, above, we clearly see that Abraham, ( and Isaac, too), were undoubtedly 'ALL IN' with God. Nowhere, throughout this divine request from God do we find any 'hesitation',....or....'questioning God' about His directives, from either Abraham, or even Isaac, the 'would-be' sacrifice. In the 'moment of truth', spoken about in verse 10, we find Abraham 'fully committed' into carrying out God's direct order, with the knife actually beginning it's downward thrust into the chest of Isaac, before being called off at the 'last moment' by the angel of the Lord.

The 'hearts' of both Abraham, and Isaac, had just clearly spoken out!

The 'Father,...and his Seed' had just made their declaration,....."We're ALL IN!"



( A 'personal' note)


Make no mistake, my dear friends,.....somewhere along the line the 'child of God' will clearly be tested to see whether they are 'ALL IN' with God, or not. To think that someone,.....'anyone',....will somehow 'slip in under the radar', ( so-to-speak), is only wishful thinking. His Word clearly tells us that with God there is 'no respect to persons', and that we are 'all' on 'equal footing' with equal treatment, requirements, and love coming our way from Him!


I've shared my personal testimony with many of you in relationship to myself being 'born again' of the water and the Spirit. As I've stated, before, I had repented of my sins around the 2nd, or 3rd week of January, 1981,....and had followed that up with being baptized in the 'name' of Jesus Christ, for the remission of those sins, on January 30th, 1981. I had 'fully expected' to be filled with His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, when I came up out of the water when I was baptized,....but alas, I was not immediately filled with His Spirit, then, as I had thought I would be. Consequently, I began to 'seek' His infilling Spirit each day, after my baptism. I would conclude each day with a great deal of in-depth prayer,....seeking God,....seeking His presence,.....and His infilling Spirit. Nevertheless,.....the days began to roll by,....one-by-one,....and I still had not received the 'promise' of being filled with the Holy Ghost! I began to wonder,....."what was wrong,....where was I erring,.....what had I 'yet' to do?"


I was starting my 'third week' since being baptized in Jesus' name, when it dawned on me to call my pastor, and asked him if I could drop by his house for a few questions, which he, of course, said yes to come on by. When I got there, my pastor and his wife were entertaining some other 'guests',...but he came outside and we decided to sit in the front seat of their car, for a few moments, while I talked to him, assuring him it would only take a 'few minutes'.

I began to describe to my pastor all of the efforts I was undergoing in order to completely 'clean up my life' and to be pleasing to God. I told him of my concentrated 'prayer life' I was undergoing late each evening,....and my intense seeking of God. After searching my soul,.....and telling him everything I was attempting to do,.....I finally, ( out of desperation), asked my pastor,....."what else am I to do?,.....I'm willing to do 'whatever' God leads me to do!",......and THEN,.....I specifically remember telling my pastor the following. "I've know this might sound silly,....but, I've got a 'few' old coins I've been saving,....and I've been wondering if I should 'give them to the Lord',....because I don't want NOTHING to come in the way of me being filled with the Holy Ghost, pastor!"

My pastor had been 'intently' listening to what I was saying, and as soon as those 'words' had come out across my lips, I saw the most 'loving' look come across his face as he warmly smiled and said the following,...."Brother Ken, ( aka...kreagle),....you don't have to 'give them to the Lord',....for 'in your heart',....you 'already' have given them to Him,....you just haven't realized it, until now!"

Folks,.....little did I 'realize' it THEN,.....but I had just gone 'ALL IN' with the Lord!

The 'next' Church service,....two days later,.....on February 22, 1981, on our Sunday evening worship service,.....twenty-three days after being baptized in Jesus' name,....I was gloriously filled with the Holy Ghost and began to 'speak in other tongues' as His Spirit spoke through me in another language that I had never learned, ( or knew), before. I was now 'born again' of the water and the Spirit!


( In conclusion)


So you see,....regardless to whether you're a 'poor widow' woman with only two mites to your name,....or.....a man who seems to have everything going for them, ( Job),.....or.....the historical/Biblical 'Father-figure' of a great nation throughout the annals of earth's history, ( Abraham),.....or......just a 'plain' young man of 26 years old, ( Ken,..aka..kreagle,... 'southern raised',...and soon to be 59),.....or.....wherever 'You', particularly fit in on this grand scale,.....the 'theme' remains the same!

The 'events of Calvary' clearly indicates, ( and proves), that He is 'ALL IN' for you and I! His Word, likewise, indicates He expects the 'same' from each of us,....from the 'smallest to the greatest'!


Your 'God-dealt' hand is Divine,.....it's a Winner!,......it's time to go 'ALL IN', my friend!


Your 'loving' brother, friend, and servant,.......kreagle

[kreagle]

Our 'Caboose' finally self-detached himself, today!

No,....this picture is not an actual photo of our 'youngest' son, ( the 'caboose' in our family),....just simply a 'thought' I wanted to visualize, here. Quite frankly,....our son, ( the 'caboose'), is much 'older' than the young man in this image,...and his 'departure' from our little 'nest' is long overdue.


I, personally, have been forced to endure quite a bit of 'extreme ridicule' from 'both sides of my family',..( mine and my wife's), in relationship to my son being 'allowed' to continue to live with us. My rationale for allowing him to stay was simply due to the fact that he wasn't 'ready', ( or mature enough), to venture out into this world at the time. Everyone within my family was crying out for me to 'kick him out',...and force him to grow up on his own. The 'one' thing they didn't realize, that I, ( his father), fully did was the 'fragile condition of his soul' . You see,....my son did NOT know God,....like I did,...and I did NOT want to be guilty of sending him out into this world in this 'fragile' state of mind/spirit which would have been very detrimental to him!


I am 'elated' to report that my son finally saw the 'light of God', through some of my personal efforts, and testimonies, to him. It was with great joy that I was able to take him down to Church, ( at his request),.... late one evening, ( a little over two years ago), and met with our pastor, and his wife, and he consequently was baptized in the precious name of Jesus Christ! Two days later,....he, also, received the gift of the Holy Ghost, where he, also, spoke in other tongues as God gloriously filled him with His Spirit!


Now I can at least have the comfort of knowing that my 'youngest' son is being sent out into this world with His Spirit dwelling within him to be his 'guide' in this turbulent world in which we all live. The 'missing' Ingredient within his life was, ( and IS), fully there NOW, to direct his path in all the areas of life that I, ( his 'earthly' father), cannot adequately direct him in.

He's in 'God's Hands', now,.....which is 'exactly' where I wanted him to be all along!

From here, on out,....I don't know what life has in store for him,...but I have fully commended him into the Trusting Hands of our Lord GOD, Himself!

He's yours,....Lord Jesus!,....Take care of my son!

I've 'run this race' of fatherhood the best I could, on his behalf, and now I'm turning the 'baton' over to your Hand,...my sweet Lord.

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Attach my 'detached caboose' to Your magnificent Train and be his Conductor!


My heart is heavy,.... please say a prayer for my son!


As 'always',....your loving brother, friend, and servant,......kreagle

[kreagle]

The Surgeon's Scalpel

As pointed out by this passage of Scripture, God's Word is specifically designed to surgically 'divide', ( or separate), between the 'spiritual-side and the carnal-side' of mankind. The 'dividing asunder of soul and spirit, ( spiritual-side),....and of the joints and marrow', ( carnal-side), clearly indicates which side of mankind that God wants to 'come out on top' in His quest for us to be in harmony with Him.


In today's society,....'many' individuals will not hesitate to 'go under the surgeon's knife' for various types of surgeries,....regardless to whether they are actually needed, or not. The primary type of surgeries I am referring to, here, are 'cosmetic', in nature, and designed to 'enhance the carnal-side' of man/woman through plastic surgery, etc. It has become increasingly apparent that the 'vanity of mankind' is the motivating factor for these such 'operations'. Futhermore, this popular practise has now reached such epic proportions that 'few' rarely see anything wrong, or amiss, with these 'cosmetic' procedures to begin with.


You will hardly, ( or rarely), 'hear a peek' of opposition from this 'ever growing crowd' of individuals who seemingly endorse this type of excessive 'cosmetic surgeries',...and which often end in horrendous mutilations of their bodies and appearances. However,....just let the 'occasional' young man/woman decide to 'go under the knife of our Surgeon, Himself',....to make a 'spiritual change' in their life seems to be a different matter, altogether! The 'screams of opposition' really seem to resonate, then, especially when any of His 'handy-work' is placed on display for 'all' the world to see what He has done in their lives!


Isn't it odd that 'many' don't have a problem trusting a 'human surgeon with a knife in his hand',.......BUT,.......cringe at the thought of trusting, ( or allowing), a 'Divine Surgeon to perform His transformational Work on them?'


A 'thought' well worth pondering,....my dear friends!


Your brother, friend, and servant,........kreagle

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

You always have a very interesting take on scripture kreagle and I continue to applaud it - meaning that you are able to present a passage and then draw an insightful analogy from it, to impart wisdom. Because it might be said that there are multiple 'possible' connotations in any given passage. And I don't mean conflicting ones in this instance, but several multi-layered nuggets of information/wisdom embedded in what appears, at first, to be a singularly presented context.

I really like the above interpretation of vanity versus spirituality, the divine knife and the surgeon’s. And it is definitely an apt observation.

I know this passage and have considered it before, but arrived at something different. Again, not to say that one understanding must compete with another - the two can exist side by side in the same space. I believe the Bible in many areas and respects is multi-layered - even multi-dimensional in how it is written and constructed.

Hebrews 12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

What I have perceived with this statement is that the word of God is not in manner a word at all - not a spoken article, but a thought. Any religious or spiritual person that knows God, loves God, has ever 'communed' with God, has not actually audibly heard God 'speak' with human voice in human language. Everything they know and have learned has entered directly into their heart and mind in the shape of a thought, an emotion, a realisation: this is to say mentally - telepathically. Because this is the medium of communication that needs no body, needs no spoken tongue. It is mental, and instantaneous, it is a giver to, and discerner of 'thoughts and intents of the heart'.

Have you ever been in a situation where you have a very clear notion in your mind – a thought, a concept, an emotion, an experience in every detail, which you can construct instantly in your mind but cannot for the life of you adequately put into words/language?

This medium is the language of God, and of all spiritual beings that have no physical body, no tongue or voice-box or joints and marrow. It is pure thought, and thus knows no error/mistranslation in the communication.

This concept is further highlighted in the next verse.

Hebrews 13
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

It shows again how physicality is no obstacle to the spiritual. God can literally cut - with that divine knife - through whatever physical barricade we may put up. He can see through whatever screen we might raise to hide behind. He can perceive to the very heart and mind that might close down to protect whatever secret we hold. In a nutshell, we are naked and open to the Lord. And this should serve as a warning to the negative ones in our civilization. There is no where they can run and hide, and nothing they can do, to evade detection, or avoid spiritual justice.

[kreagle]

Posted by Star Mariner (here)
You always have a very interesting take on scripture kreagle and I continue to applaud it - meaning that you are able to present a passage and then draw an insightful analogy from it, to impart wisdom. Because it might be said that there are multiple 'possible' connotations in any given passage. And I don't mean conflicting ones in this instance, but several multi-layered nuggets of information/wisdom embedded in what appears, at first, to be a singularly presented context.

I really like the above interpretation of vanity versus spirituality, the divine knife and the surgeon’s. And it is definitely an apt observation.

I know this passage and have considered it before, but arrived at something different. Again, not to say that one understanding must compete with another - the two can exist side by side in the same space. I believe the Bible in many areas and respects is multi-layered - even multi-dimensional in how it is written and constructed.

Hebrews 12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

What I have perceived with this statement is that the word of God is not in manner a word at all - not a spoken article, but a thought. Any religious or spiritual person that knows God, loves God, has ever 'communed' with God, has not actually audibly heard God 'speak' with human voice in human language. Everything they know and have learned has entered directly into their heart and mind in the shape of a thought, an emotion, a realisation: this is to say mentally - telepathically. Because this is the medium of communication that needs no body, needs no spoken tongue. It is mental, and instantaneous, it is a giver to, and discerner of 'thoughts and intents of the heart'.

Have you ever been in a situation where you have a very clear notion in your mind – a thought, a concept, an emotion, an experience in every detail, which you can construct instantly in your mind but cannot for the life of you adequately put into words/language?

This medium is the language of God, and of all spiritual beings that have no physical body, no tongue or voice-box or joints and marrow. It is pure thought, and thus knows no error/mistranslation in the communication.

This concept is further highlighted in the next verse.

Hebrews 13
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

It shows again how physicality is no obstacle to the spiritual. God can literally cut - with that divine knife - through whatever physical barricade we may put up. He can see through whatever screen we might raise to hide behind. He can perceive to the very heart and mind that might close down to protect whatever secret we hold. In a nutshell, we are naked and open to the Lord. And this should serve as a warning to the negative ones in our civilization. There is no where they can run and hide, and nothing they can do, to evade detection, or avoid spiritual justice.

Star Mariner,


As always, your kind words mean a great deal to me. However, any accolades should always be aptly directed back to Him, for it's through His anointing that makes any of these 'insights' possible to begin with. It's surely not because of any innate ability of mine,....I can assure you of that!

Posted by Star Mariner (here)
Because it might be said that there are multiple 'possible' connotations in any given passage. And I don't mean conflicting ones in this instance, but several multi-layered nuggets of information/wisdom embedded in what appears, at first, to be a singularly presented context.

As your statement insinuates, here, there are, indeed, many passages of Scripture that are 'close-ended' by Divine design, such as the 'Ten Commandments', ( Exodus 20: 1-17), the 'universal nature, and consequences, of sin', ( Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23), and then God's Divine Antidote for Mankind's sinful nature, which is found in Acts 2:38, and displayed in 'my signature'.

Outside of these 'few' examples, there are several 'open-ended' passages that certainly can be 'expanded upon' and functionally applied to the many different facets of our lives, as you have alluded to, here. This simply is possible due to the fact that His Word is, quite literally, a 'Living Breathing Document'. It's 'alive',...in every sense of the word, for no other manuscript, ( known to mankind), carries the weight, and validity, that It does, nor will it ever.


I, equally, applaud your perception of Hebrews 4:12, and verse 13, and find your views on this to simply be a 'continuation' of what I perceive, likewise.

Posted by Star Mariner (here)
It shows again how physicality is no obstacle to the spiritual. God can literally cut - with that divine knife - through whatever physical barricade we may put up. He can see through whatever screen we might raise to hide behind. He can perceive to the very heart and mind that might close down to protect whatever secret we hold. In a nutshell, we are naked and open to the Lord. And this should serve as a warning to the negative ones in our civilization. There is no where they can run and hide, and nothing they can do, to evade detection, or avoid spiritual justice.

You'll notice that I have taken the liberty to 'highlight' some very 'key' statements from your quote, here,....for the 'magnitude' behind what you are saying is even greater than both you, and I, can even imagine, my friend.


When God sent Samuel, the prophet, to select and anoint the next king of Israel, ( successor to Saul), we find this 'Divine principle coming into play' that I am referring to,...and to which you have alluded to in your quote. You see, God NEVER looks on the 'external' qualities, or abilities, of mankind,....but always goes 'much deeper' than that,.....all the way to the very 'heart'.

1 Samuel 16:4-7 (KJV)

4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.

7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

You see, my dear friend, it's with this very simple concept of the 'heart of mankind' that literally dictates , ( or ultimately decides), whether any man, or woman, progresses to the point of actually receiving God's fullness within their own respective lives, or not. My point being that as God 'still' looks upon our individual hearts,....it's He, alone, who can easily observe whose heart is 'tender,...and ready' to receive more of His glorious truth, to which He THEN, measures to us accordingly. As our 'heart' becomes more hungry, open, ( and trusting), to Him, the Divine dispersing of His Word,....His Love,....and His Understanding, becomes a 'steady' stream towards us.

Conversely, it saddens my heart very deeply to observe so many individuals who have their own 'hearts' on anything, ( and everything), other than God on a continual basis.

Make no mistake, brother,....the 'heart' will play the 'pivotal role' in deciding which direction the soul will ultimately take!

The 'wisdom' of Proverbs tell each of us,.....

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

May God 'richly' bless,.....your brother, friend, and servant,........kreagle

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

Very well said my friend, and very apt. I completely agree in every sense.

Posted by kreagle (here)
Conversely, it saddens my heart very deeply to observe so many individuals who have their own 'hearts' on anything, ( and everything), other than God on a continual basis.

I feel this too, very much so. It is a continuing source of frustration, and grief, to see so many around us wandering astray of where they could potentially be - where God, if he were heeded, would have them. As I have said before, that before we incarnate here, each and every single one of us has a plan. We are not motes floating in the air, or sand thrown into the winds of fate. There is a Plan for us. We have a destiny. It is ours to obtain and accomplish if only we look, listen, and heed the higher forces that are there from the beginning to guide us.

So yes mate, it is very sad indeed to see so many off kilter, so to speak, with their personal paths. They walk with blinkers on, and head down. They do not know who they are - or what they are.

In fact, to know this - I say that it's not actually necessary to be 'one' with God, or even close to God, on a ‘continual’ basis, as you put it. Just simply being AWARE of God would be enough for us, for now. Aware of him as a reality, and aware of him inside of us, and every living breathing thing. Just this alone would elevate Humankind to a much higher expression than he already is. This may sound bizarre to you. But in my opinion the world does not need 7 billion pious, in order for it to be a perfect, peaceful haven - that which it could ideally be. Just simple, spiritual awareness and an acknowledgement of God, in each of us, would achieve that.

[kreagle]

Posted by Star Mariner (here)
Very well said my friend, and very apt. I completely agree in every sense.

Posted by kreagle (here)
Conversely, it saddens my heart very deeply to observe so many individuals who have their own 'hearts' on anything, ( and everything), other than God on a continual basis.

I feel this too, very much so. It is a continuing source of frustration, and grief, to see so many around us wandering astray of where they could potentially be - where God, if he were heeded, would have them. As I have said before, that before we incarnate here, each and every single one of us has a plan. We are not motes floating in the air, or sand thrown into the winds of fate. There is a Plan for us. We have a destiny. It is ours to obtain and accomplish if only we look, listen, and heed the higher forces that are there from the beginning to guide us.

So yes mate, it is very sad indeed to see so many off kilter, so to speak, with their personal paths. They walk with blinkers on, and head down. They do not know who they are - or what they are.

In fact, to know this - I say that it's not actually necessary to be 'one' with God, or even close to God, on a ‘continual’ basis, as you put it. Just simply being AWARE of God would be enough for us, for now. Aware of him as a reality, and aware of him inside of us, and every living breathing thing. Just this alone would elevate Humankind to a much higher expression than he already is. This may sound bizarre to you. But in my opinion the world does not need 7 billion pious, in order for it to be a perfect, peaceful haven - that which it could ideally be. Just simple, spiritual awareness and an acknowledgement of God, in each of us, would achieve that.

Star Mariner,

It's certainly easy to tell by your response that your concerns are equally 'in-line' with mine, also. What a relief it is to, personally, see that there is still a 'few' of us with genuine concerns regarding this. However, while it might seem to be a 'great improvement' for mankind to suddenly become more 'aware' of God, as a reality, I'm afraid that 'awareness', alone, falls well short of His Divine Plan for our lives. As you stated, above,...."There is a Plan for us",....which routinely requires for the 'heart' to initiate the 'next step' in fulfilling that Divine Plan, and that's one of obedience to that which God has manifested to the believer.

Case in point,....the '12 disciples of John the Baptist', as illustrated by their account in the Scriptures.

Acts 19:1-7 (KJV)

19 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

7 And all the men were about twelve.

You see, Star Mariner,....no one can argue the fact that these 12 disciples of John the Baptist were 'fully aware' of the existence of God, evidenced by their status as both 'disciples and also as believers', ( verses 1 and 2). However, at this precise moment in Scripture, their 'awareness' could only be measured in an 'external knowledge, only',....to which the Apostle Paul was soon to address.

Even today,....countless individuals have an 'external knowledge' of God, in that they are 'aware' of Him,.....however they fall, woefully, short of actually 'knowing Him' on an intimate basis. This level of relationship,....(The Divine Plan we've 'both' alluded to, here),.....comes 'only' by 'opening the heart, completely' to God where He then 'internally reveals' Himself in the 'New Birth' experience, the infilling of the Holy Ghost!


Notice the 'sequence' of events of the passage, in Acts 19:1-7, again. When Paul questioned the disciples/believers in regards to their current 'awareness level', their response clearly indicated that their 'awareness level' was lacking,.....( v. 2,.... And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.) You see, they 'currently' only knew of an 'external God',.....and at that 'particular time' they had no idea that an 'Internal God' was even available to them! Thank God for the 'messenger', ( the 'man of God', Paul), who would soon bring them all 'up-to-date' in their own 'awareness level' of a God whose Divine Plan was to 'dwell in them',....'walk in them',.....and 'internally prepare them' for their respective futures!


The Prophet, Ezekiel, prophetically spoke of what these '12 disciples' were about to experience for themselves,.....

Ezekiel 36:26-28 (KJV)

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

As we see, the Scriptural account of the '12 disciples/believers' ends on a very 'promising note' in that they were, now, fully 'adopted' into the family of God. This 'adoption' was only made possible by their willingness to 'open their heart,....completely' to God,.....to accept what was being presented before them, by Paul,....and to obey his, ( Paul's), directives of being 'baptized in Jesus' name', ( verse 5).

Romans 8:14-16 (KJV)

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Yes,....I concur, completely, that 'AWARENESS' is a 'step in the right direction!'

But,....if 'mankind' will only 'listen to their heart',.....they will find that 'it' is literally screaming,....."DON'T STOP THERE!!!,.....KEEP ON WALKING!"


The 'heart' will lead you to a 'Divine Adoption',......IF......you 'listen' to 'it'!!!


Your brother, friend, and servant,......kreagle

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

Oh yes mate, you're quite right. In fact I believe... yes I FIRMLY BELIEVE... that this knowledge, this knowingness, that you allude to here is the destination, the destiny of Mankind.

One day.

One day, all our souls will bear fruit, and as a united civilization we will walk this path together. But I was specifically referring to the current state of Mankind as a whole, where the spiritual scales of 'awareness', if you like, are tilted towards the largely 'ignorant' - that the greater majority are total novices. The truth as to why this has transpired is, I fear, because the Churches, for 2,000 years, have failed to properly administer the teachings that they were charged to communicate, and instil.

In response to the tale of Paul in Corinth… (Corinth I have visited btw, I have some great pictures, I could upload a few if you’re interested. Corinth is a wonderful site!) These disciples to whom Paul was speaking were already aware, as you say, they already had their foot in the door, so the next step was not far for them to go. Even before they met Paul, I’m sure they lived a far more spiritually minded life than those of whom I am speaking. For there are still so many, today, that do not see that open door before them, they are not even facing that door. So whilst it is a wonderful vision that the greater, further, journey of the heart is to one day sit in perfect harmony with God, it is just an ideal to hold on to for now, for there are a great many souls that are still so ignorant, so lost, that they need first a helping hand to find that door knob and thrust open the way to the Divine Light shining through, and thus their first awareness of it.

But we must guard against thinking of these poor lost masses as being ignorant in the sense that they are purposefully narrow-minded. It is not their fault. They are merely reluctant. It’s because they are victims (as we all are in one way or another) of an 'aspiritual' system. So many are oppressed or left in want, that trying to survive, pay the bills, and feed their children from one day to the next, becomes their chief occupation. For so many there is hardly the time available in today’s manic society to turn their thoughts to this mysterious 'external force' that may or may not even be there (in their minds). And for all that they have been taught, this is a force to fear, or at least revere, for they are unworthy of it. The religious institutions that are in place to instruct, teach, inspire, and spread love, are at best stale, antiquated, and steeped so much in ‘tradition’, that they have become more like 'businesses', commercial enterprises. At worst, thoroughly self-serving, and corrupt. Small wonder then that so many do not turn to God, for his representatives on earth cannot be trusted.

This is just another stratagem of those 'Powers that Be' again, which sponsor and license these institutions. And it is exactly how they want things to be; it is exactly why they even ‘allow’ religion in the first place. Because it serves the function they want. These authorities do not want an ethical, peaceful, and spiritually aware population to preside over, for how then would they sustain their agenda to oppress us, enslave us, keep us in fear; how then, if we all knew God, loved God, and loved each other, could they possibly justify their ridiculous wars?

On the macro-scale, religion, in various shapes and organizations, was set up to fail from the start. At some point along the path the ‘true way’ was knowingly infiltrated. It has been distorted by ego, and suppressed by materialism… One may place blame on the ruling elite, or capitalism, secular sciences; on governments, monarchies, and massive banking corporations, - these Powers that Be, or even Satan if that is your preferred interpretation.

So for the time being, I still think that the greater majority of us – which are still good, honest, hard-working people, need first an introduction to the reality of God and the spiritual forces in the world – in the universe. The bigger picture. But this will never happen, not for the ignorant masses of which I speak, unless every single political, social and religious institution is torn down, gutted out, and thoroughly reformed. At least in how they currently function. Sorry if that sounds a tad radical. I know such establishments are cherished by so many. But if they are not, the next 2,000 years will not be any different than the last 2,000. Oppression. Fear. Violence. War. Everything needs to change, or there will be no end to it.

…And I still believe this will happen. I have not lost faith. One day. One day we will literally have ‘Heaven on earth’. Think on that my friend with great hope!

[kreagle]

Posted by Star Mariner (here)

One day, all our souls will bear fruit, and as a united civilization we will walk this path together. But I was specifically referring to the current state of Mankind as a whole, where the spiritual scales of 'awareness', if you like, are tilted towards the largely 'ignorant' - that the greater majority are total novices. The truth as to why this has transpired is, I fear, because the Churches, for 2,000 years, have failed to properly administer the teachings that they were charged to communicate, and instil.


But we must guard against thinking of these poor lost masses as being ignorant in the sense that they are purposefully narrow-minded. It is not their fault. They are merely reluctant. It’s because they are victims (as we all are in one way or another) of an 'aspiritual' system. So many are oppressed or left in want, that trying to survive, pay the bills, and feed their children from one day to the next, becomes their chief occupation. For so many there is hardly the time available in today’s manic society to turn their thoughts to this mysterious 'external force' that may or may not even be there (in their minds). And for all that they have been taught, this is a force to fear, or at least revere, for they are unworthy of it. The religious institutions that are in place to instruct, teach, inspire, and spread love, are at best stale, antiquated, and steeped so much in ‘tradition’, that they have become more like 'businesses', commercial enterprises. At worst, thoroughly self-serving, and corrupt. Small wonder then that so many do not turn to God, for his representatives on earth cannot be trusted.

This is just another stratagem of those 'Powers that Be' again, which sponsor and license these institutions. And it is exactly how they want things to be; it is exactly why they even ‘allow’ religion in the first place. Because it serves the function they want. These authorities do not want an ethical, peaceful, and spiritually aware population to preside over, for how then would they sustain their agenda to oppress us, enslave us, keep us in fear; how then, if we all knew God, loved God, and loved each other, could they possibly justify their ridiculous wars?

On the macro-scale, religion, in various shapes and organizations, was set up to fail from the start. At some point along the path the ‘true way’ was knowingly infiltrated. It has been distorted by ego, and suppressed by materialism… One may place blame on the ruling elite, or capitalism, secular sciences; on governments, monarchies, and massive banking corporations, - these Powers that Be, or even Satan if that is your preferred interpretation.

So for the time being, I still think that the greater majority of us – which are still good, honest, hard-working people, need first an introduction to the reality of God and the spiritual forces in the world – in the universe. The bigger picture. But this will never happen, not for the ignorant masses of which I speak, unless every single political, social and religious institution is torn down, gutted out, and thoroughly reformed. At least in how they currently function. Sorry if that sounds a tad radical. I know such establishments are cherished by so many. But if they are not, the next 2,000 years will not be any different than the last 2,000. Oppression. Fear. Violence. War. Everything needs to change, or there will be no end to it.

…And I still believe this will happen. I have not lost faith. One day. One day we will literally have ‘Heaven on earth’. Think on that my friend with great hope!

Star Mariner,

Brother, I certainly 'feel your pain', my dear friend. You'll notice that I have copied the portion of your post, and highlighted some of the areas where you pinpoint, ( and express), the 'source' of these spiritual problems as they relate to the masses, and as you have indicated.

Posted by Star Mariner (here)
The truth as to why this has transpired is, I fear, because the Churches, for 2,000 years, have failed to properly administer the teachings that they were charged to communicate, and instil.

Further down, in your post, you continue with this 'specific charge', as indicated by your words,......

Posted by Star Mariner (here)
On the macro-scale, religion, in various shapes and organizations, was set up to fail from the start. At some point along the path the ‘true way’ was knowingly infiltrated.

Brother,....this may 'completely surprise' you,.....but I absolutely agree with you, 100%!

Now,....'after' I have given you some ample time to recover from the shock of my statement, here,.... let me explain what has 'actually' transpired over the course of history in order for these 'chain of religious events' to occur as they have.


To begin with, it should be fully understood that there is absolutely 'nothing' wrong with God's Church, today, for It has remained fully intact and 'doctrinally' sound ( as It was 'originally' established on the Day of Pentecost, and 'first' mentioned in Acts 2:47) As the Lord anointed Peter to be the 'keynote' speaker on the Day of Pentecost, ( where he delivered the inaugural Gospel Message of Acts 2:38), He specifically made it a point to pronounce 'Divine' protection upon His Church, as indicated by this passage,.....

Matthew 16:18 (KJV)

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Even though we find that His Church has been, ( and 'still' is), 'Divinely protected', that never negated what Satan set out to do from the 'onset',....and that was to 'infiltrate', ( as you accurately point out), His Church. How did Satan do this?,.....by establishing the church of Rome, ( ie. the Roman Catholic Church).

Satan fully knew that it would be 'impossible' to defeat God's Church, ( see Matthew 16:18, once again),.....so he adopted the philosophy,...."if you can't beat 'them',....then join 'them'. There he would deceitfully, ( and 'gradually'), infiltrate It's ranks with 'false doctrines', and methodically erode away any 'original truths' as orginally established by the Apostles to begin with.

Repentance 'towards God' became substituted with 'confessional booths' to a priest,.......water baptism by emersion in the 'name' of Jesus' Christ became completely altered to accomodate a triune formula by 'sprinkling' the candidate and then altogether eliminating the 'saving' name of Jesus, and replacing it with His 'titles' of.....Father....Son.....and....Holy Ghost, a complete violation of the Scriptures, themselves. ( see Acts 4:12)

Acts 4:12 (KJV)

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

So you see, Star Mariner, any 'failed administrations of His Teachings' certainly can be laid at the feet of Catholicism, and her 'sister organizations' that have aligned themselves with her teachings over the years.


In light of this, you should equally know that God's 'original' Church, as established in Acts Chapter 2, is 'still' vibrantly alive, and still hasn't altered the Apostle's doctrine, ( see Acts 2:42), but continues steadfastly in it.

The 'gates of Hell' still haven't prevailed over His Church, my dear friend! Numerically speaking, It doesn't measure up to the 'multitudes' of Catholicism,...but It has, indeed,....stood the 'test of time',...for His sake, and His Glory!

And yes,.....One Day, very soon,....we will, indeed, have 'Heaven on earth', once again!

Revelation 21:1-7 (KJV)

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

What a 'glorious' Day that will be!


Your brother, friend, and servant,......kreagle

[kreagle]

A 'great' thread by TruthSeekah,...concerning 'Is Meditation Demonic?',.....is worthy of your 'viewing'. I've supplied the link for your convenience.


https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post696312



Later,.....your brother, friend, and servant,.......kreagle

[kreagle]

What does this comment, ( by the Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to the Church in Corinth), mean to you? Many feet on the ground, and 'in the race',.....but only 'one' receiving the prize?

1 Corinthians 9:24 (KJV)

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

As always,.....your brother, friend, and servant,.......kreagle

[kreagle]

Christianity Leaving It's Mark

Various documentations, and artifacts, have been presented in the past concerning the location, ( and existence), of Noah's Ark,....the Ark of the Covenant, etc. Each of these documentations,.... ( when unearthed),.....reveals where Christianity, indeed, 'left It's Mark', and that these events were 'factual' instead of simply being 'symbollic'. Such is the case of King David's Palace according to this recent article.

3,000-year-old palace in Israel linked to biblical King David

Alan Boyle, Science Editor, NBC News Facebook


Skyview / Hebrew Univ. / IAA
This aerial picture shows what the excavators say are King David’s palace and a Byzantine-era farmhouse.

Israeli archaeologists say they have found the remains of a palace that they believe was a seat of power for the biblical King David — but other experts say that claim shouldn't be taken as the gospel truth.

The discovery, announced on Thursday by the Israeli Antiquities Authority, revives a debate over one of the Bible's central stories as well as the origins of the ancient Jewish state. The debate focuses on an archaeological site known as Khirbet Qeiyafa, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) southwest of Jerusalem. Khirbet Qeiyafa has been associated with the ancient city of Sha'arayim, which is mentioned several times in Jewish scriptures as Judean territory.

For seven years, archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the antiquities authority, or IAA, have been excavating the site — and finding ample evidence of a fortified city dating back to around 1000 B.C. That's the era when the House of David is thought to have ruled over the Israelite tribes.

On Thursday, the Hebrew University's Yosef Garfinkel and the IAA's Sa'ar Ganor announced the completion of the excavation. They said they uncovered evidence of a 10,000-square-foot (1,000-square-meter) palace in the center of Khirbet Qeiyafa, with a 100-foot-long (30-meter) protective wall. A pillared building to the north was apparently used as an administrative storeroom.

'Unequivocal evidence'
The two buildings serve as "unequivocal evidence of a kingdom's existence," Garfinkel and Ganor said in an IAA statement.


Clara Amit / IAA
Various vessels were found at the Khirbet Qeiyafa site.


"Around the palace's perimeter were rooms in which various installations were found — evidence of a metal industry, special pottery vessels and fragments of alabaster vessels that were imported from Egypt," they said.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted Garfinkel as saying "there is no question that the ruler of the city sat here, and when King David came to visit the hills he slept here."

The storeroom could have been used for taxes collected from the surrounding residents in the form of agriculture produce. "Hundreds of large store jars were found at the site whose handles were stamped with an official seal, as was customary in the Kingdom of Judah for centuries," the archaeologists said.


They said that the fortified city was probably destroyed in a battle with the Philistines around 980 B.C., and that the ruins of the palace were covered over during the construction of a fortified farmhouse during the Byzantine period, about 1,400 years later.

Claims disputed
The view that Khirbet Qeiyafa was a power center for the Kingdom of Judah and the House of David has long been disputed by other archaeologists. On one level, some archaeologists argue that Khirbet Qeiyafa could have been a Canaanite settlement, or an outpost for the ancient northern Kingdom of Israel rather than the southern Kingdom of Judah.

What do you think?
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On a deeper level, the skeptics say there's no firm evidence that the historical David was as powerful as the Bible makes him out to be. They suggest that the inspiration for the biblical figure might have been a miscellaneous tribal leader, or perhaps even a folkloric figure on a par with, say, Robin Hood.

The latest claim about King David's palace came in for harsh criticism from David Willner, co-director of Foundation Stone, who said Garfinkel was indulging in "unabashed sensationalism." On the Bible History Daily blog, Noah Wiener said the dramatic link to David was "sure to elicit a great deal of debate."

"Khirbet Qeiyafa is an undoubtedly important site, and we look forward to an imminent archaeological discussion on the newly uncovered palatial structure," Wiener wrote.

More about biblical archaeology:

•Inscription dates back to King David — but what's it say?

•Artifacts hint at history behind David and Goliath
•Gallery: Eight Jewish archaeological discoveries

•Israelis find 2,750-year-old temple


Link: http://www.nbcnews.com/science/3-000...vid-6C10687021

Of course, interwoven within this article are the views of 'skeptics', which are always plentiful, and eager to discount any real 'evidence' that might have been, ( or will be), presented. You can 'count on this!'


Here's something else 'you can count on!'

1 Timothy 6:14-16 (KJV)

14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

His Grace,.....and His Mercy,... still abounds, my dear brothers and sisters. I would not advise anyone to 'wait around for tangible proof' to surface before making your decision to believe in Him, or His Word.


'Tangible proof' only clouds the REAL issue at hand,...as it endeavors to dilute the 'Divine conduit to God',.....and that's FAITH!

Hebrews 11:1-3 (KJV)

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

To 'wait around for tangible proof to surface' totally breaks down this 'Divine conduit to God',....called FAITH,.....making it impossible to truly reach Him through His Divine design.

Hebrews 11:6(KJV)

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

To those who continue to 'dig in the earth and unearth God', ( or His validity),.....I've got news for you!


His 'origins' is not, ( nor has it ever been),....earthly!,......It's Heavenly, my dear friends!


You're looking in the 'wrong direction',....my dear friends,...if you're 'digging in the earth!'


FAITH,....properly implemented,.....will get you 'back on track'!


Your brother, friend, and servant,......kreagle

[Bill Ryan]

--------

Here's a fabulous hour-and-a-half long BBC documentary on the lost 'Gnostic' gospels. I've watched it twice now, and have learned a very great deal. Highly recommended.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=y3fywVlTB98

(YouTube descriptive text -- edited and expanded by myself)

This is a BBC documentary presented by Anglican priest Pete Owen Jones that explores the large number of ancient Christian texts, all documenting the life of Jesus, that didn't make it into the New Testament. Shocking and challenging to many with orthodox views, many of these texts portray a Jesus really very different from that found in the traditional books of the New Testament.

Pete Owen Jones travels through Egypt and the former Roman Empire looking at the emerging evidence of an early Christian world very different to the one we have been taught about, and discovers that aside from the gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, there were over seventy gospels, acts, letters and apocalypses, all circulating in the early Church. Many of these became formally dismissed and pronounced as heretical -- primarily because the picture of Jesus that was painted was inconvenient to the controlling Roman Church.

Through these 'Lost Gospels', Pete Owen Jones reconstructs the intense intellectual and political struggles for orthodoxy that were fought in the early centuries of Christianity, a battle involving different Christian sects, each convinced that their gospels were true and sacred. The truth of those early times may be very different than that which we have been taught to believe.

[Agape]

...and this is the Sphere they have in Vatican ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphere_Within_Sphere

Sphere within Sphere

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=WEhS9Y9HYjU

[kreagle]

Posted by Agape (here)


...and this is the Sphere they have in Vatican ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphere_Within_Sphere


Sphere within Sphere

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=WEhS9Y9HYjU

Hey Agape,.....and Bill!


I'm afraid their, ( Vatican's), overall agenda is far more sinister than most people realize. In the midst of their 'religious' tinkerings, God has still managed to keep His Church alive, just like He said He would. He let it be known that the 'gates of hell shall not prevail against it', ( Matthew 16:18),.....and it certainly hasn't,......regardless to the many satanic attempts that we've all seen in the past, ( and present, too.)


Thanks Bill, for the link to the video. I just watched it and equally found it to be beneficial.


As always,....your friend, brother, and servant,......kreagle

[Positive Vibe Merchant]

Hello All, I just wanted to ask a question.

it has probably been answered previously and I would like to be pointed to the answer if that is so. Why is god referred to as He? Surely an omnipotent creator of all living things would possess no sex and be purely energetic?

[Maunagarjana]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
--------

Here's a fabulous hour-and-a-half long BBC documentary on the lost 'Gnostic' gospels. I've watched it twice now, and have learned a very great deal. Highly recommended.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=y3fywVlTB98

(YouTube descriptive text -- edited and expanded by myself)

This is a BBC documentary presented by Anglican priest Pete Owen Jones that explores the large number of ancient Christian texts, all documenting the life of Jesus, that didn't make it into the New Testament. Shocking and challenging to many with orthodox views, many of these texts portray a Jesus really very different from that found in the traditional books of the New Testament.

Pete Owen Jones travels through Egypt and the former Roman Empire looking at the emerging evidence of an early Christian world very different to the one we have been taught about, and discovers that aside from the gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, there were over seventy gospels, acts, letters and apocalypses, all circulating in the early Church. Many of these became formally dismissed and pronounced as heretical -- primarily because the picture of Jesus that was painted was inconvenient to the controlling Roman Church.

Through these 'Lost Gospels', Pete Owen Jones reconstructs the intense intellectual and political struggles for orthodoxy that were fought in the early centuries of Christianity, a battle involving different Christian sects, each convinced that their gospels were true and sacred. The truth of those early times may be very different than that which we have been taught to believe.

Good video. Most of it is review for me, as I've been fascinated by these texts ever since I found out about them. I spent a long time on a gnostic usenet group, and I spent some time also on a mailing list called "Jesus Mysteries" where some very intelligent people hung out, even some professional scholars and writers. At the time, I was pretty sure there was no historical Jesus and that the whole thing was metaphorical, but now I'm not so sure.

Also, the guy in the video seems to have been inspired by Bill Ryan for his style of dress.

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

Posted by Positive Vibe Merchant (here)
Hello All, I just wanted to ask a question.

it has probably been answered previously and I would like to be pointed to the answer if that is so. Why is god referred to as He? Surely an omnipotent creator of all living things would possess no sex and be purely energetic?

If God could even be anthropomorphously envisaged it would be a She, if anything, as the divine feminine energy is more in line with unconditional love as well as creation (fertility). The reason God has been depicted as male is quite simply because men, and male energy, has dominated the ages, particularly in the hierarchy of religious institutions (as it still does today). The idea of a female god eventually became heretical. There were once many instances of God being perceived more as a goddess in other, smaller cultures, that were later suppressed or cast aside by the mainstream religions that replaced them.

The truth is, God is neither a male or a female energy. It is a perfect assembly of both.

[Joe Akulis]

One thing to consider. When it is said that we are created in the image and likeness of God, what was this phrase referring to? If you think it is our mortal human bodies that are created in the image and likeness of God, then I think maybe you are limiting yourself. Doesn't it make more sense that the thing that was made in the image and likeness of God was our immortal spirit? The part of us that we truly are, which continues on after these frail vessels give out on us. That aspect of each of us is androgynous, and therein is where your answer lies.

You are a fractal of that Divine Creator.

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

Posted by seeker1972 (here)
One thing to consider. When it is said that we are created in the image and likeness of God, what was this phrase referring to? If you think it is our mortal human bodies that are created in the image and likeness of God, then I think maybe you are limiting yourself. Doesn't it make more sense that the thing that was made in the image and likeness of God was our immortal spirit? The part of us that we truly are, which continues on after these frail vessels give out on us. That aspect of each of us is androgynous, and therein is where your answer lies.

You are a fractal of that Divine Creator.

It depends on your belief system really. I have one, someone else here, my dear friend kreagle for example, will have another, in accordance with the knowledge-base and teachings that one follows.

You’re correct mate, (in my opinion) that we are a fractured part of the creator, each and every one of us. Therefore we are all the same, individualized elements of the One-God. But I do believe that the 'created in our own image' thing, does relate to the physical, biological unit that we, as divine spirits, incarnate into.

I talk about it in older posts on earlier pages, that ancient Jewish creation myths refer (and in my opinion) merely to an 'experiment' if you will, which sought to introduce what we now know as Homo Sapiens, the Human Being as an incarnation vehicle, here on Earth, for young and developing souls. This new, advanced being was derived genetically of their own being, these creators. And yes, I speak of extra-terrestrials.