Results 1021 - 1040 of 1060
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Results from: Notes Author: azurelaw Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1021 | How will I hear God's answer? | James 1:5 | azurelaw | 179730 | ||
Dear Brother Doc, Thank you. I have never had experiences of hearing a small/soft voice from God. Most of the time, He either stays silent or reveals to me CLEARLY through the Scriptures. Quite contrary that I have experienced tempting soft voice from my inner self on my own desire. I can understand that people think that God speaks in soft voice due to their projection of God as a kind and loving father (yes, He is indeed), and when we (His children) suffer, He will comfort us with tender and soft words. But is it really the way? I would render the thought that instead of His speaking to us softly to comfort us, He gave His son and His Word to us for healing, guiding and comforting. I also think of another example : Job, how he had experienced his great trauma. He was in desperate need of comfort and answer from God. Did God talk to him in soft and small voice? No. (Job 38:1, Job 40:6). What about God's calling on Samuel when he was sleeping? Could the voice be loud enough to wake him? Shalom Azure :) |
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1022 | How will I hear God's answer? | James 1:5 | azurelaw | 179691 | ||
You say: ......Most often it's in a still, small voice..... Why? Dear Joanna, you are not the only one I heard of such saying. Is it really always the way God speaks to us? Why in small voice? I would be glad to see your quote of more relevant scriptures. I don't think God often chooses to speak to us in small voice but with shouts and cries instead (see Proverb 1:20 to 21). Thanks for your help. Azure |
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1023 | Biblical guildelines on serving communit | Luke 12:42 | azurelaw | 179536 | ||
Thank you Brother Doc for your comforting and encouraging answer. Thank you for your prayers as well and I do will keep you in my prayers as well. Pray that we could be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matt 10:16) Shalom Azure :) |
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1024 | 1 Kings Chapter 13 | 1 Kin 13:1 | azurelaw | 179020 | ||
Dear Hank, I am glad to receive your post. Truly, you have been on my list when I join the forum. I am not only benefited with spiritual growth but also my improvement in English from most of you here. Everytime when I log on the forum, I won't forget to put my dictionary in front of me. The first book of C.S. Lewis I read was "Mere Christianity" (a Chinese version) 20 years ago which I found convincing and interesting. But at that time I did not know who he was, only after 10 years I had chance to read more of his books. I thank God for bringing me to this forum to know you guys. The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip. (Psalm 37:30-31) Grace to you Hank. N.B. I was imagining what a scene it would be when we all meet in heaven one day that do we recognize each other. I believe we do. You are labelled with Hank, Doc, Steve, John, Kalos, Tim, Joanna, Jeff....a long long que before His Throne. :-) Azure |
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1025 | 1 Kings Chapter 13 | 1 Kin 13:1 | azurelaw | 178955 | ||
Dear Joanna, Thanks for your input. Your last statement reminds me of an amazing experience 2 weeks ago. I had a rare chance to go shopping at a mall where I seldom go. There, a shop attracted me to get in with its window dressing. When I was enjoying my time to look around, the sales lady approached and showed me their new product - a lamp made of crystal salt from Hamalya, which I turned down for the reason that I interpreted it as the kind of crystal people claim to obtain good health, wealth, power etc by owning it. (I skip some of the details here which are not so much relevant to the theme) After knowing that I am a Christian, our conversation about religion started. She told me that she had converted to Christ a month ago. She found it amazing that she was convinced to make such decision by a teenager (mantelly retarded) whom she met only 3 times nearby her home and they had never talked before. She met the teenager the day before she was invited to a church gathering. The boy walked up to her and said (like a normal person) "Believe in Jesus. It is good to believe in Him. You should believe in Jesus." The sales lady was struck. The next day, she converted to Christ. After hearing her story, I cited the example of Balaam to encourage her that even a donkey was used by God to deliver His message. We both praised the Lord and glorified God. Love in Christ Azure |
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1026 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | azurelaw | 178923 | ||
Dear Doc, Got it! Thanks. Doi m juu should be Dui mn ju. I reply: mo mun tai (no problem) - I guess you knew it already. :-) Azure |
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1027 | 1 Kings Chapter 13 | 1 Kin 13:1 | azurelaw | 178916 | ||
Thanks Steve, 1/ Which part do you think he lied: "I also am a prophet like you"? "and an angel ...."? or every word? 2/ Noted with thanks. Totally agree with your last statement. God bless. :-) Azure |
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1028 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | azurelaw | 178915 | ||
Dear brother Doc, You are indeed very kind and helpful. I thank God that you are following his command to love one another and His love is made complete in us (1 John 4:12). Thanks for your prayers. How blessed are they that feareth the Lord and walk in His way. May you be blessed abundantly. I have clicked on the website you provided, however, it didn't work. Is any letter missing? Thanks again for checking for more Chinese resource. In fact, we have many good books in our Church library for them to read. However, you know, people here tend to be lazy in reading books of serious topics (they are too tied up by their busy lives). When it comes to the form of an essay or article, they won't have the pressure of finishing the whole book. This could make their lives much easier. :-) I am glad that I have found this forum. Unfornately, we don't have (to my knowledge) such kind of forum in Chinese website. If we do, it will be beneficial to many Chinese Christians. In Christ. Azure |
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1029 | Degrees of Punishment | Luke 12:48 | azurelaw | 178909 | ||
Dear Mark, I am so glad that you have cited this verse to explain the issue. Your explanation has driven away all my uneasy feelings towards this scripture, which my past understanding has been limited to the view of give and take (this portrayed a mean Jesus, though I know this is totally wrong). When you add to it the view of punishment vs knowledge of n responsibility to God, I am totally persuaded. God bless. Azure |
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1030 | 1 Kings Chapter 13 | 1 Kin 13:1 | azurelaw | 178908 | ||
Thank you, brother Doc, 1/ Yes, I am quite sure the man of God is also a prophet. However, I am a rather confused with the 'old prophet'. Is he a spokesman of God (i.e. a true prophet), an 'anyone' prophet, or a false prophet (similar to the prophets of Baal)? 2/ Did the 'old prophet' do it out of his own curiosity? 3/ I am sorry that I did not make my question clear on this part. I was asking what the teaching was concerning the story between the man of God and the old prophet. However, your answer did give me some insight that the killing of the prophet had demonstrated God's firm and stern decision on punishing Jeroboam for his disobedience and sin. 4/ My question here also refered to the punishment on the man of God. My doubt has been resolved with your answer together with Mark's input. Thank God for sending you and Mark to answer my question. I have read your post #157733 and other posts following your thread. They are great. I will try not to make those kinds of mistakes, but it takes time to develop such skill. In Christ. :-) Azure |
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1031 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | azurelaw | 178827 | ||
Dear Kalos, This is a very good essay which I read few days ago. I had saved it in my file and distributed it to my fellowship members as well. I am particularly impressed by its provision of Chinese version (but they do not have Chinese version for every article) which would be easier for my friends to read. In Him Azure |
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1032 | Where did our conscience come from? | Rom 2:15 | azurelaw | 178653 | ||
Dear brothers (Rebar, Jeff and Doc), Pardon me for consolidating my response to you all in one post as I think it will be more efficient, and excuse my slowness as well. Hope you understand (from my background) that I need time to digest all the materials with my limitation. And I hope that I am able to express my thoughts clear enough though my words would sound a bit clumsy. My first 2 questions were made under the general (or my) understanding of conscience as the knowledge of good AND evil or right and wrong (brother Nolan has posted some definitions on 30 Jun 2001, you can check for details) which I hardly agree with it as an attribute created in mankind in the creation from the scriptures I cited earlier. However, after further study on the scriptures, I tend to consider that conscience (knowledge of good ONLY) was created in us at the time of creation. For everything created was good. (AMP Gen 1:31 And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely.) Adam and Eve knew the good only since the world was good in their eyes. They knew not the evil (befall their fall) because there was no evil at all (unless there is proof in the Bible that evil existed in Eden before Adam and Eve were created). Since there was no evil, was it necessary for them to distinguish between good and evil? Note that Eve was not able to make comments on the serpent before she ate the forbidden fruit, but what did she say after the temptation when God asked her? “…the woman said, ‘The serpent beguiled (cheated, outwitted, and deceived) me, and I ate’ (AMP Gen 3:13)”. Now she was able to comment. If they possessed the knowledge of good and evil already, Eve should have had given her alertness against the serpent or what the serpent said. But she did not. She was just repeating God’s command (just like a small kid repeating what her mom said). The change of their conscience was also verified in Gen 3:22 “….. BEHOLD, the man HAS BECOME like one of Us … to know [how to distinguish between] good and evil and blessing and calamity…” My view on God’s command that they eat not the knowledge fruit pertains to the issue of free will (our freedom to choose) and our obedience to God. However, does it mean that we only have the choices between good and evil? We do can choose between different things that have nothing to do with good or evil. God first convicted Adam’s disobedience then his eating of the fruit (Gen 3:17). What God asked of them was their obedience. Eve was so easily lusted by the desire to get the good things : wisdom and the beautiful fruit – pleasing to the eye (Now I understand why women care so much on things that are pleasing to the eyes such as fashion, jewels, beauty, etc… We inherited such nature from Eve! Ha! Ha!). She decided to choose her own way and so did Adam. Of course, we know one of the consequences was our conscience perverted. By Jesus’ blood, we are able to stand before God just like Adam prior to his fall. Through the guide of the Holy Spirit, we can restore our original conscience which we should focus and know only the law (Mark 12:19) – the greatest commandment. These are the dos not the don’ts. Therefore, we – the believers – have no excuse for we know the law (as directed by the Holy Spirit). For the unbelieve, they can only rely on their perverted conscience which is not reliable and is subject to God’s final judgement. See how Jesus said about the Kingdom of God (Luke 18:15) when he saw the little children and babies. Do the little children and babies know about evil? Or are they able to distinguish between the two? Jesus also chose the figurative use of sheep in his parable to explain his relationship with us. We (the sheep – a dumb animal, easily be led astray) just need to know His voice and follow. All in all, we just need to be faithful and obedient. Might there be anything I have misinterpreted, I would be glad to receive your biblical guidance. Hope I have made my points clear. Shalom :-) Azure |
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1033 | Where did our conscience come from? | Rom 2:15 | azurelaw | 178424 | ||
Dear Doc, I am glad that you spare your time on the issue. In fact, I have been studying it as well for these two weeks in my leisure time, but I just don't have the time to write a post (I think it is rather lengthy) of what I have had in mind at the moment. I hope I can make my response within this week. Your such additional quote is very interesting. Let me end here for the time being. :-) Shalom in Christ. Azure |
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1034 | Where did our conscience come from? | Rom 2:15 | azurelaw | 178102 | ||
Dear Jeff, Thanks for responding. My previous post is to respond to Rebar's comment "...it seems to me ...Romans 1:18-20...where Paul is saying our conscience is something created in us by God..., and the knowledge of the right way of things is built into us" (I omit some words in order to focus on the point I refer). So you can see from my questions and the quote of verses from Gen, my point is: 1/ If conscience is created in us, this should have been built in by God when He created Adam and we inherit it from Adam. However, comparing the 2 verses I quoted, I hardly see that consicence is created in us in the creation. 2/ The second question is that assume my above understanding is incorrect, I would consider our conscience did not work before Adam and Eve's fall (they ate the fruit of the knowledge tree), but was triggered to function after then. Despite my questions above, I don't think Romans 1:18-20 contradicts the verses of Gen discussed. There must be something I missed in understanding the whole picture which I need to clarify. However, in brother Doc's post responding to my above questions, he mentioned about Jesus Christ salvation in restoring Adam's sin. This could be an added insight for me to think and digest the issue for futher digging. Hope my point is clear now. So, what's your thoughts? Love in Christ. Azure |
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1035 | Where did our conscience come from? | Rom 2:15 | azurelaw | 178085 | ||
Dear Rebar, Gen 2:9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight or to be desired--good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life also in the center of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of [the difference between] good and evil and blessing and calamity Gen 3:5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil and blessing and calamity. This is what Satan said when tempting Adam and Eve. One of consequences was that the couple's eyes were opened and they knew right and wrong. 1/ Do we get our conscience after the fall of Adam and Eve? or 2/ Was our conscience triggered after they after ate the forbbiden fruit from the knowledge tree? God bless. Azure |
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1036 | 1 King 15:14 Asa had gone astray? | 1 Kin 15:14 | azurelaw | 178013 | ||
Thanks Doc, Hope I can make myself clear with my limitation of English. When studying King 1 and 2 and the Chronicles, shall I view that in King, there are God's comments on the leaders or specific persons mentioned pertaining to His final judgement on their lives before Him? Whereas the Chronicles record in detail the works (be they right or wrong) of the leaders or specific persons. Hope you understand what I have written. In Christ. Azure N.B. I remember when I was a teenager, I saw a horrible God in the OT. He punishes, kills, easily gets angry with His people. However, after I grew up and read the OT again, I was so much wrong. What I have seen is a God full of great mercy and love. He cannot wait to be gracious to us. There are times I was so much moved when reading the scriptures and I cried. God is so good we don't deserve anything from Him. Hallelujah, Praise the Lord! |
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1037 | Understanding being saved. | 2 Tim 2:15 | azurelaw | 177998 | ||
Dear Liliesofthefield, Your example is interesting, but can you provide biblical examples to elaborate the understanding of sins attributing to Blaspheming against the Holy Spirit? I guess the example you put here is a made-up one not a factual one, thus I have reservation in agreeing to such explanation. I would be glad to see your scriptural based examples to clear the same doubt of mine. God bless. :-) Azure |
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1038 | Can angels sing? | Job 38:7 | azurelaw | 177751 | ||
Thanks for your encouragement, Doc. I will keep on praying God for his mercy and grace to keep me in His way and know Him more. Love in Christ. Azure |
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1039 | Can angels sing? | Job 38:7 | azurelaw | 177739 | ||
Dear Hank, Thanks for your answer - a lengthy one indeed. So thank you for your time as well. I agree to your argument that the issue of angel singing does not hinder/help us on our salvation and understanding of God, the translation of God's word does. I really need to get one or two more bibles for my study as my interaction with you - brothers and sisters on this forum - reveals that I am not serious or hardworking enough on bible study. :-( God bless you Azure |
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1040 | Can pastors retire? | Bible general Archive 3 | azurelaw | 177703 | ||
Dear CDBJ, Thanks for your response. I think we are in accord with the view that true believers won't retire from serving God in all aspects of life, be he a layman or a pastor. Changing fields? I hardly say agree or not. I believe that God assigns different herds of sheep to different shepherds, examples I can think of are : the Israelite in Egypt to Moses, gentiles to Paul. Perhaps the retirment system employed in most churches today confuse us. The last thing I would say, we should give great honour and respect (as Paul has taught) to all submissive pastors (whether retired or not). God bless. Azure |
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