I've thought of the literal fiery pit,the symbolic anguish,the historical Gehenna,etc. but it just struck me how the flames,the maggots,etc. of the earthly version were part of God's way to purify and renew that which has been discarded.

After the scavenging beasts have fed,the metals have rusted and water,sun and flame have sterilized what is left,the trash is now fertile soil-clean and ready to nourish life.

How tragic it would be to consign oneself to someplace less promising than the town dump.

In this place,there will be no reclamation.

No one will come sorting in search of unlikely treasures.

No one will put our remains to good use.

There will be no endings or new beginings.

God will have called to Himself all that has worth and all he owns.

What remains is less than chaos and less than entropy because they can be used to create.

All that desired to be free of God have gotten their wish.

Whatever misery exists is self-inflicted.

Evil has no victory here because the anti-life isn't a result of satan's presence but comes from God's absence.

Our human minds focus on the ugliness and agony of the realm of torment.

We forget that it would feel like Paradise if God were there with us.

The most pleasant home of an angel's dream would seem like a concentration camp if the Lord took His influence elsewhere.

When we make the biggest decision of our lives,we aren't selecting a where for our eternity.

We're picking a Who.

This is why the people who are not Christians don't understand that getting God out of America is letting the devil in. We Christians need to fight that at all cost. We already see the effects of taking pray out of our schools, now we have armed police officers and medal detectors.

We need to remember that telling folks they can't be believers makes about as much sense as telling them they can't be literate.

It might put a chilling effect on promoting such improvements but it might also encourage the very upgrades the bad guys want to deter.

Once people have expanded the amount of truth in their lives,they can't go back to delusion and ignorance.

They can become unable or unwilling to use their new knowledge but they can never go back to being unknowing.

Once people become capable of thinking freely,their ability to act freely grows no matter how oppressive and empty their lives are made by outside influences.

They have power inside themselves that can make positive change in any environment.

I almost welcome attempts to stifle people's minds because it makes people wake up to what's important.

(It even makes GOOD things the tempting "forbidden fruit".)

I'm disheartened when I see faith,learning and other blessings forgotten or trivialized.

Banning the things that nurture our spirits can backfire but dismissing them,ridiculing them or paying them lip service has been a very subtle and effective strategy for the enemy.

All he has to do is make the tools of our personal growth seem confusing,complicated,hard to access,irrelevant,ludicrous and "uncool".

he can make it seem so much a part of the background that no one notices its presence enough to detect its absence.

Instead of our having full awareness of what (and Who) we need to know,we are made vague and complacent.

We are distracted from vital truths by the comfortably meaningless.

If some tyrant tried to kill or cripple us by starving us and binding us,we would know him for an enemy and we would flee from him and work toward his downfall.

If we were given lots of empty calories and over-full schedules while exercise and "health food" were made harsh,boring,the habit of freaks or super-humans,then we would think being weak and hungry was the norm and blame ourselves for our discomfort.

If our bodies can be made ineffective by feeding us junk that has no nourishment and slowly poisons,so can our spirits.

If keeping our bodies inactive makes us feeble and tired and "overtraining" makes us too damaged to function,then spiritual sloth and obsession with legalism and works hampers our souls.

Someone who wanted to keep us physically weak would never want us to know that wholesome food and a good balance between rest and recreation could be part of a happy,productive *normal* life.

One who wanted to make us too impaired to be effective opponents would want our souls stunted,fatigued,easily hurt and slow to heal.

He'd try to keep us from feeding our minds and keeping our inner selves active.

When he couldn't rid us of the search for perfection,he'd attempt to do for our souls what eating disorders,inappropriate surgeries,steroids and such do for the body.

He'd encourage such a focus on appearances and "success" that true health and beauty are sacrificed in favor of pain,deformity and death.

A foe that blatantly tries to deprive us of life and power will be challenged.

One that gradually removes all that is worthwhile in our lives while putting nothing of value in its place may go unnoticed.

When the world has no support for us,we need to keep fortifying ourselves at home.

We might even try being a bit sneaky ourselves.

We can read "Tom Sawyer" to our kids without letting on it's a classic.

We can play ball with the dog or take a moonlight walk with a loved one without mentioning that it might be good for our bones and arteries.

We can eat apples,oranges,berries or bananas,corn,peas,beans,tomatoes,nuts and whole grains without admitting they might be good for us.

We could demonstrate and share a love for justice,compassion for others,courage and a creative spirit and have those around us convinced we do it because it brings a lot more joy than any alternative.

(Just because we can and do take on the tough times doesn't mean we don't put the FUN in functionality.)

By holding tighly to what keeps us thriving,we can be the ones influencing,guiding and molding our society.

We can have our revolution and overthrow those who would destroy us but we do our best work by maintaining what is valid,constructive,liberating and hopeful as a well-appreciated given in our lives.

jesse sellers,

Jesus say's not just to read but study.

No you would rather concoct your own version of what you think God's words mean. You go with your version of telling people God and Jesus love and word to us is not real. I'll go with the one that I was taught. You can never convince me that God or Jesus will turn their back on us if we stumble.

-- Posted by jesse sellers on Fri, Nov 14, 2008, at 11:14 AM

I usually don't post people's replies but thought I better for your post.

First of all, I have always stated that YOU MUST READ HIS WORD and ABIDE IN HIS WORD! That means that you yourself must read His word, not just go to church and listen to the preachers and believe whatever they or anyone tells you (and that includes anything/everything I tell you!). You MUST ABIDE IN HIS WORD, or keep reading His word and doing the will of God! That is what study is all about, not listening to preachers and doing what they or anyone says you should.

I Preach... don't believe me, read it for yourself! It's true! I could be wrong, but if I'm not? And I don't believe I am wrong because I have studied the verses and read other scriptures to back them up. There are contradictions in the writings of the apostles, but that is true in all events recorded by several people. We have to take all the writings and try to piece the events together from all writings. I take the most important person's story as being more valid then the others. For example I would believe what Jesus said over what Paul said.

There is no concocting versions from me. Everything I say can be found almost word for word in the scriptures.

You are reading my posts wrong!

God and Jesus does Love all people, even the sinners. However when the time comes, those who haven't stayed in his word (done the will of God and obeyed his commandments) God will punish them severely. For example, He will throw them into the lake of fire and think nothing about it.

If you stumble, God and Jesus will be there to pick you up before anyone else, but if you willfully commit a sin, knowing it is wrong, God isn't going to forgive you of it. That is just the way it is and it is explained that way in the bible.

God is loving but He's no fool. God killed a man instantly because he let his sperm fall on the floor instead of impregnating his dead brother's chosen wife. God had a whole family stone to death, including their children, pets and all their animals and their possessions thrown in the hole with them and buried because they found idols in their possession.

God Loves you but he also kills by wars, weather, plagues and animals.

God threatened to kill the whole nation of Israel, but Moses talked God out of doing that.

We have the largest Idol in the U.S. in New York on Liberty Island. Soon we will also be able to boast about the world's tallest woman statue in Houston, Texas at a height of 555 feet.

Doesn't anyone ever read their bible? God has turned his back on America, and I for one am Glad, otherwise He would have completely destroyed us. God doesn't turn away from his people who "read his word and abide in him". I sure wouldn't want to be in the Statue of Liberty when I stumbled.

Deuteronomy 4:15-24

15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:

16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,

18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:

19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.

21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance:

22 But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land.

23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.

24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

If you make it and worship it, yes it's wrong.

-- Posted by michaelbell on Sat, Nov 15, 2008, at 7:29 AM

Like the Bible?

michaelbell,

If you make it and worship it, yes it's wrong.

-- Posted by michaelbell on Sat, Nov 15, 2008, at 7:29 AM

The Bible says we are not to even make a graven image, the similitude of any figure, likeness of male or female, any beast, winged fowl, anything that creepeth on the ground or fish in the waters.

Deuteronomy 4:15-18 (KJV)

15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:

16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,

18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:

Exodus 20:4 (KJV)

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Deuteronomy 5:8 (King James Version)

8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

You aren't suppose to make them even if you don't worship them.

Below are statues that Christians do worship

This would also include any statues of angels, Jesus, Jesus on a cross, statues of Virgin Mary and St. Joseph and crosses.

I believe the bible is God's word and I do worship it.

-- Posted by michaelbell on Sat, Nov 15, 2008, at 4:31 PM

We are only suppose to worship God and Jesus. We should not worship the bible because it can't give you salvation. The bible is to read and study but not worship. The bible is man made (printed) so why would anyone want to worship it. It contains God's word, but published by man.

We should not worship the bible because it can't give you salvation.

Posted by Unique-Lies on Mon, Nov 17, 2008, at 1:44 AM

Salvation would be difficult without it. Without it we might have people thinking you have to be a martyr and have your head chopped off or else fly a jet into a tall building to find salvation?

Seems to be quite a few of those cropping up recently.

The Bible presents the beautiful and complete plan of Salvation. No "tuning" needed. Just open and read.

Unique-Lies,

You are bound and determined to have your opinion and you are both welcome and entitled to it. Sorry if no one believes your secret knowledge and "tunings" of the Bible.

I will not repeatedly beat the horse to death. All your questions have been gone over time and time again and I will still refer you back to the archives where they were answered the first, second, third, fourth, etc., etc. if you need refreshing. It is all there in black and white.

Remember this one thing, Satan can transform himself into the angel of light, and so can his angels. Be careful just have pleasant your dreams may get.

parkerbrothers:

You are bound and determined to have your opinion and you are both welcome and entitled to it. Sorry if no one believes your secret knowledge and "tunings" of the Bible.

I will not repeatedly beat the horse to death. All your questions have been gone over time and time again and I will still refer you back to the archives where they were answered the first, second, third, fourth, etc., etc. if you need refreshing. It is all there in black and white.

-- Posted by parkerbrothers on Mon, Nov 17, 2008, at 11:51 AM

-> You have never answered any of my questions, only your own. You have never gone in the archives and pasted any answers to any of my questions. The only reason you won't beat the horse to death is because you can't find one.

I chose the name Unique-Lies because I read the bible and have found that the churches are not teaching what the bible says. They are Lies and some are very Unique-Lies. I will continue to expose these lies.

I have never said the Bible is a lie, but the churches and preachers are telling unique lies. They are teaching you anything that will keep you coming to their services and for your tithings.

I will continue to tell everyone that I have found secrets in the Bible because Jesus admits that His Father has hidden the truth and Jesus said He spoke in parables to hide the truth from the non-believers. Even the disciples didn't understand what Jesus was saying.

When I hear preachers teach things that are just the opposite of what the bible says, well, to me, that is a lie.

Even Perry Stone is preaching bare face Lies and they are Unique Lies. I will address it to michaelbell.

The bible tells us that the Book of Revelation is for the end times and the people in the last generation. The bible has been teaching peace on earth and good will towards men. However, Revelation takes a turn and reveals the ugly side of the truth. Even the Christian theologians have discussed removing the book of Revelation from the holy bible because it reads differently from the rest of the bible. How anti-christ is that?

The Book of Revelation tells us what is going to happen in the future. It scares a lot of people so they don't read it. Many people are new christians and should not try to read it yet. However, it is part of our bible and is suppose to be read in the last days to teach us what we should be watching for.

You just assume that I am a lost, scared and disappointed man because I speak of the evil and hateful sounding things that contradict the rest of the bible. Not the case. I only reveal the truth so everyone can know what is to happen before it happens, so everyone won't be standing outside in the field waiting to be raptured up when the anti-christ is sending a bus around to pick everyone up to receive the Mark of the Beast.

The peace you speak of, I got when I was in my twenties.

Sorry but that wasn't the red dragon, just the dragon. Fingers have a mind of their own when I am typing sometimes.

That is your unique lie I will take Perry Stone over you any day, he has done it a whole lot longer and does it from a Jewish aspect, which you don't accept evidently.

Feel free to make whatever lies you want to, but if I had to choose a teacher of God's word it would Perry Stone !

I do and I agree with Perry's teaching.