Discussions on Christian eschatology including different views pertaining to Jesus' second coming, rapture and tribulation, the millennium, and so forth.
Yes then they are prophecies that have been translated from Arameic and Greek. They can be understood in many ways. Lets just take the 2 Whitnesses. Some scholars say they might be 2 religions, Christianity and Muslim-Christians, others that they are Elijha and/or Moses and/or others not considered as dead in the bible and, others say that they will be 2 whitnesses to the crucifiction and resurrection of Christ.
biblical propphecy is the only one that is entirely correct and true, as set forth by God.
Definition of a Veteran. A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including his life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.
Johngreg wrote:Christians prophecy includes Mathew, Revelation, and others. Are you confirming them or denying them ?
THe Holy Bible insired by The ONLY God has the correct prophecy. I have faith that it is correct, any other Prophecy is highly questionable. How can God tell the future? He made it.
Definition of a Veteran. A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including his life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.
paparalph wrote:Thanks cslewislover. I think that good arguements exist on all sides of the tribulation matter. Due to recent world wide events, I have been reminded that the end is inevitable (if not now then eventually). I guess that given my recent concerns over global events, I wanted to try to prepare myself for what ever is going to happen. I'm not sure if preperation is possible pending certain scenarios, but my wife and two children deserve some guidance from a guy who is trying to be a spiritual leader. Again, thanks for the post.
Hi Paparalph. How are you doing? I found a verse I had wanted to include in another thread where someone brought up concerns similar to yours. But I'm not sure where that thread is anymore. Personally, I'm not much concerned with it, and I'm not saying that as any kind of insult toward you whatsoever. I do think, though, that the Lord can give us a certain peace about it. It wouldn't surprise me at all if we were nuked here in Southern California - what a prime target! I think the worse thing would be dying a slow painful death.
Anyway, just look to the Lord. We're supposed to be looking for Him and waiting for Him; our hearts and minds should be focused on Him. The verse I finally found again is in 2 Timothy. Paul knows he will die soon and writes: "I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Tim 4:7b-8). Another that Paul writes is in Titus: "we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). Here, the anticipation of His second coming is a blessed hope.
The only thing we prepare for is a time of no food and water if there happened to be a major earthquake here. Even with that, how do you really prepare? We have extra food and water in our house and in our garage, but what if we can't get to those things? What if they all burn up? Or people come and steal it anyway? I think it would be pretty impossible to prepare for any scenario, and that we're supposed to be praying for our "daily bread" anyway. I don't know about you, but I'm almost embarrassed to pray that since we have so much food around already.
Well, I hope you are not offended by any of this. I don't mean to be offensive.
Oh, and Zebulon. Remember, the living Word is Christ, and we believe by hearing the Word. Christ and the Word are one (John 1:1-5). If the bible weren't holy and God's word, then a person could believe whatever pleased him or her.
"I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." C.S. Lewis
cslewislover: No offence taken. I agree that suffering is the greatest fear, but I am not sure that is what the Lord wants of us. I thought he suffered and died so we wouldn't have to. You are also right in that there is little to do to prepare. I guess I can only hope for a swift death if it is all going down.
paparalph wrote:cslewislover: No offence taken. I agree that suffering is the greatest fear, but I am not sure that is what the Lord wants of us. I thought he suffered and died so we wouldn't have to. You are also right in that there is little to do to prepare. I guess I can only hope for a swift death if it is all going down.
Christians in other parts of the world, where Christianity is not accepted, suffer very much for Christ - just as they did in the early church. Voice of the Martyrs is a great website and resource for finding out more about Christianity in restricted nations and what Christians are going through: http://www.persecution.com/ Another good site is International Christian Concern: http://www.persecution.org/suffering/index.php
A really great book on this subject is Jesus Freaks, put out by dc Talk and Voice of the Martyrs. That book led to others like it, published since then (Jesus Freaks II and Extreme Devotion, both by Voice of the Martyrs; The Narrow Road; and Their Blood Cries Out . . .). God bless!
"I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." C.S. Lewis
Yes the Great Tribulation is coming for sure and there's diddly you can do to stop it. Will we be here or taken up? Depending on whom you ask you get different answers. Corrie Ten Boom said we were going through it but David Wilkerson says we won't, for example. You'll just have to deal with it if God leaves you here to suffer through it. Historically he has left us here to suffer through whatever is going on in world history. Whether it's being sewn up in cattle carcasses and having lions loosed on us or being rubbed down with oil and lit on fire to light Nero's garden so he can see clearly while he rides his chariot at night or terrible world wars where over a hundred million die, sicknesses, prisons, torture, poverty, etc... so it is what it is. You can grouse about it I suppose if it makes you feel better and I won't blame you in the slightest. It's maybe too much to ask imperfect mortals to go through such things without so much as a complaint.
cslewislover: Thanks for the links. I must say that my family has lived such a life of priveledge that we will be much weaker than those who are used to enduring suffering in other parts of the world. I am not saying that I am rich by any means....certainly not by America's past standard, but as an average American I have lived the life of a king compared to nearly every other human on the planet.
I think the only thing that will possibly make this any easier is an assurance that I will know my family in Heaven, and that my children will understand what is happening. For example, I would pray that they would understand why their daddy is "letting them starve rather than getting the sign of the beast on his head." I appologize to the Lord for saying this, but this is asking a lot of a mortal who has never seen the end prize: Heaven.
On another note, I must say a prompt ending is becoming much more attractive given the state of our world, and the world that my children may have to grow up in.
paparalph wrote:cslewislover: Thanks for the links. I must say that my family has lived such a life of privledge that we will be much weaker than those who are used to enduring suffering in other parts of the world. I am not saying that I am rich by any means....certainly not by America's past standard, but as an average American I have lived the life of a king compared to nearly every other human on the planet.
Yes, I think of that often too. It's amazing. I'm reminded every time I take a bubble bath in my nice large tub that I'm experiencing a queenly thing. Same with some good things like high quality chocolate, which contains different ingredients from around the world. And having animal proteins at our easy disposal every day is also very kingly indeed.
I think the only thing that will possibly make this any easier is an assurance that I will know my family in Heaven, and that my children will understand what is happening. For example, I would pray that they would understand why their daddy is "letting them starve rather than getting the sign of the beast on his head." I apologize to the Lord for saying this, but this is asking a lot of a mortal who has never seen the end prize: Heaven.
On another note, I must say a prompt ending is becoming much more attractive given the state of our world, and the world that my children may have to grow up in.
Yeah. I understand my weak mortalness every day too. "Mercy" is a frequent word in my prayers, lol. But I do think God will give you strength when you need it. Those martyrs links/references I gave you - there are so many stories in those of the people being given strength and courage. They are truly amazing and inspiring.
"I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." C.S. Lewis
For those of us who worked and studied hard our entire lives but then were hammered hard by a life long incurable serious illness and the consequential financial ruin (including the loss of medical insurance due to an inability to pay when you are no longer working) that often accompanies it (not to mention knowing the dreams and expectations you once had are out of reach), this will be just another degree of suffering through life seeing if we live or die in the process. We are already in tribulation. What will be interesting for us is seeing how the Biola Bettys and Talbot Teds who grew up inside their blessed God bubbles deal with such things they have never experienced. But then maybe Jesus will come first and we'll all make it out here. Either way, one thing is for sure, nothing works like it should inside the heart and soul without Jesus.
