TCATA - All Forum posts

Kabbalah etc.. (post by BIscuit3615)

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:50:42 +1200

Thank you for clearing that up for me...

Kabbalah etc.. (post by terry)

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:11:15 +1200

Hi Biscuit3615,

Kabbalah and Scientology are both forms of religion.

Therefore, the simple question is: What do they say/do about Jesus?

The answer is equally simple: Nothing that agrees with the Bible.

There are only two spiritual systems mentioned in Scripture - the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Satan.

Because neither Kabbalah nor Scientology honour Jesus as the Bible teaches should happen, they must belong to the kingdom of Satan.

Therefore I wouldn't have anything to do with them.

Thanks for asking.

Lord bless.

Kabbalah etc.. (post by BIscuit3615)

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:55:53 +1200

What is the Bible's view on kabbalah and scientology, if there is one, and how should I approach these topics?

the exodus (post by terry)

Mon, 10 May 2010 10:25:50 +1200

Hi there!

It's great to see you checking out stuff!

The name Red Sea is used in a number of modern translations, but doesn't fit the Red Sea that we know. The more accurate translation is Sea of Reeds.

There is considerable controversy over what area of water the Israelites did actually cross over, and I don't have any answers either.

Nor do I know why the Red Sea is continued to be used in translations, as it seems to be obviously incorrect.

Lord bless

the exodus (post by Guest)

Sun, 09 May 2010 20:08:40 +1200

Hi Terry, I am reading exodus and I am having trouble with the red sea story. No where in my Bible does it say that the Israelites crossed the red sea.They first went south to etham and then turned north to baal-zephron which is on the north coast by the nile delta and it is here that mention is made of the sea, not the red sea, parting . They are camped on the coast of the mediterranian sea. Also the routes they took do not show them going through any body of water. They are camped at baal-zephron when the waters parted.Was this the med that was parted ?I am reading exodus 13,17 through to chap 14.

loose and bind (post by terry)

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:18:03 +1200

Hi.

These words are found in two passages, Matthew 16:19, and 18:18.

The 1st reference is spoken by Jesus to Peter; the second is to do with the discipline of a Christian who is out of line and refuses to change.

My understanding is that binding and loosing were common Jewish words that simply meant forbidding and allowing.

If this is true, then Jesus gave great authority to Peter by telling him that whatever he allowed or forbade on earth would receive his (Jesus) backing from Heaven. Jesus then gave the same promise to the Church when discipline had to be implemented, this time subject to the safety criteria of needing two or more witnesses.

Unfortunately, much Church discipline doesn't follow the clear procedures laid down in Matthew 18, resulting in long lasting damage to everyone involved. The Catholic Church is currently in the middle of an immorality mess, and not handling it very well.

I use the binding (forbidding) process from time to time when dealing with demonic spirits, and have found it very effective, although it is never a permanent solution. My ultimate aim is to always get rid of demonic presence permanently, but sometimes there has to be an in-between stage where demonic activity needs to be shut down while more information is gathered, or whatever.

Trust this helps.

Lord bless.

loose and bind (post by Guest)

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:29:04 +1200

Hi Terry, can you tell me the meaning of to loose and bind as in to bind in heaven as you bind on earth.

I am who I am (post by terry)

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:12:40 +1200

Hi Verona

The best teaching I have ever heard on this issue was when a preacher suggested that God didn't need to give a name in answer to the question "who are you". The reason? He was the only one of his kind!

He went on to explain that names are generally given for identification purposes, and when there's just one of a species, only a descriptive, not personal, name is needed.

It's probably not accurate therefore to call yourself "I am" as there are many of us made in God's image.

Laying aside the spiritual connection though, it is a statement of truth to describe yourself as you've suggested. You are who you are. Just not uniquely so. If you are a female, for example, you share that attribute with 1/2 the planet!

Lord bless.

I am who I am (post by Verona)

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 23:55:05 +1200

God said "I am who I am"in Exodus 3:14. We are made in God's image.

Is it facetious for me to say I am who I am? (not meaning that I am on a par with Him: His "I am-ness"is far bigger than little me!)

Christs' separation by sin (post by terry)

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:39:54 +1300

Hi there.

Jesus and God were never not one (sorry for the bad grammar here!). In John 10:30 Jesus said, "I and the Father are one." And the same sort of thing is mentioned in a number of places in the Bible.

I have to say that there is considerable mystery about the separation that occurred between Jesus and God that I do not understand. I think that the cost of our sin upon Jesus was far more than we will ever grasp.

But for me, it helps me to understand this separation a little by using this illustration...

My wife and I have a number of children. They have the potential to go completely off the rails at any time. They may choose to become drug addicts, or criminals, or whatever.

If they did behave like this, they would likely end up in prison, which would enforce a separation between them and us. We could not visit them anytime we wanted. We could not take them on holiday with us. We could not have birthday parties together. So we would be pretty much separated.

BUT.... they would still be our children. Nothing can take away our blood relationship.

I see the cross work of Jesus like that. When he took my sin, your sin, and the sin of everyone else, the cost of that was relational separation from God. He did not lose his God nature however. It remained through the whole death, burial and resurrection process.

Hope this helps.

Lord bless

Christs' separation by sin (post by Guest)

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:20:49 +1300

Just reading a daily devotional about the crucifixion and how Jesus became sin and was separated from God. When and how did Jesus become one with God.

When does the final judgement happen? (post by terry)

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:09:47 +1300

Hi again.

I was hoping to get some clarity in the Bible on the 1st issue you raised - but I didn't!

I think the main hindrance to our understanding is that on earth, we are locked into time, whereas when we die, we enter eternity where time doesn't exist.

So...

There will be no such thing as 'in limbo' after death. No time, no 'limbo'.

Beyond this thought, however, I really don't have a good answer for you I'm sorry.

What happens to cremated people? No problem. When anything burns, it doesn't disappear, it simply changes - to dust, ash, gases, or whatever.

God is well able to pull all the various dispersed elements together and re-create a cremated person's body.

For a person who is buried in the ground, their flesh disappears over time as well, so God will just re-assemble them too.

As an aside now from me...

Sound doesn't vanish either, so God will be able to pull back together our spoken words whenever he wants to. Matthew 12:37 quotes Jesus as saying, "By your words you will be acquitted and by your words you will be condemned."

Now that's a bit scary!

Sorry I can't better help you. Thank you for asking though.

Lord bless.

How do you sin against the Holy Spirit? (post by terry)

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:33:15 +1300

Hi Biscuit3615.

The Bible teaches in Mark 3:29 and Luke 12:10 that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin. 'Blaspheme' means 'to speak evil of'.

It's interesting to me that we hear the names of Jesus and God used all the time in swearing, but never do we hear anyone using the name of the Holy Spirit as a swear word.

I remember years ago at a program I was involved in, hearing a preacher teaching on this issue. A gang member who was listening obviously thought that what the preacher was saying was a load of rubbish, because he started to mock and curse the Holy Spirit as a joke.

He immediately choked up and couldn't breathe, and it took the pleading of the preacher to God to set him free. He nearly died!

I don't think he tried that trick again!

Why does God say this?

My conviction is that though God seems willing to put up with a lot of stuff from humans, he draws the line at attacking the Holy Spirit. I wouldn't put up with what he does, so it's just as well I'm not God! He is SO patient.

When does the final judgement happen? (post by terry)

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:22:00 +1300

Hello Biscuit3615.

Please give me a day or so to put together an answer for you on this one.

Thanks.

Should Christians celebrate Easter? (post by terry)

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:19:41 +1300

Sorry - I missed the Jewish festival part.

I know lots of Christians do celebrate Jewish festivals. There's nothing wrong with that.

For me, Jesus superseded and fulfilled the reason for these festivals, so while they are not wrong to celebrate, they only represent a shadow of the reality, and that's Jesus.

Should Christians celebrate Easter? (post by terry)

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:15:58 +1300

Hi.

Many people, including Christians, get upset about whether or not Easter and Christmas should be celebrated.

The fact is, both of these events began as pagan festivals. Christians of the era simply thought that it would be a good idea to take the opportunity to celebrate something christian at the same time and it kind of grew from there.

There is nothing sacred about these days, just as there is nothing sacred about a Sunday (which incidentally was originally a day named for the worship of the sun god!).

Christians should, in my view, concentrate on enjoying the opportunities these days provide, instead of arguing over them.

Good question - thanks.

When does the final judgement happen? (post by BIscuit3615)

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:07:04 +1300

The bible states that all will face a final judgement. So what happens when you die. Don't you face God then or are you in limbo until your final judgement. And just as a side issue. The bible states that God will raise the dead from the land and the sea. What about all those how were cremated?

How do you sin against the Holy Spirit? (post by BIscuit3615)

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:02:23 +1300

It is writen that the only sin God does not forgive is when you sin against the Hole Spiprit. How do you do that?

Should Christians celebrate Easter? (post by Guest)

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:24:01 +1300

How do you feel about celebrating easter and Christmas when people say they are non biblical and should not be observed. Should we not be observing Jewish festivals which are from God? such as passover.

Does God allow me to make mistakes? (post by terry)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:08:35 +1300

Hi Tigger,

You are right. God allows us to make mistakes, and he wants us to learn wisdom through these mistakes. To me, there's no shame in making mistakes. The shame comes when we don't learn anything from them.

God certainly does have his hand on us before we are born. Psalm 139 teaches us this. And yes, he knows who will choose him and who will reject him.

I'm sorry to hear of your son joining the bahai religion. There is encouragement though in this: He is at least searching for spiritual reality, and if he is genuinely seeking God, he will find the Him sooner or later. It's just that we wish it were sooner than later don't we!

Question: Do you think your parents ever fretted over some of your behaviour and attitudes as a child, teenager, young adult? I'll bet they did!

Only God knows the end from the beginning, and he will without doubt be working hard to bring your son to truth.

I encourage you to be patient, to pray, and to show a good example. You can't do much more than that.

If God can't sort it out, no one can!

Lord bless.

Does God allow me to make mistakes? (post by tigger)

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:35:11 +1300

In my journey towards God I've made heaps of mistakes and still live with some of the consequences of not listening to , and obeying, God. Looking back over my life, I wonder whether God allowed me to make those mistakes so that I would come to eventually have a deeper faith and trust in Him than would be the case if I had just made the right choices from early on in the journey.
Does God have His hand on us from before we are born into this life. He knows which ones are His doesn't He ?
The reason I am asking this is because my son has joined the Bahai faith. Could God be letting him choose that path for some benefit in the future, or is my son's choice just adding unnecessary twists, turns and troubles to his journey ?

How long was Jesus in the tomb? (post by terry)

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:47:07 +1300

Hello there.

I'm finally back at my computer, so let me tackle your question. Again I apologize for not answering sooner.

You're right and wrong with your thoughts. The Bible doesn't teach that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, and it does connect the time Jesus spent in the grave with Jonah (Matthew 12:40 - Jesus' own words).

You're absolutely right though with the extra Sabbath possibility.

The time sequence is this, as I understand it...

Jesus was crucified on Thursday. There was then a special sabbath on the Friday due to a feast celebration, followed the next day, Saturday, by the regular weekly sabbath. Jesus then rose on the Sunday morning.

This scenario fits all time references mentioned in Scripture.

It explains why Jesus had to be buried before sundown, because that's when the sabbath officially started - an extra one in this case. The Jewish 'day' is counted from sundown to sundown, not midnight to midnight as we count it.

It explains why the woman did nothing until Sunday morning, because travel was forbidden during any sabbath.

It fits the Jonah connection. In the Jewish system, a part day was counted as a whole day. So the three days of Jonah equalled part Thursday, all of Friday and all of Saturday. Jesus rose prior to sunup Sunday, so none of that day was counted, and of course he was in the tomb all of Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Hope this makes sense!

Lord bless.

How long was Jesus in the tomb? (post by Guest)

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:53:36 +1300

Sorry for delay in replying. I am away from computer until late this week. Will respond to your question then. Terry.

How long was Jesus in the tomb? (post by Guest)

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:04:34 +1300

In the Bible as with other places, Jesus is crucified on friday and rose on sunday.This is not the three days that Jonah spent in the whale. I have since read of another festival of the jews called unleavened bread which is about the same time as the passover. Could this be the sabbath refered to at the time of crucifixion so as to give three full days in the tomb?

Freemasonry (post by terry)

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:00:56 +1300

This is very good news Yvonne.

So cool!

Thanks for letting me know.

Lord bless.

Freemasonry (post by Guest)

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:48:37 +1300

Thank you so much for your prayers. We spoke about freemasonry again today and my husband has now told me that he doesn't want to become a mason because they are too structured. I praise God for this as I have been praying he would not take that step. He is still good friends with a freemason and has some very warped ideas about the Lord but I am so glad that we don't have him as a freemason....there is enough else to deal with here spiritually.

When are the 'end times'? (post by terry)

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:27:04 +1300

Hi there.

While theologians do have differing opinions, there is general agreement on some Biblical time frames.

As you mentioned, Paul did indeed live in the expectation that Jesus would return soon. I guess that with 2,000 years having gone by since Paul lived, we must be a lot closer now to the return of Christ!

The Bible simply declares that no one will know 'the day or the hour' when this event will happen, but it does give a heap of indicators to look out for. My personal research would indicate that pretty much every prophecy that needed to be fulfilled before Christ's return has been fulfilled. There are however a number of weather/planetary/stars indicators that still have not occurred.

The bottomless pit lockup of Satan does not occur until after the tribulation and return of Jesus (Revelation 20:1).

Many believe (and I sit comfortably with this viewpoint) that there will be an initial return of Jesus to collect all genuine believers and take them back to Heaven. Immediately after this event, those who are 'left behind' will suffer seven years of tribulation. Jesus will then return for a second time, Satan will be dispatched to the bottomless pit for a thousand years, and the earth will be governed by Christ for this thousand years.

Satan will then be let loose for a short time, during when he will successfully deceive those who are alive. He will seek to attack and destroy the rule of Jesus, but will himself be destroyed and eternally dispatched to Hell, along with all who have chosen to follow him.

Is 'the end nigh'?

I believe so, and live in that expectancy. It has to happen sometime!

But the bottom line is that Jesus will come when he comes, no matter what we think or believe.

For me, I just want to be ready.

Lord bless.

When are the 'end times'? (post by Guest)

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:21:50 +1300

I have often heard the phrase, end times and the tribulation. Paul wrote that we were in the end times then and I heard on the radio recently some one on about the tribulation and the prophesies associated with it to show it is near.
From what I have read, satan is to be locked in a bottomless pit for a thousand years before the tribulation so how can these scholars tell us that 'the end is nigh'.
Would you comment?

Freemasonry (post by Guest)

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:43:15 +1300

Thank you so much I so appreciate it!

Freemasonry (post by terry)

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:04:44 +1300

Thank you. I'll get on to it tonight.

Terry

Freemasonry (post by Guest)

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:37:43 +1300

Thanks for your reply Terry. Yes I find this situation difficult but I also experience God's amazing grace in the midst of it. I realize my own great need to remain close to the Lord under his protective covering and to have others praying and standing with me in the spiritual battle in my home. My church leaders and friends are also praying for us. We do not have children.

I greatly appreciate your prayers and yes please ask your team of prayer partners to pray for Michael and I.

Thanks for your support.May God bless you.

Yvonne

Freemasonry (post by terry)

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:20:02 +1300

Hello Yvonne,

Thank you for your letter.

I am sorry you have been placed in the situation you are facing. It must be hard for you.

I believe that you will be greatly protected by your personal faith and prayer. You will, however, need to remain diligent.

If you have any young children they should be able to tuck under your spiritual wings, but any adult children will need to be aware for themselves and be committed to their own protection.

I have a team of dedicated prayer partners who would be willing to support you in prayer if you wish. But I will need your permission to go ahead.

I will most certainly gladly pray into your need myself.

Lord bless.

Freemasonry (post by Guest)

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:15:13 +1300

I just read your article on freemasonry. My husband has told me he intends to join and become a freemason. I am a believer in Jesus and I believe that the spiritual aspects of freemasonry are evil and I am praying that my husband will stay away from this as the effects on his life and our family would I believe be negative.

You said this in your article "The Bible teaches that the sins of fathers can be visited down as far as four generations of offspring. Exodus 20:1-6

So those involved in Freemasonry not only bring their own wives and children under the cruel hands of the devil, but commit generations as yet unborn to the sadistic bondage of demonic interference."

I do understand that my husband if he chooses to enter this and participate in the oaths etc of freemasonry would be opening himself up to the evil spirits behind it and this would be harmful to him personally and possibly to our relationship. I am however a believer and am firmly standing opposed to this in prayer....am I not protected by the Lord Jesus?

If you are able I would appreciate prayer for my husband Michael to not follow through with his intention to become a Mason.

Thank-you

Are the Twilight movies & books OK? (post by Guest)

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:32:20 +1300

Sure, I guess.

Are the Twilight movies & books OK? (post by terry)

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:19:32 +1300

Hello mother,

I have access to a lovely group of people who are faithful in prayer. May I pass your request on to them?

Are the Twilight movies & books OK? (post by Guest)

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:14:01 +1300

My children know this; I've told them many times, but they have turned a deaf ear. Please pray the Father opens their hearts to Him once again. He knows who they are.

Thank you.

Are the Twilight movies & books OK? (post by lindaandco)

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:28:45 +1300

Thankyou I will let my children read this,

What do you think of the Destiny Church covenant? (post by lindaandco)

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:27:52 +1300

Thanks for your thoughts, very wise and I know that there are always two sides to every story..so I pray that it is NOT what it seems.

What do you think of the Destiny Church covenant? (post by terry)

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:36:15 +1300

Hi lindaandco,

At this stage I have only read what has been reported in the newspapers. They can at times use the truth selectively, so I will not say much before I have the opportunity of reading the quoted 'Protocol' for myself.

If what I read though is accurate, then this is Protocol is definitely something I would not initiate, nor enter into. Ever.

A covenant is about the strongest commitment one can ever make, and the Bible is very stern about the consequences of breaking one.

If what I read is accurate (I need to repeat that) then to me this Protocol is at best foolish, at worst dangerous. I am quite saddened by the whole thing, because the Bible clearly teaches the necessity for humility and servanthood attitudes amongst leaders, and I don't see this in what I read.

I used to know Brian well, and enjoyed good times with him, and what I read now is, on the surface of it, very different to the friend I used to have. So I am somewhat perplexed.

Until I can read the original Protocol document for myself I will refrain from too much comment.

Thanks for asking.

Are the Twilight movies & books OK? (post by terry)

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:45:18 +1300

Hello there.

The dictionary states that a vampire is:
1. a small bat
2. a corpse supposed, in European folklore, to leave its grave at night to drink the blood of the living by biting their necks with long pointed canine teeth.

If the writings are about bats, no problem. But we both know they're not!

Spiritual stuff is either from God or from Satan. There's no other option. The author of the Twilight books gives personal testimony about being guided by voices in her head.

Deuteronomy 18:10 in the Bible says: Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in a the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord...

I can confidently tell you that any vampire stuff other than 'small bats' is not from God, therefore it has to be from Satan.

And I wouldn't touch it with the proverbial forty foot pole.

The end!

What do you think of the Destiny Church covenant? (post by lindaandco)

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:59:07 +1300

WOW, this new Covenant that the men of Destiny have made to and with there leader Bishop tamaki is a bit over the top, it is not like old testerment , priest or profit. but the king, and it is not, as I see it, new testerment. The men under him call him the King and that is sad, You Terry have always taught us to take everything we hear from you or any teacher back and test it with what the Bible says, and that is opposite to what Destiny is now demaning of there people, A few years ago they also required all there new members to be rebaptised and there sons to be circumsized, I think that was a personal choice but it was a teaching and one taken up by many at the time. I would value your opinion on this new Covenant . Thanks, God Bless..

Are the Twilight movies & books OK? (post by lindaandco)

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:38:39 +1300

HI, do you have any opinions, imformation or coments on the latest rage, the Twilight books and movies on modern day vampires, all the young people are takling about them. thanks... Blessings

What do 'end times' mean? (post by terry)

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:23:30 +1300

Hi kiwikid,

I don't know how the 'experts' decide what is prophecy and what isn't.

I could, for example, make two predictions about you: 1. Tomorrow you will be still breathing, and 2. tomorrow you won't be still breathing.

Both these statements are predictions, but only one will be right. I could hardly claim either to be prophetic.

In all the lists of prophecies I have read about, I have never seen listed the one about Satan being locked up. So I guess somehow it is outside the guidelines of what qualifies as a prophecy.

To refer to your suggestion about grace being available for another 1,000 years - no it won't. The age of God's grace will finish at the 1st return of Jesus. From then on, the world will be ruled with a 'rod of iron'. Revelation 19:15 is, I think, the reference for this.

God would love the whole world to come around, as you wondered. This is, why he is waiting so long to wrap it up. The Bible teaches that he doesn't want anyone to go to Hell. But he will not wait for ever. He has 'set a day' when he will judge the world. That day has to arrive sometime, and many believe that sometime is real soon.

What do 'end times' mean? (post by Guest)

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:16:06 +1300

Just read your third paragraph, I think I get it.

What do 'end times' mean? (post by Guest)

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:11:41 +1300

Hi Terry, what I am having trouble with, is that if satan is going to be locked up for a thousand years, do we not have at least a thousand years of grace? I don't see how scholars can say that there are no more prophecies that need to be fulfilled before Jesus can return. As satan has not been locked up yet we could have another thousand years at least. Maybe the world will come around in that time.

What do 'end times' mean? (post by terry)

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:24:12 +1300

Hi there.

How did you guess I'm preaching on some of this subject come Sunday!

There is no way I can adequately answer all the questions within your question, sorry. But lets look at one or two things.

The end, as taught in the Bible, has two parts. The first part is to do with the return of Jesus. He does a number of times during this return, one of which is to establish his rule on earth. This rule will last a thousand years, during which time Satan will be locked away, as you have mentioned.

After a thousand years, humans will once again rebel against God (we're consistent aren't we!), led by Satan who will have been released for a short while. This time everything will be once and for all wrapped up, judged, and done away with, and all evil will be taken out of the picture permanently.

Jesus gives a number of 'signs' for us to look out for which indicate the first part of the end will be coming soon.

You are partially right in saying the world has been through similar things during the past centuries. But what is different now is these things are happening on a world wide scale never before seen or experienced. Having said that, however, we haven't yet seen anything like what the future will be just before the return of Jesus.

Pulling together various bits and pieces from different Scriptures show, for example, that some 3/4 of the world's population will be killed just before his return. Now we are nowhere near any disaster of such magnitude as yet. But a lot can happen very quickly I guess.

Scholars say that there are now no more Bible prophecies that need to be fulfilled before Jesus can return, so he could start the wrap up anytime.

If my Sunday message turns out OK, I will put it on the resources>audio page, so have a look early next week for it. If I mess it up, of course, I won't be loading it up at all!

Lord bless.

What do 'end times' mean? (post by Guest)

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:48:44 +1300

As A relatively new Christian, I have often heard the end times which seems to imply the end of our world, but Paul said they were living in the end times back then. In revelation 20:2 satan is locked in a bottomless pit for a thousand years and then let out for a while.
I take it that satan has not yet been locked in the pit so can we assume that the end as we know it is at least another thousand years. If this is the case why are bible scholars saying that there are signs that the end is near? The world has been through similar things during the past centuries so what makes our time different?
Where do all the prophesies fit in with satan being locked up for a thousand years?

How do I find out what God wants me to do next? (post by Guest)

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:42:07 +1300

Thank you terry :) I am a Christian. I’m the ripe age of 17 and its bible study I want to do. You no like learn to be able to do full time ministry. I’m in you’re church actually. You do no me. Haha I like to hear what you think when you don’t know who I am. It’s good to hear the opinion of some one who doesn’t know me. And incase you where wondering wear I got Silence Dogood from.

Type: False Identity.

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Benjamin Franklin pretended to be a middle-aged widow named Silence Dogood. In 1722 a series of letters appeared in the New-England Courant written by a middle-aged widow named Silence Dogood. The letters poked fun at various aspects of life in colonial America, such as the drunkenness of locals, religious hypocrisy, and the persecution of women.

I’m not sixteen any more but I was when I started using it for things online as my name. Any way, thank you for your advice. God bless

How do I find out what God wants me to do next? (post by terry)

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:04:12 +1300

Hi Silence Dogood.
I don't have the complete answer to your question, but here's a few tips.

1. If what you're wanting to do is opposed to what you know about God then it's a no no. (God would never call a woman to be a prostitute!)

2. If you are a Christian, and have some idea of what your spiritual gifts are, (and aren't), they can give you some clues. If you can't sing a note in tune, for example, it's unlikely for God to want you to be a singer in a band!

3. God is more interested in your character than your career. I say this carefully, because of course God is interested in every part of your life, but he will work with you and in you whatever your circumstances, even your mistakes.

4. What is your passion? Chances are pretty good that God has placed this passion in your heart, so if you are looking towards doing what is already your deep desire, you could be very much on the right track.

5. Have you got a good friend that you could run your ideas past? A friend can look at things from a different perspective and either encourage you, or point out some things you may have missed.

6. The Bible says that the 'peace of Christ' should rule our hearts. At the end of the day, God want's your best, and so do you. I think he's big enough to scream in your ear if you are going a big fat wrong way! If you are really calm about your direction, it should be OK.

Thanks for asking - hope this helps.

Lord bless.

How do I find out what God wants me to do next? (post by Guest)

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:32:50 +1300

I have sooooo many options for next year. And I no roughly what it is I wana do but their are so many different ways I could go about it. I pray to God to show me what I should do but I’m not sure if he has answered. I no which thing I’m leaning towards but I don’t know if it’s just me or God nudging me. How do I no what to do? What do I do next?