Adult Hood

Originally posted by RBHILL
I personally have never ridden on a public bus outside of a school bus.

My record is 24 hours in the back of a lorry travelling between Lusaka and Livingstone (500km). The lorry had no lights so we had to stop for the night on the way.

Originally posted by 667joe

If you trust his written teachings great! If you think Jesus is actually looking over you......Fantasy!

1.) He is with His disciples throughout the age:

"And Behold I and with you all the days until the consummation of the age." (Matt.28:20)

2.) He and His Father will make an abode with His lovers:

" If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him." (John 14:23)

3.) He will not leave His disciples as orphans but is will come to them.

" ... the Spirit of reality, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him; but you know Him, because He abides with you and shall be in you.

I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you." (John 14:17,18)

4.) Throughout the church age He will manifest Himself to His believers.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, he is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21)

5.) Where two or three are gathered together into His name He is in their midst.

"For where there are two or three gathered into My name, there am I in their midst." (Matt. 18:20)

6.) In His resurrection state the believers shall know that He is in God the Father and they in Him and He in them.

"In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." (John 14:20)

7.) The disciples are to abide, linger, remain in Jesus as a realm.

"Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:4,5)

8.) Jesus assures the disciples that even each hair on their head has a number. So they need not be afraid He is not aware of them and their need.

"But even the hairs on your head have all been numbered. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:7; comp Matt.10:30)

9.) He is aware not only of every word but every "careless [or idle] word" spoken by us.

"And I say to you that every idle word which men shall speak, they will render an account concerning in the day of judgment. For buy your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned." (Matt. 12:36,37)

10. He is aware of every thought that proceeds out of our hearts.

"And He said, That which goes out of a man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil reasonings, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, foolishness.

All these wicked things proceed from within and defile the man." (Mark 7:21-23)

So whether we are Christians or not Christ knows everything that proceeds out of men's hearts. Or will know it when the need arises for Him to judge.

11.) He is appointed to judged every man and woman.

" For neither does the Father judge anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, In order that all may honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. " (John 5:22,23)

12.) He says that He is the One who searches the minds and the hearts.

" ... and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the inward parts and the hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your works." (Rev. 2:23b)

13.) He knows the works and labor and endurance of all His believers.

"I know your works and your labor and your endurance ..." (Rev. 2:2)

14.) He knows the tribulation and poverty of all His believers.

"I know your tribulation and poverty (but you are rich) ..." (Rev. 2:9a)

15.) He knows where we dwell.

"I know wher eyou dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name ..." (Rev. 2:13)

16.) He knows the works and love and faith and service and endurance of all His believers.

"I know your works and love and faith and service and your endurance ..." (Rev. 2:19)

17.) He knows His believers works and reputation and living.

"I know your works, that you have a name that you are living, and yet you are dead. Become watchful and establish the things which remain, which are about to die ...." (Rev. 3:1b-2)

18.) He knows whether the believers are fervent or dormant and cold.

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am about to spew you out of My mouth." (Rev. 3:15,16)

So based upon the words of the Lord Jesus recorded in the New Testament, I have ever reason to believe that He watches over me.

The one living in a fantasy assuming that God cannot and will not keep an infallible record of his entire life.

Fantasy!

Originally posted by 667joe
Fantasy!

Fantasy!
- 667joe
Book 1
Chapter 1
Verse 1

Originally posted by 667joe
Fantasy!

The fantasy is in your wishful thinking that Christ's words did not teach that He looks over both believers and unbelievers.

For about twenty centuries people have been testifying to have experience of what Jesus Christ taught.

Given 20 centuries of Jesus, the world is pretty messed up. I am not impressed with the results!

Originally posted by sonship
The fantasy is in your wishful thinking that Christ's words did not teach that He looks over both believers and unbelievers.

For about twenty centuries people have been testifying to have experience of what Jesus Christ taught.

The funny thing is, that you yourself would never give much thought to testimony, even twenty centuries of it, unless it confirms what you already believe. So you ignore the testimony of Muslims or Buddhists yet tout the testimony of Christians.

Originally posted by twhitehead
The funny thing is, that you yourself would never give much thought to testimony, even twenty centuries of it, unless it confirms what you already believe. So you ignore the testimony of Muslims or Buddhists yet tout the testimony of Christians.

I do not completely ignore what Muslims have testified to nor what Buddhists have either.

Some people feel it is not warranted to be a follower of Christ until they have thoroughly become familiar with all other world faiths. I don't believe that that is a requirement.

That is that I should be an expert on all aspects of Buddhism or Islam before I decide that Jesus is most worthy of my love.

I don't fault anyone else for wanting to take that route. But I do not think it is at all necessary. And one may not have the time to "sample" Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Bahai, Judaism, Zoroaster, etc, etc, before one makes a decision that one teaching has convinced him.

Originally posted by sonship
I do not completely ignore what Muslims have testified to nor what Buddhists have either.

Some people feel it is not warranted to be a follower of Christ unitl they have thoroughly become familiar with all other world faiths. I don't believe that that is a requirement.

That is that I should be an expert on all aspects of Buddhism or Islam bef ...[text shortened]... , Judaism, Zoroaster, etc, etc, before one makes a decision that one teaching has convinced him.

did you decide that jesus was most worth of your love?

Originally posted by stellspalfie
did you decide that jesus was most worth of your love?

I decided first that He loved me.
That was not an easy thing or a quick matter to realize.

I have never yet met a Muslim who spoke of Allah as Someone he knew.
And of course the Buddha would not teach of any kind of relationship like that.

Originally posted by twhitehead
The funny thing is, that you yourself would never give much thought to testimony, even twenty centuries of it, unless it confirms what you already believe. So you ignore the testimony of Muslims or Buddhists yet tout the testimony of Christians.

A funny thing is also that some people might find comfort in "plurality". Having so many thousands of other beliefs to consider along with believing in Christ, they could rationalize their whole life that the decision to follow Christ is premature.

That would be the other extreme - perpetual procrastination behind the reasoning of not yet knowing enough about other teachers.