Rejoice always?

Originally posted by whodey
If you are feeling down and someone say's "Don't worry, be happy".

Do you receive that well? Should you receive that well? What if you were in Auschwitz awaiting to die?

What if you were told to bow down and worship the antichrist or die?

To take his mark or die? Are you ready to be a martyr for God or not?

Originally posted by Suzianne
What if you were told to bow down and worship the antichrist or die?

To take his mark or die? Are you ready to be a martyr for God or not?

Knowing what I know I would have to completely lose my mind to bow.

So yea.

Almost makes you want to assume the role of antichrist, doesn't it.

Originally posted by whodey
Knowing what I know I would have to completely lose my mind to bow.

So yea.

Almost makes you want to assume the role of antichrist, doesn't it.

No

Originally posted by whodey
Almost makes you want to assume the role of antichrist, doesn't it.

I wish that for once, you could drop your conservative persona, and just speak as a Christian. I understand this is probably not going to happen in the Debates forum (because, well, morons) but in a Spirituality forum, one might think you could maybe be a bit more "real" than in some other forum (speaking very loosely here, yes, I get it that speaking plainly in this forum has exposed me to certain "haters" who couldn't be upfront if you paid them -- that's totally on them).

All this said -- no, it doesn't, and I find it fairly outrageous that you would say that.

Originally posted by Suzianne
I wish that for once, you could drop your conservative persona, and just speak as a Christian. I understand this is probably not going to happen in the Debates forum (because, well, morons) but in a Spirituality forum, one might think you could maybe be a bit more "real" than in some other forum (speaking very loosely here, yes, I get it that speaking plai ...[text shortened]... m).

All this said -- no, it doesn't, and I find it fairly outrageous that you would say that.

You asked me if I would take the mark, I said no.

You want me to leave politics out of it when politics is what will usher in the mark and kill people in mass?

Very odd.

Originally posted by whodey
If you are feeling down and someone say's "Don't worry, be happy".

Do you receive that well? Should you receive that well? What if you were in Auschwitz awaiting to die?

I know a person in hospice with terminal untreatable cancer who is busy finishing production of her third and final record album (she sings). I think that exemplifies receiving it well.

Originally posted by whodey
You asked me if I would take the mark, I said no.

You want me to leave politics out of it when politics is what will usher in the mark and kill people in mass?

Very odd.

Why else would I say to leave politics out of it?

I was being rather general, not specific. We know what will happen, arguing over specifics is kinda like beating a dead horse.

But if politics has to intrude, I still cannot figure out why most Christians gravitate towards a party of hate and greed.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Why else would I say to leave politics out of it?

I was being rather general, not specific. We know what will happen, arguing over specifics is kinda like beating a dead horse.

But if politics has to intrude, I still cannot figure out why most Christians gravitate towards a party of hate and greed.

You honestly believe both parties are not parties of hate and greed?

Originally posted by whodey
How could Paul write this while imprisoned by the Romans waiting to be condemned to death?

Philippians 4:4

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to Go ...[text shortened]... God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

The most important words there are "in the Lord". Paul is saying the Christian's rejoicing is not in the adverse circumstances but "in the Lord".

Why? He rejoices in the Lord because in his sufferings he is gaining Christ. His soul is being more and more transformed into the image of Christ. And this to the extent that Christ is magnified in his body. The imprisoned Paul becomes a human magnifying glass - enlarging and magnifying Jesus Christ in Paul's endurance, life, and rejoicing.

" ... Christ will be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death." (phil. 1:20)

To the Roman prison guards and soldiers Jesus was nothing. He was a small despised troublemaker from the Jews not worthy of their slightest attention. Yet through Paul's behavior behind bars Jesus was enlarged, made bigger, magnified to the awareness of Paul's captors.

Rather than being depressed and ashamed he rejoiced, not in his discomfort, but "in the Lord".

" But I rejoice in the Lord greatly ..." ( 4:10a)

Most people would have been ashamed to be chained and behind bars. Paul said in NOTHING was he put to shame. But as USUAL, in his apostolic ministry, the tables would be turned and Christ would be magnified and glorified causing more people to believe in Christ to be saved.

"For I know that for me this shall turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I will be put to shame, but with all boldness, as always, even now Christ will be magnified in my body whether through life or through death.

For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Phil. 1:19-21)

One should read the entire epistle of Philippians for a full context of 4:4.

" Rejoice IN THE LORD ...always; and again will say, rejoice." (4:4)

Since it is counter intuitive for humans to rejoice in sufferings, Paul repeats "and again I will say rejoice".

A sufferer's prayer:

"Lord Jesus, I do not like my circumstances. But Lord, even in this situation I rejoice in You Lord. I have within me the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. You bountifully supply me with longsuffering and endurance and even JOY in your victorious resurrection power. I rejoice in You Lord Jesus. I DECIDE and make up my mind to look away to You and rejoice in You.

Thankyou Lord Jesus for Your indwelling resurrection life that empowers me to magnify you in my circumstances."

Originally posted by KellyJay
You honestly believe both parties are not parties of hate and greed?

Oh, my bad.

I guess that makes it okay, then.

Paul's exhortation it to rejoice in the Lord.

The Christian is not happy about her suffering or the inconvenience of her circumstances. She does not rejoice in that. But he can rejoice in that he has the Lord as the "bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ"

What can a man take from this age into the next coming age?
His material wealth will not accompany him.
His worldly fame will be of no avail to him in the coming age.

The only worthwhile thing he can carry out of this world into the coming world is the Christ that he gains in his soul. And this gaining of Christ is accomplished with the "help" of turning to depend upon Christ in adverse situations of suffering.

Paul rejoiced in Christ. He did not rejoice because of all of his sufferings. He rejoiced in the fact that through these sufferings he was gaining Christ.

" ... I also count all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse that I may GAIN CHRIST." (Phil. 3:8)

Everything in comparison to gaining Christ in his soul, was to Paul refuse. That is of inferior quality. Actually, i think it means dog food. That is in comparison to Christ, all other things were junky.

His fame - "dog food" in comparison to Jesus Christ.
His material wealth if any, in comparison to Christ was refuse.
Even his comfort, in comparison to having more and more of Christ wrought into his being, was of inferior quality.

So he rejoiced in Christ. And he exhorts the Christians in Philippi to "rejoice in the Lord".

Christ is being wrought into his being. Christ is being more worked into his personality. He will take out of this age and into the next kingdom age the Christ that has been wrought into his being, albeit sometimes through suffering and through the "loss" of things which the world counts as valuable.

As a result of Paul magnifying Jesus Christ while in prison, it appears some of Ceasar's household became Christians (4:22).

"Now I want you to know, brothers, that the things concerning me have turned out rather to the advancement of the gospel,

So that my bonds have become manifest as being in Christ among the whole Praetorian guard and to all the rest." (1:12,13)

Originally posted by Suzianne
Oh, my bad.

I guess that makes it okay, then.

Makes what okay? We screw ourselves all the time taking sides against one another,
and the two party system demands that.

Originally posted by KellyJay
Makes what okay? We screw ourselves all the time taking sides against one another,
and the two party system demands that.

Clearly the Republican Party's major interest is not the People, but the Corporation.

Why? Simple, the Corporation has more money.

The Republicans always say, "We're not doing anything that they don't do twice as much," which is a distinct lie. Every single thing they accuse Democrats of is something they already do themselves. They figure if they're doing it, well, then of course the Dems are doing it too. But that's just wrong. During the Watergate era, Deep Throat said, "Follow the money." That advice is even more perfect today.

We don't "screw ourselves" by taking sides. We screw ourselves by taking the wrong side.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Clearly the Republican Party's major interest is not the People, but the Corporation.

Why? Simple, the Corporation has more money.

The Republicans always say, "We're not doing anything that they don't do twice as much," which is a distinct lie. Every single thing they accuse Democrats of is something they already do themselves. They figure if they' ...[text shortened]... We don't "screw ourselves" by taking sides. We screw ourselves by taking the wrong side.

There is no clearly about it, both parties play with Corporations and money, people are in
both parties, and people are about power and money. If you are doing things that the
Republicans are doing 2X of, then you are doing it too, and are no different, you are just
not doing it as much. I heard something yesterday that fits that, someone else' sins does
not make you righteous! If you are going to acknowledge you are doing the same things,
than what is the point of saying your different, since it appears both sides do the same
things.

Originally posted by KellyJay
There is no clearly about it, both parties play with Corporations and money, people are in
both parties, and people are about power and money. If you are doing things that the
Republicans are doing 2X of, then you are doing it too, and are no different, you are just
not doing it as much. I heard something yesterday that fits that, someone else' sins does ...[text shortened]... han what is the point of saying your different, since it appears both sides do the same
things.

Any Christian who is obsessed with dividing lines created by man are not of Christ and do not have the love of God in them. And there is a whole lot of that going on here especially among the so-called Christians who live in the USA. A bunch of jokers in my opinion.