May 2 2021: Bible Prophecy Update

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@FoxMan

I should post this by my PC. HAHA! Great reminder.

dont take bait 2

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Don’t take the bait. Why not? Why not try to talk to whomever is engaging and be a witness. We are not fighting flesh, but powers and principalities. These people are human and God loves them just as much as he loves us. We should respectfully and compassionately engage.

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amen Catherine.

I totally sympathize with the other side, but I lean toward what you’re saying more. it was beautifully said.

we have seen that we cannot control who shows up to the forum. but we make a good witness when we succeed in using honey over vinegar. true trolls eventually either leave or truly join you, if they see they can’t get you to act inappropriately.

us regular folk might stick around no matter the bad intentions that show up, but we don’t want to accidentally repel those who take a peek before they decide. we should be vigilant in doing the best things with that in mind. overall I think we’ve been pretty good about that most of the time. but there is room for improvement. I have not made the best choices every time that I feel iffy about someone.

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Taking the bait here in this meme is regarding trolls who are chumming the waters for responses. It does not apply as a blanket response.

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Although I must admit I have been guilty of being flag happy in the past, I would lean in Allison’s and Catherine’s direction. Our mods have full medal jackets. And our forum is replete with the faithful. We’re good ya’ll. Let the games begin…muhahaha. Ok…sorry…getting a little carried away there. But I think we are in really good shape as a forum. There are those that don’t wish to engage at times, and amen.

If I see a person that argues in circles automaton like or just wants a rise be showy and offering no substance or thought provoking in at least a healthy attempt…yeah…I can get flag happy. The “flag” would be my bait. :stuck_out_tongue:Yummi :stuck_out_tongue: But I understand warnings and concerns against encouraging trollish behavior.

DISCLAIMER: The following is a testimony from 25 years of my background and is not meant to unreasonably make comparisons. It is meant to show the sharp contrasts within my own soul. And the depths of some rather troubling theological waters I had to emerge from for oxygen. Please consider the following as the dynamic as I perceive it within my own soul. My own internal struggles as to why I would favor granting favor to opportunity (yet still get flag crazy when it calls for that too). This is in no way meant to offset the concerns of those who rightly feel that some here pose trouble are to be avoided. That is a respectable conviction given the situations we have happened upon.

As a previous member of the reformation clan, there is some very unpretty history that goes with that period. The reformers kind of borrowed the Catholic Inquisition methods from whence they came. Knowing this history, I kind of favor toward the questionable types (speaking of where my reasoning has come out of)…moderators permitting.

Some have Calvin and Luther as their reformation heroes. But my reformed hero was of the few who did not support the inquisitions the majority of the reformers held. Subsequently he was killed for his beliefs.

Now this is way different than suffering a troll. True trolls should be removed. They should be banned. Those threatening are up to no good…not having an interest in fellowship or reasonable exchange should be warned…and removed if persistent as a rule. Amen.

In one case a few months ago I flagged the heck out of someone while some in the forum were still engaging. I asked for flagging help from other members to lock the thread. In that case that person used circular reasoning and would not want to give grace upon the points of others. To me it was an automaton and had no purpose here. So I am not saying the above reformation thing to compare it with the troll issue. I just mention it because I come from a strong reformation background where shutting people down was sport. And then I found Hubmaier and realized there was a whole other side to that.

I can appreciate Jack’s encouragement and several on the forum have genuine and real concerns with abusive posters. And sometimes the forum may be divided over some. The moderators have the ultimate call. And in the meantime we all have our convictions about certain someone’s. And that is pretty much the way it should be. At least in American, where I live. Or the memory of what she meant to be :frowning: .

If a person has a chip on their shoulder, something to prove, and is immature and retaliative …that could be a problematic disposition. Sometimes love can cover a multitude of sin. But our forum is not a nuclear missal test site. So within reasonable and prayerful bounds…I am grateful for the longsuffering intuitive measures TWI and Jason have put forth on our forum. Amen. And blessings.

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https://www.wboy.com/news/health/coronavirus/pastors-divine-realization-from-vaccine-hesitant-to-vaccine-advocate/

The article states "“I encourage everyone to ask your doctor first. The second thing I encourage our congregation to do is to pray about it, just pray about it. And then the thing I encourage folks to do is to just respect one another’s decisions,” said Pastor Friend.

Sorry pastor, but I will trust the Great Physician THE TRUE and LIVING GOD before I put my faith in this doomed world.

Exodus 15:26
“If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

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A M E N

“Get behind me, Satan,” spoken to Peter by Jesus, is recorded in Matthew 16:23 and Mark 8:33. “Get behind me, Satan” seems harsh and out of character for Jesus, especially when addressing Peter, one of His most devout disciples. Why did Jesus say this? What was it Peter did to deserve such a rebuke?
(((Without knowing it, Peter was speaking for Satan.)))

If you receive a stranger into your house out of love, and after a short while, realize their hidden motive is to, kill, steal and destroy your family, you don’t ask if they want a second cup of coffee, in hopes you will change their mind. A right minded person, gets them out of the house to protect the family and survive.

Titus 3: 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

NOT, imho God’s opinion
Peace Doc

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Stand strong beloved sister. Wrap yourself in Christ… I face similar trials. Everyone where my husband works has been vaccinated but him… he is willing to take the jab but doesn’t want to be inconvenienced. I told him flat out I’m not taking it… now he is trying to bully me. I have given it to Jesus.

So take the vaccine or don’t take the vaccine. I don’t care … I will see my Jesus soon… so so longing for home.

But all in all. Text me if you need an friend in the fight .

Love in christ. Lenore

Live footage happening now on PRESS TV YouTube of Israel!

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In 50 minutes, live from Amir in Israel doing update on YouTube. Noon central time.

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You are welcome!

Exactly, Doc!

Amen. And I agree Ed.

I have been on this forum for 6 months now. And i have been fairly involved. I have had opportunities God graciously provided where I was able to tame some situations among members. In other cases I found it necessary to flag every comment made after me. I have become fairly familiar what various types of trolls look like and come at us like. In my history beyond this forum, I have actually been able to turn trolls into conversations. I realize that is not the focus of our forum. I just mention it because I do try and look at things objectively. But I also realize it can be rather subjective in many cases. As I look back at some of my own posts here on this forum (and certainly prior to or other than) I can see times too when how I responded was less than helpful (seeing this after the fact).

To some of us the threshold of when someone evidently reveals themselves as a troll or trollish can differ. We can see something we don’t agree with and potentially label it the dark side and that conversation is over. Or it may be that someone has a chip on shoulder and is immature and not aware of it so much…and it could look just like a troll. But could be helped by love. I think this would have to be obviously on an individual basis…and that individual basis may not assimilate well with group think. It is good also as maturing Christians to be aware of that social dynamic, I believe, too.

From my experience if someone is stuck on insulting or cant give recognition to an alternative idea as having merit at all…those to me are the two biggest symptoms of the atypical troll. And then there are stubborn people (where we may all have a little of that), that look just that same as a troll…but actually mean well but are just radically different. If someone comes across routinely hurtful or spams an idea without reasonable discourse, I would not care if they were a troll, or wolf, or having a bad month. It registers the same as a problematic individual that is not interested in the benefits of this forum.

Although I understand the analogy of Christ and the wilderness temptations, I have seldom ever run into a situation I can remember where that was ever the case. I understand each of our experiences will be different. But over time I have had a deeper interest in the social dynamic than perhaps some and mostly end things cordially where there are problems, or realize that person is not able to relate at all and it would be doing them a disservice to call them into a conversation they are not equipped for.

When ever I run into the devil in the wilderness, I tend to stand them down if possible. I have debated many Calvinists and I have seen extremely rough and tense debate waters that were very challenging. But I am kind of into that sort of thing…and likely most are not…granted. I bring it up though because I am speaking from quite a range of experience if nothing else. And in the Calvinist debate case, they are often surprised at how cordial and respectful I am with them because most that debate them will be harsh and throw labels almost immediately.

I apologize if this sound self congratulatory. I mean to say these things to point out something I hope is helpful to consider. And it is more than just opinion. At least in the sense that there is a lot of trail and error over years of putting myself in tense situations to navigate many uncharted online waters. A realistic potential is that 95% of those we would look at as Satan in the wilderness are either unbelievers that could be in the perfect place to have a seed planted by us, or are immature believers that also need a seed planted by us. I don’t advocate for anyone to put themselves out there unreasonably. We all have different comfort levels or levels of tolerance too. What I have sincerely noticed over the years is that we live in a day and age where pushing labels is an epidemic and and pandemic and like the vaccine sheds itself onto others too. That is our social dynamic. I think that moderators set an awesome example in leads toward tolerance vs. folly. But please keep in mind (at least from what I have seen out there in the streets) we can’t change peoples lives or minds. But we never know how God might use us. And when looking at this issue I honestly believe erring is most reasonable leaning toward James 2:12-13

“So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy [i]triumphs over judgment.”

For what its worth. :slight_smile: thanks for reading…blessings.

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Live from Israel: The Sun on youtube.

Didn’t Jews celebrate Passover this year on March 27th? So, would that make Pentecost , by their calendar, May 16th ish?:thinking:

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Never mind, I think I read something wrong. I think you are correct on the date. I too have looked at Pentecost bc of Song of Solomon 2:10-13

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Amen. I think the tension of both positions is helpful to consider. Thanks for your kind words brother :slight_smile: God bless.

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Here is the calendar
http://www.cgsf.org/dbeattie/calendar/?roman=2021
And information on accuracy–very educational: Calendar Accuracy & Highlighted Dates

With all the unrest, I wonder how plans for celebrating Israel’s 73rd Birthday on Friday will be affected. Their Jerusalem Day was ruined, and now this…The enemy is working overtime.

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