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Lam 1:9 can easily applied to any nation, or on a personal level, such as a community of faithless that once tasted the goodness of God and turned from Him. Hoping to see clearly, another dark age is probably approaching the developed world and perhaps the whole world. Another tyrannical feudal system may soon emerge to govern the masses.

Well, here is where someone needs to inject the required Isaiah quote into the conversation, it may as well be me. :) Isa 55:6-11(ESV) 6“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. God blesses the just and the unjust alike, (Mat. 5:45), so I don't believe a person can judge how God views the self simply by observing blessings received. Having a relationship with Jesus - even if it's a rocky one - is probably a more appropriate means of measuring where one stands with God.

Rev. 20 refers only to the dead saints killed during the reign of the Beast, and raised up after Armageddon. Which resurrection occurs long after the raising of the elect in the rapture, who are shown to be before God's throne in heaven in 7:9ff.

Blame it on Satan? Rest assured that the one who exalts himself above the Lord is man himself, not Satan. Man is not the plaything of forces beyond his control for if this was remotely true, then the Lord would not judge the dead according to their own works. The "cosmic plaything" called mankind was a common narrative in pagan mythos. However, that's precisely what He shall do for it is not given for man to die and then be let off the hook because Satan manipulated him. It is given for man to die and then face judgment. As for those whose lives are hidden in Christ, we are the one who was vested with authority over ourselves with exceptions noted; organic disease (like dementia) and childhood are two such exceptions. Who, then, shall account for their works to the Lord in the end? Can we blame Satan for deceiving us? Remember what happened in the garden. We cannot begin to perceive ourselves in the manner that the Lord does at this time, for there is no one and nothing like Him.

This always brings to mind how easily we can offend our God. When Nicodemus met the Lord by night, he, as a top Pharisee, had come to get secret insight on how to improve. As an honest man, for he recognized Who the Savior was and he recognized his lack. But our Lord did not meet Nicodemus after this manner - the manner of self improvement. He met Nicodemus with the Tree of Life. He alluded to the Spirit blowing from, and then to, a mystery destination. Nicodemus should have known what He was talking about. He had the Torah and every student of Moses' writing should have settled one question very early in their search. The question is; What would have happened to Adam if he HAD eaten from the Tree of Life? The answer is simple. A man IS WHAT HE EATS. Adam would have had the divine life of God in his human spirit. This divine life would have energized and regulated Adam - as Romans 8 tells us. But our Lord does not dwell on "what ifs". Adam case is what it is, and he ate from another Tree. Another fruit was in Adam and so our Lord alludes to Numbers 21. Israelites who sinned with their mouths, received a deadly poison in their veins. It was just a matter of time before a huge number of Israelites would die. A bronze serpent is made and hung on a wooden pole. The reader who is sloppy is relieved to learn of the healing of Israel. But he would be "dead" wrong. The Word of God does not say "healed". It says in Numbers 21:8 - "THEY LIVED". Nicodemus was about to learn that the issue is not being healed of our weakness by DOING something. The issue at hand is the change of an intrinsic nature. John 20:30-31 gives the reason why John's gospel is written - that we might have LIFE. To fulfill God's duties for man, this man MUST BECOME PARTAKER OF THE DIVINE, OR ETERNAL LIFE. More rules would not help a wit. More Tables of Stone with Gods Law would only condemn more. Man needs the poison OUT and the Life of Christ IN. And although this life is had by the Spirit in our spirits (Jn.3:6, 4:24), it contains the whole human experience of Christ as motivated and energized by the divine life that was in Him. The name Jesus denotes a MAN. It is the name of a MAN. But right from His mother's womb He possessed His Father's life too. He had a DUAL NATURE and He regulated and energized His human life by what was intrinsically in Him - His Father's Life. Our reasonable duty is not to keep any Laws. Not even the so-called "Moral Law" of God. Our reasonable duty is to turn inwardly to that which replaces the poison in our veins - the Law of LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS. It is not a set of written Laws that we must follow. Should you pay tithes or not? How long should a Christian woman's hair be? May I smoke tobacco? The answer is .. LIVE A LIFE. Not your life, but that new life that you obtains at a new birth that makes you a new creature with a new nature. A dog barks because of his nature. The Adamic nature is "at enmity with God". Why did Eve disobey? Because she had not eaten from the Tree of LIFE. Eve is tempted the same way that Jesus is. Both are presented something nice for the flesh. Both are given the chance to be famous. Both are offered something beautiful. But Jesus acted on His intrinsic nature. So did Eve. In Christ was the fullness of the Godhead BODILY. In Eve was a human appreciation of what was good for food, good to look upon and which would cause fame. Our Lord, though He hungered, could do God's will because He had God's WORDS. And His Words "ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE" (Jn.6:63)

I posted this in the General Forum for wider dissemination for anyone interested. For those that teach Sunday School, prophetic Bible study, or want to learn about biblical prophecy, this is a great tool, IMO. The only caveat is it is geared to those with a pre-tribulation view. It is entirely free to download. Check it out. I am not affiliated with them, and I wanted to share. The website is safe: Perspective In Prophecy | The Prophetic Landscape Of Our Postmodern World

Welcome to the study @D. Adrien The Book of Lamentations is a very good read with regard to wickedness. In prophecy wickedness, with its causes and effects, is often lamented. There is an intensity of the concentrated personification of Jerusalem throughout Lamentations that is truly exquisite. Lam 1:9 Her uncleanness is in her skirts; She did not consider her destiny; Therefore her collapse was awesome; She had no comforter. "O LORD, behold my affliction, For the enemy is exalted!"

Obstinate rebellion, not just rebellion due to being weak or spineless in sin, but knowing better and still choosing to reject salvation. The last act of defiance before oblivion. Should there be lamentations for such wickedness?

Last year I posted a Bible Study on this:

The Lord's Spirit will not strive with man forever. Oh, the Lamentations! (Of Jeremiah)

He first cheated with her niece. She just forgets stuff. It's not that she understands nothing. She bikes to my mom alone. If I stay Facebook friends with him and like his stuff, it's like I say: go ahead and then Jesus comes back and he may miss it. My ex chatted with a woman so I thought God was fine with it that I had someone else when we broke up. It is not always sin. In my case it was. Do you think anyone warned? Nobody. Everybody in church slimed. Oh what a nice guy. You 2 should get married. God gave me a dream and threatened me with hell. I wish one person had been blunt and had warned me with hell. Would have saved me a lot of trouble.

It is within the context of the Great Tribulation that Jesus warns the [allegorical type] Thyatiran and Laodicean church leaders– Rev 2:20-22 You tolerate Jezebel, whose teaching lures My servants into false beliefs, she refuses to repent, so I will throw her onto a bed of pain and those who commit [spiritual] adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they renounce what she is doing. So those teachers who have misled Christians by not properly discerning the Word, will be punished and their flock won’t lose their salvation, but may be subject to the Tribulation. James 3:1 & Romans 5:9, 1 Thessalonians 1:10 On the other hand, believers who are spiritually prepared, faithful peoples, can look forward to the fulfilment of God’s great promises to His Christian people: great promises of protection during the next prophesied event – the Lord’s Day of vengeance and wrath, and then their amazing gathering into the new country of Beulah. Isaiah 62:1-5, Jeremiah 30, Ezekiel 36, Zephaniah 3:19-20, Malachi 4:1-6, Hosea 14:4-9 It is those people, the holy ones of God, who will welcome Jesus at His Return with the shout: ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord’.

Just a small note. um.... I am guessing that perhaps it might be a cultural difference?.. but over here in this part of the world.. declining the meal offered without giving any excuse / reason at all.. could potentially cause a lot of offence. Just wanted to mention this that's all. (very sorry for late post on this thread) Thanks.

You won't have to do it but once! After that those that like to see if they can get you to join in disparaging others will never approach with that gambit again.

Fault? Your fault? Hmmm, be glad perhaps not to have to be walking a mile in his shoes.or then yet to go a second mile. My own wonderful grandfather, actually step-grand, adopted my mother, her sisters and brothers, six in all when his wife was killed in an auto accident while "out" with with my grandfather. He stepped in and married her, raised the six kids plus the child of one of them too when she was killed. Then late in life my grandmother suffered stroke after stroke, 11 serious ones and was a bit of a heavy weight vegetable for 11 years. And he my step grandfather stayed on year after year to care for her. Tending her every need. He did meet a lady his age that also had a hard life. They became very close while my grandmother was still alive. When she died they married and lived happily for some time long into a late life. The details of the lives of other individuals may not be what others may think they know it is. I cherish the memory of my step grandfather, think him to have been a most honorable man, as did everyone that ever got to know of him. Yet a few just would not accept that he was allowed of God to have a friend, a very close companion, and yes even a "new" wife into his last years. I am glad I didn't have to walk in his shoes, but I am also glad to have been around him to learn how to handle such serious adversity as that which comes in life.

As Christ Jesus hung crucified on the cross, one prisoner nest to him recognized he was a sinner and by faith in Christ, Christ welcomed Him to be with Him, The other prisoner mocked him. Romans 10 :17 Romans 10:17 In-Context For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Jesus, The Cross, A Thief, and Forgiveness Luke 23:32-43, 32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. 33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 [a]Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. 35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” 38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he saidto Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

It's more just venting. I'm not in their church. I'm not their pastor nor elder. The church they're in apparently does nothing. I do nothing either. Vent and pray he repents and that she gets healed. I do cut contact with him though. I'm not gonna slime as if I approve because then it's also my fault.

I read your OP and as with most things you share on the forum, I'm in agreement. However, the point of view which produces your narrative in the second post misses the mark in many ways. This isn't a criticism of you my friend but rather, it's something I find common among many. How does your view of the United States miss the mark? First and foremost, there's an assumption of prior moral superiority which is central to that narrative. "It was better in the old days" is the common refrain, but this notion doesn't withstand analysis for long. First, I will begin by sharing relevant scripture which refutes the fantasy that man is somehow worse now than he was in days of old: “There is no righteous person, not even one; There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks out God; They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, There is not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The venom of asps is under their lips”; “Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”; “Their feet are swift to shed blood, Destruction and misery are in their paths, And they have not known the way of peace.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:11-18 NASB) I find it interesting how some who rant about how terrible things are today fall silent when confronted with this passage of New Testament scripture written over 2,000 years ago. The truth is simple, isn't it? There has never been a righteous person... no, not one. Destruction and misery are the path of man and have been for longer than the U.S. has existed. It would be good to address a selection of points from your "list" as that will help illustrate the point I'm making. Ah yes, the same moral and societal decay decried during the late 19th century by the Teetotalers, the Millerites, the Fundamentalists, and whomever else opposed liquor, close dancing, gambling, and the like. This is nothing new. Conspiracy theory. Insisting that something is true doesn't make it true. Right, because the "new racism" is somehow worse than the old racism? Certainly not. I have shared the following elsewhere on the forum as an excellent example of the Jim Crow system of apartheid at work in the Southern U.S. during the old days. My grandmother, who was a colored woman living in the South, had no rights under the law. My three-month old father was kidnapped from her hovel (she was dirt poor) and there wasn't a single thing she could do about it. The police, courts, and lawyers couldn't possibly care less. The point is simple, my friend: it was much worse during the old days than it is right now. Refer to the Depression era example shared above. My paternal grandmother had no parental rights because she was colored. Children on reservations were forcibly taken from their nuclear families by authorities. The nuclear family and parental rights have been persistent delusions in the United States. As if this wasn't going on for the entirety of the 20th century in the U.S.? Clearly, an education in U.S. history would greatly benefit your narrative, my friend. Illegal immigrants have been surreptitiously employed by scurrilous American employers for over 120 years. Illegal immigrants were exploited on farms and, after child labor laws (I'm surprised that didn't make your list) were enacted on the federal level, in factories. As for borders? Traditionally, the United States has never erected fortified borders in the manner that totalitarian states (the former USSR, East Germany, North Korea, et. al.) have. Those who cross were not fired on. In this sense, the United States border has indeed been open since the beginning. Confirmation bias is a terrible thing. Since when has man been just, my friend? The "weaponization of justice" has been a feature of American society since the beginning. I believe that's sufficient. Your OP was outstanding and worthy of reading, but the second post is hollow politicized nonsense. Do you refute the teaching of the Lord and His apostles regarding the estate of man, @tatwo? Man has been atrocious and terrible all along and contrary to the fantasy you cling to, the U.S. has always been morally bankrupt and reprehensible to the extreme. Remove the tinted glasses and you'll witness the truth.

What really does the New Testament reveal in terms of “tribulation and great tribulation” PT. 2 In the last post I showed what and how the terms…“tribulation and great tribulation”…are defined in the Greek and used by Yahshua, Paul and John from the New Testament. The picture I see materializing here with the translation from Greek to English appears to be very simplistic really. It has the connotation or nuance of…an event, scenario, happening, or reality that is noticeably and at times intensely distressing and troubling in a way that is pressuring and restricting one into a confinement and sometimes against their will. Thus creating an internal pressure on both one’s body and mind that can be experienced as restrictive and evil…leaving one in a calamitous distress known as judgment…or alternatively as we shall see…it can lead one to a state of repentance and even perseverance, growth and joy in the Holy Spirit…even in the face of death. That “tribulation and great tribulation” upon the souls of the “evil, religious and the world” brings them into the judgment of Christ…and in some cases in regards to the religious…offers them a shot at repentance. That “tribulation and great tribulation” upon the “believers, sons of God or Body of Christ” affords them an opportunity to grow spiritually through perseverance into the testimony of Christ in the joy of the Holy Spirit. So “tribulation and great tribulation” have been and are yet unavoidable for humanity. It would appear that regardless of where you are positioned spiritually…”in the world” or “in Christ” both “tribulation and great tribulation” have their divinely intentioned and effectual works all in accordance to the will of God. Of course…He knows the end of the matter before it begins. Let’s consider the source of all “tribulation and great tribulation”…well…it is allowed in the age of creation by the authority of the throne of God ultimately…however it is produced by the dragon via deception that produces sin and death…which is separation from eternal life in God. Deception must be understood in its fullest impact…this means that it’s most virulent effect is…that those who are deceived “cannot or do not realize or see that deception has gripped them”…in other words those living in deception “do not know and are not aware that they are deceived”…and for “believers” this means that they do not know…(apostasy)…that what they are “believing for truth” is that which is “a lie.” They serve “Satan the dragon as his Harlot” believing they are serving the “Lord Yahshua as His Bride.” How then does “tribulation and great tribulation” fit into this state of “deception”…you may be thinking? Well for the “deceived” or those who believe “a lie as truth”…to which Yahshua declared a point of warning for…”do not be deceived” He said. However…for the deceived the “tribulation and great tribulation” is really “hidden from them” through this complex network of deception and lies. I would like you to think along the lines of a quote from long ago…it was probably a Brother in Christ who spoke or wrote it…“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” For imaginations sake…let’s consider what that means…simply stated I see it like this. This fallen angelic creature…a dragon…built a “world – kosmos” of ever increasing entanglement to irresistibly enslave the souls of man on the earth…in which he torments and destroys those same men and creation…while leading them to believe that it is the work of the God and Father of creation or someone else who is doing this…utterly hiding himself from “view” via deception…in that…he is undetectable to the human soul. I understand that these are difficult realities…but this is a time for Truth to shine forth…this is a time when the Holy Spirit of the Living God is continually bringing to light that which was hidden in the darkness of ages past. This must be known…He is bringing these “revelations” forth by those whom He has sent out…upon the earth…today. This dragon’s realm of darkness has cloaked his intentions and works behind the “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” of the carnal human soul…since the Garden of Eden…for that is all that is in the world…which is passing away. Ok so let’s dig into some of this “tribulation and great tribulation”…perhaps we can change it to “tribulation unto great tribulation” as it is now and as it is on its way to its crescendo performance at the end of the age. As I stated prior…the arc of the deceptive influence is continually growing until it is “great” and has enslaved all of those who “dwell on earth.” Here is a list of several ways that the United States is “systemically” being destroyed right now…today…it is not likely to be comprehensive however there is some detail…and if one were to drill down into any of these things they would fine so much detail. Additionally…the work of this systemic beast is “behind the scenes” and largely unseen by most Americans, the religious and worldly alike…and it has been occurring for a few centuries while become increasingly more sophisticated in the more recent times. Normally people only see a couple of these realities at a time…when they are seen as a listing…another picture should emerge. 1. Moral and societal decay 2. The global depopulation agenda 3. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and the new racism 4. Destruction of the nuclear family and parental rights 5. The educational indoctrination of children 6. The trans contagion and sterilization of children 7. Record low fertility and plummeting birth rates 8. Toxic food supply 9. Inflation and debt 10. The financing of endless foreign wars 11. The destruction of private property rights 12. Open borders and illegal immigration 13. Rampant crime and unsafe cities 14. Mass addiction and fentanyl 15. Over prescription of pharmaceuticals 16. The asymmetrical weaponization of justice 17. Unaccountable federal bureaucracies 18. Election insecurity and interference 19. Vaccine and pandemic disinformation 20. The sprawling surveillance state 21. The centralization and consolidation of government power 22. The destruction of trust in institutions 23. The censorship industrial complex 24. State-media propaganda 25. The smearing of those who challenge it You may be able to add to this list something’s that you see…when one stops to consider the picture that this list paints…one must understand that these are the works of the dragon. The dragon’s “M.O.” is to “kill steel and destroy” and that is threaded all throughout this list. We must understand that most of these things are well established and into their processes…long before they manifest openly into the world. When they do emerge it is with a fair amount of stealth and often not overtly detectable. As one who has followed these things and more for the last 20 years…I must say the profound emergence of some of these things in the 3-5 years is very alarming. For example…as a farmer I have been watching the livestock cattle and beef industry for over 40 years. Recently the USDA released that the U.S. cattle herd is smaller today than it was 70 years ago when they started tracking the herd size…and the population of the U.S. in that day was around 125 million…today it is around 330 million. Imagine the effect or impact that is having and going to have as we move forward in 2024 and into 2025. How about energy…when Russian energy was not readily available for obvious reasons…the U.S. government began to sell its reserves to largely European nations causing the U.S. reserves to dwindle as reported. Now that the government is working to resupply the energy and fuel reserves it is doing so at a cost greater than what they sold the reserves for…so it is driving fuel and energy costs up. All of this to say…“tribulation unto great tribulation” has been here…is here…and going to increase dramatically as we move ahead into the future. From tribulation to greater and greater tribulation to the great tribulation…like a woman in the throes of birth pains and pangs…preparing to give birth is how the Lord said it. For those who have not, do not or cannot see the things I have listed here…as “tribulation unto great tribulation” the likely hood that you are being prepared by God for increasing “tribulation unto great tribulation” is almost nil. We will see if any of this goes anywhere from here…I do have more to post. Tatwo...:)

The word “tribulation” is not as well defined as it should be…however it is not difficult to understand. Let’s just take a look at the basic elementary definition of “tribulation” as used in the New Covenant as translated from the Greek. Sources here are “Strong’s…Word Studies…NAS Exhaustive Concordance…Thayer’s Greek Lexicon…The Complete WordStudy Dictionary…Englishman’s Concordance. The root word from which the actual word comes from is G2346 thlíbō meaning “to constrict, distress and oppressive affliction, confined, suffer, trouble, restricted.” The word translated to “tribulation” from the Greek in the New Testament is G2347 thlípsis meaning “pressure, a narrow place, hemmed in, internal pressure that causes someone to feel confined or restricted without options, pressure from evil, distress, calamity…affecting body, mind or both, testing ones endurance or faith.” The picture I see materializing here with the translation from Greek to English appears to be very simplistic really. It has the connotation or nuance of…an event, scenario, happening, or reality that is noticeably and at times intensely distressing and troubling in a way that is pressuring and restricting one into a confinement and sometimes against their will. Thus creating an internal pressure on both one’s body and mind that can be experienced as restrictive and evil…leaving one in a calamitous distress known as judgment…or alternatively as we shall see…it can lead one to a state of repentance and even perseverance, growth and joy in the Holy Spirit…even in the face of death. Now…the word is used around 20 times in the bible depending on translation. It is mostly a New Testament term…used primarily by the Lord Yahshua, Paul and John. “Tribulation” according to the Lord…“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” and “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will” Additionally He references it as “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” He says it is the state which the church in Smyrna had experienced…”tribulation and your poverty and the blasphemy”…and it would intensify and test them giving them the opportunity through “perseverance” to receive the “crown of life.” To the church in Thyatira He said “Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds” speaking of those who were involved in an spiritually adulterous affair with the harlot. So in that example like the Smyrna example…we see the Lord using/allowing “tribulation and great tribulation” to come upon the church to give opportunity for repentance and a return to righteousness. According to Paul “tribulation” is experienced by every soul of men who do evil…and he says that we are to be “persevering in tribulation” …”knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance” while not…being able to separate us from the love of Christ…and something the Body of Christ must learn to live with. John states that he is “a fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus”…and then as he is in heaven…he sees those who are clothed in white robes those coming out of the “great tribulation” and are washed white by the blood of the Lamb. Ok so there is a condensed look at the use of the word “tribulation and great tribulation” in the New Testament…by whom…and for what. We can see that the Lord has and will put “His own” through “tribulation and great tribulation” to bring repentance, cleansing, persecution, testimony, perseverance, and joy in the Holy Spirit. In this light we can see that “tribulation and great tribulation” are realities that the Lord Himself allows for His purposes. Paul says “tribulation” is what the evil soul will face…which he explains as the judgment rendered to each person according to their deeds. However Paul also resonates with the Lord Yahshua in that “tribulation and great tribulation” upon the sons of God brings perseverance…a strengthening…a challenge…and that in the midst of it…even if it were to produce everything and anything including death…that “tribulation and great tribulation” in and of itself cannot separate us from the love of Christ. Paul instructs the “sons of God” to preserver in the face of all “tribulation” being hopeful and prayerful…just to mention a couple of the spiritual disciplines associated with perseverance of the saints. Finally…Brother Paul instructs the “sons of God” the “Body of Christ - believers” to imitate him as he imitates the Lord in the receiving and bringing of the “Word” in “much tribulation” with the joy of the Holy Spirit. In his example…this is so that the Thessalonians might be an example to believers in Macedonia and Achaia…and by extension to all believers since…even unto today. So what did we “see” here regarding “tribulation and great tribulation” as defined in the translation to Greek and to the usage in every mention in the New Testament? That “tribulation and great tribulation” upon the souls of the evil and the world brings them into the judgment of Christ…and in some cases offers them a shot at repentance. That “tribulation and great tribulation” upon the believers, sons of God or Body of Christ affords them an opportunity to grow through perseverance into the testimony of Christ in the joy of the Holy Spirit. It would appear that regardless of where you are positioned spiritually…”in the world” or “in Christ”…both “tribulation and great tribulation” have their divinely intentioned and effectual works all in accordance to the will of God. Another thing about “tribulation and great tribulation” that I see…perhaps circumstantially…is that the “arc of its effect” as it has proceeded over the ages has been greatly enlarged…so as to now…encompass the entirety of creation in some way. As we move forward into the end of the age…which we are…the “tribulation and great tribulation” will indeed increase in size…“area of impact”…and scope…“intensity of impact.” Thus judging the world and purifying the Body of Christ as we see here. Next we will look at “tribulation and great tribulation” in the world today…most notably in the U.S. where I live. Perhaps uncovering the movement towards and growth of.. “tribulation and great tribulation” in the last few…say 3-5 years…because it is rather shocking really. Tatwo...:)

Consider the difference between Christ and all other things -- as thus, all other things are vanities, but Christ is a real, solid substantial, glorious thing; all other things are temporary, fading things, but Christ is an enduring substance. All other things are thorns, vexations of spirit, but Christ is full of joy and comfort, a most ravishing object, all composed of loves, or altogether lovely. Who would make it his business to fill his coffers with pebbles, when he may have pearls, or gold, or silver or precious things? (Revelation 1:4) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; - Romans 8:17 First Corinthians 6:17 says that when we were joined to the Lord we became one spirit with Him. He came into union with us so that He can talk to us heart to heart -- His thoughts become our actions. We walk so closely with Him that we never lack power to overcome the evil of this world, and feel His heart of compassion toward those that are hurting or bowed down with sickness and pain. He is one with us so He can reach out through our hands and fulfill OUR Christ calling, thereby advancing His Kingdom throughout the earth ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Ain't it great to be living in the body of Christ, no longer under the law. God said; it is finished. He will never leave me, nor forsake me. He paid in full with his blood. (The LAST sacrifice) I am born into him, his spirit lives in me. Can I save myself by my obedience? Can I maintain perfectly my life in Christ? NO! Not I! But Christ in me does through me, who will never leave me. His part. And...Amen. Besides, I desire to do the good works he has called me to. My part. He will not let me rebel. He can/will use the big stick when needed....... We are parts, individuals, of the body of Christ. Not a corporate nation sacrificing animal blood.

Numbers 14 rebel not against The Lord - Nothing can ruin sinners but their own rebellion. If God leaves them, it is because they drive Him from them, and they die, because, they will die. Numbers 12 And the anger of The LORD was kindled against them; and He departed. God departed - The removal of God's presence from us, is the saddest token of His displeasure. And He never departs, till we, by our sin and folly drive Him from us.