John UK wrote:
Personally I think the National Health Service in the UK is most wonderful, so too is the Fire Service, so too is the Police Force, so too is the Army, Navy and Air Forces. These are all paid for by taxation. How else would you do it?
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Bro US, I have already shown how for some people their medical treatment truly was free, because they were taking out more than they were putting in. Others will put in and take nothing out because they never need it. Therefore some will put in, and others will take out. Car insurance works in exactly the same way; it is compulsory, and some will never claim, others will claim a lot. I might put in £3,000 over ten years and after an accident my insurance company may have to pay out £500,000 to a third party. So I paid the first £3,000 but the rest of it was paid for by others. In other words, not by me.

B. McCausland wrote:
US
There is no harm if you wish to rant till you are blue about the ills of a welfare system.
However insisting that 'free at the point of use' is not literally true is ridiculous.
We all know it is financed somehow.
You are playing with words to rant on a topic.
Bye.....

John UK wrote:
Brother, I am perfectly well acquainted with how the tax system works in mine own country. What I am saying is that many of the operations I have had personally were free to me. If you still do not get it, I will furnish you with specific amounts and payments etc.

John how many years did you pay into the system and had no prescriptions, no operations, no medical needs because you were in good health?

They do the same type of thinking here. My annual physical exam was allegedly free but I can look at the premiums paid and know it wasn't. They offered me a free shingles vaccine for people my age, more than likely a government program. I been paying taxes for nearly half a century.

John UK wrote:
Bro, I have had many operations on the NHS which were absolutely free. I also have free prescriptions here in Wales. You are not thinking deeply enough, brother.

B. McCausland wrote:
Playing on semantics again, US, or seeking to find a loophole behind a true statement to quarell and rant about for a while?
Though all you say is true, there is no need for it as Adriel's statement is literately true and can stand on its own as veridic a hundred per cent:
Though the service is financed somehow, "nobody needs to pay *at the point of its use*", this is what it literally means "Free at the point of use".

Unprofitable Servant wrote:
You could say it is prepaid through taxes and high fuel cost. It is like a buy ohe get one free offer, the second item is at no extra cost but if you didn't spend the money for the first one you wouldn't be able to enjoy the second one "free". That doesn't even count the cost of excessive delays, limited time with an actual physician, denied procedures and even out of pocket co-pays. To say it is free at any point is at best, misleading.

Adriel wrote:
Unprofitable Servant;
Quote:
"Free at the point of use"

whye are we to pray for those in authority, there is a specific purpose in mind

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. I Timothy 2:2

The only way that happens is if the Lord works His will in the lives of our leaders and in the laws they pass and decisions they make. We oray that God would turn their hearts to the saving of the unborn. We have more and more harsher laws against abortion being passed in some states and also in some states wide latitude to do "abortions" after the child is born alive.

Psalm 102

17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.

19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth;

20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death

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John UK wrote:
Bro US, thanks for the links, will look up later.
Sure, Jesus said the gates of hell will not prevail against God's elect. This is what Calvinism teaches.
But the Bible also teaches that many will scrape in, rather than enter victoriously. It seems as though the majority want to be scrapers rather than victors.
If you check out Mark 11:21-24, especially the conclusion in v24, tell me, have you ever heard a good message on v24? A message which resulted in an improved prayer life? Or are you happy to go on year in year out doing the same old, same old?
Man, please wake up, this is hard going.

Thanks for the challenge and admonition May by God's grace and for His glory we pray with the disciples, Lord increase our faith and may we with the Apostle Paul press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!

John UK wrote:
Bro US, thank you for your reply. It is what I would expect from much of the Christian community, yet is far from satisfactory. This is due to either lack of thought, unbelief, or simply just not taking the teachings of Jesus seriously.
...

Brother John, not sure how the blab it grab group became part of your post. Mind if ask you, do you think that because our Lord stated that the gates of hell will not prevail against Christ’s church that there is always out there a remnant according to the election of grace of true believers who are walking in the light as our Lord is in light?

btw, I agree we need to listen to and read the works and sermons of people like Ravenhill and Tozer.

Tozer;s book The Pursuit of God is available on SA

https://tinyurl.com/us5ydo9

Well worth the time to listen to it. If you wish instead to read it (or read while it is being read) below is a link to it in pdf format.

Brother John not sure the passage cited is the best example of a group that had faith that God would answer their prayers