"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

— Matthew 5:16King James Version (KJV)

Many quote Ephesians 2:8-9 and stop there:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Still, verse ten matters:

Dave wrote:
God Bless obverser,
Mate all you do is bless those that hate us, or just hate in general, some people can't grasp this fact Yshua said unless you're born again and live by Grace through FAITH alone not works, ;-)

The whole second chapter of James should settle the faith/works debate, yet somehow it never seems to. True, we are not justified by works of The Law, but by faith in Christ Jesus; Who commanded us to practice works of mercy and love; Who stated: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

[URL=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2&version=KJV]]]James 2 King James Version (KJV)[/URL]

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;"

— John 8:31 King James Version (KJV)

Persons who continue in Jesus' Word: visit those who are sick and/or in prison; give drink to the thirsty; feed the hungry; and clothed the naked. This is not an absence of grace, but sharing God's grace to those who are in need.

Mike wrote:
Jesus is the real temple!

"Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand."

— Romans 14:4 King James Version (KJV)

I wonder, how many people are serving God with their whole hearts, going by what they know, like Apollos written about in the book of Acts? Aquila and Priscilla, "expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly."

[URL=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18%3A24-28&version=KJV]]] Acts 18:24-28 King James Version (KJV)[/URL]

"If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you."

"For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment."

— James 2:13 King James Version (KJV)

Do not mistreat them.

"Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen."

— Deuteronomy 27:19 King James Version (KJV)

Give them food and clothing.

"He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name."

— Deuteronomy 10:18-20 King James Version (KJV)

House them.

"When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?"

— Matthew 25:38King James Version (KJV)

Give them work.

"And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God."

— 1 Chronicles 22:2 King James Version (KJV)

Dorcas wrote:
Good observation, Jessica.
All of God's best to you.

"So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, 'Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

— Exodus 1:22New King James Version (NKJV)

"Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men."

"And the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.' So Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people."

— Proverbs 14:34King James Version (KJV)

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

— Proverbs 29:2 King James Version (KJV)

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

— 2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV)

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."

[URL=http://www.starbucks.com/blog/so-who-is-the-siren]]]So, Who is the Siren? [/URL]

Praise God for my husband who has my computer running on GNU Linux! I have been praying whether I should go back to using a Microsoft operating system, and this article is an answer to my prayers! Glory to God in the highest! I will continue using the software that my husband advocates, as I do not want to support a company that will give its earnings to Planned Parenthood!

"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.'

Phillip Mezzapelle wrote:
Where is the "moderate muslim voice" in all this?

Paul says in Galatians 5:19-21: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Peter also says in 1 Peter 4:1-4: "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you."

[URL=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+13]]]2 Samuel 13 New King James Version (NKJV)[/URL]

To me this may be a reflection of Victorian attitudes. Have you not read about the woman (Mark 5:25-34) who had an issue of blood for twelve years, and sought to be healed discreetly? yet, Jesus waited until she shared, about the personal issue she was healed from in front of all the people who were thronging Him on the street?!

In thinking about The Scriptures, God does not spare us from learning that the men and women of God have sinned, and have also been subject to the actions of sinful people.

I think of instances from God's Word: Noah got drunk and passed out naked in his tent; David's son raped David's daughter; Lot's daughters took advantage of him sexually; the men of Sodom surrounded Lot's house demanding to have sex with men in the house; a woman was raped to death, and her husband cut her into pieces and sent the pieces to "all the coast of of Israel"...

I believe God uses testimony as a light to sinners, that no matter how dark a valley you have walked through: that Light, Healing, and Salvation are possible!

s c wrote:
Jessica,much damage indeed.Those experiences leave a very distinct impression on a child's mind that robs them of a feeling of security and innocence.Many adults are so consumed with their pleasures and "rights" that they are insensitive and ignorant to the effects that such "liberty" and easy access to such garbage has on little eyes.It used to be that one could go into a convenient store and the management would,at least,cover raunchy magazines;there was a sense of shame connected with such. Now such magazines or those comparable to them set at the eye level of children beneath the cash registers or in an open aisle. This is just a socially acceptable form of child abuse.