I'm sorry that my previous post was not clear. I'm a little bit less sure than I used to be about exactly what the Bible does really teach about the end of the world, judgement and so on. You think it's clear, and that's fine. I'm not so sure though. But I still trust in Jesus as my saviour, teacher, master and friend.

What is this awesome mystery
that is taking place within me?
I can find no words to express it;
my poor hand is unable to capture it
in describing the praise and glory that belong
to the One who is above all praise,
and who transcends every word...
My intellect sees what has happened,
but it cannot explain it.
It can see, and wishes to explain,
but can find no word that will suffice;
for what it sees is invisible and entirely formless,
simple, completely uncompounded,
unbounded in its awesome greatness.
What I have seen is the totality recapitulated as one,
received not in essence but by participation.
Just as if you lit a flame from a flame,
it is the whole flame you receive.

-- Symeon the New Theologian

Thanks for that, well-named! I'd not even heard of Symeon the New Theologian before. But Wikipedia has begun to correct my ignorance...

So, the Christian God of the Bible DOES work in mysterious ways after all!!

Directly below is a quote of some information that I found on another website concerning last weekend's NFL playoff game where my dear brother in Christ, Tim Tebow, helped to lead the Denver Broncos to an upset win in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers:



Interesting stuff, huh?!


Chess Fan

That is indeed an odd set of statistics. I can't help thinking, though, why would God intervene with things like those statistics and not, for example, heal a Christian young woman of lung cancer, despite the sustained prayers of many dozens of people? I think we're on dangerous ground, saying 'God did it' when we see interesting quirks of happenstance like this.

If you're around, Chess Fan, I'd be really grateful for a reply to my question from the other day. Thanks

Well, first of all, Kevin, if you HAVE turned from your sins, and, if you HAVE sincerely asked the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from your sins, and, if you are trusting in the finished, redemptive work of Jesus Christ **ALONE** for the forgiveness of all of your sins, then, yes, on the authority of what the the Word of God, (the Bible), says, then, yes you ARE truly saved, because, of course, true Biblical salvation IS only found in faith in Jesus Christ and His finished redemptive work **ALONE** and NOT in any kind of set of doctrines.

But finally, Kevin, even if you ARE truly saved, (which I will take your word for it), your **quite obvious** lack of Bible knowledge, in my opinion, is **greatly** hindering your walk with the Lord, in that, when I see some of the things that you have posted here on this Message Board over these past few years, it saddens me that you are still **so very unsure** of what the Bible truly and clearly says on a number of things concerning the Christian faith.

The fact that you are still **not sure** of what you believe concerning a number of topics **that the Bible is very clear about** should NOT be the case for a person who has been a Christian for as long as you say that you have been, and, your uncertainty about what you believe about a number of clear Biblical teachings **should not be the case** for a Christian who has been reading the Bible for as long and as much as you say that you have been.


Chess Fan

That's great, Chess Fan; thanks for the reply. The funny thing is that I'm far less sure about many matters of Christianity than I was in my first few years of following Jesus Christ. The more exposure I receive to the different traditions and streams within Christianity, the more strongly I believe that the Bible is an immensely rich and, in many ways, complicated book. Mind you, Chess Fan, I do sometimes wish that I shared your certainty over what the Bible says!

Patriots 45, Broncos 10. Any comments?

Heh heh. Either Tebow did something to displease God over the last week and so God withdrew his blessing, or God decided (and his ways are above our ways, his thoughts are not our thoughts...) to send subtle hints about his existence through some other sport this weekend. Any quirks of statistics in the ice hockey, I wonder, or perhaps the English Premier League soccer? Maybe I'll see if I can find some in the soccer.

As a matter of fact, Ed, I certainly do have a few comments to make here, (in the form of three points and a final question directed to you!)

Point #1: From what I saw of watching the Patriots' easy and dominating win over the Broncos on television this past weekend, in my opinion, the Patriots are **definitely** the "team to beat" now!

Point #2: I am **so very thankful** to the Lord that He has chosen to use my dear brother in Christ, Tim Tebow, in such **a very mighty way** to be a witness for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in these End Times that we are living in here upon this mortal Earth!

Point #3: Although Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos did NOT get a victory this past weekend in their playoff game against the New England Patriots, the fact of the matter is that Tim Tebow DOES have the ultimate and the final victory through his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom Tim Tebow loves and does such a fine job of being a witness for Jesus Christ!

And, Ed, here is a final question to you:

In my Point #3 above, I talked about Tim Tebow having the ultimate and final victory through his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

My question to you, Ed, is this:

"Do YOU have that final and ultimate victory through the Lord Jesus Christ?!?"

If you do NOT, Ed, you really DO need to receive Jesus Christ as your very own personal Lord and Savior, because, **time IS running out!!**


Chess Fan