Let me explain why the four most obvious answers don’t work for us:

1) Join a christian club/group at your college.
We go to community college, no Campus Crusade/Christian groups

2) Try a Bible Study.
I never liked this setting, meeting in someone’s house under certain terms in a small group discussing various lessons. Great for learning, not for making friends.

3) Church.
My buds and I feel guilty when we flirt with girls at church, it’s just an awkward feeling.

4) Try an internet dating site.
I think I would find it hard to carry on a relationship with a picture on a computer screen or a voice on the phone.

These were all answers we got a while ago, we each tried them out with no luck.

Smart alec responses are not appreciated.
I’ve been told a couple of times to look for a girl with a great personality and not worry so much about religion.

I did that, met an amazing girl, who happened to be a ******** Wiccan.

Let’s just say after a lot of unneccessary drama I’ve since vowed to keep myself involved with Christians only.
About the Author:

I would like one that is set up with actual questions to lead the discussion..can anyone recommend one or more that have those things?
Home and Garden Decor

Looking for a really fun Bible study to possibly do with my family? Any ideas? Thanks.
About the Author:

Thanks in advance for your answers. God bless.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,522637,00.html

Is this what we can look forward to in the rest of the country soon with a Anti-Christian president like Obama in Charge ?
About the Author:

As a young pastor just getting started, I was filled with ambition for the Lord and a desire to build a strong work. Naturally, as most preachers do eventually, I turned to Revelation since I knew that most people were instinctively interested in the prophetic book.

I began teaching a year long series of Bible Studies on this most fascinating book. I didn’t really run into problems until I came to Revelation 4:1.

Revelation 4:1 — After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

For most of my church life and, indeed, through my Bible college years, I was taught that this verse marked the Rapture in Revelation-as, undoubtedly, many who are reading this have been. Now, I happen to believe that all Scripture agrees, and that Scripture ought to back up Scripture. I didn’t just want to gloss over the verse based on what I had always been taught. I wanted to back it up.

I wanted to prove it Biblically! But I could not.

I struggled…oh, how I struggled with this. I called pastor after pastor asking for their input, advice, material, and teachings as I sought additional scriptural proof that Revelation 4:1 was the rapture. The more I talked to people, the more confused I got. It seemed that nearly every preacher I talked to had a different idea of what the verses mean exactly. Many disagreed with each other which did not help me at all. I pointed out the verses that confused me, listened to their explanations and came away shaken at how often I felt even more confused than helped.

You see, there are basically FOUR Rapture positions that a person can take. They are:

Pre-Tribulation Rapture – The Rapture of the saints before the seven years of Tribulation.
Mid-Tribulation Rapture – The Rapture of saints halfway through the Tribulation period.
Post-Tribulation Rapture – The Rapture of saints after the seven years of Tribulation.
Preterist View – That all of Revelation has already occurred and that the Rapture is symbolic.

I found significant problems with all four of the prevailing beliefs!

Let me break down some of the problems that I had. An honest evaluation of these verses will reveal clearly the problem with ALL of the views. Some of the objections tend to point to one or the other of the prevailing beliefs, but when put to their rivals, I never got a satisfactory answer.

Objection #1 – The disciples asked Jesus three questions at the beginning of Matthew 24. The typical Pre-Trib belief says that these were answered in a different order than they were asked. If so, where, pray tell, did Jesus answer the first question about the destruction of the Temple? This question bothers all but the Post-Tribulation View.

Objection #2 – The verses that describe the Rapture in Matthew 24 are those between verses 29 and 51. Most agree on this. Why then does the ‘Great Tribulation’ appear in verse 21-before the Rapture? This seems to lend weight to the Post-Tribulation View.

Objection #3 – If the Rapture is described starting in Matthew 24:29, why then does it say, “Immediately following the tribulation of those days?” Even a cursory study of the scriptures tells us that the ‘tribulation’ of verse 29 is the same ‘great tribulation’ of verse 21. How can the rapture follow the Great Tribulation? Doesn’t this give credence towards the Post-Tribulation View?

Objection #4 – Matthew 24:34 tells us that Jesus told His disciples that their generation will not pass until ALL these things were fulfilled. Doesn’t this give credence more towards the Preterist View?

Objection #5 – If Revelation 4:1 is the Rapture why then does the sixth seal in Revelation 6:12-17 so closely parallel-almost word for word-the description of the Rapture in Matthew 24:29-51? Doesn’t this lend credence to the Mid-Tribulation View?

Objection #6 – If the Rapture happens in Revelation 4:1, why then does Revelation 7:9-14 tell us of a multitude that no man could number that was saved out of the Great Tribulation? Does this not lend credence to the Mid-Tribulation View?

Objection #7 – Is it not true that several men of God have had similar experiences to John in Revelation 4:1? Men like Ezekiel who had the experience twice, Elijah was carried into heaven in a whirlwind, and the two witnesses in Revelation 11 had nearly identical experiences. Could not Revelation 11 (the two witnesses who are called up with a trumpet) be the Rapture of the saints? Would this not lend credence to the Mid-Tribulation Rapture view?

Objection #8 – If the Rapture happens midway through or after the Tribulation, why does God repeatedly warn us that we need to be ready for His coming-a coming that will be so unexpected, so quick, as a thief in the night? If we see signs of the Tribulation, then will we not know that the Lord’s coming be soon? It can’t be as a thief in the night when the thief tells you that he is coming in the next seven days, is it? Doesn’t this lend credence to the Pre-Tribulation View?

Objection #9 – If the seals are part of the Tribulation, then why do the martyrs in the fifth seal believe that God has yet to begin the Tribulation of man? In fact they are told to wait for a season until more Christians are killed. Why do they think that the Tribulation has not yet started? Does this lend credence to the Preterist View?

Objection #10 – If the Tribulation is a time for God to show vengeance for a world that has rejected Him, His people, and His Word, why then would God allow the Christians to suffer through any part of that? Does not 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9 tell us that the Christians will have no part in the wrath mentioned-the Tribulation? Does not this lend credence to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture view?

These are just a few of my objections. I would raise one of these objections, listen to the counter argument and be amazed at how they twisted the scriptures to say other than the simple clear meaning of the verses. I was astounded, and extremely disappointed.

You may ask, “So, which one of the Views do you hold to?”

The answer, by the strict definition of each of the prevailing views, is: none of them!

Interestingly enough, there was a common thread between all the views: That the definition of ‘The Tribulation’ did indeed refer to the seven years of chaos mentioned in Revelation. When I realized that, I actually studied the term and discovered that the definition, Scripturally, is not accurate. According to Scripture the seven years mentioned in Revelation is more accurately called ‘The Day of the Lord’. It seems that in all but two or three instances, the term ‘tribulation’ is applied to Jews and Christians, including all five instances in the book of Revelation itself.

Studying prophecy with the understanding of these views Biblically changed my entire view of Revelation. It actually became easy to study. Things were in order. Things made a whole lot more sense. I challenge you to study prophecy by first making sure in your own mind that these terms, ‘The Tribulation’ and ‘The Day of the Lord’ are accurate according to Scripture.
Shabby Chic Decor

Walt Whitman, one of America’s greatest poets, essayists and journalists lived from May 31, 1819 to March 26, 1892. His views represent a collaboration of Transcendentalism and Realism. He is classified as the father of freeverse poetry. His first publication, “Leaves of Grass,” was published with his own funds in 1855. Over the years it was revised to “I Celebrate Myself” and in 1881 eventually evolved into “Songs of Myself.”

This 2008 edition of Song of Myself, published by Bn Publishing brings to the forefront the internal thoughts of a great poet and author. The text cuts across the spectrum of poetic ideas and presents a revelation one would have never thought about in this fashion or style. One could consider this excellent book as a continuous series of freeform or freestyle flowing poems. However, others could probably consider it in a different manner based on their experience level.

The book uses a variety of poetic techniques to make it inspiring and uplifting. For example, Whitman uses the rhetorical question to spark the thinking pattern of the reader. This is evident in section two, where he asked a series of questions and ends it with, “Have you ever felt so proud to get at the meaning of poems?” Obviously, he must have been baffled before like most of us with the interpretation or meaning of a poem or two.

The poems are written in a numbered sequencing format for ease of reading. It appears that each numbered section is not independent of each other. Any of the numbered sections could be called a separate chapter in the book. However, upon deep examination one could easily find a link to the previous section, which makes the book flows in a continuous manner without any breaks between sections or chapters.

Section five has the sequencing pattern of a list poem. One could also say that these, as well as other sections are written in the anaphora style. This technique is a rhetorical device in which several successive lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences begin with the same word or phrase. Although the anaphora at times may sound monotonous, mechanical, or artificial, the poems flow with such grace and style and bring to the surface a powerful and memorable structure of lines and verses in an inspiring way.

The principle of reincarnation comes to light in section forty-nine where he addresses the subject of death, which he states is trying to alarm him. His philosophy is that he has an outlet, which marks a relief and escape possible. As to the notion of a corpse, he makes it clear that he is not offended, but has already smelled the white roses, both unsweetened and growing. Regarding life, he states that he has died himself ten thousand times before and has heard the whispering stars of heaven. The book also touched upon the topic of God and heaven with a sprinkling throughout its pages.

This is an excellent book packed with an integrated variety of poetic styles and forms. One must read it to appreciate the mind span of the author. This is truly a unique book and an American classic.
Dining Room Decor

Number One: Use the internal evidence of the book to determine the approximate date of authorship. It’s important to know when the book was written because it is prophetic. When the wrong date is assigned, it completely obscures the message. Most want to assign a late date (95 or 96 A.D.) to the book of Revelation. The external evidence suggests it was written before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Number Two: Pay careful attention to the time statements. Revelation has time parameters in the beginning, middle and end of the book which serve as chronological guidelines for the events of the message. These time statements are:

o Things which must shortly take place. (Rev. 1:1; 22:6)

o The time is near (Rev. 1:3)

o Do not seal the words of this prophecy (Rev. 22:10)

o The time is at hand (22:10)

o I am coming quickly (22:12)

Each of these statements indicates that the time of fulfillment was near and would be completed in a short time.

Number Three: Allow the symbols in the book to be guided by the time statements. For example, the millennium (thousand years reign) cannot be literal. It falls within the shortly to come to pass time frame. The message of Revelation is fulfilled within forty years of Jesus’ death. That does not allow for a literal one thousand years. Therefore the 1000 years is symbolical.

Number Four: The book is a tale of two cities. One is old Jerusalem, identified as the great city where also our Lord was crucified.” (Revelation 11:8) No point in the New Testament is clearer than that of Jesus’ death in Jerusalem. He stated emphatically that “It cannot be that a prophet perishes outside of Jerusalem.” (Luke 13:33) Jesus was not crucified in Rome, nor was he ever in the city of Rome. The other city is New Jerusalem. See Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 22:1. As in Galatians chapter 4:21-31, the two cities contrasted are earthly Old Covenant Jerusalem and the heavenly or New Jerusalem.

Number Five: The message of Revelation is the expanded prophecy of Daniel 2, 7, and 12. This being the case, Revelation is a reiteration of Old Testament prophecy. Compare the features of the beast of Daniel chapter 7:1-8, with that of Revelation 13:1, 2. This is Rome, –ancient Rome and not a new Rome composed of a confederacy of the European Union. That again sets the message and fulfillment of the book within the first century. The beast is Rome, the city is Old Jerusalem.
Bedroom Decor