ThomasRoane

Collins obviously had Patterson man-to-man. The question is, why was he so far off the ball?!?! If the DB coach had him playing back then bad choice. I wonder though. Collins has been getting torched in coverage. He could have been so far off because he doesn't trust himself man to man and was trying to make sure that Patterson stayed in front of him. If he's a liability in coverage he shouldn't be on the field. I'd rather see McTyer guarding Patterson in that instance. Shoulda read previous posts firsts. I see that I'm in agreement with @Alcoholic Zebra

Fuller was better today. Collins and Bostic probably regressed. They're obviously marked men for every OC and QB. Gotta get them off the field. It was good to see McTyer get some time. Good coverage. Just needs to get his head around sooner. WJ III worries me. He's involved in a lot of those plays were receivers are running wide open. May not be your job to carry a route to the middle but if you see your team is about to get beat help out! Ioannaidas makes the D line go. The King of Sparta is vastly underrated.

@dfitzo53 Check out the John Templeton foundation. I think this is where all the experts were gathered to review Swamidass' works. The Genealogical Adam and Peaceful Science - John Templeton Foundation

I'm assuming you mean the Genealogical Adam & Eve book by Swamidass. I'll keep searching to find the necessary links. Here's one reference to the peer review but it doesn't point us to the actual review(s). Swamidass has been quite open about inviting any and everyone to look at his hypothesis and show where he could have gone wrong. Typically, the peer reviews come out in a paper but often there are conferences as well where a presenter posits their theories and the experts in the crowd poke holes in it. I do like how the book has it's references on the same page as the reference or quote cited. I hate when authors make you jump back to the end of the book. So, he backs up his findings with citations from scientific research himself. Essentially, Swamidass proposes that a de novo created human was genetically engineered by God and eventually interbred with the homo sapiens that were present. That does help to fill in some gaps. Such as, why would Cain be afraid others would kill him after he was banished for killing Abel? Who would kill him? Then, who did Cain marry and with what people did he create his own city with? Then, what was God up to? Why create a new model? I know the ancient Jews mentioned that the difference in Adam from all other creatures was the neshama. Man was created with a spirit. Think of it as a special transmitter with which God could communicate to man perhaps? The Science of God is an old but interesting book with some really intriguing ideas. I would say also that perhaps the de novo created beings possibly had a greater capacity to reason and think. Possibly explaining why they survived and the Neanderthal did not? Here's a short video that is a thumbnail sketch of how Swamidass brings coherence between Genesis and Science. Here's a link to a talk that dives a little deeper into what exactly Swamidass wants us to consider. Save yourself some trouble and start at the 11 minute mark. Swamidass is a bit emotional at first. There are a lot of hard core young earth creationists that are actively campaigning against him. Even questioning his faith. He has really put himself out there with his theories.

Ah, Bennigans. The Irish restaurant that didn't serve real Irish food lol. You should see my Irish Feast every year! God loves a cheerful giver. I certainly am not going to judge you one way or the other. It's between the person and God. One thing though that used to bother me about giving. What if that person take takes that $ and uses it for something it was not intended for? The more I think about it though. That's not really my concern. If my heart was right than God will see and bless. If someone misuses the funds they will answer to God. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! That said, you'll never catch me sending $ to Creflo Dollar or Joel Osteen! The Lord told us to be wise as serpents, gentle as doves.

Ref tithing, yikes about the W-2! I do tithe and give sacrificially as well. Especially to single mother's ministries and those who work against human trafficking. I had to build up to tithing. It was like stepping into a pool a little at a time. What I discovered is that it's not about the fact that God needs our $. What I discovered is that it is really a heart/trust issue. Again, God doesn't need my (really His) money. He owns everything after all! It's more about am I willing to trust in Him or not? Even through my battles with cancer and outrageous bills I have been able to tithe and still save money. Not to mention my 401K isn't looking too shabby. But it's not really the monetary blessings. It's the little things. Peace with enemies. Specifically my ex wife lol! It's the comfort of knowing that I can trust my heavenly Father no matter what. A good job. Dependable car. Peaceful sleep! I don't worry about tomorrow because He has proven over and over and over that He will provide what I need. (Not always what I want of course!) There's a really good book about this by Dr. Joshua Swamidass. It has been peer reviewed and not even the top Atheists can find fault with his conclusions. Worth checking out if you're humble enough to let God be God and create the world and humans however He wants. Whether by supernatural intervention and/or by using the very laws of nature that He created. The Genealogical Adam and Eve: The Surprising Science of Universal Ancestry: Swamidass, S. Joshua: 9781514003831: Amazon.com: Books Evolutionary science teaches that humans arose as a population, sharing common ancestors with other animals. Most readers of the book of Genesis in the past understood all humans descended from Adam and Eve, a couple specially created by God. These two teachings seem contradictory, but is that necessarily so? In the fractured conversation of human origins, can new insight guide us to solid ground in both science and theology? In The Genealogical Adam and Eve, S. Joshua Swamidass tests a scientific hypothesis: What if the traditional account is somehow true, with the origins of Adam and Eve taking place alongside evolution? Building on well-established but overlooked science, Swamidass explains how it's possible for Adam and Eve to be rightly identified as the ancestors of everyone. His analysis opens up new possibilities for understanding Adam and Eve, consistent both with current scientific consensus and with traditional readings of Scripture. These new possibilities open a conversation about what it means to be human. In this book, Swamidass untangles several misunderstandings about the words human and ancestry, in both science and theology explains how genetic and genealogical ancestry are different, and how universal genealogical ancestry creates a new opportunity for rapprochement explores implications of genealogical ancestry for the theology of the image of God, the fall, and people "outside the garden"

Seriously, my heart goes out to you. Until my battle with cancer, I coached for over 30 years. Those kids become like your own. I'll never forget Joemel Dennis. One of the best QB's I ever coached. In the mid 90s, he had scholarship officers from Tennessee and UNC as a rising Junior. He was murdered in his front yard for .40 cents and a class ring. I can't begin to tell you what the Lord is doing in Joey's life. And with those who love him. I can tell you that it's okay to call out to the Lord and ask why?! He already knows how we feel. It's not a sin to grieve question what God is up to. After all, David — about whom the Lord said was a man after my own heart — wrote most of the Psalms. Including Psalm 13 where he wrote: Psalm 13 1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? How long will my enemy dominate me? 3 Consider me and answer, Lord my God. Restore brightness to my eyes; otherwise, I will sleep in death. What sets Christianity apart from other religions is the fact that our Savior knows what it means to suffer. While I don't believe it was necessary that the Lord be brutally scourged and tortured before He was nailed to the cross, the Father permitted it so that we would have a Savior who knows exactly what it feels like to be mocked, betrayed, tortured, and murdered. The only Deity that has the power to help Joey, in this life or the next, is Jesus Christ. Not only the power, but the love as well.

They don't look good. Especially Bostic. We don't know for sure what the calls are though. I do know you can't expect a LB to play run first, then curl and flat. The LB either has the curl or the flat. So, we can't be sure on some of those. It could be the DB who is screwing up. For Holcomb getting beat on the rub concept I really wish the defense would switch that. You're asking a lot for a LB to check the run, and then fight underneath a rub to defend a receiver who knows where he's going. Should just switch that. Let the db take the out route and let the LB run with the seam route. Give them a fighting chance at least. Regardless, Bostic has no business being on the field. Give the guy a headset and make him a coach. I believe he'll be a damn good one. But his playing days are over.

I quite agree with the problems of patriarchy. Just because something was in the Bible, that doesn't mean that God approved of it. The Bible is raw and real life. Which to me, makes it more genuine. If the writers tried to paint a perfect picture of the people of their nation then I'd have a hard time believing everything. They tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly. I do know that God did not like the idea of a husband having many wives. In the beginning, man was to have one wife. The Lord confirmed that in Matthew 19:5 and the two will become one flesh. One thing you see over and over and over is that the husbands who had many wives (Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, etc.) had many troubles! I like the joke from Wanda Sykes. "You men and your obsession with multiple women as partners. Can't keep one woman happy and you want to leave many unsatisfied?!" When God appeared to Abram (later to be Abraham), a culture was already established. Not necessarily a good one either. The writer says quite often the people did what was right in their own eyes. (Rather than what God taught) That's a really long discussion (about the preexistent culture that is) and to be on common ground you'd probably have to do some reading to catch up. If you're willing, I'd even buy a book for you. You'd probably find it interesting even from the view of an unbeliever. To sum up though, God knew that mankind would not turn it all around instantaneously. We were created with free will and as such we are prone to selfishness, greed, and disobedience. Even now, when Christians have the gift of the Holy Spirit written upon our hearts we mess up. (I know I have made a lot of mistakes that I regret!) Christianity brought more rights to women than any government or religion. The stories of women are very prominent in the Bible. Deborah, Rahab, Hannah, Ruth, Ester, etc. are great heroines in the OT. Then there are countless others in the New Testament. There were even women who ran Churches out of their houses. Paul never spoke against them teaching others. Paul was concerned more with the husband/wife relationship. He gave the husband the more difficult to challenge though. Anybody can submit. You can submit and cut the grass as your father told you to or else! It's more difficult to love someone. Especially imperfect, rebellious people who will often disappoint you. The husband was to love his wife so much that he would die for her. In a Roman culture where a wife could be divorced for a bad meal that was a radical command! Peter even preached on the importance for a husband to love their wife. The Apostles valued women but they were not tasked to bring upheaval to a patriarchal system unfair to women (or to slaves for that matter). Their job was to introduce the Gospel. To begin the revolution! Mine too! I don't believe that Jesus made grape juice. There are several scriptures that talk about wine being an alcoholic drink. I enjoy a good glass of wine or a Guinness or two. Islam forbids drinking. Christianity does not. We are not to be drunk though. Like many God-given pleasures, the enemy loves to distort them and to use them to destroy us. To be clear, I was giving you all the reason that I came to trust the Bible. Not why you should trust it. You have to follow your own path. I don't buy the interpolation argument. Because no one but Christ Himself, not even His disciples understood that He had to die on the cross. That was quite the shock so I don't see any hint of retrofitting there. The Jews felt like anyone who was crucified was cursed. The prophecies about it were intentionally cryptic. The early Christians only understood the puzzle after the pieces had been put together. See the account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus after the resurrection. Again, there is a supernatural enemy and they know the Bible better than any of us. This was a chess match between Christ and the rebel angels who wanted Him to fail. He picked a fight with them knowing that His death meant their defeat. God is a 4D chess player. The resurrection is the checkmate argument. Had the Jews found a body they would have stopped Christianity in its tracks. The fact that they couldn't is what upset the apple cart. And eventually turned the Roman empire upside down. The Christians went from hiding behind locked doors to preaching out in the open. It wasn't so much that they were willing to die for the Gospel but rather they were willing to upset their entire lives for the sake of the Gospel! They would lose everything. Jobs, houses, families, spouses, etc. and yet they (especially the 500 who witnessed risen Christ) refused to recant. (Dying by comparison is easier; it's over in an instant) By the way, there aren't many good Christian movies, but the movie Risen however is very well done! I like how they come at it with a nod towards forensics. I would also highly recommend The Chosen. That too is very well done. Good acting and they really do a great job of expounding on what the culture of the day was like. Even some pretty cool jokes. I don't believe that Jesus and the disciples were serious all the time. There probably were some humorous incidents between them. The disciples were real people with real flaws and weaknesses. The Chosen does a good job of showing the human side of Jesus and His followers. You misunderstand what I'm praying for. I'm not praying that the Lord would want Buzz or yourself to come to Him for salvation, peace, joy, and life everlasting. That's a given. He said He's not willing for anyone to perish. What I pray for is that Buzz and yourself would truly be willing for the Lord to come into your lives and to make Himself known and real to you both. And to give your spirit understanding. He will not violate your free will to do so. I'm not a Calvinist. I think people make the mistake with the term the elect. That's a different rabbit hole altogether! My prayer for my two daughters who have yet to commit to follow Christ and for Buzz (and you if you don't mind) is very simple. Father, may the be willing to come to You thru Your Son Jesus Christ. Give them spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear. Amen. If you are willing, He is able. May that day come! Then you will be like me. You'll take God at His word when He says: Psalm 37 34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. You will watch when the wicked are destroyed

My point is that the Great Isaiah scroll has been scientifically carbon dated at about 150 - 100 BCE. There are many prophecies about Jesus embedded in Isaiah. Yet Isaiah 53 is the most powerful. I hate math but by my calculation, the words that were filled about Christ's crucifixion were at least written down up to 200 years before the crucifixion event. To say that is just coincidence is to really stretch your faith. I would not try to lean upon a prophecy that was self-contained in the Bible to witness to an unbeliever. For example, there is a prophecy by Jeremiah that a King would come and destroy the high places in Ben Himmon early on in his book. Then later on, in the book of Jeremiah, the prophecy was fulfilled by King Josiah. As a believer who trusts the Bible, I have no problem with it. I would never point to that as proof to an unbeliever however. That would be the classic open book test. I think science validating Isaiah 53 is pretty powerful. It was for me. If I were to tell you today that the WFT would be KC 42 - 17 on October 17th and it happened exactly as I foretold. Wouldn't you be interested in what I told you would happen to the WFT for the rest of the season? I don't like the word argument. You can't argue someone into becoming a Christian. I was simply giving you the evidence that put me on my journey to trust what is written in the Scriptures. The Lord met me and since then there has been a cascade of evidence (mostly life experiences) that convinced me without a doubt that the Lord is who He says He is. That is a personal quest for each person though I think. Each person has to travel their own road toward Him and salvation. Or go their own way...

Interesting take. To each their own I suppose. Personally, I find that my faith in the scriptures has improved exponentially as I've come to see how clever the ancient writers were. They took God's revelations and put them into narrative forms that their contemporaries could easily remember and understand. I'm a history nerd so I really enjoy learning what their lives were like. Getting the ancient middle easterner in my mind has helped a great deal. Take the parable of the lost coin. Luke 15: 8 “Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ 10 I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” For years, I used to yawn at this parable. Okay, she had 10 and lost one. She still had nine left. I don't get why the great joy? Until I found out more about middle eastern culture. In Judea, a bride came to her husband with at least ten silver coins sewn round her head-band, and often more: and her husband knew just how many there were, for he could see them. They belonged to him, as she did, although the Law did not allow his creditors to seize these personal coins on his wife’s head. Nevertheless, woe betide the woman who lost her coins: her husband immediately suspected her of a wrong use of them; and the laws of divorce in the Master’s day were so heavily loaded against the wife that a man might divorce his wife if but one of those marital coins was missing from her headgear. That was why that woman in the Master’s sharply drawn tale of sweeping so desperately; taking broom and candle in an agony of dismay. She was sweeping, not only for a bit of metal, but for home and shelter and respectability; for her right to a safe and honorable place in society, perhaps even for her right to her children.” – Lady Hoise, in Peloubet’s Select Notes on the International Bible Lessons 1956. So now, as I read the parable of the lost coin, I get the big picture. The story is richer and more impactful than before. That's just one of countless examples that I have come across. There's a reason the Bible is still the best selling book of all time. There is so much that the writers are trying to get across to the reader. Most Christians are truly missing out. Especially the King James only crew. Then there is the whole theme of how God deals with His people. Judeo Christianity is so unique in that God bothered to tell people what He expected of them. Every other civilization, besides ancient Israel, lived in utter fear of their gods. They didn't know what to expect. When bad things happened they had to guess at what their gods (little g on purpose) wanted from them. Yet Yahweh gave His people the Mosaic law. If you do such and such you will be blessed. Otherwise, you will be cursed. Unfortunately, by the time of Jesus first coming the religious leaders had turned the law into a legalistic taskmaster that no one could live up to. Not even them! Jesus corrected them by expounding on the Spirit of His law in many of His parables and sermons. The Lord put it very well Himself. Society knows this as the Golden Rule. Matthew 22 34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him: 36 “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” Jesus is also drawing, cleverly, on the Ten Commandments. The first four can be summed up as Love the Lord your God with all your heart. The remaining six can be summed up as Love your neighbor as yourself. Then there are the Gospels. Matthew cleverly weaves in all the ways that Jesus was the Moses they were looking for. Deuteronomy 18 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. Moses was in the wilderness before he led Israel out of Egypt. Jesus was in the wilderness before He would lead His people out of the modern Egypt - the world and sin. Moses was on the mountain for 40 days with no food or drink. Jesus was in the wilderness 40 days with no food or drink Moses called on the Lord to feed the people and mana was sent. Jesus fed the 5,000 with bread. On and on there are countless, clever comparisons, chiasms, polemics, etc. that you'll miss if you just gloss over them and don't spend time to really think about what it is the writer wants you to know about God and the Kingdom of heaven. A good start is The Unseen Realm by Dr. Michael Heiser. You'll realize that when the ancient Israelite heard about a talking snake in the garden of Eden they didn't take that literally. But their ears perked up because what was in play here was that there was a spiritual throne guardian who just entered the story. And yet so many who were miraculously fed bread and fish were the very same ones who cried out "crucify him!" Seeing isn't believing. Believing is seeing. ~Judy the Elf from The Santa Clause - it still works though. Or, you can ask Him to truly open your mind to understand the Scriptures. To come and make Himself known and real to you because you really want to know who He is. You're too intelligent for that. You seem to me like someone who wants know the truth. Keep searching. You'll find it. Apologies for the book. I'm waiting to que up to play New World with my sons. Nothing else to do!

My argument was based on scientific, carbon dating. The Messiah came first to suffer and then returns to judge the living and the dead. And then He brings peace. The pieces to the puzzle were not easy to fit together until after the resurrection. Jesus had to explain the plan to His disciples in more detail after He had one. Reason being, the Devil reads the Bible to. When Jesus was in the wilderness, how did the Devil tempt Him? It was using the Scriptures right? He was probing to find out what the Lord's plan was. As intelligent as he was, he couldn't put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Jesus needed to die on the cross to rescue us from the power of hell and death. Satan and his companions didn't know that. If they had, they never would have crucified the Lord of Glory. (1 Corinthians 2:8). You may say that it sounds unfair to the Jews and Romans who crucified Him. Yet didn't the Lord say on the cross Father forgive them. For they know not what they do? Many did indeed repent of their sin. When Peter spoke to them at the temple of Jerusalem. Those who liked their extravagant and peaceful lives did not. In the end, they chose the world over their Messiah; hell over heaven. Ah, an honest atheist. If you truly seek with all your heart, your soul, and your mind you will find Him. Is it okay if I pray for you? Not going to preach or anything. I'll answer questions if they're honest. But I would like to pray for you.

So you don't believe in carbon dating then? The Great Isaiah Scroll was carbon dated for 150 to 100 BCE. Either you trust in science or not. (I was referring to archaeology btw) How old is the earth? I'm an old earth creationist. Science says the universe is about 14 billion years or so old. The Bible never tells us how old the earth or the universe says. It doesn't tell us what happened before "In the beginning." Also, 24 hour days don't start until day 4 or so in the Bible. We can go back and forth, round and round, tossing out facts and figures. It's boring and tedious and we will get nowhere. We all know the arguments and counter arguments. I'll pose the most important question to you now 86 Snyder. If you could know with 100% certainty that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and truly is the only way to gain salvation would you follow Him with believing loyalty?

A prophecy that came true is not evidence then? Not impressed with the one? How about the fact that there are over 300 Biblical references to 61 specific prophecies about the Messiah that were fulfilled by Jesus Christ of Nazareth? More importantly, if you could be 100 percent convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and truly is the only way to gain salvation would you follow Him with believing loyalty?

I'd be curious to see what the average down and distance is on those 3rd downs. Turner can help with that with better play calling on first and second. Throwing out penalties of course. That's a player issue.

Not in the least insulted by anything you wrote. My background was quite the opposite. No one in my family was a believer. My parents divorced early. Dad was an alcoholic and mean as hell. Mom was (is) one who self-medicated to get by. I consider myself a skeptic by nature. I was probably more like the Apostle Thomas. To my shame, I too would have wanted to see the nail prints and the scar on the side. I wasn't sure what to believe in. I just knew that there had to be more to life than what we experience. Which brings me to your statement about myth. Why is it do you think that every civilization is fascinated with myth? We simply can't get enough of it. Could it not be that there are shadows and hints of truth (what really happened) within those myths? Is that why they get down deep into our souls? I believe Christianity is the myth that is true as CS Lewis put it. My faith is not blind. Mine is evidenced based. I came to be a believer actually looking in the occult section of a library. (I once believed in ancient aliens but then you get back to the fact that they don't explain how the universe came from nothing). I saw a book on Biblical prophecy. That is what got my attention. The Bible is the only religious book that dares to predict the future. If you're going to be so bold then you had better be right. The great Isaiah scroll had the greatest impact on me. Specifically, Isaiah 53. What Jews call the forbidden chapter. Forbidden in that they don't allow it to be read in their synagogues. Of course, we know why that is... That scroll is scientifically dated between 150 to 100 BCE. Well before the coming of Christ. Yet the prophecy was fulfilled even as verified by unbelievers like Josephus, Tacitus, and Pliny the Younger who wrote about the crucifixion. Isaiah 53 Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him. 4 Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. 6 We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment, and who considered his fate? For he was cut off from the land of the living; he was struck because of my people’s rebellion. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, but he was with a rich man at his death, because he had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully. 10 Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. When you make him a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished. 11 After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and he will carry their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him the many as a portion, and he will receive the mighty as spoil, because he willingly submitted to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels. What I love as I study the Bible is that you realize that many of the scriptures are a polemic to those who thought they got things right about history. A lot of the Old Testament is a correction of what the civilizations of Ugarit, Babylonia, Assyria, Hittites, Egyptians, etc. thought were the true accounts as they were taught by rebel elohim. The Bible mocks them over and over. Pronouncing judgment upon those who deceive the people. Most of the problems you have with the Bible (and Christianity) can most likely be attributed to a misunderstanding of what is actually being said.

Allow me to explain what prayer is. Prayer is having a conversation with God. If you love someone, wouldn't you want to spend time with that person? Spending time often involves a two way conversation. You listen and you speak. The most effective prayers come from praying the scriptures. God loves to be reminded of His promises. Father, You have said in Your Word... The Lord's Prayer is a good way of guiding us back to the faithfulness of God's promises. Prayer for the mature Christian, is not simply a list you present to the Lord. Ok, I want 1 of these, 3 of those, and I'd like for such and such to happen. Thanks! Of course, it's not wrong to ask for your needs. The Lord does say ask in my Name and it will be given to you. He is not however some genie that you can conjure up to answer your every wish! The mature Christian uses the Lord's example when asking for anything in prayer. Nevertheless, not as I will but as You will. I have received many answers to prayer. My first son was stillborn. My faith didn't waver. I kept my trust in Him knowing that I will see my son again in Heaven someday. I asked the Lord for more children. He gave me three wonderful daughters! Then, He sent me a son after all. Elijah's due date? May 26th, the same day of the month my first son was born. (Coincidence? Sure - you believe that if you want to) In May of 2018 I was diagnosed with stage IV mantel cell lymphoma. I prayed to the Lord for healing; with the idea that His will would be done. I figured, I either get to be with Him or spend more time with my five children. (Jacob came along a little more than a year after Elijah. Wife's tubes had been cut and burned but the Lord had other plans in mind) The Lord healed me. I'm cancer free still. Yet my immune system was not as good as many others. Despite having the vaccine (Pfizer - I'd recommend the Moderna now), I came down with COVID about a little more than a week ago. Prayed about it. Prayed for guidance. My oncologist said there was one dose of monoclonal antibodies left at Sentara in Hampton Virginia and he was campaigning for me to get it. My children and I prayed about and I got the infusion Tuesday. (If I could sneak passed my daughter I'd be on the elliptical today lol!) Now, those are the prayers God answered. I think a lot of Christians, if they're honest, are more thankful for the prayers God DID NOT answer! I can't begin to list the prayers that I thought I really wanted only to realize later they weren't answered because He sees around the corners. He knows what I need better than I do! Why me and why not so many other people who have just as much of a reason to have their prayers answered than I did? All I can offer is that the Lord is not finished with me yet. As of yet, not all of my children are saved. (Three out of five are) I don't pressure them about it. I try to live my life according to the Lord's guidance, I pray for them, and if they ask I give them a reason for my faith. Ultimately, the Father must draw the sinner to the Son. We are only to provide the loaves and fish. If you're interested, I can give you a rundown on what the Lord's prayer is really all about. The Lord never meant for us to just quote it as if saying the words over and over have some supernatural power. The prayer was to be a model for us. A template so to speak. Give us this day our daily bread. In other words, keep your focus on today! Matthew 6 “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? This is a heart question. Do you trust your Heavenly Father or not? I pray like this: Father, You have always provided for me in the past. Even when it seemed like there was no hope. You have provided for me today. I may not have everything I want but I have what I need. I trust You also with my future. Thank You for what Your hand has provided for me and my family today. I wouldn't be surprised if Jesus didn't have the feeding of Israel with mana in the wilderness in mind here. Or ravens bringing bread to the prophet Elijah in the wilderness. Maybe He even thought about the feeding of the thousands that He had planned. Ultimately, He is leading us on a path to maturity. There will be times when our prayers are not answered. We we won't have enough to eat. When there will be no cure for cancer. What then? Will we still trust Him to meet us in Paradise? I know I will.

If you want my amateur theological opinion by what is meant by hell then I'll do my best. First, the Bible has to use allegory and metaphor to explain the supernatural to beings who live in the natural, material world. So there are several descriptions given to guide us on what hell is like in comparison to our limited, material senses. 1. Unquenchable fire. Matthew 3 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He himself [John is speaking of Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.” Isaiah 66 24 “As they leave, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never go out, and they will be a horror to all humanity.” Matthew 521 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire (Greek here is Gehenna). The Greek word used here [for hellfire] is geenna, often transliterated into English as “Gehenna.” The underlying reference is to the Hebrew name “Valley of Hinnom,” which was a place near Jerusalem linked with idolatrous sacrifices in the ot (e.g., 2 Chr 28:3). Over time, Gehenna came to represent a place of God’s wrath, hence the affiliation with fire. Compare note on 1 Pet 3:19 ~Logos.com Jesus compared Hell to Gehenna. Which was a trash pit near Jerusalem where dead bodies, waste, trash, etc. was burned. It was a formerly a place of disgrace that was even used by Jewish kings to sacrifice children to the god Molech. As predicted by the prophet Jeremiah, the place was destroyed by the good Southern Kingdom King Josiah. Who scattered the ashes of baal worshipping priests upon the site thus rendering it unfit; even for the cult of baal. Ever since that time it was a place of disrepute. Since people were always burning garbage there, the smoke and stench from that place was always present. It smelled like death; like hell itself. Now, fire is most likely not a reference to flame as we know it. How can something burn eternally? Wouldn't it eventually be consumed - law of entropy? That is not the picture we get. The fire never goes out. So, most people agree that what is going on here is really something more like regret, remorse, agonizing sorrow, etc. Imagine dying and realizing you could have repented and gone to Paradise. But you lost your chance and now your fate has been sealed. It is appointed to man once to die and then the judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) The Lord gives us the greatest picture of what Hell is like in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man describes burning in agony. He wasn't on fire. So it was most likely the regret he felt from making the wrong choice. He was barely in hell when he became an evangelist! Begging Abraham to send the poor man Lazarus to warn his brothers so they would not end up like himself. 2. Outer darkness. Imagine living an eternity in utter darkness. Jesus also uses that to help us to understand hell. (God alone is the source of light; without His presence darkness is all that is left) No one to talk to. Nothing to do but relive your past over and over and over with heartrending grief. 2 Peter 2 17 These people are springs without water, mists driven by a storm. The gloom of darkness has been reserved for them. Jude v 13 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever. Matthew 22 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Parable of the Wedding Banquet) Apart from God, the source of all light, what is left but darkness? Note the Lord's description - gnashing of teeth. Have you ever made a decision that was such a mistake that your jaw clenched at your stupidity? I believe that's what's in play here. The person sentenced eternally to be separated from all that is good, loving, pleasurable, safe, comforting — light. All that is left for you is loneliness, regret, despair, hopelessness — darkness. Now to answer what you really want to know. How could a loving God sentence an immortal being (which is what we all are after all) to such a fate for eternity? I answer by turning it back around. How could a loving God force someone to be in His Presence for eternity without their consent? Especially knowing that it would be dangerous for an unrepentant sinner to be in the presence of a Holy God. Every evil act that sinner would have done would burn like hot coals within their souls because it had never been dealt with; specifically by the blood of Christ. Another way to put it is like this. Does it sound right to you that a Loving God should force a woman who was murdered and raped to share eternity in heaven with the unrepentant, unforgiven person who did that to her? Wouldn't heaven then become her hell?

Well, there's this:

Sounds like a classic Snyder move. A move of such genius. Only Dan would think of trading a potential starter for a damaged QB who couldn't really beat out the aging veteran we have on IR.

Couldn't have said it better. Anybody who says they've got the Bible completely figured out is not to be trusted. The Bible is a timeless, literary masterpiece that requires hours of research, study, and introspection to begin to understand it. I've got a long way to go and am willing to listen to other viewpoints without judging. Let's not forget that the Bible didn't float down from heaven to us. More than likely, nothing was written down until after Moses led Israel out of Egypt. There was a middle eastern literary culture in place already. Story telling has been with mankind forever. That is how we best remember details. I'll bet you remember more good books (stories) that you read from school than you remember facts from government class. Why shouldn't God meet the people where they were at? Instead of imposing modern or supernatural writing standards upon them why not simply use the same writing mechanisms and techniques they were familiar with? After all, wasn't the point of creating Israel as a nation to show other nations the value of serving the Most High God? And wouldn't it make sense to make it easier to communicate with their neighbors? Go ahead and look at many of the ancient writings. Egypt, Assyria, the Hittites, Babylonians, etc. all wrote in the same style. Whenever they conquered they would frequently comment that they had conquered the whole world. To them, what they could see was the whole world. I could see your point if in the Genesis -Noahic account you have an interjection from God proclaiming "And I God certify that indeed every single animal species in the whole world was saved by the pairs placed in the Ark." God doesn't. He allows the writer some flexibility in how he tells the story as long as he gets the important parts correct. That is: God created. God decreated. God recreated. God was less concerned with science and nature and more concerned with doctrinal teachings. If we needed an encyclopedia or compendium for salvation that's what He would have given us. Even today. Look how far mankind has come in our knowledge of science, mathematics, technology, etc. All that knowledge has done is made us more clever devils. We didn't need geography lessons. We needed to know how to be saved from our sins and from death! So when it comes to the doctrine of salvation He did not compromise but made sure that His Word - the Scriptures - told us what our problem was. Sin. What we needed. A Savior. Who that Savior is. Jesus. The thread of that truth starts in Genesis and finishes in the book of Revelation. Here's a really good video that may help to understand Biblical literature. (The videos are very short) Another video on the use of Metaphor in the Bible. Actually, I'm saying I don't care whether the Ark did indeed carry two of every kind of animal in the world or whether the flood event was localized or worldwide. That's not the point of the story. You have to refer to Genesis 6. The human race had become polluted because of some rebel watchers. The results were disastrous. God wanted to rid His land of those who continued to live in rebellion. For 120 years Noah preached repentance and yet only his family believed his message. So, either all other humans or most were destroyed by the flood. The point of the story remains intact regardless. As for a regional flood, if there is any truth in myth (and I believe there is a strand of truth in most myths) then it would seem that some escaped the flood. Such as the Apkallu in the epic of Gilgamesh. There is this curious strand of a commission on the part of Israel the nation to wipe out every trace of the Nephilim (Anakim, Amorites, etc.) throughout the Old Testament. Then there is the fact that most scientist do not believe that it's possible for the entire earth to be covered in water. The Bible does not say so definitely. Not if you factor in the use of literature and exaggeration in ancient cultures. Or as you say, omission in the case of the writer(s) of Genesis. Both science and the Bible can be right in this instance. They don't have to be in conflict for the flood story to be a real event. Whole earth or world is used as a figure of speech in the Bible. Genesis 11:1 The whole earth had the same language and vocabulary. (Even the people in South America?) 1 Kings 10:24 The whole world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart. (Really the whole world? Even those in Europe? Asia? Couldn't whole world just mean all the lands the writer and readers knew about? And I'd say the writer got his point across.) Jeremiah 50:23 How the hammer of the whole earth is cut down and smashed! What a horror Babylon has become among the nations! (When did Babylon conquer Norway?) The terms whole earth or whole world were to make the hearer recognize that whatever the event it was a really big deal! How many times have you heard someone say "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" What goes thru your mind? You're not thinking to yourself: man! that's gonna take him a long time. Instead, you're thinking he must really be hungry! Jesus used exaggeration Himself to get His point across. Matthew 7:4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye. Think of how comical and outrageous that sounds. Someone walking around with a 2x4 sticking from their eye! That got the hearer's attention and helped them to understand what the Lord was trying to teach. Hey, how about you clean up your act first before you go sticking your nose in somebody else's business! The Job story deserves its own thread man. More to come on that later.

Did you see the quote from CS Lewis about it? Honestly, we aren't told what happens with them (whether good or bad). I know that I serve a just and good God who is not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) I do believe that after the Lord returns (soon probably) that there will be a period where He is reigning and ruling on a renewed earth. You may have heard of it called as the Millennium. Perhaps those people will be resurrected and given an opportunity to choose to accept His work on the cross and receive the gift of eternal life? There are a lot of things that God did not deem was necessary for us to know — yet. He has however, made sure that we have all the essential information necessary for salvation. Namely, the Gospel. We also have story after story in the Bible of countless people who really blew it and yet God gave them an opportunity to repent and be saved (King David for one). Also, many others who were given many opportunities to repent and yet still turned away; to their own destruction. (King Saul) I believe without a doubt that no one who ends up in Hell will have a good defense as to why they are there. In the end, those who end up there wanted no part of a God who loved them enough to allow His Son to die for them. He won't force them into heaven against their will.

History certainly bears that out. No matter how a manmade system (apart from God) begins it always goes to crap in the end. Even socialism. Funny how the masses always end up living in poverty yet the people in charge continue to live in luxury. Even though socialists often end up in power by railing at the privileged elite. Always, always, always ends up as rules for thee but not for me. Especially true for any government system that has no consideration for judgment in the afterlife. Live for today and to hell with everyone else! That's not to say that all atheists are like that. To be sure there are some who are very caring and considerate; who do a lot for the less fortunate. There are also some Christians who walk around like they've been baptized in vinegar. Angry at anyone and everyone who dares to think differently than they do; many times they take out most of their anger on fellow Christians! As far as the flaw in mankind, I'm not one who believes in a sin nature (Original Sin). To say that we're born with a sinful nature (handed down from Adam) is to say that every stillborn baby or every baby murdered in their mother's womb is going to hell. Does that sound like something Christ — who loved children and encouraged them to come to Him — would condone? I think Augustin (Augustine of Hippo) was the one who came up with the sin-nature doctrine in the 4th century. I believe he meant well but got it wrong. He was human after all. I believe there is a misunderstanding of Paul's writings in Romans 5:12 and Ephesians 2:1-3. The curse that was handed down was not sin but rather death. We don't sin because Adam made the wrong choice in Eden. We sin because disobedience is easier than obedience. You don't have to teach your two year old to be selfish. They'll figure that on their own! You have to teach them to share. Because that's not easy. Given time, everyone at sometime or another will sin. The only One who lived a perfect life without Sin was Jesus Christ Himself. That's why His death was the only acceptable substitution for those who trust in Him for salvation. (By the way, if all receive a sin nature, then that would included Jesus Christ Himself from Mary and that would have disqualified Him as our Savior) Once we reach an age where we can know right from wrong, then we are accountable for our sins. For children, I believe that's different for each one. I have five children and none of them were the same. They all grow at their own pace. Then there are those who have mental handicaps. Once we reach the age to know what is right and what is wrong, then we have a decision to make. Either we pay for our sins (children under wrath) or we place our faith in the Savior - Jesus Christ who died for us. The human flaw comes from modeling. We have so few examples of how we should live. So many examples of how we should not live! As a Christian, I would confidently say that the only example we should follow is Christ Himself. I doubt that any of the Apostles would disagree. He is the ruler by which we measure if our lives are straight. Everyone else is no more than a crooked stick. Myself included! Absence from the presence of God will make us more susceptible to sin. Not a sin nature. Hence the importance of church, the scriptures, and prayer. ~Dr. Michael Heiser

My concern would be will he take time from Davis? They have to get and keep 52 on the field. Don't care about mistakes. The kid is a special athlete. I confess I haven't seen any film on Collins. Is he an upgrade over Bostic? Bostic is very smart but his better days as an NFL athlete are behind him.