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What If? May 10 2012
"...I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live..." - Deuteronomy 30:19
History buffs enjoy playing a little game called "Alternative History." Entire books have been written exploring such questions such as, “What if the British had won the Revolutionary War?” or “What if the Japanese had been repelled at Pearl Harbor?” One of my favorites: “What if the security guard had not noticed the tape left on a door by the Watergate burglars?” When playing this game, we soon see how one seemingly small event can domino into hundreds of subsequent events, eventually changing the course of human history dramatically.
Think of the consequences of some of the Biblical events. What would have been the consequences if Abraham had trusted God, not fathered Ishmael through his maid, and Isaac had been his true first-born? Would the Islamic faith have ever existed? What would be the current political situation in the Middle East? Would 9/11 have occurred?
Perhaps we can look to Harry Truman for the answer to some of these questions. When he was asked, “What if the South had won the Civil War?” He curtly replied, "They didn't!" Still, it is interesting to ponder the long-term consequences of man's poor use of his free will. Kind of makes you pause and reflect on the long-term effects of your own day-to-day decisions.
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24 Comments
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Yes, report it NevermindThis can be very destructive on a personal level. We've all seen people who dwell on past decisions, or events, without ever really moving on. I've been guilty of it myself on more than one occaision.
Ask God why? Try and learn and grow. Move on trusting God's plan for your life.
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Yes, report it NevermindWhat if Judas hadn't betrayed Jesus?
What if the high priest had said, "He's the messiah! Everybody worship him!"
What if Pilate had let him go?
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Yes, report it NevermindJudas and Pilate were Powerless to do Otherwise.
And Jesus would have been powerless to do Otherwise. He precicted this Stuff.
You Didn't.
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Yes, report it NevermindI thought they had free will. Guess not. Shame to punish a guy for something he couldn't help though.
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Yes, report it NevermindSometimes Erik I don't know why we really believe in God's Rule over Man's Rulings.
Sometimes I think we want to try to use His Reason to Demonstrate Ours...
Other times I think we just Use Him to Justify our own Sinful Predispositions...
With me it is a Matter of Self and God won't stand for that One Second. He will not let me Share His Glory and that is that.
Bryant is Right about these Day-to-Day Decisions...I have done Great Things and Now I have done really Bad Things.
You are a Young Man at Heart--Do the Right Things/G
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Yes, report it NevermindGod doesn't worry about "what ifs", because he's in control of history (that would be His Story). "What if Joseph's brothers throw him in a pit and sell him into slavery? I can use that for good. What if the Jewish leaders have the Romans crucify my son? That will pay the debt." He knew beforehand all that will happen and all that could happen given any situation, and He works it out for the good of His Kingdom. We can ponder any change in history and how that might affect other events down the line, but God is still in control of the final outcome.
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Yes, report it Nevermindyou're probably right, Ricky. But that's what I am afraid of. God has done so many horrible things to his children, I am truly frightened by what tortures he may yet have in store for us.
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Yes, report it NevermindThe bible tells that all things work together for good, my pastor once said " what you do not have you do not need it " there is always a way out to every believer.
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Yes, report it NevermindErik, God knew you would be born, that you would fight against His purposes, and that you would type that last comment (you almost don't need to be omniscient to have seen that coming), and yet He will use you and your comments for the good of those who love Him.
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Yes, report it NevermindNobody answered my question, but that's predictable as well.
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Yes, report it NevermindErik, you know there is no answer to your question, that would satisfy you.
Judas, knew what was right, but he was greedy just as we are sometimes, and that led to his decision.
The high priest wanted to be the head religous leader, so if he proclaimed Christ as the Messiah, he would lose his power that he had on the people.
Pilate seemed to almost listen to his wife, but still he was a political leader and he had to give the people what they wanted so he did.
What if these things happened as you ask, then we would have been doomed. I am thankful these things didn't happen, God and Christ loved us so much that both was willing to follow through with their plan and give you and I a chance to be redeemed and be able to go to heaven when this part of their master plan is complete. I know this will not satisfy you, but hey, there are a lot of things that does not satisfy me either, I am just happy to do what the Bible teaches me to do, and like I have said to you before, if it all isn't real - well I haven't lost anything. Have a wonderful day and enjoy yourself today.
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Yes, report it NevermindJudas wanted Money...
The High priest wanted Money...
Pilate wanted Money...
The Crowd wanted Money...
Some of us have Lost or Thrown Away Every Thing.
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Yes, report it NevermindAbraham is fiction, so Islam might have been born anyhow.
What if Jesus Christ had never been born? Then this web site wouldn't exist. ha
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Yes, report it NevermindOh, but He WAS born and this site exists to exalt His Holy birth, His life, His ministry. His death and resurrection meant to save us all, Jonathan. Your "ha" is a sad emotion. Because, unless you realize and accept the true gift of salvation from that "ha" Jesus, you will be left all alone to face Lucifer and all of his demons, who will "ha ha" your trembling, burning soul forever and ever. That it something we are all praying against on your behalf.
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Yes, report it NevermindYou have to adore Christian love - idle baseless threats on nonsense.
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Yes, report it NevermindStill, he is factually correct: Abraham is a fictional character from ancient mythology.
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Yes, report it NevermindThanks Erik.
Notice the language usage to dial up the threat level - "forever and ever". How much longer is 'forever and ever' longer than forever? Or just ever?
And I thought Jesus was loving...my bad.
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Yes, report it NevermindHe's loving unless you don't love him back. Then he's your worst nightmare. Too bad we can't get a restraining order against him.
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Yes, report it NevermindLOL
Love is something you feel, not something that you should be threatened with violence into. Imagine if human relationships worked that way "Hey woman, love me! But if you don't, BIG TORTURE for you!"
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Yes, report it NevermindIt is still senseless how the two of you keep coming on this site to fight against someone that you do not even believe exist or existed. I do not understand the anger and hatred. If you do not want to hear the conversations on this site then quit logging on. Evediently you must be looking for something down deep and just do not want to face the longing in your heart. So sad! I don't believe in fairies or flying elephants myself, but you don't see me writing the Disney Studio's to complain because they like to promote them.
Face it Erik and JCO you must have a intrest in God or else you would find something else to do with your time. I am praying that one day you will take down that barrier and allow the Lord to reveal himself to your heart.
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Yes, report it NevermindThe Hound from Heaven is all over them. Trust Me Don't Ask.
If the Senior Pastor talks about Golf Tournamants or Chili-Slaw Dogs/A Bag of Rags and an FO one more time?
I just wonder if one of those Guys was a Music Guy back at JFBC about a Decade ago...
We lost two Very Good Guys back then Ages ago...
Every Person who Loved the Lord wanted them to make Good...I can understand their Failures.
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Yes, report it NevermindJerry,
When an atheist can beome president, gay kids stop getting bullied by Christians, and the Catholic church stops abusing children, I might think about not coming here...
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Yes, report it NevermindThe quintessential urban legend..."gay kids are bullied by Christians". And what's the other one? Oh, "gay kids kill themselves because of it". For someone who touts "facts", we're falling short here, hey?
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Yes, report it Nevermind...cannot overlook the best one..."the Catholic Church abuses children". I was personally unaware the Catholic Church was morphologically capable of such, but just in case I misinterpreted, I am equally unaware of such doctrinal mandate.