Wishing all our blog readers a blessed Easter! Below are a few photos shared by the Duggars in honor of Easter.
We are grateful for a risen Savior, Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our sins by sacrificing His life on the cross 2,000 years ago, and we know the Duggars are grateful for that, as well. We are living in a difficult time, but this pandemic was not a surprise to God. He promises to be with His children through it all and to give us a peace that surpasses understanding. If you long to experience an overwhelming peace, no matter what is going on in your life, we encourage you to genuinely pray to God and seek Him. The Bible tells us that there will be troubles in this world but that we can take heart, for God has overcome the world.
One day, when our earthly lives are no more, those who have put their hope in Him will spend eternity in Heaven. Because God is a just God, he cannot be with those who have not confessed their sin. For that reason, those who have not trusted God as their personal Lord and Savior will spend eternity in Hell, a place that is infinitely more torturous than anything we have seen on Earth. God's gift of eternal life is free, not earned. No matter what you have done, if you confess your sin and make Jesus the Lord of your life, He will save you.
This message may sound crazy, but how will you feel if you find out at the end of your life that God is real and that you could have accepted His free gift of salvation? Eternity is a long time to spend in a terrible place.
Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com
We are grateful for a risen Savior, Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our sins by sacrificing His life on the cross 2,000 years ago, and we know the Duggars are grateful for that, as well. We are living in a difficult time, but this pandemic was not a surprise to God. He promises to be with His children through it all and to give us a peace that surpasses understanding. If you long to experience an overwhelming peace, no matter what is going on in your life, we encourage you to genuinely pray to God and seek Him. The Bible tells us that there will be troubles in this world but that we can take heart, for God has overcome the world.
One day, when our earthly lives are no more, those who have put their hope in Him will spend eternity in Heaven. Because God is a just God, he cannot be with those who have not confessed their sin. For that reason, those who have not trusted God as their personal Lord and Savior will spend eternity in Hell, a place that is infinitely more torturous than anything we have seen on Earth. God's gift of eternal life is free, not earned. No matter what you have done, if you confess your sin and make Jesus the Lord of your life, He will save you.
This message may sound crazy, but how will you feel if you find out at the end of your life that God is real and that you could have accepted His free gift of salvation? Eternity is a long time to spend in a terrible place.
Jana Duggar
Abbie Duggar, John-David Duggar, Grace Duggar
Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com
Wishing all the Duggars a Blessed,Joyous and happy Easter . God Bless.
ReplyDeleteJoan,Marion and Marilyn
Thank you Lily and Ellie for not being ashamed to share the gospel. Jesus is alive! Hallelujah!
ReplyDeleteVery nice pictures. Baby Grace has really grown! A very pretty dress and hair bow worn by Baby Grace!
ReplyDeleteYes, very sweet picture!
DeleteSorry, but you're going to have to cite actual first-person proof of your claim about Hell before I can believe that applies to everyone. Otherwise, it's a myth perpetrated to this day in order to keep people scared and humble, and to keep The Church in power. Read world history and you'll realize how important it was to churches to have wealth and power, especially when governments were unstable. It was simple to keep uneducated populations fearful (e.g. telling them stories of Hell) and therefore loyal to whatever the church wanted.
ReplyDeleteChurches are still vying for power and control. History has not changed in that regard.
You can have a relationship with Christ and never step your foot in a church. As to first-person proof if Hell, well, the only ones who can provide that would give anything to be here to do that for you.
DeleteGod's Word (the Holy Bible) says it and that has to be accepted by faith to be with God for eternity! God is the ruler & judge of all men, not the church.
Delete9:46PM History says you're mistaken about the church not being the ruler and judge. Churches in the Middle Ages routinely judged, imprisoned, and inflicted unspeakable punishments on anyone they felt guilty of heresy or blasphemy. This was the practice for hundreds of years. There were both Catholic and Protestant inquisitions with ecclesiastical tribunals resulting in the death or imprisonment of countless people, including notable scientists such as Galileo. These historical facts cannot be forgotten and in some ways still overshadow churches today. They remind us of what could happen if any church ever again got that sort of powerful hold on society.
Delete4:13, God is the ruler and judge. When churches take over that role, they are stepping in territory that is not theirs, and it should be condemned.
Delete@10:16 Then you just condemned a lot of churches.
Delete3:56, yep, so? There are a lot of churches that don't fall in that category too.
DeleteTo me, the above message about a supposedly loving Creator torturing people for all eternity, because they didn't swear allegiance to an invisible entitity before they died, does sound crazy. This does not describe a just God, but rather a vindictive and unspeakably cruel one.
ReplyDelete"All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.” - Thomas Paine
8:27 The cognitive dissonance of a God who allows immense suffering in this life and then for eternity as well, but then also supposedly has unending loving kindness for people, and yet at the same time only those who tow the line in a certain specific way will get to be with him in Heaven, but remember he loves everyone...what????
DeleteThen what do you make of his sending his only Son to die a horrible death on a cross (the Bible says Christ was literally made a curse to atone for our sins. Gal. 3:13) How is that for seeming injustice? That a man who was the essence of kindness, goodness,and purity should die for the coming generations of humanity who would scoff at this glorious story of divine sacrifice. See, God created humanity because He wanted other living beings whom He could commune with, living beings who would worship Him by their own choice. But He was well aware that the devil was going to attract as many of these as he could. He always knew that He would have to send His only Son to die to atone for our sins. The reason for that is that God is so holy that as soon as a man has done anything that deviates even slightly from His character there is automatically a gulf uncrossable between Himself and God unless something dies. (The wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23) This same strict judgement demands that those who have listened to the devil and have sinned must suffer the devil's punishment. So God knowing that we were far to marred ever to be enough for our own payment let alone that of anybody else besides, sent the only thing that had never done wrong, the only person's blood who would be enough: Himself. And Jesus came and though He was fully human (as well as fully divine) He lived a perfect life and thus was able atone. But these are things that cannot be understood without the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Things we have to accept, knowing that God isn't just truthful, He IS truth. And, you know, one of the biggest reasons I believe this is because, if there weren't such a thing the human mind wouldn't have been able to make up anything so incredible. The concept of God is that far beyond anything earthly. There is so much more I could say but this comment is ridiculously long already. So, please do think about this and have a great day! With warm regards, S.D.
DeleteNow I remember why I stopped going to any church. The preaching...
DeleteIt does sound preachy, doesn't it.😔 I'm sorry that really wasn't my intention. But it just makes me so glad sometimes that it spills.😊 S.D.
DeleteWhat are you going to say when God explains how you missed the point? Time to be recrarated into a flower.
ReplyDeleteWhat will you have to say if there is no after life, no heaven, no hell. What will you say if you discovered you placed all your hope in something that isn't true.
DeleteIf you're dead and there is no heaven, how exactly are you saying anything?
DeleteWell, if there is nothing, I won’t say anything because I’ll be dead.
DeleteYou do realize there are tons of other people on this planet who are not Christians?
ReplyDeleteAnd yet the blogger is
DeleteYou do realize that there are tons of other people who ARE Christians?
DeleteThat is true but it is God's desire that all men should come to a knowledge of Him and be saved before it is eternally too late!! All He desires is for you to accept His free gift of salvation! He is so good & kind & patient to all men! His word (the Holy Bible) is His heart to all people everywhere! He has created you for a purpose!
DeleteYeah. That doesn't seem to enter into the equation. I'm appalled that someone believes God knew about this disease and did NOTHING. It really comes across as a distortion of a loving caring God that wants to save us and give us eternal life with him
Delete@6:20, Tons of people are not. In fact, the majority of people in the world are not Christians. And those who are, only a small percentage subscribe to the interpretation of evangelical Christians.
Delete@9:13, no thanks I am Hindu.
DeleteWell you said it yourself, it may sound crazy. How will you feel at the end of your life if you find out that you didn't have to believe in any religion to get to a great place anyway? Or that you don't have to spend eternity there, that reincarnation is real? Or maybe you black out and that's it, brain activity stops, game over? Or maybe you never leave and some dimension of you hangs around your old haunts?
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of different ideas about death and possible afterlife you know. We should never declare one idea to be the true and correct idea, then expect everyone to follow it or get upset if they don't. You should preface religious declarations with "This is what I believe, but I understand that you may not and that's fine." Some people try to shame others for not believing, which is completely unnecessary.
I do not doubt God! ...But if I believe in the true God & heaven & hell & am God's saved child and at the end there is none, I am in a better place than not believing in God and then finding out at the end of life that He is Lord of all and has created a heaven and hell and has given us a beautiful provision to accept His true peace & forgiveness! His love is so great and His patience for you unfathomable!!
Delete@9:21 No, his patience for YOU.
Delete3:56, no, patience for YOU. 😄 Reminds me of my kids fighting.
Delete@ 10:00PM, well said! This post was way to Jesus-y for me and I'm done clicking on these blogs.
Delete9:21- exactly right!! A person who doesn't doubt God and has faith will not be put to shame, in the end. Bible says that " Fear of the Lord is beginning of all wisdom".
DeleteWow! That was pretty straight forward. Well.. the part I’m not fond of with your religion is that “ No matter what you have done, if you confess your sin and make Jesus the Lord of your life, He will save you.” part. If you rape or kill someone the. Go to confession and seek forgiveness and accept Jesus as your lord then you’ll be free to go to heaven? Seriously? Kinda makes me think people might not think twice about committing terrible crimes if they can get off the hook that easily. So I’m Jewish. I believe in God, I know Jesus existed, but I am perfectly content not accepting him as my lord and savior because he was Jewish himself, and Jews have been around far longer then Jesus was even a thought of. I kinda feel like the Jews that decided to convert are traders to their own religion, but I’m pretty much a “you do you” kinda person and I don’t judge people on their religion. But with all that being said... HAPPY PASSOVER AND HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE!!!
ReplyDelete@10:06- Well said, MommaOf6!
DeleteThe thing is that every single person is a sinner. When I start thinking I'm better than someone else, then I'm guilty of pride. Actually, pride is at the root of all sin.
DeleteOk so I want to start off by saying that while I’ve heard of plenty of people who have killed others fully repenting and truly seaking forgiveness for that, I have never heard of a rapist doing so. Rape is a lust crime while there are many reasons for why someone may kill others, and sometimes it’s an act of self defense so that really has more levels to it. As far as people looking at salvation as a way to get away with doing bad things, that’s not how it works. If you do something that you know is evil with the thought “oh well it’s fine because I can repent later” I think it’s pretty safe to say that you aren’t actually saved and are just misusing Jesus as a cover for yourself. Are people going to make mistakes? Obviously, but there is a difference between purposefully seaking out to do something that hurts another person, and making a mistake. On a different note, from the stand point of the Jewish belief system you are supposed to have a Messiah/deliverer come at some point, and by all descriptions in the New Testament, that was Jesus. He fulfilled every prophesy. All that is to say, if you’re ever searching for deeper answers someday, I hope you find them, but regardless, happy Passover and Easter to you!
DeleteConfessed sin will be forgiven with Jesus' blood but there are still earthly consequences for sin that was committed before that. Jesus existed with God before He came to this Earth as a baby and that sacrifice for sin of man was always in the mind of God. God's Word says it so we accept it by faith that Jesus is Lord & Saviour of sinful mankind!
Deleteread the Bible
DeleteI'm curious if you've ever read Isaiah 53, a prophecy of Jesus?
Delete@12:13. She probably read a translation that is closer to the original than you have, which has not been distorted to fit 'after the fact'. She would have also not been subjected to some preacher who 'interprets' the passage again to fit 'after the fact'.
DeleteRape has little to do with list, it is a crime of anger, rage and violence.
DeleteVery timely advice in this day...Thankyou!
ReplyDeleteMany think Jesus is 2000 years ago, but hes the living word. There is no past for eternal or forever. So it would always be the now. You understand that and religion is no mystery. It's right in front of your nose even.
ReplyDeleteOr you have the great morning star, and you have a representative of a morning. Rooster crows, morning, and the world denies Jesus (meaning starts to get rid of God, before this rooster crows...which brings difficult times but yet the Savior is risen
ReplyDeleteWhat??
Deletehappy eater love that picture of Jana
ReplyDeleteI’m an eater too. We use this as a defining character trait, too! 🤣
DeleteIt makes absolutely zero sense to me that a loving or "just" creator would condemn anyone to eternal torture, worse than anything contrived here on earth, because they failed to put their trust and faith in an invisible and silent entity. If punishment is God's game, why would he not just have the poor wretch die, cease to exist and leave out the never-ending misery part? I find it astounding that so many people are willing to accept everything in the Bible as irrefutable facts and the word of God, a book that was written by many different men over the course of hundreds of years, generations ago, and passed down second and third hand. These same folks are quick to dismiss anything scientific, like climate change, yet at the same time believe there's a lake of fire and eternal suffering awaiting anyone who doesn't convert to a certain religion. I guess you can believe anything that brings you comfort, but I do have a problem when anybody tries to convince others that they will be punished horribly if they don't follow a certain "Godly" path. It stands to reason that human beings contrived the threat of hell long ago, in order to indoctrinate through intimidation. There are too many religions in the world, all preaching that they alone are preachers of truth and that all others are lost souls, doomed to be thrown into hell at the end of a pitchfork. The simple and absolute truth is that there is not a person on the planet who knows any of the answers to the great religious questions that have haunted humans ever since they began contemplating the cosmos and their own existence. The Great Mystery remains. That may explain why there are thousands of faiths being practiced on this planet and why they are called faiths. There's one thing of which I am certain: there are no objective truths about the absolute validity of any religion.
ReplyDelete"Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion--several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven…." -Mark Twain
It doesn’t need to make sense to you for the Bible to be true and real, including the message of Jesus, God’s Son, and His sacrifice at the cross to pay for the sins of all people. We all need a Savior.
Delete7:40- When people stop questioning and simply accept as truth that which makes no sense or has no proof, we set ourselves up for being victims of tyranny and oppression. You are free to believe whatever brings you comfort. However, no one is free to use intimidation tactics (such as threats of hell) in an attempt to convert others to their religious ideology.
DeleteIt's not an intimidation tactic if it is sharing a warning from God's Word. He warns us because He loves us. The God of the universe is our creator, and we should have a reverent awe of Him. When man flippantly or defiantly rejects Him, there is no faith. God rewards faith and ultimately rejects those who reject Him. But he is also patient and gives people chances.
DeleteIt's not His will for anyone to go to hell that is why He was will to go to the the cross and die. But the choice is for you to make will you expect His free gift of salvation or reject it?
DeleteLoved the inspirational message about the Lord. It's wonderful to be a Christian! Happy Easter. I really enjoyed the photos of Jana and JD and his family, too. I wish Jana could find a nice husband and start a family. I hope she isn't lonely. One doesn't have to be married with children to find happiness, but they sure are great blessings from the Lord. I think Jana would make a wonderful wife and mother.
ReplyDeleteDebbie, I found the message not at all inspirational. It's sad that some people really believe that you can just confess all the rotten things you do, proclaim your love and acceptance of the Lord and then expect an express ticket to heaven. It seems to me that threatening humanity with hell is not a loving or efficient way to sincerely convert them. It sounds more like something a tyrant would do. Furthermore, I can do without a God who let's children go hungry or be abused today, but promises them heaven after they die.
DeleteIt’s really not our place to judge people. Thank goodness we have God to take care of that.
DeleteI consider myself Christian, but I refuse to believe that people of other religions (or those who are not members of any organized religion) will spend eternity in "a terrible place." There are wonderful, kind, selfless people across any religion or even people without a religion. I think it is *very* close minded to think only those like you, who think like you, will go to heaven.
ReplyDeleteMe to!
DeleteChristianity is vitally related to the Bible. The Bible tells us exactly who is going to heaven, and the answer is those who believe on Jesus as their saviour from sin. If one's belief system doesn't include what the Bible teaches, it really can't be considered Christianity.
DeleteThen you don’t actually believe in the Bible?
DeleteUm, then how exactly do you think you’re a Christian? Either you believe what the Bible says or you don’t, you can’t just choose bits and pieces that sound good to you.
Delete12:20--"JESUS said to him,'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through Me.'"
DeleteMO- AMEN! :o)
DeleteAs a Christian, you can’t pick the parts of God’s Word that you’d like to believe or accept. Ellie speaks the truth in love.
DeleteI think it's sad that she is getting jumped on for sharing her personal beliefs on her own blog. She has freedom of religion and freedom of speech, just like you do.
DeleteHave you read through the Bible with an open mind yourself?
DeleteI do wonder why people would have to be threatened to accept Jesus. The promise of a rich reward should be enough without all the threats IMO.
DeleteWhen I see the faire bible, I always think of the song, with lyrics “...the b-i-I-b-l-e, that’s the book for me...” I think that was of the first words I learned to spell, aside from my name and respect. Music and learning are great!
DeleteThis post reeks of sanctimony and smugness. People like you think you are so much better than everyone else because you are Christian and conservative. I hope your Easter was awful.
ReplyDeleteNo, it has the fragrance of hope, truth, and love.
DeleteIt strikes me as a knee-jerk reaction to think Ellie is being sanctimonious. She never claimed to be morally superior, which is the definition of sanctimony. Christians know we are all on the same playing field. We know there is none righteous, not one. That's why we need Jesus' sacrificial death on our behalf, because the payment for sin is death. God offers forgiveness, heaven, personal peace, an ongoing relationship with God. If this is real, Ellie is letting us know about the best gift ever. If you want to reject the gift, that's your choice, but Ellie would be pretty selfish to keep it to herself.
DeleteNo it speaks of truth! Sorry you don't believe it. And I hope your Easter wasn't awful!!!
DeleteThe Pharisees were religious VIPs in Jesus' time. They were full of sanctimony and smugness. They didn't want any part of Jesus either.
DeleteI don't hope anyone's Easter was awful or wish bad things on anyone. I I do agree that sanctimony and smugness seem to be common traits among many conservative Christians. It gives people a sense of power when they think they hold some divine truth and insight that escapes others. What they seem to not understand is that the members of all the other churches and religions they believe are wrong are thinking the very same thing. I wish people could just put aside differences, let people live their lives their own way, and quit worrying about what someone else chooses to believe about God.
DeleteAnon 2:06. You have to remember that the post was written because it's the Easter celebration which is a Christian holiday. It's not us Christians being smug or thinking we are better then anyone, it's us Christians celebrating the meaning of the holiday and everything it stands for. Christians welcome everyone to join us.
DeleteWow, you sound very triggered. I don’t think Ellie thinks that she’s a better person than anyone else, but for you to say you hope her Easter was awful shows that she’s a better person than you at the very least.
DeleteBetween this comment and the blogger, I have to say it's kind of clear which one is acting better.
DeleteThere is nothing sanctimonious or smug about the Gospel message. It’s the most loving truth that Ellie can share with you. A true Christian doesn’t think they better than anyone else. On the contrary, we’re painfully aware of our wretchedness in the sight of God and realize our need for a Savior. Easter is the foundation of our faith. I pray that your heart softens and you submit to God’s Son, Jesus as your Lord and Savior. He loves you!
DeleteWhy would you allow this comment into your blog! I’m sorry that was said to you. If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say any that all!!!
DeleteI agree with your point 2:06, although I might not have stated it quite that way. I've seen too many absolutely terrible people who proudly and smugly call themselves Christian. People who show up at church on Sunday to smile and glad-hand everyone but then Monday thru Saturday do some pretty despicable things. On the other hand, I've known wonderful people with no religious affiliation at all who have hearts of gold and would give you the shirts off their backs if you needed it. You can't put up a false front of Christianity and expect everyone to automatically respect you. Actions speak louder than words.
DeleteI was rather taken aback that anyone would think that God knew about this disease and unleashed it on the world. I always believed that that God LOVED us and would care for those who followed Jesus. This virus seems to attack Christians with the same ferocity that it does non-believers. So why should anyone "trust God" when he does this sort of thing?
DeleteI feel that was a bit unkind. Although I'm not on board with the message that God didn't care what impact this disease would have on people, I don't think we should wish bad on others.
DeleteSadly, even non Christians can be act sanctimonious and smug. I have a slew of relatives in rural Oregon that believe it‘s their American right for open carry of guns, alcohol and to social security. Mention religion and they call you a hippie! 😂
Delete@12:14am Wait - you don't believe Americans are entitled do Social Security if they meet the parameters of the program? You're ready to take these relatives into your home and provide for them when they get old or can't work, if they can't have SS checks?
DeleteOk....I'm a Christian, that being said, even if I wasn't my guess is this person left Easter Bunny baskets for their children and had a family dinner that day....I hope if that is all you celebrate on Easter, that you had a really nice day. No sense in wishing someone a bad day just because they are different than you.
Delete@3:06
DeleteI am 2:06. Looking back, I realize my words were a bit harsh. My family had one of our worst Easters ever. I am in the NYC area and could not see my extended family or friends because of the coronavirus. I don't when or if I'll be seeing them again. Some of them are high risk and will die if they get the virus due to age or underlying conditions. I have an extremely ill parent and on top of all this I am out of work because my company closed due to the virus. My career is everything to me. Most of my friends can't work right now either, because they are small business owners and were ordered to shut down due to being nonessential. My part of the country is really hurting and a lot of people in other parts of the United States don't seem to get how serious it is and are demanding to have the economy reopened and are protesting social distancing while thousands of their fellow Americans are dying every day.
I do not have children and even if I did, I would not have been able to get them anything due to most of the stores in my area running low on supplies. People can't even get basic food. They don't care about frivolities like Easter baskets. It is recommended that people do not even grocery shop right now and order food from home if possible. Several of my friends and neighbors could not get their children baskets this year and had to tell them the truth about the bunny. Churches have been shut down too, so people had to worship from home and could not see their church families.
Because of all that's been happening in my part of the country and the effect of COVID-19 on my personal life, this strongly-worded message just sent me over the edge. I am not particularly religious (lapsed Catholic) and found it to be very judgmental and exclusive, which is the opposite of how I feel God would act.
9:19, I appreciate your honesty and your admission that things could have been worded better. I'm also sad that you see the Easter message, one that offers peace, hope, and joy to anyone, as judgmental and exclusive when it is the opposite.
DeleteCute photos, and I appreciate that you shared the Gospel. What we're going through now is NOTHING compared to an eternity in hell. Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the gospel being shared too.
Delete@2:15- If you were God, would you condemn anyone to eternal suffering, because they didn't worship and love you? Is there any reason at all that would warrant such a sentence?
DeleteAmen!! And thank you for unashamedly sharing God's special message of salvation, Ellie!! He is risen indeed!!
DeleteIf God created us, loves us, wants to have an ongoing personal relationship with us, provided a way for us to have eternal life, and we reject all that, how is that His fault?
Delete6:04- You failed to answer the question posed by 6:17. What would YOU do if you were God?
Delete6:04- It’s his fault because he created us without our permission. We are nothing more than play things to him, given some of the descriptions here on this blog.
DeleteI'm sorry you are both missing out on the relationship you could be having with God right now. It is a father/child relationship He wants to have with you, not a play thing.
DeleteThank you for including the Gospel message.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the gospel was shared too!
DeleteGreat shot of Jana! Cute family photo of John/Abbie/Grace!
ReplyDeleteAs a Unitarian Universalist, I agree that salvation is free and not earned.
ReplyDeleteBut to me that means that belief really is besides the point - we are all saved no matter what we believe. Muslim, Jew, Hindu, atheist, what-have-you - all will partake in heaven if they live life well and according to their consciences.
I cannot imagine an all-loving, all, merciful and all-just God lets souls go to hell for not believing exactly the right thing. It is neither loving, nor merciful, nor just.
How will I feel if I get there and I'm wrong? Well, I believe think I am, so it doesn't matter.
For those who appreciate the above Gospel message, I ask you this: If you could somehow magically trade places with God himself for a moment, would you deliberately create a place of unspeakable torture and then condemn certain human beings to it for all eternity because they failed to love
ReplyDeleteand worship you?
So sad the negative remarks because of a timely and wonderful Easter message.☹
ReplyDeleteJesus did say people would get offended at the gospel. And would be hated for His Name's sake. There is a particular comment that comes from a heart full of hate. But the gospel is to be shared in season or out. I can agree that there have been and are still a lot of people that have given Christianity a bad name becauseof the hypocrisy and self righteousness that was shown through them, but that's not how it's supposed to be. Christians are supposed to be a light in the world.
ReplyDeleteEllie, I’m so proud of you to speak up about the Lord! You will be criticized and persecuted on here but stand firm in the Lord. You will not regret warning people about that Great Day when you stand in front of Him. God bless you for being so brave...
ReplyDeleteexcuse me but could everyone just chill on ellie please!
ReplyDeletefirst off, this is her blog about a family that believes the same way she does. she is expressing her opinions on her blog about her beliefs. you all can express your own opinions on your own blogs but dont criticize her for doing so on hers.
secondly, if you dont like what she says, scroll on by. stop being so butt hurt. i dont even believe in her god yet i've followed the bates, duggars and ellie, from their inceptions (tv & blogs) and dont take offense at her expressing herself about her religion. i'm agnostic and have known it all along yet i continue to choose to read what she says. i dont have to believe/follow/understand what she believes, and neither do you, but please learn some tolerance for people and their opinions. especially on their own page.
8:36 -
DeleteFirst, this is a Duggar news blog so it's puzzling why Ellie felt she had to include her personal message, which has nothing to do with the Duggars. She has her own blog where this kind of message would have been more appropriate.
Second, others are rightfully pointing out that the message comes across as sanctimonious. It's not right to go around telling people they'll go to Hell if they don't believe the same way you do. Nowhere does she state that it's OK not to believe what she says. It's believe that or go to Hell, period. Do you find any tolerance in that, the way you're asking others to find tolerance?
4:15- Ellie was attempting to give testimony or proselytize, because she knows there are quite a few visitors to this blog who are not Baptists and don't share their version of Christianity.
DeleteI've found that the more religious someone claims to be, especially the more evangelical they are, the less tolerant they become. Their religion blinds them to tolerance.
DeleteWanted to say thank you to the original commenter. I very much appreciate your respect, even thought we do not share the same faith. :)
DeleteTo the person who commented at 9:50AM, just wanted to clear up that I did not grow up Baptist, nor do I think that those who attend Baptist churches are the only ones who are saved. As long as a church teaches what is written in the Bible, then I would say it's a solid church.
Ellie
@Ellie So any "church" that doesn't teach what's written in the Bible is not "solid"? You've excluded over 2/3 of the world's people and their beliefs. And Christians don't judge others??
DeleteEllie- I've never known any Christian church that didn't claim to teach what's written in the Bible. Yet, they most all take issue with other denominations in one way or another and claim they're doctrine is right.
DeleteI can understand a person's view and being offended by what Lily & Ellie said if this was a non duggar blog. Lily & Ellie have expressed beautifully their faith many times throughout the years.When the above commentor mentioned conservative ignorance and arrogance.Almost all major universities in the United States were founded by churches.To believe in Jesus Christ is to believe in free will but also unapologetic fundamental core beliefs. Not because God doesn't care or wishes people to go to hell.Quite the opposite but because he is a loving Father he creates boundaries to which he tells his believers through his word must follow.The key being his follower.This means you will lose friends,family members and even a good name.The bible says the world will hate you because they hate me.The Father's love & grace is for all including non believers. The consequence for what you choose at the end is either you accept him or reject him.In which case Life or eternal death.God doesn't expect perfection and he created grace even until your last breath.The bible is God's love letter to humanity.It really is that simple.
ReplyDeleteThank you for spreading the word of the gospel message. I believe in God and have faith in our Lord Jesus. I love the pictures. I can't wait to watch the new season of Çounting On! Natasha B
ReplyDeleteI do not believe in the cruel God you worship. The above description does not fit with love or logic. Any way you slice it, allowing your own son to be brutally sacrificed and then sentencing people to eternal agony, because they didn't accept him as their savior before they died, is just plain sadistic and revengeful. This is not the work of a benevolent, intelligent, and loving Creator. I do not believe in heaven or hell and I question the existence of a higher power, other than nature itself. What I do know is that I exist in this world, and believe the meaning or purpose we have in this life comes from the postive influence we have on others. Telling people they'll suffer the consequence of a mythical hell if they don't convert to a certain religion does not make that list. Rather, it's an old story that only serves to fuels division, strife and religious tyranny. Just because something is written in the Bible, does not make it true.
ReplyDeleteIt is a positive thing that the bloggers chose to post the dissenting opinons on this post. When people shut down divergent thinking, learning and understanding cease to exist.
Thank you, Ellie, for a clear presentation of the Gospel. For those of you that have questions about God’s Son Jesus, his death, and resurrection, please seek out answers from a trusted source. I would recommend John MacArthur or Todd Friel (search Wretched) on You Tube as most are in quarantine. Many churches are doing live streams and the past month’s videos are present. Do not be swayed by the naysayers in this comment section. This topic is far more important than the Duggar family, and as Christians, they would agree. Just because some people don’t believe the Bible’s clarity on the message and mission of Jesus does not make it false, and that includes the excruciating heartbreak of the presence of Hell. The Bible, God’s Word and the authority of Christ followers, describes Hell as eternal separation from God, but He sent His Son Jesus to pay for our sins to allow us to spend eternity in Heaven with Him. We do not earn this gift of Salvation, but must be willing to admit that we are born sinners, and only Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross allows for the forgiveness of every sin committed. He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
ReplyDelete7:29- So, you describe hell as an eternal separation from God. Others say it's eternal torture in a lake of fire. Which is it?
Delete5:20, God is not in the lake of fire, so it is both.
Delete5:20, I am the op. It’s both-the Bible describes hell in many different ways, but they all describe the same place.
DeleteI heard a message last summer that I’ll never forget. Everything good comes from God and Satan is the direct opposite, so imagine the good we experience here on earth-rest, hydration, joy, light, and imagine hell and the absence of anything God created that is good. This earth is not a Christian’s home-our desire is to be in the presence of God, in Heaven, our eternal home. But, we can enjoy the beauty of God’s creation and the thought of His provision absent in an eternal separation in hell is a dreadful thought.
WOW, this post, Anonymous, April 13 2:06: does not fall under, "we do not post anything that is profane, insulting, derogatory, or in poor taste"?
ReplyDeleteHoping someone's "Easter is awful". I would consider that statement"derogatory, and insulting".
I will pray for anonymous 2:06. This is a great example of how sin blinds a person's heart. The Bible is the only book that has withstood the generations of time.
Sin and darkness have brought us to a point in America where it is illegal to be inhumane to an animal. Do not get me wrong! I do not feel it is right to be abusive in any way to animals. Yet, in America it is not inhumane to conduct abortions and now post-birth abortions? Wow! The sanctity of animals are now viewed as more important than our babies that are conceived and aborted. I ask, This is not inhumane?
Congress just passed a bill that post birth abortion "Babies", born alive, are NOT entitled to free health care.
Set aside the religious aspect of this. I ask, at what point does an infant attain their "Constitutional Rights"?
On both fronts, babies are denied life, and rights!
I am sorry, no matter what faith you are this is wrong!
In reading these posts I would like to give my personal opinion. Religion is NOT what gets you to Heaven. It is your personal decision to accept the fact that Christ paid the penalty on the Cross for the sins of mankind. That means for me and for my sins as well as for all mankind.
An alliance to a Church, it's practices, not even communion nor baptism saves a person.
It is a direct profession of acknowledging our sin, accepting the gift of salvation through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and choosing to live by God's plan. His plan is revealed to us through the inspired Word of God, The Bible. Yes, another poster stated Bible written by a "bunch of men". Read the Bible and you will see how God inspired these individuals to write their experiences that generations would see the miracles, life instructions, how to journey through life's difficult experiences through their own recorded circumstances.
Wisdom comes by learning through other's mistakes and applying God's principles to help us from making the same mistakes.
In Christianity, often times "Legslism" is interpreted as the "Religion". The "do's and don'ts" that come out of Churches are what I refer to as "Legalism".
These practices are where misinterpretations about Christianity come into play.
I believe God looks on the internal, the heart. Not the externals, ie, how we dress, what we do. No matter what someone does, another person will find something wrong in that.
God looks at our heart. The Bible is not a book of rules but the means to salvation and then how we are to walk through life with God.
America has turned so far from Biblical principles, that we find our Country in disarray. Being kind, compassionate, caring, understanding, thinking of others before self are examples Christ portrayed when He lived here on earth. Let's all apply these Biblical principles and see how the world around us will change.
It is time for America to bring Christ and prayer back into our lives. This Nation was founded under men that trusted God.
Life is not about "Religions" or living and dressing by a bunch of rules, life is about a personal relationship with Christ.
10:20 A "personal relationship with Christ" IS A RELIGION.
DeleteAmen... 10:20...you said it all....Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation and seeing heaven and all of his promises one day. Religion will not get you to the Kingdom of God🙏🙏praying for our country and those that do not know our Jesus🙏
Delete10:20AM "The Bible is the only book that has withstood the generations of time." - May I introduce you to the Quran, the Four Vedas, the Torah, the Talmud, the Book of Mormon, the Tripitakas, the Book of Rites, the Guru Granth Sahib, Kojiki, the Srimad Bhagvatam, and so on? Most of those religious texts are much older than the Christian Bible!
DeleteI think you just gave me the reason to stop following this blog after seven years
ReplyDeleteMy mother just died. She was not much of a church goes but I can not believe that my gentle loving mother is now in hell
Anon 12:18 You don't know what was going on in the last days and hours between your Mom and God. My Pastors Dad
Deletedied after years of rejecting God and even getting mad at his wife for being a Christian and going to Church and taking the kids to Church. So when he passed away his wife was so devastated at the thought of not seeing her husband again in eternity. But little did she know that the neighbor who was his friend had come over 2 days before he died of his heart attack and knocked on the door and there was no answer so he opened the door and there on his knees in front of the couch was my Pastors Dad crying and praying to God. The neighbor left not wanting to disturb him and when he shared what he seen and heard with my Pastors Mom she was overwhelmed with thankfulness that even in those last days of her husband's life that God was still drawing and calling her husband and Saved him. God is a loving God and I would never underestimate His love for your Mom and what He did in those last days and moments of her life.
1 Corinthians 2:9:
ReplyDeleteBut as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
A testament about what is ahead for them that Love Him !
I see this as a rather mixed message. If God knew about this disease and let it sweep the globe that shows an indifference to the impact it has on the daily lives of Christians. IMO indifference doesn't inspire trust in God to see you through a crisis.
ReplyDeleteBecause from the Christin standpoint, we understand that we live in a fallen world, which means that until Jesus’ return horrible things are going to continue to happen?
Delete@6:02- That's great if believing as you do gives you comfort. It doesn't work that way for everyone, however. I found much more peace and joy when I gave up the idea that there's a true church or a higher power in charge of anything. What I do understand is that whatever meaning can be gleaned from life, it lies in how we treat other people and how we can make a positive difference in the here and now, no matter how small a contribution it may be. One does not need to believe in God or embrace Christianity to be a good person.
DeleteAnon 2:29. Ah yes. It defies logic. Christians praise God and give him credit for the good things that happen in their life but somehow he's not responsible for the bad things that come their way. FAITH.
Delete8:18, the Bible says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. No one comes up to the standard of Hid, which is perfection. The Bible also says that there is none righteous. We ALL sin against God many times throughout our lives. We are all on a level playing field.
Delete2 Corinthians 1:3-5 English Standard Version (ESV)
ReplyDeleteGod of All Comfort
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.[a]
It sometimes takes a lot to realize the goodness of God and we
are always the ones who choose to accept or reject by our free will choices.
It’s rather silly to patronizingly tell people to just read the Bible, when they don’t believe any of it in the first place!
ReplyDeleteHow can they not believe it if they haven't read it to know what it says? Say I don't believe in global warming but I've never read anything about it. How is that an informed opinion?
Delete11:30- Who said that those who question the authenticity and content of the Bible hadn't ever read it?
DeleteI like to focus on THIS life. Only people have told me about god. God hasn’t told me about god. I refuse to be gaslit by something I can’t sense. Sorry,
ReplyDeleteHave you ever tried asking God to show you that He is real?
Delete@11:29 Asking GOD? When have you seen him?
DeleteYou don't have to see God to talk to Him. He is listening whenever you're ready to talk to Him.
DeleteI knew that this particular post and subject matter would get intense responses. It's really sad that the topic of religious beliefs bring out so much anger on both sides. It's not surprising that many wars throughout history have been fought over religion. I think everyone needs to calm down. Getting angry does not help the situation. We need to realize and accept the fact that we are not going to agree. This has been a fact since the beginning. We do need to be respectful and kind to one another, no matter our personal opinions.
ReplyDeleteEh, I don’t think it’s out of line to be offended at this post.
DeleteNo one person’s choice or opinion (aka religion) supersedes any other person’s (unless the choice or opinion leads to actions that are incredibly dangerous, in which case that choice should be understood to be malicious.)
I don’t understand why some evangelicals believe that the way they choose to live is better than others’. They then attempt to shove their religion on everyone. As I said above, the only things we should focus on are what we can SENSE. Why live for an afterlife?
No one has ever come back and told anyone about the afterlife.
Only people have told me about god. Why hasn’t god told me about god?
Religion is silly. Focus on your family, friends, and doing good in the world.
So you think it's OK to tell people they're going to Hell if they don't accept your religious beliefs, as long as it's done in a "respectful" way? I've read many accusations of bullying on this board for different things that were said and differing opinions. You don't think such a statement would fall under that category too?
DeleteEverything past the first sentence of the original post is inappropriate for the Duggar blog. Please stick to the subject of the Duggars and leave the sermonettes for elsewhere. You do have an elsewhere that's more appropriate if you want to proselytize.
ReplyDeleteNo. Bloggers are allowed to choose whatever topics they want to blog about. You don't want to read it, then don't read past the first line.
DeleteAnon @8:32- Why? Does it bother you? The job of Christians is to evangelize, as found in Matthew 28:18-20.
DeleteThat was a beautiful post, Ellie! Very well said and you will have haters and mockers but that is this world.
@7:35- You are confusing hatred and mockery with honest feedback and criticism of certain religious beliefs that are being touted as superior to all others. If you expect the right to evangelize, then you should also expect others to respond accordingly with their own ideas and opinions.
Delete@7:35 People who go around evangelizing as a job can get annoying. Your freedom of speech and religion is not more important than anyone else's freedom of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. If that includes not being approached by an evangelist on or off someone's property, then you have to respect that and move on with your word. I doubt God wants His people annoying others. Evangelists are usually the same ones who don't want their children hearing about any other religion in school, and the first to complain if the Koran is brought up in class or is assigned as study reading. So why can't they understand that others don't want to hear about their religion?
DeleteBoy, if the replies went off-topic the way that Duggar post did, the replies would never get posted. Start out talking about one thing then immediately take a left turn and start preaching personal beliefs. Was that really necessary?
DeleteHi Ellie.
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing this blog. I tend to come on here on occasionally to check in on what is new with the Duggar family. I was recently diagnosed with T1D, and have prayed to God and have felt that maybe it wasn't working or that God wasn't listening. Something told me to check the blog out today, but I will pray to God again, tonight, asking him to forgive me for my sin and accept Jesus in my life. Thank you again, Ellie.
-Leann
Hi Leann,
DeleteThank you for your comment! So sorry to hear about your diagnosis. :( It makes my heart so happy to hear that you want to have a relationship with Jesus! As long as you are praying with a genuine heart, expecting that God hears, I can guarantee you that he does. As you read the Bible, pray, and grow in your relationship with Him, you WILL feel his presence in your life. 100% guaranteed. There is a Bible verse that says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not yet seen." Do you have a Bible? If not, I would be happy to send you one. I would suggest starting to read in the book of John. It provides a great overview of the Christian faith. Do you have a church that you are considering attending? If not, I would be happy to help you find one. "Non-denominational" churches are usually a good choice. If you shoot me an email at NashvilleWife@gmail.com I would be happy to do an online search for your area and help you find one that has solid, Bible-based beliefs (usually listed on their website). Most churches are not meeting right now, but you could likely reach out to the pastor via phone or email, and the church could possibly send you some resources (ie Bible, sermons, etc). I would love to help in any way I can. :)
Ellie
Lily and Ellie: Who wrote this narrative under this heading?
ReplyDeleteI did. :)
DeleteEllie
Thank you, Ellie! Let your light shine. :)
DeleteThank you Lily and Ellie for sharing these Truths. God is faithful and true and good in all things.
ReplyDeleteIf it were true and provable, you wouldn't need faith to believe it.
DeleteI have to hand it to Ellie, she sure spiced up this forum! I, for one, enjoy reading the varied opinions. I think it's important to be open to hearing the perspectives of others and have religious beliefs challenged. IMO, if there is a God who loves and cares for us so much, he would not allow for the misery here on earth. He never would have conjured up such a place as hell in the first place, where "lost" souls would be tortured for all eternity. If he created us, then he also created our ability to think, reason, and question. If his expectation is that we trust and worship him, then he should have made his presence undeniably known, rather than hidden and mysterious. He certainly should have given us more than a book that was written by human beings, retranslated, reinterpreted, added to, and argued about for centuries. The God described by so many here fails the logic test. Demanding that people believe in an invisible entity is like insisting they believe in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. If God is as a loving Father, I have to say that I know of no loving human parent, myself included, who would ever give up on their own child and let them suffer, if it was within their power to change things. I know that it's a knee-jerk reaction for some to respond with Scripture quoting. Understand, at least for me, that doing so is quite meaningless. I get more meaning and inspiration from John Lennon's song:
ReplyDelete"Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try.
No hell below us
Above us, only sky.
Imagine all the people
Livin' for today.
Imagine there's no countries,
It isn't hard to do.
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too.
Imagine all the people
Livin' life in peace.
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one."
Peace!
One of the best songs ever written!
DeleteThat song makes no sense in the real world.
Delete12:33 Neither does the Bible!
Deleteanon@12:23 If you can't imagine or hope for a world at peace, I feel sorry for you.
DeleteAs long as we're all sinners at heart, then no, I can't imagine that. But I know that there is no sin in God's presence, and that will be, well, heavenly.
Delete@5:15 why are you on this page believing as you do? There's a lot about the Duggars that I don't agree with- having way to many kids, their lack of education and jobs, females as second class citizens, with the exception of Jinger and Jill all the adult women need decent hair cuts, no exposure to the outside world and different ways of thinking, but saying that I am a Christian. I never cared for that John Lennon song. Let me try to explain a few things. The reason God allows bad things to happen goes all the way back to Adam and Eve it has to do with free will. Most of the terrible things that happen has its roots to choices that man has made. Jesus was born to die for our sins. For any questions about that I would recommend talking to a ordained minister or priest.
Delete@2:46 Where is the rule that you have to be Christian to read this blog?
DeletePppfttt... a very fascist song written by liberal anti Christian boomers..
Delete2:46 The OP answered your question in the second sentence of the post. Somehow, you seem threatened by that.
Delete3:31- I think you need to look up the definition of fascism. BTW, how is wanting a peaceful world a bad thing?
Delete@4:42 this is 2:46 I am not threatened by it. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. I am not one of those people to push my own beliefs on others. I feel actions speak louder then words.(how you treat others) I was just asking why someone who is not a Christian would be commenting.
Delete442 this is 2:46 again. I answered her question about why God allows bad things to happen and where to turn to have her questions answered. I could turn the question back to you why do you feel threatened?
DeleteLily and Ellie please continue to spread the word. Thank you
ReplyDeleteEllie,
ReplyDeleteYou DID realize what you were getting into when you posted your original message, right?
I'm sure she gave this a LOT of thought before she posted it! And I'm proud of her for it. Nowhere in the Bible do we find where the Christians just went along with the flow of the world. Why were they persecuted and even killed? For acting, talking, dressing like the world? For being lukewarm Christians? No!
DeleteGreat job sharing the Gospel, Ellie! I pray it touches whoever needed to read it. I think the Duggars would approve of you sharing the Good News on a blog about them.
ReplyDelete"The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit." 1 Corinthians 2:14
"And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." John 1:5
I think Ellie posted this for her own entertainment LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt worked!
On a lighter note, Jana looks absolutely beautiful.
Hope your Easter was filled with bunnies and candy, everyone.
I truly doubt that Ellie posted this for her own "entertainment."
DeleteI like this blog. I like finding out more about the people I see on TV. And the message about the gospel is OK. On a side note, I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and lord when I was 16, but now that the Coronavirus is here and the ambulances awake me every night, I am sort of wondering why God would let all of this bad stuff happen, and I am thinking about UN-accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior. But I don’t know how to go about doing that? Shall I just declare that I no longer accept him?
ReplyDeleteBefore you decide to do that, the Bible says to draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Why not try a season of drawing nearer to God and see what happens in your heart and life first.
DeleteYou already did if you’re entertaining the thought of it. I’m warning you tho that you are on dangerous ground doing that since you’re turning to Satan rather than God. Who would you rather face at the end of your life, God or Satan?
Deleteanon@9:31- I do not find anything remotely positive, uplifting, loving or productive about your response. It is the kind of talk that drove me away from any kind of organized religion a very long time ago. It's the same kind of damaging ultimatum that churches have used to intimidate people for centuries. It's a cruel shame.
DeleteIMO you have realized that God isn't going to intervene on behalf of humans during this crisis and it troubles you. It's not what you signed up for when you became a Christian. How you handle it is up to you. You don't need to "disenroll" from Christianity or anything of that nature.
DeleteMaybe Satan. If there is such a thing. This life is way way too hard. My kids lost their uncle to coronavirus and my kids are so scared everyday that I’ll get it and leave them.
DeleteAnon 4:28 Perhaps I'm missing something but I don't see how "drawing near to God" either addresses or resolves the very real concerns the OP has. I don't think anyone has an answer to the question of why God doesn't intervene in this pandemic.
DeleteDrawing near to God brings peace, joy, and many other things despite your circumstances. He brings peace in the midst of the storm. Hard things are a part of life. God never promises a perfect life here on this earth, but He gives so much to get you through the hard things. It's something you really don't understand until you experience it for yourself, because it doesn't make sense to our limited minds.
Delete...Or you can simply stare into space and calm your thoughts yourself, no deity needed. No disappointment from unfilled promises that way. Science is going to win this battle along with human cooperation and perseverance. We're not going to wait for a solution to arrive on a thunderclap from above.
DeleteLast Easter (2019) there were 6 Duggar girls pregnant: Jessa, Kendra, Joy, Lauren, Anna and Abbie. Now 5 of them celebrate Easter with their 5 new baby girls (Ivy, Addison, Bella, Marylella and Gracie). Joy had a tragic miscarriage last year, but now is pregnant again. What new arrivals will be celebrated by next Easter?
ReplyDeleteI love that God brings both believers and unbelievers here together for His purpose.😊💖
ReplyDeleteMaybe God’s “purpose” of releasing coronivirus is for his own enjoyment of seeing how believers and non believers react.
DeleteI enjoy this blog on being updated on the Duggar family. But why would you end it on such a negative and condescending note? That's not going to help anyone get into your religion nor does it show your concept of a loving god.
ReplyDelete