Text Size: Zoom In

What’s Not to Like Here?

Mart De Haan Posted by Mart DeHaan
March 21st, 2012
145 Comments » 

Have you ever noticed that some of us seem to have a  low and suspicious view of human nature, while others find something to like and love in everyone?

Jesus seemed to do both. Sometimes he’d call those who came to hear him evil people who knew how to do good things  (Matt 7:11).  Or while acknowledging that God alone deserves to be called good, (Matt 10:17), he’d hold up some of the most unlikely people as examples of courage, kindness, generosity and neighbor love (Luke 10:30-37).

On one occasion when someone asked Jesus why such terrible things happen to some people, the Teacher responded saying, “Unless you repent, you will likewise perish” (Luke 13:1-5).

Seems like it might be worth talking about what it would take for us to have Jesus’ ability to see things that are good and loving where we only see evil; and to be able to see evil where we are thinking “what’s not to love about that?”


« Previous: Day of Madness and Upsets Next: What’s a Good Day? »
Vote on whether you think this post is something you'll be thinking about:
Vote This Post DownVote This Post Up (+28 rating, 28 votes)
Loading...
145 Comments »

Filed in Christlikeness, relationships

145 Responses to “What’s Not to Like Here?”

  1. SFDBWV says:
    March 21, 2012 at 6:04 am

    I have often said that I thought we were living at the end of the age of man, it is my observational opinion and one that in my added opinion also seems to align itself with scripture.

    One of the many scripture concepts that aid me in this belief is that people no longer seem to know right from wrong, good from bad, evil from goodness. It all seems to be blended together under the disguise of freedom of expression, tolerance and naïve acceptability.

    One of the advantages of having the Holy Spirit as a constant companion is the ability to discern, to be able to *see* and understand matters as well as people from the view the Spirit opens up our own ability to understand.

    Everyone is not good hearted and everything is not of a good use.

    I can pretend and look at life through rose colored glasses, but it is a false view of the world.

    Have you ever had someone break into your house and steal everything they could? I guess you could say, “Well at least they left the toilet paper.”

    Have you ever had someone purposely lie about you to others? I suppose you could say that, “Well they just do that to make themselves feel better.”

    Have you ever had someone slash your tires because they were jealous of the car you had? I suppose you could say, “I hope they didn’t get themselves hurt while using a knife on my car.”

    There is good in the world and there is bad in the world, if you can’t figure out which is which, the Holy Spirit can guide you. That is unless you quit listening to Him.

    Steve

  2. rxman says:
    March 21, 2012 at 7:08 am

    I’ve often wondered what Jesus meant when He said to turn the other cheek, walk 2 miles instead of 1, give them our coat in addition to our shirt. Or when He said to forgive 70 times 7. He didn’t seem to differentiate as to whether that person was evil or not. Sometimes when we repay evil with evil, it just multiplies evil. Maybe if we repaid evil with good, it would stop evil in its tracks.

    I suppose there is a time to call something evil for what it is as well as discerning whether something that looks ok is not what God would want for us. I agree with Steve in that we need guidance from the Holy Spirit, but God has also given us His word and a brain to think. I believe that if it is done in love for God and for others, it is probably the path to take.

  3. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 7:13 am

    Steve: That inner voice is the Holy Spirit and every time I ignored it I got in trouble. Learn to read body language it speaks much louder than words. The eyes will tell you allot of what is going on in the mind. Words tell us what is in the heart.

    AMEN to your post Steve.

  4. oneg2dblu says:
    March 21, 2012 at 7:25 am

    Yooperjack… I can’t see your eyes to read them, nor can I see your body language, so you are free to express yourself without any outward judgement only what comes out of you.
    The words do speak what is in the heart though, so on that premise alone…you speak with clarity, provision, and with possession. :)

  5. oneg2dblu says:
    March 21, 2012 at 7:39 am

    Mart.. you are right about how we look at our world some through an already darkened lens and others through one that magnifies the light.
    Life experience changes the outlook for many as the first five years can last a lifetime! If certain needs are not met during that developemental stage, our lens is forever different than those who’s needs other than shear survival, have been met. To know the love of both parents, to have a tender touch instead of a slap, or an assault upon you budding life can change who we become in this world, if the world raises you.
    But, if the light of the world allows you to re-develope
    allows you to be born again and your formative process is rejuvenated through the loving tender arms of the only one who can provide all you really need, than you needs are met, your lens is cleaned and you have the ability to live in another way.
    Jonn 1:5 NLT “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” We who know Him have that Light shining through our lens. Gary

  6. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 21, 2012 at 8:18 am

    WOW!! This topic envelopes the dark place I’m in this week but the Lord is working a miracle in me. Steve, I agree with you totally.

    I see the ugliness in people as well as in myself, but I tend to see it in others first. I lived with a master of manipulative deceit for 17 years and I encountered the same from those in his crowd of “friends” I went from trusting anyone and everyone to trusting very few and I wasn’t too sure of them either. I took to fighting fire with fire and it took me many years to understand I was repaying evil for evil and I was not the “good guy” just because it had been done to me first. It took many more years of learning that it didn’t really matter if I could trust anyone, because I only needed to trust the Lord. Still, I was often crippled with flashbacks, but I was making much progress.

    A few months ago this nemesis of mine(still deceitful,unremorseful, ungrateful) was in ICU and I felt compassion for my adult children and a little for this man and I believed it was the Grace of God that enabled me to tell my daughter(I have an inlaw apt in her home)that I was ok with her taking him in to care for him until he got better. I helped and felt good about it, but once he was well enough to engage in arrogant speech and mocking, I was convinced that he was on a mission for satan to torment me to pure hatred so I would burn in Hell with him.

    For several days I would go to the river and cry out to God for help. He reminded me to focus on my many blessings and to pray for him. I obeyed and I had some peace of heart, but as soon as I encountered this man’s in my face arrogance, I would lose that peace.

    BUT, yesterday I went to the river and PRAYED from the depth of my being and God Strengthened me and the Peace lasted all day. I KNOW He is helping me and that a great victory is around the corner. I know I need to confront this man kindly, but boldly with Truth and I believe God will give me the words. His response will not matter. So, Yes I have a low and suspicious view of human nature, because I KNOW ME and I KNOW what others are capable of as well. Only God is truly good and completely trustworthy and only He can change us for the better.

  7. SFDBWV says:
    March 21, 2012 at 8:37 am

    What now seems like a lifetime ago to me, I once ministered to a youth group at the local church I attended. It is a great education and opportunity to serve, if you are called to do so I would highly recommend it.

    During one of our discussion periods one of the boys ask me if it was alright to listen to “rock and roll” or that sort of music, my simple answer to him was this; “in life what ever you look for is what you will find, if you look for evil you will find it, if you look for good you will find it.”

    It was true then it is true now, but that doesn’t dismiss the fact there is evil and that there is good amongst us. It isn’t healthy to only see one and not the other and not know them for what they are.

    Believing that the Word of God is an eternal Truth, I can say that I believe the Words given in Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 that there are seasons and times for every thing.

    Jesus recognized evil when He seen it and though He stated that no one was good except the Father, I have come to believe that statement to mean that no one except God is void of sin and a sin nature. However there are plenty who Jesus seen as having the right attitude and doing the right things and he often acknowledged it.

    Jude 1:9 states that the archangel Michael arguing with the devil left it to the Lord to rebuke the devil and in Jude 1:10 gives a rather harsh description of those who speak evil about things they know nothing about.

    Jude is a wake up call to the attitude of many among us and perhaps a warning to look deeper at our own attitude as well.

    Steve

  8. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 8:43 am

    Things we can do to stay out of trouble with evil people. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. If someone is too nice they probably want something. Trust but verify. Two types of people you never trust their words; someone that is trying to sell you something and politicians. If a Politicians lips are moving they’re probably lying. Look at what they have done not what they say they are going to do. Both of these people are game players, the prize is your money or your vote.

    Example: A young friend of mine bought a new truck and told me how nice the salesman was. I told him: “He was nice to you so you would buy the truck.” “Oh no he replied”. When my friend took the truck in for service that same salesman ignored him and wouldn’t even talk to him.

    Wouldn’t it been nice if God put a red light in our forehead so every time we lie it would flash? As rxman said: “God gave us His word and a brain” we need to use them for them to work. Test every spirit. In my way of thinking there is not much worse than a thief and a liar.

  9. SFDBWV says:
    March 21, 2012 at 8:48 am

    Narrowpathseeker my mother used to say that our good deeds here in this life are the gems in our heavenly crown, your efforts with your ex will not go unrewarded, God is faithful.

    I add my prayers to yours for your strength, (Philippians 4: 4-7)

    Steve

  10. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 9:07 am

    Narrow: This person torments you because you let him do it. Why do you even go near him if you fear his intimidation? People like that feel powerful when they can control others. It’s clear you are no value to him other than to play his silly little games. Unless he has value to you stay away from him as much as possible. Pray that God will send someone or something to open his eyes, forgive him and move on. It does not matter if he is family. We all have them.

  11. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 21, 2012 at 10:14 am

    Steve, thank you for your prayers. I know others are praying for me as well…I feel the power of prayer going out for me. Yesterday at the river when something Clicked ..the words Forever wrote, “God Bless you mightily” kept flashing before me(hmm..a PLEASANT and POSITIVE FLASHBACK..thank ALL of you for your prayers and please know that I often pray for all of you as well for others for whom you have requested prayer.

    Yooper, BELIEVE me when I say that avoiding him was foremost in my mind all week. I was so filled with contempt that I actually SAID to a daughter-in-law that his chances of dying of natural causes gets slimmer each day he is here. After I had allowed that to come out of my mouth, I checked out volunteering for the Peace Corp to get away until he got better or died. I’ve been with my daughter and her family for 25 years and although I have my own apt here, I have always helped with cooking and cleaning in the main house as well as yard work. To avoid him I would have to cease helping my daughter and son in law.

    I WANT to run from this, but God made it pretty clear to me yesterday that He wants me to stay and that He will empower me to stand up to this satanic attack and glorify Him in the process. I KNOW God is helping because I went to the river 3 mornings in a row being eaten alive with contempt and came back with His peace. Yesterday, it stayed with me.

    I just remembered a poem my father taught me that coincides with this topic. Unfortunately, I don’t always adhere to the principle of it.

    There is so much good in the worst of us
    And so much bad in the best of us
    It doesn’t pay for any of us
    To talk about the rest of us.

  12. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 11:30 am

    Narrow: If it’s his words that get to you then when he speaks in your direction put your hand up as in stop; then say with a smile: “speak to the hand.” Your silence will silence him. Trust me. Use ear plugs if you have to.

    When my grandchildren start screaming I just turn my hearing aid off and in a few minutes they stop. Without an audience they will shut up. Get my point?

  13. foreverblessed says:
    March 21, 2012 at 11:30 am

    Dear Narrow, as you say, isn’t it hard to stay focused on Jesus? It is sooo hard, reading your comment: the moment you focus on the harm done to you, iiiiii the peace is gone, and the unsettlement is back.
    It took me so many years to learn that it is so simple, as it is written in the Old Testament: “Look to me and be saved.” Isaiah 45:22
    Your situation reminds me of Peter walking on the water.
    I pray for you, that you are in able to keep looking to Jesus.
    We all have to learn to walk on water, figuratively speaking.
    Before I learned this lesson I would look at the other that needed to be changed:- If that person is changed, THEN my trouble would be over._
    But God has an opening in our heart, and not in the other, (not yet), so He works with us, and makes us stronger.
    Praise God, singing hymns and Psalms helps.
    I read this passage this morning: 2 Chronicles 20:12,21
    They started singing and praising God!
    I pray for you narrow, that you can sing too!

  14. glory101 says:
    March 21, 2012 at 11:59 am

    Narrow- Love the poem. Thanks for sharing. God will guide you, continue to trust Him.

  15. poohpity says:
    March 21, 2012 at 12:06 pm

    In that Luke passage it says, “Unless you repent, you will likewise perish” (Luke 13:1-5)”. It seems the ability of self-awareness often is a forgotten view. How can one repent if they do not ever feel they are in error?

    A good counselor will be one who holds up a mirror so that the person will be able to identify the areas within themselves that need work. One can not go into a session and work on the behaviors of another person. Jesus is the great counselor and to those who love Him he will walk through our hearts with a light to show each of us areas that need work. I do not feel that He ever comes into our hearts to look at the areas in another person that needs the light on their problems.

    In every human being there are areas that are hard to love and there are other areas that are easy to love and I think that is what Paul asks us to do in Phil 4:8 NLT to dwell on the good things in others and I would venture to say at times it takes Jesus to see those things. There are times when we have to dig very deep to find those things in others but every person has gone through things in life that cause them to be as they are today. As children they have been abused either physically, emotionally, sexually or been neglected and never shown love which results in a person that is really hard to love. Praying and asking Jesus to help us see what He sees in someone can often soften our hearts towards them.

  16. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    The bottom line is: “Never ever let anyone or anything steal your joy, life is to short.”

  17. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 12:20 pm

    There are times we need to just shake the dust off our shoes and move on like Jesus instructed His Disciples to do and did himself at times. Something we need to just let go of in our lives. Stress kills.

  18. poohpity says:
    March 21, 2012 at 12:32 pm

    I had to think about that part of your sentence Mart where you wrote, “and to be able to see evil where we are thinking “what’s not to love about that?” I believe it would also take evil in a person to be able to say “what’s not to love about that” by another person who also has evil in their hearts to affirm something is not evil when it is.

  19. remarutho says:
    March 21, 2012 at 12:32 pm

    Hello Mart & Friends!

    I was just this morning telling another friend that Jesus “always lives to make intercession for them that approach God through him.” (Hebrews 7:24) There is the hope of the world!

    Mart, you wrote:
    “Seems like it might be worth talking about what it would take for us to have Jesus’ ability to see things that are good and loving where we only see evil; and to be able to see evil where we are thinking ‘what’s not to love about that?’”

    Jesus’ ability is in his sovereignty, goodness and grace. We partake of him – and in fact enter into God’s will through the blessed Holy Spirit. It seems to me the hardest calling of Christ is to bring glory to God in the midst of our own loss and disappointment in people and situations. It can stick in my throat when I am hurting. Still, he intercedes for me — and all who call on him.

    Blessings,
    Maru

  20. remarutho says:
    March 21, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    Meant to cite Hebrews 7:25 — sorry!

  21. poohpity says:
    March 21, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    I thought Jesus was instructing His disciples to shake off the dust if they did not welcome the message they were bringing about salvation.

    In Matt 5:22-24 it says if anyone has anything against you it does not say if you have anything against another.

  22. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 21, 2012 at 1:40 pm

    I am being strengthened as well as uplifted by the prayers and counseling of many of you. God is also showing me, through you, what may be the best way to counsel others. Right or wrong, I sense genuine concern and an uplifting spirit in most that have responded to my dilemma. Unfortunately, there have been times, (again, right or wrong), I have encountered “counselors” who say all the right things and quote all the right scriptures but I sense a competitive, jealous, and condescending spirit with advice that would be best applied to themselves. What they want those they are “counseling” to see in themselves seems far more dominant in the “counselor”. SHAMEFULLY, I have been on both ends of that stick too. I don’t think that kind of counseling can benefit ANYONE. If anything it turns many away from God. So, I know that my next attempt to approach this man, I have to be genuinely concerned for his soul and emptied of SELF and all its negative emotions. I will know when it is time.

  23. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 1:50 pm

    Poohpity: My point was there comes a time when we have to let people go and move on with our lives before the stress makes us sick or kills us.

    Jesus point was to move on, everybody can’t (won’t) be saved, cured or changed. Their hearts are too hard.

  24. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 21, 2012 at 2:10 pm

    Yooper, thank you. I agree and had the Lord not strengthened me and given me peace yesterday, I would be packing now. He is on the waiting list for senior housing, which could take months or years. I think it will take however long the Lord wants it to take. I believe that God is using you and others on this blog to help me maintain the strength and peace He bestowed on me yesterday to make one last genuine attempt to bring him to Him. God Bless all of you for caring.

  25. SFDBWV says:
    March 21, 2012 at 2:25 pm

    Narowpathseeker and Jackie, reading your comments reminded me of Romans1: 28-32. I think we all want to do all we can to change the heart of another, but that can only be accomplished by God.

    Sometimes all we can do is pray for what it is we ask and ask for peace to follow.

    Narrowpathseeker, when Matthew first was waking from his coma and beginning to speak he told me he could hear people praying for him and in fact astonished me by repeating word for word what I had been praying in secret away from his hearing only minuets after I re-entered the room.

    There is power in prayer. May God guide you in your endeavor.

    Steve

  26. poohpity says:
    March 21, 2012 at 3:54 pm

    narrow, you are so right when you said, “I have encountered “counselors” who say all the right things and quote all the right scriptures but I sense a competitive, jealous, and condescending spirit with advice that would be best applied to themselves”. It would seem that anyone who has an inward focus is really not looking to the good of anyone outside of themselves. People have to be very careful because it seems often times especially in the counseling field they bring in their own agendas. Sometimes when people offer advice they think their ways are better than pointing people to what the Lord would say to them.

    It takes time to get to know people and when others have not known someone for a longer period of time they may mistake things being said. It is like walking in in the middle of a conversation and joining in then finding out they were really not talking about what you thought they were. Like coming to snap judgments.

    To really say anything about what you are going through with that person and not knowing fully what happened to you or how bad you were injured it is hard to give you advice because there is not enough information but it sounds as if you were harmed horribly. I bet it will take a lot of time for healing and sometimes that can not be done when you are around them. Sometimes there has to be some separation just like a bone injury one has to stay off the bone for it to heal. So my hat is off to you for helping that person that takes a lot of strength and I am sure that the Lord is the one supplying it you. I think you a very kind and loving for doing what you are doing when you have been hurt so bad.

  27. poohpity says:
    March 21, 2012 at 4:38 pm

    narrow, what you are doing with that man is like what Mart wrote about in this topic speaking of the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37.

  28. davids says:
    March 21, 2012 at 6:16 pm

    Jesus had the power to see in men’s hearts. (Do I need to cite scripture on that?) Some might claim the ability to do that through the Holy Spirit. I do not.

    Therefore, I do not claim the ability to judge people as good or evil, although I might feel that their actions are good or evil. What I can do – but often fail – is to express the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which is God’s gift to us.

    We all have, or had, people in our lives that seem to go against our feelings of justice, fairness, or basic human decency. I believe that it is the measure of a true Christian to treat everyone as a child of God, no matter how badly they behave.

    Narrowpathseeker, I can understand the difficulty of having someone close that acts so meanfully. It certainly makes us want to reply in kind. I join in the prayers for you, and am so pleased that the Holy Spirit has blessed you with patience and courage at this time.

  29. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 6:43 pm

    Davids: there is so many things wrong with your post I wouldn’t know where to start; everyone is not a child of God for one.

    Study the Word man.

  30. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 21, 2012 at 7:14 pm

    Steve, when I read your message about Mathew knowing people were praying for him and repeating your prayer word for word, the tears flowed and the hair stood up on my arms!! That must have been one very exciting moment for you. It was exciting to me just reading it! Thank you for sharing that.

    Last night I thought about buying a study bible because I didn’t understand something I had read. This afternoon a neighbor came over with a sack of books because they are moving South. He told me his mother wanted me to have them..YUP 2 study Bibles..never used along with several gardening books!! My neighbor delivered them and I am thankful to them, but to me they are from God. One is a MacArthur and the other is a Life Application Study Bible. Is anyone familiar with either of them and have an opinion as to the better of the two?

    I also got an email explaining the significance of the folded napkin in Jesus’ tomb. I never made that connection nor did I even think about it. I imagine you all know this but for me it was yet another exciting gift from God today. Steve’s story of Mathew, the study bibles, prayers and uplifting words from so many of you, and the significance of the folded napkin.

    Pooh it would be a lot quicker to list what he DIDN’T do to me. I may have had more collective black eyes than any professional boxer and I was hospitalized once for a week following one beating while 6 months pregnant. Hobeit, I rarely even think of those incidents as they are the more trivial aspects of our history together.

  31. bubbles says:
    March 21, 2012 at 7:36 pm

    When we try to see good and be compassionate and someone walks all over you, should that happen? Where are the boundaries? Are there any left any longer? Are there any standards ANYWHERE any longer? Why are rules not okay any more?
    I am so utterly confused and no answer seems to answer. I feel like throwing up my hands and saying what is the use? Nothing makes sense. Trying to do what is right and trying to show kindeness does not work. Sitting down and giving up is not an option but it sure would be much easier at this point. There are not answers any longer. I have been criticized for showing kindess. I have been told this shows weakness. So, I try to be the other way, but then more criticism.

  32. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 7:44 pm

    Narrow: You didn’t happen to say out loud that you were going to buy a study Bible did you? That was amazing.

    I didn’t know he physically abused you, I thought it was verbal and emotion abuse. I should have known better. I won’t go into my feelings on men that beat woman I already did that on other post. But I’ll never understand why a woman would stay in a relationship like that for one minute. It almost sounds like (Stockholm – Syndrome) and it’s so common. Get him out of your life he surly doesn’t love you or deserve you. You’ve suffered enough.

    I have to stop it hurts too much to even think about this subject.

  33. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 7:56 pm

    bubbles: cheer up now you know how Jesus, Paul and Peter must of felt. We are in the final minutes of the last days don’t give up, “LOOK UP” he’s on His way.

  34. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 21, 2012 at 8:44 pm

    Jack, no, I didn’t say it out loud and I didn’t mention it to anyone. I believe it is God re-assuring me that I can count on Him to be here for me and showing me that I heard Him correctly and that He is pleased that I am doing as He said.
    Also, I don’t know if I have misled anyone about the situation, but I have been divorced from this person for over 30 years and I am not in any relationship with him now nor ever will be again even if he accepts the Lord. I have an inlaw apt over the garage in my daughter’s home. He is staying in the main house with my daughter, but because I help with cleaning, cooking, pet care and yardwork, I encounter him everyday. When he was on oxegen I helped with his care, but I ceased that care when he was well enough to drive himself to the bars and package store. He lived with a woman for about 25 years. The first time he hit her she hit him with a baseball bat and knocked his front teeth out and that was the end of his days of beating women. But being the father of my children I have had to deal with him several times a year on various family occasions at which time he took every opportunity to rub salt in the wounds and make fresh ones as well. I was just thinking that I shouldn’t be writing all this negative garbage, but I just realized that I am not seething as I write!! I am still at peace with it and ONLY God could have made that happen. I feel like singing Amazing Grace and I think I will. I think I can chalk up another prayer answered for Foreverblessed for me. Thank you Forever. I do not drink or take drugs or any medication of any kind, but I am on such a high, I can’t believe it! I am going to go check out my new study bibles. Have a Blessed night all.

  35. oneg2dblu says:
    March 21, 2012 at 9:08 pm

    narrow… God Always Provides. He knows our every need and He knows the desires of our heart. It pleases God to know that we see Him everywhere in our lives and place our worldly situations at the feet of the cross for Him to bear for us, for His yoke is easy, and the burden is light as He gives to us an unexpected joy in the face of what should bring something else.
    May His presence overwhelm you and bring you to a deeper
    place of Faith in Him. Gary

  36. poohpity says:
    March 21, 2012 at 9:12 pm

    narrow when I first started this walk with the Lord after 21 years of substance abuse my mom bought me a Life Application bible and that is the kind I pass out from the trunk of my car as well. My first husband knocked my eye through my eye socket but we did not have children together. That lasted a whole year and a half so I know that pain yet a year after that happened he came at me again and I hit him with 2 pool balls. That was in my past. foreverblessed gave you advice to sing praise songs, you go girl and I know your time reading the bible will be a blessing.

  37. yooperjack says:
    March 21, 2012 at 9:16 pm

    Narrow: That made me feel better to know you dealt with him so many years ago.

    God put the idea to give you those Bibles in your friends head because He knew you wanted a study Bible. The timing was awesome. Most people don’t see those little things God does in their lives. Those are the blessings I thank Him for every day. I don’t need miracles when I can receive so many blessings.

  38. poohpity says:
    March 21, 2012 at 9:34 pm

    I only have one bible left for that ministry it is in Spanish so pray for the Lord to supply more bibles to get into the hands of those who ask. I have went through 5 cases so far.

  39. foreverblessed says:
    March 22, 2012 at 4:49 am

    Thank God, for answering our prayers, thank God that Narrow CAN sing in these circumstances! That really is a miracle.
    I am so happy for you, narrow, this is a great boast for prayerlife. We pray, and believe God will answer. Most of the times the answers are not visible. THank GOd you can sing.
    Isn’t it amazing that James writes that we should be thankful for all difficulties James 1:2,3
    but how long do we take before we can really grasp that fact. In the mean time we should ask God to fill us with His love, since only in God’s grace can we do that, He fills us so much that we overflow of His love, and that overflow touches others around us, even the hardest people.
    Davids, I do agree that we should consider everyone a child of God, or a potential child of God, we should not judge. Everybody is created in His image, and waiting for Him to be touched to real spiritual life. What if God did not consider Paul his child, Saul was a child of God, even when he was trying the kill Jesus’ followers, Paul wrote he was set apart from birth. So how do you know if a mean person is not set apart from birth, even if he is a christian beater?
    So yes, we treat everybody as God’s child, but we start practicing amongst ourselves, treat fellow christian’s as your brother. So if what Davids writes is a step too far, start at least with your fellow christians.
    From that we go on in loving everybody. 2 Peter 1:7
    from brotherly kindness a step higher: love to all.
    Just as Jesus loved us, and gave His life fore us while we were yet sinners. Romans 5:8
    How do you know that the Holy Spirit will not tell you to love your enemy with that kind of love? Maybe that enemy will soon be God’s reborn child, born of the Spirit.

  40. foreverblessed says:
    March 22, 2012 at 4:58 am

    Pooh, I pray for you too. Just curious, you obvious will do so, but do you also pray a blessing for everyone who receives the bible? God’s special blessing for that person. You say to God, this person I marked, put Your blessing on him. Num 6:22-27
    God promises that those persons the priests names, God will put His name on. We are His priests 1 Peter 2:9 and we can do the same, to any person we come in contact with, and maybe especially the difficult people we encounter.

  41. Bob in Cornwall England says:
    March 22, 2012 at 6:40 am

    Well, I am amazed!
    But why should I be when God is so faithful and just and loves us so much!
    To see Him at work in everyones life and the testimonies given here is a real blessing to me.

    narrowpathseeker,
    How my heart and prayers go out to you and I lift you up before Jesus and thank Him for His grace and love for you.
    How wonderful that He is blessing you in the “little things” while you are trusting in Him for the big things.
    Our fellowship has been given the word over and over again to “send Judah first” and He has blessed us in worship, music and singing His praises!
    He has said that through praise and worship HE will accomplish all things by His mighty power, the Holy Spirit living in us.
    The same Holy Spirit that Raised Christ from the dead DWELLS in us!
    Wow!
    Keep Praising and thanking God for everything and in everything and Miracles will happen!
    Remember, we can only be responsible for our own hearts, therefore leave others in God’s hands and He will knock patiently at the door of their hearts until they relinquish and open up to Him or slam it shut forever!

    Bob

  42. SFDBWV says:
    March 22, 2012 at 6:51 am

    I have been a little slow in joining the conversation this morning; I am still dazed from bad news on two fronts yesterday.

    Matthew’s friend Mere, who I had ask for prayer for her husband as he is undergoing cancer treatments; her 7 year old daughter had to undergo emergency surgery at the university’s children’s hospital yesterday.

    She had developed an infection from some rare situation originating in her hip, and when the two smaller hospitals locally finally discovered what may have been the problem it had reached a stage where emergency surgery was necessary.

    I pray this all has a good outcome, for me it seems that these bad things happening to good people are increasing almost as a mockery to our faith.

    Can I say “What’s not to like here?” I suppose if everything turns out to be ok, I can say that I like that. But can I say that a little 7 year old girl has to undergo surgery and that her mother and father grandparents and those who love her are all scared and hurting is something to like?

    No, evil is evil and though it sometimes surfaces in the actions of people to people, it also comes against us in other forms and no I do not like it and rarely see the good in it. Though even in such circumstances I have to admit God can bring about some good from it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like the process or pretend to enjoy it.

    Steve

  43. tracey5tgbtg says:
    March 22, 2012 at 7:34 am

    Sorry to go back to Mart’s original post, but I just now have had a moment to comment. These are the thoughts I had from reading the opener.

    While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”

    On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners (to repentance).” Matthew 9:10-13

    It seems to me that the ones who Jesus took issue with and called to account, were generally Pharisees and teachers of the law.

    I think today we tend to hear “Pharisee” and think “bad guy” and hear Samaritan and think “good guy.” But that’s not how it was then. The Pharisees were the top of the community. They were today’s Doctors of Theology and Divinity. Samaritans were despised as idolaters. In fact, I’d say the Jews hated them the way they now hate Muslims.

    The ones Jesus had compassion on were sinners like Zacchaeus, who ripped people off, the Samaritan woman at the well with five past husbands and a current boyfriend, unclean people and people from pagan nations that the Jews wouldn’t go near, and those who were possessed by demons, among many others.

    When I say He had compassion on them, I don’t mean He said you are free to continue in your sin. I mean He reached out to them instead of shunning them as everyone else did. He reached out, He healed, He saved.

    There is none who is righteous, no not one.

    He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:14

  44. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 22, 2012 at 8:44 am

    Steve, I am so sorry about this state of this young girl and her family. I believe there are some powerful prayer warriors here and I will be praying for them as well.

    I am still on a high and I am going to be praying for ALL of you to have similar experiences. Thank you for even more kind uplifting words this morning from you ALL. I would take the time to thank you each individually, but I am eager to get to the river and spend time with the Lord. I love you guys…May God Bless each of you so abundantly, your HIGH will exceed mine…Have a Blessed Day.

  45. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 22, 2012 at 8:49 am

    Oh MY!! I hope it is understood that I meant similar experiences to the HIGH I am on.

  46. yooperjack says:
    March 22, 2012 at 8:58 am

    The Secular Humanist and all those other nut cases always say: “We’re all Gods children”. Some Christians say that too and it bugs the crap out of me. Read John 8:37-47 Too me; Jesus was very clear if you’re not born again then you’re a child of the devil. He was talking to the religious leaders.

    Love your enemy, as you don’t want anyone to go to Hell. But we are not told to tolerate their evil ways or submit to them beating on us. That is ignorant thinking and just plain stupidity.

    I do not judge any ones final destination but what comes out of their mouth is what’s in their heart. If you want to know where someone is going just ask them?

  47. SFDBWV says:
    March 22, 2012 at 9:49 am

    Update to Mere’s daughter Alyvia; I just got off the phone with Mere she called us from the hospital knowing we were worried and wanted to bring us up to speed.

    Alyvia is sedated and sore, and don’t like it when they take blood, but the surgery went fine and they believe they got all the infected area cleaned.

    They had to go into the hip joint and scrape away the infection.

    Mere told me that they had taken her to two separate hospitals in two days trying to find out what was wrong when at the second hospital they went to, a physician’s assistant on duty in the emergency room recognized the problem from having worked in a children’s hospital before.

    She was telling me how it was a God send that the PA recognized the problem right away because if this had persisted without surgery the result would have been a damaged hip joint and Alyvia may have ended up not being able to walk properly. Of course with infections death is always a possibility.

    Mere was very relieved and very thankful to God and looking at getting on to several weeks of recovery for Alyvia.

    Mere’s upbeat attitude and voice made all of us here feel better, and I wanted to pass this along to you as well.

    Narrowpathseeker we are taking your *high* and running with it.

    Steve

  48. poohpity says:
    March 22, 2012 at 10:14 am

    Yes, foreverblessed, I pray over them and with them when they ask for a bible. The sign on my car says, God wants you to know Him read the bible, honk if you need one”. I usually do not tell everyone but with my legs like they are, prayer is something I do everyday for everyone continually until my legs are fixed and I can go back out to other countries. For now I just minister to those who God brings into my path. I wish I could say that I do not miss opportunities but I do and I mess up a lot but by God’s grace I try and be open to sharing the Gospel when I leave my apartment in some form or another.

    tracey, I am so glad that is who Jesus picked to be with, those who need Him and are not all sufficient within themselves but those who know they needed help, grace and mercy. I am one of those sinners who needed the forgiveness and mercy of our Lord. I mattered to Him and I am so glad that somebody loves me as He does.

  49. yooperjack says:
    March 22, 2012 at 10:28 am

    Steve: God has a way of sending the right people to us and in most cases just in time. I hate just in time but will take it.

    Sounds like your friends whole family is under fire; there battle has already been won in Heaven, sometimes it takes a little longer in earth time but it’s on the way. Thank you Lord!!!

  50. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 22, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    I’m babysitting a 2yo right now and haven’t much time to write, but I just had to share this. The Christian neighbor that is moving and sent over the study bibles, told me to come over before the tag sale and she would give me a special price if there was anything I needed. I asked the ex, if there was anything he needed for the apt he is waiting for. I took him over there this morning after my time with the Lord and he got a sofa, entertainment center, desk, paintings, glass encased book shelves,and lamps for 225 dollars. I saw an opening and asked him if he thought he might thank God for the great deal he had just gotten. His arrogant retort was, “Why, is He kicking in for this?” I told him that the woman was a Christian and that God had given him the deal through her. The woman piped up to say that because I was her Christian friend that God through me had led him there. Then I told him that the only reason I even talk him is because God empowered me to forgive you about 1000 times. Once again he rolled his eyes! When we got back here, he took his dog out of the truck and TOLD me(didn’t ask) that he was leaving his dog here because it was too hot in the truck for her while he was in the bar and left before I could protest…his dog leaves the yard looking for him when he’s not here and our pup tries to follow him, so it’s a pain. BUT, the great thing about it……I’M STILL ON A HIGH!!!!!!!!!He was not able to steal my joy and I’m up for another round when the next opportunity presents itself.. PRAISE BE TO THE LORD!! Last week I really feared that I could do him bodily harm and this week I am just thinking how pathetic he really is.

  51. poohpity says:
    March 22, 2012 at 3:40 pm

    Jesus is amazing because He alone can love those who are very difficult to love and even asks us to love our enemies because what good is it to love those who love us back even the scoundrels can do that. Matthew 5:44-47 NLT.

  52. poohpity says:
    March 22, 2012 at 4:03 pm

    Gee narrow, not to many Christians get up every morning and say thank you Lord for the fresh drinking water we have today, or the food, or the sun shine, or even the rain but take so much that we have especially in proposing countries that we take for granted.

    You might just look him in the eyes one day and say if you were the only person alive on the face of the earth and as ugly as you behave, Jesus would have still died for all the wrongs things you have ever done and forgive you, that is how much you are loved by the God who created the universe and everything in it. Then ask him if he would like to accept that forgiveness?

  53. yooperjack says:
    March 22, 2012 at 4:04 pm

    Pray for your enemies that God would save em or take em out.
    Be nice (civil) to em if you must be around them.

    But get em out of your life as soon as possible.
    Life is too short to have to deal with losers that want to steal your joy.

    The above statements are of the real world not of some fantasy world.

  54. davids says:
    March 22, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    Jack, I am sorry that you are so bitter. I thank God that there are Christians that treat their enemies with love, and even take strength in that, as we see here.

    I was once a person that mocked Christians. When I turned to Jesus it was the message of Grace that was most compelling.

    But thanks for the tip about studying the Word. I’ll see if I can get my hands on a copy of the Bible “LOL”.

  55. yooperjack says:
    March 22, 2012 at 6:32 pm

    davids: I’m not bitter at all, just realistic enough to know those hard headed, hard hearted people have to hit bottom to see the light. They do not understand “love, nice or kindness” love to them is sex, they only understand four knuckles to the mouth or a base ball bat over their thick sculls. They laugh at people like you. When they’re ready if ever the Holy Spirit will bring them to their knees; most of the time Christians turn them away from, instead of too the Lord. Trust me I’ve been on both sides of this argument. Pray for them, yes; suck up to or try to manipulate them, no; they’ll eat your lunch and pop the bag.

  56. oneg2dblu says:
    March 22, 2012 at 7:15 pm

    yooper… you speak some real hard truth, but here is another thought, we were all enemies of God before we were called out of our darkness. That one fact should help us to remain where God has placed us, and remember that He provides all we need in every situation. So, if He gives you a lunch to share, and they pop the bag when done so be it, you’ve at least learned to share and not horde. We just have to go where He leads and do what He allows, and some of it is hard to take, but the testing is for our own good and always for His Purposes and Glory as well. Gary

  57. yooperjack says:
    March 22, 2012 at 8:01 pm

    Gary: As we sit in our comfortable chairs in our quiet homes there are Christian woman getting beat up by these drunken animals while their small children watch. I’m not talking about an average fellow that has a beer now and then and is an unbeliever.

    There are woman on this blog I believe were so traumatized by those animals for so long that they are confuse at what to do. They can’t live with them but don’t know how to live without them. They may be living with false hope? He is not worth one tear drop or even a passing thought.

    I stand by all my post.

  58. poohpity says:
    March 22, 2012 at 8:05 pm

    People who do not have the Lord are not open to learning the ways of the Lord just like narrows conversation with her ex. In essence you are speaking a foreign language with no translators around. So we use actions which are heard better than the words and those actions will one day be understood even if a person is deaf.

  59. royalpalm says:
    March 23, 2012 at 2:26 am

    Hello Mart and BTA friends,
    Great posts…I’m glad I have the time to also add my thoughts in this topic…

    Mart you ask, ” what it would take for us to have Jesus’ ability to see things that are good and loving where we
    only see evil; and to be able to see evil where we are thinking “what’s not to love about that?”

    IMHO,it takes wisdom and discernment to truly see what is good and evil but even the best of us will always fall
    short. God, however, wants us to be “perfect” just like Him, so He gave us Himself in the form of the Holy Spirit
    as our Guide, Teacher, and Counselor. He not only accompanies us, but He indwells us – so He is available anytime we need Him.(John 14:16-17)

    Before a Holy God, we are all sinners. In His grace, He provided atonement for our sins and it is our faith in what God did through His Son that we are forgiven and are reconciled to Him. How we live our lives is the best testimony of our understanding and appreciation of what God has done for us. (Parable of the Unforgiving Servant Matt. 18:23-35; A Sinful Woman Forgiven; Luke 7:36-50)

    Everything in this world belongs to God. He created them, including people, to bring Him glory. Jesus came to give
    glory to the Father by coming to save that which was lost.(Luke 19:10) And He has given us the command to continue with the work He has started – with all the authority and power that He possess and His presence through the Holy Spirit -while interceeding on our behalf in heaven at the Father’s right hand. (Matt 28:18-20)

    One of the most wonderful results of our simple faith – is our spiritual birth- we become a new creation. We see
    things differently – not from a worldly point of view but from God’s point of view. The love of God compels us to
    love others. We no longer live for ourselves but live for God who gives us new life. We become God’s ambassadors –
    representing Him and promoting His agenda, proclaiming His messsage that in Christ,He does not count people’s sins against them anymore…We become the righteousness of God… (2 Cor 5:14-21) We see people as victims of Satan, under the power of sin and death, needing redemption. We have been there, and we know how darkness was before God transported us to the kingdom of of the Son He loves. Col. 1:13 Our lives are shaped by our acceptance and faith in God’s inspired words like these.

    Narrow, I rejoice how God rescued you from your abusive former husband and how He gives you grace to show kindness to him. Like the incident of the study Bibles, your ex husband’s sickness was arranged by God to strengthen you and assure you of His love while at the same time using you as witness to him and others. I pray that his heart will be softened and that God will continue His work in his life. I also pray that God will fill you with His joy and peace as He works in you, with you and through you.

    To each of you dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, your posts always encourage me;I quote Paul’s prayer for you:

    I Thes. 5:23, 24 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

  60. lovely says:
    March 23, 2012 at 3:47 am

    yes tracey

    Your comment remind me of the parable of the prodigal son which is actually spoken to the Pharisees
    Whom is the big brother of that prodigal son
    Speaking of that i sometimes wonder how can God show mercy to those who has never known righteousness
    vs those who have serve him for many years,i mean the prodigal son is the victim here in this parable!

    Yes Steve i’ve asked that question so many time to God it hurts when bad these things happened to good people especially the one near you Praise the Lord Alviya is ok now
    WHen i think of all these this verse came to mind Psalm 73 which is a answer to Mart’s question “what it would take for us to have Jesus’ ability to see things that are good and loving where we
    only see evil; and to be able to see evil where we are thinking “what’s not to love about that”
    The answer is to “enter HIs sanctuary” in vs 17

    Yooperjack , i understand your stand for justice for the battered women for God is a God of justice
    SO again we need too enter into his Sanctuary in Psalm 73:17 then we can see His justice, see his love for the prodigal son.
    Only through Him can we truly feel and see the need to save the lost or even to forgive
    About forgiveness, when God say to bless your enemy He is not saying whatever they’ve done is wiped out
    He is saying that to leave the avenging to Him “it is mine to avenge”Romans 12:19. Our job is to pray forgive and let go.
    The right way is to look at the cross and the way He has forgiven me. that’s just what i’ve learned,you’re welcome to share your experiences

    Narrow you’re doing very good in rejoicing for the joy of the Lord shall be your strength , you can be a blessing to so many battered women out there so share your testimony.I pray for healing upon you and your heart
    May God pour out His love in our hearts that we may see His Justice in this world

    Lovely

  61. SFDBWV says:
    March 23, 2012 at 5:40 am

    Lovely you are indeed, lovely.

    Thank you for your comment.

    Steve

  62. SFDBWV says:
    March 23, 2012 at 6:57 am

    “To err is human, to forgive divine”. That is a statement most of us are familiar with and one that like many statements, we have heard so often that it no longer makes us think of its meaning.

    Often I have said that there is a very fine line between an observation and opinion and so between an opinion and a judgment. However there is a separation however fine the line.

    Some people live a closed in life and have not experienced as much as some who have been out there among life and especially the lives of other people. For them it is difficult to understand that there are evil people in this world who enjoy being evil.

    Then there are people who have been hurt so often by the cruel nature of evil people that they become jaded and are suspicious of everyone. For them seeing goodness they often are looking beyond what seems good to see if there is an evil lurking behind the face of what seems to be good doing.

    Humans are lost and in need of leadership when it comes to these matters. When we attempt to figure them out just from our own view and strengths we will err from time to time, but feel right from our own perspectives. However seeing right from wrong does not require forgiveness in all instances, but may require understanding.

    Psalms 1: 1 gives light to the fact that we should be able to recognize right from wrong and not to join in with wrong doing.

    There is a great deal of scripture devoted to attempting to steer us toward living a righteous life and avoiding sin, showing us the benefits and consequences of both.

    The Mosaic Law lays down terms and conditions for correcting wrongs between people, all leading towards restitution and justice for all concerned including once the matter was taken care of legally the matter was to be put to rest and forgotten.

    But that is not human nature, to forget wrongs perpetrated against us. However when we read in Psalms 103: 12 we learn that God will remove *our* sins from *us* we can see this is something only God is able to do, and only God *in* us is able to give us victory over the sins of another aimed at us.

    “To err is human, to forgive divine.” To be able to know the difference between right and wrong is exactly what the tree in the garden offered (Genesis 2: 9) yet forbidden for Adam to experience (Genesis 2: 17).

    However because Adam disobeyed, God could then show divine forgiveness in the personification of Himself in Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ.

    Steve

  63. yooperjack says:
    March 23, 2012 at 7:24 am

    You know: Who is my enemy? I haven’t had and enemy sense I was a kid 60 years ago. Sense I’ve been born again I haven’t personally had any animosity against anyone. Maybe it was when I stopped arguing with people or maybe it was my change of life style; is it the people I hang out with now that makes the difference? Who is my enemy?

    I get angry when I read all of the evil on TV or read it in the news paper. And I know there are people that don’t like me because of my stand on issues, but I can’t do anything about that. So who is my worst enemy? I remember it’s that age old enemy “FREE WILL” Yes!!!! Free will is my enemy; whenever “I do it my way” instead of “Gods way” I get into trouble. So, I am my own worst enemy!!!!

  64. yooperjack says:
    March 23, 2012 at 8:26 am

    And if I am my own worst enemy, there is something I can do about it. Do things Gods way not my way. We can’t change others that’s Gods job, but we can be nice to everyone and let the chips fall where they may.

  65. bratimus says:
    March 23, 2012 at 9:43 am

    yooper,

    you still blaming free will for everything, remember God will never tempt you with evil, only the devil does.

    God’s will gave his creation humans free will, and to understand this gift and why it was given is to know God is a loving God and know him a little better.

    To say that one had a revelation that God has said that He messed up in givung free wiil, is heading into a false doctrine.

    it is easier to blame our sins on free will, then resisting the devil that tempts us into sin.

  66. poohpity says:
    March 23, 2012 at 9:54 am

    Amen, royalpalm. I think sometimes we forget who we are and were. Extending grace to those undeserving is our daily walk and how humble our hearts need to be. Forgiving as we have been forgiven is our mantra and forgetting is impossible but God has that ability which is another wonderful characteristic to help us to love Him even more. What is not to like and love about that?

  67. yooperjack says:
    March 23, 2012 at 10:47 am

    bratimus: Yes, I *still* believe that. I am also beginning to believe you are under conviction by the Holy Spirit to give up your will for Gods will. Pride and free will are the last two fleshly enemies of our new born again spirit, we need to surrender all. Only when we surrender all can God use us effectively. You still get to choose; your way, “walking by sight” in the flesh or Gods way, “walking by faith” in the Spirit. Of course pride has to go first to be able to give up your will.

  68. poohpity says:
    March 23, 2012 at 11:05 am

    Who’s will do you think it is for “four knuckles to the mouth or a base ball bat over their thick sculls”? How can one surrender to the Lord’s will with such a worldly few? Is that walking by the Spirit?

  69. bratimus says:
    March 23, 2012 at 11:18 am

    Yooper,

    I choose to align myself with God’s will long ago, that does not mean that i have given up my free will to make choices in this fallen broken world. I will admitt that some of my choices haven’t been the best choice, but in those bad choices i was put in a place to be an example how to get out of that bad places.

    Gos is all knowing and all seeing. He was, is, and what is to Come.

    His will be done on earth as is in Heaven.

    Now knowing this, Christ on the cross always was going to be and always will be. And if there was no free will this would not have been done.

    The gift of free will the freedom of choice whether right or wrong is a total act of love no greater gift besides the cross.

    the cross and free will go hand in hand. without free will there would be no cross. the cross is the defeat of evil. This is all God’s will.

  70. yooperjack says:
    March 23, 2012 at 11:33 am

    bratimus: I’m glad to hear you testifiy your faith. I will not go over my whole sermon again but if there was (no Free Will), (no Tree) and (no Satan) Jesus would not have had to die on the cross because there would not have been (no fall from grace) and (no sin).

  71. bratimus says:
    March 23, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    Yooper,

    This is all God’s will, how it plays out is up to God because it is His will.

    I understand that if it was up to Yooperjack that you would abolish free will, as most tyrants have done through out history.

    Without free will there would be no acts of faith.

    Jesus on the cross was the greatest act of love ever.

    And we where made through Him For Him with free will, and anything else is questioning God’s greatness.

    I don’t believe God’s gift of free will was a mistake, it was an act of Love. And to question that is to question God.

    The devil wants us to question God and think God isn’t perfect. The evil one thought it was greater then
    God and was cast down now it wants all God’s creation to be cast down with it.

    So big careful not to be decieved in a revelation.

    Jeremiah 23:1, Jeremiah 23:33-36

    To align with God’s will and except what is, and get on with the work, and stay true to the Gospels and anything else is just stummbling blocks the way Balam put them before the children of Israel.

  72. yooperjack says:
    March 23, 2012 at 2:06 pm

    bratimus: I don’t take anything away from God and His will or Jesus. Everything you learned in Church still stands as truth; I think; depends on where you go? LOL

    I just like to go deeper and find out how we got to where we are today. I gave this blog my theory just to provoke open minded discussion. It didn’t happen. Maybe I was wrong to think you want to go deeper; there is allot of fear in the world today. Not wanting to go deeper out of the box would make you less of a (Free Will) thinker than I am, isn’t that ironic.

    None of my theories are carved in stone; false prophet I am not. I just think allot. I do get serious now and then like yesterday, on the subject of women being abused I get very serious and pragmatic.

    In Genesis 1:31 God said everything He made was very good. Then in Genesis 6:6-7 He didn’t like what He made and was ready to get rid of it all. I wanted to know why, so I studied it and with the help of the Spirit came up with a theory; just like all those theologians have their end time theories. I have a theory about that but there is no way I’ll put it on this blog; it’s way too deep. LOL

  73. bratimus says:
    March 23, 2012 at 2:58 pm

    Yooper I’m not worried about going deep, i did say that free will and the cross go hand in hand, with out the original sin there is no need for the cross. Without the cross there is no salvation, because He was, He is, and He is to come.

    There is not really a word to explain what im trying to say.

    People that lived before Christ will find salvation through the cross, because He was, people of today will find salvation through the cross, people tomorrow will find salvation through the cross.

    For lack of a better term it is a divine paradocs
    due to free will we got the cross, and through the cross we get free will the choice to sacrifice for another.

  74. poohpity says:
    March 23, 2012 at 3:02 pm

    There will always be problems with understanding when scripture is taken out of context to go along with human reasoning and worldly views. bratimus, watch out for spider webs.

  75. bratimus says:
    March 23, 2012 at 3:32 pm

    Spider webs?

    Im taking nothing away from God, free will is from God, Jesus and the cross are from God and this is all God’s will. And all things are possible through God.

  76. poohpity says:
    March 23, 2012 at 3:42 pm

    Everything you have said bratimus is scriptural and right on with your beliefs but when speaking to others who do not have those same beliefs we can get taken into a spider web. You bratimus are elevating the Lord and your faith and trust in Him but that may not be what some others believe so hence the spider web. ;-)

  77. yooperjack says:
    March 23, 2012 at 3:53 pm

    Yah! Especially those female black widow spiders; they kill and eat their mates.

    I understood what bratimus was saying, it wasn’t out of context. He’s talking about what has already happened is, we can’t change it, free will and the cross are inseparable; we have to have free will to choose Jesus and the cross. All of that is elementary, a child can understand it.

  78. yooperjack says:
    March 23, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    Some Christians love the milk and some of us hunger for the meat of the Word. The milk floats on top but we have to dig deep for the meat.

  79. bratimus says:
    March 23, 2012 at 4:10 pm

    We are to come to God like children.

    Keep things simple and you do not become a stumbling block for others.

    Im ok with solid food fruits vegtibles, all meat will bind the bowls.

    the word of God is about the truth and the light of the world.

    not out witting one another or out thinking one another won’t help anyone that way.

  80. bratimus says:
    March 23, 2012 at 4:18 pm

    binds the “bowel”

  81. yooperjack says:
    March 23, 2012 at 4:22 pm

    Your right bratimus never know who may be visiting this blog; we don’t want to confuse some poor soul that is look for truth, not deep stuff.

    I’ll keep it simple so that even I can understand it. LOL

    Have a good one.

  82. bratimus says:
    March 23, 2012 at 4:45 pm

    Yooper,

    you have a good one also

  83. poohpity says:
    March 23, 2012 at 7:35 pm

    I was not saying that bratimus was taking scripture out of context at all. The meat of scripture is to understand things and act in ways that are far above peoples normal behavior but to rise above normal responses. To be kind and do kind things to those who may be deemed as enemies just like Jesus while we were yet sinners died for us. We were enemies of God because we made the choice of hatred, anger, malice and revenge. To act totally different than the world around us would be to love those who hate us, forgive rather than taking revenge, being kind when there is anger and malice that is the meat of scripture which very few get to that place in their lives unless they are filled with the Holy Spirit and even then still fail at times. At those times of failing we know that the Lord is ready and willing to forgive and help us start anew.

    Acting on anger, hatred or malice is being fed with milk because we have only allowed a small portion of the Lord’s Spirit or Word into our lives and have not yet learned the harder things in this life like looking at others with mercy and grace. The difference in milk and meat seems to be how much of us God has and how much we have left to give over to Him. Those who drink milk still seem to allow the old nature to control most of their lives like a child who wants things their way rather than saying the ways of parent are better. Like a child will not trust their parent when they say do not touch the flame because it will burn you, the child will still reach into the flame because it has not learned that the parent is only seeking the child’s own good. As the child grows older it usually has learned some of the lessons taught then can learn even greater lessons that is the meat.

  84. yooperjack says:
    March 23, 2012 at 9:08 pm

    Poohpity: very well said, but who are our enemies. And are you ready to go deeper, into the supernatural, the real meat of the Word?

    I have no known enemies, do you? We are to be nice and kind to everyone. I am, are you? I have never been angery with anyone on this blog have you?

    Just a thought.

  85. remarutho says:
    March 23, 2012 at 11:14 pm

    Good Evening All —

    It seems to me that only God is free — and in God is true freedom. Only God may judge between good and evil. When we humans judge, it must be in godly fear.

    Mart, you wrote:

    “Jesus seemed to do both. Sometimes he’d call those who came to hear him evil people who knew how to do good things (Matt 7:11). Or while acknowledging that God alone deserves to be called good, (Matt 10:17), he’d hold up some of the most unlikely people as examples of courage, kindness, generosity and neighbor love (Luke 10:30, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37)).

    The deep truth of humanity is that we are frail and lacking in God’s true wisdom. We are consistently subject to delusion and error. The evil one is our enemy, and he will seek to confuse and lead us to think and do wrong. (1 Peter 5:8 plus 2 Corinthians 11:14)

    Jesus told the believing Jews, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31, 32)

    Blessings,
    Maru

  86. remarutho says:
    March 23, 2012 at 11:31 pm

    Hi Mart —

    The Samaritan man, whatever his warped theology — or questionable sacrifices — was moved to compassion when he saw that poor naked Jew in the bar ditch.

    The mercy he showed made him a true neighbor to a fellow human. Did his spontaneous kindness overcome his human state of error — or not?

    Thanks,
    Maru

  87. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 12:37 am

    Yes Jack, I have gotten angry and said things that were wrong and have asked for forgiveness and admitted to the wrong I did. I mess up in some way often that is why I am so thankful for the work of Jesus Christ and point people to Him, His Word and nothing I say or think or feel. I never delve into the supernatural world. I do study everyday the Word of God because I love the Lord and His Word which is the Spiritual world I have chosen by my free will to be a part of there is nothing supernatural about that, it is all that is natural, true and real to me.

    Maru, I do not think the spontaneous compassion of the Samaritan had anything to do with his human state of error but the parable seems to be showing how we are to show mercy to everyone. No matter their race, religion or culture. Only the work of the Cross can overcome the human state of error.

  88. lovely says:
    March 24, 2012 at 3:52 am

    thanks for your post Steve
    i should rephrase my earlier post that when people do evil doesn’t mean its ok and we are to follow them

    Yes some people do live in a closed life and that’s because of the evil that they have experienced and when they become haded and suspicious
    of everyone they will tend to close up
    yes only through God can all things be possible including victory over sin

    lovely

  89. remarutho says:
    March 24, 2012 at 8:33 am

    Good Morning Poohpity –

    For the part about the Samaritan, I couldn’t agree more. Even though he had no “bringum-upum,” he responded to the law of love out of his moral character (heart, spirit, whatever you call it). He did the right thing, even though under other social circumstances the man in the ditch probably would snub him, treat him with contempt and not even let him in the house.

    Jesus surely calls us to take that second and third look at people before we discount them…

    Blessings,
    Maru

  90. oneg2dblu says:
    March 24, 2012 at 9:35 am

    pooh… Praise God you use your God-given free will to choose Him and you don’t accuse free will as the evil in you, but see it as a blessed gift of love from one who gives us all good things. :)

  91. oneg2dblu says:
    March 24, 2012 at 9:39 am

    I read somewhere that all good things come from above, and when our thinking rises above the fray, we see the good things God has given us, and when we stay self-based we don’t. Gary

  92. tracey5tgbtg says:
    March 24, 2012 at 9:40 am

    Maru – I agree that Jesus calls us to look deeply at people before discounting them.

    What does God see when He looks at any human? Does He someone to be discounted as too evil to save or does He see the soul He created that is wrapped in chains and enslaved by evil and cannot even see the light and freedom in Jesus.

    Maru – earlier you asked the question regarding the Samaritan, “Did his spontaneous kindness overcome his human state of error — or not?”

    That is a good question. To me, none of our acts of kindness will ever overcome our fallen state. In other words, nothing we do will save us. However, I believe his actions showed that he had a heart that had the law written on it. Romans 2:14-15

  93. oneg2dblu says:
    March 24, 2012 at 9:50 am

    Maru… I would say that the compassion shown to the man in the ditch was from above the self-based desire to walk on the other side of the road with clean hands and a separated heart, thinking we are religiously more noble and righteuos than the fallen. The one who thought they were practicing religious purity was taking free will and holding it csptive to something that God did not design it to be, for serving God should never exempt one from having compassion.
    Christ had always shown His Father’s proper free will choice when directed from above, to overcome the base of self. Gary

  94. remarutho says:
    March 24, 2012 at 10:48 am

    Good Morning Gary —

    The religious purity thing is an ailment of the church in our day. I long to see bishops, deacons and worship leaders (the priests and Levites of our time) with their overalls on, sleeves rolled up, out working with the people of God — and so sharing in the Lord’s blessings. So sad that many jet around this world going to meetings and setting policy and program for church agencies…

    I think David Roper’s entry for ODB under today’s date is a picture of God’s great heart for all his hurt and rejected children!

    Blessings,
    Maru

  95. remarutho says:
    March 24, 2012 at 10:51 am

    It seems to me the Samaritan was, at that moment he stopped and helped, a vessel of God’s love and provision. Maranatha! :o) Maru

  96. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 11:44 am

    Whenever we use free will to glorify God He smiles.-:)

    Whenever we use free will to glorify self He regrets.-:(

    I wander if anyone is counting.-:(

  97. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 11:48 am

    Maru, I read ODB for today and it brought tears to my eyes because during my mom’s death which many of our blogging buddies and God went through with me because I had no one else. My family turned away from me because they felt that I should have let my mom go home to die and I made the decision to put her in hospice for the 10 days before she went home to be with the Lord.

    My brother and his wife lost their home so they had moved in with my mom after five years of not speaking to her. My sister n law said my mom wanted to go home to die and my family believed her over me and turned their backs on me which only one of my mom’s sister is speaking to me today. I love them all very much but they will have nothing to do with me. I went over to their homes to try and find out what I had done to them and they would not even let me in. The hurt has been worse than anything I have experienced before. I have had to work through forgiveness when none of them even bothered to ask me what my mom wanted. It was me who took care of her and knew her wishes after many trips to the hospital and doctors over a 10 month period. We were best friends and went to church together and did everything together but they listened to my sister n law over me.

    All I needed was a hug and to be held. Under the wings of our Lord and the prayers of the bloggers on here got me through. That was July of 2009 and none of them have spoken to me since. Then there was a lot of after death horrible things that my brother did. Then August of 2010 we lost our dad too. Then my mom’s sister 3 months after that. So I have been battling great depression and grief and all I have had to hold onto was the Lord and He is still holding me today and I pray He never lets go.

    I have always been there for my family to help them any way I could and when I needed them they literally turned their backs on me. I have had to work through a boat load of different emotions from anger to depression. I have experienced when nobody is around the presence of the Lord and I am sooo very thankful that He has never given up on me. He is the only stable thing in each of our lives so cling to Him because His love crosses over every boundary we as human beings have set around us by prejudices, angers and hatreds, following His example to love those who others find so unlovely.

  98. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 11:51 am

    I think in the month of April starting on the first I’ll keep track of Poohpity and Gary to see how many :) to how many :( you’s would get in one month. I may even pull your chains alittle to make it interesting. Are you game?

  99. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 11:58 am

    Sorry Poohpity after your last post you are in no mood for games but Gary may be.

  100. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 12:08 pm

    Jack, why don’t you just keep an eye on how many times you glorify yourself and leave everyone else to do their own watching. Wow that would be a fun game, yea. I bet you win.

  101. bratimus says:
    March 24, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    Yooper,

    Maybe you should join a local chess club.

    There are some place games should be played, and if you cant look a person in the eyes the game is no fun.

  102. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 12:19 pm

    brtimus he may be on here because no one else will play with him in person so we need to love on him here. ;-)

  103. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    bratimus: of course maybe you’ll want to play instead of Poohpity, women are too sensitive.

    I’ll tell you the purpose for the game at the end.

    Anything negative is a :( anything positive is a :) April 1st the game begins unless you won’t play. On the 15th I’ll let you know how you are doing.

  104. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    You are loved Jack. :-)

  105. remarutho says:
    March 24, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    Hey Pooh!

    I had not heard your story of family disappointments. I am keeping you in my heart and in my prayers for the consolations of the Holy Spirit — and the forgiveness that is healing your wounds. When rejection comes, you do need the assurance that God is shielding you and watching over you. I pray your brother and sister-in-law will be shown your true heart by this coming July…Lord, three years of that is plenty.

    Miracles are Jesus’ specialty! I continue to pray for transformation in my own brother’s life. We are at odds again — it has been off and on for the last 30 yrs.

    Maru

  106. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 12:39 pm

    Poohpity: How can you turn emotions on and off so fast, do you get allot of headaches.

    I know I’m loved, blessed, have self control and walk in the Spirit.

    Are we on topic????

  107. narrowpathseeker says:
    March 24, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    Hello All.
    I have been away on an unexpected grandchild care mission out of town following great grandchild care the night before. 15 yds of mulch were delivered while I was away, so I have to get started on that before I try to catch up on the many posts that accumulated in my absence. I have read a few and as expected I was lifted up once again. I will comment later on the incredible value of the gems consisting of your God loving, uplifting words. God Bless you all.

  108. oneg2dblu says:
    March 24, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    yooperjack… I trust the Lord will show you there are better sites out there for you to be gaming around. This one is Mart’s and that it may not be the best place for you to play “your” games. So please let me exercise my free will and say,”Please count me out!” :)

  109. bratimus says:
    March 24, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    Yooper,

    You wouldn’t have fun playing games with me, I cheat to lose.

    When it comes to the worlds of God or a forum that discusses topics with the words of God in mind it is not a place for games of the mind or of words or of life.

    The world already plays enough games at are exspence.

  110. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 2:35 pm

    Jack, sorry to disappoint you but my emotions do not go up and down they are pretty level. As are my beliefs which are only grounded in Jesus Christ and His word. It seems that you may have not had enough time to get to know any of us who have been here awhile because to many games are being played but I have faith in the Lord that if you stay around and believe in Him, He will do a good work in you, if you only will believe in Him and read your Bible. I understand that you, as well as all of us, are a work in progress for those who abide in Him. Change will happen, amazingly above all we could hope for.

  111. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    Jack, my hunch is that you have suffered rejection from family, friends, and the church that is why you have such attention seeking behavior. So hopefully we can show you acceptance and some love.

  112. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    Maru, thank you for the prayers and I will pray for your relationship with your brother as well. Most of my family say they have accepted Christ but they do not seek to know Him any better by going to church or reading the Bible except on Easter and Christmas if even them. That is how I used to be too so I have faith in the Lord that one day they will seek after Him to understand what they have been missing and experience the fullness of all that He is and wants to do in their lives. I think drug and alcohol has a lot to do with them not seeking Jesus, they do not know He wants them to come as they are.

  113. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 3:45 pm

    bratimus: Your first sentence cracks me up. I suppose as long as you folks don’t want to play and learn, I’ll tell you the purpose for the game.

    You three where the only ones that expressed a problem with my idea about *Freewill* so I wanted to prove to you that most of our choices are self centered. We say that we are God centered but in deed and truth it is allot easier to quote scripture than live it.

    I know as long as someone was keeping track of your positive and negative post you would behave like good little Christians should, like in Church, but the second month I would still keep track unknown to you. I believe the outcome would be different. Just go back and read all three of your post in response to my post today and I didn’t even get as intimidating as I could if I wanted to pull your chains.

    There are very few people on this planet that practice what they preach. They play games and ware mask so they don’t revel who they really are. They are one person in public, their family sees the second person and the third one that few ever see, are those serial killers and rapist we hear about on TV that the neighbors say: “I can’t believe he did that he was a nice person.” Very few people have just one personality. Trust me.

    Bottom line: freewill as it is, allows us to choose Christ over Satan while we are on this planet, but look around you, sin nature is in full bloom. If My people will…..)

    Adam through freewill cursed the whole planet and all of its inhabitance. It is appointed on man once to die, then comes judgment. Jesus Christ made it right; how can anyone in their right mine neglect so great a salvation? We all have an appointment that we will keep and be on time for.

  114. bratimus says:
    March 24, 2012 at 4:05 pm

    Yooper,

    Truth be told what i posted about free will in yesater days conversation i put no scriture to my words about free will.

    Only scripture i used was a warning about scattering God’s flock and claim something that is a oracle(revelation) from God when it just is an oracle (revelation) of man. When i feel convicted to put a warning out i do it.

  115. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    bratimus: when I gave my idea about freewill the first time, you over reacted, not yesterday. I believe you said; “what’s the use of posting if we don’t have freewill, our opinion means nothing”. That may not be word for word and I believe was you, but not sure and don’t want to go back and look.

    Game over folks!!!!

  116. bratimus says:
    March 24, 2012 at 4:58 pm

    Yooper,

    It was something like that, and this topic is the first time I posted since then.

    What humors me is when you end the game you started when no one else knows it is a game, when it isn’t going your way.

    Just a thought

    The truth is I post a comment when i really feel moved to, so my post will be far and few between.

  117. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 5:11 pm

    bratimus:The game ended when you and Gary said you didn’t want to play. Hope you learned someing from my post at 3:45 pm today. Years of study went in that post.

  118. davids says:
    March 24, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    I always find this blog more interesting when it is an exchange of ideas and experiences than a lecture.

  119. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 5:39 pm

    I prefer sermon or maybe lesson over lecture. There are always ideas and experiences in a (lecture) lesson if we read or listen with an open mind and a positive attitude.

  120. oneg2dblu says:
    March 24, 2012 at 7:18 pm

    yooperjack… I know the Battle is the Lord’s, and the life we are given with our free will of the mind is the battlefield, and the games people play are nothing but games to man, but as to God and His plan… there is no plan “B,” He made no mistakes. Let’s get serious with what we have been given here and not give Satan any room to fool around with us. Gary

  121. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 7:42 pm

    You know, really the bottom line is when others have a blog people go read it because they enjoy what the blog author has to say. I have yet to experience on any other blog where people coming in with their own agendas start conversations that have nothing to do with what the author has to say. Then they go on to say how spirit filled they are when they have no respect for the person who’s blog it is or others who are commenting on the topics. I am totally in the wrong because I know better than to feed into those conversations rather than ignoring.

    When I went to parenting classes they taught me to ignore some of the negative behavior and call attention to the positive and give good feedback when I saw them behaving in good ways. To pick and choose the battles when dealing with children who have ADHD. Well it is obvious that I did not take that lesson into the adult world because I did not think I would have to but that is not true, it is useful in all areas of life.

    Sometimes those who demand so much attention need to feel needed and wanted and will be satisfied with negative attention if that is all they can get just as long as they get attention. My heart needs to be open to show unconditional love and maybe be quick to ignore somethings and give positive attention and look for the good in everyone.

  122. yooperjack says:
    March 24, 2012 at 8:30 pm

    See, you two are learning, won’t be long and you’ll be walking in the Spirit just like me. Like I said before, Pride and Will are the last to fall.

    You will have joy unspeakable and be full of glory.-:) Thank you Lord!!!! They see the light.-:)

  123. poohpity says:
    March 24, 2012 at 10:10 pm

    Why would one have to tell others they are walking in the Spirit, should it not be evident in their writings and the words they utter? Would it not be a light that others are drawn to without having to tell them? If that is your hope then one day it will happen with the Lord’s help and I bet you will no longer have to tell people yourself but others will do it for you.

  124. remarutho says:
    March 25, 2012 at 3:41 am

    Good Morning Mart & Friends –

    Mart, you wrote:
    “Seems like it might be worth talking about what it would take for us to have Jesus’ ability to see things that are good and loving where we only see evil; and to be able to see evil where we are thinking “what’s not to love about that?”

    It seems to me the ability Jesus has to see the difference in good and evil in our world derives from his Godhood. We do not share in that dimension of his Being. In the long dialogue Jesus had with the temple leaders (John 8:12-59), he describes the difference between himself and them. He told them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” (John 8:23)

    It is a worrisome conversation because Jesus continues to explain that he has come declaring “what I have seen in the Father’s presence…” (John 8:38). The religious leaders claim Moses, the law-giver, as their father. Jesus goes further, pointing out that “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here.” (John 8:42)

    Jesus reveals his ability to see the evil in their rigid religious view. Since they cannot hear him nor accept his word (v. 43), he tells them their father is the devil, not Moses or God. The conversation continues, but no communication can take place. Jesus tells them the truth (John 8:58). They pick up stones to throw at him.

    There is great hope in this passage of Scripture because Jesus says plainly, “Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” (v. 51) It seems to me Jesus continues to love them. He had some victories in the faith of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, but these other religious types had hearts of stone.

    The question is whether we choose, by his grace, to believe that obedience to his word and faith in him will bring us to eternal life. We have his Word — which is always a covenant Word.

    Blessings,
    Maru

  125. SFDBWV says:
    March 25, 2012 at 6:36 am

    Thousands of years ago an ancient philosopher and teacher was quoted as saying, “A wise man speaks because he has something to say, a fool because he *has* to say something.”

    It appears that on this world wide blog there are a handful of people who regularly participate. As a result those who do become engaged in a conversation eavesdropped on by countless others.

    No conversation between anyone can be void of disagreement and without disagreement there is little or no exchange of ideas.

    This is the purpose of any conversation with a subject base, to hear differing views, and since all of our views are expressed from a personal base of who we are and what has made us who we are, our statements and views are flavored personally.

    Some people are sugar some vinegar and some salt.

    Mart’s picture of the cat that has torn open the trash bags is a good word picture of how some people like to tear into another’s personal trash to get at what’s inside. Like the cat they are unconcerned with the harm they do, they are just like any animal only following their instincts.

    Is the cat in the picture cute, caught in doing what it does best, being a cat? People who are fans of cats may think so, yet the person who has to clean up the mess may think otherwise.

    For me it is always sad to see or hear someone debase another in order to feel superior. Sad still is the fact that most people who do this never believe that they are guilty of any wrong doing and would defend their actions as anything but trying to best another and so feel they stand on a higher moral ground.

    A friend of mine years ago offered me some good advice; it is still difficult for me to follow. If I have something derogatory to say to another in the form of a written comment, go ahead and write it down then leave it set for a while maybe even a couple days, then if you still feel it necessary to send do so, if not toss it.

    Life is short, try and find the good every where you can, sometimes you have to sort through the trash to find it.

    Steve

  126. oneg2dblu says:
    March 25, 2012 at 6:57 am

    yooperjack… thank you for your kind and insightful words about how we, pooh and myself, will soon be walking in the spirit like you, saying we are learning because we play with you in your games. You are wishfully thinking at best my friend.
    The Spirit we “already walk in” does not fashion itself to the likes of any other modern thinking man or his games, it only Follows Christ who leads us both to the Father. Any other spirit you now seem to withhold is of this world and I’m not interested in living up to playing with it, or learning it’s always tempting, and so soon to be alloted by some achieved learning process of your modern thinking.
    It appears that there is something wrong going on in your wishful thinking here. I won’t guess what that is, or do I need to know thank you, but my God does and that is enough for me. Gary

  127. remarutho says:
    March 25, 2012 at 6:59 am

    Good Morning Steve —

    There must be controversy — questions and answers — the opportunity to place our own thinking next others’. Mart remains faithful, even in the wide range of ideas and topics, to a Scriptural foundation — or so I thought.

    Perhaps our tearing open and exploring for delicious tid-bits, like the cat in the photo, may be guided by the character of God in Christ — or perhaps I’m way off base here. It may be that referencing our notion of what others think to their characters is more appropriate. Somehow, I have thought that Scripture is our guide.

    Blessings,
    Maru

  128. yooperjack says:
    March 25, 2012 at 7:26 am

    Steve: what you said about writing things down and letting it set a while is therapeutic. Many years ago when I was working and active in the Church I would do that and tell others, if you get angry with your boss, wife or anyone write them a letter and tell them how you feel. Let it all hang out and give them a piece of your mind. Then, like you said set it aside and read it later. Most of the time it ends up in the trash; you got it off your chest and no one got hurt. And you kept your job. LOL

    Poohpity: you knew that was a rub. You know, you and I are alike in some ways so if you cut me down…… I’ll bet you always get the last word in, when you get into an argument. LOL

  129. yooperjack says:
    March 25, 2012 at 7:52 am

    Gary: Don’t you get it I pick on you two because I can. You two keep coming back for more its part of who you are. You set yourselves up for a fall. I did that for years till I realized how I was setting my self up for a fall by running my mouth. When I stopped people let me alone. We don’t have to be right all of the time. Most people don’t care what we think. On a blog we put ideas out there some will agree some won’t there is no fear of our reputation being ruined. Mart on the other hand has to be careful what he says because we know who he is and he has a ministry.

  130. SFDBWV says:
    March 25, 2012 at 9:55 am

    Maru, I liked your comment; it is true that there must be controversy in order to ferret out truths and also correct that the scripture should be our guide.

    Always allowing the nature of Christ in us to be presented in our actions toward another.

    I would suppose it is when we allow too much of our old nature to come out we are more like the cat’s claws and see only prey and perhaps a game of cat and mouse.

    However if we look deeper at the trash inside, with the eyes of Christ, we may see the pain and sorrow that made the trash in the first place and find a way to just clean up the mess, without blame and love the cat anyway.

    Steve

  131. phpatato says:
    March 25, 2012 at 10:00 am

    Steve, your last comment cements in my mind….you are a wise man!

  132. remarutho says:
    March 25, 2012 at 10:06 am

    Hello All —

    Thank the Lord for his love and his transforming word!

    Maru

  133. poohpity says:
    March 25, 2012 at 10:12 am

    Logical thought, Jack, good job. I was not cutting you down, hun, just was confused about how you saw pride in the life of another when you obviously were displaying it in your own. The joy in your life most times seems to be at the expense of others. You win. Seems to me that playing the devils advocate may be your greatest desire but one day maybe you will be the Lord’s advocate where all parties involved will win. Have a blessed day at church also while you read His Word and may the Lord’s grace shine on you today.

  134. InHisHands says:
    March 25, 2012 at 10:15 am

    It has been a while since I have added a comment, but I have been following along.

    My son, Josh, has been released on parole – many of you may remember our story. It has been over a year since I have spoken to him. I reached out to help financially while he was incarcerated, but the LORD has helped keep me from actively enabling Josh (which is what I tend to do, try to fix things and he needs to fix his life and seek the help of other; esp, GOD to do so.)

    I want so desparately to see the GOOD in Josh, and that he has changed and returned to his LORD – but I must watch and pray from the outskirts, to allow the LORD to work in Josh.

    Please keep praying for our family, that the LORD will show Himself through this prodigal son and bring Him back to us – whole.

    Thank you, Steve – I see the turmoil in this boy and pray for the LORD to be able to use it to awaken him to realize HIS presence and power. (I don’t know if I am handling this correctly or not – as a mother I want to reach out, but he has spent 14 years taking the help and not changing the flawed character traits.)

    Sorry if I am off track, but this is my personal *cat* situation. Thank you for your prayers and I do keep you all in mine.

  135. phpatato says:
    March 25, 2012 at 10:29 am

    I have often thought about you InHisHands. Thank you for touching base with us again. Know that I will continue to remember you and your son/family in my prayers. He Loves You and Josh so very much. Be patient as He is working behind the scene for His glory!

    Hugs

    Pat

    Now if I can only follow my own advice…..

  136. oneg2dblu says:
    March 25, 2012 at 10:31 am

    yooper… what fun to think we play into “your hands” here. Truth is…you miss the point of why we are all gathered here my friend, it is for other reasons than your constant need for this type of distraction. I’ve found your off button though, it is staying centered on Christ only. I’ll move on now and not play around again, until you are ready to do the same. Be blessed knowing you can walk in His Spirit seriously here by using your God-given free will, or you can continue playing your games.
    I’ve heard solitare is a game which can be also be much fun to play, but not all games will work well here. Just a thought :)

  137. poohpity says:
    March 25, 2012 at 11:06 am

    InHisHands, good to hear from you. I also am having to do the same with my daughter. I let her stay with me for four months and found that my helping was not helping her at all. One day I had to literally kick her out baggage and all which caused my heart to just rip apart because I wanted to be the one who would help her see the light but instead the Lord said let me have her. There is 10 years difference between her and my son’s. My son’s are out on their own doing life and she at age 34 is still dependent on others to care for her which is the fault of both my mom and me for doing for her all the time. It is very hard but then I got to thinking what was I doing at 34 after my parents did everything for me all the time and nothing changed until they finally said no more, then things changed.

    Being able to care for yourself never killed anyone. When people do for their children all the time it actually cripples them, take it from one who was crippled. When I got my first apartment on my own it was the most thrilling thing to me. Working and going to school and raising my sons gave me confidence that I could in fact be capable of being independent of my parents was the best blessing that ever happen to me besides walking with the Lord which them finally letting go was what pushed me into the Lord’s hands.

    Our job as parents is to teach them to take care of themselves because we will not be around for their whole life. Teaching them dependence on the Lord and independence from us is our goal as parents. Sometimes they have claw marks on them because the Lord has to pry them out of our hands but he is so very capable of doing a good work in them. Sometimes we can smother them with our love but God’s ways are so much better than ours and much more stable to depend on.

    So very glad to hear from you. :-)

  138. yooperjack says:
    March 25, 2012 at 11:21 am

    Steve: I see why they made you a judge in this case you don’t have to cut the baby in half I’ll give the baby to its mother. It was fun and so easy but when she called me Hun and was confused I knew it’s time to quit.

    I confess judge, I’ve been doing this sense 3rd grade in school with my teachers. It’s a rush, I can’t explain it. Most times no one get hurt. Is there a devils avocate group, like AA, we could call it DAG. LOL

    Look at the bright side they made an old man laugh and think; it’s not easy coming up with this stuff at my age. And the winters gone, it was fun.

  139. poohpity says:
    March 25, 2012 at 11:26 am

    Some children fly out by themselves others have to have a little push. They may fall but the ability to pick ones self up gives them character and develops persistence.

  140. yooperjack says:
    March 25, 2012 at 11:30 am

    It’s time to get the rake out and get rid of this winter fat. -:) I can’t believe narrow has 15 yards of mulch to spread that’s allot of work.

  141. SFDBWV says:
    March 25, 2012 at 3:01 pm

    Thank you all for your encouraging words, but once again Maru is correct; it is God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost that deserves our praise. Any wisdom or words that I may possess is from the Holy one of Israel, the Great I am, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ and I am humbled every day that He saw the trash in me and loved me anyway. Paid the price, endured the cross and made a way for me.

    May God bless every one of you.

    Steve

  142. oneg2dblu says:
    March 25, 2012 at 3:43 pm

    The beauty in that picture is of course that the cat does not see the trash as trash, or the mess as messy, he only does what he is designed to do, survive through any and all circumstances. His world provides all he needs even if he has to dig it out, he’ll find his fill. But, his nemesis is curiosity that always lurks awaiting opportunity and because he can’t resist it, he also has nine lives. If it were not for Christ giving up his own life on the Cross to do his Father’s will, we would not have the Eternal Life we now have in Him! That God he sees the mess we were in, and the trash we made of his image and He provides all we need through His Son to both survive and flourish abundantly as His, forever! :)

  143. Regina says:
    March 25, 2012 at 5:40 pm

    Good Afternoon All,

    Hope all is well in your lives. Today is my 45th birthday, and I thank God for another year! :-) This birthday is especially special this year because it’s on a Sunday, so I was able to spend part of my birthday with my beloved church family. It’s such a blessing to be able to look back over my life and remember the many ways that God sustained me. I’m so grateful to God to see another year.

    Warm, sunny, beautiful weather in Texas today (82 degrees).

    Love to all…

  144. InHisHands says:
    March 25, 2012 at 9:36 pm

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Regina. I pray you had a very blessed day and that this year will bring you many treasured memories of rich blessings.

    Thank you, Pooh for sharing your story. I know how hard it is for you, too. I will continue to keep you in prayer concerning this situation, as well as just praying for your daily well-being.

  145. poohpity says:
    March 25, 2012 at 9:58 pm

    Regina, Happy Birthday, I also hope you day is filled with joy and beautiful memories.

    Thank you, InHisHands, we are all in His capable loving, merciful hands and He alone can work miracles better than we ever hoped for or imagined. ;-) We just have to open our hands and let go. Your whole family will be in my prayers as well.

    I go in for another hip surgery in April to replace the cup they just replaced in January of 2009. If it aint one thing it is another but He is going before me, with me and will help with the recovery. Gosh I just do not know how people make it without the Lord. So we better be about telling them about Him.:-)

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.