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[tamaralv]

I was on facebook yesterday and looked at a biblegateway poll.  The question was "Who's your favorite obscure Bible character, and why? "Obscure" meaning they don't have a book of the Bible named after them, and rarely get mentioned in Sunday school."  I wanted to see what names people had put down.  I am in the process of reading the Bible for the first time all the way through and don't even know some of the names in the Bible.  There were wonderful names like Hannah, Jesse, Caleb, Deborah, Joseph, etc.  But there was another name and it disturbed me that people would so miss the point that they would name JESUS! 
I thought about this all night and through today. Earlier, my daughter and I were talking about some of the things we used to believe.  I remembered what I had seen on the poll and wanted to show her.  I didn't have to search long to find that people were STILL naming Jesus. I knew why this had bothered me so much.  And without thinking I went to my computer.  This is what I wrote to them. "I'm sorry.....I have to ask a question at this point. Over and over again I've noticed people naming Jesus, OUR Lord and Savior, as their favorite OBSCURE Bible character. What part of the Gospel of Jesus do you not understand?  Don't you know that from Genesis to Revelations the WHOLE ENTIRE Book is HIM? How is that OBSCURE? And what Bible/Sunday school have any of you ever gone to that didn't at least MENTION Jesus Christ? People......read the question and stop blaspheming our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (NIV)
And then I hit SEND.  I felt really good about it until the adrenaline wore off.  Now I wonder.  I am used to NOT speaking out so I was surprised that I would say something at all. Someone answered me with this "Jeez, take it easy sis, and be a gentle teacher."  To which I replied "Sorry, it's just a no brainer."   So she wrote back, "It's not a contest about how much we know! "God looks at the heart".  I replied "Point well taken and I agree, but didn't Paul instruct us to teach with sound doctrine? I wasn't looking for a debate, just hoping someone would see my point. There was no criticism intended in what I wrote, but I was trying to make a point and blasphemy is blasphemy, unless done out of ignorance." 
That was awhile ago and there was no further comment.  I'm a little ashamed of the way I came across to her, but just maybe it started someone thinking?  Truthfully, I wonder if the lesson was for me.  When is it time to speak out and when should we remain silent and absorb the lesson?
Any help with this is welcome and much appreciated.

Peace and Love,
 
Tammy

[Ninny]

Hi Tammy,
This may not be any help to you, but sometimes it seems easy when we see things that others don't necessarily see. Maybe some of the ones answering the questions didn't pay attention to the word "obscure" or didn't really know what the word means! Some people don't know anything about the Bible at all and the only character they can identify is Jesus.. I wouldn't probably have worried about that, I probably would have commented that Jesus isn't exactly an obscure character in the Bible!! But you just have to meet people where they are and try to remember that everyone is just where they are in God and He will lead them along in His own time! I have learned that I am not where others are and they are not where I am..It makes it easier to just proclaim that we serve an awesome God and he loves us with an extreme love!! That's all we really have to know ultimately! God is a loving Father and in Jesus we can see Him!! 
Kathy   \o/

[tamaralv]

Thank you, Kathy.  Of course you are right.  I believe I knew I was wrong after I posted.  It is so easy to forget that everyone is not in the same place spiritually.  I believe the lesson is mine after all. 

[Ninny]

Tammy,
Don't feel bad, if we didn't do something we wish we hadn't done, well we might just get a little smug!! 
Kathy

[tamaralv]

Kathy,
Isn't He perfect in ALL His ways?  That includes how he chooses to humble us!  I will consider this a lesson well learned.  Thank you again for taking your time to help me with this.  I really do appreciate your honesty.

Tammy

[noeleena]

Hi...
 I am on a good number of forums . in the community i am in we have 1000s of people that i have access to . most of the time the ?? are about details of our lifes . & how we get on or are down . we have a lot to contend with . most of these people have had enough of churchs because they are not accepted . really many of us are rejected . so we talk amoung our selfs .
      The ? came up of is the Lord & creation .real.or not .  my reply was one of not telling   what we should belive or what ever . just one of what the Lord has done.  in this case for me . over the last 11 years . now many people in these church.s would not accept us because we are different . hence not wonted there . we had over 100 people reply to our posts over the last two days . i know many of those people it was a good time for just saying we can love The Lord . & show how we have been given so much .
 The Lord would like us to trust & let the word we say be of the Lord . tempered with the holy spirit leading us . both in writing & speaking . with love & kindness . yet allowing us to be a part of what is there for us .
 We can just barge  in & yet lose out on what the Lord is doing . that.s why we are to follow  behind the Lord . & not try to go ahead .as to how many people we have in our commuity.    we have over 85.000 people .

   ...noeleena...

[Linny]

Tammy, I have a mouth so learning to keep it shut has been in God's life-long lesson plans for me.
It is a great lesson and I am proud of you for learning so quickly. I was not so quick. 

Noeleena, your community is blessed to have someone like you who knows the truth and can love on them with the true love of our Lord. It saddens me that so many are rejected by the very people who are supposed to love as they are loved.

Blessings, Lin

[tamaralv]

Noelena,
Thank you for responding to my post.  I have to second what Linn said and say that your community is indeed lucky to have someone like you.  Wish you were closer to me!

Peace and Love,

Tammy

[tamaralv]

Linn,
 
Thank you for your response.  This problem with my mouth is something God has been dealing with me on for awhile.  Let's pray that I have it this time!  The reason I stated in my post that I was surprised I would say something is because I THOUGHT I'd learned my lesson long ago.  Obviously not! LOL. But I am very hard on myself sometimes and forget that I'm still learning.  I'm not sure God wants me to beat myself up over this, but I have and now it's brought to the forefront other issues.  I will continue to pray for the Lord's guidance....what else can I really do?  Thanks again!

Peace and Love,
Tammy

[cjwood]

tamaralv,

He IS teaching, and you ARE learning. your last post is testament of that.

claudia

[tamaralv]

Claudia,

All I can say is Praise God!

Peace and Love,

Tammy