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falling away
Gina:
It's good to have an honest estimation of ourselves. I agree. I get what you're saying, Dennis. But God says, Don't let your heart be troubled. If your heart condemns you, God is greater than your heart. And besides, we don't know what's in the heart of others, aside from what their actions portray. AS WE WELL KNOW--MOST OF THE CHURCHED ARE WALKING AROUND FAKING IT. I know that was true for me.
Dennis Vogel:
You're right Gina. I'm just posting this to have the last word ;D
Gina:
Not so fast. :) I mean, I used to be such a jealous person. And then I realized that we ALL go through the same things. We ALL end up feeling the same way. It's a matter of time before they look at what they've done and beat their chests saying, God have mercy on me, a sinner.
Dennis, I don't know what you've done that is so horrible. While you're no better than anyone here, you are such a blessing to me and everyone here. I was just thinking about you and all you do and continue to do for us.
I remember how Ray said told the story of the Good Samaritan and how he helped that man who was robbed and took him to a hospital and put out lots of good money to help the man. Did he like the man? Doesn't say. I give a small pitance every month or so to B-T, but there was a time when I didn't want to give any money at all. Why? Because I was angry as I was having to struggle looking at my heart. But then I looked and saw all that Christ did and all that Ray was doing and what you were doing in spite of all the detractors and the negative stuff (just from me alone) and you didn't stop giving in a way that even I could benefit from it, no. So that helped me get my rear in gear and say, well, I might not like or agree with a lot of the people on BT but I'm going to contribute to the site anyway, even if it's just a little, and maybe someone like me (with my rotten heart) will be made happy like I was happy before my idols of the heart started to be crushed. lol Little did I know how much helping others like that (in that very small way) would change my rotten heart eventually from bitterness to gratitude and slowly but surely mercy. Not all there yet, but I'm not where I was. Thank God for B-T!
Dennis Vogel:
--- Quote ---I don't know what you've done that is so horrible.
--- End quote ---
Nothing I can think of. Many, many years ago a minister explained to me that our sins are like an onion. You peal off a layer and there is another, and another, ... That's how it's been for me.
Ecc 1:2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
There are many physical sins we can overcome. But I don't think we will ever conquer pride and vanity.
Dave in Tenn:
I think I understand that even when I try to do good, it has evil unintended (by me) consequences. Faith is that evil is temporary and meant for good. Faith is that our 'good' is improvable, but that comes through hard experience which includes failures.
Back to the OP. Just a testimony, so take from it whatever suits. I'm not a daily bible-reader. But I am a daily bible-thinker. For me, bible-study is 'hearing' but life is 'doing'. So far, the Lord seems perfectly capable of seeing me through "dry" spells by causing my life to unfold in such a way that His word and my life come together. Sometimes it's wonderful, and sometimes it's terrible, and it happens most often when I am not trying to force it. That's what 'written in our hearts' means to me.
We're called on to prove what is true. For me, if it doesn't match real-life, it can't be proven no matter how many verses I can string together. As others have said, it's still not about religious box-ticking. Take what you have and live. If you do, He will add more to it.
OK, so I tossed a sermon into the end of the testimony. Sue me. ;)
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