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Persecution
indianabob:
Hello again Lauriellen,
Your last sentence is the key to some of the problem we all face.
" "How could we be persecuted for our faith if no one knows what we believe?" "
People need to and will learn about your beliefs by the way you live and how you treat other people. It is your actions that speak for you. You don't need to preach...
This is especially true of your close relatives and friends whom you have known longest.
When you express understanding and forgiveness toward the hurtful actions of another person, you demonstrate God's love toward all sinners.
When you do this in the presence of a person who is revengeful and just wants to get even they will not (cannot) understand and will think of you as an enemy.
People who have been hurt by others naturally (carnally) seek support and agreement for their desire to get even, to see the offender punished.
When you accept people with religious beliefs different from your own or that of your relatives, it can be frustrating for those relatives who expect you to be on THEIR side no matter what.
For example, when you are able to let God strengthen you through prayer and meditation and you are then able to rise each morning with a positive attitude and face the difficult day just being nice and being forgiving of others and their differences, the change in your attitude will show. To some it may be irritating, to others a pleasant surprise.
In my own case I have had to bite my tongue while having a pleasant discussion with my wife. She often will state an opinion about another person or a situation that I find to be in error. So instead of correcting her automatically the way I used to do, I instead just smile and listen and perhaps ask her why that seems so to her. Then I listen politely while she explains. I don't interrupt, I don't correct or offer my own view, I just try to understand and put myself in her position.
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After all she just wanted someone to listen to her concerns. She didn't ask me to share my opinion, she is not ready to change or to forgive AND it is not my job to correct her.
As the husband in the partnership, my job is to lead by example. It is not my job to preach or to condescend to my better half. God does NOT require that approach!
God can and will CAUSE my wife to change, to grow in grace, when God is ready.
It may take many years. We've been married 54 years and the last ten have been the best. Because, I let go and let God do the work...in me, not in her.
She will learn righteousness in the resurrection from other saints who shall be very much better qualified than I am today and that reassurance gives me peace of mind and increases my love toward God and respect for God's wisdom.
All I need to do in this life is to express my unconditional love toward her as an example.
In that way I help her to develop more trust in me as a husband and equal partner.
The problem within families arises when only one partner is called. Because that called partner has to carry the whole burden of responsibility. So it is important to keep in mind that God does NOT judge you by your spouses actions or life style.
Of course that is a very difficult challenge, but considering what our Lord and master had to endure for us it is a small price to pay. AND God will strengthen you and grant you peace of mind through it.
Keep in mind that God is NOT teaching righteousness to the MANY in this life. Only the few are being given an experience of grace and coming to love God unconditionally.
Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”
Please continue to present your concerns to the forum, I am confident that all here want to help you and help themselves as well by meditating on your questions.
No one here is better than any other. We each have had similar difficulties in life and will have more in the future, so let us continue in God's love toward one another as we have been led to see the need with God's patient correction.
Thanks to Ray and Dennis and all the moderators for their work of love.
lauriellen:
I thank Ray and Dennis too, along with all who share here. It is so good and helpful. I am also in a difficult situation at home concerning my unorthodox beliefs, and I am sure my family would be relieved if I would just go back to the way I was before. It can certainly be a lonely row to how, but I appreciate the example you gave of dealing with your wife, and I could learn a lot from your approach.
One more thing, and I think Ray talked or wrote about this, isn't it important to 'preach the gospel to all the world as a witness' before Christ returns, not just as a recruiting mission, but as a witness against those who oppose?
indianabob:
Lauriellen,
Thanks for your thoughtful remarks.
Yes it is important for there to be a witness to the world at large.
However, God can take care of this by many means other than having us approach everyone we know.
Just consider Ray Smith. He was doing his level best in a small way with friends when the Internet became a viable means to share. With the essential help of Dennis and other friends Ray was able to broadcast his work for thousands and millions to see. This was the work that God had sent him to do.
But please keep in mind that there were years and decades of study, self examination and research in preparation for that task. It wasn't done quickly after he began to learn the truth. Ray first counted the cost of doing God's work and prepared himself carefully.
I think most of us, the great majority, are still basking in our first love of God's truth, still learning. I don't think that we are anywhere close to ready to represent God's word and God's plan to the general public.
So then if we are genuinely desiring of doing this work for God then we should spend the time and the effort with prayer and fasting to prepare. Keeping in mind that we may do more harm than good if we try to teach only our friends or those who will listen to us because they know us.
If a person is genuinely interested they will be begging for the opportunity to share their interest with you.
If they only listen politely and don't bring up the subject again, then it is not their time.
God's truth does not need to be promoted like a sales pitch. When a person is being called they are eager to learn more and to study all the information that they can find. Isn't that how we found this site??
So please be patient with yourself, God will make it plain and obvious when it is time for you to share these pearls of great price with people who will appreciate them.
Warm regards, Indiana Bob
--- Quote from: lauriellen on August 09, 2015, 12:24:53 PM ---I thank Ray and Dennis too, along with all who share here. It is so good and helpful. I am also in a difficult situation at home concerning my unorthodox beliefs, and I am sure my family would be relieved if I would just go back to the way I was before. It can certainly be a lonely row to how, but I appreciate the example you gave of dealing with your wife, and I could learn a lot from your approach.
One more thing, and I think Ray talked or wrote about this, isn't it important to 'preach the gospel to all the world as a witness' before Christ returns, not just as a recruiting mission, but as a witness against those who oppose?
--- End quote ---
Nelson Boils:
Nice one, Indiana!
Just to add.Let us educate ourselves with what Ray has left for us,read and re-read and re-read until you fully understand so that you don't stand behind Ray all the time and when asked a question you say:"Yah well there is this guy on the internet..."So lets educate ourselves guys and put in the effort.
What i like about Ray's method of teaching is that he taught us how to fish.
virginiabm:
Hi Nelson, First I would like to say I am sorry for posting that in here and I would like for everyone to forgive me. Second I want you to know I would never try to deceive my husband. I share everything with him and if he agrees or not, I am good with it. I started thinking about this when Ray said in his article about the name Yahshua was not in the Old or New Testament. That is what got me on this study.
I can't speak about where I got this from, so I want. I am very sorry I brought it up in here. Please forgive me.
with love, virginia
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