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Why the contention?
chuckusa:
Hi Joe,
Good points. One cry for tolerance that has always angered me is the issue of "alternative lifestyles". Even my daughter is subjected to this in the schools, where books are being introduced to try and make a homosexual "lifestyle" seem normal. They are being admonished to show "tolerance".
I'm sure most people agree with me in that I don't hate people who have this lifestyle, but I will never accept it as normal...even though I accept that it is all part of Gods plan. I mean, so is murder...but I don't "tolerate" that either. A friend of 30 years died recently of AIDS, and I was there until the end, but that doesn't mean that I tolerated his lifestyle, only that I loved him. I suppose that this is a part of the issue here, are we REQUIRED to "tolerate" someone that we love when they go against God...I say no.
Having a brick wall put in front of us, where we can go no further in that area has always been a part of the process of change for me. It has always shown me which direction I'm NOT being allowed to go.
I have had real experiences in my life where I have had to put that brick wall in front of someone and to stop them, only to see a great and wonderful change occur in them because of it. I believe that this forum, accomplishes the same thing. Its unfortunate that we cannot all be like minded in this area. When I was asked to leave a previous church I attended, I was hurt...but it was part of the chain of events that led me here...so in reality it was a wonderful and loving expression of God that led me to a higher level of understanding.
If I ever go against Gods word, I pray that I will be banned so fast it will be a new record for the forum. All my brick walls have been a blessing, in the end.
Also, sometimes I realize the things I write don't make any sense, and go on too long. If anyone feels that any of my posts are counterproductive, please ask that they be removed. I promise that all you will recieve from me is a prayer thanking God for having someone who cares enough to look after me as I progess to where God needs me to be, for the good of all.
Blessings to all,
chuck
hillsbororiver:
Bobby speechless??!!? That will be the day ;D
Chuck,
I agree, you put it beautifully. If I go off the deep end I pray I will be pulled back up from a brother or sister too.
Thank you and may He grant you His Peace and Wisdom,
Joe
MG:
Galatians 1
6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Galatians 5
7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." 10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.
hillsbororiver:
Hi MG,
Excellent, relevent verses, a while back I had brought up one of the smaller OT books that I believe speaks of an EUREKA! moment that all of us experience at one time or another or another, again and again as we grow in Him...........
Ezr 9:1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
Ezr 9:2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
Ezr 9:3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard and sat down astonished.
Ezr 9:4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice.
Ezr 9:5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,
Ezr 9:6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
Ezr 9:7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
Ezr 9:8 And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
It is so easy to drift off sleepily, thinking we are secure and safe in our knowledge when in fact the old man, the old carnal nature, the desire to please and to be approved of men has encompassed us once again. Then our eyes are reopened and we see ourselves for what we are, that we are broken , poor and naked, realizing we of ourselves are nothing, the praise of others is less than worthless and then we are humbled enough to seek Him in all things.
His Peace and Wisdom to you all,
Joe
Deborah-Leigh:
A sobering caution regarding contention for contentions sake.....Poverbs 6:16,19 ....These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him.(and the seventh one being????) .....he who sows discord among his brethren......!
Arcturus
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