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I think you're doing fine, @Thewhitedove. The lure of fleshly religion to condemn this or that is what you are to overcome, not being kind and compassionate toward your colleague. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Remember this: conviction is godly and a work of the Spirit, but condemnation is ungodly and a work of the flesh. The one who convicts this woman is the Lord; our place is to be gentle, meek, and patient. Our example is what speaks to others. Being pointed at, accused, and condemned is the example of defiled religion. It's powerless and hollow, lacking love.

Of course you can "honor God" - by treating her with love and acceptance, by being kind and patient with her, by being the closest thing to Jesus she will ever likely encounter besides Jesus Himself (ideally). The child is now a reality - and loved by God. There's no reason you have to stop being friendly towards her. We were all corrupted by sin - before we found His grace. This friend is no different. She, like many others, has been deceived into thinking her sexual proclivities are morally acceptable. With a baby on the way, she is about to go through some challenging times (as is true for all new parents). This is an opportunity to show Her the love of God. Pray for her, see if she has needs you can help meet, get other Christians around her if possible. Only Jesus can give her righteousness. If you show her His love, perhaps He will use you to turn her heart towards Himself in repentance. If she asks, be honest about the truth - that God loves her overwhelmingly but is very clear regarding His disapproval of homosexuality. Then the choice will be hers as to what she does with that information. But otherwise, be Jesus to her as much as you have opportunity. "Love never fails".

I will venture there is an overlap. To continually experience Christ is to continually solve problems. I look for that in all things material and spiritual. For me it is a given that the apostles and saints are used of God to that end.

Could I say "rough neck " . Yes, the will to get things done and not minding the little afflictions that come with the bravery, is part of a true tradesman or craftsman. I think it is still in your blood, even at your age. There is a time though as you said, to bite the butllet and live with the memories or all those glorious projects and adventures that you were blessed with. I myself love construction and have worked on a few huge project sites, one being an oil refinery. It is indeed a danger oriented field, but the thrill of working with numerous people, tools, equipment and others to bring a plant to production is pure energy for me. Since moving to Canada, I have had to find work in another field ,as the brutal winter here is not for the faint hearted. I could have still managed, but I also loved electronics, which I did a one year course that set me on that journey now for the past 25yrs, and I like it just as much. Oh well, you still have fields that you can branch on to, and be less physical challenging. It will never replace your love for your hobbies, but it will keep you moving about with less of pitfalls that the more youthful can tolerate. Be, bless Neighbour and I, we, like your companay here at worthy and your sharing.

I think I should try some of that procrastination stuff . . . but . . . maybe tomorrow or next week . . .

Praying for your healing and recovery. Regarding selling your stuff . . . take some time to recover, and then make your decision regarding those things. I have made many a bad decision in the 'moment' of circumstances, and regretted those decisions later . . . Ray . . .

https://samesexattractions.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/interview-chad-thompson-author-of-loving-homosexuals-as-jesus-would/ https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/love-homosexuals-as-jesus-would-ex-gays-urge-at-conference/ He is spot on. The one who loves wins. They got so much hate and judgement in the church. One guy said: I got more love on the streets than in church. When I backslid same thing. Nobody wanted to help, judgemental christians in church and the atheist drugaddicts at least were kind to you.

It seems to me that while cups are literally containers from which to consume whatever they are filled with, figuratively "cups are a statement about allotted portions given for related reasons to those specially chosen to partake of them." Psalm 16:1-11 A Michtam of David. (1) Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. (2) O my soul, you have said to the LORD, "You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You." (3) As for the saints who are on the earth, "They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight." (4) Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. (5) O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. (6) The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. (7) I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. (8) I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. (9) Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. (10) For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. (11) You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Her lifestyle is not yours to judge and any child is a gift from God so congratulate her and keep praying that she hears Gods voice

Read this today and I'm considering it's validity. Is it true that Paul, and others, were really focused on other's knowing and experiencing Christ in their daily lives, instead of trying to solve their problems? And the author equates the knowing of Christ as "thinking the one thing" as mentioned in Philippians 2:2. So should we be all caught-up in trying to solve ours and other people's problems, or should our main focus be to facilitate "take problem to Jesus"? Solving Problems or Experiencing Christ? "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21 To understand the spiritual nature of the New Testament, we need to ask a question: Did Paul solve problems or did he lead people into experiencing Christ? Where in the New Testament letters did Paul solve problems? What problem did he solve as an end in itself? What issue did Paul get involved in to solve? Have you ever considered this question? We all should go back to reread the New Testament and ask, What problems did Peter, John, Paul, and the other apostles solve? Did they solve people's problems or lead people to experience Christ? Of course, we know there were many problems among the Corinthians, but when we investigate how Paul solved the problems, we discover that he did one thing--he led them to experience Christ. In our natural life we are prone to solve problems. We are looking for answers. We are seeking solutions. We want things to be cleared up and go away. We want to "right" what is "wrong." We are hoping for our environments to change for the better. We live in our imagined expectations. We want situations to be such that our soul would be at ease and find relief. Our souls are enmeshed in solving problems in many things in our daily life. In our natural life we are in the realm of solving problems. But with the supply of the Spirit in our spirit, we are in the realm of thinking the one thing--to experience Christ. Paul's burden with the Philippians was not merely to solve their problem of disharmony, but to lead them to be supplied to think the one thing, Christ. To think the one thing is our greatest need. The way we can tell we are a supplied person is that we relate to matters and environments not by merely solving problems, but by experiencing a deeper, richer Christ. From The Supplied Life by B. Freeman

Highly metaphorical Also allegorical Textually historical Oddly categorical

Seems the depised Kings men tax collectors are still around today; and in the USA ever more so by going after the lower level earners of income! Why? Do the lower level earners have to pay any taxes at all? Seems according to the Wall Street Journal report the 87,000 ruler's tax collectors of the IRS, some complete with guns, are out to get those earning under $200,000 a year for they do not tend to have the resources to fight off the increase assessment of taxes an IRS auditor might demand is due to the US Treasury. While I feel it right for everyone to have to pay a share of taxes, without exception, I do find it interesting that the push to gain additional staff for IRS is not resulting in audit of major earners as was billed to be the purpose, but instead is resulting in more lower hanging fruit being squashed. One might look up the Wall Street Journal Article on "The $200,000 man" for details. Just as the poor will always be with us, I guess so will the king's tax collectors of rather despicable reputations. Sure makes a flat tax or a consumption only tax instead of income tax seem appealing. None the less pay to Caesar what is due Caesar, and to God give deep thanks for what is of God.

yes I have heard of the deep darkness. However deep water or deep darkness does not imply that ice is deep imo

Experiencing Christ can solve a great many problems.

Psalm 26: 4-5 (ESV) I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.

There wouldn't be two faces one of the ice pack and another of the waters melting. To say God was hovering thus melting the ice pack is pure speculation.

(The end of Mars 2024). Shalom! For awhile now I've been praying 🙏🏽 for a Bible with larger letters 🔤, and since I live in a remote mountain area, and I don't have bankid, it's very difficult to get one. But on a second hand website, I saw last week that a person wanted to give away a brand new Bible like that, and took contact and explained my situation. This person has contacted me and said that he feels that he wants to give The Bible to me! 🆙🎶 🆙 🎶 🆙 🎶 🆙 I'm SO GRATEFUL TO ABBA FATHER for this wonderful praise report! I will treasure this Bible very much indeed! 😊 (Present time, April 2024). I got the miracle Bible and have had the blessed privilege to read 📖 it for some weeks now! This wonderful answer to my 🙏🏽, has strengthen my faith even more, that everything is possible to Him! So, please hang in there now and keep trusting The Lord! 😊

It encompasses both deeds and words. I especially agree that to do something 'in the name of the Lord' or 'in Jesus' name' is speaking of doing, or saying something, in or by His authority. For instance, when we pray 'in Jesus' name' it is not a magic phrase we tack on at the end of our prayers like 'abracadabra' then BOOM, God answers our prayers because we followed the formula. But rather we "come boldly to the throne of grace" Heb.4:16 because our High Priest Jesus, has already gone before us there, to sprinkle His own blood on the real mercy seat, and has given us the right and authority to approach our Holy God. Not on our merits, but by His. We pray in Jesus' name (authority), reminding ourselves of why we can come boldly. I am reminded of those who argued with Jesus in Matt. 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven :22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works :23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. They were claiming to speak or do in Jesus' name but were found as false prophets. This then is one form of breaking the third commandment.

Hi Ray, Good thought, waiting upon decision making. I am in decision mode anyway, having to clear out some 40 years of stuff, for a car the thing garages were actually intended for. I am trying to downsize belongings, but need additional space, sheds to hold stuff, or get rid of it to give it to someone that may better use it all today. None the less waiting on final decisions is good advice. My own "retinitis" probably will be the turning point in making decisions about using my power wood cutting and shaping tools anymore. Don't need to be reshaping fingers, LOL. I looked at sheds yesterday- they cost almost more than a house used to cost. I have enough plywood and siding on hand to build my own sheds, but maybe not the thing to do. Time marches on and the body well it just evidently isn't going to enjoy the march so much anymore. Perhaps more fun to see another have some joy out of the equipment. I will wait a bit as you have wisely advised. There's no hurry I guess. Probably won't build that pole barn log home I have been thinking about either, LOL! The Lord has significantly blessed over the years, time to enjoy time itself for what it is, least for a bit. Otherwise, I am just beginning to realize, I am engaging in a form of "self meanification", where I cannot justify my existence to myself by my working profitably at something physically productive. -Still fighting off that retirement mode, thinking hey I am unemployed. Thanks again for the caution.

I could not find the text, only on a JW site: It appears that in the days of the apostles of Jesus Christ there were those who indulged in intemperate eating and drinking. Therefore, when Paul gave directions to Timothy and Titus regarding those who might serve in positions of responsibility in the Christian congregation, he warned them against appointing greedy ones and specifically said that those selected should have “moderate habits” (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Tit. Obviously this eliminated gluttons. Such “greedy persons” will not inherit God's kingdom. — 1 Cor. 6:9, 10. So say a christian married hetero couple gets a child, but the wife gained 50 kilo while pregnant because she could not contain herself and had these eat moods, you then, if you say it to the lesbian, you have to say it to everyone because dont be a respector of persons, have to say or else you're a bad christian and don't warn people: Hey congratulations with your baby. What a sweet kid. Oh but hey no offense but my christian belief says that I cannot agree with you being obese. Why is she mad? Women...

Sorry Jayne, it was late when I got back. So my colleague is gay and obviously I can't do anything about that, any more than my straight friends living with their boyfriends etc. I just don't mention her partner when we chat. I know they got 'married' but she didn't mention it to me which saved me the awkwardness of having to say anything. I just don't know how to approach it for that first moment when she tells me. I agree that every new life is a miracle and every baby is precious but I don't agree with the ideology of deliberately bringing a baby into a family with no father. I will of course care for my colleague and will celebrate the baby when he or she arrives, but there will be a moment of awkwardness when she tells me. I just want to honour God and also be sensitive to my colleague. I think your responses are absolutely perfect.

Just looking for opinions and clarity...

The Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus for blasphemy and they said to Jesus that we do not want to kill you for the good things you are doing when Jesus challenged them and asked them for which one of the good things I have done you plan to kill me. They said to him it is for what you say that God is your Father.

It's been my understanding that the name of the Lord speaks of His power and His authority; this is a position we walk in and dwell within on earth. His bondservant never has to utter a single word to be found in His name. How are we in the name of the Lord, then? We walk in and dwell with the Spirit of the Lord on this earth. I believe that this commandment refers specifically to those who declare that they come in the name of the Lord when they do not; they take His name in vain. I'm thinking that words alone are not covered by this commandment. Why? Matthew 12:31-32: “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." (NASB) It's for this reason that I don't think the 3rd commandment encompasses words.

Hi and appreciate what you're saying! Maybe if you could bring out some particular Scriptures we might have something we can discuss.

I developed that talent when i was very young. At 77 now, not so much.

This is why I said earlier that it is a literary symbol or allusion. It does not represent an actual historical state of the universe or earth. This is language that is consistent with the cosmology of the ancient Hebrews, as well as their contemporaries. Bringing and applying any modern concept to this language is adding to the text.

It sounds like what a guy on christian forums said and Torben Söndergaard in a youtube video called Cafe talk. He explains it really simple there. He takes a sugar package, holds it up in the air and it drops because there's the law of gravity. He read Romans 6. He said read Romans 6. You died with Christ. The law of sin was working in our flesh. You sin and you have to sin again, just like smoking. But now when you get that revelation that you really died with Christ you don't have to sin anymore. Romans 7 is the struggle and in the end Paul prays Lord deliver me of this body of death and then Romans 8 is the victory, living being lead by the Spirit and putting to death the works of the flesh. The guy from cf was addicted to porn 38 years. He fasted, prayed, couldnt stop. Eventually he said: God I give up. And God said: With this my son I am well pleased. I knew all along that you couldn't do it. He had to confess that he died and rose with Christ and then was instantly set free. A former gay guy on youtube, I think he lead some organization, he had an experience with a pedo as a kid and became homosexual. Someone took him to a church. He had to see his old self in Jesus on the cross. He got a new nature. He is now married and has 9 kids. Or maybe I'm mixing 2 up now. Another former gay guy said the same thing. Maybe he saw that at that service, that his sinful nature died with Jesus on the cross. Anyway they both got set free by it.

Yeah, it's those little bitty things we do that are really the important things, everything is interconnected in ways we don't understand. If a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil might cause a tornado in Texas who knows what a simple thing like moving a duster off of a Bible might do.

1. This isn't always the case but some people who are suicidal just need a little relief. That can come in the form of attention, comfort, distraction, or even a small change in circumstances. I often take the path of distraction because my usual perspective is that dwelling on their circumstance is what brought them to the bring of suicide in the first place, so getting their attention to shift to something more enjoyable is often in order in the short term. Changing someone else's heart, attitude, and long term circumstances is quite often outside of our control and is more the domain of God so my own strategy is to focus on short term mood boosters and providing a listening ear when the person seems to need it. 2. Yes. Suicide is normally the farthest thing from my mind because I've enjoyed life more often than not despite having depression and a melancholic outlook. Psalm 139:14 is a verse I've felt is especially applicable to me: "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." But there was a time of prolonged abuse and crushed hopes due to an abusive situation that was very much like a case of modern day slavery. To cite a particular instance to show how bad it was and how cautious I had to be I was threatened with homelessness because I told my host that the landlord dropped by and left a bill while she was at work. When I was told I might have cancer she flat out wouldn't take me to the doctor for a return visit. I had tried multiple times to get out of that situation and even recruited some friends but it never worked out. In the end a relative I was never close to and hadn't seen in decades came out of nowhere and intervened on my behalf, and I had a few other good turns after. So I got out of it because I stuck with it until God changed my circumstances. The world might call it a series of unlikely coincidences but more than anything else in my life that chain of events really solidified my faith and convinced me that God was looking out for me.

Typical SPIN about Florida from someone who doesn't know the state at all. The "Villages" isn't one place....or even one 'village'. It's a real estate development franchise that spans tens of thousands of acres of central Florida as well as a number of incorporated Cities and towns. It's most definitely NOT AFFORDABLE. What IS affordable in the Villages are the STD testing clinics. Homeowner's insurance in Florida is almost unaffordable by anyone. They are driving people out of the state in record numbers. Property taxes are going up, with the proceeds now being diverted from public education to public works (to assist the developers of real estate 'villages'.) Did I write there were no churches? Village people worship God on the fairway...Golf Courses instead of church. Read the adverts. Tee time on Sunday morning is more important than worship time. "I can worship God in the great outdoors," they say. (Hebrews 10:25) It's known all across America what goes on in the Villages. People that live there deny it. Why wouldn't they? Is it something to be proud of? The incidence of STDs in the Villages is the highest of any group of communities in America. Churches seem to have NO effect upon sexual dysfunction and SIN in Central Florida. I've been to a few congregations in the area. Their Vegas style production numbers on Sunday morning are designed to entertain rather than to inspire worship. Sometimes people ask why I'm angry. Come down and waste a few years in these halls of pretentious prayer and you'll understand why...you'll SEE the hypocrisy for yourself. REPENTANCE is long overdue, but nobody wants to promote THAT attitude....it would potentially decrease paying customers in church. (A Methodist minister told me their church preaches the 'soft gospel' ... meaning no repentance is needed and no atonement is required....only membership in the church.) Do Florida churches now issue Get-Out-of-Hell free cards? Apparently they do...what a concept! Finally, I inform the reader that I personally know of healthcare professionals that work in the Villages near Leesburg. Some of the incidents cannot be posted here, even if polite editing was applied to the stories. Florida is littered with churches, very few of which serve the God of the Bible. Most of them serve corrupt inept pastors who have led their congregations into enormous debt (an average of 3 million per church according to national surveys) on a journey to whatever hellish fate awaits them. C'mon down and see for yourself. Bring lots of cash when you do. Church folks are few and far between, mostly the older generation, btw. (Does that give you a clue?) You will not see many working age folks in Florida churches. Church groups are too busy bickering with one another or gossiping with one another to be of use to the Kingdom of God...to actually DO ANYTHING AT ALL. They will smile and shake your hand in church, but later stab you in the back. (I know because its been done to me several times. There is no Koinonia love in these houses of pretentious prayer.) Snowbirds come and go (adding to dysfunctional assumptions that the church as a whole is growing when it isn't (*)). Tourists generally are too busy with the Parks to bother with cheap religious hypocrisy hereabouts. Florida in general and central Florida in particular is a spiritual desert...a wasteland of lost inspiration and bankrupt ideology. And well meaning folks who prefer to wear rose colored glasses will tell you all is right with America...when it's circling the toilet drain of history. that's me, hollering from the choir loft... (Isaiah 6:9-10) (*) NO CHURCH ever actually deletes members from its mailing list. These databases are normally administered by hired organizations outside the church and rarely delete members who've died or moved to another church. (I personally had to threaten a mega church in my city with litigation when they refused to remove my name from their mailing list when I changed my affiliation.) Typical of church members here are 'Snowbirds' who live in northern states during summer, but who move to Florida during the winter. Snowbirds typically 'join' churches in both communities - effectively doubling the number of members nationwide when the actual figure is half or less than half due to death, chronic disease or changes in religious affiliation. The same is true for western and southwestern states. The over all number of members in our churches is less than half of what we are being told.

I was a carpenter for over a half century. I used/applied the Pythagorean theorem often. I wonder if Jesus did.............. (I hurled a few imprecations myself if ever I hit my thumb with my hammer)

Thank you, Sower. Pythagorical . . . at least a million applications without any imprecations.

What was it Forest Grump said? "Stupid is as stupid does." Well meet Mr. Stupid Does. I'm just a tad beat up this morning. My back, my lower right side, my knees, and an elbow are hurting, plus one knee well what can I say? It is just plain unhappy with the brains of the outfit, it being rather seriously hurting today. Wha hap'nd? It was simple enough I decided to not take a car to the car wash but instead wash it myself. Going to save money, and well I am tending two classic cars why not take care of the regular one too? So I dragged the hundred foot of hose, uncoiling it as I walked backwards with it. No problem, it is level terrain and I can tend the kinks in it as I go. Good thinking, not! About 60 foot into the task I heard a voice saying urgently "Turn around!" And As I fell into the hole I was still thinking, "What for?" I spun as I stepped into a merely six inch hole where the water meter sits in my yard way below the thick turf. My left knee took the first jolt and crunched backward. I spun, reached out to protect my head as I hit the sidewalk on my knees, forearms and elbows. With forty foot of hose beating on top of me. Stunned but thinking, "Get up! Don't look totally stupid", I did manage that task, then saw that the bleeding wasn't all that bad. And so I washed the car as I washed off the blood as I went along and then went in to get some first aid from spouse. She was kind, washed out the wounds, bandaged me up, didn't even say "Stupid is as stupid does". My angel, I think he is still shaking his head. Amazingly though, I had distinctly heard loudly urgently "Stop! Turn around!" and there was no one there; 'cept evidently my angel on overtime duty. Today I am back at it wiped down the dew off the newly washed car, but seriously thinking I should give up a lot of my wood working equipment, time to face that, especially the table saw, miter saw, and all the routers. Yep think so-