hmbld

Nobody has to shut up. There are legal actions that should be relied upon, when I first read the local paper, I didn't realize this would go national. The pipeline is not on tribal lands. The first report I heard was the police responded to reports that pipeline workers were attacked, and when the police showed up, no workers were found, only protesters, and the cops backed away deeming the situation unsafe. The dogs should have been controlled, but here again, the protesters were breaking the law by trespassing, sound familiar to other events around the country? Its the criminals who represent themselves as victims. Nobody has to be hurt, it can be settled in court.

Sure, but there also is the issue of people saying they are doing these acts, as christians, in the name of God, yet just because they use God to justify their actions, does not mean they were christians. So I think the name Christians gets much misunderstood as people have hijacked the title to justify their personal ambitions.

Thank you for your response. Yes, I see the difference. The problem I don't understand is how to deal with the accusations that come when a boundary is attempted.

Is it not a normal belief that a spouse is responsible for the other's happiness? It has been said even here at worthy many times, if the husband is loving his wife properly, no woman in the world would not submit to him. I have not seen this belief challenged, yet I question it, as rebellion is active in the world. I do not intend to sound judgmental towards the husband, I question the idea that the husband is always responsible for any failure,

Hold on now. How do you love someone enough to help them change? If we are only responsible "to" one another, and not "for" each other, than I fail to understand your point about loving someone enough to help them change, if they don't want to change, or they don't know how to overcome their jealousy/codependence, how do you achieve this? My understanding is it is usually detrimental to undertake the challenge of changing someone else, when maybe it is all we can do to yield ourselves to what God wants to change in us. Boundaries, does one step over other's boundaries to determine to help them change?

thanks, yes I did consider that. Still wanted to include that as we don't get to pick and choose sections of scripture to disregard,

A pastor can be gifted in teaching, preaching, leading, etc. We do not go to the pastor to be fixed. He is just a man.

Since all Scripture was given by Jesus (the Word), I would disagree that Jesus did not call Paul to be an apostle: 1 Cor 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Possibly not all, as we can be greatly affected by our bodies being out of wack, hormones, nutrition, etc. I do believe a great deal of our problems are more spiritual than people give thought to. There is much direction given in scripture as to what a person should think about, how we are to think and treat ourselves, others, and the priority we should give God over all other people, things, and circumstances. I have not read the boundaries book, but have heard many people talk of it, something about what I hear makes me want to steer clear, though I admit being uninformed as I have read none of it, it just has struck me as being another one of those "its all about me" books. Kind of like how a lot of the worship songs seem to be all about me instead of how great God is.

Yes, sometimes Christians may mean well, but not understand, like I said, we are all flawed. I wanted for years to please God, only when I came to the end of myself and admitted to God I can't do this, I need Him to do it all, did my eyes open to how much He loves us. You don't have to spend money.

Sparks, christians are never perfect, we are flawed, tell me, why or what do you hate about Christians?

Patience, Fisnookman! Psalm 103:1-4 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

There is evidence that a great many of the people who set up our government were indeed, christian. Its been acknowledged, not all of them were. I think, though I do not know, that a great majority of Americans from the beginning of our country, right up until recently, have considered this nation as christian, and also considered themselves christian, whether they were indeed saved or not, still it is a great majority that felt this way. I'd also say, that I believe I can point out a characteristic, or action, in every single christian I've ever met, that appears to be not Christ-like. Sinners are saved by Christ's work at the cross, and I've not yet met one who has been perfected in this life. Does that make them non-christian, or the U.S a non-christian nation? At the present time, I would agree that our government perhaps may have very few christians in it, though that too is hard to tell, as I think those with real power in the government are few in number. And in general, in my community, people seem to have completely lost fear or reverence for God, especially in the last 10-15 years.

I am interested in understanding how the koran has any credibility when history was recorded 1000+ years before Mohammad came along and basically changed recorded history. If someone came along and said the U.S. civil war happened in 1830, I would have no way of proving him wrong as I did not witness it, yet the civil war is recorded in history and I would have to believe the earlier record over someone making up his own story. Is it not logically possible to see how carefully Jews recorded and preserved biblical accounts, and conclude they would be more accurate than something that was first committed to written form after Mohammad died?

Funny, eight miles from my place and I've never heard of Duke! He looks very close to my Great Pyre, Sam. I don't know if I'd consider Cormorant an actual town though, lol.

I might understand your point, or I might not lol. Anyway, scripture tells us quite a bit about God's nature, His characteristics, etc.,-His holiness. I find your posts trying to use human logic to determine God's motives or characteristics, which I think does not work so well. When God uses something evil, and brings good out of it, does not = God causing the evil. God created His creation perfect, so I would say God does not want anyone tortured or killed. Free will response being a cop-out and when and whether He gives some discernment so they can protect themselves, really is up to our all-knowing God. I think there is more to this than you are presenting so far. Have you given thought to how scripture provides us with an understanding of God's nature?

Yes, the husband does have headship, yet, I think the rest of the lesson about headship gets overlooked far too often. Luke 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Philippians 2:5-7 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” What does it really mean to have headship? To lead?

Excellant passage regarding an incredibly important warning, Zachary. I have a few thoughts, and was wondering if you would comment on them. John 8:6 But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. John 8:8 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. John 8:10-11 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” This of course, is a short excerpt from the story where the people were testing Jesus regarding the woman caught in adultery. Many people have written about what Jesus could possibly be writing in the dirt. Isn't it amazing that Jesus, who created everything, did not stand over this woman in judgement, but instead, bent down and placed His finger into the dirt? Here is this woman, expecting to be stoned to death, hated by all, and Jesus got down into the filth and dirt, just as He was alongside this woman at her lowest point. Matthew 1:23 and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” We certainly should be wary of false teachers, and of being in sin, yet I thank Brother Joe for pointing out Romans 4:5. I doubt anyone can choose to be free of sin, by their own effort, yes, my point is this: Oswald Chambers devotion for July 19th: The Submission of the Believer Our Lord never insists on having authority over us. He never says, “You will submit to me.” No, He leaves us perfectly free to choose— so free, in fact, that we can spit in His face or we can put Him to death, as others have done; and yet He will never say a word. But once His life has been created in me through His redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me. It is a complete and effective domination, in which I acknowledge that “You are worthy, O Lord…” (Revelation 4:11) If our Lord insisted on our obedience, He would simply become a taskmaster and cease to have any real authority. He never insists on obedience, but when we truly see Him we will instantly obey Him. Then He is easily Lord of our life, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night. The Son was obedient as our Redeemer, because He was the Son, not in order to become God’s Son. As I said, we certainly should be wary of the scripture you provided, yes, I agree, and though my thoughts may not be well presented here, I ask, do you see it a matter of simply choosing not to be a slave to sin, how is this formed in us, and do you say this choice must be made to ensure salvation? Can we simply decide not to be a slave to sin, and can we take credit for making this choice?

Nope, I even stopped talking to my family trying to keep the peace. The punishments were so severe that if I ran into my family in a store I would be shaking from nervousness. So, no.

Trying to explain how the situation came about, well, people say they would never get in that situation. Only, people do. Then you realize you can't talk to any other person in the world, or you will be punished. But that, too, is your fault. You can't be trusted to talk to other people. So you just hide from the world. Then, one day, God speaks into your life, and you can no longer live that life of solitude in fear. To be honest, I don't know what a normal relationship is. How can there be a normal when everyone is flawed, including myself.

I like this answer, and agree with you, God can and will give us the direction, if we are willing to listen to Him! In another thread you said live life to the fullest without toxic people, or something to that effect. As Christians, won't we always have toxic people in our lives?

Just a side question, does God allow/desire/instruct/ us to walk away from others with problems? The problems referred to here, are actually abusive, so this moves into does God still hate divorce in abusive situations?

While this is true, I have met people who, when they don't get their way 100 percent of the time, project their own personalities onto others. Not saying this is true of you, just saying I've experienced this. I think the projection comes into play as a means to control, but I'm not really sure.

This is what I am in agreement with when I posted earlier. Come as you are. There are many sins, that are obvious to be observed in a person who first comes to believe, does the bible have a test of what sins are repented of before baptism? Doesn't it say believe and be baptized? Anyone truly repented I would think will find what the bible has to say about homosexuality, but it may be some time after baptism for some. Just as other sins are dealt with in us by our Lord as we grow, I'm just wondering if there is scripture singling out this one sin over all the other sins, in regards to coming to be water baptized. I think some are talking about those who want to be baptized, yet openly live in sin and refuse to allow scripture to be truth in their lives, and I guess I wasn't quite on the same page there lol.

I agree if someone is not repentant, and is openly disregarding scripture, only I see this as more than just the one sin. Some churches are thoroughly confusing people by accepting the lifestyle, even in the leadership. When I was baptized, nobody tried asking me if every sin was behind me.