*Zion*

Sorry, something went terribly wrong with my reply attempt/quote... Hi brother Fez, check out the thread I started in Testimonies. You can be the first one to answer...

What a blessing! I need to remember these words every day!

because it stimulates the same pleasure centers as does heroin. people who get really addicted to porn get to the point they had rather do porn than sex itself.... it will literally destroy a marriage.... on a side note i don't think bopeep understands what levels porn today has reached........ and that is very refreshing to me. Yes, people also have affairs and destroy their marriages. That doesn't mean they have addictions. It means they make bad choices. They wouldn't be doing this if it weren't pleasurable, so what? I think we are entirely too quick to label things as 'addictive' and explain bad behavior in terms of addiction rather than people just doing dumb or wrong things. Very good point.

If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed. Paul always going to be free in Christ.

I know that words sow a seed but our whole lives should be ministering Jesus to one another: "By this they will know that you are My disciples; that you have love for one another." It's not just linguistics that count, it's our body language too. God wants to utilize our entire beings in this mission, not just our tongues. We were created to glorify Him and reflect His love. I heard of an instance whereby a man, large in stature. cold in nature, lonely, afraid, and feeling so unloved, walked into a church service expecting to be shunned and isolated as per usual in his day-to-day, whatever the circumstances. The usher smiled at him, and showed him a seat next to a nice looking lady. The lady smiled and held out her delicate little hand to shake his large, scarred, rough hand. He sat down. He heard the preacher speak upon God's love. He heard the singers sing of God's love. Then at the end, the pastor said: turn to the person next to you. Give them a hug. The man got a big squeeze from the lady, who was still smiling at him. He broke down and cried and said: you don't even know me. How can you love me? The lady said: if you knew how much I talk and fuss over my grandchildren when they come to see me and nag my husband and cry whenever I hear good news from my daughter because she lives so far away and I don't really get to see her anymore... well, you might find me difficult to love too. Then the man said jokingly: would you please fuss over me, and nag me, and cry over me? And she said: What do you want for dinner tomorrow night? My husband never complains about my lemon chicken... You've probably heard that story before, but to me that's such a good example. It only took a few smiles and a hug to sow the Word in this man's heart. It got broken, but then it got mended again. Isn't God just wonderful? He uses our smiles too!

I agree: Actually, if you read other people's posts here of their personal walk with Christ, you will find many similar stories. I don't think it's a competition, Michael. And the most important thing is not that you love God. It's that God loves you. God's love outmatches ours every single time. And He forgives much all the time. I agree that people are ignorant of how the enemy works. I don't really like to focus my attention on him so much but we shouldn't pretend that he's not there. But I also agree with Fez. We should be glorifying God in our discussions. I for one ask because I just have an inquisitive nature about things and I truly want to understand, not just debate. The Christian perspective on anything is very important for me. As long as it lines up with God's Word, I will stick with it until I understand. Nobody knows everything, except for God anyway. Nobody has the monopoly on knowledge, wisdom or understanding. In His love we can help each other get there. The focus must first be God's love. I think we agree on this, no? In the words of desperation from Rodney G King: "Can't we all just get along???" Isn't that what we're all looking for? Interesting discussion without getting heads bitten off every time somebody shows a different view point? And still walk in God's love? No?

Actually, if you read other people's posts here of their personal walk with Christ, you will find many similar stories. I don't think it's a competition, Michael. And the most important thing is not that you love God. It's that God loves you. God's love outmatches ours every single time. And He forgives much all the time. I agree that people are ignorant of how the enemy works. I don't really like to focus my attention on him so much but we shouldn't pretend that he's not there. But I also agree with Fez. We should be glorifying God in our discussions. I for one ask because I just have an inquisitive nature about things and I truly want to understand, not just debate. The Christian perspective on anything is very important for me. As long as it lines up with God's Word, I will stick with it until I understand. Nobody knows everything, except for God anyway. Nobody has the monopoly on knowledge, wisdom or understanding. In His love we can help each other get there. The focus must first be God's love. I think we agree on this, no?

Okay, to God all things are possible. But He gives us free will. Now I'm pretty sure He'd be absolutely thrilled if we all decided to be united and one in faith in Him. So it's definitely not His fault, and it's definitely not impossible. That only leaves me one conclusion...

Such a good question!

Sorry Kwik. don't know how I missed this one... Total agreement! Wow, makes one stop and take stock.

It can not be just as damaging in your relationships & your mind? That's not my point. My point is that it shouldn't be compared to substances that cause physical dependence. But the author of the article's point (if I have understood correctly) is that porn's effects on the brain are far more damaging as an addictive 'substance'. No?

The spirit and the bride say come. Amen, come Lord Jesus.

Self-righteousness - I'm talking about the human variety, is the biggest fallacy there is. It's not about being overly so, it's about knowing where true righteousness comes from; hence: "Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Christ is our righteousness. Let's run to that righteousness and far away from sin. As David is known for saying: "Be it far from me!" Amen?

I suppose I haven't read David calling himself a righteous man but the psalms are peppered with statements of being right before God and keeping himself from wicked men and wicked ways and that he has not sinned before God (Psalm 18 comes to mind). Was David self-righteous? Was he over righteous? And what does Jesus then mean by saying "Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect?" Thoughts?

If another man wanted to be with me, it would be of great insult to me if my husband wasn't jealous. He had better be. If he doesn't mind, then what would be the point of our relationship? And yet: "Who is man, that Thou art mindful of him?"

Happy birthday, Nigel: Blessings from above, Love here among you, Nothing from below Sent up to harm you May your days be sweet, Sun-filled and starry Evermore to keep Life without worry

Right on the nose again, Kwik. I do like discussion, and I do happen to have a knack for asking questions... but I don't like arguments, and I have received very harsh imput from certain persons at worthy for just no good reason. You are right, the best thing we can do is walk away from the foolishness. I pray for wisdom for the moderators to deal with situations in the best possible way, and for God to put a guard over all of our fingers as we type! May we be the example that we are called to be to one another. God bless you sis, Z.

Welcome and God bless you

Welcome, and thanks for the interesting discussion - definitely one to think about.

Praise the Lord! The devil is a liar!!! Had a long chat with her about everything, and I found that she absolutely loves me! She said she had this issue before with another person and that she absolutely does not know what the other girl is talking about either. She just doesn't know what her face is doing sometimes (thinking about it, I guess none of us do at times) and as we both talked we discovered that we had similar ways of thinking about things and that we were thinking similar things about each other. It's clear to both of us that the enemy is trying to bring disunity among us. However, he has been exposed in our midst and put to shame! I believe that God has worked this situation out for good for the both of us and I have my sister in Christ back! It was so easy to heal the hurt, it made it seem so trivial, and indeed I believe that it was, especially in God's eyes. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!!!!!!! Thank you all for your encouragement to talk to her. We ended up ministering God's love and mercy and grace to one another for a long time, and I believe that God directed us this way. I never thought there would come a day when I would minister to her, but there you go! God uses the foolish to confound the wise and the weak to confound the strong. And He is ALWAYS right!

Interesting point: on Sunday, I heard the testimony of an ex-muslim standing up for Christ in public, at Speaker's Corner. This is a platform that muslims have used many times to preach hatred and lies and indoctrination, but because it's Speaker's Corner, of cousre they are allowed to do so. Now this man is humble, but he was just preaching similarly as Christ preached in the streets of Nazareth, Judea, all Israel. And all the muslims listening to him were very much united together: in that they wanted to kill him! Of course, they didn't. But he said his fellow christians were very much divided amongst themselves: "No, he's being to much, he shouldn't speak, better to let them have their way..." Some agreed, some didn't, and the only thing they had in common were the fact that they were afraid. I believe the enemy wants to and does bring such division to the church because he knows what we can and will do if and when we unite together and come against him: James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Could you even imagine what it would be like if there was no division among us and only truth among us? Would we not in fact change the world? I believe that God has allowed this for this time, just like he did with Gideon when chose only 300 men to go with him out of the 30,000. Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. Thoughts?

It's not the just the U.S. The god of this age has blinded people's eyes to the truth. But his time is short; Jesus is coming! Soon!!! Praise God!!!!!!

I'm interested to hear your answer to question in accordance with your personal beliefs.

Total agreement. I have a christian friend who I try to encourage - with words like: do you know how talented you are? If I could do what you do... he's very skilled in his area of expertise, but doesn't know it. Even with nice words like these which are very true, he takes offence to them. He feels judged, not even admonished, definitely not encouraged. I've not seen him in a while... is he that insecure? I don't know what his problem is, but I do know that you can't please everyone, so i just try to concentrate on what God has for me to do/say. I pray that God gets through to him. Know yhe truth and the truth will set you free.

How about if we let the people, who aren't people who don't care, have a think about it then? And may I simply add: Matthew 24:12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold