salos

I prefer to think in terms of degrees of dependency. If a person doesn't feel normal or doesn't feel good without alcohol, that's a problem. If all a person thinks about, or if it is the best thing in his life, or what he depends on, that's a problem. "He who sins is a slave of sin." It's so much easier to live life without alcohol, no matter if you have cravings or not.

Some klan thinking comes out of a bottle. The klans type people who lived not too far from me when I was growing up were very poor because of drinking, poor education, and probably low IQ. Rev. 5:9-10 "And they sang a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth'" (NIV) Wonder what they make of those verses. Probably never heard of them.

Do you have anyone in your family who can help? Is there a Christian woman who could mentor you? We're not supposed to work this out by ourselves.

The Hebrew word translated honor also means to promote. I think we can assume it means to not put them down or treat them disrespectfully.

Is your mother available, loving and wise? If so, I would suggest that you take the problem to her. This is a pretty big problem for a teenage girl to try to handle.

Prayer is most important when dealing with atheists. Genuine kindness helps also. Those things helped me come out of atheism more than anything else. A lot of times people are atheists because they're ashamed of things they've done. Then they get proud of their false notions. Logic and reasoning might help, but they might not touch the real problem. Often a messed up mind is the result of a hurting heart. Be the person's friend and look for simple opportunites. Be patient. It can take years to get out of the lies of atheism.

The Last Jihad was pretty good.

Please tell your friend that we rejoice at his turn around. I hope these points will help: 1. Repentance should not lead to overwhelming sorrow. "...so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him." II Corinthians 2:8,9, NIV "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." II Corinthians 7:10, NIV 2. Repentance brings joy in heaven."I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." Luke 15:7, NKJV 3. Romans 2:4 says it's God's goodness that leads us to repentance.

Thanks for this post. We do need to remember the importance of mutual respect and kindness.

It will be great news when all those charges are dropped. Those young men have paid a very high price for attending that party. I've heard that their families are planning civil action against Nifong. It would serve him right.

Remember when shaking hands to squeeze really hard. Have the pastor look lustfully at a women in the group. Make jokes about communion while it's being served. "Down the hatch." "Chugalug." Real stories, folks.

Hebrews 12 talks about people who refuse to take the Lord's discipline seriously and go on to pollute other people's lives. So in one respect a pastor's sin can be worse than another man's because of his influence on others. Maintaining a pure walk in this world is hard for all of us, and we don't need our (supposed) leaders to do evil things.

Love is good will towards men... and a lot more. It shows itself in different ways at different times. It means not having a barking dog that will wake my neighbors up and 4AM. It means giving to those who are hurting. It means having a charitable attiude towards other people.

The last study I read said that 39% of the pastors surveyed admit to having a regular problem with pornography. I could list quite a few stories I've heard of adultery and even rape in the church. One youth pastor I know was at a youth gathering and he said he had to call the other youth pastors to task because so very many of them were flirting with the girls in their youth groups. When pastors start holding themselves and each other accountable, then things will improve. Not before.

Going back to the first post, it is all about where our hearts are. Sometimes that means real sacrifice.

I agree.

It sounds to me like some folks at the schools are being stubborn. The government does have the right to forbid corporal punishment, and to ask about a school's discipline methods.

Vickilynn's answer was completely correct. In the Old Testament examples, baptism represented identification and immersion. So in baptism we can rejoice that we are called to be identified with Jesus Christ and that we have the privilege of being immersed in His goodness.

I like this book! Turn Your Life Around was just published last year. I wish I had found it a decade ago! The first part is called, "Losing Heart: the Descent Into Pain." The second part is called, "Recovery of Heart: Coming Out of Pain." It's a great resource for anyone who's discouraged or beat up by the world. Here's the book's table of contents: http://www.timclinton.com/tyla-contents.php

Well, Undone, Jesus died for you and that makes you pretty important! Ephesians 1 helps me a lot when I feel the way you described. It also helps when I eat right and get some exercise. Even a little helps a great deal. Best wishes!

Kitty lover, some folks just don't have strength of conviction you have. I'm glad you're sensible enough to hold on to things you know are good. I don't know what you can say or do more than what you are already doing. People who get where you are coming from will get it, and others won't. It took me many years of searching before I found the church group (GARBC) that really fits what I read in the Bible, and I love it so much. I wouldn't want to change for anything.

It's introduction is "Love Tanks with a Leak" Part 1 is "How and Why we Fear Others" Part 2 is "Overcoming the Fear of Others" It's about having more sense of God's majesty in our lives and less misery from people problems. It talks a lot about what (or who) controls our lives. It's hard to explain. Anyway, it's an interesting book.

I've started studying Edward Welch's book When People are Big and God is Small. It's pretty helpful. Anyone here familiar with it?

There's so much to learn about prayer!!! Sometimes I send up prayers and ask God to only keep the ones that are right. I remember when my children were small and they gave me bouquets of flowers and weeds. I cherished both the weeds and the flowers because they all came from my little ones. God loves us. As long as our goals are love, truth, justice, and mercy God will make good use of our prayers.