amazingrace

It is my understanding that if a congregation was to administer justice by stoning a person, it was done in this way: The accused might have been blindfolded or veiled in some way. Each person in the group involved in the stoning would throw one stone about the size of a potato. This way none of the group would know which stone inflicted the fatal wound. This was serious business, and not carried out on a frivolous whim. There had to be a trial with at least 2 credible witnesses.

Oooo0 Popeye.... yer so romantical

<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Wouldnt that defeat the whole point of haveing a Christian ministry chapel? No one has pointed out that the whole thing was a set up. Asking the question the way it was asked could only have produced the answer it did, and the questioner knew it. It was a deliberately inflammatory question, and I think it was presented with the intention of starting trouble. We can expect more of this. I think it behooves us all to learn how to respond to such premeditated situations. He could have said "I will tell you what Jesus said" (book, chapter, verse). Then, if someone still wants to make a deal of it, they will have to take it up with God, and not shoot the messenger.

I Cor 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. Now, some take this to mean that simply being married to a believer gives salvation to the unbeliever. This is not what it means.* The position the unbeliever finds him/her self in is the constant presence of a spouse who, by godly living, sets the example for the family to follow. *I Cor 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God has called us to peace. I Peter 3:1 Likewise, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands: that if any obey not the word, they may without a word be won by the chaste conduct of the wives. This verse speaks specifically to the wife, but in a practical sense, the advice highlighted may be applied to many situations.

That post was considered a solicitation; it was removed.

Yes, they say there is nothing they can do <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I dont understand that. It is their job to work with creditors to reduce the interest on unsecured debt ... mainly credit cards, but also things such as Dr. bills and signature loans... so that more money goes toward the principal and the debt is paid down faster. However, if your debt is collateralized ... mortgage ( first, second, third), car loan etc. then, it's true, they cant help.

There is a very good "Reasoning from the Scriptures" series of books... I dont recall the author ... but there is one for JW "Reasoning from the Scriptures to Jehovah's Witnesses" .... takes you step by step for how to show them error from their own Bible (New World Translation? I think is what its called).

Absolutely! This is the first indication of the Triune Godhead (Trinity), which is confirmed throughout Scripture.

God shows us, through His word, how to be victorious over the sin in our lives. When we pray for 'deliverance', essentially we are trying to make God responsible, instead of taking the responsibility our selves, for getting out of the mess we got ourselves into. While it is true that true victory only comes through our faith in Him, it is up to us to apply the sound biblical principals that make this possible. James 4:7-10 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up. In this one passage we see biblical steps toward being free from temptation and sin. The Bible has many other such passages. We will not need to be delivered from sin if we dont go where we know we shouldnt be in the first place (this includes our thought life too... which is where all sin originates). Victory begins with avoiding those situations.

Back to the main theme of the thread: My opinion of the quote in the OP is that it was written by someone who is spiritually confused, but instead of seeking Biblical truth, has invented his own version of what he thinks is true from his own imagination. I dont care who wrote it, but if it is someone who is seeking prominance through these false doctrines, he has the potential for being very dangerous to the spiritually immature, to those who lack discernment, or to those who dont know where to look for God's truth. My opinion of asking for opinions on this piece is that it should not have happenend. Was there some specific point in posting a piece with unbiblical content, supposedly to gather opinions?

Darkest red, when I read your OP, this passage immediately came to mind: Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (NKJ says to give you a future and a hope). 12. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will harken unto you. I think the real question is not whether God said "wait", but rather ask what does He want you to wait for? I have no doubt that He is going to bless you, but in His own time, in His own way, and that part of the blessing is in the patience learned by waiting.

Remember that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, and often the best response is to say nothing at all. If you think you are being 'baited' into arguing, simply remove yourself from the situation quickly... with as little attitude as possible... move to a different room, or stand up, or get a drink of water, etc. You have to admire that your brother and his wife have taken on this responsibility, and acknowledge also that their parenting skills may not be as acute as they need to be. Add to that the fact that they acquired you half-grown, so you came to them with perhaps with habits that they might not have allowed to develop if they were training you from infancy? And you, as well, came in with a different set of standards. Are your brother and his wife born again Christians? If not, this is another complication. Dont rule out dueling hormones as a fact of life.

Mom needs to get a life, and you 2 kids need to take control of yours as soon as possible, and also let her know who is in control of your life. It looks to me that Mom is going through separation anxiety, (as well as being jealous of the attention you now get instead of her?), and has no idea in the world how to cope with her irrational emotions. While she needs your love and understanding, and probably misses all the things she depended on her son to do for her, she also needs to also realize what her boundaries are now when it comes to you and your husband. If Mom can work and drive, she is certainly capable of running her own errands. I suggest you schedule a family meeting ... someplace neutral, and public (she should be less likely to make a scene in public)... and lay some ground rules ... things such as when your husband will be available to do such things for her that she cannot do for herself, when and how often she can call or visit, and that you expect her to respect your marriage even if she might not approve of it. This might also be a good time to offer to help her too, with errands, etc., whenever you can. You seem like a mature young woman... I am sure you and your hubby can work out the details in a reasonable manner. God bless you.

I cannot speak for the others, Agnostic, but I want you to know that I will be available to answer questions, offer advice, pray for you or just be a listening ear, whenever you need. This is a family of believers who care for you. You will be in my prayers.

I wonder if you expect her to be interested in sports, though? ... or whatever it is that excites you? Come on... its your wedding too... and look at it this way... planning for a wedding is a temorary thing... not like sitting through a lifetime of touchdowns, hockey goals, home runs, yadda yadda yadda... probably in the long run... you are getting the best of the deal. get the picture?

Hi Yomo, You got it! Good guess :-) It is the only inerrant Bible God has given us. You can get saved using the others, but they are not the true words of God 100% of the time. Most Christiand today do not believe The Bible, or any Bible is now the inerrant words of God, but ballpark approximations that vary wildly among themselves in hundreds of verses. Will K <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So.... you are acquainted with enough of the world's total population of Christians to accurately state what 'most' of them believe? Come on... how can you truthfully say you know what anyone in the world believes outside your own sphere of influence... which is how many, realistically speaking?

It is right to judge the actions of others. I believe this is different than judging the person, or the character of the person. The often mis-quoted verse 'judge not lest you also be judged' is an incomplete picture of how we are to judge, for Jesus also said we should rightly judge. But what does that mean? It means rather than self-rightiously, as the pharisees were prone to do. When you think about it, it is nearly impossible to get through a day without making judgements. We correct our children when they misbehave ... doesnt it require some sort of judgment to declare something to be naughty? We determine that the store clerk was rude, or was nice...another judgment. We use discernment to separate good teaching from bad... this also is judgment. I think people try to make this much more complicated than it needs to be, especially those who will insist that we are never to judge under any circumstances. But that is not what Jesus taught. He, Himself made judgements...re: the moneymongers in the temple; the woman caught in adultery 'go and sin no more'; Judas, His betrayer "...one is the son of perdition"... We are not called to never judge, but rather to be sure that we judge with the right motives in each circumstance.

I think He knows now. But He also said it is not for us to know the day or the hour. We are supposed to be ready. It is my personal opinion (whatever that's worth) that people spend far too much time concerning themselves with when, and not enough time preparing.

There is a contemporary Christian song with the lyric "the ground is level at the foot of the cross" . I dont think this refers to topography or the physical condition of the land, but rather I take it in the spiritual.

My opinion of the Bible code is that it is a doctrine of demons. Seriously. It is nothing more than a form of divination with a label that makes it acceptable to those who lack discernment. Satan is behind it. And thats all I have to say about it.

I would take this situation to the Lord in prayer, and also discuss it with the youth pastor. It could be that the Lord wants to put you in the dance class to be salt and light to the other students there. If you are mature enough in your Christian walk, then He will use you there to be an example of Christ to them. The fact that you are concerned about missing the blessings of the youth group indicates to me that you are also mature enough in the Lord to become involved in other ways that dont conflict with the dance class.... a bible study or prayer warrior group that meets a different time? Definately do pray about this. God has great things planned for you, and He will show you the way.