3in1

a while back someone said they had been feeling sad lately. it struck my heart and meant to reply, but didnt, unfortunately. well to make a long story short, it is still on my heart. i couldnt find who posted it in the search area, so i thought i would go this route. just pm me if you want to chat. if not, then of course you dont have to. :il: in Christ

...unless you were african-american. so i think i would choose ... well im really not sure what year i would pick, to be honest. good question though, i will have to give it some thought! in Christ

the scriptures mentioned are taken out of context on many occasions, especially the 'judge not' ones. how many times have you heard someone reply who is having premarital sex(for example), "hey, you are not the judge of me, doesnt the bible say do not judge!" i would also like to add 1Cor 3:16 to the mix. this is often used to say that Paul was referring to the treatment of our bodies, or the temple. not the idea Paul was getting at here. i have heard this one only once, but it was pretty bad IMO. the preacher was talking about when Jesus was a young boy teaching in the temple and his parents went and left Him. he said,(paraphrasing)"if you guys dont watch out, you will get on your way and not even realize Jesus isnt even w/ you." he was talking about our walks and individual ministries. again, his intentions may have been good, but im not sure that is what the text is getting at. in Christ

hey ya'll first off, not really sure where this belongs, so if im wrong, mods get to work anyway, it bothers me when scriptures are taken out of context, usually to back an opinion. was just wondering what you guys/gals thought. which scriptures do you see taken out of context either most often or maybe once or twice, but it was so bad that you had to mention it. hopefully, we could learn a thing or two from others responses and change some of our previous thoughts on specific verses... this post will no doubt lead to other controversial issues, but i would like to at least start it w/ flat input. in Christ

i dont think we can 'show God' anything. we cant show God that we accept something simply by doing a physical act. ... uhhh, meaning what? in Christ

great insight! i look at it like this, you dont have to go to a gym to workout and you dont have to be in a 'church building' to grow. in Christ

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! i cant believe i forgot that one! in Christ

no more fad diets! no more horrible drivers! no more dishes! no more potty training kids! no new taxes! in Christ

anabelle, i believe the mark of the believer is the Holy Spirit! if you look at 2 Cor1:21-22 the Spirit was given to us as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come! the word used for 'guarantee' is like what an engagement ring signifies, that a wedding is in store! the Holy Spirit is in believers is a sign for what awaits us...the place you asked about, eternity w/ the Father! w/ that said, no one here knows whether or not you have this indwelling. nor can we simply ask you 21 questions and tell by your response to them. you said you have been a Christian for some time and by that i say, you need not fear death sis'! :il: you need not live in fear at all! if you have the Son, you have life...eternal life! your bro' in Christ

charlie who!? what team does he play for?! LOL in Christ

ditto! good call! hey Botz i guess i can see where you are coming from, but i just dont think we need to research every nook to see where our words derive from. i dont think God judges based on a dictionary... a man made dictionary at that. we dont always use our words in their dictionary form...good or bad. again, it is heart matter not a dictionary matter. to take it another level, if one was to stub their toe and initially feel like saying GD, but had to consciously choose to say 'wowsers' then is there a difference? doesnt God know the hearts of men? havent we already committed adultery if we lust in our hearts? just me thinking 'out loud'.

i wonder if some will think it looks like i said im a mormon. anyway, how in the world do i post pictures on my replies and all that stuff? again, i know im a moron, but i just cant seem to get it right. i ended up w/ that nonsense on the bottom of my replies. HELP in Christ

Willow, good points! but as a Texan i find that offensive...j/k lol in Christ

i think this is where i stand on this issue. i think one must intend to take the Lords name in vain. its a heart issue, not necessarily a definition issue. i dont think we need to culturally define every piece of verbage we use in fear that we could be sinning w/o knowing it. again, God is concerned w/ our hearts intent. imo in Christ

nice input, similar to the the mindset of taking aspirin for a headache. i feel whether you take medication or not, God is still the burden lifter, not Zoloft for depression or Tylenol for a headache. also whether you take them or not does not mean you are strong or weak, so no need to feel guilty. wow mtmom, i also have dealt w/ depression. i can sympathize w/ your thoughts of just wanting to call it quits and go home. i suffered w/ it in High school and some parts of college. i know all too well the 'numbness' depression leaves you w/. i felt like depression occupied my body and i was merely a carrier of utter helplessness. the burdens i placed on myself only added to my internal pains. in high school while playing football i became accustomed to seeing a problem and physically solving it. well w/ this i simply could not beat it. (i experienced depression as a non believer first and some of my life as a believer.) so i resorted to physical ways of trying to beat it... sex, alcohol, social status, etc. well we know these things do not cure anything. so i grew deeper and deeper into depression, i actually would get mad b/c i could not get the false 'courage' to end it myself. coupled w/ the fact that i had all the things society says you need for fulfillment, fairly popular in school, decent grades, was going to college for free, i even had both my parents. yet none of it had any lasting value, the fact remained i was miserable in life. i heard a guy at a conference some time ago say he grew up in the ghetto and it was his goal to make it to the age of 21. i thought that was amazing, yet i began to reflect on my life and i noticed that it was my 'goal' at 16 to NOT see 17. at 17, i wanted no part of 18. two very different perspectives on life, both equally tragic. mtmom, i could go on for at least 16 pages, so i'll spare you every detail. i will say that there is hope in Christ. when i first gave my life to Christ, there was a great burden lifted. i could breathe again... literally! im not saying i didnt struggle some, but my hearts view on life drastically changed. i realized that i had purpose in life and that my life has meaning in spite of my feelings. God has given me an awesome platform to help those who suffer from the same things i did. i speak to many high school and college students who are lost and hurting seeking truth. i also must say i have spoke to many who are lost and have learned to deal w/ it. it is usually older folks in the latter category, but i am amazed that many youger people also have learned to deal w/ their pain. i wonder what in the world has this person seen or experienced to become so callous to life so early? some of the stories i've heard more than answer these questions. your life experiences will also help those in need of hope and fulfillment. life can wear us down... if we let it. we do not automatically have to suffer through life. through my experience, its not necessarily our burdens that wear us down, but the way we carry them. im not saying we need to front while we are in public like everything is honkey dorey, b/c it is also my experience that the unrealness of this only adds to our pain. if your like me, then you have several times been asked how things are going and reply something like, "ohh things are great, God is so good." not to say God isnt good, but its just the falseness i felt about myself that hurt. i find it odd that this sometimes happens in church, the place we ought to feel free to share our pain. i feel this may appear 'choppy' and not have much order, but i feel strongly on the subject and tend to ramble. tie that w/ the fact that i dont want you to sit through a 16 page reply and things may get a little unorganized. at any rate, my heart races in anticipation of how God WILL continue to work on your heart. you have my prayers. your bro' in Christ ps. feel free to send me a personal message(pm) if you want to chat outside the forum. vain attempts at searching for happiness is the one of the chief sources of unhappiness.

slim, i have been labeled as a somewhat "liberal" by some... whatever that means, but i must agree that it is completely unwise. i dont necessarily think the above grandma story is applicable though, b/c there are several things i wouldnt tell my grandma that are not wrong. all you have to do is look at your heart. can any man/woman say they are looking at it for anything other than lust? lust is something that comes in and turns your heart to desire what you see physically. in Christ

no i didnt, i am a Texas Tech Red Raider. i do know a couple of those guys though. in Christ

LOL...that is what i call a great play on words!!!!! you both went to the Univ. of Alabama i assume? in Christ

i havent read these, but CS Lewis rocks!!! he is the source of wisdom to the nth degree!! i love 'Mere Christianity' in Christ

kittyjo, i dont find this story silly at all. i do see an example of God using ANYONE who surrenders their heart to Him! EVEN a child!! as i said, God is completely capable! in Christ

papa T, i didnt want to say it first, but i LITERALLY flinched in my seat when i saw that frightening 'child' on your posts!hahaha. i am really laughing now! anyway, i dont think we can say anything and not be judgemental. i must say, really found it funny to ask the perpetrators mother's name!hahahaha i used to say, before God convicted me, some pretty harsh stuff. one day in college i was working at a food store in one of the dorms. this guy was there waiting on his order. while waiting he continuously spewed out Jesus f- Christ and God you know what! well about the fifth time i heard it, i stood behind the counter and would audibly say "yes Lord" each time. he knew me simply b/c i worked there and he frequented the place. so i said this about three times before his food came up and when he came up he said, "Sammy what in the world are you talking about back there?" my reply you ask,"well you were giving praises to "some" god, i was just giving praise to THE God." his face about hit the floor! although funny (and creative i might add ) i say i was convicted because i really felt bad and didnt think it was right for me to speak in such a manner. i really dont think believers are called to judge or correct non-believers shortcomings or sins. this is biblical. just some thoughts in Christ

not related to anyone. but there a few Texans!!!!!!! i have sent a couple pm's though. plus im new and very few agree w/ me cant you just hear the awwwww's resonating through this forum? in Christ

i dont read the bible at all... just kiddin' just kiddin'! i wish i had a web cam to see everybody's face when they read that! anyway, there is no time limit as you put it, i happen to feel reading contextually is better than reading by chapters. b/c the chapter breaks were put in by one's opinion of where they thought it should break. sometimes it fits and sometimes it doesnt. i sometimes find a subject and then read them in light of the WHOLE context. finding the context breaks is interesting b/c you are forced to actually read and understand what is going on. i will say this though, if your are not sure of what a certain area is talking about, you dont have to take the commentary's words as golden either. they are in fact giving their opinion. the commentary is very helpful in stating facts like what is going on around this time period, or background on certain people. my favorite's to read are the interlinear bible, which you may want to wait on.(it is the literal translation from hebrew/greek to english) the words are really out of place. then i have a hebrew/greek study bible which has key words and phrases in the corresponding languages, helping give more insight to what the words actually meant when they were written; aside from our thinking in terms of the english language. lastly, i think the 'message" is a must! as someone has said already, it is like a paraphrased version of the bible. three of MANY great tools out there. your heart seems to be in the right place, as Jim W. said, i also wish i had even a desire to read God's word when i was 17... or 18,19,20, for that matter! in Christ

KMB, first off, i wont hold the Alabama thing against you! i must say, i work in an environment where the guys have a lot of money, time, and clout. these three are a very bad combo... for some anyway! a lot of times people watch more than they listen. so in a sense, you have already shared your faith! by no means does this automatically mean that when you complain you are "turning them off". as it has already been said, they are merely seeing a reality...we do mess up. i laughed when i read your post b/c i find myself doing the SAME thing at times. i get convicted, then try not to be as negative. being a Christian does not mean your not allowed to have feelings about something you think is done poorly, it does mean you convey them in a different manner. one thing i've learned is that God is completely capable of leading me.(wow that sounded weird...i had to learn this?). i used to get ahead of God ALL the time, thinking anytime i came in contact w/ someone i had to lay the Gospel out in its entirety. a Pastor once shared w/ me the passage dealing w/ Jesus and the rich man. he challenged my thinking by asking me why Jesus didnt run after him and lay out the Gospel? i think believers need boldness, but i dont necessarily think bold means that i go and tell everybody i know the Gospel. or that every time i meet someone, that i must give the Gospel truth. i feel Wisdom gave some great wisdom(imagine that! ) on the matter. we need God directed boldness, if He leads me to share something w/ someone and i find it difficult... this is where the boldness ought to come in! i think it sounds funny, but i did have to come to the realization that God is completely capable of leading me if my heart seeks it!... sounds to me your heart is panting for it! in Christ preach the Gospel at all times. if necessary use words.

Josh, first and foremost, the mark of the believer is the Holy Spirit, meaning, this is what seperates Christians and non. i say this to assure you that once you have the Holy Spirit... then you have it! there is no losing it therefore you DONOT need to fear hell anymore! i can give you the scriptures if you like w/ that said, there was a LOOOONG thread on language in the controversial issues forum.(eventually closed though )you may want to look through it and see the diff. viewpoints on language. i am not trying to turn this into that thread, but language means diff. things to diff. people and that is all i will say on this thread. also, you are looking in the right places, but maybe expecting the wrong thing. God will not make you stop. if that were possible, from this day on i would just ask God to MAKE me stop sinning all together! there would be a bunch of sinless people running around! now God sure will lead you in the right direction though. whether its the places you find yourself doing it more or the people who may help "bring" it out of you or fill in the blank. and just to let you know, whether this is the last time or not you seek help, dont feel like your less of a believer or God is disappointed w/ you. you have issues just like i have issues just like Paul (of all people) had issues.(Rom 7:15-25). once again brother, you are sealed in Christ salvation awaits you. you cannot lose it! maybe this focus will help you as opposed to "beating" yourself up about it. hope this helps! in Christ