Ddavid from NC

I have actually seen this passage anger some people and claim that your interpretation has to be wrong. But, thanks for being true to it and embracing it in your life.

We are probably starting another thread with this comment. But did Jesus weep because of grief related to death or unbelief of those who doubted Him and the Sovereignty of God. Afterall, He delayed His arrival and announced why. The content of His prayer IMO reveals the emotion that brought tears. Paraphrase: Father show these people who you are and who I am...

Have you ever stopped by your pastor's study or visited them at their home just for the purpose of praying for them? Perhaps you do pray for them, but have you ever made it an intentional ministry goal for the week, to have a private prayer for them and their family? The kind of prayer not filtered with any other concern or issue but their life and ministry. Let me encourage you to do that. They have been busy ministering and preparing and feeling the burden of ministry and often people assume that their spiritual needs are being met when often they are suffering spiritually. A compliment at the door is one thing, but a visit with a prayer warrior is more important.

People pray hard and we solicit prayer feverishly when we or someone we know is facing a health crisis that could lead to death. It seems that some are praying motivated from a fear of death or desire to avoid the cessation of physical life. Is it a sin to respond in this way? Certainly, faith in God that is required prays for holiness or separation from this sinful world. Scriptures say that we are supposed to yearn for the Redemption of our souls. Is this something to pray Lord stall or Lord hasten that day according to you will?

Has God intentionally made Scripture difficult to understand in sections? What purpose would that possibly serve if He has in fact He has hidden the interpretation? Or is everything plainly revealed in Scripture and Satan is the author of the confusion and the erroneous interpretations and disagreement?

You know something has been discussed a lot with an acronym like OSAS can be used and everyone already knows what you are talking about. But, I wonder if anyone is learning anything or if anyone is changing their opinion. As believer in the Eternal Security of a Believer, I would like to know what your interpretation of the parable of The Son Who Stayed Home in Luke 15 is. Oh, you probablky know it as the parable of The Prodigal Son. But Jesus' point was about the harsh judgment of the critical son who stayed home, but didn't have the heart of the father

On the surface in a quick read, sounds pretty innovative. What is that old saying, "but the devil is in the details?" Is it a church or a business? They will visit that question continually as long as it exist. Anytime fundraisers or businesses are the income and not tithes and offerings, it often undermines the discipleship of a church. But I see some possible positives in the endeavor. Christian environment and an opportunity to engage the community. But will they be tempted to squelch or soften their witness to survive as a business.

The Senior Center might be a possibility, but he rejects the idea of a part time job pretty quickly. He quickly notes he is not able to stand more than 10 minutes at a time (stamina). He really suffers from a lack of self-confidence. He has been forcibly retired for the last 20 years and my mother was a home body. So he has been sitting in that recliner for the last 20 years and around my mother 24/7. So, there is no normality to return. So, he is having to rethink life completely. Ironically, he can't stand isolation, but he has limited interest. He loves to go to Bible study, but there are only so many of those opportunities.

Every vocation should be viewed as a calling. Yes, that is true in a general sense. But what the OP seems to be getting at and Blien as well, is that there are those who feel that they have been called into "the ministry" as a specific vocation apart from any secular pursuits. They feel they have been sanctifed unto the ministry of a Pastor, missionary, evangelist, etc. That is different simply understanding that folks are to be "ministers" in their secular vocation. The scripture indicates that there are Spiritual Gifts of pastor/teacher and that those who have these gifts should be renumerated for it. There are also higher expectations for people who hold certain positions in the body (teachers, elders etc). If people sense that God has called them to a position, who am I ato argue. But I think we need to be carefule raising "paid ministry" to a level of a "special calling". When we do that we imply that everyone else is just normal. The basic task of pastor / teacher is to equip the saints to do the work of ministry. Good point. But don't you think there is a difference, really? I mean Pastors for example also do a lot of counseling and if I am not mistaken, have a license to counsel given the legal reprecussions that come with it. I mean, it seems like there is a difference between being in "The Ministry" and simply ministering on an everyday basis. There is something distinctive about the call to be a Pastor or missionary that is unlike a person who simply ministers in their everyday life. I don't think that it is a "higher" calling or "better" calling, but it is different, and it requires a different skill set to be a full-time (or even part time) Pastor as opposed to a lay person in the day to day. I go back and forth on this one. I certainly felt God's call into the pastoral ministry. But I am not sure how that compares to someone else who feels called to be a doctor or a teacher in the public schools. I know certainly that because I am in a leadership role in the Church I answer to a higher set of expectations. So I guess my answer is I am not sure, but I would not want people to think that unless they are doing full-time paid ministry they are in a "lesser" calling. In terms of counseling, we are not required to have an counseling licence unless we hang out a shingle that identifies us as a "licensed counselor". We prefer to call the ministry Biblical Guidance at our church and let folks know we are not licensed therapists I realize this is an extreme scenario, but what legal protections are afforded a Pastor if someone comes to them for guidance, takes the advice but the situation still goes sour and the person (may it never be) takes their own life? If anyone knows that this person went to a pastor for advice, could the pastor be held liable in any way for that person's death? I thought that one of the benefits in being licensed was that there was some legal indemnification in such cases. Most of the churches I have been at carry insurance for just such an occassion. I am no sure if licensing is a protection or not . It is not protection, perhaps credibility but not protection...If anything it opens up the greater risk of being pursued

Does he claim to have memorized the whole Bible or just the New Testament or is that just a rumor?

The Gift of the Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent

I've been in this situation. I'm sure he misses your mother terribly. I'm glad he has his church. I think all you can do is to encourage him to have some other interests. Does he like to read or watch documentaries? Are there any activities at church he can participate in? Does he have a computer (my Mamma was 70 when she got her first one and loved it!!). Lastly, do you have any siblings or other family members that can help pick up some of the slack? Be patient - and pray. God Bless you - you sound like a good son! He is dyslexic and intimidated by computers. I am an only child. Two factors that do make it more difficult. I connected him wioth some guys I knew in his community who gather for breakfast every morning. He has been faithful to that for 2 months now. But that takes him from 6-9am and then he has the rest of the day to be spent. This morning I realized momma's birthday would have been this Saturday. So I have an evening planned at my house with dinner out, a bluegrass concert (music he likes) and church Sunday morning where I pastor. He hasn't heard me preach since I relocated a year ago.

Real Worship by Warren Wiersbe and When You've Been Wronged, moving from bitterness to forgiveness by Erwin W. Lutzer

You know something has been discussed a lot with an acronym like OSAS can be used and everyone already knows what you are talking about. But, I wonder if anyone is learning anything or if anyone is changing their opinion. As believer in the Eternal Security of a Believer, I would like to know what your interpretation of the parable of The Son Who Stayed Home in Luke 15 is. Oh, you probablky know it as the parable of The Prodigal Son. But Jesus' point was about the harsh judgment of the critical son who stayed home, but didn't have the heart of the father.

Hey thanks for sharing this...One of the guys on our ministry team is a converted former guard. He listened every week to the presentation when he was a guard and he accepted Christ as a result. Once he left the position of guard he got involved with the team. He eventually was ordained as a preacher in a local church. Hey, good to hear stories like this. It is a real encouragement.

Missed the point evidently, I don't see anything inspirational or edifying in this...sorry

For the record, I would never use church funds. I have informed specific church members about a situation and raised the money but never out of the general fund or benevolence fund. I have on a few occassions taken in from perosnal funds. But, I have been faced with this situation 3 or 4 times a year throughout my ministry.

Probably just about the craziest question you have ever seen here. Well, maybe not the craziest question. What I am trying to say, this is a serious question and one I face periodically ministering to the group of people God has given me to minister to. When if ever should you bail someon out of jail as an act of ministry? What is the criteria you would use to make that decision?

I lost my mother to lung cancer 1 week before Thansgiving last year. My father who is 70 and an amputee with other health issues is living by himself 65 miles away. He doesn't seem open to relocating to where I am at now for several different reasons. He is in a small but caring church with a bi-vocational pastor. He is retired and otherwise without a hobby and does not have much to do with his time. He is a very quick to be overcome with emotions. He doesn't have a lot of faith in the counselors available, So the result of this I am often having to drop what I am doing an hour and half away to tend to the crisis of the week emotionally or physically. He is relatively secure financially and has no financial reason to break up housekeeping and move in with my wife and I. So I have no leverage with insisting that he make some decisions. What in your opinion is the right approach patience or some proactive action?

I have been involved in prison ministry for the last 8 years. It has really been a blessing. I work with a interdenominational ministry of evangelical laymen and ministers who go into a state penal processing unit for the state. Most of these guys are at the front end of their sentence, just processing from the county jails and being evaluated psychologically, physically, and vocationally. We lead a weekly worship service and offer a free correspondence course. I am in a new ministry in Belhaven NC and I am leading a groiup of laymen in the church I pastor into a similiar ministry at a men's medium security prison in the adjacent county. What I would like to know is there anyone interested on the forum in sharing stories of your experience in prison ministry, or would like to know how to start a similiar ministry in your part of the world. It is amazing how relatively easy it is to organize and how eager the penal system is and how eager the inmates are to receive ministry.

We have an AWANA program in our church. The kids in our program memorize Scripture very proficiently. However, most adults claim they are unable to do it. I myself speak constantly and as I study I unintentionally memorize focal verses in my text. I can usually tell you who wrote just about anything you throw at me and what book it can be found in the New Testament, but hardly know the chapter and verse on anything. I have become very happily dependent on a search engine to locate what I am looking for application. Which leads me to my question. How important in your estimation is intentional memorization of Scripturee as a discipline? Is it better to invest your time in exegetical skills of interpretation?

Congrats, Anita! Welcome to the blue! This officially means that you spend too much time on your computer...time to take up playing a musical instrument or knitting or something just kidding...

Read a book entitled How to Give Your Faith Away . It is worth your time. It is written on a laymen's level but hits at the core of how to communicate the gospel.

Quick answer no OSAS is not true. I will give a more indepth answer after the thread gets going. Ever felt like you are being stalked? Look its an Arminian in the bushes Did you hear someone pull a sword?

God is a jealous God Scripture tells us that. No individual deserves that position in our lives. That is the reason it is important to marry or date only individuals with a vibrant faith in God. My wife will always be number 2, and she had to know that from the beginning. All relationships should be submitted to the management of God. Compassionately as I can state it, your absolute loyalty is misplaced. You can be a faithful friend without being blindly loyal. That is why you pick these influences wisely in your life. Scripture invokes the command "do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers." Allow the Holy Spirit to pick the people that you make intimate in your life, for they do become competitors for your attention and devotion.