soshine

Hi Godfearer Is this where we are headed? World economic collapse seems like it is right on our doorstep, and it may very well be, but let it come, because God is on our side. We don't know the times or seasons. We just need to strengthen, by faith, our relationship with Jesus. Soshine

Dear Stitchy I can tell you from being a lonely single, and also from being married for 27 years, what has become evident about God's will concerning these things. You never find a suitable partner until you GIVE UP trying to look for one. THE ONLY concern you need is to draw closer to God. HE notices you. How has it been with YOU noticing HIM? Is this other need so paramount in your mind that you are tempted to forget how much JESUS LOVES YOU? Sister, your love for JESUS is the only thing that will satisfactorily answer this thing. Honestly open up all of your compartmentalized thinking, so there are NO MORE WALLS between you and your Saviour. He knows EXACTLY how you feel, because there was no lonelier place ever than on the cross. Once you are willing to receive from Him the possibility of being single for the rest of your life, and then stop asking Him for what He already knows about, then you learn to trust Him UNCONDITIONALLY. God knows what is best for your life, not you. So surrender to His will unconditionally, and the peace will come, and then your self-esteem won't depend on having a partner, other than Christ Himself. "Whoever finds his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" Matthew 10:39 Sister, there is always some jerk out there prepared to take advantage of your loneliness. But, as my mom said, "Don't worry, dear, when the right one comes along, they'll still be there tomorrow." And Jesus will ALWAYS be there tomorrow, so HE is the first Person to start with. With respect, Soshine

Dear hillsong girl Christians living with someone of the opposite sex before marriage, is ALWAYS wrong. (Who are you kidding-there's sex alright.) I know this from painful experience. Years and years into my marriage, the scar tissue left behind from the deliberate sin of premarital sex (fornication), has plagued my thoughts, emotions, and blocked me from being the Christian I could have been. I definitely DO NOT recommend it to anyone, not my enemies, and certainly not my friends. Don't be deceived- GOD IS NOT MOCKED- WHATSOEVER a man sows, that shall he (or she) also reap. God has never repealed the law of sowing and reaping. The consequences will come, whether your well-intentioned, but nonetheless misguided friends tell you so or not. I SPEAK THIS FROM PAINFUL EXPERIENCE. In the spirit of- what kind of friend would I be if I didn't warn you- soshine

Hi Given New Name You can't have a Jewish perspective from me, because I'm a Gentile, but why would you need one? There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28) Despite what Paul writes about the configuration of the synagogue (males on one side, females on the other, and yes, it was disruptive to the church service if the wives yelled across the aisle "what does the preacher mean by that, honey"), or what he writes about a pet tradition of his, (about women having to have long hair), the truth of the new covenant is that we are ALL, UNCONDITIONALLY EQUAL in the sight of our Lord Jesus Christ. That point, that Paul made to the legalistic Galatians, that GOD HAS ELIMINATED ALL DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN US, AND WE ARE ALL EQUAL IN GOD'S SIGHT, overrides any comments he made about long hair, or women speaking out of turn in church. If you want to make an issue about women supposedly not being able to minister in church, or even speak, and try to insist they all wear scarves on their heads (the HAIR, by the way, is the covering, not the scarf), then all I can say to you is good luck, because the WHOLE CONTEXT of new covenant teaching is that God has made us all equal, and all the legalism will do is make enemies out of your sisters in church. Chill, bro, stay married long enough and you'll realize how often you need your wife's advice more than she needs yours. And ask yourself some questions, allow yourself to think outside your box. For instance-Why did God choose Mary, not Joseph, as the source of His conception? Why did Jesus show himself to Mary Magdalene first after His resurrection, instead of the male disciples? Why did big-talking, but scared walking Peter deny Jesus, when dear mother Mary was right at the foot of the cross, yet wasn't touched by the Roman soldiers? The women got it, but the men had to be told over and over again, and sometimes even had to be punished before they complied with God. Zechariah the priest should have known from scriptures that a woman around the same age range of his wife Elizabeth became miraculously pregnant (Sarah, the wife of Abraham). Mary, the mother of Jesus, had no scriptural precedent to draw on when the angel told her she would, as a virgin, be able to bear a child, by the Holy Spirit. As soon as the angel explained it to her, she enthusiasticly said "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to your word" (Luke 1:38) Sometimes men think and act with their hormones, not their brains. And therein lies the problem. Peace to you, in Christ soshine

Hi His girl I personally use the KJV, but use other translations to help decipher it when the archaic language poses a problem for me. ALL prophecies uttered must line up with the Bible, or they were not from God. I love how God continues to write His word in my heart, by guiding me through each day. But I am also aware of other voices, particularly the ones that try to mimic the sound of the Holy Spirit, and even quote scriptures. These familiar spirits are the little foxes that spoil the vines, the little leaven that leavens the whole lump. And they love to whisper their fake but convincing lies, out of context truths meant to lead you astray, and other fakeries into the ears of fellow Christians. That is why, in the spirit of meekness and humility, we need to correct one another in love. The Bible is God's literal word to us. But without Him speaklng to us day to day, our trust in the Bible is no more alive than the Pharisees' was. The Rhema word is just as important as the Logos, and the one will never contradict the other. Peace to you, because of Christ soshine

You've got to be kidding- this is worth debating- and supposedly because women aren't supposed to usurp authority over men? Sounds like a tempest in a teapot over an out of context biblical quote. For those who consider it immodest for women to wear pants, I must say that I've been "treated" to the fashion choices of young women, coming to church in a dress, alright, but it was obvious that the choice of dress was to attract male attention. One time, thank goodness, an older woman, who was also in a position of authority in our church, took her aside and told her to adjust her clothing to reflect the real reason why we come to church. So many seem to see church as a fashion show. It isn't the choice of pants or a dress that determines immodesty, it is the attitude of the person wearing them. Sexual attraction, pride, having to be "in style" to impress your friends, and other errant attitudes have no place in a gathering whose only purpose is to bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. And just a little sidebar to those who would seem to place Paul above the whole counsel of God- why exactly does the Bible say there is neither male nor female in Christ Jesus? Wouldn't that seem to COMPLETELY level the playing field? Yours in Christ soshine

Hi Gift of Grace If God loves us the way we are, then love your pastor, warts and all. Maybe he was insensitive, and maybe you over-reacted. But neither of those things is the point. Love is the point. We want God to love us unconditionally, but we struggle with giving the same kind of love to others. Pray that God gives you the strenth to forgive your pastor, and to forgive yourself, in Christ. The power to forgive is the true power of Christ working in us. You can't end a war by firing just one more shot. Love is the end of the conflict, and forgiveness is love in action. Pray that God gives you the miraculous strength to forgive. Your friend in Christ soshine

Hi Friend I've had 4 kids, now grown up. I must say that people just love to pull things from the old testament out of context, to justify some iffy thing they are doing. The new covenant is an IMPROVEMENT on the old, and is based on better promises. The primary rod of correction I used was a VERBAL rod of correction, not a physical one. Children are intelligent creatures. If you speak correction to them in the love of Christ, and in the Spirit of Christ, they still might not listen, (in which case you have the privilege of forgiving them), but surprisingly, they often DO listen. Then you really do have a victory, because you are talking to them as peers (we are all CHILDREN of God as Christians), and not just as parent figures. Remember, God is the TRUE parent, we hopefully just follow HIS lead. Hope that helps, Yours in Christ, soshine

He was despised and rejected of men, a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief. We want to be identified with Jesus, but we don't want to be rejected. Not possible. Jesus does give you peace in the midst of sorrow. One thing a dear Christian friend prophesied to me, that might help you, is this: "you have got to believe that no matter what- NO MATTER WHAT God will get you through this." If we want to walk with Him in blessing, we must remember, part of that blessing is to take up the fellowship of His sufferings. I must say, I still struggle with this concept. I want people to love me. But they didn't love Jesus, and because I am written in the palms of His nail pierced hands, they won't love me, either. God leads me through this valley of rejection so that, hopefully, this time in the garden of Gesthemene, this time I won't fall asleep when I'm praying with Him. If everyone loves us and treats us fairly, how would we ever learn how to forgive them? There would be nothing to forgive. But real life, of course, never works that way. The pain Jesus endured, the blood He shed, the whipping on His back, the mocking and ridiculing He took, the spitting in His face, the nails, the spear, the gambling for His clothing, and the separation, however briefly, from His Father, that is the price He paid for our redemption. If we want to be identified with the BEST THERE EVER WAS OR WILL BE, we must TAKE UP OUR CROSS, and follow HIM, and HE WILL GIVE US HIS STRENGTH TO GET US THROUGH IT, not around it, but THROUGH it. I didn't want to build you up for the let-down, that is the devil's game. Only the TRUTH will set us free, and the freedom is the POWER TO FORGIVE WHEN PEOPLE MISTREAT US. In the True peace of Christ soshine

Dear fndbyfaith Wow, is that ever a loaded question. First of all, by whose judgement do you ascertain that your spouse doesn't love you? If I were to speak with your spouse, would they tell me you don't love them? What about the thoughts of the four children? How much do they figure in the discussion? Get yourself to your pastor, and let both you and your spouse stay with sanctified Christian counseling until your marriage is healed. If you don't have a church home, you could do worse than to start with free marriage and family counselling through the Salvation Army. Take the first step, please. Yours in Christ soshine

Dear Metadyjital I found myself scratching my head, so to speak, at this question. I've been married 27 years, and the last few years have been the best. I don't know who told you that, but my spouse does not come first above all things. Jesus comes first above all things. If you love your wife, husband, children, or even yourself above God, God says you are not worthy of Him. If you have a child, and re-marry, the weakest member is the one who gets the most attention, and that would be the child. God forbid that I should love my wife above Him, or reckon that I can properly love anyone without Him. Yours in Christ soshine

Dear Spearmint So let me get this straight- they implied to your sister that if she left their group, she'd be an outcast forever, and would be punished by God. Woe to you modern day Scribes and Pharisees, if that is what that group is about. There is ONE JUDGE AND ONE LAWGIVER, and He doesn't depend on the will of any group to do His Will. Tell your sister to run, not walk away from that group, before she puts her faith in men instead of God. They make such a big deal about Yeshua being the name the angel spoke to Mary. What other language was the angel supposed to speak to Mary, she was Jewish. But God is not a God of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles, so we call God the Son Jesus, and that is how He identifies Himself to us Gentiles. When I prayed for your sister, it was evident that God wanted to deal with her about His Kingdom, and His Will. She needs to renew her relationship with God, especially as Lord, and not just Saviour. She needs to let God be true, and every man a liar, and rekindle the sure knowledge that Jesus is just as righteous as He is merciful. That happy balance is what your sister needs to seek with all her heart and soul, and it will heal her to know personally, directly from the mouth of God, just how merciful and righteous He is. If she seeks Him, she will find Him, when she shall search for Him with her WHOLE heart. Yours in Christ soshine

Hi Sheryl I have a mood disorder, too. But every time it sticks its ugly head up, I go back to Jesus. If the "Our Father" is the only prayer you can manage, pray that over and over again for your various feelings, and for every person you care about. Just remember, Sheryl, our mood disorders are the reality of us being sinners, but that is not God's will for us. His will is of power, and love, and A SOUND MIND. And I'm getting more whole every year, with Jesus. His will is complete wholeness for us. Yours in Christ soshine

Hi angelique How do you get to feel un-alone? Well, first of all , angelique, if you have given yourself unreservedly to Christ, you are NEVER alone. There is a Friend Who sticks closer than a brother, and Jesus is that Friend. Humanly speaking, the crowd is there for a common reason. They all share common feelings. Comment about one of those common realities (even if it starts with the weather) with the stranger next to you. You may be surprised to find you are not the only one who feels alone, and shares your ideas. If you greet your friends only, what thanks do you have, for heathen greet heathen, but they still don't know Jesus. Love your enemies, greet the stranger, visit those who have no helper. Your experience in life is hardly unique, but being able to cheer someone else will help you, too. Yours in Christ soshine

Dear Shy Christian The Lord loveth a CHEERFUL giver. You are not obligated to give, nor forced to by God. Love does not insist on its way. Don't think God is getting the glory if you give when in your heart you really don't want to. Ask God to get to the Root of your anxiety about this, and to give you the