What do you think about Boundaries?

[Ezra]

3 hours ago, Davida said:

This is why  people need to be discerning and do their homework.

Absolutely.  It is amazing how Christians seek answers from unbelievers when they already have the Word of God.  The West is a mess in every way because it abandoned the Bible and went after every kind of false teaching.

When you carefully examine this idea about "boundaries" it is actually contrary to the teachings of Christ.  It is purely self-centered nonsense.

[Ezra]

7 hours ago, missmuffet said:

The counseling I have received from a Pastor was horrible. So it all depends on the Pastor. A couple of pastors have referred to counselors. They were just too busy to do any counseling.

Whatever may have been your personal experience, we need to focus on principles, not personalities. Someone could probably provide you with a list of so-called trained counselors who were totally worthless.  But that is not the issue.

[missmuffet]

22 minutes ago, Ezra said:

Whatever may have been your personal experience, we need to focus on principles, not personalities. Someone could probably provide you with a list of so-called trained counselors who were totally worthless.  But that is not the issue.

I know of several excellent Christian therapists that have been referred to friends by a Pastor. I know of several very incompetent counselors and therapists. So a person has to do their homework and get references before they decide to make an appointment.

[kwikphilly]

Heya Brother

 I love the way you took each verse of Scripture & offered some thought provoking questions.....great stuff !!!

Quote

 

Hiya Kwik!  

Blessings sister and thank you for posting specific passages as examples. I see boundaries throughout Scripture.

 

(Proverbs 22:24 -- Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: )

Our friendships should be with those who build us up. Now, that said we are also called to love our enemies though right? Didn't Jesus spend a lot of time with sinners?     GE

Absolutely,I agree BUT although we are called to LOVE & PRAY for our enemies we certainly are not to be unequally yoked or partake(7Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,    Ephesians 5:7-8)   Yes,Jesus spent time ministering to the sinners just as we should ,not fellowship until they come into the Light.....if & when      Kwik

(Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.)

Be a part of true, honest, just, pure, and good things. Avoid negativity then?      GE

Always,avoid negativity as you would the plague.....wherever negativity is spoken try to change it to things ABOVE,Godly,Eternal.....POSITIVE,encouraging,edifying & giving God Glory      Kwik

(2 Corinthians 6:14 - Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? )

Different people interpret this in different ways. I interpret it to mean we are to not be married to unbelievers. So a Christian should ideally not date a non-Christian either?

GE

And I take it to be yoked period ,in friendship ,dating or any "relationship".....(Eph 5:7-8)     I don't believe A Christian should be dating an unbeliever(ideally-lol)       Kwik

(Joshua 1:8 - This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.)

The law is a good teacher. Yet the law of Christ which sums up the OT law is to love God and love people per Mark 12:38-34. Following Christ's new command in John 13:34-35?         GE

My sentiments as well,Amen!!!      Kwik

(Proverbs 21:19 - [It is] better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.)

So is this an excuse for a man to leave his wife and go into the wilderness? Or a warning to be careful who you marry?      GE

  Definitely a warning   ........& it is a boundary we should not cross for our own good ,sometimes BEAUTY can be distracting (carnal minded)      Kwik

(Colossians 4:6 - Let your speech [be] always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.)

- Our speech should be gracious. Meaning we're to be kind when we speak the truth?                GE

By all means,the TRUTH can sometimes be harsh enough,there is no reason why we cannot speak in love.......as long as we stay out of the way of Holy Spirit & rely on Him .......too often folks "react" rather than respond .....prayerfully,mindfully,thoughtfully....IN CHRIST!          Kwik 

(Matthew 5:28 - But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.)

It's not just about what you do. It's about what you think in your mind too?   GE

Take captive EVERY thought......when we are FOCUSED on the LORD & praying without ceasing there is no room for the enemy,we are vessels & so we need to be FILLED to the Brim with Gods Word!!!!   (Philippians 4:8)      Kwik             

                                                                                                                                                     With love-in Christ,Kwik

[Openly Curious]

10 hours ago, GoldenEagle said:

What I took away from Galatians 6:7 – 8 and 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 is if a person sows good fruit (fruits of the Spirit) there will be good results (others will feel loved and point to Jesus). Those who live in rebellion (say rob banks) will likely receive bad results (jail time or even potential loss of life).

If a person invests in friendships with others they will have friends in times of need. If someone is a loner and doesn't invest in friendships with others he or she may find it hard to find help in times of need.

This seems to me how the law of sowing and reaping works.

Lesson I learned:

Our actions have consequences. Someone will bear them. Don’t interrupt this law by regularly bailing others out.

God bless,
GE

The passage teaches me that there is eternal consequences of what I sow in this life on earth.  If I sow to the Spirit (walk in the Spirit) I will reap everlasting life.  If I on the other hand walk in the flesh I will reap eternal damnation. 

If I walk in the Spirit I will do the things that are right being our fruits (deeds, works or actions we show through our behavior).  I don't agree with not helping people out when they need help because it would interrupt the law of sowing and reaping in their life as was said above.   It is totally up to me who I choose to show meekness, longsuffering, kindness, mercy, gentleness, love, peace, joy and faith with.  I couldn't or anyone else couldn't interrupt this law of sowing and reaping.   It is the same if I do the deeds(works, fruit unto death, sinful actions in our behavior) of the flesh towards others or in my life the consequences are eternal.   You can sow to the Spirit and you will reap everlasting life.  Or you can sow to the flesh and reap eternal damnation.  You can have your fruit unto death or have your fruit unto life.  You can inherit eternal life or throw it away by foolish living. 

[FresnoJoe]

11 hours ago, Out of the Shadows said:

 It is this sort thinking that leads to all sorts of problems, including suicide....
You might as well say that secular doctors have nothing to offer Christians other than hot air...

Sometimes Hot Air And Death

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 112:25-26

And Sometimes Great Help
With Their Nurses And Aids Left To Fix Up
The Wounds Inflected By The "Healing" Of The Doctors

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. Jeremiah 17:14

Large surveys have indicated that psychologists are at risk for mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidality. In a national sample of 800 psychologists, Pope and Tabachnick (1994) found that most participants had been in therapy, and, of those, 61% reported that they had suffered at least one episode of clinical depression. Over one in four (29%) disclosed that they had felt suicidal, and nearly 4% reported having made a suicide attempt. Likewise, in a sample of over 1000 randomly sampled counseling psychologists, Gilroy, Carroll, and Murra (2002) found that 62% of respondents self-identified as depressed. Of those with depressive symptoms, 42% reported experiencing some form of suicidal ideation or behavior. Finally, in a 2009 APA Colleague Assistance and Wellness Survey, it was found that 40-60% of the responding practitioners reported at least a little disruption in professional functioning due to burnout, anxiety, or depression. Eighteen percent acknowledged that they had had suicidal ideation while dealing with personal and professional stressors or challenges (American Psychological Association, 2010).

Were we to extend this line of thought our next question might be “What is the risk of dying by suicide among psychologists?” Certainly, there have been published reports of high profile cases such as those of psychologists Lawrence Kohlberg (Walsh, 2000) and Michael Mahoney (Warren, 2007). In addition, the American Psychological Association's Advisory Committee on Colleague Assistance (ACCA) was informed of two other recent psychologist suicides including the story of a forensic psychologist who died by suicide while under criminal investigation for voyeurism (Rowe, 2007). Such reports raise concerns for psychologists and for the profession of psychology. They, in fact, led to the formation of a conjoint ad hoc committee consisting of members from ACCA, the APA Practice Directorate, and the Section on Clinical Emergencies and Crises (Section VII of APA's Division 12) to investigate whether there is evidence of an increased rate of suicide among psychologists and what the impact of the suicide of a practicing psychologist might have on colleagues, patients or clients, and the profession. This article is a report of the committee's findings which are linked to the literature on professional distress and impairment. It includes a review of the extant literature on suicide rates for psychologists, an evaluation of unpublished data on psychologist suicide in the database of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a report on anecdotal observations from interviews with psychologists who experienced a colleague suicide, a summary of published accounts of the impact of a therapist's suicide on his or her patients, and sections on factors that may contribute to suicide risk for psychologists, barriers to recognizing and intervening with impaired colleagues, suggestions for intervention, the importance of self-care as a preventive measure, and suggestions in responding to the suicide of a colleague (i.e., so-called ‘postvention’ efforts; Shneidman, 1993). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3124780/

[FresnoJoe]

12 hours ago, Ezra said:

Pastors and elders are by definition counselors. They are there to guide the flock.....
Secular counselors have nothing to offer Christians other than hot air....

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,

for reproof, for correction,

for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect,

throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

[Guest shiloh357]

17 hours ago, Yowm said:

yeah yeah and I suppose Christians were involved in the Crusades and Hitler was a Christian. Appears you've been spoon fed off liberal revisionism that doesn't know up from down when it comes to what constitutes a true Christian.

Actually, he is right.  300 years ago, people mistook mental illness for demonic possession or mistook what they didn't understand as witchcraft.  Innocent people were killed because of that misunderstanding.  

[hmbld]

6 minutes ago, shiloh357 said:

Actually, he is right.  300 years ago, people mistook mental illness for demonic possession or mistook what they didn't understand as witchcraft.  Innocent people were killed because of that misunderstanding.  

Sure, but there also is the issue of people saying they are doing these acts, as christians, in the name of God, yet just because they use God to justify their actions, does not mean they were christians.  So I think the name Christians gets much misunderstood as people have hijacked the title to justify their personal ambitions.

[Guest shiloh357]

1 minute ago, Davida said:

This is true of that time.  It also needs to be said that those who actually do practice real witchcraft get harassed by demonic spirits, some do get filled with demons & some actually lose their minds.

Why they didn't just use the Bible & pray over people if they actually did think they were demonized, is beyond me. Just where in the Bible does it say attach a rock and throw in lake?

Theology at that time, was very shallow and was really heavily inundated with politics.  Most denominations came about because of politics.  Puritans were united against the Church of England, which was run by the government and that is how their Christianity was defined. 

Greek and Hebrew were unknown.  Much of what we know about the history and culture of the Bible today was not known either, at that time.  Holiness was defined mostly by lifestyle and not as  work of the Holy Spirit on the heart.

Your brain is an organ and like the other organs in the body, it gets sick and that causes strange behavior.  We are more equipped today to recognize mental problems and we are  more theologically equipped to know the difference between true demonic activity and real mental issues that need treatment.