playing cards---

[RGR]

Let's see, so far we have none of the following:

Cards be they real or virtual

Monopoly-dice in there!

Sorry (game by Parker Brothers)-has cards in it

Uno

Atari 2600-they produced things that weren't Christian, not bad, but not Christian, so it's gotta go.

I don't mean to belittle anyone here with this, and God forgive me if I have, but personal conviction is one thing. Pushing personal conviction off on someone else is totally another. It turns people off to Christianity and makes fellow Christians a slight bit upset. We have a lady within our church who wants to judge everyone because they don't live up to her "expectations" of what her convictions are. Her convictions? No makeup, no pants for women, long hair, KJV Bible only, and I'm sure another thing or two. There are times I feel like giving her a piece of my mind when things are "thrown" my way because I don't carry a KJV Bible to church or when she makes some snide remark or gesture about April's new haircut. Don't push your convictions on me as "thus saith the Lord." If the Lord wants to sayeth thus, He'll let me know personally!

[Guest shadow2b]

-RON--I know ya read my other little word or two about us baby-christians & the {stuFF} we had to

-endure--put up with-& sometimes it really amazes me that the LORD was able to keep us saved or

-get us thru that junk--After a few years i got tired of "turning the other cheek"& I started "telling-

-off these nosy-old biddies-know it alls-superspiritual-self-righteous twerps--BUOY did I feel better-

- & I didn't even stay mad{outraged is the better word}for the usual two weeks-a better word for

-outraged is HURT-big time too.TILL i started jumping back at those jerks....they never bothered us

-again..I have been known to get in a judgemental-selfrighteous twerp's FACE right in the big

-middle of church,if they start their stuff specially if they startup with Patsy or one of my kids or

-grandkids....man its tuff tryin ta be christian-like when a licensed-ordained-pastor comes to your

-house & calls you devil-worshippers-----WHY??--we believed ALL the gifts-ie healing-speaking in

-another tongue- were/are still for today......tuff-stuff fer babies to endure--

-ps-we played all them games Bro.still do if someone comes over & wants ta play a game--which

-aint too often--like maybe two card-games in the last 5 years--its dullsville round here Bro.

[Guest shadow2b]

-but i didn't stick around long enough to witness to anyone, either.

-HERESY---PURE--HERESY---AINT YOU ASHAMED??tsk.tsk.tsk.this just will not doI bet yu go to church on sunday too,instead of the sabbath.wicked-wicked-wicked-city woman

[Guest dove2]

Greetings Dove2,

Don't like 52 pick up.

[Catsmeow]

We have a lady within our church who wants to judge everyone because they don't live up to her "expectations" of what her convictions are.  Her convictions?  No makeup, no pants for women, long hair, KJV Bible only, and I'm sure another thing or two.  There are times I feel like giving her a piece of my mind when things are "thrown" my way because I don't carry a KJV Bible to church or when she makes some snide remark or gesture about April's new haircut

Ron: I was once the "church lady" you refer to in your church. I had a "holier-than-thou" attitude and didn't even realize it.

I'm without honor, brother. I'm not proud to admit this to anyone but I have to come clean: I was a rigid legalist and very self-righteous. I looked down my nose at others who didn't measure up.

God, in His patience, was kind and knew my heart. Here's what I can share with you on the "church lady":

1. She probably loves God deeply and believes that by following a rigid set of rules, she'll be pleasing to Him.

2. She's insecure about her position in Christ; by strict adherence to "rules" she can feel more certain about her salvation.

3. She may truly love God but may not feel truly "loved" by Him, so she continually seeks to "appease" Him in order to feel loved.

4. She was probably raised in a very strict, authoritarian home as a child.

5. She associates love with obedience, despite the fact that parents love their children even when they "blow it".

6. She doesn't understand that discipline is an act of love; not bitterness and wrath.

7. Such people often compare themselves to other people ; if others fail to measure up the response is to brand them as "inferior" Christians.

I was "there". I remember wanting to be so perfect before God, I forgot my "first love". I was too busy trying to be "super saint".

I asked God, "Why is there no fruit in my life?" I wondered why I couldn't exhibit the "fruits of the Spirit" in my life. I later saw that legalism chokes off the Spirit of God from doing it's work in the human heart.

Ron, I was in chains!

May I make a suggestion?

As hard as it may be...pray for that woman at your church. She doesn't realize the trap she's stepped into. I didn't. She needs a "thorn in the side" as I was given, in order to make her humble.

Trust me, it's not pleasant but it carves out character and integrity in a person's life when they're humbled. It makes them more fruitful to the Kingdom in the end.

[irishcowboy]

There is a song that came out in either the 50's or 60's about a deck of 54 playing cards ( two jokers )

a soldier had been caught with them in chapel ( military term for church, being a building may not be availible, even a tent service or open air service might have been held )...

when he was taken to the provose marshal, he was asked to explain his having cards in church......

with him each card represented a place in the Bible, all the way from the ACe to the King..... hmmmm the KING

there are ( with out the jokers ) 52 cards, there are 52 weeks, for suites there are 4 seasons.... 13 cards in one suite there were 12 deciples following one Lord Jesus... every card ment something to him for you see this soldier did not have a Bible to carry with him, but did have a deck of cards.....

you see......God can use a deck of cards as well......

and i have heard also, that satan has had control and used things long enough that it is time that we put things back into the Lords use......

CATS:

another reason for setting rules, is for justification, of a person.....

I am keeping this one, you are not...

i am keeping that one and you are not....

these I do, and you do not

I tithe, you are not giving anything

I sing in the chior

I dont cuss,

I dont have tatoo;s, you have tatoo's so you can not do this that or other.....

I dont have long hair ( or i dont cut my hair )

I am clean shaven ( or I dont cut the corners of my beard)

I dont have pierced ears,

I dont wear make up,

I dont wear jeans ( or I only wear dresses ) (to church that is, and all those that dont are not right )

I butter up to the pastor and the deacons all the time,

I dont want any one else to get a blessing ahead of me

I dont gossip, I only spread the truth about others....

I sit in the front,

I have more prayer request,

I have this

i do that

i am a sunday school teacher

I got these awards for this that and other...

I, I, I, I, I, I,.........

just like the Pharasis.... I fast twice a week, I tithe, I give to the poor, I go to church every time the doors are open, I teach sunday school, I serve communion, I am an usher, I drive the church bus, I sing specials......

the one thing common with all these statements is the word "I" as humans, we tend to justify ourselves by saying that others are worse......

and our focus is on " Me, Myself, and I "

mike

[Catsmeow]

Another nugget of golden wisdom, Mike. Amen and amen!

I've come a long way since then. I had to reach a point where 1Corinthians 13 became my primary focus.

When my motives were genuine and sincere, it was expressed by outward loving generosity based on my heartfelt gratitude for what Jesus had done.

I began with a sincere heart but Satan led me down the road to "legalism". It's easy to get "baited" ....it's a common practice Satan uses, particularly on new Christians.

I became more and more rigid till I lost the gift of love God had planted inside me.

Now, whatever I do..if it isn't rooted in love, it means nothing.

[The Journey]

they came from the tarot deck of cards originally

Complete baloney! Please do some research before posting untruth and half truths.

The "Early History of Playing Cards" http://www.wopc.co.uk/history/page_1.html

"A cluster of early literary references refer to the game being introduced by 'a Saracen', 'the Moorish Game' etc. Etymological evidence also suggests that the Arabs introduced playing cards into Europe in the second half of the fourteenth century and that European cards evolved from the suit system and composition of these cards."

Angels,

It is dishonest to repost from other websites without giving credit. For anyone wishing to read the original:

http://www.demonbuster.com/cards.html

I will never understand why some Christians insist on tilting at every windmill. Fear is a prison. Fear is bondage. Drop those chains and step into the freedom of Christ.

Steve

[Guest Calamity]

There is a song that came out in either the 50's or 60's

another reason for setting rules, is for justification, of a person.....

I am keeping this one, you are not...

i am keeping that one and you are not....

these I do, and you do not

I tithe, you are not giving anything

I sing in the chior

I dont cuss,

I dont have tatoo;s, you have tatoo's so you can not do this that or other.....

I dont have long hair ( or i dont cut my hair )

I am clean shaven ( or I dont cut the corners of my beard)

I dont have pierced ears,

I dont wear make up,

I dont wear jeans ( or I only wear dresses ) (to church that is, and all those that dont are not right )

I butter up to the pastor and the deacons all the time,

I dont want any one else to get a blessing ahead of me

I dont gossip, I only spread the truth about others....

I sit in the front,

I have more prayer request,

I have this

i do that

i am a sunday school teacher

I got these awards for this that and other...

I, I, I, I, I, I,.........

just like the Pharasis.... I fast twice a week, I tithe, I give to the poor, I go to church every time the doors are open, I teach sunday school, I serve communion, I am an usher, I drive the church bus, I sing specials......

the one thing common with all these statements is the word "I" as humans, we tend to justify ourselves by saying that others are worse......

and our focus is on " Me, Myself, and I "

mike

Ooohh. I know what you are talking about here. There are people from the church we used to go to that are doing just exactly that, and are being taught that by the preacher. It's sad...

[nebula]

I will never understand why some Christians insist on tilting at every windmill. Fear is a prison. Fear is bondage. Drop those chains and step into the freedom of Christ.

LOL! You just made me think of another song . . .

...Don Quixote's gotta have another windmill to attack!

We're on another witch hunt

Looking for evil wherever we can find it

Off on a tangent, hope the Lord don't mind it

Another witch hunt . . .

("Witch Hunt" by Petra)

Disclaimer: Angels, I don't mean this against you, your heart, your intentions, or your convictions. It's just one thought that popped out of another.