Discerning Good from Evil

[HisMindinme]

1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be calm.

This REALLY speaks to me. First, regarding the topic of this post: I need to not sleep, but watch. What am I to watch primarily? Myself! Next -- things external to me.

The part that Paul writes that really super speaks in my heart is: "be calm."

Good advice for a human being addicted to feeding lusts with hyper intense emotions. Makes me take a deep breath, exhale and just relax and approach the matters of life once again. Reminds me to stay aware of myself, of my own propensity to feeding my lusts on my own ginned up emotions from my thoughts. Also -- to "using" you all -- your posts and words -- as triggers to incite me to starting off the whole cycle of feeding in myself.

Again -- I am quite thankful for this board and the interaction here. I am learning a lot about me.

[Kansasdad]

Although Colbalt may have been a little harsh, He does make a point. We are bombarded by every type of media that shows us nothing but evil. Our prespective gets colored. It is easy to fall into this mind set. Likewise Tsth has raised a very valid issue, or challenge, that we should constantly raise for ourselves. I have no problem with a woman standing up and saying Men stand up and be Men. What are help mates for. Thank you, I often need a good kick in the pants.

Another thought, Part of the problem is that we often need to clean up our internal house to be effective warriors for God. Paul was a very effective warrior, but he had to get cleaned up first. Took about 3 years I believe.

God Bless,

K.D.

I did not mean to be harsh, but thread after thread of gloom and doom, finger pointing, and "we are the only holy ones left" does nothing to aleviate the problem.

I'm sure there are many men that do not stand up and take their leadership roles seriously. Conversely, there are many men who still do. When you lump everyone into the same category and throw them all in the same basket, you bash the good ones along with the bad. There is nothing new under the sun. Evil has always existed in the world, and will continue to exist until Christ completely fulfills His plans. As long as we speak out against that evil when we see it, in a firm but loving and gentle way, our hands are clean. And the firm but loving and gentle way of doing it is just as important as the speaking out. Being judgmental and condemning is just as bad as whatever we are speaking out against. God can judge and condemn perfectly, we cannot.

I would agree that there are quiet gentle hero's doing the will of God every day, and they don't generate big attention, but they achieve powerful things. I also agree that we need to find these examples and hold them up and give them the attention they deserve. Maybe this would be a great way in spreading the same message.

I had the privilege of knowing a physician for a short time. He was here temporarily. One of his goals as a physician was to find a place where he could also practice with prayer if the patient desired. He and I had some wonderful talks. He brought a group of men together to meet once a week and focus on prayer together. He has now left to a metropolitan area, but he left a major impact behind. He never judged anyone, he never condemned anyone. He led by example and a gentle rain.

God Bless,

K.D.

[EricH]

Here is a great quote that relates to what is being discussed here:

There are two dangers ... for the friends of Jesus. The first is the temptation to make compromises with a culture that marginalizes and crushes some people in order to avoid conflict and rejection... The second danger is the temptation to like to disturb this status quo. When we are rebels at heart and like to shock people, we can create a fight in order to be in the limelight. We can do some of these things unconsciously, experience rejection and then think we are being persecuted like Jesus

Quoted in Chrstianity Today January 2008 p. 54 from Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus Through the Gospel of John by Jean Vanier

[tah]

Eric..good quote...

Suzanne I genuinely have appreciated the posts I have read that you have started....

You keep me thinking...

[tsth]

Thanks tah,

I appreciate that there are others who like to dig deeper in the Word. I think it is so important that we examine ourselves and "think" about the things that the Word brings us to. 2 Cor. 13:5. I also love to look into God's Word, there is such blessing contained within It!

In His Love,

Suzanne