Prayers for My Protection

[Messerve]

Hello!

So this is sort of a delicate matter to discuss online and I'm not entirely sure the things I do online is 100% private, as I will explain, but I really could use some prayer. So here we go.

There are three main characters involved. I will refer to them as 1. Josh, 2. Sarah, and 3. Bob.

You've heard of "office drama" and "office gossip". Well, where I work is no different except that it doesn't stop just at gossip and drama, but there are certain individuals who are also schemers (is that a word?).

My boss, Bob, and I share our Christian roots and have stayed true to those roots. So Bob took a liking to me when I first began, and it was obvious because he isn't very sociable in general. Eventually, I shared an office with him and he has even invited me to help build his new house and get some clean-up and repairs done around home. So we have a decent relationship.

We kept those "extra-curricular" activities mostly quiet just so it won't seem like favoritism, but I think it's general knowledge at this point. No one has really talked about it to me, however, which is a little concerning honestly.

On the security cameras I can see just about everywhere on the company grounds. So I catch sight of... well.. interesting things sometimes. Lately I'm constantly catching sight of my co-workers, Josh and Sarah, whispering and talking privately in rooms where no one can hear what they're saying. Which is nothing new, but I can't help feeling like it's somehow related to myself. I've heard them talk about the owners and managers in really scathing ways. So I have no reason to believe I would be exempt from that since they see me as being Bob's "favorite".

These workers are so friendly and helpful and personal to your face, that it's really hard to believe they could be that two-faced. Lots of times I enjoy working with them, but lately I just don't trust them at all...

Josh claims to have trained under a professional hacker and I've seen him use the work computers to visit the "dark web" to download pirated movies and software. Our managers have foolishly given him access to just about everything - the website and email servers (including my work email), the credit cards and the financial records, the inventory, etc, etc. He sometimes comes in on the weekends and he is the only person there. It's just not good.

On the other hand, Sarah is his gossip buddy and she has access to all our pay and sensitive personal information like SS#'s and former job history, phone numbers, addresses and references. She seems like the most cheerful, helpful person, but in her unfaltering cheery attitude she will say things which are actually like little seeds of suspicion she's planting in the minds of our employers. For example, she will say something like "Not to be mean, but Ben took an hour off during the afternoon yesterday. It just seemed... unusual. But I'm sure it's nothing! Hahaha!" In that particular instance, I personally knew that Ben was going through a difficult time with his wife and she was threatening to leave him. So he ran home quickly when things were looking really dire one day. He told Bob, unbeknownst to Sarah, so she didn't gain anything really. But I'm sure she hoped he'd get in trouble.

I often pick up whispered phrases between Josh and Sarah which scares me a little because they sound so scheming and malicious. Things like: ("Oh, so that's how we're going to play this game?"), ("Why did you do that?" "Shhhh!"), ("You're such a devil.").

Add to this, there was a Christian employee at the company that neither of these two liked at all. Sarah would literally sneer at this employee when she wasn't looking, Josh said she made sexual advances toward him (which Sarah enthusiastically passed on to the employers), Sarah said that woman might try hacking into our system (which was really far-fetched) and Josh and Sarah would whisper to each other about how brainless that employee was and how she must have been abused as a kid which left her retarded. They would even joke about that worker thinking Sarah was jealous of her looks - a cruel allusion to the fact the woman was much more homely looking. Many of these things were said practically within the woman's hearing (I'm sure she heard some of it) so that makes me wonder even more if some of the things I've heard lately are about me and they just aren't even trying to hide it barely...

So as far as the scheming part, today I was just getting a little worried because there has been whispering again between them and a few random things happened. One, Sarah asked me to get something out of her car's trunk for her, which I've done plenty of times. It's a small business, so people generally trust each other. But she went with me instead of lending me her keys, as she has always done before. There was no reason at all for us to both go to her car... In the meantime, Josh was in the office setting up my new desk. I had to wonder why Sarah randomly asked me to go outside and if it was so Josh could say something to my boss Bob when I wasn't there or to do something to my new desk that I wouldn't see on the security cameras...

That same day a different worker was talking to Josh and when they walked into my office that other worker quietly said "Why did you do that?" and Josh just put his finger to his lips. It was only me and Bob in the room, so it was obviously one of us Josh didn't want to know about something. Unfortunately, Bob is usually deep in thought and doesn't even notice those interactions usually.

I could go on about seeing Josh on camera motioning to where my phone was laying on a shelf and making the motion of lifting it up slightly to see the screen (my sister had messaged me that day and the notifications are visible on the screen, so that had me very concerned for her safety) and Sarah making claims that she has "connections" and can dig up information on people without even doing background checks...

Overall, many days just leave me feeling so vulnerable and like I'm on the verge of being doxxed or something. I've also probably said way too much to Josh, because I thought he was somewhat trustworthy in the beginning, so the two of them probably know about half my life... There are a couple things I've shared that Josh could definitely weaponize against me if he chose to do so. And under the guise of the internet, no one would even know where the information originated from.

Perhaps I'm just extremely paranoid right now, but all of this is true and I've tried hard not to make more of it than it is. I just hear so many ominous and scheming whisperings during the week and, as I said, I'm not even entirely certain Josh won't see this post. I have reason to suspect he got into my phone once using the wireless hotspot I left on by accident... Suddenly I was getting all these suggestions on the internet of things I have never looked up, but had often seen Josh look up covertly on his work computer.

So please pray for my protection (and for my family's protection) against these co-workers. Also please pray that our boss Bob won't believe any lies he hears about me or other workers. And if I am truly just paranoid, I pray that my mind would calm down and I would get to the bottom of these things soon.

Thanks! If you don't hear from me again, it's because I was right about them.

 

[Michie]

They will dig their own hole. I'm sure they are just planting seeds if they are as brilliant as they seem to think they are. Just sounds like a bunch of game playing to me.

 

[ilovejcsog]

Are they Christians? Can you safely distance yourself from them and their games? I think the less you see the safer you will be. If you are being paranoid then by not seeing what they are doing those thoughts will leave. It seems you are driving yourself crazy with it and living with it will change your actions.

 

[ajcarey]

You could leave Scriptures on your phone screen to rebuke them and to help put the fear of God in them, like:

Psalm 28:3-5 "3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. 4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. 5 Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up."

Job 34:21-22 "21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. 22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves."

Just a suggestion. If it doesn't lead them to repentance, it could at least make them uncomfortable going through your phone

 

[ilovejcsog]

You could leave Scriptures on your phone screen to rebuke them and to help put the fear of God in them, like:

Psalm 28:3-5 "3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. 4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. 5 Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up."

Job 34:21-22 "21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. 22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves."

Just a suggestion. If it doesn't lead them to repentance, it could at least make them uncomfortable going through your phone

I like that but if they are deceitful as he sees them they may retaliate. Then again it may make them repent if they don't realize it is about them and it would do them good to read a few bible verses like that, lol.
I don't think it would be good to make enemies of them though. Just be true to God and yourself as much as you can with people like that.

 

[Mydreams]

Lord protect Messerve, and bless, in this matter in Jesus loving name, Amen!

 

[Messerve]

They will dig their own hole. I'm sure they are just planting seeds if they are as brilliant as they seem to think they are. Just sounds like a bunch of game playing to me.

Yeah I hope it's all just in their heads. They may be trying to intimidate me into leaving on my own, even.

 

[Messerve]

You could leave Scriptures on your phone screen to rebuke them and to help put the fear of God in them, like:

Psalm 28:3-5 "3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. 4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. 5 Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up."

Job 34:21-22 "21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. 22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves."

Just a suggestion. If it doesn't lead them to repentance, it could at least make them uncomfortable going through your phone

Good point! I'll consider that. Thanks!

 

[Messerve]

Are they Christians? Can you safely distance yourself from them and their games? I think the less you see the safer you will be. If you are being paranoid then by not seeing what they are doing those thoughts will leave. It seems you are driving yourself crazy with it and living with it will change your actions.

Sarah claims to be a Christian. Josh grew up in the church but left on his own when still a kid. So they both know all about Christianity and Jesus and will act like they are real believers to our employers faces, but behind their backs they mock the very idea.

Yes, I will no longer have access to the security cameras soon since one of them is taking my desk. Bob said it may resolve some of this. We'll see.

 

[LoricaLady]

First, I would tell Sarah, publically, in a nice way, "You know I really don't feel comfortable with you giving me your keys. What if something happened and someone broke into your trunk? Would someone suspect me? Sorry, I just don't like doing that. I'm sure you'll understand." Big smile.

I would also avoid being anywhere close to Sarah and even Josh, wherever possible, if you are not in range of a security camera.

I would talk to Bob about your concerns. Not about what you suspect, with the whispering, as none of that can be reality checked as to whether they are up to anything or not. Verbal things like how they were sneering at a fellow employee, possibly in her range of hearing, and so on.
The Bible says that "few" will make it to Heaven. In fact Messiah said that there are demon seed out there planted by their father the devil. Consequently it should be no surprise that in many, if not most, work places there will be trouble makers. I have worked in various places and there always were some in each place.

What I would do, what I do do when tempted to fear anyone, is to frequently repeat the Bible verse, maybe paraphrased with your own self inserted into it: "Fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in YHWH" aka God "is kept secure... And Abba, I trust in You to keep me secure! Thank You!"

The Bible verses in #4 post, above, would also be good to verbalize to yourself. I personally would not put them on a computer screen. This is likely to cause them to escalate in their attempts to make you feel threatened. From what I have seen such people will always try to one up others and since they have few if any scruples, in a sense you would be at a disadvantage - except for the Lord's protection.

"Life and death are in the power of the tongue." Speak life over yourself, based on the Word.
I pray for wisdom and insight on how to act, with peace and assurance that all will be well.

 

[brinny]

Hello!

So this is sort of a delicate matter to discuss online and I'm not entirely sure the things I do online is 100% private, as I will explain, but I really could use some prayer. So here we go.

There are three main characters involved. I will refer to them as 1. Josh, 2. Sarah, and 3. Bob.

You've heard of "office drama" and "office gossip". Well, where I work is no different except that it doesn't stop just at gossip and drama, but there are certain individuals who are also schemers (is that a word?).

My boss, Bob, and I share our Christian roots and have stayed true to those roots. So Bob took a liking to me when I first began, and it was obvious because he isn't very sociable in general. Eventually, I shared an office with him and he has even invited me to help build his new house and get some clean-up and repairs done around home. So we have a decent relationship.

We kept those "extra-curricular" activities mostly quiet just so it won't seem like favoritism, but I think it's general knowledge at this point. No one has really talked about it to me, however, which is a little concerning honestly.

On the security cameras I can see just about everywhere on the company grounds. So I catch sight of... well.. interesting things sometimes. Lately I'm constantly catching sight of my co-workers, Josh and Sarah, whispering and talking privately in rooms where no one can hear what they're saying. Which is nothing new, but I can't help feeling like it's somehow related to myself. I've heard them talk about the owners and managers in really scathing ways. So I have no reason to believe I would be exempt from that since they see me as being Bob's "favorite".

These workers are so friendly and helpful and personal to your face, that it's really hard to believe they could be that two-faced. Lots of times I enjoy working with them, but lately I just don't trust them at all...

Josh claims to have trained under a professional hacker and I've seen him use the work computers to visit the "dark web" to download pirated movies and software. Our managers have foolishly given him access to just about everything - the website and email servers (including my work email), the credit cards and the financial records, the inventory, etc, etc. He sometimes comes in on the weekends and he is the only person there. It's just not good.

On the other hand, Sarah is his gossip buddy and she has access to all our pay and sensitive personal information like SS#'s and former job history, phone numbers, addresses and references. She seems like the most cheerful, helpful person, but in her unfaltering cheery attitude she will say things which are actually like little seeds of suspicion she's planting in the minds of our employers. For example, she will say something like "Not to be mean, but Ben took an hour off during the afternoon yesterday. It just seemed... unusual. But I'm sure it's nothing! Hahaha!" In that particular instance, I personally knew that Ben was going through a difficult time with his wife and she was threatening to leave him. So he ran home quickly when things were looking really dire one day. He told Bob, unbeknownst to Sarah, so she didn't gain anything really. But I'm sure she hoped he'd get in trouble.

I often pick up whispered phrases between Josh and Sarah which scares me a little because they sound so scheming and malicious. Things like: ("Oh, so that's how we're going to play this game?"), ("Why did you do that?" "Shhhh!"), ("You're such a devil.").

Add to this, there was a Christian employee at the company that neither of these two liked at all. Sarah would literally sneer at this employee when she wasn't looking, Josh said she made sexual advances toward him (which Sarah enthusiastically passed on to the employers), Sarah said that woman might try hacking into our system (which was really far-fetched) and Josh and Sarah would whisper to each other about how brainless that employee was and how she must have been abused as a kid which left her retarded. They would even joke about that worker thinking Sarah was jealous of her looks - a cruel allusion to the fact the woman was much more homely looking. Many of these things were said practically within the woman's hearing (I'm sure she heard some of it) so that makes me wonder even more if some of the things I've heard lately are about me and they just aren't even trying to hide it barely...

So as far as the scheming part, today I was just getting a little worried because there has been whispering again between them and a few random things happened. One, Sarah asked me to get something out of her car's trunk for her, which I've done plenty of times. It's a small business, so people generally trust each other. But she went with me instead of lending me her keys, as she has always done before. There was no reason at all for us to both go to her car... In the meantime, Josh was in the office setting up my new desk. I had to wonder why Sarah randomly asked me to go outside and if it was so Josh could say something to my boss Bob when I wasn't there or to do something to my new desk that I wouldn't see on the security cameras...

That same day a different worker was talking to Josh and when they walked into my office that other worker quietly said "Why did you do that?" and Josh just put his finger to his lips. It was only me and Bob in the room, so it was obviously one of us Josh didn't want to know about something. Unfortunately, Bob is usually deep in thought and doesn't even notice those interactions usually.

I could go on about seeing Josh on camera motioning to where my phone was laying on a shelf and making the motion of lifting it up slightly to see the screen (my sister had messaged me that day and the notifications are visible on the screen, so that had me very concerned for her safety) and Sarah making claims that she has "connections" and can dig up information on people without even doing background checks...

Overall, many days just leave me feeling so vulnerable and like I'm on the verge of being doxxed or something. I've also probably said way too much to Josh, because I thought he was somewhat trustworthy in the beginning, so the two of them probably know about half my life... There are a couple things I've shared that Josh could definitely weaponize against me if he chose to do so. And under the guise of the internet, no one would even know where the information originated from.

Perhaps I'm just extremely paranoid right now, but all of this is true and I've tried hard not to make more of it than it is. I just hear so many ominous and scheming whisperings during the week and, as I said, I'm not even entirely certain Josh won't see this post. I have reason to suspect he got into my phone once using the wireless hotspot I left on by accident... Suddenly I was getting all these suggestions on the internet of things I have never looked up, but had often seen Josh look up covertly on his work computer.

So please pray for my protection (and for my family's protection) against these co-workers. Also please pray that our boss Bob won't believe any lies he hears about me or other workers. And if I am truly just paranoid, I pray that my mind would calm down and I would get to the bottom of these things soon.

Thanks! If you don't hear from me again, it's because I was right about them.

Praying for your protection, and that any schemes or plans of ill-will fall flat. May God Himself surround you with His protection and His favor. Father may it be so, in Jesus name, amen. (((hug)))

This comes to mind:

"Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake." ~Isa 54:15

" No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." ~Isa 54:17

This comes to mind as well:

 

[Messerve]

First, I would tell Sarah, publically, in a nice way, "You know I really don't feel comfortable with you giving me your keys. What if something happened and someone broke into your trunk? Would someone suspect me? Sorry, I just don't like doing that. I'm sure you'll understand." Big smile.

I would also avoid being anywhere close to Sarah and even Josh, wherever possible, if you are not in range of a security camera.

I would talk to Bob about your concerns. Not about what you suspect, with the whispering, as none of that can be reality checked as to whether they are up to anything or not. Verbal things like how they were sneering at a fellow employee, possibly in her range of hearing, and so on.
The Bible says that "few" will make it to Heaven. In fact Messiah said that there are demon seed out there planted by their father the devil. Consequently it should be no surprise that in many, if not most, work places there will be trouble makers. I have worked in various places and there always were some in each place.

What I would do, what I do do when tempted to fear anyone, is to frequently repeat the Bible verse, maybe paraphrased with your own self inserted into it: "Fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in YHWH" aka God "is kept secure... And Abba, I trust in You to keep me secure! Thank You!"

The Bible verses in #4 post, above, would also be good to verbalize to yourself. I personally would not put them on a computer screen. This is likely to cause them to escalate in their attempts to make you feel threatened. From what I have seen such people will always try to one up others and since they have few if any scruples, in a sense you would be at a disadvantage - except for the Lord's protection.

"Life and death are in the power of the tongue." Speak life over yourself, based on the Word.
I pray for wisdom and insight on how to act, with peace and assurance that all will be well.

Yeah as a Christian I definitely feel like I'm at a disadvantage sometimes. For example, I work on the graphics for our website and I just use whatever free software I can find for editing and stuff. In the meantime, Josh downloaded a multi-1000 dollar photo editing suite for free off a pirated software site. So now he has this great program which can do far more than I can with my free stuff. And of course our employers just assume it's his personal copy he paid for. Though one day at a meeting he told everyone pirating is his hobby, so maybe they wouldn't be so easily fooled now...

I have talked to Bob about this a little. One day I was very angry about changes that affected me that I had no forewarning about, and Bob and I had a long talk during which I mentioned I always feel like there are potentially rumors and gossip going around about me because of all the whispering I see going on. Bob said he noticed it, too, but figured they were probably discussing something about a customer nearby. I don't think that's usually the case though.

Sometimes I just feel so unnerved by the things I observe and overhear that I go somewhere alone and pray for protection right then and there. but, yes, having specific verses to remember would be even better.

For the record, I shared my faith with Josh a year ago and the issue he seemed to have was the covenantal differences between the Old Testament and New Testament and thinking that points to obvious inaccuracies. Also all the fake Christians around who live just like the world.

Oh and the thing about Sarah and the keys was that she had something in her car to bring to the office which was too heavy for her (so she said). Usually it is something big for her, but last time it wasn't heavy or big at all, so it just seemed weird she asked me to go get it and then went with me... I didn't really need her at all. Since it's a small company I don't think it's an issue generally unless she decides to make a wild claim I stole something from her car. But I doubt Bob would believe that.

 

[LoricaLady]

Yeah as a Christian I definitely feel like I'm at a disadvantage sometimes. For example, I work on the graphics for our website and I just use whatever free software I can find for editing and stuff. In the meantime, Josh downloaded a multi-1000 dollar photo editing suite for free off a pirated software site. So now he has this great program which can do far more than I can with my free stuff. And of course our employers just assume it's his personal copy he paid for. Though one day at a meeting he told everyone pirating is his hobby, so maybe they wouldn't be so easily fooled now...

I have talked to Bob about this a little. One day I was very angry about changes that affected me that I had no forewarning about, and Bob and I had a long talk during which I mentioned I always feel like there are potentially rumors and gossip going around about me because of all the whispering I see going on. Bob said he noticed it, too, but figured they were probably discussing something about a customer nearby. I don't think that's usually the case though.

Sometimes I just feel so unnerved by the things I observe and overhear that I go somewhere alone and pray for protection right then and there. but, yes, having specific verses to remember would be even better.

For the record, I shared my faith with Josh a year ago and the issue he seemed to have was the covenantal differences between the Old Testament and New Testament and thinking that points to obvious inaccuracies. Also all the fake Christians around who live just like the world.

Oh and the thing about Sarah and the keys was that she had something in her car to bring to the office which was too heavy for her (so she said). Usually it is something big for her, but last time it wasn't heavy or big at all, so it just seemed weird she asked me to go get it and then went with me... I didn't really need her at all. Since it's a small company I don't think it's an issue generally unless she decides to make a wild claim I stole something from her car. But I doubt Bob would believe that.

Well, as to the so called discrepancies between the Old and New Testaments, I think those are due to things like some mistranslations, and traditions of men. Also, and this was true for me in the past, people can skip right over many passages in the Bible that support the Old Testament, and not see them at all somehow.

I do not want to get into all that because this is not the place. However, I would personally refer Josh (and you) to 119 Ministries' vids called The Pauline Paradox. The vids are long and very scholarly not just in terms of the Bible, but in terms of the Greek language and history. (They are not dry and dull at all, though, but attractive visually and auditorily.) They deal with the apparent contradictions between the New and Old Testament and, I believe, clear them up just fine. As that ministry always says "Test everything" with the Bible. If you get into those vids and see what they are saying, you will be able to defend the Bible against accusations of inconsistency, but at the same time you, yourself, will never see the Bible the same way.

I will give just one "small" example of how traditions of men have made us think the Old and New Testament are not consistent with each other. We are told that the Old Testament food laws are no longer in effect based on Peter's meat on the sheet dream. But in the Bible the interpretations for dreams are given. We are told more than once about Peter's dream that "This means...." and no mention of food, only of "unclean" gentiles, is given. This is just like with Pharaoh's baker and Pharaoh's cup bearer who told their dreams to Joseph in prison. Their dreams, too, were about food, but their interpretations, also, had zero to do with food.

Further in Acts 15 NON Jewish converts are told to refrain from blood, per Mosaic Law, and to not eat strangled animals, which still had all the blood in them and were not slaughtered according to Mosaic instructions. Later in Acts 15 we see that, as was the tradition for the converted back then, that the new converts are assumed to be going to the Synagogues on the Sabbaths (not Sundays) to learn the rest of the Law of Moses.

I pray that Josh, and you, see how the Old and New Testaments are in perfect harmony when researched and tested rightly.

 

[LoricaLady]

Yeah as a Christian I definitely feel like I'm at a disadvantage sometimes. For example, I work on the graphics for our website and I just use whatever free software I can find for editing and stuff. In the meantime, Josh downloaded a multi-1000 dollar photo editing suite for free off a pirated software site. So now he has this great program which can do far more than I can with my free stuff. And of course our employers just assume it's his personal copy he paid for. Though one day at a meeting he told everyone pirating is his hobby, so maybe they wouldn't be so easily fooled now...

I have talked to Bob about this a little. One day I was very angry about changes that affected me that I had no forewarning about, and Bob and I had a long talk during which I mentioned I always feel like there are potentially rumors and gossip going around about me because of all the whispering I see going on. Bob said he noticed it, too, but figured they were probably discussing something about a customer nearby. I don't think that's usually the case though.

Sometimes I just feel so unnerved by the things I observe and overhear that I go somewhere alone and pray for protection right then and there. but, yes, having specific verses to remember would be even better.

For the record, I shared my faith with Josh a year ago and the issue he seemed to have was the covenantal differences between the Old Testament and New Testament and thinking that points to obvious inaccuracies. Also all the fake Christians around who live just like the world.

Oh and the thing about Sarah and the keys was that she had something in her car to bring to the office which was too heavy for her (so she said). Usually it is something big for her, but last time it wasn't heavy or big at all, so it just seemed weird she asked me to go get it and then went with me... I didn't really need her at all. Since it's a small company I don't think it's an issue generally unless she decides to make a wild claim I stole something from her car. But I doubt Bob would believe that.

P.S. on Sarah and the car, I wouldn't trust her one bit. Even if Bob didn't believe any accusations, would you want to deal with such a scenario? You said yourself that her request could be "weird." I would even send an email to her, come to think of it, as documentation where you are saying that you just don't feel comfortable anymore with being given her keys. Put lots of "syrup" around your words, but no way trust her. Mho.

 

[LoricaLady]

P.P.S And why couldn't Sarah have a little cart, or something, available for her in your work place that she could load heavy things onto, and then roll back inside? Maybe you could find one for her, or at least ask her in that email if she would like you to do so.

 

[Messerve]

Well, as to the so called discrepancies between the Old and New Testaments, I think those are due to things like some mistranslations, and traditions of men. Also, and this was true for me in the past, people can skip right over many passages in the Bible that support the Old Testament, and not see them at all somehow.

I do not want to get into all that because this is not the place. However, I would personally refer Josh (and you) to 119 Ministries' vids called The Pauline Paradox. The vids are long and very scholarly not just in terms of the Bible, but in terms of the Greek language and history. (They are not dry and dull at all, though, but attractive visually and auditorily.) They deal with the apparent contradictions between the New and Old Testament and, I believe, clear them up just fine. As that ministry always says "Test everything" with the Bible. If you get into those vids and see what they are saying, you will be able to defend the Bible against accusations of inconsistency, but at the same time you, yourself, will never see the Bible the same way.

I will give just one "small" example of how traditions of men have made us think the Old and New Testament are not consistent with each other. We are told that the Old Testament food laws are no longer in effect based on Peter's meat on the sheet dream. But in the Bible the interpretations for dreams are given. We are told more than once about Peter's dream that "This means...." and no mention of food, only of "unclean" gentiles, is given. This is just like with Pharaoh's baker and Pharaoh's cup bearer who told their dreams to Joseph in prison. Their dreams, too, were about food, but their interpretations, also, had zero to do with food.

Further in Acts 15 NON Jewish converts are told to refrain from blood, per Mosaic Law, and to not eat strangled animals, which still had all the blood in them and were not slaughtered according to Mosaic instructions. Later in Acts 15 we see that, as was the tradition for the converted back then, that the new converts are assumed to be going to the Synagogues on the Sabbaths (not Sundays) to learn the rest of the Law of Moses.

I pray that Josh, and you, see how the Old and New Testaments are in perfect harmony when researched and tested rightly.

Thanks! I will definitely keep this in mind if the topic comes up with Josh. It sounds like it addresses exactly the kinds of things he had an issue with.

 

[LoricaLady]

I have prayed for it to all go well. Josh seems like he might be rather smart, and/or rather studied, to have dealt with the issues of the apparent, but not real, contradictions in the Bible between what the Old Testament said and what the New Testament says.

Really most everything Messiah said was to support the Torah, the books of the Old Testament. For example He never made any new and improved love laws. He had been asked which commandment in the Law, i.e. the Mosaic Law, was the most important, not which ones were replaced or changed in any ways. He quoted verbatim from the Old Testament when He said to love YHWH, aka God, with all our hearts and souls and minds and nights and to love others as ourselves. We are also told to love our enemies in the Old Testament. "YHWH never changes."

Here is another example of how we are told He overturned the Old Testament, but really was reinforcing it. In the story of the woman caught in adultery, someone in our time and culture gets the impression that he is not reinforcing the law to stone her. Nope. He was reinforcing the Torah.
You see, in the Torah both the man and the woman are to be stoned, but they didn't bring the man!

Further there had to be two witnesses. After He wrote in the sand (I always wonder if he was writing down their sins, maybe even with that woman in some cases) the would be witnesses all walked off. Since the Torah was not being followed, He turned and showed the woman mercy.
Legally He could not stone her.

 

[JCFantasy23]

My prayers. What an odd situation. I hope everything works out okay. I wouldn't keep going to Sarah's trunk either though, if she can follow you out there why can't she get the items herself? They sound like they like to cause trouble.

 

[Messerve]

The first day I began this job, one of the things that struck me was how there was so much drama. People talking behind people's backs, people calling in sick because of hangovers, various people seem to have chronic depression or anger issues, etc.

So I told myself I would do everything I could not to become a part of that drama. I did well for over a year and just ignored it and tried to give a very neutral response when people would attempt to whisper negative things to me about other employees. I think over these couple years, however, it has slowly and surely been drawing me in just because I'm weary of constantly hearing and seeing it. So now I find I am more likely to respond emotionally to stress than I ever would have before, or I am more likely to make negative assumptions about things.

It's also the first time I've worked in an office environment so it's not something I've never had to deal with before. I've really seen how people can put on such an authentic, "christian" face, and be the exact opposite simultaneously. And hearing about people's twisted sexual lives and their utter blindness to the consequences of their actions can make me feel angry or depressed.

So far I think everything is good as far as the privacy of this thread is concerned. No one tried to hit me or burn down my home or anything. So that's reassuring at least. I'm never too sure when it comes to them, but I think all is well.

We had a company outing this week and I think that helped give us all a chance to relax some and see the more positive sides of each other. I was actually feeling pretty antisocial and depressed during the second half of the day (partly from a lack of sleep). As the others played a game, I just sat down at a distance and watched. At one point I just wandered off and sat under a tree by the edge of a nearby field.

One of my co-workers (Ben I mentioned in my first post) came over and sat down next to me and in-between suggesting I smoke marijuana (no kidding...) he did make some good points about not being afraid to try new things. So I then participated in the game and it really wasn't that bad. Later I found him alone and thanked him for going out of his way to encourage me and push me out of my shell, since most people wouldn't have tried at all. We had another long conversation about our time at the company and how it actually is a good place to work if you ignore the various things you don't like. He said he considers me one of his favorite people there.

Anyway, so regarding all of this, I haven't exactly seen a resolution to the whispering and scheming and fearing for my privacy and safety, however I got some much needed refreshing and I think I've regained some strength to look past it again.

Thanks for the prayers! Please continue, if you wish.

 

[LoricaLady]

All you can do is cover yourself with prayer and be very discrete and careful, and pray for peace and discernment. Proverbs tell us to be discrete in evil times. Theez iz evil times!

Christians can often be shocked by the "real" world. They can't imagine carrying on in certain ways, sometimes because things are done that they would never do. But the Father tends to open our eyes to the realities one way or another, all the while taking care of us when we let Him.