Intimacy

[Thaeoles]

To have the most power and the most money and to have the most influence and the most control

Then it must be revived--or better yet--reformed to live for Christ. It starts with repenting from sin, and continues with worshiping God.

 

[elephunky]

Religion may be able to change, but peoples opinions of it cannot. Unfortunately the bad is rememberred more than the good

 

[Thaeoles]

Religion may be able to change, but peoples opinions of it cannot. Unfortunately the bad is rememberred more than the good

What? I'm not sure what you're getting at.

 

[elephunky]

People hate religiion because of all the bad stuff that has happened in relationsh to it. Even if it itself changes, the opinion of it wont.

 

[Thaeoles]

People hate religiion because of all the bad stuff that has happened in relationsh to it. Even if it itself changes, the opinion of it wont.

I guess it will take a movement ordained by God to spread the Gospel(Good News) with people that truly love God and live a life that reflects Him. With God, nothing is impossible.

 

[elephunky]

Its not impossible but im severely doubting it will happen in my lifetime

 

[one11]

It's always easy to trivialize the lives of others

Lynn, I'm sorry if you thought I was trivilizing that song because where I live it is very liberal and all kinds of people here from all over the world live here and get along and no gays are not being killed, but have been my friends since I was a teenager and are still friends.

It's the marriage I don't agree with because I believe that it is something that belongs to God and I don't think people should change what belongs to God. So we just agree to disagree on Christian marriage.

The reason I wrote that is because I am LITERALLY fighting for my life right now. I have a disease that is not responding to antibiotics and hasn't for a long time. I'm going to start a new medicine today. But, I get weaker every day. So I am literally fighting for my life. That's a truth and I thought that song put that down for people who are LITERALLY fighting for their life.

Equal benefits for LGBT families should be done, but I remember when I had gay friends, I never thought they'd bring kids into the union or even wanted kids at all 'cause they never talked about it nor seemed to want any. Well, kids are here now and it's always all about what's best for the children. Now California has domestic partnerships and people aren't sent away from their families in hospitals, etc because they are LBGT, but I know in other states they are. I'd encourage any couple with children to see if they can get power of attorney or something in case a tragedy strikes their home and affects their kids in other states, or to see what they can do in the time being to protect their families. California and other states are pretty cool, but other states have HUGE problems. So, I know of the struggles you face, but it's not the same as facing death and literally fighting for your life right now in the moment to moment and with each breath, Lynn.

Shouldn't LBGT families be saying something more along the lines of let's see what we can change for now to help our families, instead of what can't be changed (right now). I don't even know how long I will live or how this will play out in America, but I still hink the focus should be on what things can be changed now, not later. Because later is a question mark.

 

[Thaeoles]

Its not impossible but im severely doubting it will happen in my lifetime

That maybe so in Australia. Here in America, things are starting to turn in a new direction. I'm excited about it.

 

[elephunky]

Perhaps...

 

[david_x]

Repentance is just the beginning, not the most important thing, the most important thing is a relationship with God

Nay, not entirely. The most important thing is the love of God then the love of Neighbor.

 

[elephunky]

No point in loving God if there is no relationship with him.

 

[david_x]

I can think of a few reasons...

 

[elephunky]

YOu can love god and do whatever you want. Relationship indicates whating to do what he wants us to

 

[UnderHisWings1979]

YOu can love god and do whatever you want. Relationship indicates whating to do what he wants us to

Relationship indicates a lot more than wanting to do what He wants us to do. It indicates self-sacrifice. It indicates spending time with Him. It indicates two-way conversation in prayer. It indicates service. Having a relationship with God is a LOT of work (talk about high maintenance ).

 

[Nadiine]

Relationship indicates a lot more than wanting to do what He wants us to do. It indicates self-sacrifice. It indicates spending time with Him. It indicates two-way conversation in prayer. It indicates service. Having a relationship with God is a LOT of work (talk about high maintenance ).

yes, this is key.
We're called to be a "living sacrifice" to Him.
That means we forsake the things of this world (which the unsaved live by)
to attain the next, and it says that's our "reasonable service'.

Giving Him our life is alot more than just saying a sinner's prayer &
then going back to our same lifestyles that we had prior.
If there's no REAL love & worship (in spirit & in truth) for God (for who
He is, not what we make up about Him & decide is true) then
chances are the salvation isn't genuine at all.

There's lots of lipservice today when some 85% of the USA claims to be
of God, yet we're watching it turn into sodom & gomorrah & they seem
fine with it.

Romans 12:1
[ Living Sacrifices to God ]
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

 

[Zecryphon]

I absoloutely hate religion with a passion and i would rather not have anything to do with anyone who thinks yelling it in teh streets or telling everyone that their a sinner. I know Christ, I understand Him. But i hate what some people do to "promote" him

How should people go about promoting Christ or better yet, spreading the gospel message?

 

[Zecryphon]

ITs not a submission problem, if non christians were approached with respect and subtlety, then maybe they would have less of an issue.

We don't answer to the wants of non-Christians. We as Christians answer to the wants and command of Christ. See Matthew 28:19-20. There is an effective way to spread the good news of Christ, it takes less than 3 minutes once you're really good at it. But this method involves going out into the street and going up to people and asking them a few simple questions about themselves and what they believe and what the Bible teaches and what Christ commands. The evangelist in this scenario asks these people if they have kept three or four of the most commonly broken commandments. If they have not, the evangelist sums up for the listener, how God views them based upon God's law and their answers. Then the evangelist asks "what do you think God will do with you on Judgment Day based upon your answers, according to what He has declared in the Bible," the relevant scriptures will be provided.

Evangelizing this way isn't confrontational or "up in your face", because the evangelist declares no one a sinner. The person being witnessed to admits they are a sinner. Once they know this, then they see their need for a savior. Once they see that, then the gospel message of Christ makes sense. Whereas the approach taken by Fred Phelps, where he just screams homosexuals are gonna burn in Hell, turns a lot of people off and understandably so. But what you have to remember is, Phelps is not typical of street preachers. He is an extremist that takes scriptures out of context to support his hate-filled agenda of condemnation. You should really look into Fred Phelps. He used to be a lawyer who was disbarred for unethical practices. He doesn't even meet the requirements in 1 Timothy 3 to be an overseer of a church. He's ignoring God's word when it suits him and twisting it when it suits him. He is a fraud on every level.

Your statements are equating Phelps with all of Christianity as if they are one and the same. They're not. People can be witnessed to calmly, effectively and quickly. Do you think people would respond better to this kind of approach?

 

[Nadiine]

Originally Posted by dGirl1986

I absoloutely hate religion with a passion and i would rather not have anything to do with anyone who thinks yelling it in teh streets or telling everyone that their a sinner. I know Christ, I understand Him. But i hate what some people do to "promote" him
​

dGirl, do you realize that most 'street preaching' isn't YELLING at all?
They're proclaiming gospel. Where do you see these people
doing this "yelling"??
This is a stereotype you have that isn't even accurate.
I venture to say you're just parroting it like the rest of the people
who attack w/ this same false accusation.

Most importantly, where did Jesus teach? He was out and about
giving the gospel. He didn't sit inside His little temple & preach
quietly, hoping not to offend people.

He was OUT doing the work of God - preaching everywhere in
public - He had a crowd of over 5000 outside as He preached.

People truly have to dump their false stereotyping that goes on.
& if you want to include the hater groups like Phelp's, then stop
attaching them with mainstream Christianity - those little fragments of groups are fringe cults.

 

[Nadiine]

We don't answer to the wants of non-Christians. We as Christians answer to the wants and command of Christ. See Matthew 28:19-20.


Evangelizing this way isn't confrontational or "up in your face", because the evangelist declares no one a sinner. The person being witnessed to admits they are a sinner. Once they know this, then they see their need for a savior. Once they see that, then the gospel message of Christ makes sense. Whereas the approach taken by Fred Phelps, where he just screams homosexuals are gonna burn in Hell, turns a lot of people off and understandably so. But what you have to remember is, Phelps is not typical of street preachers. He is an extremist that takes scriptures out of context to support his hate-filled agenda of condemnation. You should really look into Fred Phelps. He used to be a lawyer who was disbarred for unethical practices. He doesn't even meet the requirements in 1 Timothy 3 to be an overseer of a church. He's ignoring God's word when it suits him and twisting it when it suits him. He is a fraud on every level.

Your statements are equating Phelps with all of Christianity as it they are one and the same. They're not. People can be witnessed to calmly, effectively and quickly. Do you think people would respond better to this kind of approach?

great post
& I notice you mention phelps - it's sad that people make ALL
Christians into this crappy stereotype.
I guess if you don't turn into a PC liberal who claims Christ,
you're one of "them".

OY
(sorry but that's offensive!)

 

[Zecryphon]

Nay, not entirely. The most important thing is the love of God then the love of Neighbor.

How can you love God or even know God if God has not called you to Himself?

Rom 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

How can you know God if you have not responded to this call from God and have not followed Christ's command to repent as given in Luke 13:1-5?

Luk 13:1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Luk 13:2 And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?
Luk 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luk 13:4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?
Luk 13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."