Random Acts of Kindness

[Episkopos]

Random Acts of Kindness

Random acts of kindness is a beautiful “thing”.

I believe the beauty of such a gesture is without any consideration or foreknowledge of the recipients ….
Personal, political, religious, views.

IOW, it is Love from the Heart…and negates an interrogation to carnally determine if the recipient is worthy of kindness.

Glory to God,
Taken

Yes. I see random acts of kindness as a more basic form of "disinterested benevolence" which means that a person is obediently waiting on the Lord before doing sacrificial acts for others. Jesus is the prime example of "disinterested benevolence." This speaks of a vast spiritual maturity.

Jesus said..."I only do what I see My Father doing". This kind of disinterest (not soulishly or emotionally invested) is Christ-like.

I'll give one example of that disinterest. The story of the Phoenician woman. She asked Jesus to heal her daughter...and His response was seemingly callous..."why should I give to the dogs what is meant for the children?"

Now, most people would react emotionally to be snubbed in such an insulting way. But God was testing her to see if she cared about her daughter or her own ego. But not this lady...she replied with maturity and faith. She was disinterested in her own ego. She replied "even the puppies eat the scraps that fall from the children's table". So Jesus, seeing the faith and wisdom in her attitude, was MOVED to comply to her request.

I see this story as very enlightening...what it means to be ready to do all things....but with a filter that waits on the Lord. Let God be moved. Let God arise. Keep our own interest out of it.

Even though this thread is about righteousness and having a good disposition towards our fellow man in a very basic way....yet, this points to the MUCH DEEPER selflessness of Christ. On that level we are talking about holiness.

 

[Phil .]

Amen!!

Nowhere in the Bible does it say Jesus or Paul were hated.

 

[Taken]

Yes. I see random acts of kindness as a more basic form of "disinterested benevolence" which means that a person is obediently waiting on the Lord before doing sacrificial acts for others. Jesus is the prime example of "disinterested benevolence." This speaks of a vast spiritual maturity.

Jesus said..."I only do what I see My Father doing". This kind of disinterest (not soulishly or emotionally invested) is Christ-like.

I'll give one example of that disinterest. The story of the Phoenician woman. She asked Jesus to heal her daughter...and His response was seemingly callous..."why should I give to the dogs what is meant for the children?"

Now, most people would react emotionally to be snubbed in such an insulting way. But God was testing her to see if she cared about her daughter or her own ego. But not this lady...she replied with maturity and faith. She was disinterested in her own ego. She replied "even the puppies eat the scraps that fall from the children's table". So Jesus, seeing the faith and wisdom in her attitude, was MOVED to comply to her request.

I see this story as very enlightening...what it means to be ready to do all things....but with a filter that waits on the Lord. Let God be moved. Let God arise. Keep our own interest out of it.

Even though this thread is about righteousness and having a good disposition towards our fellow man in a very basic way....yet, this points to the MUCH DEEPER selflessness of Christ. On that level we are talking about holiness.

Thank you.

Beautiful…precisely the kind of beauty that defines understanding the difference between men with and men without the Lord God.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[Phil .]

Well, emotions play a big role in the bible whether they be intrinsic or not.
And it is how man is guided to do good or evil.

Good & evil are presumed there.
Check.
Inspect.

Emotions come from the heart. And we were born with them.

If you believe you ‘have’ ‘them’, simply post a pic.

So whether they fit into your theory or not, they do exist, even if outside your scope of understanding.

It is what it is.
Hugs

“Your theory” is a theory.
There’s no such thing as theory - and emotion ‘tell you so’.
“Understanding” is a theory.

The very word ‘says’ under, standing. Not “some thing you acquired that is now in your head” or whatnot.

There is only to ‘listen’ (to emotion).
Hugs backacha.

 

[Phil .]

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.​

To be born again is to realize you were never born in the first place.

 

[Phil .]

Yes. I see random acts of kindness as a more basic form of "disinterested benevolence" which means that a person is obediently waiting on the Lord before doing sacrificial acts for others. Jesus is the prime example of "disinterested benevolence." This speaks of a vast spiritual maturity.

Jesus said..."I only do what I see My Father doing". This kind of disinterest (not soulishly or emotionally invested) is Christ-like.

I'll give one example of that disinterest. The story of the Phoenician woman. She asked Jesus to heal her daughter...and His response was seemingly callous..."why should I give to the dogs what is meant for the children?"

Now, most people would react emotionally to be snubbed in such an insulting way. But God was testing her to see if she cared about her daughter or her own ego. But not this lady...she replied with maturity and faith. She was disinterested in her own ego. She replied "even the puppies eat the scraps that fall from the children's table". So Jesus, seeing the faith and wisdom in her attitude, was MOVED to comply to her request.

I see this story as very enlightening...what it means to be ready to do all things....but with a filter that waits on the Lord. Let God be moved. Let God arise. Keep our own interest out of it.

Even though this thread is about righteousness and having a good disposition towards our fellow man in a very basic way....yet, this points to the MUCH DEEPER selflessness of Christ. On that level we are talking about holiness.

Beautiful!

A slight twist…. Given benevolence… not ‘comply’… receive.

Jesus was well aware there is no assertion.

Jesus could be standing right in front of a Christian and still, there is no assertion.

 

[Phil .]

Thank you.

Beautiful…precisely the kind of beauty that defines understanding the difference between men with and men without the Lord God.

Glory to God,
Taken

That’s precisly ‘eating from the tree’… “knowing” good people from bad people.
In reality, it’s emotional suppression.
Refuting the unmistakably felt guidance of Truth.

 

[Phil .]

Jesus said the world hates me.
And it does indeed if you walk in his shoes.

Emotion isn't a thing right?
It's just a figment of our imagination.. if that exists too right?

merry-go-round
hugs

Yes - it says “hates me”.
It does not say “hates Jesus” nor “hates Paul”.

Emotion is not a thing.

Emotion is not “a figment of our imagination”.

Emotion is felt.

It’s not a merry go round… it’s such intense emotional suppression that you are outright denying there is emotion.

The “merry go round is thoughts. Like planes circling an airport, looking for the landing strips of emotions… that there may be expression / un-suppression… and therein a quiet, peaceful mind, and heaven truly revealed.

 

[Taken]

That’s precisly ‘eating from the tree’… “knowing” good people from bad people.
In reality, it’s emotional suppression.
Refuting the unmistakably felt guidance of Truth.

I wouldn’t call it “emotional suppression”….

Rather an “emotional exuberance”.

 

[Episkopos]

Thank you.

Beautiful…precisely the kind of beauty that defines understanding the difference between men with and men without the Lord God.

Glory to God,
Taken

Amen. I see this is how the two main commandments (loving others AND loving God) are related. Loving people that we see helps us to understand how we can love God whom we don't see. And the higher love of Christ...so sacrificial and so not counting the cost of serving Him...is seen in very small part by the least kindness we do towards others. As Jesus says...even a cup of cold water given to a disciple is counted as something worthy of a reward. This attitude of serving others takes us away from our natural inclination towards self-seeking and self-preservation. Saints "love not their lives unto the death".

"The greatest among you shall be the servant of all."

 

[Ritajanice]

We are able to Love God because we have been “ Born Of The Spirit “...God Loved us first when we became Born Again....you can’t Love anyone in your own strength.

Our Loving others comes from the power that is within us, the Holy Spirit...

We can’t see God, but, we have the Love Of God being testified to our spirit all day every day....we have the Love Of Christ in our hearts/ spirit...my opinion and belief.

We have been “ Born Of The Spirit “...that’s the Living Spiritual rebirth that only God can do, via His Holy Spirit...you are nothing without God’s Spirit.

 

[Taken]

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.​

To be born again is to realize you were never born in the first place.

LOL…AGAIN is the key factor a prior birth took place.

 

[Taken]

We are able to Love God because we have been “ Born Of The Spirit “...God Loved us first when we became Born Again....you can’t Love anyone in your own strength.

Our Loving others comes from the power that is within us, the Holy Spirit...

We can’t see God, but, we have the Love Of God being testified to our spirit all day every day....we have the Love Of Christ in our hearts/ spirit...my opinion and belief.

Disagree.

A manKIND of “thing” is quite capable of Loving Another.

I would rather say…It is by, through, of the Holy Spirit IN a man is what makes it possible for a man to LOVE, his enemy.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Religious types are very biblical. Jesus warned such that they needed to repent. The Pharisees saw themselves as champions of God...judging others even as they justified themselves. That trend, toward self-justification...has never been more popular than it is today.

Maybe we could call this...random acts of hypocrisy?

I consider myself very Biblical, but I am not a LEGALIST - like the Pharisees. They would do random acts of kindness but blow their trumpets to draw attention to their acts, "Come out of your homes and look at us giving to the poor".
I once read a book, "How to be a Christian Without Being Religious". It stated that "Christianity is God's way of reaching man and religion is man's way of reaching God."
Legalism, living under the Law, trying to please God by works does not win you salvation. It is Christ who fulfilled the requirements of the Law for us. We are under Grace.
I do agree with random acts of kindness. "Give and it shall be given to you."
The problem is that some people think they can earn their way to heaven by acts of goodness, that it is within their own power within that can save them. But I do believe God causes even evil people to help his own at times.
____
About Oprah. Lots of people like her, but she is not a Christian. She follows the teachings of Eckhart Tolle.
>>His teachings focus on the significance and power of Presence, the awakened state of consciousness, which transcends ego and discursive thinking. Eckhart sees this awakening as the essential next step in human evolution.<<
Sounds like the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi talk of consciousness my Mom used to follow.

The Greatest Discovery of Oprah's Life

Oprah Winfrey's column about her book club selection, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, and the value of spirituality.

www.oprah.com

Oprah talks about being connected to this universal energy force (her concept of God).

 

[Ritajanice]

Disagree.

A manKIND of “thing” is quite capable of Loving Another.

I would rather say…It is by, through, of the Holy Spirit IN a man is what makes it possible for a man to LOVE, his enemy.

Glory to God,
Taken

You are entitled to disagree..I disagree with your opinion...as Gods word says, we are nothing without his Spirit.

How would you even know God, if he hadn’t revealed himself to us through the power of his Spirit, testifying with our spirit that we are his children, you can’t know God without his Spirit..that’s when we become Born Of The Spirit...an act of God that only he can do, via his Spirit.

You cannot make yourself “ Born Again “ only Gods Spirit can make us Born Again.

Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Not flesh gives birth to flesh...

1 John 4:16​

​

King James Version​

​

​

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

1 Corinthians 2:10-16

King James Version

​

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.



Without the Spirit...it’s just “ worldly” love..which is no love at all.

 

[Ziggy]

I think humility and humbleness are serious obstacles a lot of people have to push through.

The ego always gets in the way of others.

Hugs

 

[Episkopos]

Disagree.

A manKIND of “thing” is quite capable of Loving Another.

I would rather say…It is by, through, of the Holy Spirit IN a man is what makes it possible for a man to LOVE, his enemy.

Glory to God,
Taken

Again, amen. If people were incapable of loving others as themselves, there would be no possibility of any laws from God. No judgment would be fair. We would be INCAPABLE of understanding anything of the ways of God.

What I find many modern evangelicals do is that they negate ANY love is possible before becoming a believer. And they do this so that they don't have to become sacrificial...and SURPASS a natural human level of love. So rather than progress in selfless love...these claim to be the only ones capable of any love...thus condemning those who love...condemning the righteous as unrighteous....all in a bid for self-justification for NOT being holy as God is holy.

To whom much is given MORE is required....not less.

 

[Phil .]

LOL…AGAIN is the key factor a prior birth took place.

What was it like, the direct experience of being born?

See how honesty & integrity plays the biggest role, and therein… allowing emotion(s) to be felt?

 

[Ziggy]

Act 6:1
And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Act 6:2
Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Act 6:3
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Act 6:4
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

So my question would be, why wasn't the Grecians helping the Hebrews in the daily ministration?
Then there would be no need of grumbling..
just sayin
hugs

 

[Phil .]

Again, amen. If people were incapable of loving others as themselves, there would be no possibility of any laws from God. No judgment would be fair. We would be INCAPABLE of understanding anything of the ways of God.

What I find many modern evangelicals do is that they negate ANY love is possible before becoming a believer. And they do this so that they don't have to become sacrificial...and SURPASS a natural human level of love. So rather than progress in selfless love...these claim to be the only ones capable of any love...thus condemning those who love...condemning the righteous as unrighteous....all in a bid for self-justification for NOT being holy as God is holy.

To whom much is given MORE is required....not less.

“We”?
What are you, Ratatouille?

People are incapable of loving others as themselves.
The very belief blinds.

‘You’ is incapable of understanding.
Yet giving a false impression a you does understand some thing nonetheless.
Does ye not feel the vanity & arrogance of self inflation, deception?

Do the “modern evangelicals” you speak of also “have understanding”?

Do “we” need to know and understand what they know and understand as well?