What purpose does it serve?

[Addy]

understood. You can’t possibly know how many times I’ve thought of PMing someone for help but then decided against it. How many times I considered just walking into a church where no one knows me and asking for help. Or even searching for a hotline to call. But every time coming to the conclusion how can you explain to someone else what is going on and what even is at the root of if, when you don’t even know yourself. So I come to hopeless of asking for help with what I can’t explain. That you perceived this and didn’t need an explanation but was moved to help, intercede...truly thank you!

Intercession is just what you have explained.... God loves us so much... and he HEARS the cries of our heart. People seem to think that this is just poetic nonsense... but it is true. I even have a nickname for you... LOL... and I use it when I am praying for you...
Please let this bring you comfort.... God is very much interested in you... HE SEES YOU... HE sees what is happening. He will address the issues that need to be addressed... With that said... I would encourage you to reach out to someone...who can truly help in a tangible way. You did not break over night... and you will not mend over night... I mentioned Focus on the Family earlier.... They are a wonderful organization... Have a look at their web-site. with great tenderness.... Addy

 

[Grailhunter]

Not sure how you come to this conclusion. Are you referring to practicing Christians or in name only? Do you have a link to a statistical study? Does this study delve into Christian women being too heavy handed with men?



I do. There is a verse that says man is the glory of God but women are the glory of men. I think that is what this verse means.

I don't think that God ever intended for Christianity to stay in the prehistoric stage....
Thank God for His Living Word that reached out and continued to teach us even after the close of the Bible.
We do not believe in owning women...
We do not believe in the subjugation of women....
We do not believe in polygamy.
We do not believe in slavery...
And we did adopt the custom of weddings.

 

[Rita]

understood. You can’t possibly know how many times I’ve thought of PMing someone for help but then decided against it. How many times I considered just walking into a church where no one knows me and asking for help. Or even searching for a hotline to call. But every time coming to the conclusion how can you explain to someone else what is going on and what even is at the root of if, when you don’t even know yourself. So I come to hopeless of asking for help with what I can’t explain. That you perceived this and didn’t need an explanation but was moved to help, intercede...truly thank you!

Hi, so sorry you are struggling xx
Don’t lose sight of the truth that The Holy Spirit knows everything about you, all the root causes, reasons. The Holy Spirit became m true counsellor when I was going through my marriage breakdown, when all the grief and pain unearthed everything else I had buried away. But b bit he took me on an inner journey of discovery to understand myself and the mess that we were going through as a family. It took time, but I claimed the promise of that knowledge and understanding. I journaled, asked questions and waited, but over time the Holy Spirit gave me the answers and understanding I needed xxx
However the Holy Spirit also used people around me. May you know who to seek help from, sometimes a listening ear can be a great source of comfort, or empathy. Sometimes we just need another human being to take our pain seriously.
Rita xx

 

[Grailhunter]

You can’t possibly know how many times I’ve thought of PMing someone for help but then decided against it.

Why not Victory? There are people here that like you, look at your likes column. LOL
How many people here have issues? It could help you and it could help others.
Fellowship....right? Go for it!

 

[NayborBear]

As far as the pandemic goes... no one can argue that something very peculiar has happened this last year. I believe that we have all done the very best we can to deal with something we absolutely knew nothing about.. nor were we prepared for....and that includes my government. Mistakes were made... but rather than blame and accuse... I choose to accept that it has happened... and I seek to find the hand of GOD within it.

Been reading over your thread (to this point anyways...lol), and wanna share with ya, a perspective from a higher point of view.

Not so much "specifically" from the "planneddemic" point of view, as you addressed it in your paragraph here. But, more from on "overall" point of view of how and why "things" are going upside down, and are more and more determined to remain that way, and even get worser!
Kinda goes like "How much worser does God have to allow things to become until people called by His Name, get off of their shiny hineys and DO something?"

I dunno, mebbe it's just me, but it seems that the unending/unrepentant/murdering infanticide of those unborn, is not so awfully far away from (although, a mite less bloody, and much less public) that which pharoah, and king herod did in their days. Although 1 was for population control, the other, in attempting to thwart prophecies of God's faithful servants the Prophets!

And? The "spitting" in the eyes of God, from those who prefer to "act" the opposite of the gender they were born with. And not only boast about their Godless, and lawless behavior, but, have infiltrated the government (at least in the states here) to the degree that "they" pass laws and legislation mandating that we YOKE ourselves WITH this vermin! AND LIKE IT!

In these eyes anyway, we are already baring witness to tribulation/s that have MET the criteria Jesus was speaking of here: Matthew 24:21
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

How much worser?

LORD? Hear my prayer!

 

[Addy]

Not so much "specifically" from the "planneddemic" point of view, as you addressed it in your paragraph here. But, more from on "overall" point of view of how and why "things" are going upside down, and are more and more determined to remain that way, and even get worser!
Kinda goes like "How much worser does God have to allow things to become until people called by His Name, get off of their shiny hineys and DO something?"

And? The "spitting" in the eyes of God, from those who prefer to "act" the opposite of the gender they were born with. And not only boast about their Godless, and lawless behavior, but, have infiltrated the government (at least in the states here) to the degree that "they" pass laws and legislation mandating that we YOKE ourselves WITH this vermin! AND LIKE IT!

Hello to you @NayborBear ... Well... I guess that is indeed part of this thread.

I agree that the world is a cesspool of evil events. I live in Canada... and have no problem admitting/revealing that our Government has an evil agenda...( which is why I have never voted... and I never will )... With that said... I absolutely understand that voting is a liberty and a privilege. I just have never been able to find myself able to compromise on the lesser of two evils.. as I believe ALL secular organizations are anti-God and most corrupt. Therefore I do not see ANY side as being BETTER. ( I know this view is frowned upon and not popular... I am ok with that and I am not saying I am RIGHT ).

Somehow... like you have pointed out.... things have gone very badly... but I do not see this as a SUDDEN thing... I believe that many Americans seem to think that AMERICA is still the land of milk and honey... and that it's still the 1950's where homes had a mom... dad.. and kids... and a house with a white picket fence. The American Dream. This America in my estimation has been gone for DECADES...
It has been a slow fade... a creeping in ever so quietly fade... until one day.... you realize things have changed... and it's not good.

WE (as Christians ) should have said some things sooner... we should have done things differently... We should not have allowed ALL these specific groups to DEMAND special entitlement... but this did not start with the LGBTQ issues.... It started with the women's liberation movement.
Piece by piece.... the family unit has been stripped away to nothing... It was only a matter of time where all these other ideologies would come in to fill in the cracks... Hindsight is 20/20 indeed.

For me... It took 20 years simply to find out who GOD was... Basic and simple truths about HIM that should have been EASY to ACQUIRE were no where to be found... I had Catholicism to break free from... legalistic relatives to flee from and.... the "haunting" thought that I might lose my salvation at any given point and time... so... in essence.... I am just now... in this very moment and time... FEELING secure in my FAITH. It is all I have and it is SACRED. I do not allow others to tamper with it.

With the above said... it is my view point that it is NOT the job of the government to decide the MORALITY of a nation... nor do I believe this is even possible to achieve... SO yes... it looks good on paper to say... abortion is illegal... and I absolutely agree... one should NOT be part of such matters ... but... in all honesty.... how effective are government measures? I don't have an answer to that question.

I joined this site in June of last year.... took a few months off and returned just in time for the United States election. I tried with all my might to understand American patriotism... at the cost of some very nasty comments... and not getting an inch closer to understanding... To me land is just dirt and water... I was born in Canada... someone else was born in America... I am not proud to be Canadian... I am BLESSED to be a CHRISTIAN.
I am not able to see things as so many do... and I have honestly come to see that I am FINE with that... I don't boast to anyone that I am better or even right.... but I am right for me.

As for your point regarding the transgender issue... I live in a bachelor apartment. One of my landlords is transgender... When I moved here ... they were a he... and a year later... they announced themselves to be a she. I had never even heard of such a thing. Nor did I have the foggiest idea how I was going to process everything. However.... I prayed... and prayed some more... and I came to a place of learning how to love the sinner without loving the sin. This person is NOT a believer... and what she does believe about God is NOT very positive.
Therefore... I am unable to condemn this person. She changed her name... and I choose to call her by her new name... as well as refer to her in the female form. I do not feel I have the RIGHT to give her my opinion... and I certainly do not feel she needs to be SHUNNED... and treated as VERMIN.

I guess perhaps I am not a GOOD CHRISTIAN... I simply am unable to see the world as so many see it...

I believe that GOD is ALMIGHTY... HE SEES ALL THINGS... KNOWS ALL THINGS... and is in CONTROL OF ALL THINGS... at ALL TIMES. It is us... as humans who so often cannot see what HE is doing... and so we GUESS... and SURMISE... and that is where OPINIONS come from.

I am not sure what you would define as getting off your shiny hiney... but I define it as living life in such a way that is pleasing to God.

I don't know how many times I have said this in the last weeks... but I seek to live in peace... ( many seem to perceive this as putting my head in the sand and not wanting to face the EVILS that lurk )... but that is not how it is.... I KNOW what lurks out there... I choose to live a quiet life... and I meditate on things that are worthy of thought. Things that are lovely ... and noble to God.

God is the one who must deal with sin... NOT me. Anyways... I have rambled on here.

 

[Rita]

@Addy , I live in the ‘ gay capital ‘ of the U.K. Therefore I work with many different people. Many are LGBT, many are my friends, not one of them are Christian. We had a transgender carer, transitioning from a male to a female. I have found many issues that I simply don’t know how to approach. The residents, despite having demencia, knew the transgender carer was a man, it confused them. We have had women who are married with children suddenly end their marriage and start up a relationship with another female carer !
The transgender lady ended up having a relationship with a female carer, which I struggled to get my head round!
I refuse to look upon them as vermin and condemn as so many other Christians do verbally. It’s not because ‘ I am liberal ‘ ( say that before I am accused of it ) it’s because Jesus died on the cross for ALL mankind, and we are ALL sinners and fall short of Gods ideals. It’s the Lords job to refine and change us from within and first people have to encounter Jesus for themselves. The women at the well , Jesus spoke to her first, he did not reject her but came alongside her.
Rita

 

[Addy]

It’s the Lords job to refine and change us from within and first people have to encounter Jesus for themselves. The women at the well , Jesus spoke to her first, he did not reject her but came alongside her.
Rita

I am that woman at the well... and I have encountered Jesus for myself. He DID NOT reject me... but came along side me.
For me...It's not about what so many others think it's about.... What you have just stated...is what it's all about.

 

[Rita]

I am that woman at the well... and I have encountered Jesus for myself. He DID NOT reject me... but came along side me.
For me...It's not about what so many others think it's about.... What you have just stated...is what it's all about.

Do you know what I think Addy, that many Christians either forget where they were before they encountered Christ, or simply lived such a sheltered life that they never really had to deal with the deeper and more complicated issues that are in the world today. They have no capabilities of experiencing empathy with anyone.
What I have seen over the last year are many Christians throwing their toys out of their prams because suddenly they are facing what many have been facing for years, suddenly it’s on their own doorsteps and they simply don’t know how to deal with it all, so they attack, blame, judge ,they blame others for living in fear of what is going on but actually they are just as fearful , but in a different way.
Rita

 

[Addy]

Do you know what I think Addy, that many Christians either forget where they were before they encountered Christ, or simply lived such a sheltered life that they never really had to deal with the deeper and more complicated issues that are in the world today. They have no capabilities of experiencing empathy with anyone.
What I have seen over the last year are many Christians throwing their toys out of their prams because suddenly they are facing what many have been facing for years, suddenly it’s on their own doorsteps and they simply don’t know how to deal with it all, so they attack, blame, judge ,they blame others for living in fear of what is going on but actually they are just as fearful , but in a different way.
Rita

I think part of it is LEGALISTIC doctrine... WE all know that kind of Christian... they are the ones who stand on the street corners... telling all the "sinners" they are going to hell.

I think part of it is the other end of the spectrum... this Word of Faith/Prosperity teaching that would state... God wants you to have absolutely EVERYTHING you want.... whenever you want it... and not only that... HE wants you to be rich.... SO.... please pay for my JET because God told me I'm supposed to have one.... so that I can preach to the nations. ( My blood boils when I think of this blasphemy against the Sovereign God ). This seems to actually stem from America.

North America has been spared ( as you have stated ) persecution. The outcome of that I feel... is a sense of taking for granted that this is how things should be. There is not an urgency of putting FAITH first... I guess you might call that losing your first love... or being luke warm. Whatever it is... many are not ready for what is to come. Maybe that is what it means when it says that many will fall away.

Whatever it is... we come from a culture that absolutely REJECTS the wisdom of sorrow and suffering as teachers. We avoid suffering... run from it... and denounce it as being WEAK... when in all reality... it is the process of making strong.

I guess in all honesty... I started this thread with the desire to CLARIFY that I am not the type of person that many seem to think I am... I am not this fragile little thing that CAN'T bare to see or deal with evil.... however I realize... there is no point in defending myself. People will think what they desire to think.

Those of us who are blessed with the gift of mercy and empathy must carry a cross that is not only heavy... but comes even with attacks from within the body.

It is much easier to SHUN someone... and harshly judge them as UNWORTHY due to their "terrible sins" than it is to rise up and love them because that entails getting your hands dirty... Somehow... many prefer to wash the blood off their hands.... thinking that this is the answer when it's not what is commanded of us. WE are to LOVE.

 

[quietthinker]

I am that woman at the well... and I have encountered Jesus for myself. He DID NOT reject me... but came along side me.
For me...It's not about what so many others think it's about.... What you have just stated...is what it's all about.

I see Addy. Was it, 'well, what are you going to do with me'?

 

[Addy]

I see Addy. Was it, 'well, what are you going to do with me'?

Not quite sure I am understanding the question... but I sense the grin behind it.

 

[quietthinker]

Not quite sure I am understanding the question... but I sense the grin behind it.

you said in your previous post you were the woman at the well. I figure it wasn't the one you let a bucket down at to get water so I figured you' have your own like my question.

 

[Addy]

ou said in your previous post you were the woman at the well. I figure it wasn't the one you let a bucket down at to get water so I figured you' have your own like my question.

I was trying to be poetic in my writing... LOL

 

[quietthinker]

ahhhhh, we are a bunch of jokers in the land that's brown and wide and if you get to see the edges you'll probably see the tide!

 

[Addy]

ahhhhh, we are a bunch of jokers in the land that's brown and wide and if you get to see the edges you'll probably see the tide!

Our land is about to turn green.... and your land is about to turn white... Wait... Does Australia get snow?? Please don't tell me this is a dumb question... I am from Canada.

 

[quietthinker]

Our land is about to turn green.... and your land is about to turn white... Wait... Does Australia get snow?? Please don't tell me this is a dumb question... I am from Canada.

we should turn white, we hardly do, its on account of blacks
we've given them the shortest stick and one that's full of cracks

the bit of snow on steeper plains, I suppose you'd call them hills
we strap a nice plank to our boots, thats how we get our thrills.

 

[Addy]

we should turn white, we hardly do, its on account of blacks
we've given them the shortest stick and one that's full of cracks

the bit of snow on steeper plains, I suppose you'd call them hills
we strap a nice plank to our boots, thats how we get our thrills.

HE's a poet.... a real poet... OH my!!! I am impressed... You are not only a quiet thinker... you are deep thinker.

 

[quietthinker]

I'm glad you liked the ditty Addy. I get in a mood at times and it rolls.

But on a more serious note (would you call that a twang?)...no, I better stop.

We are privileged beyond measure....our status is Royalty. God's unfathomable generosity towards the outcasts of the created order has made us Princes and Princesses.....a status over and above the rest of the created Universe. We need to take stock and consider the greatness of the gift given.....and when the penny drops (it's a big penny) we won't find the need to engage repetitive religious mumbo jumbo.

 

[Addy]

We are privileged beyond measure....our status is Royalty. God's unfathomable generosity towards the outcasts of the created order has made us Princes and Princesses.....a status over and above the rest of the created Universe. We need to take stock and consider the greatness of the gift given.....and when the penny drops (it's a big penny) we won't find the need to engage repetitive religious mumbo jumbo.

I AGREE. Well said.