Posted on 04/04/2007 10:15:14 AM PDT by Quix
Knitting a Conundrum: We are coming together in love, and to share the love of Christ, and therefore, even if we disagree, we need to remember to avoid things that are not said kindly and in love. Each of us holds our beliefs because we do it for the love of Christ, and even if you don’t accept the conclusion of a person, honor it by not saying harsh or hurtful things because it’s done to honor Christ.
Kind and respectful discourse. Avoid words that you know will cause a kneejerk reaction. If a person uses terminology that seems wrong to you, ask them to define it the way they use it, and accept the fact that it might be used differently than you use it. Together we can work on ways of discussing our love of Christ in a language we all understand.
Above all, treat others like fellow lovers of Jesus.
ONE ANOTHER DEVOTIONAL CHRISTIAN CAUCUS:
We construe that to mean—ABSOLUTELY NOTHING PERSONALLY NEGATIVE will be posted to another FREEPER Christian.
Generic Biblical points, MINOR, essential comments about flaws of generic groups of Christians MIGHT--with hopefully rare exception--MIGHT be allowed but are NOT to be the focus or emphasis of this thread.
We seek the awesome possibility that this thread could be an overwhelmingly positive example of:
We call and challenge ourselves and other BELIEVERS IN CHRIST AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR to respond to each ONE ANOTHER as posted for that day as though delivered from the hand or mouth of our Lord and Savior directly that day at the moment of first reading it.
By respond, we mean to prayerfully ponder it—FIRST—THEN type.
Ask The Lord where in one’s life HE would like to see that expressed more fully, earnestly, Spirit-led-ly, routinely.
Ask The Lord where in the FR Religion Forum network of RELATIONSHIPS it might be better expressed more faithfully as unto The Lord.
Share the resulting Spirit-born insights as led on the thread.
< If The Lord reminds one of where one has done well with that ONE ANOTHER to good effect in an individual’s life for The Kingdom and their relationship with God—sharing that in a humble, edifying way could be helpful.
Perhaps most redemptive would be a walking out of that ONE ANOTHER in a growthful, amplified way ON THE THREAD WITH ANOTHER FREEPER BELIEVER(S) with whom one has been less than ideally Christian in threads past.
Above all, let this thread more than any other prior— BE A VIVID EXAMPLE OF THE WORLD KNOWING WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER!
Accordingly:
1. Anything which arises out of our flesh nature—especially with a gritch, jab, tweak attached—particularly one designed to leave the other person one down and us one up.
2. Anything designed to/out of any motivation to shove our presumed saintliness and saintly perspective down anyone else’s, everyone else’s throat.
3. Anything which would detract from, sabotage the goal of a mutually supportive; mutually loving, mutually edifying CHRISTIAN CAUCUS thread. Anything UNloving.
1. Show ourselves and the world that we ARE CHRISTIANS by our LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. If the flesh is weak, ASK GOD for more umph in the love department before finishing typing and hitting POST.
2. Build other posters up; edify; encourage; clarify; support; affirm; BE KIND; be gentle; . . . be CHRISTLIKE in word, tone, deed.
3. Word things as you might during your most fervent courtship--to a young gal/man you were hoping to marry—i.e. attractively, winsomely, invitingly, maturely, responsibly--LOVINGLY.
Romans 15:7
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Wellllll, given that BROTHERLY KISSES
are not so kosher in our era,
I’LL TAKE LOADS OF HUGS ANY DAY! LOL.
Even one is great!
AW, YER ALL FRUITY!!!!!!
“For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.”
:-)
LOL.
Actually, I probably prefer hugs.
But I won’t turn down a friendly holy kiss on the cheek or neck.
Romans 15:7
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
One of key passages, to me of Jesus’ teaching is his response to the man who asked him what he needed to be saved, which I paraphrase this way: “Love the Lord your God with all you have, and your neighbor as yourself.”
And in the parable of the Good Samaritan that follows, we learn that even people who are traditionally considered enemies are our neighbors.
Jesus himself demonstrated perfectly this love. Even as he was mocked, beaten, crucified, he chose to carry our sins. Our proper response is to love the way he asked us to love, not for our sakes, but out of gratitude for the God who loves us, and thus our response should be to act the way he showed us to.
We do it not for us, but for him.
We do it not as to us, but if we were doing it to him.
We do it not through our own strength, but from the grace he gives.
I was preparing my Good Friday meditation. 27 poems (written over the last 4 years, not all at this time.) So I didn’t check FR for awhile...LOL. Too many irons in the fire today!
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. - Romans <15:1-7
When we slander or insult other Christians it doesn't stop there. We are slandering our own Savior. Our insults fall on Jesus! And what we do for one another we also do for Christ. How we treat the Body is equal to how we treat Jesus.
How did Christ accept us? Did he passively accept what was given Him? Or did he seek us out, call us near, embrace us and die for us? We are commanded to do likewise, "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you."
Seriously,
I think satan has polluted our sexuality to such an extreme degree that healthy nonsexual affection of critical value to health, immune systems, brain development etc. has been minimized in our culture even for children. They especially need it but we all do.
I think being bold AND SPIRIT LED in affection in fitting ways can really do wonders to help bonding and other wonderful things opening folks up to The Gospel.
It shortened by maybe 6-9 months the time it took in relationship evangelism in Asia before someone was ready to hear about The Gospel.
So, HUG ONE ANOTHER!
We do it not for us, but for him.
We do it not as to us, but if we were doing it to him.
We do it not through our own strength, but from the grace he gives.
THANKS TONS.
SOOOOOOO CRUCIAL, THOSE POINTS.
But if we don’t at least DO IT, we never learn such crucial points. It is, I think, in the courage to ACT in such manners that Holy Spirit enlivens such truths to us.
Much appreciated.
Great job! Thanks for all you do. I pray the Spirit works great things through you both. God bless.
No sweat. Just greatly appreciate your helpfulness and any degree of iron sharpening iron with you.
Bless you in all your efforts and may your poems bring abundant life to many.
Such a powerful convicting passage!
When we slander or insult other Christians it doesn’t stop there. We are slandering our own Savior. Our insults fall on Jesus! And what we do for one another we also do for Christ. How we treat the Body is equal to how we treat Jesus.
How did Christ accept us? Did he passively accept what was given Him? Or did he seek us out, call us near, embrace us and die for us? We are commanded to do likewise, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.”
= = = =
THUNDEROUSLY WEIGHTY TRUTHS BTL, Thanks tons.
Trouble is, we too often sort of manage to get our minds around “accept one another” to a point . . . then our circuits get fried at “just as Christ accepted you” and we go back to the cares of life asmore attractive and less risky.
The Cross was, in a sense—apart from DADDY’S FAITHFULNESS WHICH WE CAN ALSO COUNT ON—THE CROSS—was beyond risky.
But we won’t risk a minor discomfort too often—to extend our hearts, our hands, our smiles and caring tones.
But we could.
In Him, we can.
Thanks tons.
Luke chapter 6 is a powerful guide to living. This passage is my touchstone:
20: And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21: “Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh.
22: “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man!
23: Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
24: “But woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25: “Woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger. “Woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26: “Woe to you, when all men speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
27: “But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28: bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
29: To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.
30: Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again.
31: And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.
32: “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33: And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34: And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35: But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish.
36: Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
37: “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
38: give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
39: He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
40: A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.
41: Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
42: Or how can you say to your brother, `Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
43: “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit;
44: for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.
45: The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
46: “Why do you call me `Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
47: Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
48: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
49: But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
For the measure you give will be the measure you get back
Think about it. If you give hatred, anger, bickering, self-righteousness, backbiting, darkness, guess what you get back?
If you give love, generousity, caring, hope, help, light, guess what you get back?
Fruits of the Spirit. And God is most generous. He doesn’t just give you tit for tat, but with a measure pressed down to hold more, and overflowing.
In Him all things are possible.
I will try to get back and post my wife's testimony, but for now I have to go. Her testimony is all about acceptance.
***********
Well, He was speaking to fishermen. :) But what do you mean?
I so agree.
Love that. ‘Course you DO haveta put your boat on the lake to begin with.
True, he was speaking to fishers vice hunters. But I think that very little, if anything, in God's plan is by accident. Consider the differences between fishing and hunting (I exclude spearfishing, as that is essentially hunting for fish).
The net fisher selects an appropriate spot and casts his nets out. The fish that are caught in the net are brought back in. If there are no fish to catch, then the net fisher will cast his nets out again.
The hook fisher must provide some sort of bait to attract the fish to the hook. The fish must bite the hook first, before being drawn back into the boat (or the shore or whatever).
The hunter, on the other hand, selects his specific target, stalks the target, and then attacks the target with an arrow, a spear, or a bullet.
For the fisher to be successful, the fish must take a little bit of action (swim into the net, bite the hook, etc.). The fisher cannot, on his own power, force the fish to be caught.
For the hunter to be successful, the hunter must be smarter than the hunted. He must take the action to attack the target. No cooperation on the part of the hunted is required (other than being inept enough not to detect the presence of the hunter and run away).
Both the fisher and the hunter may use some techniques to attract their targets. They might use bait, decoys, scent, or something else. But the presence of those techniques will not alter the fact that the fish must either swim into the net or bite the hook, while the prey only need stand still long enough (or move slow enough) to be killed.
Are you seeing an analogy in the gospels yet?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.