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When the time comes I hope we have all accepted him. I do not fear for anyone's soul, I work for his or her joy and enlightenment with him. Who has time to fear?
Christianity has become a partisan word. Why? When did we give up on the left who seem to be anti war? How can we call them liberals as though it is a bad thing when Jesus was a liberal? What are they doing that is worse then what we are? Is being against a war anti-Christian or anti-American? Is accepting others, and trying to understand the world around us un-Christian? How can we speak to others of God if we know nothing about them and have invited their wrath? As a church we must separate our American selves from our Christian selves. We must call on our Priests, Pastors, and Ministers who see these hypocrisies and ask them to call out the Charlatans for what they are. They must lead us in peace, love and forgiveness never in fear, hatred, and intolerance. It is our duty to shine light on those that misuse the name of Jesus. It is our duty to spread the good news not the bad.
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Posted 09/26/2006 06:18pm
Author: jbrown
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JBrown,
Welcome to the blog! Your concerns echo mine (see my blog Facing Islam, Facing Christ). I too am tired of labels (conservative, liberal, etc...). We constantly need to re-focus on Christ, not ourselves. But please, try to be equally sympathetic to the "radical Christian right" as you would to any other person. Many of them have a profound commitment to the Lord. Christ calls all of us to serve the best we can.
Grace to you,
clayonmyeyes
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Posted 09/26/2006 07:16pm
Author: clayonmyeyes
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My first response will be what our pastor said on Sunday. Followers of the Lord have never been in the majority and nor will they ever be. Most will not be saved. But I am thankful that He called me out of darkness and I answered that call. Most of your complaint can be summed up just by reading the New Testament. There were the same complaints in there also. Don't worry about the majority because even satan will send fakes and wolves in sheeps clothing in the church. He always has and always will. Keep your eyes on the Lord, read His Word, pray daily, and do what God tells you to do. You also need to do if you do what is right in God's eyes everything will take care of it self and God will bless you for it even if you are sitting in the middle of a lions den. The govt. was appointed by God and I believe the Lord said they do His bidding. Yes, Islam is evil and has to be stopped. The Lord has used our military before and He is using it again. When I read your comment I thought I was not reading something a Christian would write. Christians usually are supportive of our military and country. We can not stick our heads in the sand and not deal with what is going on in the world. There are things that most do not know when it comes to this war. The leftist media will not tell you the truth. I speak from experience since my husband is in the US Air Force. He has never shot anyone nor been put in that position. He would however if he had to defend himself. He is a meteorologist and has done alot of top secret stuff that I have no idea of. He would loves the Lord and tries to be a witness while serving. Just remember the entire military is all volunteers and no one has been drafted. They love their country and most are God fearing. Instead of complaining, be a witness to all around you. Make a difference in one life at a time since that's what the Lord would have you to do. Pray for our President so he makes the right decisions and pray for our military. If we have to go into war, I want and pray a revival take place for those who will die. That's what is important. Yes, sometimes there's too much talk about our country and wars. Maybe you're just in the wrong church. We left a church that cared more about boycotting and things like that. That's not the church's mission. But it's also not good not to know what's going on. You can keep complaining all you want but I ask you would you be able to do it if you were in Iraq. No! In most countries you would either go to jail and remember these people kill you if you are a Christian. Thank God that you live in a country that gives you free speech. Yes we have it but remember, as the Lord has been getting on to me about, that even though what you want to say is true it may not pass with Him. Also remember that it was a soldier who gave you your rights in this country not a preacher. Be thankful, prayerful, and do what God says to do.
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Posted 09/27/2006 03:14pm
Author: christy
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I couldn't agree more being that I too am a soldier. I was afraid that some may think I was complaining. I assure you I am not. I am just confused. I am looking for answers. I hear things and see things that to me go against the teachings. All I ask is that if there is a place where Jesus tells it's ok to war, to show me. Paul tells us that the war is not with governments and flesh but a spiritual war...I am here for answers... to discuss and learn, One mind is fine but many is a blessing. I am not against the military in any way, that however does not mean that I will not ask questions about how they are used. In response to my ability to speak freely in other countries, Christians have died peacfully for their beliefs since Christ if it is Gods will I too would gladly give my life peacfuly.
I welcom all responses to my querries, I am not angry or bitter, I just wonder if any one else feels the way I do.
God bless you all
jbrown
and thank God for this site
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Posted 09/27/2006 10:59pm
Author: jbrown
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Jbrown,
I used to be angry and bitter, now I'm mostly just sad about the whole mess. It's such a sensitive issue. There's so much finger pointing but no taking of responsibility. It's going to be a long haul. We have to be strong and pray hard. I think a lot of people - on both sides of the debate - feel just like you do. We want answers, and therein lies the frustration. There are no easy answers - no matter what decisions our leaders did or did not make.
The one thing that still does anger me is the way some people place a greater value on an American soldier's life than on an Iraqi/Afghan civilian's life. For this I have zero tolerance.
When Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Prize she refused the conventional ceremonial banquet and donated the funds to the poor in Calcutta. They asked her when she received the prize, "What can we do to promote world peace?" Her answer was simply, "Go home and love your family." This might be overly-simplistic but perhaps the best advice we can follow these days.
Grace to you,
clayonmyeyes
Information about Mother Teresa taken from Wikipedia.
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Posted 09/28/2006 05:28am
Author: clayonmyeyes
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Well, I do know the answer to the world peace thing! If you read your Bible and you have understanding and get wisdom you will come to the knowledge that there will never be peace. It can't get better than it is. It has to get worse. If the world would not keep getting worse then why would Jesus have a reason to come back to take us out of here. There are also some of these things that are in prophecy--now don't think I know alot of prophecy because I don't. I do know however that most of prophecy concerning Jesus' return has already happened. Since my husband was not a Christian before he came into the military he believes he is to do his duty and obey until it causes him to disobey God's word. As far as some of the questions you have realize that Thou shalt not kill means in the original thou shalt not murder which means taking innocent life. While I don't like all that goes on in the military nor agree sometimes they do have a job to do. Maybe just so you can have peace within yourself and your God you should think about getting out. My husband says we are protecting life and our country. That's a job most don't want. But it needs to be done. Just like we got rid of Hitler who was fully evil that's what I see we did in Iraq. Yes, it's not a nice job and there are alot of problems over there. Sometimes like now the politicians try to run a was. Even our president could be doing that. When there's people who know what they are doing in war and have been trained why would people who do not think they know better try to do the job for the military. Sometimes our job would be easier and quicker if they would get out of the way. I love my country and I love our military and pray for them. They are doing a worthy job that God has blessed more than once. He has used military before to whip our enemies before. I support them because I don't want to live in a country run by muslims nor anything like it. i want it to stay free and it won't if we all live like we're in a commune and just read our Bible. It's just like when Christian people allow evil politicians in our govt. to make evil laws and don't use their votes to throw people like that out. We just sit back and watch. Why was prayer taken out of schools? Pacifist christians did nothing. The majority of the country allows the minority to run it and that's mainly what I am tired of
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Posted 09/28/2006 12:10pm
Author: christy
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I have to say you took every side you could in that one. First I agree with you about "thou shalt not kill/murder". That is my point exactly. We call it collateral damage when innocent lives are taken in war. So because we call it by another name it isn't murder? Hitler invaded Europe Sadam did not. As to prayer in schools..well actually it is allowed, only the teachers are not allowed to lead it. I agree with this. There are just to many ways to interpret Gods word. I would not want someone who thinks entirely differently than I do to teach my children about god through prayer. That is my job.(for instance praying that God strike down our enemy, or punish whom ever.) This country is founded on ideas like separation of church and state, If it is a state school then the church should be separate as far as teachers go. There are christian institutions for those who desire them. Much like the teachings of Christ I don't think we can pick and choose what freedoms we want based only on our desires and not taking into consideration people of other faiths like Jewish, Buddhism, or even Muslim. That is what America is. That is what I fight for. Freedom for all. Also I know that there will never be world peace and that it must get worse before it gets better in the end. I just don't want the end to come. I don't think Jesus wants the end to come. He tells a story about a land owner who must go away. He leaves three servants with some money to invest for him in his absence. When he returns he finds the first invested it wisely and gives the owner a good return, another a decent return, the last was afraid he would lose it so he buried it and gave nothing extra.The owner gave that mans portions to his other two because he was afraid to even take a chance. Jesus is that land owner and love is what he gives us to invest. As i said before; I haven't gotten the return Jesus deserves yet.
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Posted 09/28/2006 07:56pm
Author: jbrown
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I was going to stay out of this one... and probably still should. But I can't.
Jbrown stated in comment posted 9/29/06: "Hitler invaded Europe Sadam did not". So you're saying that as long as he killed the people he was leading it's okay, just so long as he kept in within his own country's borders?
In the first chapter of James it is stated to look after orphans and widows...so would it have been more Christlike to ignore the mass murder of the Iraqis under Sadam's regime in order to be passive? I watched the released military footage of Hezbollah missle trucks driving through housing projects to hide after firing on Israel. Using children as a shield. I suppose it is the fault of those that fired on the trucks for their death... not of those that hid behind them.
Jesus did not call us to be doormats, at the Last Supper He told his disciples to sell their cloak to buy a sword if they did not have one.
Legally prayer is allowed in schools... but does that mean it actually is permitted without a lawyer? You can search the ACLJ website to see where prayer/prayer clubs have been denied to students. The First Amendment protects the church from state involvement... to keep the government out of the church. It was never intended to keep the church out of government! The ACLU may be one day be successful and change our Nation's motto from 'In God We Trust' to whatever they think it should be, however that act will not change the fact that our country was founded on Biblical Truths. Do I consider myself an American before I'm a Christian... NO. I'm grateful to have born in a free country. Grateful to wear jeans and my hair down. But I am Christ's first and foremost. Therefore Christ comes with me everywhere I go, into whatever goverment building I walk into... I don't leave Jesus at the door just because someone came up with the notion that He doesn't belong there.
I don't believe Jesus is American... I don't believe I'm better than anybody else... I believe God has blessed our Nation for a reason, and that the blessings we have received put us in a position to help other countries with dangerous leaders. Not just dangerous in our eyes... but in the eyes of their people.
Philippiansfourseven
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Posted 10/09/2006 06:49pm
Author: philippiansfourseven
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Might as well stick in my 2 cents worth. War will always be with mankind. God prophesied war against Israel(and some other nations)in the Old Testament as a form of bringing his people back to him and for punishment of their worship of idols and gods of other nations around them. There are several instances in Ezekiel where God pointed out to them of coming war and seiges of Jerusalam as his wrath because of idols they had even set up in HIS temple.
Part, if not all, of our modern day conflicts in the Middle East are due to King Sauls failure of obedience to wipe out all leaving nothing of the Amalekites. Even at this everything is as it should be. God is working everything according to his plan. The final battle that is to take place will not be a war of political forces or nations persay, except for Israel, it will be a religious war. It may appear to be political at the beginning with nations building coalitions but the forces of Islam could very well be the main driving force of Satan's army and it will effectively be war of Christianity verses Islam.
When God taps Yeshua on the shoulder and says; "It's time Son" the real battle will begin.
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Posted 12/11/2007 04:04pm
Author: sojourner
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